BMW Championship: Cash in on golf while you can

Our own Griffin Carroll celebrated Dinger Tuesday by nailing Christian Walker to homer at +325 odds, so let's keep the good times rolling with some plus-money golf bets for the BMW Championship.

Swingin' it in Chi-Town

The FedEx Cup Playoffs roll on to Chicago for the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields, and the golf sickos who love watching PGA Tour pros struggle are going to have a ball this week. The North Course will play more like a U.S. Open than a playoff event, as thick rough, small greens and mega-long par 4s will be waiting for the top 50 survivors.

Let's approach this event like a U.S. Open and target some supreme ball strikers to fatten our wallets by Sunday afternoon.

Tommy Fleetwood top-10 finish (+185 FanDuel)

Betting Fleetwood in the outright market has become a fool's errand, but he's been a cash cow with finishing position props of late. The Englishman has finished T10 or better in five of his last six starts, and he's surprisingly been one of the best putters on the PGA Tour over that span.

Fleetwood has always been an elite ball striker, but his hot putter will be a secret weapon this week on what should be a challenging layout at Olympia Fields. We know the 32-year-old loves tough golf courses, too, as he's recorded three top-five finishes at the U.S. Open in his career. 

Let's fleece the books with a Fleetwood top 10 bet this week.

Patrick Cantlay > Jon Rahm (+100 DraftKings)

Jon Rahm may be the frontrunner in the Player of the Year race, but we trust Patrick Cantlay more than the Spaniard on this golf course. Rahmbo limped to a T37 finish at last week's FedEx St. Jude Championship because he lost strokes off the tee for the first time in 11 starts. The guy could not keep his driver in the fairway, and that's a worrying trend with thick rough and penalizing fairway bunkers waiting at Olympia Fields.

Cantlay, on the other hand, ranks No. 1 on Tour in total driving and has gained strokes off the tee in all 19 of his starts this season. He'll be able to stay out of trouble and avoid the big numbers this week. Cantlay also has three wins and five top-seven finishes in the last six FedEx Cup Playoff events, including a near win last week before he fell short in a playoff.

In the news ...

England, Spain to meet in Women's World Cup final — History will be on the line in the 2023 Women's World Cup final, as both England and Spain will be playing for their first World Cup title. England beat Australia, 3-1, and Spain defeated Sweden, 2-1, in the semifinals. The championship match will be held on Sunday at 6 a.m. ET. Spain is currently a -116 favorite to lift the cup, while England comes back as a -104 underdog. 

Colts name rookie Anthony Richardson Week 1 starter — The Anthony Richardson show will hit the air earlier than expected. Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced Tuesday that the rookie quarterback will start Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. There will likely be early growing pains for the uber-talented athlete, but if you have faith in Richardson this season, you can take him at +900 to win Rookie of the Year.

Rays' ace Shane McClanahan to undergo Tommy John surgery — The Tampa Bay Rays are falling apart at the worst possible time. This week, the Rays placed shortstop Wander Franco on the restricted list, the team announced outfielder Manuel Margot will undergo a procedure on his right elbow, and now star pitcher Shane McClanahan needs Tommy John surgery that will end his 2023 season. You can still get Tampa Bay at +290 to win the AL East, but the Rays are starting to trend in the wrong direction. 

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jack Dougherty