2022 Puerto Rico Open Odds & Picks: Curtis Thompson, Austin Smotherman, Dylan Wu Offer PGA Value

For the first time, we have the Puerto Rico Open playing opposite of the Arnold Palmer Invitational as opposed to a WGC.

That means, we're treated to an even weaker field than normal since more of the high-level Korn Ferry Tour grads qualified for the main PGA event this week.

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The Course

Coco Beach plays at around 7,500 yards for a par 72. It’s long, but players don’t need to bomb it off the tee to compete here. We’ve had Tony Finau and Viktor Hovland break through here against the likes of Steve Marino and Josh Teater, but shorter hitters like Scott Brown and Chesson Hadley have victories, as well.

The course is wide open outside of a few lakes and the rough is pretty short, so if players just stay dry, they won’t find too much trouble. If the wind picks up, though, it can play more difficult. We’ve seen winning scores range from 7-under to 20-under, depending on the breeze.

Prior to Hovland’s win, this had been an event in which young, up-and-coming players get a taste of contention before falling just short to a veteran. Bryson DeChambeau, Jordan Spieth, Daniel Berger and Jason Day all have runner-up finishes here.

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2022 Puerto Rico Open Odds, Picks

The Favorites

The top of the board has a European flair this week. No one opens below +2000, and that's the number Matthias Schwab checks in with. He's coming off a seventh at the Honda Classic after really not putting up much of a result anywhere this year, but he's still without a professional win anywhere, so it's tough to back him here.

John Huh, Joseph Bramlett and Mark Hubbard are all next in line at +2200. Of the group, Hubbard will probably draw the most interest after two good weeks in Florida on the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours. He's also played well here in the past, finishing 15th in 2016.

Rafa Cabrera Bello and Victor Perez close out this range at +2800. Rafa should garner the most interest — he was second in Abu Dhabi last month on the DP World Tour and has finished inside the top 25 twice at this event.

The Mid-Tier

I'll start my card with Austin Smotherman at +4100 on FanDuel. He's been striking the ball well all season. The short game tends to be an issue, though — he lost four strokes around the green at the Honda Classic to miss the cut, but it was the fifth time in seven starts he'd gained strokes both off the tee and on approach in an event.

Next up is Dylan Wu at +4500 on bet365. Wu has put up some solid results to begin 2022: He was 20th at the Sony Open and 30th at last week's Honda Classic. He has a good short game and the irons have shown up pretty well against stronger fields.

I'm also going with Curtis Thompson at +8000 on BetMGM. Thompson gained over four strokes on the approach at the Honda, but had a dreadful week with the short game, losing more than six shots. The driver is his strength, which has helped a few guys here in the past. He's a better putter than what he's shown recently, so if his current ball striking can line up with a better week on the greens, he's got a chance to take this title.

Finally, we'll close this range with Sung Kang at +7000 on bet365. Kang's game has been hit and miss, but he gained nearly five shots on his approach in Phoenix a few weeks ago. If he can find that type of game with the irons this week, he can contend in this field.

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The Longshots

I'm not going too far down here, but I will take a shot with Seung-Yul Noh at +12500 on BetMGM. Noh hasn't shown much recently, but his best result of the season came at another Caribbean event in Bermuda where he placed 30th.

The Puerto Rico Card

• Austin Smotherman +4000 (.83 units)
• Dylan Wu +4500 (.73 units)
• Curtis Thompson +7500 (.44 units)
• Sung Kang +9000 (.37 units)
• Seung-Yul Noh +11000 (.3 units)

Total Stake: 2.67 units