2026 PGA Picks: Charles Schwab Challenge Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
My pick of Si Woo Kim nearly came out on top last week at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, but it was Wyndham Clark, who shot a -11 on the final day to secure his fourth career win on the PGA Tour and first since the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
This week, the PGA Tour will remain in Texas to take on the Charles Schwab Challenge. The event is scheduled to begin on Thursday, May 28th, and will run through Sunday, May 31st. Most notably, the field is missing many of the World’s Top-Ranked players, such as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, but still has plenty of marquee names to look forward to.
As with every event, my article will preview the Charles Schwab Challenge with a brief overview of the course, the outright betting odds, my best bet to win the tournament, and my two favorite Top 20 Finish props.
Get expert PGA golf picks for every event on Doc’s free picks page.
The Course
The Charles Schwab Challenge will take place in Fort Worth, Texas, and will be played at Colonial Country Club. This course is a Par 70 and measures 7,289 yards. It consists of 12 Par 4s, four Par 3s, and two Par 5s.
The Colonial Country Club course is known for requiring precision, rather than just distance. It features one of the most difficult stretches in golf, that being Holes 3,4,5, which is known as the “Horrible Horseshoe”.
Outright Betting Odds
Below are the top 10 outright betting odds to win the Charles Schwab Challenge per DraftKings Sportsbook:
*Ludvig Aberg: +980
*Russell Henley: +1950
*Robert MacIntyre: +2350
*Rickie Fowler: +2350
*Justin Thomas: +2450
*Ben Griffin: +2500
*J.J. Spaun: +3100
*Hideki Matsuyama: +3100
*Keith Mitchell: +3300
*Alex Smalley: +3400
Best Bets
Ludvig Aberg to Win the Charles Schwab Challenge (+980)
My top pick to win the Charles Schwab Challenge will target Ludvig Aberg. He is the outright favorite to win this event, but considering that Aberg is 6th in the FedEx Cup Standings and has been one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour this season, he still looks to be a solid option.
Aberg has come so close to winning multiple times this season, having finished inside the Top 10 six times, which includes five finishes inside the Top 5. Further, Aberg is 2nd in Strokes Gained: Total, 6th in Strokes Gained: Approach to Green, 2nd in Total Driving, 8th in Scoring Average, and 2nd in Birdie Average.
Given that the field this week is not quite as prolific as it usually is, this feels like a great time for Aberg to finally come out on top and earn his third career win on the PGA Tour. For that reason, backing Aberg to win the Charles Schwab Challenge will be my best bet.
Alex Smalley to Finish Top 20 (Including Ties) (+150)
My favorite Top X Finish prop for the Charles Schwab Challenge will look for Alex Smalley to finish inside the Top 20. Smalley has had a solid season thus far, ranking 15th in the FedEx Cup standings. Further, he has made 13 cuts out of the 14 events he has played in.
In terms of his finishes, Smalley has six Top 20 Finishes, which include his last five tournaments in a row. This most notably includes a T2 at the PGA Championship, a few weeks ago.
On the season, Smalley is 16th in Strokes Gained: Total, 13th in Scoring Average, and 11th in Par 4 Scoring. Therefore, given that Smalley has started to become one of the more consistent players on Tour, backing Smalley to Finish Inside the Top 20 will be my play.
Sungjae Im to Finish Top 20 (Including Ties) (+176)
My second favorite Top X Finish prop at the Charles Schwab Challenge will be for Sungjae Im to Finish Inside the Top 20. Im has not been the most consistent player on the PGA Tour this season, as he ranks 55th in the FedEx Cup standings. That being said, he has finished inside the Top 20 in two of the last three tournaments, including a T9 at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson this past week.
Im has also had some success at this event, finishing inside the Top 20 in three of his six starts, the most recent being a T9 in 2024. Given his success in recent events and at this tournament specifically, backing Im to Finish Inside the Top 20 will be my play.
Get PGA golf picks at Doc’s Sports, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.