2026 PGA Championship: Experts’ picks and betting tips

The season’s second main — the PGA Championship — is at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, whereas Rory McIlroy enters after profitable the Masters within the season’s first main.

Scheffler and McIlroy the overwhelming favorites, adopted by Jon Rahm and Cameron Young.

Who do our golf specialists suppose will win? What sort of betting recommendation does Pamela Maldonado have?

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Jump forward to: Pamela Maldonado’s betting and fantasy advice for the week

Experts’ picks

Matt Barrie: Cameron Young
There’s just one participant on this planet that is gone head-to-head with Scheffler and McIlroy this season and it is Young. His dad is a membership skilled, which is the inspiration of this match. His profitable window is open. And he hoists the Wanamaker this week.

Mark Brooks: Scottie Scheffler
Most full participant since 2000 Tiger Woods. Zero weaknesses, fierce competitor.

Ken Brown: Scheffler
To win a significant championship, it’s a must to be answerable for all departments, and Scheffler has probably the most rounded recreation on the planet. I watched him working towards his placing together with his coach Phil Kenyon on Tuesday — they have been working diligently for an hour on holing out breaking putts from inside 8 ft. His professionalism and enjoyment of the sport is second to none.

Tory Cabrera: Scheffler
The yr is 2026, and Scheffler continues to be inevitable. The world No. 1 golfer hasn’t received since January — he has completed second in three straight tournaments, which suggests it is about that point. Two years after “Free Scottie” merch took the golf world by storm, he continues his PGA Championship lore and raises the Wanamaker Trophy (once more).

Roberto Castro: Chris Gotterup
Essentially a house occasion for him — enjoying on the turf you grew up on offers you unbelievable familiarity and consolation. Two wins earlier than Augusta. Bombs it. Not afraid to win.

Michael Collins: Young
Cam may be very snug enjoying the type of golf that it’s going to take to win at Aronimink.

Jeff Darlington: Justin Rose
This golf course has hosted solely three PGA Tour occasions since 2010. Justin Rose received one in all them and completed runner-up in one other. This course requires a totally rounded, top-tier participant, and Rose checks these containers.

Michael Eaves: Rose
No one involves Aronimink with extra feel-goods on their aspect than Rose. He received right here as soon as and misplaced in a playoff the final time the PGA Tour performed an occasion right here. Plus, he is probably the greatest iron gamers on this planet, which can be an enormous issue this week on this “second-shot golf course.”

Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Rory McIlroy
A summer season chase for the single-season Grand Slam could be a number of enjoyable. Rory principally stated it himself on Tuesday — Aronimink goes to favor guys that may bomb it off the tee — and no person within the recreation can do this higher than the reigning Masters champion. Yes, the toe is a bit of a concern, however I’m guessing they will get McIlroy some snug footwear and he’ll discover a method to handle that.

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John Maginnes: Jordan Spieth
Oh, cease it! Do you actually suppose {that a} man who received 13 occasions between the ages of 20 and 29 is washed up at 32? He’s driving it higher than he ever has and he is as artistic across the greens as anybody within the recreation.

Hunter Mahan: Tommy Fleetwood
I like Fleetwood this week! Past success in 2018 blended together with his calm demeanor and ballstriking make him a significant champion at Aronimink.

Andy North: Young
He’s tremendous lengthy and has been placing superbly.

Carl Paulson: Scheffler
Simply as a result of he’s one of the best participant on this planet. Also, I really feel prefer it’s time for him to win once more. Sorry — I haven’t got something extra unique than that.

Mark Schlabach: Scheffler
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler hasn’t received since his first begin of the season within the American Express. He is coming off three straight runner-up finishes and is the defending PGA Championship winner. It’s shocking that Scheffler hasn’t received once more; he ranks within the high 5 on tour in strokes gained: complete (2.056), tee to inexperienced (1.535), off the tee (.659), across the inexperienced (.585) and is 14th in placing (.522). The solely factor that has held him again is his iron play, which hasn’t fairly been as much as the historic normal we noticed the previous few seasons. He places it collectively this week and captures his fifth main.

