⛳ Charles Schwab Challenge Picks: Best Bets to Win, Top Finishes & Sleeper Picks
The Charles Schwab Challenge returns to Colonial Country Club this week as golfers tee it up from May 28-31 at one of the PGA Tour’s most historic and demanding venues. Unlike the birdie-fests seen at TPC Craig Ranch, Colonial rewards precision, elite iron play, and smart course management as we look to make our Charles Schwab Challenge picks.
With several top names skipping the event, bettors are already targeting outright winners and placement markets in a more open field. Hideki Matsuyama enters as one of the betting favorites and headlines our Charles Schwab Challenge picks, while proven ball-strikers and accurate drivers should have a major edge at Hogan’s Alley this week.
Let’s dive into my outright winner, long-shot winner, and top finish market picks.
💰 Charles Schwab Challenge picks
Here are our top golf picks for Charles Schwab Challenge.
| Market | Pick | Best odds |
|---|---|---|
| Outright winner | Hideki Matsuyama | +3000 via FanDuel |
| Long shot winner | Sudarshan Yellamaraju | +6000 via DraftKings |
| Top 20 finish | Ben Griffin | +115 via FanDuel |
🏆 Charles Schwab Challenge pick to win: Hideki Matsuyama (+3000)
Hideki Matsuyama is built perfectly for Colonial Country Club, where elite iron play and precision off the tee are the keys to success. Colonial rewards experienced shot-makers, and Matsuyama remains one of the best ball-strikers on the PGA Tour entering the week. With several top stars skipping the event, he brings one of the strongest resumes in the field, including 11 PGA Tour victories.
His ability to control approach shots into Colonial’s small greens should create plenty of birdie opportunities. If his putter heats up on the Bentgrass surfaces, Matsuyama has all the tools to capture the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge title.
📊 Charles Schwab Challenge prop bets
Get everything you need to know for this week with Dustin Saracini as he dives deep into his Charles Schwab Challenge prop picks.
🎯 Charles Schwab Challenge sleeper pick: Sudarshan Yellamaraju (+6000)
Sudarshan Yellamaraju has the profile of a breakout contender at Colonial Country Club, where precision iron play and patience are rewarded. The PGA Tour rookie already owns a Korn Ferry Tour victory and has flashed elite upside this season, including a top-five finish at The Players Championship.
Colonial is a course that favors smart ball-strikers over pure power, which fits Yellamaraju’s game perfectly. With confidence growing after earning his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour, he enters this week as a dangerous sleeper in a wide-open field. Don’t be surprised if Yellamaraju makes a serious run at the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge title.
🔥 Best Charles Schwab Challenge bets
Ben Griffin top 20 finish (+115)
Ben Griffin is a strong bet to finish inside the top 20 at the Charles Schwab Challenge after winning this event last year at Colonial Country Club. Confidence and course history matter at Colonial, and Griffin clearly feels comfortable navigating the tight fairways and demanding approach shots.
His accurate driving and steady iron play fit perfectly on a course that rewards precision over distance. Griffin has also shown the ability to stay patient on difficult scoring layouts, which is critical at Colonial. Returning to the site of last year’s victory gives him a major edge to contend once again and deliver another strong finish this week.
Russell Henley top-20 finish (+115)
If we want to target absolute precision off the tee and an incredibly high floor on a tight track, Henley is a solid tactical play. Henley has never seen a fairway he doesn't like, actively pacing this entire field in true driving accuracy.
On a course where missing the fairway means hacking out from under heavy tree canopies, his ability to find short grass consistently is a massive advantage. He also has strong course comfort here, highlighted by a T-16 finish in his most recent trip to Colonial. Fire this one up for a full unit before Thursday.
- Pick made by Dustin Saracini
📊 Charles Schwab Challenge odds, favorites, field
Get everything you need to know for this week with my Charles Schwab Challenge odds.
