Shriners Children’s Open Predictions, Odds & Picks: Will Tom Kim Go Back-to-Back in Vegas?

Most of the world’s best golfers are enjoying some down time with the FedEx Cup playoffs and Ryder Cup behind them. But the PGA Tour season is still going, and there will be a solid field at this week’s Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

In the history of this event, which began in 1983, there has been only one repeat winner. Jim Furyk, the only three-time winner of the event, went back-to-back in 1998 and 1999, when the tournament was still a 90-hole event.

This year, Tom Kim will look to join Furyk on that list. In last year’s Shriners Children’s Open–which, because of the PGA Tour switching to a calendar-year season starting next year, was the third tournament of the current season–Kim shot a 24-under 260 to finish three strokes ahead of Patrick Cantlay and Matthew NeSmith.

Kim, who is favored to defend his title, and Ludvig Aberg, sit atop the tournament winner odds, solidly ahead of a number of players who have won on the PGA Tour this season. That group includes Si Woo Kim, Nick Taylor, and Luke List, who won last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi.

Odds to Win the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open

Courtesy of Bovada (2:00 am ET Wednesday, October 11)

• Tom Kim +1200
• Ludvig Aberg +1300
• Cam Davis +2000
• Si Woo Kim +2000
• Adam Schenk +3000
• Eric Cole +3000
• J.J. Spaun +3000
• J.T. Poston +3000
• Tom Hoge +3000
• Andrew Putnam +3500
• Beau Hossler +3500
• Vincent Norrman +3500
• Adam Hadwin +4000
• Nicolai Hojgaard +4000
• Three at +4500: Adam Svensson, Alex Smalley, Emiliano Grillo
• Six at +5000: Ben Griffin, Davis Thompson, Garrick Higgo, Lucas Herbert, Luke List, Mark Hubbard
• +5500: Aaron Rai, Justin Suh, Patrick Rodgers
• +6000: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Nick Taylor, Sam Ryder
• +6500: Doug Ghim, Matt Nesmith, S.H. Kim

Shriners Children’s Open Predictions and Picks

Shriners Children’s Open Tournament Winner Prediction & Pick: Tom Hoge (+3000)

As tempted as I was to back Tom Kim to become only the second back-to-back winner of this tournament, history isn’t on his side.

Several other golfers have a good case to be the pick, but I’m rolling with Hoge.

Last year, Hoge finished tied for fourth behind Tom Kim, NeSmith, and Patrick Cantlay. Entering this year’s event, he is coming off of a solid week at the Sanderson Farms Championship, where he finished tied for 13th.

Other Tournament Picks

To finish in the top five: Tom Kim (+225)

I’m not backing Tom Kim for the win, but I am backing him to land in the top five.

Since missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which took place at the end of June, he has finished tied for sixth, tied for second, tied for 24th, tied for 10th, tied for 20th, tied for 18th, and tied for sixth in his last seven tournaments, the last two of which were DP World Tour events.

Top 10 Finish: Ludvig Aberg (+120)

Aberg was one of the five golfers who made the playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship, and he is also on a nice run. Along with picking up two wins while partnered with Viktor Hovland at the recent Ryder Cup, Aberg has finished in the top ten in four of his last five tournaments, including a win at the DP World Tour’s Omega European Masters.

Top 20 Finish: Si Woo Kim (+100), Adam Schenk (+110), Adam Hadwin (+160), Mark Hubbard (+175), and S.H. Kim (+180)

Si Woo Kim: He has not played in a tournament since the Tour Championship, but he finished eighth in last year’s Shriners Children’s Open.

Schenk: He finished in the top ten in two of the three FedEx Cup playoff events, coming in tied for sixth at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and tied for ninth at the Tour Championship.

Schenk also has a good history in the Shriners Children’s Open, including a tie for 12th last year and a tie for third the year before.

Hadwin: Hadwin has finished in the top ten three times in his last four Shriners Children’s Open appearances.

Hubbard: Hubbard will have some extra motivation this week after missing out on last Sunday’s playoff. He bogeyed the last two holes to finish at 17-under, one stroke shy of the playoff.

Missing out on a great chance to get for his first PGA Tour win had to be disappointing, without a doubt. But a sixth-place finish is still a good result, and it was preceded by a 17th-place finish at the Fortinet Championship.

S.H. Kim: Kim has missed the cut in five of his last seven events, but he finished second at the Fortinet Championship. Also, he finished tied for fourth at last year’s Shriners Children’s Open.

To finish in the top 40: Matt NeSmith (-110), Chad Ramey (+120), and Martin Laird (+130)

NeSmith: In the last four editions of this tournament, NeSmith, who tied for 25th at the Sanderson Farms Championship, has finished tied for 18th, tied for eighth, tied for 14th, and tied for second.

Ramey: Ramey had a decent week in his home start as he finished tied for 16th at the Sanderson Farms Championship, and he tied for 19th at the Fortinet Championship last month in his previous tournament appearance.

Another respectable payday should happen this week. He finished tied for 28th in last year’s Shriners Children’s Open and tied for 14th in the 2021 edition of the event.

Laird: Laird (2009, 2020) is one of three golfers to win this tournament multiple times–Furyk (1995, 1998, 1999) and Kevin Na (2011, 2019) are the other two–and he returns to the event with three top-20 finishes in his last five tournaments.

Where to Bet on Golf

In addition to Bovada, there are many other sports betting sites that are recommended if you are interested in golf betting, including the following trio:

• BetOnline
• BetUS
• MyBookie

You may already have an account at those online sportsbooks, but if you don’t, we suggest reading our reviews and checking them out for yourself to see if they are a good option for your preferences as a sports bettor.