With the dust now settled on Scottie Scheffler’s emphatic display at the Masters, holding off a resurgent Rory McIlroy by three strokes to get his hands on the prestigious green jacket and win his maiden major, attention is quickly turning to the second of the sport’s four majors — the PGA Championship.
Due to take place at the Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma, there’s now less than a month to go until the tournament tees off on May 19th. Such is the nature of golf that any of a dozen or more players could find form at the right time between now and then, but the sports betting sites have already released their odds.
So, although there could be mass changes in the market over the next few weeks, let’s take a look at the names currently at the fore. Read on to find out more!
Jon Rahm
Having broken his maiden duck at the US Open last season, Jon Rahm will certainly feel like he is playing with less of a burden on his shoulders. However, at times he looks a little too relaxed.
Without a win so far this season, the Spaniard has lost his top spot in the world rankings — slipping down to second before the Masters and now finds himself third.
A +4 finish for T27 at Augusta National faltered to deceive the 27-year-old’s true ability. After a lacklustre start to the season, something has to click for the former World No.1 at some point and the bookies are taking no risks by making him the slight favourite for the PGA Championship.
Scottie Scheffler
Form and momentum are everything in golf, and Scottie Scheffler has that in abundance. Riding the crest of a wave after winning three titles already this season — the Phoenix Open, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC Match Play — it was no real surprise to see the American sweep up at Augusta.
Scheffler has enjoyed a bit of a break since the Masters, skipping the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links, but he’ll return for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans later this week and he’ll be hoping to pick up where he left off. If he can continue to be there or thereabouts over the next month, he’ll be in with a great chance in Oklahoma.
Rory McIlroy
Now in his eighth year without a major, McIlroy fell out of favour with the bookies ahead of the Masters. And it looked like it was going to be another mediocre at best display at Augusta from the Northern Irishman as he went into the final round +1.
However, he put on an inspiring display to level the record-lowest round at the Masters (64) and finish -7 in second. If he can keep the consistency to stay within a chance after the first three days at the Southern Hills Country Club, and then find that ruthlessness again in the final round, he could be in with a shot of lifting the PGA title.
Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas has been a regular name close to the top of the leaderboard at tournaments so far this season, recording six top 10 finishes in 11 outings — including T8 at the Masters. But he is yet to land his maiden victory of the campaign, with a T3 finish, one shot behind the leader, at the Valspar Championship the closest he has come.
The PGA is the only major the American has won thus far in his career, but that was way back in 2017. Five years have now passed and ‘JT’ must be bitterly disappointed that he hasn’t added a second championship to his mantle. Perhaps another PGA could spark a new lease of life back into the 28-year-old’s career.
and then