Gregory Odom Jr. might not be a name that is all that familiar in the golfing world, however, it would not be a surprise if his name were to enter the mainstream game within the next couple of years.
Still a senior college player at Howard University, Odom is a player that has been standing out whenever he takes to the tee at the collegiate level. So much so that he has been provided a sponsor exemption in order to compete at the Wells Fargo Championship; an event that takes place on the PGA Tour.
The 31-year-old golfer will be able to compete in the 156-player field as an amateur and will be able to put his skills to the test as he will go up against some of the biggest names in the sport, with players including Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, and Tony Finau all scheduled to participate in this year’s tournament in Washington, D.C. in the coming days.
Greg Odom has been spectacular recently
Indeed, it would be impossible to deny that the standout is far from deserving of his place in the Wells Fargo Championship, with Odom having been able to put together a number of strong finishes in recent events that he has participated in.
In the last two events, he has managed to finish inside the top 10, with an 8th-place finish at the Princeton Invitational being followed up two weeks later with a win at the MEAC Championship; the last tournament the young college golfer played in.
Additionally, he has managed to impress with his play on the course for a period of time, as he has a pair of top-five and top-15 finishes throughout the 2021/22 season, whilst he also won the PGA Works National Championship at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in an emotionally charged event that saw him win his first collegiate title in memory of his father who had passed away.
Moreover, in November, he had managed to finish third at the Golf Coaches Association of America Championship whilst also earning an exemption to play in the 2022 Ontario Open that appears on the PGA Tour Canada circuit.
Will Odom be able to handle the occasion?
Odom will undoubtedly be excited to be able to participate in the upcoming Wells Fargo Championship as the competition takes place at the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm; a course that is just 15 miles from where he goes to school and continues to improve his game.
However, the adrenaline will certainly need to be flowing for the amateur, as he is going to have an extremely busy week. Whilst the fact that he will be making his PGA TOUR debut in this competition, he would have also been defending his PGA Works Collegiate Championship title in Philadelphia this week in a minority-focused event.
Naturally, there might be some that will be concerned about what condition he may be in ahead of his debut event, with some perhaps thinking about whether or not he would be a great betting option for them to consider for this competition.
With the choice of legal Maryland sportsbooks available to utilize in this event, residents of the state may not initially be thinking of Odom as a winner, but as a player who could perhaps challenge some of the best of the world in this top competition, or even make the cut and compete across the final two days.
Indeed, those that are interested will likely want to wish the amateur well given his continued rise and the effort that he continues to put in as he has shown that he is a likable player and one that clearly has the drive to do everything within his power to become a professional and obtain a card in the near future.
However, when you consider the fact that he is playing in another tournament immediately beforehand, and when you take into account the fact that he will be going up against some of the world’s best, those in Maryland may have other options available that they will want to consider.
World-class players including Rory McIlroy in the field
As mentioned, the likes of Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, and Tony Finau are just some of the talented professional golfers to be taking to the course at the upcoming Wells Fargo Championship, and it would not be a surprise if we were to see one of these individuals be able to come away from the event with the win.
Typically held at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, this year’s edition of the event will see seven past champions all compete for the prize at the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm in Washington, D.C.
