Golf: USPGA Championship
Venue: Kiwah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina.
Dates: Thursday 20th – Sunday 23rd May 2021
Tournament Preview
The second major of the year gets underway in South Carolina as the USPGA Championship takes centre stage. Now played in May annually, it was one of the events to be shifted due to COVID 19 in 2020 but it looks to be back with a bang in 2021. Clinching a major championship always captures the imagination of golfers across the world and the USPGA has one of the most decorated winning alumni in golfing history. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Rory McIlory have all triumphed at this event more than once and with almost $2 million up for grabs for the winner in 2021, it promises to be a memorable weekend of golf in South Carolina.
Betting Preview
Outright Winner
Picking a winner from the vast field assembled at Kiwah Island Golf Course could be somewhat of a lottery but here are our top 5 selections with BetXChange:-
Two time winner of this event Rory McIlroy is the favourite here in South Carolina this week, coming off the back of a good win last time out and having won the USPGA at Kiwah Island before, he looks a justified pick.
Spaniard Jon Rahm has been the model of consistency on the PGA Tour for the past few seasons and he looks to be one of the men capable winning his maiden Major title this weekend.
2017 USPGA Championship winner Justin Thomas is another man in his prime on the tour and he will be looking to add another major to his ever growing list of tournaments won.
World number one Dustin Johnson hasn’t been in the best form this season and has a few fitness issues, but he is a quality operator, and he could come good again this week.
2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is the most talked about player on the PGA Tour and his big hitting could rip up the Kiwah Island course.
1st Round Leader
Major Championship golf never fails to provide drama and this year’s USPGA Championship promises to be no different.
Here are three punts at 1st round leader after Thursday’s action:-
Having found form last month by winning the Texas Open, Jordan Spieth could be the man to watch from the off here at the only major he has never won.
Emerging Norwegian Viktor Hovland will be hoping to pick up a maiden major title this week and he looks to be in the form of his career so far.
Englishman Paul Casey is a big tournament player and his history of top 10 finishes at majors make him a candidate from the outset here.
Top 10 Finish
Going deep in a major is deemed as the ultimate test for any golfer and there are plenty of players that have had experience at going the distance in this year’s USPGA field:-
American Xander Schauffele has been knocking at the door at the top of the world game for a while and he is looking to open his major account and be well in the mix come Sunday.
‘Captain America’ Patrick Reed is always up for the battle in the big events, and he could be a player that goes under the radar in South Carolina this weekend.
Few players enjoy the level of consistency Tony Finau shows on the PGA Tour and he will be eager to show what he can do in a packed field at Kiwah Island this week.
USPGA Championship BetXChange Best Bets:
Outright Winner: Rory McIlroy – 12.00
1st Round Leader: Viktor Hovland – 30.00
Top Ten Finish: Xander Schauffele – 2.00
