Just days after Scottie Scheffler won The Open Championship to wrap up men's Major season, the PGA Tour campaign continues at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota with the 3M Open.
While many of the world's absolute elite take at least one week to rest and recover before the FedEx Cup Playoffs start, there is still a particularly strong field preparing for battle in Blaine.
Following an extremely successful past two weeks in the British Isles, Chris Gotterup holds one of the shortest prices to reign supreme on home soil. He is joined by Sam Burns and the likes of Max Greyserman, Maverick McNealy and Wyndham Clark in terms of outright betting picks.
Among the sleeper picks for the 3M Open are players such as Max McGreevy, Chris Kirk and Haotong Li - another pro who, like Gotterup, has enjoyed a potentially career-changing past several days.
But before we get to Sunday, everyone will try to go as low as possible over the first 18 holes. Who is most likely to achieve it? We've taken a look below...
Jacob Bridgeman carded a 63 to lead the 3M Open after 18 holes in 2024
JAKE KNAPP (+5000)
The monster-hitting American might well have a say towards the end of this tournament as well, but if you're looking for a likely candidate to come out of the traps flying, Jake Knapp has got to be under consideration.
Knapp co-led the Genesis Scottish Open with a 64 two weeks ago and was one stroke away from co-leading the RBC Canadian Open four starts ago, too, thanks to a first-round 63 (Cameron Champ shot 62).
He ranks 10th on the PGA Tour for Round 1 Scoring Average with a total of 68.84, and he's T26th for total rounds in the 60s this season.
If that wasn't enough, Knapp ranks third on the entire PGA Tour for total birdies made - another key metric if your chosen player is to lead after 18 holes.
MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN (+5000)
Using the same metrics as above, Michael Thorbjornsen could easily be considered among the most likely candidates to top the 3M Open leaderboard on Thursday night.
He averages 4.38 birdies a round and has managed 27 rounds in the 60s so far this term. Crucially, his Round 1 Scoring Average currently sits at 69.19 - the 16th best among his PGA Tour peers.
Although he hasn't been as close to the top of a round-one leaderboard as Knapp in recent weeks, Thorbjornsen carded a 66 during his first visit to TPC Twin Cities last season. And, if not for a mid-round bogey as well as a couple of close shaves, he would have been vying for first alongside Jacob Bridgeman with his opening 63.
Priced at just +3500 to win the event, picking Thorbjornsen to lead after round one at +5000 could make plenty of sense.
3M OPEN FIRST-ROUND LEADER ODDS
First-round leader odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. All prices correct at time of publication.
- Sam Burns (+3500)
- Maverick McNealy (+3500)
- Chris Gotterup (+3500)
- Wyndham Clark (+4000)
- Max Greyserman (+4500)
- Taylor Pendrith (+4500)
- Tony Finau (+5000)
- Michael Thorbjornsen (+5000)
- Jake Knapp (+5000)
- Akshay Bhatia (+5000)
- Si Woo Kim (+5000)
- Max Homa (+5500)
- Adam Scott (+5500)
- Davis Thompson (+5500)
- Kurt Kitayama (+5500)
- Cameron Champ (+5500)
- Rickie Fowler (+5500)
- Luke Clanton (+5500)
- Jesper Svensson (+6000)
- Niklas Norgaard (+6000)
- Emiliano Grillo (+6000)
- Keith Mitchell (+6000)
- Sungjae Im (+6000)
- Kevin Yu (+6000)
- Alex Smalley (+6500)
- Rico Hoey (+6500)
- Haotong Li (+6500)
- Matt Wallace (+6500)
- All other players priced at +7000 or higher
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