Three players to watch at the PGA Championship

It is time for another major championship in men’s pro golf. The 105th PGA Championship tees off Thursday morning, with Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, N.Y., hosting. 

Heading into the week, storylines abound. Can Justin Thomas snap back into form in his title defense? Can Jon Rahm make a run at consecutive majors? Can Jordan Spieth complete the career grand slam? It figures to be a hectic and entertaining week in upstate New York, so here are two favorites and one dark horse to watch. Odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Scottie Scheffler (+750 to win)

There is no doubt Scheffler is one of the two best players in the world, and Oak Hill should afford him a chance to bag a second major title. Despite struggling on the greens throughout his Masters title defense last month, Scheffler still finished in a tie for 10th at four-under. Add victories at the WM Phoenix Open and The Players Championship, and 2023 has so far been quite the encore to Scheffler’s career-altering 2022 campaign.

There is still room for this season to get even better for Scheffler, and the PGA Championship offers that chance. 

Jason Day (+2500 to win)

Last fall, Day was mired in a years-long slump, sitting at 175th in the Official World Golf Ranking and winless since 2018. 

But 2023 has been a resurgent year for the Australian, and that is putting it mildly. Since the Farmers Insurance Open at the end of January, Day has six top-10s and, at long last, a victory. At the AT&T Byron Nelson on Sunday, the 2015 PGA Championship winner shot a final-round 62 to vault to the top of the leaderboard. The one-shot win over Si Woo Kim and Austin Eckroat puts Day at 20th in the world and gives him serious mojo heading to Oak Hill.

Given his well-rounded skillset and status as a past champion, Day could very well be a factor down the stretch Sunday.

Keith Mitchell (+18000 to win)

Mitchell enters the week in a bit of a funk, with his lone top-10 since The Genesis Invitational in February coming at the team-oriented Zurich Classic of New Orleans. But Oak Hill should suit the Georgia alum, with long par fours dominating the par-70 layout.