Who are we backing for the 2018 majors?
PGA Championship: Who to back at Bellerive
It’s just a matter of time, right? Rickie Fowler (20/1) could win any of these majors this year but, since you’re asking, I reckon the PGA is probably his best bet.
Glory’s Last Shot, or whatever they’re calling it now before it moves to a new earlier-season home, is renowned for producing new big-four tournament winners.
Count them up. Seven of the last eight PGA Championship winners picked up a major title for the first time. That’s got to be more than just coincidence.
I’ve been down on Fowler’s ability to get it done on a Sunday. He’s blown leads or faded in contention too many times to list here.
But I have been swayed by the sheer awesomeness of his last round demolition of the Hero World Challenge field. Yes, it’s a glorified exhibition. Yes, it’s a limited field event.
Some of the best players in the world turned out, though, and none of them shot 61 – including seven straight birdies – to close the deal.
If that’s symbolic of a new calmness under pressure then Fowler, who already has a tied 5th and third to speak of at the PGA, is going to be joining his spring break buddies in the major club very soon.
Who is Steve backing for the Ryder Cup? His 2018 betting guide continues over the page…
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
