2016 Tour Championship Odds: Johnson Betting Favorite over McIlroy, Day, Spieth

American golfer Dustin Johnson has gradually improved over the first three FedEx Cup playoff tournaments heading into the Tour Championship this weekend at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

Johnson's rise has him pegged as the +450 favorite (bet $100 to win $450) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark following his three-stroke win over British golfer Paul Casey at the BMW Championship two weeks ago.

Johnson had finished 18th at The Barclays in the first FedEx Cup tourney and then placed eighth at the Deutsche Bank Championship before shooting a 23-under 265 to win the BMW Championship to take home more than $1.5 million.

His main competition at the Tour Championship looks like the usual suspects, including Irishman Rory McIlroy, Australian Jason Day and fellow American Jordan Spieth.

Day withdrew from the BMW Championship after eight holes during the final round due to a back injury, something bettors should pay close attention to leading up to the Tour Championship. He is listed as the +800 co-third choice on the golf betting lines along with Spieth and has headed in the opposite direction from Johnson since his runner-up finish at the PGA Championship at the end of July.

Day tied for fourth at The Barclays before placing 15th at the Deutsche Bank Championship, and he hopes to get back on track in Atlanta.

Spieth is the defending champion here and was ninth at the BMW Championship and 10th at The Barclays, with a 21st-place finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship in between.

Spieth's finish at the BMW Championship was his best since placing third in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He beat Danny Lee, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson by four strokes last year to win the Tour Championship with a nine-under 271.

McIlroy is the +600 second choice behind Johnson despite finishing a disappointing 42nd at the BMW Championship. He was coming off a victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship following a 31st-place finish at The Barclays and a cut at the PGA Championship before that.

Others to watch include Australian Adam Scott (+1000), Casey (+1400) and American Patrick Reed (+1600), who won The Barclays and placed fifth at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Scott has coincidentally finished fourth in all three previous FedEx Cup tourneys, while Casey also placed second at the Deutsche Bank Championship.