Olympics Men’s Golf Competition Predictions, Betting Odds, Picks

• The second edition of golf’s reintroduction to sport’s biggest party
• Rory McIlroy makes his debut for Ireland after missing Rio 2016
• Hosted by the traditional Kasumigaseki Country Club

Olympics Men’s Golf Competition Odds

The odds for the Olympics Men’s Golf competition are taken from BetMGM. Click on ‘BET NOW’ below to head to the sportsbook and place your bet. Get a $600 sign-up bonus at BetMGM.

The Olympics Men’s Golf Competition Picks

Shane Lowry is the outright pick at +2200 with William Hill

Fabrizio Zanotti can grab a top 20 at +500 with DraftKings

Mito Pereira in his first round three-ball at +125 with BetMGM

How to Watch The Olympics Men’s Golf Competition

Olympics Men’s Golf Competition Predictions

It’s golf, folks, but not as we know it.

Week in, week out, it’s winner takes all, a brutal 156-man race to the line and just one trophy for the winner, nothing for the rest.

This week (and next, when the women’s event takes place) we have gold, silver, and bronze on offer.

Moreover, we know that the winners five years ago in Rio absolutely loved standing on the podium: Justin Rose took gold, Henrik Stenson silver, and Matt Kuchar bronze.

None of those three men will compete this week, but Tommy Fleetwood, who does represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland, said of his compatriot: “It was so clear how proud Justin was and the emotions he felt from winning.

He has spoken to me about it a lot. I just think it was really cool seeing his face light up and hearing him talk about how he felt about not only competing in the Olympics but being an Olympic gold medallist.

The host course this week is the traditional Kasumigaseki Country Club, first opened in 1929 but renovated by the Tom Fazio team over the last 10 years.

It’s tree-lined, the shaping is along classical lines, and it hosted the 2006 Japan Open when the Australian Paul Sheehan lifted the trophy.

Jon Rahm was the clear favorite and with good reason, but for a second time in two months he tested positive for Covid and sits it out, as does Bryson DeChambeau for the same reason.

Collin Morikawa has assumed favoritism, with his compatriots Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas not too far behind.

Home hero Hideki Matsuyama would dearly love to win this week in his home Olympics, but he faces a challenge after not playing for a month due to contracting Covid-19.

Lowry Suited by the Test

A glance at the ten names that lead the betting, above, confirms that this is not the strongest field assembled this season, but also that there is also some quality on show.

Further down the field, however, there are a lot of names unfamiliar to many golfing observers, never mind occasional fans of the game.

That’s a direct consequence of the Olympic necessity of sharing out spots by nationality, yet also – and often under-discussed – the fact that the sport is usually heavily weighted towards four or five nations.

But to return to the elite end of the field, there is no mention in those ten names of Ireland’s Shane Lowry and that looks like a mistake.

Not only is he an Open champion (in 2019), but he is also a proven contender in the sport’s biggest event.

This season alone he has landed a career-best T21st at the Masters, then he added tied fourth in the PGA Championship and T12th when defending his Open title.

He has also twice finished third in just three visits to Japan, and he really likes playing golf between trees – he was a winner at Firestone Country Club, for example, and he has a stellar record at Wentworth in England.

Take him each way in the outright at +2200 with William Hill, who pay out a generous seven places.

Zanotti Can Find Fab Form

It’s been a good week for Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti already.

Because he was given the honor of carrying his nation’s flag during the Opening Ceremony, a night he’ll never forget and one that will have left him standing tall (until the strain of the heavy pole got to him, that is).

He can use that pride to ride the wave into the tournament itself and, what’s more, he has good experience of competing in golf competitions at big events.

Back in 2016 at Rio he finished in the top 20 and two years ago he won the gold medal at the Pan American Games.

He’s also a big fan of tree-lined, parkland courses and has often played well at Wentworth in the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship.

He’s a two-time European Tour winner so below the class of the elite this week, but well ahead of many of those down near the bottom of the field yet has been classed alongside them.

Take him to make the top 20 with DraftKings offering +500.

Pereira Can Start Fast

Joaquin Niemann is fast becoming a superstar in his home country of Chile, as he rises to the world rankings, but he’s not the only one.

Because 26-year-old Mito Pereira is on his way to the PGA Tour courtesy of two victories on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour last month.

Moreover, this month, when he’s had rare chances to play on the top tier, he’s logged back-to-back top-six finishes on the PGA Tour.

That’s great form and he’ll be excited ahead of his Olympic bow.

In the last two months, he averages 67.27 per lap, with 17 of his 22 scores sub-70.

In the first round he is up against Rory Sabbatini – a South African who resides in American and represents Slovakia – and Italy’s Renato Paratore.

In those same last two months, Sabbatini has missed four cuts and averages 71.63.

Paratore opened that period with T11th in Germany but has followed it with three cuts and T65th, averaging 71.15.

Take Pereira at +125 with BetMGM to win their first-round three-ball.