The Masters is just one week away, so the PGA golf world is about to take center stage. Augusta National and the first major of the year always bring about tons of storylines and for PGA One and Done a huge opportunity for major winnings. This column will break down what to do to be successful for the Masters, but first there is the Valero Texas Open this week. Although it does not have the same prestige as next week, it’s still an important event for banking some cash before major season. Getting the lesser-known events right with PGA One and Done picks is one of the keys to being in the hunt towards the end of the season.
PGA One and Done Picks: Valero Texas Open 2022
What is a One and Done Pool?
A One and Done pool has some similarities with NFL survivor pools except that players cannot be eliminated early for making a poor pick. Each week players have to select one golfer, and their prize money earned that week become points for the player. The same player cannot be used twice, just like an NFL survivor contest, so strategy and knowing when to save a top-tier player can make the difference. At the end of the season, the team with the most cumulative earning earns a strong payoff. Pools will pay several spots, depending on it is size, similar to a GPP structure from DFS golf.
WGC Match Play One and Done Recap
Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland was this column’s pick last week, and during a lot of the opening rounds it felt like he was primed to advance out of his group. Everyone gets a paycheck at a WGC, but getting to the Round of 16 was a nice bump and opens things up for a potential title run. Unfortunately, Hovland didn’t make it out of the group, which capped his upside. The one small positive is he still had a decent showing, so his tie for 18th was good for $133,000. Now it is just a matter of hoping he doesn’t have a monster showing later in the year since he is unavailable going forward.
Alex Noren
This would have been an aggressive play given the talent in the field, but sometimes that can work out. Noren was similar to Hovland in that he played well but just missed out on advancing to the Round of 16. He also tied for 18th, which was that $133,000 payday, but the opportunity cost of not having him going forward isn’t a huge deal.
Scottie Scheffler
A lot of people don’t have Scottie Scheffler available, and chances are that he has paid off nicely for those who have played him. Scheffler is the hottest player on the planet right now, and he showed that once again with his victory at the Match Play. The $2.1 million is a game changer for anyone who backed him, and he is racking up a monstrous amount of winnings in 2022. Saving him for the future means hoping for a huge result since he has multiple winning weeks already, but the way Scheffler is playing it’s easy to think he will win more this year.
2022 Valero Texas Open PGA One and Done Picks
Abraham Ancer
It hasn’t been the best 2022 from Ancer, but this is a long season that can change quickly. Looking at the WGC Match Play for some positives, Ancer reaching the quarterfinals was a step in the right direction as he heads to the Valero Texas Open. This is an event and course he’s seen before, as he has Texas roots and a game that should match up nicely. His ability to gain strokes off the tee without being long is a formula for success here, and he’s sitting around 22-1 in the outright market, which is among the leaders.
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Rory McIlroy
There is no logic to taking Rory McIlroy here, but most people will share that line of thinking. That could give him some leverage in a tournament where he is +750 to win and the betting favorite in the market. McIlroy usually takes the week off before Augusta, but maybe he is looking to come in with more momentum and wanted more reps after his last event at the Players. Saving McIlroy for another spot is the better play, but this is an interesting choice to make if not saving him for majors. Although he might not be the PGA One and Done pick this week, be sure to check out the expert PGA betting picks and predictions from Awesemo’s team of golf betting experts.
Tony Finau
It may be stretch to recommend Tony Finau given his recent form, but sometimes it is necessary to take a risk or two in One and Done. This is a play more for those who are way behind and need to start finding some lower owned players with upside. Finau is 40-1 in the PGA betting market, and despite the recent form he still has a lot of positives in his game. The approach numbers have been solid all year, and it’s really a matter of flipping the putter. Finau has lost strokes putting in four straight events, but that provides a nice buy-low spot if he can figure out the greens. He finished third here back in 2017 and was able to gain with the flat stick that week, so the evidence is there for those willing to take the risk.
Valero Texas Open One and Done Pick: Abraham Ancer
The setup is strong for Ancer, and he is even a savvy bet in the outright market at 22-1. Ancer has gained in five of his last six off the tee and four of his last six with the irons, so the ball striking is there. The short game is more hit or miss, but with his showing at the WGC Match Play, he seems on the cusp of putting it all together. It makes sense to back Ancer in a field that is mostly devoid of star power, and he has shown he has the game to compete on the PGA Tour.
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