Marty Smith: Collin Morikawa
Might seem to be a stretch given his inconsistent placing, however method play this week is paramount and there’s no person higher on this planet than Morikawa.

Paolo Uggetti: Young
I’m making an attempt to not overthink this one. Young has been one in all, if not the, greatest participant on this planet as of late, and this golf course might arrange unbelievable for him. The solely query stays his placing — it is an space of his recreation that’s a lot improved however can be correctly examined on Arominink’s devilish greens.

Scott Verplank: Rickie Fowler
He’s a Cowboy …

Suzy Whaley: Jacob Bridgeman
He has sufficient energy for this golf course, together with if there are moist circumstances. But that is primarily due to his placing on Donald Ross greens.

Pamela Maldonado’s picks and recommendation for the week

Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook and topic to alter.

The final time the PGA visited Aronimink, Keegan Bradley received with a placing efficiency that had no precedent in his surrounding outcomes. Justin Rose practically beat him regardless of shedding strokes on method all week, and Rory McIlroy had one of the best ballstriking of anybody and completed fifth.

The course prompts sure talents fairly than merely rewarding preexisting kind. In different phrases, I did not give an excessive amount of weight to latest rounds. Now, years later, the course is tougher. A restoration doubled the bunker rely, the tough is deeper with no buffer and the greens will run like glass.

Weighted method play was the first separator I used this week, together with bent grass placing and fairways gained as the chance filter. The lens I felt strongest about was bent grass-specific efficiency at main velocity.

As at all times, guess what enables you to sleep at evening. The greatest analysis on this planet means nothing in case your place measurement is making selections for you. These are the gamers I like most on the board. Tailor the guess kind and publicity to your personal threat tolerance.

My decide to win: Scottie Scheffler +385

This shouldn’t be a fantastic value, but it surely would possibly nonetheless be the proper one. Scheffler does not win tournaments accidentally. His report over the past two seasons reads like a person who merely performs at a distinct degree when the floor is true. Aronimink will demand precisely what Scheffler does greatest underneath stress, discovering the proper elements of enormous, contoured, quick greens from the golf green. His irons have been probably the most weak a part of his recreation to start out the yr however he is cleaned that up in the previous couple of weeks, gaining five-plus strokes on method in latest occasions. Scheffler manages a course fairly than overpowers it, and builds momentum by means of every spherical.

The discipline at a significant is deep however once you ask which participant’s recreation most constantly transfers, you retain coming again to Scheffler. The value is what it’s.

My favourite guess to make the highest 10: Justin Rose +355 (with ties)

The underlying method and placing numbers on probably the most related surfaces/programs on the schedule make Rose a compelling contender. He picked up a Torrey Pines win in February on bent grass the place he gained over six strokes on method. When Rose is on bent grass and engaged, the ballstriking and quick recreation combo is pretty much as good as anybody’s within the discipline. Aronimink’s 2018 model clearly clicked; whereas he misplaced strokes on method, he nonetheless completed second as a result of he primarily performed his approach onto greens by means of scrambling and short-game heroics fairly than iron play. That’s his type. Except now he is arriving as a greater ball striker with the identical short-game capacity.

My favourite Scottie Scheffler guess: Top 5 -122 (with ties)

Laying juice for a high 5? Yeah, that is not enjoyable for every other participant. For Scottie, that is a clear wager as a result of that is his baseline. He’s completed high 5 in 20 of his previous 30 occasions. Three straight runners-up means he is at peak proper now. Bent grass fits him, the course calls for what he does constantly, and has the endurance to grind by means of a demanding again 9 with out forcing motion. The (-122) value is respecting the report, because it ought to. You’re paying a modest premium on a participant who makes top-five finishes a behavior.

