It’s time for the second men’s major championship of 2023 as the best players in the world have made their way to Rochester, New York, for the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.
Justin Thomas is the defending champion, but Jon Rahm enters the week as one of the betting favorites (+750). The Spaniard has amassed four wins already this season including the Masters in April — his second major championship victory.
However, it’s world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler on top of the betting odds list, sitting at +700. Scheffler tied for fifth at last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson and grabbed a T-10 finish at Augusta National.
At double Scheffler’s odds is Rory McIlroy (+1400), who is going through a bit of a funk. In his last three stroke-play events, the Northern Irishman has missed the cut at the Players and Masters, and tied for 47th at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Golf course
Oak Hill Country Club | Par 70 | 7,394 yards
Championship history
Combined PGA Championship/U.S. Open course history going back to 2017.
-Includes average finish position and Strokes Gained per round in each category. Players are sorted by SG: Total.
-Why include U.S. Open courses? PGA Championship layouts have usually been "U.S. Open-lite"… pic.twitter.com/hKThhf7MFl
— Ron Klos (@PGASplits101) May 15, 2023
Betting preview
Odds
| Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
| Scottie Scheffler | (+700) | Justin Thomas | (+3000) |
| Jon Rahm | (+750) | Viktor Hovland | (+3500) |
| Rory McIlroy | (+1400) | Tyrrell Hatton | (+3500) |
| Xander Schauffele | (+1600) | Sungjae Im | (+3500) |
| Patrick Cantlay | (+1600) | Dustin Johnson | (+3500) |
| Tony Finau | (+2200) | Cameron Young | (+3500) |
| Brooks Koepka | (+2200) | Cameron Smith | (+3500) |
| Jason Day | (+2800) | Max Homa | (+4000) |
| Collin Morikawa | (+2800) | Jordan Spieth | (+4500) |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | (+3000) | Hideki Matsuyama | (+5000) |
Viktor Hovland (35/1)
Hovland has found his footing in majors, tying for seventh at the Masters and for fourth at the 2022 Open. He’s 3/3 making the weekend at PGA Championships with his best finish coming in 2020 (T-30).
The Norwegian’s game should fit Oak Hill nicely. He drives the ball on a string — 29th in fairways in regulation — and ranks second in rough proximity when he misses the short grass.
The tightly mowed chipping areas around several of the greens make me a bit nervous — Hovland is 169th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green — but his ball striking is too good to ignore — sixth in SG: Off the Tee and 18th in SG: Approach.
Hovland’s 35/1 number is great value given the talent level.
Dustin Johnson (35/1)
It worked out well the last time we picked a LIV Golf member off a win entering a major championship — Brooks Koepka tied for second at the Masters.
Johnson won LIV Golf Tulsa last week in a playoff over Branden Grace and Cam Smith.
He missed the cut at the PGA Championship last year but Oak Hill’s setup should favor Johnson’s game more than Southern Hills did. Johnson finished solo second at the ’19 PGA and T-2 at the ’20 edition.
A chance to grab a player of Johnson’s caliber at 35/1 is tough to turn down.
Cameron Young (35/1)
When Young has made the weekend at a major championship, he’s been in the mix Sunday afternoon. He finished runner-up to Cam Smith at the Open at St. Andrews, narrowly missed a playoff at the ’22 PGA Championship and tied for seventh at the Masters last month.
Oak Hill is a big ballpark and should fit Young’s game to perfection. Plus, having Paul Tesori on the bag should come in handy during major championship weeks.
Rory McIlroy (14/1)
McIlroy has struggled of late, missing the cut at the Players and Masters, then failing to crack the top 40 at the Wells Fargo Championship.
So, why is he on this list?
Well, for starters, +1400 for McIlroy is a must-bet number. Secondly, he’s one of the most talented players in the sport at a golf course that should fit his game perfectly.
Lastly, it’s a bit of a home game for the 2012 and 2014 PGA champ as his wife, Erica, is from the Rochester area. McIlroy has spent some time here over the years.
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