Our selections for the second major of the season include the recently crowned Masters champion and a course specialist who won in this event 2017.
All golfing eyes will be on Quail Hollow in North Carolina this week for the second Major of the year, which has been pitched as a duel between world number one Scottie Scheffler and recently crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy.
Both are 9/2 to celebrate another big success on Sunday, but it will not be easy to overcome the 7,626-yard test that greets the field in Charlotte.
American Justin Thomas, who claimed the Wanamaker Trophy the last time the tournament took place at this venue in 2017, is one of the host of hopefuls who will be out to prove that it is much more competitive than a two-horse race. Here are our golf betting tips for the second major of the season.
Selections
Rory McIlroy to win /
Justin Thomas to win and each-way /
Patrick Reed to win and each-way /
McIlroy primed for more Major joy
McIlroy got rid of a massive monkey from his back when he completed the career Grand Slam at Augusta last month and the Northern Irishman should be licking his lips at the prospect of claiming a third PGA Championship this week.
McIlroy came out on top in 2012 and 2014 and the added bonus this week is that the tournament will take place at a course where he has enjoyed four successes in the Wells Fargo Championship.
It has already been a dream campaign following wins at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship and the five-time Major winner holds an advantage over Scheffler, who has limited course experience, having always shied away from the Wells Fargo.
McIlroy should play with a lot more freedom after finally getting his hands on a Green Jacket and the quality of his driving could ensure that he does not disappoint his legion of followers.
Happy memories can get Thomas over the line
Thomas knows exactly what is required to leave Quail Hollow with the Wanamaker Trophy and he has shown enough in recent weeks to suggest that a repeat of his 2017 victory is far from out of the question.
The man from Kentucky gained his first victory in three years when he came out on top of the RBC Heritage last month, and he claimed his fourth runner-up finish since October when he ended the tournament two strokes behind Austria’s Sepp Straka at last week’s Truist Championship.
The memories of his win in North Carolina eight years ago should act as a strong positive this week and he is difficult to ignore in the betting.
Reed could prove a tough nut to crack
Patrick Reed was second to Thomas in 2017 and demonstrated last month that his departure to the LIV Golf Tour has done nothing to quell his desire to be a factor in the Majors.
The Texan would still love to be in contention for a place on this year’s US Ryder Cup team and he did his chances no harm at all when he finished third at Augusta.
His fourth place at the most recent LIV gathering in South Korea suggests he has come out of the Masters in fine fettle and as a player who always seems to find his best when he has a point to prove, he looks too good to pass up as an each-way selection at 66/1.
