The PGA Championship moves up a few months on the calendar and the former fourth major of the season is now the second. The field will test it’s skill on one of the most challenging public courses in the country at the 101st playing of the event taking place at Bethpage State Park Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
The top golfers in the world will compete for the Wanamaker Trophy, but all eyes will be on Tiger Woods as he continues his assault on the major championship record after his stunning Masters win last month. With 99 of the top 100 ranked golfers in the world competing, there is no shortage of matchup bets. Below is a sampling of some of the matchups with a complete list available at BookMaker.eu.
PGA Championship Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dylan Frittelli -107 vs. Cameron Champ -122
Sam Burns -144 vs. Chesson Hadley +114
Luke List -166 vs. JB Holmes +132
Eddie Pepperell +101 vs. Kyle Stanley -130
Kurt Kitayama +139 vs. Harold Varner III -175
Shane Lowry +100 vs. Justin Harding -130
Jim Furyk -107 vs. Sung Kang -123
Russell Knox -148 vs. Erik Van Rooyen +118
Sungjae Im -114 vs. Billy Horschel -116
Webb Simpson -145 vs. Ian Poulter +115
Charles Howell III -190 vs. Martin Kaymer +150
Brandt Snedeker +109 vs. Matt Wallace -139
Bubba Watson -110 vs. Henrik Stenson -120
Phil Mickelson +117 vs. Gary Woodland -147
Louis Oosthuizen -113 vs. Bubba Watson -117
Patrick Cantlay -136 vs. Matt Kuchar +106
Tony Finau -125 vs. Bryson Dechambeau -105
Jordan Spieth +123 vs. Matt Kuchar -154
Jason Day -114 vs. Tommy Fleetwood -116
Xander Schauffele +128 vs. Tommy Fleetwood -156
Tony Finau -125 vs. Hideki Matsuyama -105
Jason Day -160 vs. Xander Schauffele +130
Francesco Molinari -107 vs. Xander Schauffele -123
Marc Leishman -101 vs. Lucas Glover -129
Rickie Fowler -170 vs. Francesco Molinari +140
Rickie Fowler -180 vs. Xander Schauffele +140
Marc Leishman -117 vs. Rafael Cabrera Bello -113
Jon Rahm -131 vs. Tommy Fleetwood +101
Rickie Fowler -124 vs. Jason Day -106
Phil Mickelson -106 vs. Patrick Reed -123
Jon Rahm -180 vs. Xander Schauffele +140
Gary Woodland -136 vs. Patrick Reed +106
Jon Rahm -131 vs. Jason Day +101
Sergio Garcia -117 vs. Paul Casey -113
Bryson Dechambeau -110 vs. Hideki Matsuyama -120
Jon Rahm -113 vs. Rickie Fowler -117
Tiger Woods +107 vs. Justin Rose -137
Tiger Woods +134 vs. Rory McIlroy -163
Brooks Koepka -129 vs. Justin Rose -101
Jon Rahm -165 vs. Francesco Molinari +135
Rory McIlroy -160 vs. Justin Rose +130
Brooks Koepka -140 vs. Tiger Woods +110
Dustin Johnson -166 vs. Justin Rose +132
Brooks Koepka +117 vs. Rory McIlroy -147
Dustin Johnson -165 vs. Tiger Woods +135
Tony Finau -170 vs. Jordan Spieth +140
Bryson DeChambeau -150 vs. Jordan Spieth +120
Tommy Fleetwood -140 vs. Hideki Matsuyama +110
Webb Simpson -166 vs. Marc Leishman +132
Justin Rose -104 vs. Jon Rahm -126
Jon Rahm -113 vs. Rickie Fowler -117
Tommy Fleetwood -145 vs. Patrick Cantlay +115
Patrick Cantlay -124 vs. Hideki Matsuyama -106
Bubba Watson +101 vs. Sergio Garcia -131
Matt Kuchar -126 vs. Louis Oosthuizen -104
Louis Oosthuizen -129 vs. Patrick Reed -101
Kevin Kisner -104 vs. Phil Mickelson -125
Need to Know
There is a sign near the first tee box at Bethpage Black that warns only “highly skilled” golfers should play the layout. Well, just such a field will descend on Long Island this week. The course stretches to nearly 7,500 yards and with three par 3s over 205 yards and seven par 4s playing at a distance of over 460 yards, it’s as long as the dimensions say it is. We aren’t going to have scores like we saw at last week’s Byron Nelson when the top four were -20 or better. That’s just not going to happen. The track is a test of distance, accuracy and, of course, putting.
PGA Championship Matchup Picks
Jordan Spieth +123 vs. Matt Kuchar
Given his recent form it’s hard to back Spieth. But that’s exactly why I’m taking him in this matchup. His game has been erratic for over a year with zero top 10s in his last 18 starts and no major wins in two years. He did show signs of regaining some confidence with three sub-70 rounds in Dallas last week and with no margin for error on Bethpage Black, he’ll have to be dialed in. That goes one of two ways for him and with a chance to become the sixth player to win the career Grand Slam, I’m betting on him being dialed in.
Phil Mickelson -106 vs. Patrick Reed
Mickelson has had some success on this course and he always gets amped for the majors. His recent form hasn’t been newsworthy, but a pair of runner-up finishes at Bethpage Black tells me he knows the layout and his heavy drives will set him up well. Mickelson had some positive quotes about the course ahead of the tournament, similar to what he said about Pebble Beach back in February. And we know how that turned out for him.
Rickie Fowler -117 vs. Jon Rahm
Will Fowler ever win a major championship? It seemed like a given when he first joined the Tour. Now that he’s reached 30, we’re still waiting. He’s among the favorites on the odds board and he’s been close a few times. Fowler tamed Bethpage Black for three rounds at The Barclays in 2016, but a final round misstep put him three shots off the pace. His game fits the layout and he’s a confident golfer, so this could be his time.
Brooks Koepka +117 vs. Dustin Johnson
This will be a fun matchup since both are expected and should be among the contenders. Johnson held onto his world No. 1 ranking despite a subpar T28 finish at Harbour Town in his last start. Koepka has been a beast with three of the last eight major championships and he was in the running on the final day of The Masters. The defending champ was one of a few players to tee off last week and four rounds in the 60s are proof his game is just fine. His ball striking even surprised him last week, another good sign for a layout where ball striking will be key.
Francesco Molinari +120 vs. Jason Day
If Molinari only competed in majors he’d be the best player in the world. He was staring down his second major championship at last month’s Masters until a few mistakes down the stretch cost him. He hasn’t finished outside the top six in his last three major starts, including a T6 at last year’s PGA Championship. He also had a runner-up finish two years ago. The drawback could be the course, but the Spaniard has tamed some of the best layouts in a superb stretch of golf.
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu. The PGA Championship is scheduled for May 16-19 and can be seen on TNT and CBS.