Even after missing the cut at the Open Championship, Dustin Johnson is still the favorite with some oddsmakers to win the PGA Championship, Aug. 9-12 at Bellerive Country Club. Depending on the sportsbook, the current top-ranked golfer in the world stands as either the lone favorite, or co-favorite.
Skybet, William Hill, Betfair, and Paddy Power all have him as the 10/1 pick, with Rory McIlory and Justin Spieth next at 12/1. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has all three with the best odds at 12/1.
Though Johnson didn’t stick around for the weekend at Carnoustie, he did finish third at the US Open and tied for 10th at the Masters. The No. 1 golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings has won twice on the PGA Tour this season.
Spieth is coming off a disappointing Sunday at Carnoustie. He was in position to become the first back-to-back winner since Tiger Woods in 2005-2006, but his final round 76 dropped him to a tie for ninth. He is winless this year, and finished third at the Masters and missed the cut at the US Open.
McIlroy, who also missed the cut at the US Open, finished tied for second at the Open Championship, and tied for fifth at the Masters. He has one victory this season. The Irishman told the media on Sunday that he feels good about his game.
“I was just very happy to be a part of the conversation and it gives me a lot of encouragement going into the last major of the year,” McIlroy said.
Tiger Woods a Betting Darling Again
Woods turned back the clock this week and flirted with winning a major. His performance at the Open, where he held the lead for a while on Sunday before ultimately finishing tied for sixth, was his best finish in a major since the 2006 Open Championship.
Woods is 16/1 at the Westgate, grouped with Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas. He was excited about competing in a major, and believes he will be there again.
“It didn’t feel any different to be next to the lead and knowing what I need to do,” Woods said. “I’ve done it so many different ways. It didn’t feel any different. It felt great to be a part of the mix and build my way into the championship. Today was a day that I had a great opportunity.”
Long Odds for Major Winners?
The three major winners this season – Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka, and Francesco Molinari – are all further down the betting board. Koepka, who won the US Open, is at 20/1. He finished tied for 39th at the Open, and was disappointed with his play.
“Didn’t play very good, didn’t strike it good,” Koepka said. “Never really felt comfortable. Putted, you know, average. Nothing really great. Just kind of one those weeks you’ve just got to move on and get to the next week.”
Molinari, the Open winner, is at 25/1. He could be the world’s hottest golfer right now. He has won The MBW Championship in May, the Quicken Loans National the first week of July, and finished second at the John Deere two weeks later.
Since winning the Masters in April, Reed has played well. He has three top 10s, finished fourth at the US Open, and tied for 28th at the Open Championship. He is listed at 30/1.
