The 2015 rookie class is having an outstanding year. Four players are still alive in the playoffs and ten in all have secured their playing privileges for next year.
Rookies Patrick Rodgers, Cameron Smith and Danny Willett have Special Temporary Membership, but none qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs.
Scott Pinckney, Carlos Ortiz and John Curran all had successful years and earned exempt status for next year but were knocked out of the playoffs and their season is done.
Which leads us to the fantastic four that are still alive. Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Daniel Berger and Zac Blair all qualified for next week’s BMW Championship in Chicago. Thomas is in the best position at No. 35, followed by Finau, No. 41, Berger, No. 46 and Blair No. 51. All have a chance to climb into the top 30 but will need a strong finish to do so.
The race for top rookie of the year honors is down to Thomas and Finau, that is, unless Blair or Berger win in Chicago.
Thomas has been a standout since his junior days. He made his first PGA TOUR cut at age 16 and was the collegiate player of the year as a University of Alabama freshman in 2012. He turned pro in 2013 after representing the United States in the Walker Cup, and needed just one season on the Web.com Tour to make it to the PGA TOUR. It's been a rapid rise for the Kentucky native. He has made $2.1 million, amassed seven top 10’s and three top 5’s. He is the rookie leader heading to Chicago.
Finau took a different path than Thomas. He turned pro at 17 years old, scuffled around the mini-tours before putting it all together some seven years later to grab his card out of the Web.com Tour. The kid hits it as far as anyone on the PGA Tour and his maturity with his course management has been the key to his success. Finau has played solid most of the year with five top 10’s and 16 top 25’s. He has missed nine cuts but that is normal for a young player.
Heading down the stretch in the Rookie of the Year chase, Thomas has the upper-hand with Finau close behind and Berger and Blair needing to win to have any chance.
You can find all kinds of golf odds, golf props, and golf matchups at BookMaker Sportsbook. Golf betting is more popular than ever and you can cash in on the golf odds by signing up for a free account at BookMaker now!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook.
