BMW Championship weather forecast for Thursday
After the red-hot temperatures in Memphis last week, it's not as extreme in St. Louis.
That said, it'll still be in the mid-80s in the afternoon with a peak of 87 around 4pm.
Wind speeds pick up slightly in the afternoon, rising from 5mph (morning) to 10mph.
There's no obvious bias for the 50 players who head out in two-balls from the 1st.
First Round Leader Bet 1: Gary Woodland @ 35/136.00
As a major winner who gives it a severe whack, Gary Woodland matches the profile of the players who shone at Bellerive in the 2018 US PGA.
In fact, he was actually one of them, his sixth place finish a nice marker before he would go on and capture the US Open at Pebble Beach less than a year later.
Woodland was the 18-hole leader in the 2018 US PGA here and still led at the halfway mark.
Fast forward to 2026 and Woodland has been inside the top 10 after round one in eight of his last 13 starts, a sequence that started at the Houston Open which he went on to win.
In his last two events, he's been second (3M Open) and 10th (St. Jude) after the first lap so Woodland has a nice profile in this market.
He hits away alongside Adam Scott at 09:36 local.
Back Gary Woodland each-way for FRL
First Round Leader Bet 2: Sahith Theegala @ 66/167.00
Sahith Theegala is right at the bottom of the FRL betting this week but that seems surprising.
Yes, a Saturday 79 and 67th place at St. Jude doesn't look great but the week before he'd opened the Wyndham Championship with a 62 to lie second.
Wind back five starts and he was the first-round leader at the Canadian Open while reverse 10 more spaces through his record and he also set the pace at The Players Championship.
He's certainly not winning prizes for consistency at the moment but Theegala has been in the top 20 for Approach in two of his last three starts and for 18 holes at least he could make a mark.
He's first out alongside Justin Thomas at 09:03.
Back Sahith Theegala each-way for FRL
First Round Leader Bet 3: Rickie Fowler @ 40/141.00
Let's look again at that first-round leaderboard at Bellerive in the 2018 US PGA.
Woodland set the pace with a 64 while in solo second via a 65 was his compatriot Rickie Fowler.
Both were tied third with a round to go before Fowler fell to 12th on the final day.
But he clearly likes Bellerive and there are enough flashes of form in his recent play to suggest he could throw in a low one.
Fowler has shot 63s in two of his last four events while 66s in tougher conditions helped him make big daily moves at The Open and last week's St. Jude Championship.
The 40/141.00 shot tees it up at 12:09.
Back Rickie Fowler each-way for FRL