Betting sites slash odds on DeChambeau PGA Championship triumph
The first major golf tournament of 2020 is set to kick off on August 6, and the bookmakers are now split in terms of who the favourite should be for the prestigious event at TPC Harding Park.
Rory McIlroy, the world number one and four-time major winner, had been the clear market leader at 6/1, but through no fault of his own has drifted slightly, and that is all down to the transformation in terms of both physique and form of Bryson DeChambeau, who has leapfrogged McIlroy in the betting on some sportsbooks.
The American, who was 40/1 for the title as recently as February, has stormed into 8/1 with some online betting sites, whereas other bookmakers have him at 12/1. The decision punters have to make is whether to take that price now, or wait until closer to the event when there will be a selection of betting offers and bonuses around the tournament.
DeChambeau had been in terrific form in the weeks before lockdown, with finishing positions of T5, 2, and 4. After a three-month break, the 26-year-old continued where he left off with a T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, followed by a T8 and T6.
After six consecutive top 10s, ‘The Scientist’ went off as a 6/1 favourite in the Rocket Mortgage Classic and lived up to the billing by picking up his first trophy of 2020, shooting 23 under par in the process.
Dustin Johnson has also got a win under his belt since the return of the PGA Tour, with the 2016 US Open champion edging out Kevin Streelman by one stroke to pick up the Travelers Championship. Johnson can be snapped up at 14/1 to emerge victorious in San Francisco.
Another former US Open winner who has tasted success in recent weeks is Webb Simpson, who shot rounds of 65, 65, 68 and 64 to earn the RBC Heritage title. Simpson leads the FedExCup standings and the only surprise is that you can get odds as big as 35/1 for him to reign supreme at the PGA Championship.
Such big prices are not on offer for Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, or Justin Thomas. They are all 16/1 or shorter wherever you look, and it is hard to argue with that. Both Koepka and Thomas know what it takes to win majors, and it is surely only a matter of time for the Spaniard, Rahm.
The pre-tournament favourite for last year’s PGA Championship was none other than Tiger Woods. Sadly, the four-time winner of the event was unable to follow up on his heroic Masters triumph and didn’t make the cut.
You can get 18/1 on Woods now, which, considering he had previously been 8/1 with some bookmakers, may represent good value. He has committed to playing at the Memorial Tournament on July 16-19, so waiting to see how he looks in Dublin, Ohio might be the smart play.
There is an array of different markets on golf betting sites every week during the tour, but everything is ramped up around the majors. You can expect to find a wide selection of props and special bets, on top of betting offers such as free bets, extra places, enhanced odds, and more.
It is important to shop around for the top bookmaker promotions and the best odds on the golfers you want to back, as there will be a lot of variation both before and during the tournament.
