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The PGA Tour heads to TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois this week for the 2024 John Deere Classic. While several top players are taking the week off, the wide open field provides an excellent opportunity for a breakout winner. After his impressive results as an amateur and in his pro debut last week, our long shot pick to capture his first PGA Tour title is 23-year-old Neal Shipley.

(Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Shipley quickly gained attention earlier this year by earning low amateur honors at both The Masters and U.S. Open in his debuts at those major championships. He then made the decision to turn pro following the U.S. Open. In his first start as a professional last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Shipley impressed with a solid T20 finish.

With odds of +8000, Shipley represents a handsome betting option this week in Illinois. His game has clearly been ready to take the next step to the PGA Tour level, and he will have the benefit of riding momentum from his spring and summer success. At TPC Deere Run, a course that sometimes rewards accurate young players, Shipley could certainly put it all together. Other long-shot bets are Adam Schenk (+6600) and Taylor Montgomery (+6600).

While World No. 29 Sungjae Im leads the John Deere Classic odds board at +1400, followed by World No. 24 Sepp Straka (+1600) and Jordan Spieth (+1800), several other favorites also present lower risk options. But for a big long shot payout, our pick is Neal Shipley. His feel-good story and steady improvement make him a nice choice to pull off a maiden victory. With a $10 wager on an 8000/1 long shot, a win would payout $800 in profit.

 (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The John Deere Classic presents the perfect opportunity for Shipley to kick off his pro career in top fashion. After all he's shown already, don't be surprised if our pick rolls the dice and comes up paying big this week in Illinois.

Who is Neal Shipley and what makes him a promising long shot

Neal Shipley has a chance to pull off an upset at the upcoming 2024 John Deere Classic. The 23-year-old from Pittsburgh has shown a lot of promise as an amateur golfer, winning competitions like the Pennsylvania Amateur Championship in 2022. He spent his college career at James Madison and Ohio State.

Shipley played his way into the 2024 Masters and U.S. Open by finishing runner-up in the 2023 U.S. Amateur. He held his own at the majors too, tying for 53rd and 26th place while being the lowest scoring amateur both times. After turning pro, Shipley made waves with his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in June 2024 thanks to a sponsor invitation. Right now his odds of winning the John Deere Classic are +8000, meaning a $10 bet could win you $800.

With a history of clutch performances and longshot odds, Shipley appears to be an appealing selection to watch. However, as a novice, advancing to the greatest level of golf will be a significant struggle. Only time will tell whether he can continue to defy expectations on the PGA Tour.

The top 15 betting odds for the 2024 John Deere Classic are:

Sungjae Im (+1400)

Sepp Straka (+1600)

Jordan Spieth (+1800)

Aaron Rai (+2200)

Davis Thompson (+2200)

Denny McCarthy (+2200)

J.T. Poston (+2500)

Maverick McNealy (+2500)

Jason Day (+2800)

Keith Mitchell (+3000)

Cam Davis (+4000)

Nick Dunlap (+4000)

Luke Clanton (+4000)

Sam Stevens (+4000)

Beau Hossler (+5000)

Eric Cole (+5000)

Seamus Power (+5000)

Head over to BetMGM to see the full list of odds and bets 

References: https://golf.com/news/2024-john-deere-classic-odds-long-shot/

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