Posted on: July 15, 2020, 01:22h.

Last updated on: July 15, 2020, 02:48h.

Tiger Woods is returning to the PGA Tour for the first time since playing at Riviera in February, and oddsmakers are subsequently reporting a surge in handle for this week’s Memorial Tournament.

Woods says he played it safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting to largely stay at his Jupiter, Florida, mansion instead of playing in any of the five events that have been contested since the PGA Tour’s restart.

I just felt it was better to stay at home and be safe,” Woods explained. “I’m used to playing with lots of people around me or having lots of people have a direct line to me, and that puts not only myself in danger, but my friends and family.”

After monitoring the coronavirus situation, and seeing how the Tour was addressing the pandemic, Woods is returning at “Jack’s Place” — Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. Golf bettors are more than excited. BetMGM says Woods is responsible for more than 20 percent of all bets placed, and over 20 percent of all the money wagered.

BetMGM has Tiger at 20/1 to win the Memorial. Woods has won the event a record five times, but his last victory came in 2012.

Memorial Money

BetMGM says 21.2 percent of its betting slips — and 20.8 percent of the total money wagered — is on Woods.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is the book’s second-largest liability (10.76 percent of the money), defending champion Patrick Cantlay third (8.67 percent), Abraham Ancer fourth (6.19 percent), and Daniel Berger fifth (4.53 percent).

Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas have the shortest overall odds of winning at 12/1. Cantlay and McIlroy are at 14/1, and Dustin Johnson rounds out the top five at 16/1. Colin Morikawa, who won at Memorial last week during the Workday Charity Open, is at 22/1.

Several recent Memorial winners have long odds this week. 2017 champ Jason Dufner is at 250/1, and 2016 champion William McGirt has the longest odds in the field at 1,000/1. A $10 bet would net $10,000 should McGirt win again. But don’t get overly excited — McGirt hasn’t made a cut on the PGA Tour in nearly two years.

Prop Bets

Oddsmakers are grateful to at least have PGA Tour golf to offer bettors. With other sports largely still on hold, books are offering a slew of propositions on this week’s Memorial.

The odds of a player making an ace are even money. A playoff is unlikely at Yes +350.

Bettors can also find odds on where certain players will finish. For Woods, a top-five finish is at +450, top 10 (+225), and top 20 (+120). Phil Mickelson’s odds of making the cut are at -160. In the three events he’s played since the PGA Tour resumed, Lefty’s gone MC, T24, and T58.