Sleeper Picks: Charles Schawb Challenge

Brendon Todd(+400 for a Top 20) … Age 36; seventh appearance. He’s another of this year’s class of boys in the bull’s-eye that Colonial has rewarded on average. (It’s explained in the Power Rankings.) He’s recorded a pair of top 10s (T5, 2014; T8, 2021) on the course and he’s been sustaining a level of play worthy of elevated expectations again this week. His last noteworthy pop was a T8 at TPC San Antonio in early April. Currently eighth on the PGA TOUR in fairways hit and ninth in Strokes Gained: Putting, so he still is who we think he is.

Troy Merritt(+300 for a Top 20) … Age 36; fourth appearance. Not quite there with total appearances but he’s nailed the age “requirement.” He’ll need his patented short game to show up like it did for a solo seventh last year. After averaging just 10 greens in regulations per round, he ranked third in scrambling. As a result, he used his putter on the greens fewer than everyone else. Currently enjoying a strong season with a pair of T4s among five top 20s. He’s also cashed in seven straight individual competitions.

Sebastián Muñoz(+200 for a Top 20) … Age 29; third appearance. While he couldn’t nose out K.H. Lee for victory at the AT&T Byron Nelson two weeks ago, the Colombian still possesses the feels of that phenomenal form. In fact, it’s the spike of months of gliding above average out there. Since the Farmers, he’s perfect in nine starts with that T3 headlining a trio of top 25s. En route to a T3 at Colonial last year, he led the field in both Strokes Gained: Putting and total distance of putts converted. Additionally notable about that was how poorly he was performing overall during that time of the year.

Peter Malnati(+600 for a Top 20) … Age 34; fourth appearance. He’s not on a prototypical heater, but he’s on a Malnati heater, so bet before you blink. Since Valero, he’s 5-for-5 with a T15 in Mexico and a T9 in his last start two weeks ago across town at TPC Craig Ranch. He’s cashed once at Colonial (T40, 2019), but the greater value is the experience as he surges.

David Lipsky(+333 for a Top 20) … Age 33; first appearance. Other rookies have been making the most noise this season, but he’s carried over his worldwide experience into a fruitful rookie campaign of his own. Since The American Express four months ago, he’s 10-for-13 with three top 10s (all in his last six starts) among six top 25s. The steady form has him positioned 75th in the FedExCup. Absence of applied knowledge of the greens on Colonial could cost him in a dynamic that rewards experience, but he’s one of the strongest tee-to-green performers no matter the site, so he’ll have his chances to ace the crash course.

Odds were sourced on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. For live odds, visit BetMGM.