The PGA Championship is returning to the Ocean Course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. The first round tees off Thursday, May 20 with the final round on Sunday, May 23.
After winning the Wells Fargo Championship, Rory McIlroy is among the favorites to hoist the Wanamaker trophy. McIlroy has been far from steady this season and he’s not alone. Several of the game’s best have struggled this season and battled through injuries.
This leaves the door open for some long shots to push for a PGA Championship win this year. We’ve scoured U.S. sportsbooks to identify five longshots to win with odds +2500 or longer. Check out our list and lock in those bets.
Collin Morikawa
Opened: +2500 at Unibet and BetMGM
Now: +2800 at Unibet, +3000 at BetMGM and +3300 at Bet365
The defending PGA Championship winner deserves a lot more love for the excellent season he is putting together. Collin Morikawa has four top-10 finishes this season, including a win at the WGC Workday Championship.
Morikawa is unlikely to shoot -13 at the Ocean Course, but he doesn’t have to. This challenging course places a premium on accuracy over driving distance. Morikawa hits 70.4-percent of his fairways (sixth), and is second in GIR (72.85 percent). Add this to being second in shots gained tee-to-green and Morikawa simply has to play his game to be in the running on Sunday.
Viktor Hovland
Opened: +3300 at BetMGM
Now: +2000 BetMGM and Bet365
Viktor Hovland is a name flying too far under the radar considering how well he’s played of late. Hovland has placed in the top-10 six times and is third in the FedEx Cup standings. His most recent outing at the Wells Fargo Championship was a third-place finish, shooting -8.
Hovland won’t blow anyone away with his driving distance but he is certainly accurate. He’s fifth in total shots gained, despite struggles on the green. He hits 68 percent of his greens, though placement has been an issue. With firm, fast greens awaiting him in South Carolina, his second shot off the tee will be crucial.
Patrick Reed
Opened: +3600 at Bet365
Now: +3500 at Bet365
When Patrick Reed is on, few players can stay with him. He proved it when he finished five strokes clear of the field to win the Farmers Insurance Open in January. It was his only win this season but he has five finishes in the top 10.
Ranked eighth on the PGA Tour, Reed is looking for a signature win this year. The predictably unpredictable winds of the Atlantic coast could give him a leg up. He’s been on target with his driver and putter which are likely to be the clubs that decide the championship. After hanging tough through the Masters, it’s time for Reed to run away with another major.
Patrick Cantlay
Opened: +4000 at Bet365
Now: +4500 at bet365
Patrick Cantlay will be ready to go after missing the cut at Quail Hollow. It’s no surprise the already quiet Cantlay has been quietly putting together a strong 2021 campaign. The PGA Championship is the perfect place for a bounceback.
The world’s 13th-ranked golfer is almost perfectly engineered for a course like the one at Kiawah Island. Playing out of trouble is where Cantlay has been as good as anyone. He’s second in scrambling this season, making par or better on more than 67 percent of his missed greens in regulation.
Daniel Berger
Opened: +4000 at BetMGM
Now: +3000 at BetMGM
Daniel Berger has played his best on the East coast.
He has one win this year at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Harbour Town Golf Links. That’s a little friendlier course than Kiawah Island, but both were designed by famed course designer Pete Dye.
Berger has only been fair from the tee box while the fairway has been far more comfortable. If he can manage staying out of the transition areas, his exceptional approach will have him in great shape. He only sets himself up for one-putt opportunities about 41 percent of the time and will need a few to contend here.
