Is Rory roaring?
That’s what Mountain State online bettors will consider with their wagers as the PGA’s second major, the PGA Championship, starts Thursday in South Carolina.
At William Hill Sportsbook WV, a suddenly rejuvenated Rory McIlroy leads the way at +1100.
Jon Rahm is second at +1400, while Jordan Spieth is next at +1600, along with Justin Thomas.
Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau sit at +1800.
PGA Championship betting at WV sportsbooks
Action has been more brisk than normal within the top 5 positions prior to a tournament. McIlroy and Thomas were the original co-leaders, but McIlroy, who snapped an 18-month winless streak two weeks ago by capturing the Wells Fargo Championship, emerges as the chalk.
The tour victory, coming on the heels of missing the cut at the Masters one month earlier, could be a big momentum builder for one of the world’s top players.
McIlroy also won the PGA Championship when it was last held at this Kiawah Island resort Ocean Course in 2012. He carded a final total of 13-under-par, but most of the field barely broke par.
That’s expected again on this course, which is known for strong breezes. Bettors will take that into account regarding in-game betting of a potential birdie on the ensuing hole.
Spieth finished a good ninth at the Byron Nelson tournament last weekend. He’s a choice for bettors who like to parlay a golfer’s momentum from one tournament to the next.
“We lose pretty good with Rory, so I lowered him again on Monday,” said Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US. “People just think he’s back in stroke. Right now, we lose with him, Spieth and Justin Thomas among the top guys. Once we get more money in the pot, which will pick up fast this week, I still don’t think we’ll get out with Spieth — we’ll lose with Spieth regardless.”
Spieth not only had a good tournament last week but also is writing one of the week’s more compelling storylines.
He’s trying to become only the sixth player to win all four PGA majors in his career. The honors list includes Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Gary Player.
The majors are the Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open and the Open Championship. They compose a nice link to the PGA circuit, with one event each occurring in April, May, June and July.
This serves as a hub and affects whether players enter tournaments the week immediately before or after the majors.
The next major, the US Open, will be played June 17-20 outside of San Diego.
The Open Championship will unfold July 15-18 in England.
PGA Championship betting tips
Spieth will garner major attention if he’s in contention here over the final two rounds.
There also is good value in the Top 5 and Top 10 spots at William Hill.
McIlroy pays +250 for Top 5 and +130 for Top 10. Spieth returns +300 for Top 5 and +163 for Top 10.
DraftKings Sportsbook WV shows the following odds for the favorites:
- McIlroy +1150
- Rahm +1450
- Thomas +1450
- Spieth +1500
- DeChambeau +1650
How To Watch:
- Thursday and Friday: 1-7 p.m. (ESPN)
- Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (ESPN), 1-7 p.m. (CBS)
Other betting vehicles:
Golf has become good for the entire weekend.
Nationality props, predicted scores on upcoming holes and updated head-to-head matchups throughout the weekend make it more interesting.
Although it’s important to place leaderboard bets (win, Top 10, will or won’t make the cut) before the tournament, golf has emerged with its weekend-long version of in-game betting.
