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Johnson, DeChambeau and Thomas Open as Favorites in 2021 PGA Tour Money List Odds

Michael Harrison

by Michael Harrison in Golf

Updated Jan 5, 2021 · 7:05 AM PST

Dustin Johnson swinging
Dustin Johnson during the final round of the Masters golf tournament Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
  • Dustin Johnson is the +200 favorite to win the 2020-21 PGA Tour money list over Bryson DeChambeau
  • A golfer who has won three of the last four money lists has intriguing +800 odds to do it again
  • Which of the big names are most likely to win it all this year and who’s a darkhorse candidate?

With the new year upon us, it marks the start to the 2021 golf calendar at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii.

There have already been twelve tournaments played on the season, with the money list counting events from September to December of last year and the accrued dollars earned running through this year’s Tour Championship in September.

Dustin Johnson is the heavy favorite to take home the most money on the campaign for the second time, as he has already built up a $600k edge on Bryson DeChambeau, and over $1 million on third place Jason Kokrak.

With Johnson traditionally playing fewer events than most of the worlds elite, might there be another golfer who could dethrone him?

Odds to Win 2020-21 PGA Tour Money List

Golfer Odds Current Money Rank
Dustin Johnson +200 $3,117,040 1st
Bryson DeChambeau +450 $2,502,850 2nd
Justin Thomas +800 $1,896,156 5th
Jon Rahm +1000 $1,303,249 15th
Rory McIlroy +1200 $927,050 25th
Xander Schauffele +1200 $1,830,101 8th
Patrick Cantlay +1600 $1,888,835 6th
Brooks Koepka +2900 $685,927 41st
Viktor Hovland +2900 $1,830,880 7th
Matthew Wolff +3300 $2,007,135 4th
Collin Morikawa +3300 $249,280 102nd
Jason Kokrak +4100 $2,008,789 3rd
Harris English +5000 $1,399,015 12th
Sungjae Im +6500 $1,384,676 13th
Hideki Matsuyama +6500 $1,138,650 18th

Odds taken January 5th from FanDuel

Dustin Johnson Will Be Really Tough to Catch

Johnson has been on an absolute heater, with three wins, three runner-ups and a T-6th showing in his last seven events. Although only three of those count to this year’s money list, they’ve given him a comfy position perched atop the board. With his victory at the Masters, T-2 at the Houston Open and T-6 at the US Open he’s well ahead of the pack.

In the last six years, his money list finishes are as follows: 5th, 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 7th and 3rd. In each of those years that he didn’t win, he played on average 3.6 fewer events than the champ of the money title, which might leave the door cracked open slightly ajar for his competitors to steal the crown.

DeChambeau and Thomas Closely Pursuing

In his first four full seasons on Tour, not only has the ‘Mad Scientist’ Bryson DeChambeau turned the golf world upside down with his amazing play and unique style, but he’s started on average 5.5 more events than DJ – which would be a massive boon in overtaking him.

He’s harnessed his immense talent to smash drives but has never been better than fourth on the money list in those years, so his +450 odds aren’t super appealing.

Enter Justin Thomas. He’s won three of the last four money lists and has averaged more than three tournaments per year over DJ in the last four years and he finished his last six events of 2020 no worse than T-12th. He’ll have an opportunity to close in on Johnson quickly in the first two Hawaii swing tournaments that he’s won a combined three times in his career. The only potential stumbling block is being $1.2 million behind the leader, but at +800 odds, he’s definitely worth a long hard look.

Last Five PGA Tour Money List Winners

Year Winner
2019-20 Justin Thomas
2018-19 Brooks Koepka
2017-18 Justin Thomas
2016-17 Justin Thomas
2015-16 Dustin Johnson

2020-21 PGA Tour Money List Best Value Pick

  1. Matthew Wolff (+3300): After winning in his fourth ever PGA Tour start in 2019 at the 3M Open, Matthew Wolff had a solid first full season on tour, finishing 32nd on the money list. He’s been second twice in the 2020-21 campaign, where at the US Open he became the youngest 54-hole leader of a major since Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters. He wound up second, then lost in a playoff in Las Vegas. He has all the talent and tools to grab top spot, and is currently in fourth spot on the list making these odds enticing.
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