US PGA Championship: how Koepka can mix it with McIlroy and Scheffler

Major course with pedigree

Great courses produce great champions and Southern Hills has produced enough sensational major winners, making it likely that a true thoroughbred will hold the Wanamaker Trophy in this week’s PGA Championship in Tulsa.

The classic Perry Maxwell-designed course has been revamped by Gil Hanse for its eighth men’s major and having produced winners like Tommy Bolt (1958 US Open), Dave Stockton (1970 PGA), Hubert Green (1977 US Open), Raymond Floyd (1982 PGA), Nick Price (1994 PGA), Retief Goosen (2001 US Open) and Tiger Woods (2007 PGA), a great winner will emerge again.

“It's a major championship worthy golf course,” said US Open champion Jon Rahm, who is the second favourite (15) behind Masters champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler (14).

“It's as simple as that. You can't hide. You have to do everything well. There's no surprise that the winning scores here have been as high as they have in the past and just a few people make it under par.”

Rory McIlroy will play alongside Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth at Southern Hills

McIlroy drawn with Woods and Spieth

Rory McIlroy is the third favourite at 18 as he bids for his third PGA Championship, and his first major for seven and a half years. He looks likely to be there on the back nine on Sunday after finishing second to Scheffler with that closing 64 at Augusta.

The Holywood star is drawn with Woods (100) and Jordan Spieth (21), who is bidding to complete the career grand slam, and we expect him to outdo both men to contend again.

“I feel good about my game,” McIlroy said. “I've done some good work, and I've led greens in regulation the last two tournaments I've played. That's something that hasn't quite been there, and that's something you need to do, especially around here.

“You hit greens here, you're going to give yourself birdie chances. The targets are pretty small, pretty limited with where the hole locations will be, so you hit it into the middle of the greens here, you're going to have decent chances.”

Lowry provides value

Bar Scheffler, few players have played as consistently well as Shane Lowry recently. While Scheffler and McIlroy are not great value and Spieth’s short putting remains an unknown, Lowry was third in the Masters and the RBC Heritage and admits he’s playing the most consistent golf of his career.

The Irish star is great value at 40 at a course where a great short game will be needed to compete. Lowry is paired with Adam Scott and Brooks Koepka and, while the American is 55 this week, the 2018 and 2019 champion can never be discounted.

“It's going to be tough,” Koepka said. “I think what I see in the forecast, the wind is going to blow a little bit. It could be difficult. I think if you miss these fairways, you can't control your ball, and it seems the best place to miss is kind of short around these greens.”

Recommended bets

Rory McIlroy @ 17.5

Shane Lowry @ 40

Brooks Koepka @ 55