PGA Championship 2015: Latest Odds and Betting Tips for Golf's Top Contenders
The 2015 PGA Championship represents the final chance for the world's top players to win a major championship this season, which should lead to a competitive atmosphere throughout.
Jordan Spieth once again enters the tournament as the heavy favorite as he continues an incredible season. He already has wins at the Masters and U.S. Open and was one stroke away from the playoff at The Open Championship, which could have given him his third major in as many tries. While the payoff won't be great, it might still be a smart idea to bet on the young superstar at this event.
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Still, there are plenty of other options for those looking to make money along with the players at Whistling Straits. Here is a look at the top odds along with a breakdown of the best and worst bets heading into the weekend.
| Jordan Spieth | 11-2 |
| Rory McIlroy | 9-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 12-1 |
| Jason Day | 14-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 14-1 |
| Justin Rose | 18-1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 20-1 |
| Adam Scott | 22-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 25-1 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 33-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 40-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 40-1 |
| Jim Furyk | 40-1 |
| Martin Kaymer | 40-1 |
| Tiger Woods | 40-1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 40-1 |
| Zach Johnson | 40-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 50-1 |
| Patrick Reed | 50-1 |
| Shane Lowry | 50-1 |
| Brandt Snedeker | 66-1 |
| Charl Schwartzel | 70-1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 70-1 |
| Paul Casey | 70-1 |
| Branden Grace | 75-1 |
| Billy Horschel | 80-1 |
| Danny Willett | 80-1 |
| Keegan Bradley | 80-1 |
| Danny Lee | 80-1 |
| Robert Streb | 80-1 |
| J.B. Holmes | 90-1 |
| Kevin Kisner | 90-1 |
| Marc Leishman | 90-1 |
| Justin Thomas | 90-1 |
| Bill Haas | 100-1 |
| David Lingmerth | 100-1 |
| Graeme McDowell | 100-1 |
| Jason Dufner | 100-1 |
| Lee Westwood | 100-1 |
| Luke Donald | 100-1 |
| Ryan Moore | 100-1 |
Value Bet: Justin Rose (18-1)
Spieth certainly is the safest bet on the board, though you might want someone with longer odds but still a good chance to win. This brings us to Justin Rose, who has been extremely consistent heading into the PGA Championship.
While he only has one win this season, Rose's last three finishes include a tie for sixth at The Open Championship, a tie for fourth at the Quicken Loans National and a tie for third at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. The last of these featured an incredible third round:
Rose also finished second at this year's Masters and has a 2013 U.S. Open title on his resume, so you know he is capable of succeeding at major events. The question is if he can come through in the fourth round, something he has struggled with all year long.
Either way, his consistency off the tee and in the fairway should help him remain competitive at this event from start to finish.
Sleeper: Brooks Koepka (40-1)
You don't need to hit the ball far to have a chance at this course, but it certainly helps. Golf Digest noted just how long Whistling Straits will play for this event:
This will favor those who can drive the ball with ease and those who can handle the long par threes of well over 200 yards.
Brooks Koepka has this ability, currently ranking sixth in the world with an average drive distance of 309.5 yards. The fact he ranks fifth in strokes gained from putting only helps his case going into the week.
The 25-year-old golfer is still getting used to competing at high-level events, but he already has two top-10s in his career at majors, one of which came in his most recent appearance at the British Open.
Koepka hasn't finished below 18th in any of his last five starts, and he earned a tie for sixth at the recent WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, which makes him a good bet to keep it going at the PGA Championship.
Avoid: Rory McIlroy (9-1)
There are good reasons for Rory McIlroy to be high on the list of favorites. He is still the No. 1 player in the world and has won this event twice in the last three years. Despite an ankle injury, he is also saying all the right things about his recovery, via ESPN.com's Kevin Maguire:
"To play golf, it's 100 percent.
[...]
I'm finding the middle of the clubface. I think the one thing for me was if my short game was sharp. But I've been chipping and putting since basically this happened. I was putting in the boot. So I've kept that part of the game sharp. So everything feels pretty good.
"
The problem is he hasn't competed in an event since first injuring his ankle on July 4 in a soccer game with friends. This leaves a lot of uncertainty about his ability going into the major event.
McIlroy's distance off the tee is going to help him on this Wisconsin course, but there is simply too much risk in this bet with little payoff.
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