Betting preview: Expect another unlikely winner at the Deutsche Bank Championship

The Deutsche Bank Championship could and will, if headline writers have their way, present the first of a series of battles between Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day, not just for the title but for golf's No 1 ranking.

Day, following his six-shot romp last week, is arguably the man to beat on this occasion and has a solid record at TPC Boston, a course he's on record in stating that he likes. So too does McIlroy, having won here in that magical 2012 season, while it was in this event two years ago that Spieth effectively sealed a Presidents Cup debut as he began in earnest his own ascent to the top of the sport.

It's wonderful for the sport, but we must remind ourselves that it's likely we will seldom see all three battling it out down the stretch. Such is the nature of golf that, unlike tennis, simply being the best players in the world doesn't mean they're all going to be involved in the latter stages of the tournament, be it here or anywhere else.

Hopefully, we're treated to one or two thrillers in the coming years but as far as this week goes, I'm prepared to overlook Sky Bet's 15/8 Price Boost that one of golf's top trio does indeed lift the trophy.

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The reason for doing so is primarily that the Deutsche Bank, played at the easiest course on the Playoff rotation - TPC Boston - has thrown up a surprise or two in the past. It was here that Charley Hoffman produced the round of his life to run away from higher-ranked opponents, and where Chris Kirk upset the odds 12 months ago at the expense of the equally unfancied Billy Horschel, Geoff Ogilvy and Russell Henley. Back in 2011, Webb Simpson may have won the title but Chez Reavie, a massive outsider, really should've and there's definitely scope for an upset.

Scoring will be so low that one bad round – the like of which world-class Justin Rose produced last week – could scupper the chances even of a red-hot Day and I'll instead go each-way with five selections, starting with Phil Mickelson.

It's not been a great year for the left-hander but there's still time to salvage it and a golf course which requires all-out aggression provides a good opportunity for him to do just that. Indeed it's Mickelson's last chance to do something impressive enough to earn a Presidents Cup pick and keep alive his run of having appeared in every renewal of that event.

Recent signs are encouraging enough, with a good start last week to follow on from a top-20 at the PGA, and Mickelson will relish a return to the scene of his 2007 victory in this event. At 10th in birdie average this season, he can still compete when scoring is low and a hot start could see him show the youngsters that he still has more victories in him.

Louis Oosthuizen is the other one of the sub-100/1 options who strikes me as a bit of value, having been second to McIlroy on his sole start in this tournament.

It's been a summer of what might have been for the South African, narrowly denied in both the US Open and the Open Championship, but he'll be eager to gain a first win on US soil and could well do so if enjoying a good week on the greens.

There are no putting concerns where Bryce Molder is concerned and this straight shooter, 11th last week and ninth in this event previously, could go well at a huge price along with Jason Bohn, one of the PGA Tour's in-form players who ranks 11th in birdie average and third in par-four scoring behind Spieth and Day.

Bohn was second here a decade ago but is in the form of his life right now and looks overpriced as he seeks a first win in five years and one that his play this season certainly deserves.

Finally, Jason Dufner showed enough for three rounds last week to suggest that he too can go well in an event which saw him card what was at the time his best-ever finish when runner-up here six years ago.

Dufner has endured a difficult 2015 both on and off the course but there have been some positive signs lately and a new putter may just unlock the improvement he needs to land an each-way touch at close to 100/1.

Watch the Deutsche Bank Championship from Friday September 4 live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf