From Sunday Triumphs to Meltdowns, Reviewing 2023 From a Bettor's Eye

As 2023 comes to a close, SI Golf’s writers and editors look back. Betting expert Keith Stewart remembers the wagers that came in and ones that slipped away.

Chris Kirk stood in the 18th fairway at PGA National with a one-shot lead in the Honda Classic. He decided to go for the par-5 green in two from 250 yards away. Kirk attacked and launched a fairway wood approach ... into the water. His ball landed closer to the Honda in the middle of the lake adjacent to the green than it did to the pin. The resulting bogey placed him in a playoff against Eric Cole. Chris Kirk had not won in eight years.

I realize the world of professional golf has been a roller coaster ride in 2023. Most media would probably argue the last few weeks have felt like a complete free fall. But the fact is that riding rumors of who-signs-where pales in comparison to the emotional experience bettors are entertained with on Sunday afternoons. Don’t believe me? Do you remember how the PGA Tour season started? I’m sure Collin Morikawa fans do.

Jon Rahm started the final round of the Sentry seven shots behind the leader Morikawa. With nine holes to play, he was six strokes behind. By the time Collin Morikawa was walking down the 17th fairway, he was two strokes behind Rahm. Collin is the first player to hold a six-shot lead (or greater) going into the final round to shoot under par and lose. Similar to the rollback, you honestly cannot make this stuff up!

Suddenly, following an X (formerly Twitter) feed wondering who will play where in 2024 doesn’t seem so emotionally engaging. That’s the fun of placing a bet. You cannot match the entertainment value as you watch the tournament. It is important to repeat the phrase "entertainment value." Wagering on golf should be fun. None of us will ever compete over a closing nine holes Sunday afternoon with a professional tournament on the line. Throw in 10 bucks and suddenly you cannot sit comfortably on the couch.

Rickie Fowler’s win at the Rocket Mortgage was enjoyed by so many. Arguably the most sentimental victory of 2023, Fowler worked his way back to the winner’s circle after 1,610 days. Rickie’s final round was no Sunday stroll at Detroit Golf Club, as a 68 was only good enough to get him in a three-way playoff with Adam Hadwin and Morikawa. Fowler birdied the first playoff hole to become one of the few betting favorites to win in 2023. We all looked up to the sky when he sank that putt on 18 to claim the title.

Rickie Fowler looked to the heavens after breaking a drought at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where he was the betting favorite :: Kirthmon F. Dozier/USA TODAY Network

Prior to the Memorial, Viktor Hovland’s previous year was defined by close misses in big events. The runner-up in the PGA Championship had finished in the top seven of three straight major championships. On Sunday at Muirfield Village, Hovland was one of six players to shoot 70 or better. His closing 33 placed him in a playoff with Denny McCarthy. Many bettors (including yours truly) thought Jack’s invitational would be the young Norwegian's week. He survived the Sunday massacre with a par on the first playoff hole to defeat McCarthy. That last hour of competition catapulted the hearts of all Hovland backers and Viktor’s career year.

3M can innovate like few other companies. One product they cannot build is a floating golf ball. J.T. Poston sure could have used one on Sunday afternoon in Blaine, Minn. TPC Twin Cities’ final test is a par-5 surrounding a lake. We all remember Lee Hodges holding a five-shot lead going into the final round. What few will ever remember is Poston's epic collapse. Golf is the best sport to wager on. Not only can you win the four-day lottery, but there are endless amounts of “live” betting opportunities during the tournament.

Since Hodges started Sunday with a five-shot lead, I took Poston to be the “winner without Hodges.” Simply put, who will come in second behind Lee. The Postman delivered for 17 holes and took a three-shot lead over third place into the final hole. JT washed his ball and walked away with a triple bogey 8; tied with two others for second place. Sorry Poston backers, the tie left you without a solo second and empty handed. And fans complain about offsides.

Thankfully, we won more than we lost this year. Turns out being a PGA Professional gives us an edge on the operators. The Win, Place, and Show just highlights a small part of the weekly betting card I produce at Read The Line. In 2023, I posted 1,166 individual bets and managed a positive 14% net return. Considering all of these crazy stories, a profit plus endless entertainment is a wonderful year. Please continue read and follow our campaign into 2024.

In November, Chris Kirk received the PGA Tour Courage Award. If you ask me, he won that back in March at the Honda Classic. Not for the fairway wood he sent into the water, but rather for coming back in the first sudden death playoff hole to beat Eric Cole. It takes tremendous courage to believe in yourself and win on Tour. That’s why so many of these stories end in heartbreak.

Enjoy the remainder of 2023 with family and friends. Take time to relax and experience the holidays. Give those nerves a couple weeks to calm down. They are going to need it because as sure as a six-shot lead, there will be more unbelievable endings to write about next year!

Read The Line is the leading golf betting insights service led by 5-time award winning PGA Professional Keith Stewart. Read The Line covers the LPGA and PGA Tour, raising your golf betting acumen week after week. Subscribe to Read The Line’s weekly newsletter and follow us on social media: TikTok, Instagram, Twitter.