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Tag: Wanamaker Trophy

  • 106th PGA Championship | 15/2 McIlroy seeks Major closure at Valhalla

    106th PGA Championship | 15/2 McIlroy seeks Major closure at Valhalla

    Can it really be TEN years since Rory McIlroy last won a major?

    This week in Kentucky, the Northern Irishman seeks to end his growing hoodoo, returning to the Bluegrass State, as Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville hosts the 106th PGA Championship.

    And having tasted that winning feeling once again this past weekend, the signs are promising for McIlroy.

     

    Double-figure drought

    August 10 2014. A typically steamy Kentuckian summer day on which Rory McIlroy claimed his fourth major and second Wanamaker Trophy.

    Just a month on from winning the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool, the tally looked guaranteed to be ticking over rapidly.

    Since the late summer of 2014 and this week, the Briton has won three World Golf Championships, one Players Championship and no less than three Tour Championships.

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    However, one of just three players to have won four majors by the age of 25, somewhere along the route, McIlroy has become lost in the clouds of the modern day game.

    A total of 37 majors have come and gone; could number 38 finally be his time again?

     

    Perfect McIlroy prep

    For his many fans looking for hope, Valhalla 2014 could be a different tale and what better way to warm up than with a fourth Wells Fargo title this past weekend.

    By five strokes.

    His win in Charlotte was the biggest margin of victory in the tournament since he won in 2015, and his odds have since tumbled from 12/1.

    Since The Masters, McIlroy also won the Zurich Classic with fellow Irishman Shane Lowry.

    For those seeking further ammunition for McIlroy hope, this past month has been the first time since the 2014/15 campaign he has won two separate PGA recognised events between majors.

    McIlroy has been longer odds of late, but 15/2 for 7 places with Unibet could still look very smart come Sunday evening.

    But can he overcome the mental battle?

     

    Stopping Scottie

    Like in any one of the more recent majors, McIlroy’s task has been made more difficult as the game – or rather the calibre of opposition – has skyrocketed.

    And right now, his biggest obstacle is the near-impenetrable Scottie Scheffler.

    Having won a second Green Jacket at Augusta, the New Jersey native won a tenth PGA Tour crown with the RBC Heritage just a week later.

    Topping the stats and breaking records across the board this term, it is hard to make a case against Scheffler winning a third major but a first away from the Butler Cabin.

    Like pre-Masters, you wont get much value, but punters will still flock to Scheffler at 9/2 for 7 places with BetUK.

     

    Defending Koepka

    If Scheffler were not to lift the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening, who can we look to from the form pack to challenge?

    As a roller-coaster PGA season winds on, there have been no less than seven first-time PGA Tour winners, the most recent of which, was Chris Gotterup.

    Whilst McIlroy was victorious in North Carolina last Sunday, the American had his first win in Myrtle Beach.

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    From the LIV Golf League, LIV Adelaide crowned the competition’s latest winner in Brendan Steele.

    Meanwhile, the defending PGA Champ, Brooks Koepka comes here in fine fettle from winning his fourth LIV event in Singapore.

    Koepka has won the Wanamaker a total of three times now, but this will be his first trip to Valhalla.

    Nevertheless, the 34-year-old Floridian – despite finishing a lowly T45 at the Masters – is in good shape to tie Tiger Woods for number four and for the second time in his career, retain the trophy.

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    If we look back to the first major of the year last month, both Lucas Aberg and Max Homa can figure over the weekend.

    The latter recorded by far his best result in a major in finishing T3, but will have to erase memories of last year where the Californian barely scraped past the cut.

    However, Homa looks a more rounded player this term and the numbers prove it, at a very decent bigger price value of 33/1 for 7 places with Unibet.

     

    The 106th PGA Championship begins on Thursday at Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • 105th PGA Championship BestBets: 20/1 Koepka poised at Oak Hill

    105th PGA Championship BestBets: 20/1 Koepka poised at Oak Hill

    As the season rolls on, Thursday sees the second major of the campaign and the 105th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York.

