The East Course at the Oak Hill Country Club in New York plays host to this week’s second Major of the year, the PGA Championship and we select four players to take on the bookmakers.
The East Course at Oak Hill plays to a par 70 and it has hosted major championships on 6 occasions including 3 PGA Championships the last back in 2013. Jason Dufner won that year with a score of -10, but the course had been softened due to heavy rains and I am expecting more around the -6 or -7 mark to be the number this week. Length off the tee will be important, but more so will be finding the greens with your approach shots and so driving accuracy cannot be ignored.
Jon Rahm was the winner of the year’s first Major US Masters and is currently a joint favourite with Scottie Scheffler at 8/1. Rory Mcilroy will no doubt have his supporters at 14/1 and you can get 20/1 and better the balance.
PAST WINNERS
2022 – Justin Thomas -5 *
2021 – Phil Mickelson -6
2020 – Collin Morikawa -13
2019 – Brooks Koepka -8
2018 – Brooks Koepka -16
2017 – Justin Thomas -8
Playoff *
BETTING – Click here to bet
Scottie Scheffler 8/1
Jon Rahm 8/1
Rory Mcilroy 14/1
Brooks Koepka 20/1
Xander Schauffele 20/1
Patrick Cantlay 20/1
Tony Finau 25/1
28/1 and better the balance, all prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
SELECTIONS
Scottie Scheffler each way at 8/1 (WSB pays 6 places)
My money was on Scheffler in the US Masters, but he could only muster a Top 10 finish. It was a frustrating watch as he was probably the best player tee to green, but he just couldn’t hole the putts. He hasn’t finished outside the Top 11 in his last 5 starts and last week bagged another Top 5 finish as he tuned up his game for Oak Hill. I am betting on him getting the flat stick rolling this week and I am looking forward to cheering him down the stretch on Sunday night.
Tony Finau each way at 25/1
Finau was known as the player who couldn’t close Tournaments out, but that has changed over the last couple of years and he comes into this event in good form having won his penultimate start. His Major form has been solid, but not spectacular with three Top 30’s in his last 4 starts and with plenty of length off the tee and good iron play he looks poised to take the next step in his career.
Matthew Fitzpatrick each way at 33/1
Fitzpatrick won his first Major last year at the US Open and since then has finished Top 25 in the British Open and Top 10 in the US Masters. He is a player that has an excellent temperament and he comes into this week in good form having won 3 starts back and with a Top 10 and a Top 20 either side of that. Fitzpatrick is a good player on tough courses and I am happy to have him on side this week.
Tyrrell Hatton each way at 40/1
Hatton is in cracking form with a Top 3 and a Top 5 in his last two starts. He was Top 15 in last year’s PGA Championship and also finished just outside the Top 10 in the British Open. I have long earmarked this player as a potential Major Champion and I suspect he is running into form at just the right time. Aside from his good form and reasonable record in the Majors, Hatton ranks high in all of the necessary stats to compete at Oak Hill this week.
There are plenty of other markets for punters to get involved in this week including Top South African, where Christiaan Bezuidenhout is trading as a 17/10 favourite. The days of South Africans being amongst the favourites for Majors appear to have been long gone though and if you fancy Bezuidenhout in the outright market you can get 250/1 about him winning and 50/1 to finish in the Top 6.
