Best bets for the John Deere Classic: Lesser field, greater opportunity

It's John Deere Classic week on the PGA Tour, which means most of the players you know and love will be taking the week off to prepare for the Open Championship later this month. Only four of the top 40 players in the OWGR are in the field at TPC Deere Run, and Russell Henley tops the list as the +1400 favorite to win his fifth PGA Tour title.

This clearly isn't the most compelling tournament on the schedule this year, but that doesn't mean we can't bet on it. Here are my favorite bets for this week's John Deere Classic. 

Eric Cole top-20 finish (+175 FanDuel)

The John Deere Classic is going to play out as a birdie fest, so the guy with the hottest putter is going to have a great chance to win on Sunday. Well, no one has been hotter with the flatstick of late than Eric Cole.

Cole has gained nearly 20 strokes on the greens over his last four starts, and he's recorded six top-25 finishes in his last nine. His best finishes this season have also come in similar events with weak fields. I wouldn't be surprised if Cole wins this week.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout top South African (+165 FD)

It's hard not to like Christiaan Bezuidenhout this week. In his John Deere Classic debut last year, Bez gained nearly nine strokes putting and finished in a tie for second place at 18 under. He clearly loves these bent-grass greens at TPC Deere Run, and we should be in for another putting contest this year. 

Dylan Frittelli and Erik Van Rooyen have missed 11 straight cuts combined, so Bezuidenhout's only competition might be Garrick Higgo and MJ Daffue. He's by far the best South African in this field, so I think we're getting some value here.

Taylor Montgomery > Adam Svensson (+100 DraftKings)

These two players are struggling mightily with their irons right now. Taylor Montgomery has lost strokes on approach in eight straight starts, while Adam Svensson has done the same in seven straight. The difference between them is Montgomery is arguably the best putter on the planet.

Montgomery ranks No. 1 on the PGA Tour this season in putting average, putts per round, one-putt percentage, and putting from 10-15 feet. Considering the John Deere Classic is going to play out as a putting contest and birdie fest, Montgomery shouldn't be the underdog in this matchup.