All eyes are on Oak Hill and the 105th PGA Championship this week, including those of our so-called experts. They have cast their eyes across the field and picked a winner, top Aussie and outside chance for the week.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP – WINNER
Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor
Four months after becoming the first Aussie to don the Green Jacket, ADAM SCOTT put himself in contention at Oak Hill with opening rounds of 65-68. He drifted over the weekend but still managed to grab a share of fifth.
One could argue that he heads back to Pittsford, New York, in better form than he was a decade ago. Certainly, his driving in recent weeks has wound back the clock to when he was regularly in the World top-10 and I wouldn't be surprised if he hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy this week.
Sportsbet odds: $67
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
As has been the case throughout its pre-renovation history, Oak Hill will reward the ball strikers this week and there are few better in that skill set than MAX HOMA.
Sure, Max has as good a major championship record as Mark Hayes has a history of getting his tips in on time, but that (for the love of God!) has to change at some point.
Homa has the often spoken about “perspective” bump of having a baby recently and strikes me as a PGA Championship type of winner.
And in perhaps an omen for his chances, Hayesy came through right on time this week. See even the most hapless record can improve!
Sportsbet odds: $34
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Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
RORY. He has something to prove and while he has been less than his best so far this year I think that makes him dangerous in my book.
While he will still have plenty of support he’ll be more under the radar than he’s accustomed to and that will also be a benefit
Sportsbet odds: $13
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
My tips at the Masters went more directly south than Roald Amundsen could ever have dreamed possible. So as Oak Hill comes into view, I’m tipping with the confidence of an outback farmer in a Manhattan cocktail bar for the first time.
The one thing that I’ve seen that has given me any direction is the clear return to physical fitness of BROOKS KOEPKA. Since he “got good”, BK has seemingly thrived in major championship cauldrons. Since he “got fit again”, he has had his name up in lights multiple times in the past couple of months, including his second place at Augusta National where he led up until an uncharacteristically flat final round.
Two wins and another three top-fives in the PGA in the past eight editions is enough to give him the dubious Hayesy nod.
Sportsbet odds: $21
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Ewan Porter – Tour pro turned TV commentator
Having watched him play a lot in the last couple of weeks and spoken at length with him, I can’t go past ADAM SCOTT to not only top the Aussies but the entire field at the 105th PGA Championship.
Game looks great, mental approach is on point too.
Sportsbet odds: $67
Callum Hill – Golf Australia magazine writer
Like all educated pundits, I simply tossed a coin when asked for my tips for this week. Heads was Scottie Scheffler and tails Jon Rahm.
The hypothesis of this intellectual experiment saw my hard-earned being placed on SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER, and I am pretty happy with that.
He made a solid return to golf last week and blew the field away at The Players. I don’t see a world where Scottie doesn’t win a major in 2023. Hopefully, for my sake, it is this one.
Sportsbet odds: $8.50
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP – TOP AUSSIEBrendan James – Golf Australia Editor
Could I be so bold as to tip an Aussie quinella? Absolutely!
While I think Scott will get the chocolates, I reckon fellow Queenslander JASON DAY will chase him all the way. There is certainly a pattern to follow when Day has a victory ... he usually follows up with a top-5 performance in his next start. For example, two wins in 2018 ... two top-5s straight after.
In 2016, two of his wins were back-to-back. Day will be good this week, just not as good as Scotty.
Sportsbet odds: $2.88
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
I love our fearless leader’s rationale above on J-Day, but it will be his fellow Queenslander ADAM SCOTT who tops our lot and very well could walk away with the Wanamaker by week’s end in New York.
Scott feels like Day has in recent months before winning last week, with just one round or element of his game holding him back from genuinely contending coming Sunday afternoon and a major could see the end of that issue.
Scott’s driving was supreme at times last week, that (not his putting!) is the key to the 2013 Masters champ’s performance these days. A good week with the big stick and Scotty will be right in the mix.
