Upcoming Match-ups

2019 PGA Championship Props: First-Round Leader Odds, Wire-to-Wire Winner, Winning Margin & More

Michael Harrison

by Michael Harrison in Golf

Updated Mar 27, 2020 · 1:33 PM PDT

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is in search of his third career PGA Championship title. Photo by TourProGolfClubs (flickr) [CC License].
  • The 2019 PGA Championship tees off Thursday, May 16th
  • You can bet on just about anything happening in this year’s tournament
  • We have some fun prop bets to wager on for this annual tradition

The 101st PGA Championship is set to tee off Thursday with the deepest field in golf making it anybody’s guess who will emerge victorious.

Sportsbooks have a plethora of prop bets to wager on. We’ve included them below along with our expert picks for each.

PGA Championship 1st Round Leader Odds

Golfer Odds
Tiger Woods +1800
Dustin Johnson +1800
Brooks Koepka +1800
Rory McIlroy +1800
Jon Rahm +2500
Justin Rose +2500
Rickie Fowler +2800
Jason Day +3300
Jordan Spieth +3300
Francesco Molinari +3300

*Odds taken 05/15/19. 

Of the big names, Jon Rahm is a great name to consider since he’s third in first round scoring average this year. A great darkhorse candidate is Scott Piercy at +12500. He’s finished second and third in his last two individual events and played all 72 holes last week bogey-free.

Pick: Jon Rahm (+2500)

Tournament Finish Odds

Golfer Top 5 Finish Odds
Rory McIlroy +200
Dustin Johnson +200
Brooks Koepka +250
Tiger Woods +275
Jon Rahm +400
Justin Rose +400
Rickie Fowler +450
Jason Day +450
Francesco Molinari +500
Xander Schauffele +550

For best value, I love Schauffele. He’s coming off a runner-up finish at the Masters last month. He has four top-6 finishes in eight career majors, with a pair of seconds and a sixth in his last four attempts.

Top Continental European

Golfer Top Continental European Odds
Jon Rahm +260
Francesco Molinari +350
Sergio Garcia +700
Henrik Stenson +900
Rafa Cabrera Bello +1600

This is the perfect time to wager on Sergio Garcia. In his three trips to Bethpage Black (two US Open’s, one Barclays Championship), he has a tie for third, fourth, and 10th on his resume.

If you want to show even more faith in the Spaniard, you can wager on him at +1400 to be top European but that list is more difficult than Continental European because it includes the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Tommy Fleetwood.

Pick: Sergio Garcia (+700)

PGA Championship Cut Line Odds

Cut Line Odds
Over 145 Shots -110
Under 145 Shots -120

This track is a par 70, so by picking over you’re selecting +6 or worse. The cut has only been that score once in the last decade at this tournament (2012).

Pick: Under 145 Shots (-120)

Leading 1st Round Score

What Will Be the Leading 1st Round Score? Odds
Over 65.5 Strokes -135
Under 65.5 Strokes +105

Also only once in the last 10 years has the first round leading score been worse than 5-under par (4-under in 2017).

Pick: Under 65.5 Strokes (+105)

Lowest 18 Hole Score

What Will Be the Lowest 18 Hole Score? Odds
Over 64.5 Strokes -135
Under 64.5 Strokes +105

There tends to be at least some player every year to go low and get themselves back into contention. This could be broken in the first round.

Pick: Under 64.5 Strokes (+105)

Players Finishing Under Par

How Many Players Will Finish Under Par? Odds
Over 8.5 Players -120
Under 8.5 Players +110

Not since the 2008 edition of this event has this resulted in the under. Reminder, despite Bethpage Black being a brutal test at the two US Opens in 2002 and 2009 they were set up much more difficult than how the PGA of America likes to host their tournaments.

Pick: Over 8.5 Players (-120)

Will John Daly Be Given a Replacement Golf Cart?

Will Daly Be Given a Replacement Golf Cart? Odds
Yes +400
No -600

Odds strongly suggest Daly won’t be around for the weekend, and potentially may even pack it in before the first two rounds are over as he’s done in the past. Not enough time to need a replacement cart.

