The second big golf event of the calendar year is just around the corner, as play at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, will get underway on Thursday. It will be a fascinating battle for the trophy this year, with the winning player also picking up their share of the $17.5 million purse.
The season’s second major is typically one of the most enjoyable for all sports fans, but which star will come out on top at the 2024 PGA Championship?
Event Information
The 106th edition of the PGA Championship will be the fourth time Valhalla has hosted the event. The last time the Kentucky course was the PGA Championship location was in 2014, and the winner was Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. Ironically, this was McIlory’s fourth Major win, his second PGA Championship victory, but it was also the last time he topped the card at a Major.
The 7.609-yard course is set as a par 71 for each tournament round. The field features some stars from the breakaway LIV Golf competition, but several Saudi Tour-backed players are missing. These include Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood, and Serio Garcia.
2024 PGA Championship Odds
Five players are sitting at 20/1 or better to win the 2024 PGA Championship. Scottie Scheffler leads the way at 9/2, with 2014 champion McIlroy looking to break out of a decade-long Major drought at 15/2.
McIlroy is followed by Xander Schauffele at 16/1, Brooks Koepka at 18/1, and Jon Rham at 20/1.
PGA Championship Leading Contenders
The two leading contenders for the 2024 PGA Championship are in great form. Scheffler hasn’t finished outside the top 17 in a single event this season, and he is looking to win his fifth event in six starts. One of those starts was at the Masters last month, where Scheffler successfully defended his Green Jacket from 2023.
The only question for Schefler is whether the birth of his first child will create any rust. After shutting it down in mid-April, this will be his first event back in Dallas and his first time being there for his son’s birth.
McIlroy is determined to prove that he has more Major wins in him. His last two starts were both wins, as he claimed the titles at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship. Add in Koepka, the defending champion, and Jordan Speith, who is a PGA Championship short of a career Grand Slam, and you have a host of contenders who have proven they can win big tournaments if they are tight down the stretch.
2024 PGA Championship Prediction
McIlroy is the prediction here. The similarities between this run and his one in 2014 are spooky. A decade ago, Rory was also coming into the PGA Championship after consecutive tour victories to this golf course. His driver is clicking at the right time, and his short game since the Players see him at No. 25 in putting and, crucially, No. 3 in approach play.
Koepka is interesting as a top-three chance. He recently won at LIV Golf Jeddah, and he has a point to prove after his disastrous Masters.
Grab Patrick Reed as a top-30 shot, too. At 280/1 to win outright, his form suggests he should outperform at number.
Pick: Rory McIlroy – 15/2
