PGA Championship 2015: Who will win?

The final Major of the year takes place this weekend, and unsurprisingly talk has turned to who will lift the Wanamaker Trophy at Whistling Straits when all is said and done.

Recent history tells us that WGC winner Shane Lowry has a better chance than Open champion Zach Johnson, but one thing is for sure – if Rory McIlroy is to make a successful return to the course, he will have do do something no one has achieved since 2005.

‘It settles your nerves the next week to know you were already there just a few days prior’ With the world’s top 50 players and the winners of tournaments all participating at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, it may come as no surprise that since Tiger Woods in 2006, the winner of each PGA Championship has finished within the top 22 the previous week.

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With Irishman Shane Lowry winning the WGC-Bridgestone, he’s best situated to continue that trend, but there are 23 other golfers who finished T17 or better, who will like their chances on the shores of Lake Michigan.

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US PGA Championship winners

2014 – Rory McIlroy (Previous week’s finish: 1)

2013 – Jason Dufner (T4)

2012 – Rory McIlroy (T5)

2011 – Keegan Bradley (15)

2010 – Martin Kaymer (T22)

2009 – Yang Yong-eun (19)

2008 – Padraig Harrington (20)

2007 – Tiger Woods (1)

2006 – Tiger Woods (1)

One glimmer of light from the injury which forced McIlroy to miss out on the Open at St Andrews is that he has been able to rock up at Whistling Straits a week in advance and test out his ankle, while getting to know the course.

But with all but two of the world’s top 100 players taking part, Rory’s going to have his work cut out for him.

We’ve taken a look below at the top 24 players at last week’s WGC event, and discovered their form in their last five tournaments, as well as the bookies’ odds of their winning the year’s final Major.

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational top 24 players.

1. Shane Lowry

Form: 1-CUT-T31-T29-T9

Odds: 50/1

“It’s exciting, I know everyone back home, the place I grew up and there’s a party going. Everyone’s going to be at home, and my fiancÃ©e Wendy and my parents and granny and everyone as well. It’s just great for me, great for my family to have their support.”

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2. Bubba Watson

Form: 2-2-CUT-T13-1

Odds: 16/1

“I’ve got some good feel around that golf course, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to play well again. It just means that you’ve played well once there. Driving the ball good. Putting well. Thinking positive. But at the same time, I’ve played terrible in majors this year.”

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T3. Jim Furyk

Form: T3-4-T30-T42-T5

Odds: 50/1

“I have some work to do. I’m not driving the ball near well enough. It’s not a golf course that I feel comfortable on.”

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T3. Justin Rose

Form: T3-T4-T6-T27-P2

Odds: 20/1

“I’m playing better than anyone in the world right now tee to green. So hopefully, it’s a big boy golf course next week and the long game really helps me out.”

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5. Robert Streb

Form: 5-T18-T14-P2-T42

Odds: 80/1

“[I want to] get my driver in a little bit better order. I didn’t hit very many fairways. Try and get that going because I think that’s pretty important next week from what I’ve heard. So do that, and then hopefully the putter stays fairly warm.”

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T6. Henrik Stenson

Form: T6-T40-T27-T58-T17

Odds: 25/1

“I had a good start to the season, and then those illnesses, I was basically out for the whole month. Looking ahead now, I’m hoping to put some good work down and pick up some form again.”

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T6. Danny Lee

Form: T6-T4-CUT-T3-P1

Odds: 90/1

T6. David Lingmerth

Form: T6-3-T74-T6-T64

Odds: 100/1

T6. Brooks Koepka

Form: T6-T18-T10-T18-T3

Odds: 40/1

T10. Rickie Fowler

Form: T10-2-T30-1-CUT

Odds: 22/1

“I think being in contention and kind of getting things going the week before really almost helps you. It settles your nerves the next week to know that you were already there just a few days prior.”

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T10. Jordan Spieth

Form: T10-T4-P1-1-T3

Odds: 7/1

“Guys go in streaks with the way they play throughout the year. You see guys starting to trend the right direction, and all of a sudden, they’re in contention a few weeks in a row. We seem to have nice timing with where we’re trending upwards this year.”

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