Pick: No (-600)

Will John Daly Be Seen Drinking Beer in His Golf Cart?

Will John Daly Be Seen Drinking Beer in His Golf Cart? Odds
Yes +1200
No -3300

While this would be legendary if it turned out yes, Daly has admitted only once has he drank while playing a tour event before, and that was in the clubhouse at Riviera in the 90’s.

Pick: No (-3300)

Odds There Will Be a Hole in One

Will There Be a Hole in One? Odds
Yes -105
No -125

Come on, don’t be sadistic. It’s more fun to bet on fireworks so lay cash on the bet that will yield more of a return.

Pick: Yes (-105)

1st Round Hole in One Odds

What Will Be a Hole in One in Round 1? Odds
Yes +450
No -700

You can’t be reckless though, so the smart hedge play would be to figure it won’t happen in specifically just the first round.

Pick: No (-700)

Odds an Albatross Will Be Registered

Will An Albatross Be Registered? Odds
Yes +1200
No -3300

Only three times in the entire 100 year history of the PGA Championship has this feat been accomplished. Despite the pretty strong odds to bet yes, resist the urge.

Pick: No (-3300)

Odds There Will Be a Playoff

Will There Be a Playoff? Odds
Yes +350
No -500

There hasn’t been a playoff at the PGA in eight years. This course, however, will likely hinder anybody’s ability to run away from the field so expect a jam packed leaderboard.

Pick: No (-500)

Odds on a Playoff Featuring 3 or More Players

Will There Be a Playoff Featuring 3 or More Players? Odds
Yes +1000
No -2000

Only once since the 1978 PGA has there been a three man playoff (Vijay Singh defeating Justin Leonard and Chris Dimarco in 2004).

Pick: No (-2000)

Winning 72 Hole Score Odds

What Will the Winning 72 Hole Score Be? Odds
Over 271.5 Shots -150
Under 271.5 Shots +120

As noted, the PGA of America tends to be more lenient in their golf course setup. However, expecting the champion to shoot 9-under or better on this golf course might be too tall a task.

Pick: Over 271.5 Shots (-150)

Winning Margin Odds

Winning Margin Odds
4 Shots or More +325
Exactly 3 shots +450
Exactly 2 shots +350
Exactly 1 shot +250
Playoff needed to determine winner +350

In the last twelve PGA Championships, the winning margin has been two strokes or less in nine instances. Of those, two stroke wins have been most common with five.

Pick: Exactly 2 shots (+350)

Wire-to-Wire Winner Odds

Will There Be a Wire to Wire Winner? Odds
Yes +1200
No -3300

Only three times ever (not including ties) has there been a wire-to-wire PGA champ, and not since Hal Sutton in 1983.

Pick: No (-3300)

Winning Nationality Odds

What Will Be the Nationality of the Winner? Odds
USA -140
The Field +110

Six of the top nine players teeing it up are American, with the exceptions being Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, and Francesco Molinari. In recent years this is virtually split, with the field actually winning six of the last eleven editions.

Pick: The Field (+110)

Against the Field Props

Two Players Against the Field Odds
D. Johnson/B. Koepka wins PGA +450
Field Wins PGA -700

Amazingly DJ somehow has only one career major championship. Koepka has three in his last seven (didn’t play 2018 Masters). Still much more wise to bet against them.

Pick: Field Wins PGA (-700)

Tournament Matchups

Dustin Johnson vs Rory McIlroy Odds

Dustin Johnson vs Rory McIlroy Odds
Dustin Johnson -120
Rory McIlroy -110

Rory has been absolutely ridiculous this season, with the Masters being his only tournament outside the top-10. He’s won the Players Championship this year while DJ picked off the WGC-Mexico Championship. McIlroy is first in strokes gained tee to green and total strokes gained.

Pick: Rory McIlroy (-110)

Brooks Koepka vs Justin Rose Odds

Brooks Koepka vs Justin Rose Odds
Brooks Koepka -120
Justin Rose -110

Koepka has just one finish worse than 13th in his last seven majors, while Rose has four instances in that same span.

Pick: Brooks Koepka (-120)

Author Image