🕰️ Charles Schwab Challenge second-round tee times
Tee No. 1
| Tee time | Players |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Matthieu Pavon, Austin Smotherman, Takumi Kanaya |
| 8:11 a.m. | Camilo Villegas, Charley Hoffman, Eric Cole |
| 8:22 a.m. | Erik van Rooyen, Tom Kim, Seamus Power |
| 8:33 a.m. | Karl Vilips, Stephan Jaeger, Webb Simpson |
| 8:44 a.m. | Billy Horschel, Lucas Glover, Matt Kuchar |
| 8:55 a.m. | Michael Brennan, Matt McCarty, Davis Thompson |
| 9:06 a.m. | Kevin Streelman, Mark Hubbard, Max Greyserman |
| 9:17 a.m. | Lee Hodges, Bud Cauley, Sam Stevens |
| 9:28 a.m. | Zecheng Dou, Adrien Saddier, Pontus Nyholm |
| 9:39 a.m. | Kris Ventura, Kensei Hirata, Christo Lamprecht |
| 9:50 a.m. | Jeffrey Kang, Marcelo Rozo, Mason Howell (a) |
| 12:40 p.m. | Nick Dunlap, Kevin Kisner, Christiaan Bezuidenhout |
| 12:51 p.m. | Max Homa, Lanto Griffin, Rasmus Højgaard |
| 1:02 p.m. | Patton Kizzire, Mackenzie Hughes, Thorbjørn Olesen |
| 1:13 p.m. | Ricky Castillo, Nico Echavarria, Harry Hall |
| 1:24 p.m. | Ryan Gerard, Keegan Bradley, Brian Harman |
| 1:35 p.m. | Hideki Matsuyama, Robert MacIntyre, Alex Smalley |
| 1:46 p.m. | Justin Thomas, Russell Henley, Sungjae Im |
| 1:57 p.m. | William Mouw, Brian Campbell, J.T. Poston |
| 2:08 p.m. | Emiliano Grillo, Adam Svensson, Sam Ryder |
| 2:19 p.m. | Austin Eckroat, Pierceson Coody, Mac Meissner |
| 2:30 p.m. | David Skinns, Jackson Suber, Keita Nakajima |
Tee No. 10
| Tee time | Players |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Nick Hardy, Zac Blair, Michael Thorbjornsen |
| 8:11 a.m. | Vince Whaley, Max McGreevy, Danny Walker |
| 8:22 a.m. | Chad Ramey, Ben Martin, Sudarshan Yellamaraju |
| 8:33 a.m. | Andrew Novak, Joe Highsmith, Davis Riley |
| 8:44 a.m. | J.J. Spaun, Gary Woodland, Ludvig Åberg |
| 8:55 a.m. | Hideki Matsuyama, Robert MacIntyre, Alex Smalley |
| 9:06 a.m. | Russell Henley, Justin Thomas, Sungjae Im |
| 9:17 a.m. | Andrew Putnam, David Lipsky, Hank Lebioda |
| 9:28 a.m. | Brice Garnett, Dylan Wu, Jordan Smith |
| 9:39 a.m. | Paul Peterson, Neal Shipley, John VanDerLaan |
| 9:50 a.m. | Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Trace Crowe, Davis Chatfield |
| 12:40 p.m. | Ryo Hisatsune, Chandler Phillips, Kevin Roy |
| 12:51 p.m. | Joel Dahmen, Ryan Palmer, Beau Hossler |
| 1:02 p.m. | Doug Ghim, Rico Hoey, Ben Kohles |
| 1:13 p.m. | Ben Griffin, Rickie Fowler, Tom Hoge |
| 1:24 p.m. | J.J. Spaun, Gary Woodland, Ludvig Åberg |
| 1:35 p.m. | Brandt Snedeker, Akshay Bhatia, Tony Finau |
| 1:46 p.m. | Sahith Theegala, Taylor Moore, Michael Kim |
| 1:57 p.m. | Keith Mitchell, Patrick Rodgers, Johnny Keefer |
| 2:08 p.m. | Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Zach Bauchou, Chandler Blanchet |
| 2:19 p.m. | Haotong Li, Hayden Springer, Jimmy Stanger |
| 2:30 p.m. | Dan Brown, A.J. Ewart, Albert Hansson (a) |
🎟️ Charles Schwab Challenge ticket information
| Golfer | Opening Odds | Current Odds | Ticket % | Handle % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Thomas | +2500 | +2000 | 9.23% | 12.86% |
| Alex Smalley | +4000 | +3300 | 5.59% | 3.99% |
| Ludvig Åberg | +900 | +800 | 5.56% | 6.66% |
| Rickie Fowler | +2200 | +2200 | 5.25% | 10.09% |
| Akshay Bhatia | +3300 | +3300 | 3.88% | 2.45% |
| Sungjae Im | +5000 | +4000 | 3.77% | 3.40% |
| Brian Harman | +6600 | +6600 | 3.53% | 3.70% |
| Ryo Hisatsune | +4500 | +4000 | 3.26% | 5.79% |
| Ben Griffin | +2200 | +2200 | 3.23% | 2.72% |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +3000 | +3000 | 2.75% | 3.12% |
| J. J. Spaun | +2500 | +2500 | 2.54% | 1.49% |
| Russell Henley | +2000 | +1800 | 2.47% | 5.21% |
| Andrew Novak | +8000 | +6600 | 2.44% | 2.97% |
| Robert MacIntyre | +2200 | +2500 | 2.40% | 0.93% |
| Tony Finau | +6600 | +5000 | 2.33% | 2.09% |
💵 My betting record for golf picks
All golf picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 7.
| Bet type | Record | Net profit | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 7-24 | -1.1 units ❌ | 59.55% ❌ |
| Long shots (+4500 or higher) | 0-19 | -1.7 units ❌ | 0% ❌ |
⚖️ How I'm handicapping Charles Schwab Challenge
I’m handicapping the Charles Schwab Challenge by targeting golfers who excel in accuracy, iron play, and course management rather than pure distance off the tee. Colonial Country Club is one of the tighter layouts on the PGA Tour, so driving accuracy and strokes gained approach are two of the biggest stats I’m weighing this week. I’m also prioritizing players with strong histories on difficult scoring courses and proven success on Bentgrass greens. Experience matters at Colonial because positioning is critical throughout the round. With several elite players skipping the event, I’m also looking for undervalued sleepers capable of breaking through in a wide-open field.
⛳ Charles Schwab Challenge tournament info 2026
- Where: Colonial Country Club (Fort Worth, TX)
- When: Thursday, May 28 - Sunday, May 31
- Field: 132
- Favorite: Ludvig Aberg (+850 via FanDuel)
- Defending champion: Ben Griffin
- Purse: $9.9 million
- FedEx Cup points: 500
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