All eyes are on the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island this week. There are hundreds of matchup markets to dive into and the international golfers are worth following.
Headlining the field is Rory McIlroy, who we feature in our tournament preview. The Northern Irishman should have an excellent tournament, but there are many other overseas players to watch out for.
The online sportsbook has a wealth of options and we have found the best value plays.
Rory McIlroy vs Jon Rahm
It could be an oversight, but Rory McIlroy is paying +110 to beat Jon Rahm.
Given that McIlroy is now the favorite to win the PGA Championship, bettors are getting incredible value with this market.
Most wins since 2008:
24 – Dustin Johnson
21 – Tiger Woods
19 – Rory McIlroy
14 – Justin Thomas
12 – Jordan Spieth
12 – Phil Mickelson
12 – Bubba Watson
12 – Jason Day
10 – Justin Rose pic.twitter.com/ltguLoDqtZ— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 10, 2021
McIlroy is in much better form than the Spaniard, and getting better than even money is a steal.
We are confident McIlroy will follow up his win at the Wells Fargo Championship with another top performance and he suits the Ocean Course more than Rahm.
- Pick: Rory McIlroy +110
Collin Morikawa vs Hideki Matsuyama
Hideki Matsuyama backed up his win at The Masters with a T39 performance at ATT Bryson Nelson.
Given the whirlwind month he has had, it was a solid performance from the Japanese superstar.
His win at Augusta in April was one of Japan’s finest sporting moments and the weight of that pressure can take its toll. However, he’s a consummate professional and we think he’ll get the better of Collin Morikawa.
The American enters as the defending champion, but that doesn’t always equal another top performance. Morikawa talked to Golf Week about his journey to becoming a champion.
“It takes a lot of luck, support from people around you and I’m fortunate to have that in my corner,” he said. I never took anything for granted. Everything I did had a purpose and everything I do has a purpose. I put full effort into everything.”
Bettors get value odds with Matsuyama and winning The Masters is arguably harder than the PGA Championship, so we’re giving him the nod.
- Pick: Hideki Matsuyama +115
Tommy Fleetwood vs Matthew Fitzpatrick
Brits go head-to-head and there is excellent value with Tommy “Mac” Fleetwood, who shouldn’t be paying +135.
He is one of the most consistent golfers that has yet to win a major. The 30-year-old finished T14 at the Wells Fargo Championship behind McIlroy, and there is little wrong with that form.
An ACE at No. 16 for Tommy Fleetwood ✍️
🎥: @TheMasterspic.twitter.com/VPjTNDN06p
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 8, 2021
It’s much better form than Matthew Fitzpatrick, who is the -155 favorite. He missed the cut at the Bryson Nelson, so we don’t understand the market support for the 26-year-old.
His form earlier this year was good, but Fleetwood is the man to back.
- Pick: Tommy Fleetwood +135
Paul Casey vs Will Zalatoris
Paul Casey is a guy we’d all love to see win the PGA Championship and his results this season have been good enough.
He recorded top-five finishes at The Players and ATT Pebble Beach, so he has been knocking on the door.
Casey doesn’t need to win the tournament, he only needs to beat Will Zalatoris, who has had people talking. His performance at The Masters was incredible but he followed it up with a T42 at The Heritage and a missed cut at the Wells Fargo.
He played better last week, but given his experience edge, we’re going with Paul Casey in an upset.
- Pick: Paul Casey -105
Garrick Higgo vs Robert MacIntyre
Garrick Higgo is a relative unknown in the PGA Championship field, but he comes off a win at the Tenerife Championship.
He faces a sizable rise in class but he has the ability to shoot low scores, which is why he’s being respected in golf betting markets.
However, we’re going with Robert MacIntyre, who comes off a tidy T8 finish at the British Masters last week. MacIntyre finished T12 at The Masters in April as well, so he’s a man in form.
Adjusting to conditions in the US isn’t easy, so to play well at Augusta is a credit to his ability. He might be young, but MacIntyre is someone you want on your ticket.
- Pick: Robert MacIntyre -150
