BMW Championship at Bellerive, Scottie to repeat? Fade Rory? | The Spread Zone

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**Rizzuto** (0:35)
All right. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to The Spread Zone. We're recording Wednesday, August 19th, 2026, noon central. And this week, Tim, we're doing something a little different. One event, one board, one mission.

**Tim McKernan** (0:47)
Boom.

**Rizzuto** (0:48)
The 2026 BMW Championship. So quick housekeeping. We are Sportsbook Neutral, shopping numbers, and we're focusing on process here. So my name is Riz, and the golf guy is Tim McKernan.
Tim, you've been down to Bellerive.

**Tim McKernan** (1:05)
I have been there. I was there in 1982 for the PGA Championship, and 2018 for the PGA Championship. And I was there yesterday just on a full scouting mission.

**Rizzuto** (1:16)
Scouting stuff out for the Spread Zone.

**Tim McKernan** (1:17)
To give people an edge that they can't find anywhere else. I have been on the grounds. I played the course a month ago for that matter.

**Rizzuto** (1:23)
So Bellerive Golf Course is about a mile from where we're sitting right here.

**Tim McKernan** (1:28)
In that range, you're right.

**Rizzuto** (1:30)
This is playoff golf. And playoff golf is different. The pressure is different. The way you bet it, I think, should be different. So picture the scene. We are in St. Louis, Missouri. Bellerive Country Club. It's a big property.
Big trees. Big ballpark energy because this is the playoffs. It's not just a go play four rounds. This is your season. It is on the line.
So when you were out there yesterday, what did you see? Did you see some of the heavy hitters practicing?

**Tim McKernan** (1:59)
Yeah, absolutely. Followed Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, the big names. And the thing that stands out to me is they are playing this golf course that is normally a par 72 is a par 70
Number four in 2018 was a par five. It will be a par four for this event. And number 10, which is a par five, for members, will also be a par four as it was in 2018
So, it will play as a par 70 So, keep that in mind when you're looking at betting the total score. And then, in addition, they have tried to protect the golf course with the rough being super thick. Now, more inside word from those who are golf wagers in St. Louis. We are aware of this. Outside of St. Louis, you would not be. We have had some heavy rain. And that can impact the way a golf course plays because it can soften up the greens and make it more scoreable. If a golf course is going to be protected, it can get in a spot where it will be firmer if it is drier, but that is not the case. So that should allow the players to attack a little more aggressively because it'll be a bit softer than if it would be dry and hot.

**Rizzuto** (3:11)
It rained this morning. It's Wednesday. So it rained this morning. It rained hard this morning.

**Tim McKernan** (3:14)
Yeah, big time.

**Rizzuto** (3:15)
Is it supposed to rain tomorrow or throughout the weekend?

**Tim McKernan** (3:17)
There's some occasional storms in the forecast. Now I don't think you're going to have days of rain, but I think you're going to have pop-up storms, which will continue to keep the grounds soft. And players then capitalize on that, and they can fire at pins on their approaches, as opposed to have to be worrying that the ball could roll off.

**Rizzuto** (3:36)
You know, it's great the temperature's not going to be that swampy.

**SPEAKER_2** (3:38)
Oh, it's going to be glorious, like mid-80s.

**Tim McKernan** (3:39)
Yeah, it's perfect.

**Rizzuto** (3:40)
Mid-80s, I'm going on Sunday.

**Tim McKernan** (3:41)
Oh yeah.

**Rizzuto** (3:42)
My first ever.

**Tim McKernan** (3:43)
Oh, is that right?

**Rizzuto** (3:43)
I've never been to a PGA event.

**Tim McKernan** (3:46)
Yeah, you're going to get to see the best in the world. Top 50 in the world.

**Rizzuto** (3:49)
Top 50 in the world.

**Tim McKernan** (3:50)
The top 30 advance to Eastlake for the tour championship next week in Atlanta.

**Rizzuto** (3:54)
So let me ask you, before we get to the betting angles here, as somebody who is going to their first PGA event, how do you approach this? I mean, do you park yourself at a hole?