BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy features among four bets for Brian Keogh

Rory McIlroy might be ninth in the FedEx Cup standings, but the two-time champion will be hellbent on becoming the first player to win the season-long title. As a result, he looks a good bet to pull off his second win of the season in the penultimate BMW Championship.

The world number three surprisingly missed the cut in last week's FedEx St Jude Championship when he returned from three weeks off after The Open. He admitted he was rusty in Memphis but, after getting to Wilmington Country Club on Saturday, he's upbeat about his chances of getting the win that would give him a great chance of lifting the title in the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta next week.

"It's a golf course that is a little more up my alley compared to say last week in Memphis," McIlroy said on Wednesday. "I was a little rusty last week, as well, but a lot more drivers off the tee, a lot of room off the tee, a lot more, I guess, scope to hit driver. Length is an advantage here, whereas in Memphis it's not really. A golf course that I feel like I can excel on.

"It's been good to have some early looks at it. I got here Friday night after the missed cut, so I've been on the course every day since Saturday. But it's been good. It's nice to get back out and prepare and get to know a new golf course, get a little bit of a head start on everyone else."

Spain's Jon Rahm is the second favourite, but I fancy Tony Finau to excel again on a driver's course. Given his form - he's gone win, win, T5 in his last three starts - he'll be a danger.

Strokes gained from tee-to-green and proximity to the hole are two key statistics to watch this week and, while Sungjae Im, Justin Thomas and Matt Fitzpatrick have shone in those departments this season, it's worth looking at world number one and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler to bounce back from last week's missed cut.

With Cameron Smith pulling out this week, Scheffler will be determined to solidify his candidature for PGA Tour Player of the Year honours with a big showing as he looks to overtake FedEx Cup leader Will Zalatoris.

Only the top 30 in the standings on Sunday night qualify for Atlanta and, with a staggered start in operation there (the FedEx Cup leader starts on 10-under par), a good performance here is key.

Now that he's won for the first time, I'd expect Zalatoris to ride that wave and go close once again. As a result, he's the fourth and final play in the BMW Championship. 

As McIlroy said: "It's a very important tournament to put yourself in position, especially with the way the format is next week with the staggered start. It's really important. The closer you can start to that 10-under par mark, the better."

Recommended bets

Back Rory McIlroy @ 13.5
Back Scottie Scheffler @ 16.5
Back Tony Finau @ 22
Back Will Zalatoris @ 23