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Full Noise by SN
PGA Championship odds preview: Who's looking likely in Philly?
Duncan Perkinson • May 14th, 2026 7:01 am
Scottie Scheffler holds the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2025 PGA Championship. Can he defend his title this week? | Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire
The PGA Championship - the second of golf's major quartet - tees off at Philadelphia's Aronimink Golf Club from 10.45pm Thursday (NZ time).
Founded in 1896, the Pennsylvania club has hosted a number of significant golf events during its illustrious history, including the 1962 PGA Championship, and the 2003 Senior PGA Championship.
The course was designed by renowned golf course designer Donald Ross. Of all the incredible courses he designed, including Oakland Hills in Michigan and three courses at Pinehurst, he considered Aronimink his finest work.
When the 1962 PGA was played on the course, it was won by South Africa’s Gary Player. It was played the week immediately after The Open (that year at Troon in Scotland, won by Arnold Palmer) where Player had missed the cut.
Gary Player was a member of the great triumvirate of golfers, alongside Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, and he won 9 majors between 1959 and 1978.
He is also only one of only six players in the history of the game to win the Career Grand Slam. (The other five are Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy)
This week, America’s Jordan Spieth aims to join the exclusive club of six players to have won a career Grand Slam, having won both the Masters and the US Open in 2015 and then the Open in 2017.
Spieth is currently paying 66-1 with the TAB to accomplish the feat.
Shorter on the market are some of the sport’s hottest golfers who have been in hot form this year.
The Favourites
Rory McIlroy is looking to win the second major of the year after winning The Masters just over a month ago.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has been in tremendous form with six Top 5 finishes, including a victory through his first nine tournaments this year. He is looking to become just the third player (in the modern era) to defend the PGA title, after winning at Quail Hollow twelve months ago.
Scheffler has been coming from behind in tournaments, leading the scoring averages on the PGA Tour this year for both the 3rd and 4th rounds. He is however 69th in Round 1 scoring averages, so may not be the best bet for being first round leader.
Scottie Scheffler has made a charge on moving day as he seeks a third Masters title | Photo: EPA
Cameron Young has improved markedly on the greens in the second half of 2025 and through the first few months of 2026. His form has improved with his caddy (and former College teammate) Kyle Sterbinsky reading the greens.
Young won The Players Championship in March and then the Cadillac Championship a fortnight ago, so this could be the week he breaks through for his maiden Major. He is paying $14.00 with the TAB to do so. (What’s more, Young’s caddy Kyle Sterbinsky grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania, approximately a 45-minute drive from the course.)
Matt Fitzpatrick finished second to Young at The Players Championship in March, and has subsequently gone on to win three PGA tournaments, including the Zurich Classic as part of a team-event alongside his brother Alex. He is undoubtedly one of the hottest golfers on the planet and at $22.00, seems good value to win the title.
It will be interesting to watch the two leading LIV golfers this week (Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.) With the future of LIV beyond this season currently up in the air, it is difficult not to think that both golfers will have more than just golf on their mind.
In the Middle Market
Outside of these leading hopes, two golfers who may be worth keeping an eye on include:
Ludvig Åberg: It is hard to doubt his form with five Top-10s in his last six starts, but he has not finished off with a victory.
Justin Rose: While he finished 2nd in the Masters, Rose has since starting playing with McLaren golf clubs. He finished tied 65th two weeks ago and tied 45th last week.
Outsiders
And if you like an outsider, here are a couple of picks outside the norm, that may be worth considering:
Rickie Fowler: Flew home in the Truist Championship on the weekend to climb the leaderboard and finish in 2nd. This was his third Top 10 in his last three tournaments.
Keegan Bradley: The old saying is horses for courses and when the BMW Championship was played at Aronmink in 2018, it was the former Ryder Cup Captain who proved successful. In a tournament week in America’s birthplace could Mr. America replicate his PGA victory from 2011?
The Kiwis' Chances?
Ryan Fox | Photo: AAP
Finally, what of the two New Zealand players competing at the PGA this week. Daniel Hillier and Ryan Fox?
While Hillier started the year in great form, his results have slipped since he returned to the tour after a break in New Zealand and has missed cuts in China and Turkey.
Ryan Fox has not reached the high peaks he was playing at 12 months ago, when he won twice on the PGA tour within the space of a couple of months.
Since winning the Canadian Open in June last year, Fox has finished in the Top 10 just once and his World Golf Ranking has fallen from being inside the top 30 to now being 56th. In an interview with Millsy and Guy, Fox noted that he has had a shoulder niggle coming into the tournament.
Suggested Bet
Same Game Multi: Cameron Young to finish Top 5 and Ludvig Åberg to finish Top 10
$5 bet = $54.95
$5 bet = $54.95
All TAB odds are current at the time of publishing - R18, please gamble responsibly.
