⛳️ Super Quick Recap: The Sentry

Plus: Rickie Fowler Says "NAH" To LIV

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Josey Orr, Chase Majerus & The Shanks Gator
January 08, 2024

Good Afternoon. Welcome to Shanks. We nabbed a top-ten hit with Jason Day this weekend, not a bad start to a new golf betting season. The pros are doing a little island hopping (from Maui to Oahu) this weekend for The Sony Open, which will have it’s most talented field in history. Early lines down below.

New WM Winner: Congrats to Kellan M! You, sir, are going to the WM Open courtesy of Shanks.

Here's what we've got for ya today:

  • Quick Recap: The Sentry

  • Fowler Says “NAH”

  • Shots Heard Round The World

  • Early Lines: Sony Open

  • Thing We’d Buy If We Weren’t Broke

Super Quick Recap: The Sentry

Low Man Wins

During a record low scoring weekend in Maui (seriously, Sunday marked the lowest scoring average in Tour history) nobody went as low as Chris Kirk.

The former Georgia Bulldog put on an incredible short game display - he was No. 1 in this field for the week in Scrambling, Total Putts, and Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green.

Yet it came down to this shot on 17, which ripped the heart out of Sahith Theegala bettors everywhere. This was Chris Kirks second win in less than a year, after winning The Honda Classic last season.

It’s been a helluva comeback tour for Kirk, who stepped away from the game in 2019 while battling depression and alcoholism. He says without recovery his PGA Tour career “would’ve been over a while ago.” 

So Close, Yet So Far Away

We were all over Sahith Theegala this weekend since he was our longshot pick at +6000 pre-tourney. He was the first round leader, played two average rounds on Friday and Saturday, and then went ten-under on Sunday to keep it tight with Kirk.

We were this close to a playoff between the two, but Sahith lipped out a putt on the 18th.

A heartbreaking solo 2nd place finish for the young man.

Jordan Spieths Driver Let Him Down

Spieth lead the field in SG: Putting, but even a phenomenal weekend with the wand wasn’t enough to make up for his issues driving the ball.

He missed 50% of fairways on a course where the fairways are incredibly wide.

The driving issues reared their ugly head on the 16th hole Sunday, where his drive found the lip of a bunker essentially costing him his chance at a dub.

Shanks Picks Season Recap:

While we didn’t see our dreams of an opening week longshot come true, we did pick up a top-ten with Jason Day. Not a terrible start to the year.

Outright: 0-1

Top Five: 0-1

Top Ten: 1-0 (Jason Day +300)

Top Twenty: 0-1

Longshot: 0-1 🥹 

Fowler Says “NAH” To LIV

Rumors, rumors, rumors.

Not a week goes by without some whispers that another big name on tour will be jumping ship to LIV. This week, it was Rickie Fowler’s turn to take a spin around the LIV rumor mill.

Here’s Why People Were Talking

Rickie is a popular guy. He has always had sponsors, so when he showed up in Hawaii without two of his more well known sponsors (Rocket Mortgage & Farmers Insurance) on his gear, people suggested it must be because he is going to LIV.

So, Golfweek Called Him Up

Fowler confirmed in a phone interview with Golfweek that he had “zero plans to go anywhere.”

He also gave a little background on his sponsors, explaining that new leadership at Farmers wanted to go in a different direction and that he and his team were having ongoing dialogue with Rocket Mortgage.

Shots Heard Round The World

Early Lines: Sony Open

According to Datagolf, Waialae is second only to Augusta in terms of course history being a predictor of play.

However, there are a handful of new players teeing it up here for the first time; Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Will Zalatoris, and Akshay Bhatia.

You can view the full field here. It includes 20 of the top 50 in OWGR.

And of course, you can get up to $1500 back in bonus bets with Bet MGM.

Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

Maybe it just me, but is there something in the air? It’s definitely NOT lingering holiday spirit.

It’s the beginning of the 2024 PGA Tour season and it is very, very exciting. Seeing as how we’re amid the Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course in beautiful Hawaii, we thought it would be appropriate to talk about what TaylorMade has available from the Shaka Collection.

Our favorite? The Shaka Flextech Carry Bag which is “a celebration of the carefree Hawaiian spirit.” It has 6 pockets with a hydration pocket, and a fleeced lined valuables pocket, and the classic leg lock tech so your clubs can take seat in the sun.

That’s all folks! See you Wednesday.