We've covered the PGA Championship from an outright perspective. Now it's time to dive into the secondary markets to find more valuable wagers.
Country of winning golfer: USA (-125)
This one can be found under the "exclusives" sections on theScore Bet/ESPN Bet and feels like a valuable bet to make when you consider who you're getting. Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, and Collin Morikawa are five of the top eight favorites and soak up a ton of win equity. The only players at the top of the outright oddsboard who could spoil this bet are Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Ludvig Aberg.
An American has also won the PGA Championship in nine straight years, which makes this feel even less risky.
Tournament hole in one: No (-160)
Quail Hollow Golf Club is extremely long, and the shortest par 3 is 184 yards. There have only been six holes-in-one recorded in 20 events played at Quail Hollow, an average of 0.3 aces per event, according to Sports Illustrated's Ian MacMillan. Based on that data, a no hole-in-one bet should be priced closer to -230.
Top Canadian Golfer: Taylor Pendrith (+355)
Pendrith is by far the longest-hitting Canadian in the field, giving him a significant edge over his fellow countrymen. He finished 10th at the Wells Fargo Championship held at Quail Hollow last year and was selected to the 2022 Presidents Cup team due to his course-fit profile. Pendrith's +355 odds are very fair considering he only has to beat four players - Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Taylor, and Adam Hadwin, none of whom are considered long off the tee.
Top Nordic Golfer: Niklas Norgaard Moller (+1200), top-40 finish (+225)
The big-hitting Dane is a relative unknown to most golf fans, but he's second on the PGA TOUR in driving distance and finished tied for fifth last week in Myrtle Beach. In the top Nordic market, Norgaard Moller will have to beat his fellow Danes, as well as Aberg and Viktor Hovland. But at +1200, it's worth the risk.
Top Oceania Golfer: Min Woo Lee (+325)
We discussed Min Woo Lee in our main preview, backing him to win the tournament at +900. Taking him in the top Oceania market narrows his competition drastically. He's by far the longest driver of the ball in the group and has the upside to finish inside the top five. There's also a chance the favorite, Jason Day, withdraws - he already bailed on last week's tournament due to a neck injury.
Keith Mitchell: First-round leader (+7000), top-10 finish in Round 1 (+800)
If there's ever been a chalky +7000 bet to make, it's Mitchell to be the first-round leader. He leads the PGA TOUR in first-round scoring average and was atop the leaderboard after Day 1 in two of his past four starts. In his last five opening rounds, his scoring average is 63.6.
Mitchell's game fits Quail Hollow perfectly. He's fifth on the PGA TOUR in strokes gained: off the tee and 11th in distance. If his putter can be average for one round, both of these bets have a better shot of hitting than the odds suggest.
David Puig: Top-20 finish (+400)
The young Spaniard is playing well on LIV, sitting seventh in the tour's standings. Puig ranks fourth on LIV in driving distance with a 326.8 average and has played in four major championships, making the cut in both U.S. Opens in which he's competed. At +400 for a top-20 finish, the risk is certainly worth the upside.
Kurt Kitayama: Top-40 finish (+190)
Kitayama is one of the longest players on the PGA TOUR and is also a former winner at Bay Hill, a course that tests players off the tee, similar to Quail Hollow. He's also a great long-iron player, ranking first in proximity from 200 yards and longer. Kitayama placed fifth in his most recent start at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and should be able to carry that form to a venue that suits his style of play.
To make the cut parlay: Xander Schauffele, Joaquin Niemann, Min Woo Lee, Wyndham Clark, Taylor Pendrith, and Gary Woodland (+736)
Each of these six players has the length off the tee that will give them an advantage over their competitors. Schauffele is a two-time runner-up at Quail Hollow; Clark is a former winner at the course; Niemann is first on the LIV standings and suits Quail Hollow well; and the other three have shown recent flashes to prove why they should make it to the weekend.
