The PGA Tour is returning to the state of Utah for the first time in 60 years this week as the Black Desert Championship makes its debut in the FedEx Cup Fall series at the stunning Black Desert Resort.
At least nine golfers with ties to the Beehive State are competing, from Mike Weir to Patrick Fisburn and 65-year-old Jay Don Blake - who is set to retire after his 500th PGA Tour start. While opting for a home golfer could play a part in some punters' choices, it is important to remember that hardly anyone has regularly played this course before.
Therefore, due to the lack of history involving this event, selecting a champion could be particularly tough. But we're not afraid of a challenge here at Golf Monthly, and the team has outlined a handful of different players we feel should be in contention come Sunday...
Black Desert Championship Golf Betting Preview 2024: The Course
Opened in 2022, Black Desert Resort is an extraordinary Tom Weiskopf-design which is simply stunning on the eye. The golf course's green features are settled in among fields of black lava and the vermillion hills, showcasing the very best of Utah.
The par-71 layout is 7,371 yards long and includes a couple of driveable par-4s, plus its signature hole which is a par-3 based on Royal Troon's Postage Stamp - Black Desert's 17th. The fairways are largely very forgiving while the greens include plenty of slopes and ledges.
And, this week, it is not the rough that players ought to be worried about, but instead the surrounding black rock. According to Utah native, Zac Blair, golf balls which miss the grass are unlikely to be seen ever again, so a premium will be based on accuracy.
Utah's Zac Blair has warned against missing the fairways this week...
Black Desert Championship Betting Odds
The odds to win outright are via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Keith Mitchell (+1600)
- Seamus Power (+2200)
- Kurt Kitayama (+2500)
- Patrick Fishburn (+3000)
- Beau Hossler (+3000)
- Stephan Jaeger (+3000)
- Chan Kim (+3300)
- Ben Griffin (+3300)
- Chris Kirk (+3300)
- J.J. Spaun (+3500)
- Patrick Rodgers (+3500)
- Andrew Novak (+3500)
- Ryan Fox (+3500)
- Lucas Glover (+4000)
- Michael Thorbjornsen (+4000)
- Mac Meissner (+4000)
- Erik van Rooyen (+4000)
- Alex Smalley (+4500)
- Doug Ghim (+4500)
- Matti Schmid (+4500)
- Matt McCarty (+4500)
- Adam Svensson (+4500)
- Daniel Berger (+5000)
- Patton Kizzire (+5000)
- Justin Lower (+5500)
Black Desert Championship Betting Picks
Last week: Picked Keith Mitchell to win the Sanderson Farms Championship (T3rd) and backed Michael Thorbjornsen as his outside chance (T8th).
FAVORITE: Seamus Power (+2200)
Power possesses that wonderful combination of length and accuracy with his longer clubs, and he's no fool with putter in hand, either, having picked up strokes on the field in nine of his past 10 starts with the flat stick.
Proving what excellent form he's in, Power has also recorded +1.19 or better in three of his past five starts with regard to SG: Total. Coming off the back of T11th at the Sanderson Farms Championship and a T10th at the FedEx St Jude, it is certainly possible that the Irishman improves once more in Utah.
OUTSIDER: Max McGreevy (+7500)
The Korn Ferry Tour's No.2 ranked player is making his second PGA Tour start of 2024, having already finished T30th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson way back in May. His form on the KFT has been really encouraging since the Magnit Championship in August (which he won) with two more top-10s since.
He isn't overly long, but McGreevy is supremely accurate, hitting 10-15% more fairways than his rivals in all but two starts since mid-July. Providing the stage isn't too big for him, I wouldn't be surprised to see McGreevy enjoy a fine week.
Last week: Picked Ben Griffin to win the Sanderson Farms Championship (T37th) and backed Jacob Bridgeman as his outside chance (T11th).
FAVORITE: Beau Hossler (+3000)
Hossler came agonisingly close last week at the Sanderson Farms Championship and, in Utah, I feel he will be out for redemption. I mean, had it not been for Kevin Yu's back-to-back birdies on 18, we would be calling Hossler a PGA Tour winner.
He's in good form and, with this week's course being brand new to all, I think that previous form aspect will be the main factor in determining the results.
OUTSIDER: Zac Blair (+9000)
Blair grew up in Utah, so will know the conditions well and, I don't know how much of an impact this will have in all honesty, but he is a golf course designer himself which, playing on a new lay out, could possibly help.
The main reasons I have picked Blair, though, is because the course plays at altitude, meaning distance shouldn't be as much of a factor, and also because of his accuracy off the tee, which he ranks just outside the top 10 in. Although he missed the cut last week, he did finish in a tie for 13th the event before, so his game is there.
FAVORITE: Patrick Fishburn (+3000)
Patrick Fishburn is having quite the year, ranking 20th (last three months) for Strokes Gained: Total on his way to registering three top-six finishes in his last five PGA Tour starts. That makes him one to watch this week, especially when you consider that we are heading to his home state of Utah.
He may be looking for his first PGA Tour win, but where better to get it than on his own doorstep while in red-hot form.
OUTSIDER: KH Lee (+9000)
I love this selection, and I can't believe the price on offer. KH Lee has seriously impressive correlating course form on two other Tom Weiskopf-designs, TPC Craig Ranch and TPC Scottsdale.
Lee won at TPC Craig Ranch in 2021 and 2022, with both of his PGA Tour titles coming from what is now the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The South Korean has also been joint-runner-up at TPC Scottsdale, home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and arrives this week following a top-10 and a top-25 finish in his last four starts. Each-way auto-click... yes, please!
How To Watch Black Desert Championship
USA (ET)
- Thursday, October 10 - Round One: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm (Golf Channel) & 2:00pm - 8:00pm (ESPN+)
- Friday, October 11 - Round Two: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm (Golf Channel) & 2:00pm - 8:00pm (ESPN+)
- Saturday, October 12 - Round Three: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm (Golf Channel) & 3:00pm - 8:00pm (ESPN+)
- Sunday, October 13 - Round Four: 5:00pm - 8:00 pm (Golf Channel) & 3:00pm - 8:00pm (ESPN+)
UK (BST)
- Thursday, October 10 - Round One: 5:30pm - 1:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Friday, October 11 - Round Two: 5:30pm - 1:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Saturday, October 12 - Round Three: 10:00pm - 1:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Sunday, October 13 - Round Four: 10:00pm - 1:00am (Sky Sports Golf)