PGA Championship Primer ⛳️

05/18/2023

By: Marissa Kasch

Oak Hill Plays Host to Golf’s 2nd Major of 2023, And The Field is Stacked (By Marissa Kasch)

The PGA Championship is about to tee off from Oak Hill Country Club this morning, and there are plenty of exciting storylines. Jordan Spieth is chasing a career Grand Slam. Jon Rahm is looking to continue his reign. Justin Thomas is hoping to defend his title. And Scottie Scheffler is seeking to reclaim his No 1 ranking. Let’s lock in for the second major of the year.

Return to Rochester

Oak Hill Country Club plays host to the 2023 PGA Championship in Pittsford, New York, a Rochester suburb. This is the fourth time Oak Hill is hosting the PGA Championship. However, it’s the first since the course went through restoration in 2019. All of the greens and bunkers were rebuilt, and the course added new tees making it play 231 yards longer. The course is “old-school,” featuring thick rough, several treacherous hazards, and tight fairways (about 25-26 yards wide). But this isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Oak Hill is notorious for its difficulty.

Wonderful Weather

Don’t fret; the forecast is looking much better for the PGA Championship than it did for The Masters. Weekend highs range from upper-60s to upper-70s with a minimal chance for showers only on Saturday. During practice rounds, golfers have been battling frost in the mornings. Let’s hope these chilly temperatures don’t affect early tee times this weekend.

The Favorites

If you’re looking at the favorites for this weekend and getting a bit of déjà vu, it’s valid. The favorites look eerily similar to The Masters, with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler leading the charge. Just behind them are Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, and Brooks Koepka. Many analysts are confident in Koepka this weekend due to his domination of the PGA Championship since 2018 and his recent performance in The Masters.

PGA vs LIV

As we know, the feud between PGA and LIV golfers has only been reinforced as time has passed. Though it is the PGA Championship, 18 LIV golfers have qualified for the field this weekend. However, a LIV golfer has yet to win a major since the league split. Brooks Koepka has the best chance to flip the script this weekend and secure the first LIV major win.

PGA Championship Odds

J. Rahm (+750), S. Scheffler (+750), R. McIlroy (+1200), B. Koepka (+1800), X. Schauffele (+2000), P. Cantlay (+2000), J. Thomas (+2200), T. Finau (+2200), D. Johnson (+2500), J. Day (+2500), M. Fitzpatrick (+2800), C. Young (+2800), V. Hovland (+2800) | Full List Of Odds

Tee Times (Featured Groups)

8:00 AM: S. Scheffler, B. Koepka, G. Woodland

8:11 AM: J. Thomas, R. McIlroy, C. Morikawa

8:22 AM: J. Spieth, V. Hovland, S. Lowry

8:33 AM: J. Rahm, M. Fitzpatrick, C. Smith

9:06 AM: K. Bradley, J. Day, B. DeChambeau

1:25 PM: T. Fleetwood, C. Young, H. Matsuyama

1:36 PM: A. Scott, M. Homa, T. Finau

1:47 PM: X. Schauffele, T. Hatton, D. Johnson

1:58 PM: P. Cantlay, R. Fowler, P. Mickelson

*All times ET

Let’s tee up for a great weekend of golf and see who hoists the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.

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Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images