The modern version of professional golf is dominated by power, ball speed and distance above all – but not this week. The iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links measures just 6,989 yards on the scorecard and features some of the smallest greens the sport has to offer. It has routinely been a test of precision, shot-making and creativity. This is not a venue that can be overpowered.

Statistically speaking, there has been more value in the short-game categories than the ball-striking categories, which is a rare combination on TOUR. Four of the last six winners have gained more strokes around the green and on the green than they have off the tee and on approach. Rory McIlroy and Daniel Berger are the only two winners in the last 15 years to gain at least two strokes off the tee. For comparison’s sake, the winner of the WM Phoenix Open has accomplished that feat 14 times in the last 15 years. There are a variety of interesting wagering options this week, with odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

He may be known for his power and brawn, but McIlroy has routinely found success at short golf courses throughout his career. He has gained 2.10 strokes per round on courses measuring 7,100 yards or fewer, the best rate of anyone in the world over the last five years. This is golf’s version of “reverse splits” – counterintuitive on the surface – but McIlroy’s power allows him to hit much shorter clubs into greens than his peers. With stiff competition at the top of the board, consider McIlroy at +270 to finish inside the top 5.

Russell Henley has started 2026 just as he finished 2025 – a career year that saw him gain 1.29 strokes per round. He finished T19 at the Sony Open and T8 at The American Express, doing so in impressive fashion. Henley has gained 9.45 strokes on approach in just six measured rounds this year and now heads to Pebble Beach, where his precision will be further rewarded. He is currently +3100 to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Since 2022, Patrick Cantlay has played 19 events on “short” golf courses. He has beaten the field scoring average in 18 of those events while piling up nine top-five finishes. Only Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas have more top-five finishes in that span than Cantlay. He’ll need to put all facets of his game together for a solid finish, but there’s enough optimism to consider his top-10 number (+275) at DraftKings Sportsbook.

It has been a long time since Shane Lowry has appeared on the PGA TOUR, most recently teeing it up in an official event at the TOUR Championship in August. However, he has been playing plenty of golf. Lowry has teed it up eight times on the DP World Tour and was part of the winning European Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black. He appears as sharp as ever, with approach gains in six straight events and four top-15 finishes over his last five starts. He has played the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am just once since 2019, finishing second last year to McIlroy. Lowry presents an interesting value proposition at +162 to finish inside the top 20.

It is a good time to be Justin Rose, who is coming off a dominant win at the Farmers Insurance Open. He now turns his attention to Pebble Beach, where he has three straight top-11 finishes, including a victory in 2023. Rose has never missed a cut in seven trips to Pebble Beach, including a T3 at the 2019 U.S. Open. Expectations remain high, with Rose listed at +215 for a top-10 finish.

Ryan Gerard took last week off, which is about the only thing that can keep him off the first page of the leaderboard these days. He is one of the hottest players on TOUR in 2026, with a pair of runner-up finishes and a T11 in his three starts this year. He has turned a corner with his putting, gaining 8.5 strokes on the greens across nine measured rounds. Gerard ranked 154th on TOUR in putting last season, making these gains both new and valuable to his game. He is available at +172 to finish inside the top 20 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

OK, I’ll bite. Brian Campbell has been one of golf’s most rewarding – yet difficult – players to back. He recorded just two top-15 finishes in 2025 and won both events, each coming with odds longer than +20000. Last week in Phoenix, he showcased his approach play and putting, gaining more than five strokes combined in those categories. Now he heads to one of the better venues on the schedule, where his lack of distance will not be a detriment and his accuracy will be well rewarded. Campbell has the third-longest odds in the field to finish inside the top 20, currently listed at +750.

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