Oak Hill Plays Host to Second Major of 2023
Most of the action with PGA Championship lines has come for Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, but there could be a minor upset at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill this week.
Rory McIlroy hasn’t won a major since 2014 and there’s a stack of pressure on him to perform. However, he could measure up and win a long-overdue major.
As always with PGA Championship odds, there is excellent value with every betting option.
Return of the Mac
The 34-year-old McIlroy hasn’t been playing well. No one knows why, but we believe the distractions with LIV and his new golf venture with Tiger Woods aren’t helping.
Whatever the case may be, McIlroy needs to start turning his form around, and a win at the PGA Championship is a good place to start.
He hasn’t won a major since winning the 2014 PGA Championship, and being a two-time winner of this event adds weight to his chances.
The sportsbook has McIlroy at +1200 to win, so he’s still on the third line of betting despite finishing T47 at the Wells Fargo Championship.
He also missed the cut at The Masters and The Players, so we’re taking McIlroy on trust.
“I am excited to go back to Oak Hill. From the last time, I was there or we were all there my connection to Rochester’s got a lot stronger,” McIlroy said.
“I’m excited to go and play a major championship in what feels like almost a second home to me. I think the renovation has hopefully restored the East Course back to its former glory, I would say.“
“I’m just hoping for a good weather week. I think that’s what everyone’s hoping for up there in May.”
We expect money to come for McIlroy with the sportsbook. Loyal bettors stick with him, so he could firm to around +1100 before he tees off on Thursday.
Thomas Eyes Third Title
Since PGA Championship betting markets were released, Justin Thomas has drifted with bookmakers.
The American is gunning for his third PGA Championship title, having won in 2022 in dramatic circumstances with Mito Pereira choking on the 72nd hole.
Thomas, much like McIlroy, hasn’t been in the best form, but he’s a classy player. He always saves his best golf for the PGA Championship, so the sports betting line of +2000 is well worth snapping up.
He finished T14 at the Wells Fargo Championship despite shooting even par on the final day. He’s nearing another big finish, so we can’t leave the defending champion out of our selections.
If he is anywhere near the top of the leaderboard after Round 1, live betting markets could firm his odds to around +500. Therefore, the current odds are too good to pass up.
Johnson Leads LIV Charge
Fresh off a LIV win in a three-way playoff against Branden Grace and Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson is firing and ready to go.
The most notable player to leave the PGA Tour headlines the LIV charge, and he has an excellent chance to secure his third major win.
He almost threw the tournament away but dug deep to win a tense playoff.
“Everything I could do wrong, I did wrong on the hole,” Johnson said. “To fight back and birdie 18 two times in a row when I had to, I’m really happy with that.
“I’m really playing well.”
Online gambling markets have the 2016 U.S. Open and 2020 Masters champion at +2200. He’s not the shortest LIV golfer with betting markets, which goes to Brooks Koepka at +1800, but he’s the best chance.
Johnson is a 24-time winner on the PGA Tour, so he’s the most accomplished golfer in the field.
Si-Woo Kim at Value Odds
We can’t quite believe the generous odds available for Si-Woo Kim, who finished T2 at the AT&T Byron Nelson last week behind Jason Day.
The 27-year-old South Korean was the youngest player to win The Players at 21, and it’s not like his form since then has been poor.
He won the 2021 American Express when holding off Patrick Cantlay by a stroke, before winning the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii by one stroke.
He has also lost three PGA Tour titles in playoffs, so his record couldn’t have been better.
Bettors get a whopping +8000 for Kim, which is tough to pass up.
