Competing against the Presidents Cup has left a void in the field, but that won’t stop the end of year fun and frivolity from continuing this week when 12 two-player teams vie for the title at the QBE Shootout, contested at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, and hosted by Greg Norman. The event consists of three rounds beginning on Friday with each round played in a different stroke-play format. The opening round will be a scramble, followed by alternate shot format on Saturday. Final round play will be better ball. The duo of Brian Harman and Patton Kizzire is back to defend its title but rests further down the odds board. The team of Billy Horschel and Brendon Todd opened as the betting favorite at online sportsbooks. Visit BookMaker.eu for an updated list of betting odds and to place your wager.
Odds to win QBE Shootout at BookMaker.eu
Billy Horschel/Brendon Todd +452
Viktor Hovland/Matthew Wolff +578
Corey Conners/Andrew Putnam +628
Jason Kokrak/J.T. Poston +779
Charles Howell III/Bubba Watson +779
Graeme McDowell/Ian Poulter +900
Ryan Palmer/Harold Varner III +1000
Charley Hoffman/Kevin Kisner +1050
Brian Harman/Patton Kizzire +1150
Chez Reavie/Kevin Chappell +1464
Rory Sabbatini/Kevin Tway +1566
Sean O’Hair/Lexi Thompson +5250
Odds Analysis
Charles Howell III/Bubba Watson +779
These two finally decided to team up after a combined 14 appearances in this event. Apparently the thought of finally grabbing a victory was too much to overcome. Both players have had a runner-up finish here, Howell with Rory Sabbatini in 2012 and Watson with host Norman in 2007, but for the most part they haven’t fared well. Maybe working together they can iron out some of the kinks. Howell can putt and Watson can drive giving the duo a solid punch, and they both had disappointing finishes last time out which should provide motivation for better things.
Viktor Hovland/Matthew Wolff +578
These former college teammates are used to winning together so why not form one of the top duos in the field? They won a national championship while at Oklahoma State in 2018 and the career trajectory for both has been straight up. Hovland has already cracked the top-100 and Wolff isn’t far behind. Does that mean success in this event? I’m not sure, but two of the finest young players in the sport will find a way to make it work.
Ryan Palmer/Harold Varner III +1000
A new team but not new to the course, this duo is quietly a contender in my eyes. Varner carried his partner last year and eventually settled for sixth alongside Bubba Watson. He’s been solid in between and has carried a nice flat stick, which will be critical this weekend. Palmer won the Zurich Classic earlier in the year with partner Jon Rahm and is no stranger to the team format. He grabbed a top-10 at the ZOZO Championship not long ago and his game is suited for Tiburon. One or both will have to come through on the greens for this team to be in contention, though.
Brian Harman/Patton Kizzire +1150
We haven’t had back-to-back champs since 2004, which is probably why this team is down the odds board, but the Sea Island, Georgia, pair has a nice payout if successful. On a run of nice form Harman has four top-20s in six starts this season. Entering last year’s edition he hadn’t bagged a top-20 in six months, so he’s certainly playing better. Kizzire has shown signs of playing consistent golf and a reunion with his buddy to defend their title is enough of an inspiration for me to back them. Besides, there is something to be said about playing together and this duo is one of only three going side-by-side again.
Course: Tiburon Golf Club Gold Course – 7,382-yards, Par-72
As host it only makes sense that the tournament is played on a Norman designed course, and the Tiburon Golf Club Gold Course has done just that since 2001. At just under 7,400 yards, the layout is a relatively long par 72, but by no means is it a difficult play for the pros. The course is lined by pine trees with a number of water hazards coming into play. It’s an aesthetically pleasing layout that can bite back in a big way with a number of bunkers lining fairways and greens. Distance off the tee is a key due to the course length, but accuracy is more important considering the number of hazards. The most important hole is the 17th. It’s a reachable par 5 and a team needing to pick up strokes has to do it here with a long par-4 waiting to close out the round.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
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