The first two days of the 2023 PGA Championship have come and gone and the play so far has laid the groundwork for an exciting weekend. Sports bettors and golf fans will be busy performing analysis and making PGA Championship weekend predicitons before the action resumes on Saturday. The tournament is still very much up for grabs as the top of the leaderboard is crowded with a good mix of big names and underdogs.
Scottie Scheffler, Corey Connors, and Viktor Hovland currently share the lead at -5 after two days. They don’t have much breathing room as Bryson Dechambeau and Justin Suh sit only one shot behind at -4. Behind them, players like Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Rory McIlroy all fall at even par or below.
With $2.7 million USD going to the champion, along with all the glory associated with a major tournament, the spotlight is going to be large over the next few days. There will be an immense amount of pressure on every shot. Saturday and Sunday of a major are where champions are made.
For sports bettors, the tight field means that there are plenty of different directions to go in. Those that made pre-tournament bets might be looking to put some more money on PGA Championship weekend predictions. Those that haven’t placed any wagers yet may seem PGA Championship weekend predictions as a great value play. With six players sitting at odds of +2000 or lower, there are many different strategies to approach the final days of this tournament.
| Player Name | Current Score | Bet365 Odds |
| Scottie Scheffler | -5 | +162 |
| Corey Connors | -5 | +700 |
| Viktor Hovland | -5 | +400 |
| Bryson Dechambeau | -3 | +1400 |
| Justin Suh | -3 | +4000 |
| Brooks Koepka | -2 | +900 |
| Callum Tarren | -2 | +10000 |
| Taylor Pendrith | -1 | +12500 |
| Justin Rose | -1 | +4000 |
| Michael Block | E | +1000000 |
| Rory McIlroy | E | +2000 |
Keep reading for a breakdown of a few different ways to approach betting on the rest of the tournament. No matter if you’re adding to bets you’ve already made or making PGA Championship weekend predictions for the first time, there are good golf bets to be found at the sportsbooks right now.
The Favourite: Scottie Scheffler (+162)
If you’re looking to go with the safe option for PGA Championship weekend predictions, there’s an obvious choice. Scottie Scheffler has been the best player in the world over the last 18 months and he has a share of the lead after two rounds.
After a bogey-free 67 on Thursday, Scheffler had a rollercoaster of a performance on Friday. He finished the day with four birdies and two bogeys for a 68. He’s had some amazing shots such as the one on 15 in the video below, though a late bogey in the second round took away his solo lead.
At +162, the sportsbooks are backing Scheffler to bring this tournament home. He’s a clear favourite against the field and will look to capture the second major championship of his career. While many sites and pundits will back Scheffler in their PGA Championship weekend predictions, we don’t feel like there is enough value to make this bet.
The Newcomer – Viktor Hovland (+400)
Viktor Hovland has been one of golf’s rising stars over the past few seasons but hasn’t been able to put it all together and win a major championship to this point. After two days at the 2023 PGA Championship, he’s set himself up for a great chance to win a big one for the first time.
The big flaw in Hovland’s game is his play around the greens. He’s not a confident short-game player and those struggles can show up in big situations. The rough is very thick at Oak Hill Country Club this weekend meaning that this is something to keep an eye on.
Backing Hovland for your 2023 PGA Championship weekend predictions isn’t a bad idea. He is tied with the second most birdies thus far in the tournament with nine. However, this up-and-down style of scoring isn’t one that works on big-pressure weekends as it’s usually the calm, cool, and consistent player that thrives.
The Underdog – Corey Connors (+700)
The most shocking name to see at the top of the leaderboard is that of Canadian Corey Connors. Ranked 29th in the world, Connors entered the tournament with odds of +8000 to win it all. That number has now shrunk all the way down to +700 as he has the final share of the lead.
While Connors wasn’t expected to be here, you can’t discount him as a legitimate contender. He’s one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour and is 16th this season in strokes gained on approach.
The big flaw in Connors game is his putting. He falls outside the top 100 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting. When making PGA Championship weekend predicitons, it may be difficult for some sports bettors to put their money on such a weak putter.
However, he’s been doing a lot better on the greens through two days at Oak Hill Country Club. No matter if it’s the promixity to Canada or just a good feeling this weekend, Connors is fifth in the field in strokes gained putting. Thus if you’re thinking of backing the Canadian for your PGA Championship weekend predicitons, his strong putting display so far should inspire confidence.
The Longshot – Rory McIlroy (+2000)
Sitting sixth on the odds table is a familiar name in Rory McIlroy. While he didn’t have a spectacular first two days of the tournament, McIlroy did well enough to leave himself within striking range with 36 holes to play.
McIlroy has admitted that he’s been fighting an illness over the past few days that has left him well below 100%. Despite that, he’s only five shots back as he sits at even par. With two full days of golf left, five shots is far from an insurmountable deficit.
McIlroy has the experience and mindset neccessary to bring home this tournament. He’s won this tournament twice before and has four career majors under his belt, though his last victory was in 2014.
At +2000, McIlroy has shorter odds than many of the golfers that sit above him. However, that’s justified by his track record and previous performance in big moments.
Final PGA Championship weekend predictions
There are good arguments to be made for multiple golfers at this point in the 2023 PGA Championship. Sports bettors will have their hands full trying to discern how to best deploy their money and make some successful PGA Championship weekend predicitons.
However, there is one player that stands above the rest in terms of value. At +700, Corey Connors is a great bet. He’s tied for the tournament lead and his putting has been great so far, mitigating some of the worry in that department.
If you’re looking to make PGA Championship weekend predictions of your own, backing Connors at these odds is a great chance to get one of the best iron players in the world at a good price.
Sport Savvy PGA Championship Pick: Corey Connors (+700)
Interesting take!
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