    After Jon Rahm claimed the Green Jacket at The Masters last month, the Spaniard is again another strong favourite to win his third major in eight starts.

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    With the East Course hosting its seventh major and fourth PGA Championship, the venue described by Golf Digest as the 22nd best course in America is poised to deliver another week of drama.

    Who are we looking at to seal the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday?

     

    Front-runners

    Rahm will, obviously, be the backing of many punters this week, as will Scottie Scheffler, but how is the defending Justin Thomas shaping up?

    T37 in the US Open and T53 at St. Andrews, JT missed the cut at Augusta National last time out and has just two top-ten finishes this year at the Hero Open and WM Phoenix.

    The Kentuckian is not in the best of shape then, but as a two-time Wanamaker winner, Thomas knows hows to get the job done at around 25/1.

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    For Rory McIlroy, after seeing his major-less stretch extended now towards nine years, failing to even make the weekend at Augusta during his latest Grand Slam shot was a big blow.

    But like Thomas, the Northern Irishman has won the tournament twice before in 2012 and 2014 – his last major victory.

    Burning to prove a point, Mcillroy is still worth a look at 14/1 for 7 places with BetUK.

     

    Brooks could be prominent

    At one stage amongst the famed Georgia Pines last month, Brooks Koepka seemed to be cruising to a first Green Jacket and a fifth major.

    However, after running out of gas in the face of the charging Rahm, the Floridian was forced to settle for T2 with an equally roused and fellow LIV Golfer, Phil Mickelson.

    Though he remains absent from the PGA Tour, as a two-time winner of the tournament, Brooks Koepka will again compete in a major this season and could be a front-runner at a decent price.

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    Having suffered with a lack of four-round competition last time round, could a healthy Koepka this time have more fuel for a weekend tilt in New York?

    After all, his 2018 and 2019 dominance proved his staying power in this very tournament – the latter of which also took place in The Empire State at Bethpage.

    With a strong Masters showing in his back pocket, only a fool would not consider Koepka a contender at Oak Hill, at 20/1 for 8 places with William Hill.

     

    Day’s week?

    What of the chances of the season’s comeback king, Jason Day?

    Having ended a five-year drought for a PGA Tour victory, the 35-year-old Australian claimed a second AT&T Byron Nelson this past weekend in Dallas.

    Fifth in the FedEx Cup standings and with seven T10 finishes this term, Day is a man on form.

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    Having faded after a strong start at Augusta last month, the Queenslander’s only major to date was in this very tournament eight years back.

    Winner over Jordan Spieth by three strokes at Whistling Straits back in 2015, Day ticks a lot of boxes this week at 28/1 for 8 places with Betfred.

     

    Others to consider

    Of the current winning form book – aside from Day – Matt Fitzpatrick could further drive another strong British challenge after winning his first PGA Tour title away from the major arena.

    Taking the RBC Heritage in a playoff over Jordan Spieth, the Yorkshireman will hope for a better showing from The Masters, despite a decent T10 finish.

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    Fitzpatrick must get off to a better start in New York, but having been T5 at Southern Hills last season remains a 30/1 consideration for 8 places with BoyleSports.

    Having won his first Tour title at the Wells Fargo meanwhile, Wyndham Clark shouldn’t be overlooked at around 66/1, nor should Tony Finau after notching a sixth win in the Mexico Open three weeks ago.

    The big American is 20/1 with 888Sport.

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    Finally, for a big outsider but an equally capable performer as he showed in glimpses at the Players Championship, Denny McCarthy looks a massive price.

    One of the finest putters on the Tour last season, McCarthy was ineligible for the Masters last time out and remains, statistically, the best scrambler around.

    Oak Hill looks the perfect place for the Marylander to shine and with a T8 in his last appearance, McCarthy, at a hefty 150/1 for 8 places with William Hill, could return a nice profit with a good week.