Got your bets in for golf’s next major championship? If not, you’re going to want to read this. We have an in-depth preview of the tournament, plus our expert picks on who wins the 2024 PGA Championship!
- What: 2024 PGA Championship
- When: May 16-19
- Where: Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky
PGA Championship Preview
A who’s-who list of golfers are in Louisville for the second major of the season, and that includes 16 LIV players. They’re allowed in the field because the PGA Tour doesn’t actually control the major championship events. Anywho, it makes sense to begin our preview of the PGA Championship with a look at the betting odds. Here’s how the best golf betting sites have it pegged:
| Golfer |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Rory McIlroy | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Xander Schauffele | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Jon Rahm | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Brooks Kopeka | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Ludvig Aberg | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Bryson DeChambeaau | +2800 | +2800 | +2800 |
| Collin Morikawa | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
Koepka is the reigning, defending champion. A year ago, Koepka won the PGA Championship by two strokes. He also has consecutive wins in 2018 and 2019. Only one active player has won this major more than Koepka and that’s Tiger Woods, who is playing this weekend by the way (though not worth betting on given his injury history).
However, some of that past success doesn’t really matter since the PGA Championship, unlike The Masters, is a traveling event. This year, the hosting honors go to Valhalla, which is having a major for the first time in 10 years. Valhalla last hosted the 2014 PGA Championship — which ironically was the last time McIlroy won a major. One drought is ending Thursday, but we’ll see if McIlroy’s is too.
The course itself is a long one at 7,609 yards par-71. It’s undergone some changes since the 2014 PGA championship, namely getting 151 yards longer and new tees for holes No. 1, 12, 14, and 18. Moreover, the existing bentgrass was swapped to Zeon zoysiagrass. Are these massive changes? No, of course not. But they are subtleties that should be considered.
The fact that Valhalla now has less short grass impacts players who thrive in the short game. That’s you, Scheffler. As we all know, Scheffler is on a run right now, which leads us to our next section — who we're actually picking to win this major.
PGA Championship Betting Picks
Anytime you’re making golf picks on the winner, you almost always have to “spread it out.” Going all in on one player is typically a recipe for disaster in tourneys involving over a hundred players. That’s why we’re making multiple PGA Championship picks and you should too. Here’s where to start:
Scottie Scheffler
At this point, we’re going to keep throwing money on Scheffler until the strategy stops working. And let us tell you, it’s been working much of this year. Scheffler has won four of the last five events he’s competed in — the Masters, Players Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, and most recently, the RBC Heritage. Another win this weekend and we have to start considering this an all-time run.
You rarely get any golfer with as low as +450 odds for a major championship that has a stacked field, yet here we are. It’s not necessarily great betting value, but the odds are warranted for a player like Scheffler that’s playing out of his mind. Some of our money is being allocated to him, as well as these next two players.
Rory McIlroy
This event marks the 36th major McIlroy has competed in since last winning one, as mentioned, on this very course in 2024. In that decade since, he’s remained a world-class golfer, just one that can’t win the “big one.” But boy, he’s been close. During this drought, he’s finished top-10 at 20 different majors — the most of any other player by a longshot.
We think McIlroy is worth a shot here. Less so because of the 2014 victory we keep bringing up and more so because he too is on a hot streak like Scheffler. McIlroy has won his past two starts and is very much on a “heater.” That’s momentum worth riding for a bet.
Justin Thomas
All right, for our last bet, we wanted a “sleeper.” Someone who isn’t being labeled a favorite like Scheffler or McIlroy, but has winning potential. We couldn’t find a better candidate than Thomas, who has two PGA Championship titles of his own.
Thomas is being overlooked because he missed the cut at the Masters. However, he’s fared well his last two times out — gaining true strokes at both the RBC Heritage and Wells Fargo Championship. Thomas' game is being discounted too much by +5000 odds and we see value in a flyer bet on him.
How To Bet On 2024 PGA Championship?
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