RADIO
Patrick Gates shares his betting card for the 2026 ISCO Championship and breaks down each of his selections for this week's event.
All other PGA Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard.
After cashing Wyndham Clark at 45-1 at the U.S. Open, we've come agonizingly close to another outright over the past two weeks. Collin Morikawa missed the playoff by a single shot at the Travelers Championship, while Max Homa finished runner-up at last week's John Deere Classic.
This week, the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour head to Louisville, Kentucky, for the ISCO Championship, the alternate-field event opposite the Genesis Scottish Open. A 156-player field will take on Hurstbourne Country Club, featuring a mix of rising stars, PGA TOUR veterans, DP World Tour regulars, and players looking to earn valuable FedExCup points and a two-year PGA TOUR exemption with a victory.
In an article released on Tuesday, I broke down everything you need to know about the ISCO Championship, from course details to key stats and historical trends. If you have not checked that out yet, I highly recommend giving it a read. As always, if you have questions about any players or the event itself, feel free to reach out to me on social media or in Discord.
Outrights
Max Homa (+1900) - DraftKings
We backed Max Homa last week at the John Deere Classic, and he came within one shot of lifting the trophy before settling for a runner-up finish behind Chris Gotterup. Despite coming up just short, it was another encouraging performance from Homa, whose game continues to trend in the right direction.
Statistically, Homa checked nearly every box last week. He ranked 3rd in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green, 20th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 20th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 2nd in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, and 25th in Strokes Gained: Putting. It's rare to see him put together such a complete performance, and it's a strong indication that his game is rounding into form.
Over his last two starts, Homa has gained strokes in every major category, something he had not accomplished at any point earlier this season. His ball-striking has taken a noticeable step forward, while his short game and putting have remained reliable. Although Homa is making his first start at Hurstbourne Country Club, the course should fit his skill set well.
The John Deere Classic featured a relatively weak field by PGA TOUR standards. This week, the competition gets even lighter at the ISCO Championship, an alternate-field event lacking many of the TOUR's biggest names. If Homa carries over the form he showed last week, he'll have an excellent opportunity to capture his first PGA TOUR victory since 2023.
Davis Thompson (+2350) - DraftKings
While Davis Thompson hasn't posted many eye-catching finishes recently, there are several underlying metrics that make him an intriguing option this week. He enters off a T26 finish at last week's John Deere Classic, where he ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach. His finish was held back by a disappointing short game and putting performance, ranking 51st and 62nd in those categories, respectively.
Thompson remains one of the longer hitters on the PGA TOUR, a trait that should serve him well at Hurstbourne Country Club. His ball-striking has been solid, but his results continue to be dictated by the putter. Over the past two seasons, his putting has been highly volatile, making him a boom-or-bust outright candidate.
He's also shown he can take advantage of weaker fields this season, finishing 4th at the Puerto Rico Open and T13 at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic. Those results are encouraging heading into another alternate-field event.
If Thompson can pair his elite driving and strong iron play with even an average week on the greens, he has the upside to contend for the title. If the putter heats up, he has every tool needed to win.
