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USPGA Championship betting preview
Strange things happen in sport, but surely it’s not possible for Tiger Woods to bounce back from an 18-over-par score at the Bridgestone Invitational to win the USGPA at Whistling Straits this week. It hasn’t stopped the bookmakers from including the world number one among the favourites for the final major of the year, with Woods on offer at 18/1 (Sporting Bet – £25 Free Bet) to win his fifth PGA Championship, having been successful in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007.
A far better each-way bet would appear to be Phil Mickelson, who could usurp Woods as the world number one in Wisconsin this week. The US Masters champion is 14/1 (William Hill – £25 Free Bet) to pick up his second PGA title after mastering the tricky Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey five years ago. Then again, the world number two wasn’t exactly convincing in Ohio last week and perhaps it’s time for one of the Europeans to step up to the mark.
Padraig Harrington is the only European to ever win this major and the Irishman comes into the tournament in great form after winning in Ireland last week. His game looks to be in great shape and bet365 – £200 free bet offer 20/1 that he’s victorious.
Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie will be hoping that his team put in a strong showing and that includes Rory McIlroy, the youngster with a sparkling future ahead of him. Paddy Power bookmakers offer 17/1 that he wins his first major and the Irish firm are offering their generous each-way terms of ¼ odds for six places.
Lee Westwood will be missing from the field after aggravating a calf injury, while Ian Poulter’s form has seen his odds drift right out to 90/1 (Stan James) in the build-up to this tournament. However, one player whose price does seem large is Ernie Els (33/1 totesport), especially as he’s been in contention at least five times on the final day of a PGA Championship before. The South African is top of the Fedex Cup list and should be in the mix.
Sergio Garcia knows that he needs to show some form if Montgomerie is going to include him in the final dozen players to face the States during the autumn and you can back the Spaniard at odds of 80/1 (bet365). The closest that he came to winning this competition was finishing runner-up to Tiger Woods in 1999, although perhaps the low expectations will suit him.
We should naturally expect plenty of Americans to be featuring on the leaderboard at Whistling Straits and that includes the likes of Steve Stricker (25/1 bet365 free bets), Jim Furky (40/1 totesport), Hunter Mahan (40/1 Sporting Bet) and Dustin Johnson (50/1 Boylesports). The latter was in pole position to win the US Open earlier in the summer, although he fluffed his lines during the final round. The youngster also makes appeal at 25/1 (Stan James) to be Top American.
