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Five of the last six major golf championships have been won by first-time major winners: Gary Woodland, Shane Lowry, Bryson DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa and, last month in Augusta, Hideki Matsuyama.
That’s something to keep in mind as you fill out your pool sheet for this week’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island on the South Carolina coast.
Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Scottie Scheffler and a couple of old war horses in Lee Westwood and Paul Casey — all capable of their first major and adding the Wannamaker Trophy to the mantle. But let’s ignore them all, and instead consider these five possibilities for late Sunday’s trophy presentation.
Captain Obvious: Jon Rahm
Fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia can tell Rahm about expectations and how expectations don’t pay the bills. Not that Sergio ever had trouble keeping the lights on, but he did wait most of two decades before winning a major. Like Sergio before him, Rahm — currently No. 3 in the world rankings — wears the look of a multiple major champion awaiting takeoff.
Lieutenant Obvious: Xander Schauffele
The World No. 4 is on the north side of the odds board for a very good reason. Of the past 11 majors dating back to 2018, he’s had seven top 10s, including four finishes of second or third. Like Rahm, with Schauffele it appears to be a matter of when, not if. Oh, and not just when, but how many.
Gotta go low: Marc Leishman
The scouting report calls him a low-ball hitter with a very skillful touch around the greens. Think that’ll come in handy during a windy week with non-inviting greens? Leishman learned the game alongside the Indian Ocean on the southern tip of Australia — that’s right, the Down Under of Down Under. Kiawah Island shouldn’t spook him.
Two-for-one: Max Homa
Late-bloomer got his second career PGA Tour win earlier this year, at age 30. In just five major championship starts, he's made just one cut and didn’t exactly take advantage of it, finishing T64 at the 2019 PGA. But he’s climbed into the World Top 40 this season and, as an added kicker, has a 15th club in the bag. On the bag, actually. Jim “Bones’ Mackay, a five-time major champ with Phil Mickelson, is Homa’s fill-in caddy this week. There’s no way that hurts his chances.
Wide-eyed sleeper: Garrick Higgo
The Boys in Vegas have him sitting just behind Bubba Watson and Adam Scott on the big board. Not sure you should plunk down your stimulus check on a 22-year-old South African, by way of the European Tour, playing in his first major championship. But you always need to tip your cap to the good ol’ heater: In his last four Euro starts, Higgo has a T8, T4 and two wins.
