PGA Championship Preview

There are plenty of players who will identify the final major of the year as a good opportunity to capture one of the big ones. The PGA Championship will be lacking Lee Westwood and although it is always dangerous to rule out Tiger Woods, the struggling world number one seems as likely to make an impression on the leaderboard as the injured Brit.

The inconsistent form of Phil Mickelson adds to the feeling that this major is a wide-open one, with everyone who assembles at Whistling Straits mindful of Louis Oosthuizen’s shock victory at the Open last month.

The course itself provides encouragement to US PGA golf betting outsiders. A links course in the British tradition, the prospective howling winds and driving rain would act as the best possible leveller, a factor Oosthuizen capitalised on at St Andrews when conditions eased on the old course.

However, the top players are best equipped to cope with links conditions, none more so than Ernie Els. This major has so far eluded the Big Easy, but he narrowly missed the play-off when the PGA was last played at Whistling Straits in 2004 and Els is one man who hopes Lake Michigan whips up a storm, not withstanding some patchy recent form.

Another man who won’t be deterred by adverse weather is Stuart Appleby. The Australian is striking the ball better than anyone after recording a stunning 59 at the Greenbrier Open and a reputation for prospering in windy conditions might make him a man to follow in Wisconsin.

Golf Betting pundits believe Rory McIlroy’s first major is just a matter of time and the highly motivated Ulsterman should tell himself that the timing is perfect now. Padraig Harrington won this event in 2008 and should also be in the hunt in a wide-open tournament.