PGA Championship best bets: It’s a stacked field at the second major of the year. Who is worth a look?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/05/2021 (1965 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The PGA Championship is back in its regular spot on the schedule as the second major of the year after moving to August in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last summer Collin Morikawa – in his PGA Championship debut – won his maiden major title by two shots over Paul Casey and Dustin Johnson at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

Morikawa is back to defend his Wanamaker Trophy, but he’ll have to top one of the strongest fields in golf, with all but one of the top 100 in the world competing this week at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

The course, which measures over 7,800 yards, is the longest in major championship history.

But who does it favour? Who is worth a look? Here are some best bets for the 103rd PGA Championship (all odds via GolfOdds.com).

FAVOURITES

• Rory McIlroy (10-1): McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship two weeks ago looking like the McIlroy of old and returning to the PGA Tour winner’s circle after a two-year absence. He captured the 2012 PGA Championship, also played at Kiawah, by eight shots.

• Justin Thomas (14-1): The 2017 PGA Championship winner won The Players Championship earlier this year proving, again, that he’s a world-beater. Thomas is second on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach The Green and 10th in Strokes Gained: Around The Green – which should be a deadly combo this week.

• Jordan Spieth (16-1): Is he back? If his 2021 body-of-work is any indication, then the answer is yes. Spieth won his first title on the PGA Tour since 2017 in April and has notched six top-10’s this year, including a third-place effort at the Masters. More encouraging: Spieth is 38th on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting – a stat he was 105th in last year.

MIDDLE-OF-THE-PACK

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

• Will Zalatoris (50-1): After Zalatoris’ fabulous run earlier this year, which included a runner-up at the Masters, he took a little time for himself (he got engaged and bought his first home) but now he’s back playing the same kind of golf that zipped him up the world rankings despite not being an official PGA Tour member. You may not find a better player Tee-to-Green in the world.

• Viktor Hovland (22-1): On the Next Round’s On Me podcast, SCOREGolf editor Jason Logan waxed poetic about Hovland, a two-time PGA Tour winner. Hovland has finished tied for third in his last two tournaments and holds the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour this season.

• Corey Conners (60-1): The Canadian told The Star that there was nothing about his game he felt uncomfortable with going into this week, and since he’s one of the game’s top ball-strikers (and is coming into the PGA off back-to-back top-10’s at the Masters) he’s a solid value pick this week.

LONG-SHOTS

• Ian Poulter (300-1): Poulter strung four very solid rounds together the last time the PGA Championship was played at the Ocean Course and ended up finishing tied for third. He’s also in the top-10 on the PGA Tour in both Strokes Gained: Putting and Scrambling.

• Rickie Fowler (150-1): The last time Fowler teed it up with this much of a chip on his shoulder he won (before his Players Championship win in 2015 the results of a poll showed Fowler as the “most overrated player” on Tour) so look for Fowler – who had to get a special exemption from the PGA of America to play this week – to prove he’s still got game.

• Matt Wallace (100-1): An Englishman who should be right at home on the linksy Ocean Course, Wallace has begun to play more golf in America and has made his last six cuts on the PGA Tour, with four top-25 results.

Adam Stanley is a freelance golf writer based in Ottawa