With the 88th Masters done and dusted, attention swiftly shifts to the next big fixture in the golfing calendar — the PGA Championship.
Once considered the lesser sibling among the major tournaments, the PGA Championship has found newfound vigour since its move from the late summer doldrums to its current mid-May slot, aligning with the peak of golfing fervour.
Returning to the lush greens of Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky for the first time since then-25-year-old Rory McIlroy’s triumphant victory in 2014, this year's PGA Championship sets up to be another exhibition of world-class golf.
Getting underway 16-19 May, the event promises a rare convergence of the world's top golfing talents over four gruelling days on one of the sport's most demanding courses.
For Rory McIlroy, a return to the site of his remarkable 2014 victory sparks hope of a resurgence, as memories of past triumphs offer a psychological lifeline to break free from a decade-long major drought.
Though technical deficiencies within McIlroy’s game have since been the cause of anti-climatic major performances, the true battleground lies between the ears, with waning self-belief proving the most formidable adversary.
However, despite a somewhat lacklustre start to the 2024 season and an underwhelming Masters, McIlroy has seemingly turned a corner.
Following a victory alongside Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic and an emphatic win at the Wells Fargo last week, the 35-year-old might just be finding his groove at the right time to secure his fifth major title and third PGA Championship.
Scottie Scheffler has taken some much-deserved time off to spend with his family before the PGA Championship this week after the recent arrival of his newborn son.
The two-time Masters champion has been practically untouchable this season, carrying a Win-Win-T2-Win-Win form into the second major of the year — an absolutely insane level of golf on the world's biggest stage.
Scheffler's distance and laser-precision from tee to green will prove massively advantageous at Valhalla, which has been recently lengthened a staggering 7,540 yards.
Granted, the 28-year-old faces the rigours of securing consecutive major victories and a chance at the career grand slam, which may just play on the mind of the World No. 1. But as has been proven multiple times this sesaon, you can’t write off the relentless nature of Scheffler.
Amidst the ongoing debates on whether LIV Golf form translates to the pressure cooker of a four-round major, defending champion Brooks Koepka remains unfazed in his quest for a sixth major title.
Koepka's potential triumph would not only solidify his status alongside Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo as a six-time major winner, but also make him only the second player in history to secure back-to-back PGA Championships twice, sharing the honour with the formidable Tiger Woods who achieved the feat in 1999-2000 and 2006-2007.
For the latest PGA Championship betting odds, see below.
Valhalla Golf Club
Crafted by the legendary Jack Nicklaus and inaugurated in 1986, Valhalla Golf Club has borne witness to golfing triumphs and tribulations, hosting multiple PGA Championships, Senior PGA Championships, and the memorable 2008 Ryder Cup clash.
As briefly mentioned above, Valhalla has undergone meticulous upgrades to fortify its defences against the modern power hitters, elongating its layout to present a formidable 7,540-yard challenge from the championship tees, carding a par 71.
The course's intricacies demand precision and strategy, particularly on the back nine—a traditional, tree-lined expanse punctuated by hazards and elevation changes. With firm, fast greens, 60 bunkers, and water hazards on several holes, Valhalla epitomises Nicklaus's design philosophy, rewarding skillful shot-making and strategic prowess.
With the stage set for the world’s best to battle it out at Valhalla, it promises to be four days of gripping competition set against Kentucky's verdant landscape.
Latest outright odds from BETWAY.COM
Scottie Scheffler — 4/1
Rory McIlroy — 13/2
Xander Schauffele — 12/1
Brooks Koepka — 14/1
Ludvig Aberg — 16/1
John Rahm — 18/1
Bryson DeChambeau — 25/1
