- The PGA Championship is May 18-21 at Oak Hill.
- First-round leader bets are a nice way to make a quick profit.
The PGA Championship will kick off on Thursday, May 18, from Oak Hill in Rochester, New York.
As part of the new PGA Tour schedule, this is considered a designated event.
The course is expected to play extremely difficult with narrow fairways, thick rough, and tricky, fast greens. Scores are not expected to be great, so par will be a good score all week.
But that doesn’t mean a player could get hot Thursday and post a good score.
Here are a few players who have the potential to lead after Thursday’s first round.
PGA Championship: First-Round Leader (FRL) Bets
Rory McIlroy +2200 First-Round Leader
McIlroy seems more focused for this major than others of late, and that could lead to a very good week for the 34-year-old. He led after the first round of the event last year at Southern Hills and has led after the first round of other majors, too.
His 70.71 Round 1 scoring average this year is a bit troubling, but this isn’t a regular week on the PGA Tour.
Dustin Johnson +3500 First-Round Leader
At the Masters, Brooks Kopeka used a win on the LIV Tour the previous week to propel him to a strong showing. Could the same hold true for Johnson this week?
If Johnson is on top of his game, he has the ability to have tremendous success at Oak Hill. The question is how prepared is he for a difficult golf course. At +3500, it feels like Johnson is worth a shot.
Cameron Young +4000 First-Round Leader
Young will be playing in his home state and should have plenty of fan support. He also has played well in the first rounds of majors of late, so it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see him at the top of the leaderboard on Thursday.
Specific to Oak Hill, his exceptional driving could help him have shorter clubs into greens and give him more birdie opportunities than other players.
PGA Championship Odds at BetMGM
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Whether you’re a first-time bettor browsing futures odds months in advance, a casual fan placing a bet before the first round begins on Thursday, or a longtime diehard breaking down course trends, there’s something for everyone.
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