2022 PGA Championship 2nd Round Odds, Preview and Picks
- Rory McIlroy leads the PGA Championship by one over Will Zalatoris and Tom Hoge after the first round
- 26 players are within four shots of top spot including Justin Thomas, who is two back
- See the updated 2022 PGA Championship odds below for Friday’s second round within the story below
Through 18 holes of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills, Rory McIlroy holds the outright lead by one stroke over Will Zalatoris and Tom Hoge.
In each of McIlroy’s four major wins, he was either in the lead or one shot back after the first day, which bodes well in his quest to win his first major since 2014. He entered the week among the favorites to add to his major collection, after his runner-up at last month’s Masters.
The wind picked up in the afternoon, making this track play very difficult, as the threesome of the top-three golfers in the world (Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa) all shot over par.
Other big names to struggle on day one included Jordan Spieth (+2), Dustin Johnson (+3), Tiger Woods (+4), Brooks Koepka (+5), and Patrick Cantlay (+6). Read on to see the updated odds and best value bets.
2022 Updated PGA Championship Odds
| Golfer | Position | Score | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | 1st | -5 | +300 |
| Justin Thomas | T-4th | -3 | +700 |
| Will Zalatoris | T-2nd | -4 | +1000 |
| Xander Schauffele | T-7th | -2 | +1200 |
| Cameron Smith | T-7th | -2 | +1200 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | T-7th | -2 | +2000 |
| Scottie Scheffler | T-38th | +1 | +2000 |
| Tom Hoge | T-2nd | -4 | +2500 |
| Joaquin Niemann | T-7th | -2 | +2500 |
| Viktor Hovland | T-27th | EVEN | +2800 |
| Abraham Ancer | T-4th | -3 | +3000 |
| Matt Kuchar | T-4th | -3 | +3500 |
| Shane Lowry | T-27th | EVEN | +3500 |
| Tony Finau | T-16th | -1 | +4000 |
| Jordan Spieth | T-56th | +2 | +5000 |
Odds as of May 19th at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Tiger Woods had it going early on in his first tournament since the Masters, starting two-under-par through the first five holes. He followed that up by shooting six-over-par the rest of the way to card a 4-over, 74, which is a full nine back of his player partner McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy Jumps Out To Early Lead
A running theme for Rory McIlroy since he last won a major at the 2014 PGA has been a lousy first round scoring average, followed by him battling back to post a respectable finish in the event.
This time, he played a brilliant round with seven birdies against two bogeys to post the best opening round score. It’s unfamiliar territory in recent years for the Ulsterman, as he leads after any round of a major for the first time in eight years.
Rory McIlroy: 65, his lowest opening round score in a major since the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional.
Last 4 times he's opened a major with 66 or better:
2011 U.S. Open (W)
2014 Open (W)
2014 PGA (W)
2022 PGA— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) May 19, 2022
McIlroy ranked fourth in both strokes gained off-the-tee and putting on Thursday, which is a dangerous combo, given that he finally got the first round struggles monkey off his back. He’s ranked third in total strokes gained the last 24 rounds on tour, so it would be a stunner if he wasn’t at least in the mix come Sunday afternoon.
The issue with running out to lay a sizeable wager on the two-time PGA champion is his incredible low +300 odds to win outright. That simply is not an enticing number for a player who has been stuck at four majors, without a trophy in his last 27 grand slam events.
The better line is Justin Thomas, who shot a scintillating 3-under-par, 67 in the tougher afternoon conditions. The 2017 PGA champion has posted top-10’s in five of his last seven stroke play events, and he’s just two back. His odds of +700 are much more intriguing than the low price ticket on Rory.
2022 PGA Championship Best Live Value Picks
- Matt Fitzpatrick (+2000): Though he’s still looking for his first win Stateside, two-time European Ryder-Cupper Matt Fitzpatrick is built for tough championships, excelling when the going gets tougher. Nine of his last 11 worldwide starts he’s been inside the top-20, including six top-10’s, with a runner-up in his last tournament. He’s just three back after a solid 68 where he made four birdies and two bogeys.
- Viktor Hovland (+2800): Norwegian sensation Viktor Hovland knows how to win on the PGA Tour, as he has three trophies already. The superstar in the making has racked up three wins in the last half year worldwide and has been knocking on the door and ready to take that next step in his career. He’s been nothing worse than 33rd in the eight majors he’s completed, and is third in SG: approach this year and fourth in birdie average. Hovland fired a solid even par, 70, to sit five adrift.
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Michael "Hound Dog" Harrison is well known in the sports industry as the resident statistician for the SC with Jay Onrait Show. He has worked at TSN for over 16 years, where he's been featured on Sportscentre, That's Hockey, That's Hockey 2Nite, The Masters preview shows, and several more.
