The second major of 2023 is a little over a week away, and the top of betting board looks a lot like it did for the first major of the year, the 2023 Masters. Jon Rahm, who ran away with this year’s Masters, is joined by last year’s Masters champion, Scottie Scheffler, as the most likely to win this year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Rahm has been an absolute monster on the course so far this year. In addition to his Masters triumph, he also won the Genesis Invitational, American Express and Tournament of Champions. He nearly won the Mexico Open a few weeks ago, which would have given him five PGA Tour victories before May 1, a feat that has not been accomplished since 1974.
Let’s have a look at betting odds for the 2023 PGA Championship with the year’s second major rapidly approaching.
Odds below provided via Caesars Sportsbook.
Top Favorites
- Jon Rahm: +750
- Scottie Scheffler: +750
Scheffler has been nearly as impressive as Rahm. In their last 50 rounds, Rahm has gained 3.00 strokes per round, while Scheffler has been at 2.93. For context, nobody else is over 2.50, and only six other golfers are currently over 2.00 in their last 50 rounds. Rahm and Scheffler have separated themselves from everyone else in the golf world with their play so far in 2023, and they’re deserving co-favorites at Oak Hill.
A win for either would be a bonanza. For Scheffler, it would mean a Masters, Players and PGA in the last 15 months. For Rahm, it would mean he’s halfway to this year’s grand slam and 75% of the way to the career slam. It would also solidify this season as one of the best ever (with two majors left) and add to his already-comical earnings of over $14 million (already a PGA Tour record with several months remaining).
Other Favorites
- Rory McIlroy: 12-1
- Justin Thomas: 16-1
- Jordan Spieth: 18-1
- Brooks Koepka: 19-1
- Xander Schauffele: 20-1
- Cam Smith: 20-1
- Patrick Cantlay: 22-1
- Collin Morikawa: 22-1
I don’t know where the proper cutoff is here, but this grouping seems right. A month ago, I would have put McIlroy in the Rahm and Scheffler category, but he’s pretty clearly fallen out of it. Still, he’s always a threat at PGAs. The more interesting ones in this category to me are Spieth (going for the career slam), Koepka (balled out at the Masters) and Cantlay, who is — checks notes — No. 5 in the world in strokes gained over his last 50 rounds but No. 9 on the odds board.
Morikawa is also fascinating at 22-1. His numbers have been low-key pretty good here, and he should benefit from a redesigned Oak Hill that couldvput a massive premium on iron play, depending on pin positions.
The Rest
- Hideki Matsuyama: 25-1
- Dustin Johnson: 25-1
- Tony Finau: 25-1
- Viktor Hovland: 25-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 25-1
- Cameron Young: 25-1
- Max Homa: 30-1
- Jason Day: 30-1
- Tom Kim: 35-1
- Bryson DeChambeau: 35-1
- Shane Lowry: 35-1
- Talor Gooch: 40-1
- Sungjae Im: 40-1
- Joaquin Niemann: 40-1
- Sam Burns: 40-1
Finau is fourth over his last 50 rounds in strokes gained but 11th in odds. I love him at that number. I also love Cam Young, who has proven himself to be a menace at majors and nearly won last year’s PGA. Day, Gooch and Burns are all good at those numbers, too.
If you want to take it really long, how about Rickie Fowler — better numbers than Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Joaquin Niemann, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Burns, Cam Smith and Hideki Matsuyama over his last 50 but pretty off the radar at 65-1. He’s an intriguing darkhorse alongside Tommy Fleetwood (65-1), Corey Conners (65-1) and Tom Hoge (85-1).
These numbers will probably change a bit depending on what happens at the AT&T Byron Nelson this week and what the hype is like going into Oak Hill. We’ll keep them updated as the second major of the year edges ever closer.