Franklin Templeton Shootout - Vegas Odds, Free Picks, + Tee Times

While golf is mostly an individual sport, there are sometimes when there is a team element added into the mix. Often times, these can be some of the most enjoyable events to watch. That's exactly what we will get at the 2013 Franklin Templeton Shootout this year.

Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida will be the host venue for the 2013 Franklin Templeton Shootout. After all, in December there are only so many places that a golf tournament can take place, and South Florida happens to be one of them. The first round will begin on Friday, December 13th, with final round action ending on Sunday, December 15th. It will be 54 holes of team competition, with a modified alternate shot for Round 1, a better ball competition in round 2, and a good old fashioned scramble for the final round.

Golf Channel will have the coverage of the first day's action on Friday. Then for the weekend, NBC will come in and broadcast the final two days of what should be a very fun event to watch.

Jump To: Betting Odds | Free Picks | Tee Times & 3-Ball Odds

Odds On 2014 Franklin Templeton Shootout

The field is limited for the second-straight week on the PGA Tour, though this tournament here again is not official. Just like we saw last week with the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge hosting 18 players, the 2013 Franklin Templeton Shootout will feature 24 total players. But what's also different about this tournament is that it's a team competition, so only 12 total scores will be calculated in the final results.

The 12 teams have already been established, and looking at the field there are some top-notch players ready to for Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. Most players on the PGA Tour live in Florida, and it's easy to see why with the year-round golf they have access to. Naples will not have to worry about any blizzard like much of the country is going through.

Bovada Sportsbook has already formed overall odds to win the Franklin Templeton Shootout. These lines will be available to place bets up through Friday when the first tee time gets on the course. Adjusted lines will be set throughout the days of competition as well.

Franklin Templeton Shootout: Odds To Win - found at Bovada on 12/9/2013
Harris English / Matt Kuchar 7/2 Ian Poulter / Lee Westwood 7/2 Jason Dufner / Dustin Johnson 7/2 Jerry Kelly / Steve Stricker 9/1 Charles Howell III / Justin Leonard 10/1 Sean O'Hair / Kenny Perry 11/1	Retief Goosen / Boo Weekley 14/1 Graham Delaet / Mike Weir 18/1 Chris Dimarco / Billy Horschel 20/1 Rory Sabbatini / Scott Verplank 28/1 Mark Calcavecchia / Chad Campbell 40/1 Jonas Blixt / Greg Norman 50/1

Top-3 Favorites To Win According To Vegas

Those looking to get some action in on this week's event will have a good chance at picking the winner - much better than a typical week on the PGA Tour. As such, payouts aren't quite as high for the majority of teams. Look below to see the top-three favorites going into Friday's opening round:

Matt Kuchar / Harris English 7/2 (+350) - Kuchar and English are on top of the betting odds alongside the team below of Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson. Kuchar is one of the most consistent players in the world, and English won recently at the start of the new 2013-14 FedEx Cup season. These two players should complement each other very well throughout the competition. Neither hits it extremely long, but they have some of the best 100-yard-and-in games in the world.

Dustin Johnson / Jason Dufner 7/2 (+350) - Johnson is arguably the longest hitter in the world, and Dufner has been playing as good as anyone in the world over the last six months. It's a bit of a surprise that this isn't the team that is alone at the top of the list of favorites. If PGABettingOdds.com had a vote, they would probably be the leaders. Yes, this might be foreshadowing our picks below.

Ian Poulter / Lee Westwood 4/1 (+400) - This is another team that we would think might be a top favorite. They are right there with the two teams above, but there is something about European players in team events like the Ryder Cup. Poulter thrives on team events, which would lead us to believe they will play well in Naples.

Free Picks For 2014 Franklin Templeton

Winner's Pick - The team of Johnson and Dufner are tied as the favorites, and with 7/2 odds for this week's PGA tournament, it's a nice profit to boot! These two have played well and quite often during the 'offseason' on the PGA Tour. Of the two, it's the way Dufner plays that really makes us think that this team has what it takes to get it done. The team of Westwood and Poulter is a very close second, so keep an eye out for them also.

Darkhorse Value Bet - The Canadian team of Graham Delaet and Mike Weir could be a winning combination in Naples. Teams are not grouped together by country, this just so happens to be the pairing. As such, there should be a comfort and a sense of national pride. Weir paved the way for Canadian players, and Delaet is the up and coming superstar of the area. This should be a fun group to watch all week.

Notable Pairings + Tee Times

There will only be a few tee times for this tournament, as the teams will be matched up together. When those come out, we will have the tee times and potential head-to-head betting lines for those groupings as well.