Sportsbet odds: $5.50
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Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
ADAM SCOTT. The temptation is to say Jason Day and that’s not a bad call but Scott has looked sneaky good so far this year and he knows the window of opportunity is closing.
If he wants to end his career with more than one major he needs to get on with it and everything about this week looks to set up well for him.
If he gets off to a good start, there’s no reason he can’t lift the trophy Sunday.
Sportsbet odds: $5.50
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
We are suddenly loaded with options, not only for this category, but who could legitimately contend at this 7,394-yard beast. In fact, as I’ve contended for years, the tougher the courses are, the more likely* we are to see the ball-striking prowess of the Aussies come to the fore. (*I have no stats to back this up whatsoever.)
I give Herbert, Lee, Scott and Day a shout overall, but CAM SMITH needs very little improvement here to win overall, so it’s hard to go past the bloke in the Penguin shirt.
Sportsbet odds: $3.50
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Ewan Porter – Tour pro turned TV commentator
See above.
Sportsbet odds: $5.50
Callum Hill – Golf Australia magazine writer
ADAM SCOTT has shown enough over the last few weeks for me to be bullish on how he will play.
He has form around Oak Hill, admittedly, it will look a lot different to the course that saw Jason Dufner hoist the Wanamaker, but the bones will be the same, and Scotty has found something off the tee that excites me.
Sportsbet odds: $5.50
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP – DARK HORSEBrendan James – Golf Australia Editor
In this field I consider CAMERON YOUNG an outsider, but not outside enough to not have a little dabble on him.
He is yet to win a PGA Tour event, yet it wouldn't surprise if his first victory was a major ... why not, so many have done it before. Remember Andy North? he won two US Opens and nothing else in his career. Anyway, I digress.
Young fell a single stroke short of joining the play-off last year and then pushed Cam Smith all the way at The Open. He seems to like the biggest of stages, a bit like a bearded Brooks Koepka, and he could ruin the party for the Aussies this week.
Sportsbet odds: $29
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
The lack of support for Aussies in this category is bordering on treason via tip, but good on our newest recruit Cal for sticking with a Kiwi gun.
Having said that, I best run with an Aussie here and for the outside chance I like CAM DAVIS.
Up-and-down year to date for the Sydneysider, but this course should suit him right down to the ground. A quality ball striker who can launch the ball way up into the stratosphere, Davis is also a good game manager and loves a big moment.
Sportsbet odds: $126
Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
RICKIE FOWLER – He’s about due, hasn’t missed a cut since October and has zero pressure from outside. His statistics are all in the range you’d want heading to a major … 12th in birdies, 11th in strokes gained total, 15th in scoring average, 16th in bogey avoidance.
The only real concern is his final round scoring which is less than ideal at 62nd in scoring average but there’ll only be one final round this week so it’s hardly insurmountable.
Sportsbet odds: $51
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
I note that BJ is tweaking the “roughie” rules, akin to the way the PGA Tour does to distance “data”. But true to the pub test, I’m going to stick with someone outside the 100-1 guidelines listed in the agreed Emanuel Convention.
It’s amazing to me that ADRIAN MERONK is at such extraordinary odds given his proclivity to stick his nose out in photo finishes. Admittedly he’s done nothing in the USA and this isn’t a national open, but I think his results of the past year warrant at least a chance.
Sportsbet odds: $151
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Ewan Porter – Tour pro turned TV commentator
VIKTOR HOVLAND here for me.
Fits the course and just goes about his business.
Sportsbet odds: $29
Callum Hill – Golf Australia magazine writer
I couldn’t look myself in the mirror if I didn’t tip my fellow countryman RYAN FOX.
At these odds, he seems like a good bet. Length will not be an issue, and his short game is ever improving. I doubt we will see odds like this again for Foxy.
Sportsbet odds: $201
2023 RESULTS
So far, our so-called experts have combined to tip 12 winners in 2023, with 87 of their picks recording top-10 finishes that week.
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