My favourite lengthy shot: Justin Rose +4700

He practically received on this course in 2018 with a weaker method profile than he is exhibiting in 2026. On pure knowledge factors, he has sturdy major stats however hitting (or lacking) fairways is a priority and placing floor stats are mediocre. However, event-level knowledge is the place the sample is stark. On the bent grass course, he is a totally totally different participant. Essentially, outcomes on different surfaces are dragging his season totals down considerably. Isolate to related comps, and he is elite. Use season knowledge, and his sub par numbers are inflated by irrelevant occasions. The value is beneficiant for a participant that’s able to having a spike week on a course he practically received at earlier than.

Other bets that stand out

Matt McCarty high 40 +172 (with ties)

The case is simple. He’s high 15 placing on bent grass and placing on quick greens. It is a putter-dependent profile on a course that calls for method first however maybe he is discovered one thing together with his irons. He’s now gained on method in three straight weeks after largely struggling firstly of 2026. Having a T14 and T24 at Augusta in again to again years reveals he is able to holding his personal in sturdy fields. Top 30 +265 could be extra worth, getting paid for a quantity he is been hitting routinely, however I’m conservative and see plus cash for a wider internet.

Tyrrell Hatton high LIV participant +520

He’s a transparent standout, trending up versus coasting on fame. Hatton is the one participant within the group whose main trajectory is enhancing; three straight Augusta outcomes enhancing yearly, together with a T3 this yr with elite numbers. The others are declining, inconsistent or carrying one outlier consequence. The value is important worth on the cleanest ball striker on this course on a course that can expose everybody else’s weak point.

Patrick Reed high 30 +138

He’s not constructed on elite iron play however on an across the inexperienced and placing combo that holds up underneath main stress on quick surfaces. That’s precisely what Aronimink greens will demand all week. Reed can scramble, convert and keep away from the blow up rounds he reveals he can keep away from when the floor fits him. We actually solely have his August outcomes to drag from, however with 4 straight high 12s, that is a sample price backing.

Fantasy golf

Fantasy golf high three DFS performs:

Rickie Fowler +7,400: Three straight Top 10s together with a T2 on the Truist means he is in kind proper now. He’s high 25 placing on these greens, and has momentum, giving him a practical ceiling for a Top 10 this week. He’s a usable match possibility should you want the wage reduction.

Alex Noren $6,900: Noren makes cuts. That reliability is the inspiration. He’s Top 30 together with his irons, placing and hitting fairways. That’s three Aronimink-specific stats that time in the proper course at a value that displays none of it. If you want a protected flooring, a constant cut-maker with a real course match, he is the kind of participant you construct round. A T12 at Riviera offers you perception to his ceiling.

Alex Fitzpatrick $5,900: Extremely small pattern measurement to make use of however he has again to again wins on the Euro Tour and a win at Zurich paired together with his brother Matt Fitzpatrick adopted up with two Top 10s on the PGA. With simply two tracked occasions, his irons are elite proper now. He has excessive upside, low roster proportion and a powerful major knowledge set at a cut price value. Use the financial savings for one elite title, maybe one which rhymes with Dottie.

Top three DFS fades:

Cameron Young $10,200: You’re sacrificing a number of wage flexibility for a participant whose two most course particular stats are 71st placing on this floor and 93rd on quick greens. Back gamers with stronger bent grass profiles, the cash is best spent elsewhere.

Jon Rahm $10,400: You’re paying close to peak pricing for a participant that is tailored to non-PGA occasions. LIV wins counsel the general recreation is sharp however his weighted method pictures when he does play PGA Tour occasions sits outdoors the highest 50. That’s the first separator on this course. That’s high greenback to have a number of religion. Hard go.

Patrick Cantlay $8,900: His irons are stable however he tends to overlook fairways, and his placing on bent grass and on quick greens are all outdoors of the highest 50. You want multiple sufficient ability set to justify the wage. He has 4 straight Top 12 finishes however misplaced 4 strokes placing at Harbour Town then gained practically 4 strokes at Quail Hollow. You cannot financial institution on which model reveals up. The greens determine the match right here. Fade.