FIVE PLAYERS MOST LIKELY TO WIN AT THIS WEEK’S US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Jon Turner profiles a quintet of those in contention for victory at the Bellerive Country Club
The fourth and final major of the golf season begins today as the world’s finest players descend on the Bellerive Country Club in Missouri for the US PGA Championship.
Ahead of the first tee shot, we take a look at five players that we expect to contend for the title.
Justin Thomas
Only one player has successfully defended the US PGA Championship title since the tournament switched to stroke play in 1958. That player was Tiger Woods. And he did it twice. Can Thomas go where only Woods has gone before? Based on his stunning WGC-Bridgestone Invitational victory at Firestone last time out, he will be confident of successive wins.
The 25-year-old American is the most complete player in the world at present, and his scoring averages this season have been remarkable. Combine the health of his game with the sky-high confidence and momentum he’s carrying, and there will be few surprises if he was to emulate Woods.
Rory McIlroy
How many times can a player of McIlroy’s talent be in Sunday contention before finally claiming the win? At both the US Masters and British Open, McIlroy was firmly in the mix before falling short. Likewise at Firestone this past Sunday, when a disappointing final round put paid to his chances.
But the game is right there, and on a course such as Bellerive and its PGA Championship specifics, McIlroy
– a two-time winner of the tournament – really should excel. This tournament often favours the bigger drivers, and few are better equipped in that department than the 29-yearold Northern Irishman.
If he can sustain the levels he has often displayed this season across all four days in Bellerive, McIlroy will take some beating.
Jon Rahm
Seven of the past eight PGA Championship winners have been first-time major champions, and world No 7 Rahm could well add to that statistic. The 23-year-old Spaniard has been a revelation since bursting onto the scene two years ago, with five worldwide wins already, including the European Tour season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Missed cuts in his past two majors – the US Open and British Open – are causes for concern, but his solo fourth at the Masters provided further evidence that Rahm is more than comfortable fighting at the top of the leaderboard at the biggest tournaments.
He is undoubtedly a majorchampion-in-waiting, and the supremely talented Rahm may well end his short wait for a big title on Sunday.
Rickie Fowler
Speaking of potential firsttime major winners (Rahm) and players due a big win (McIlroy), few fall into both categories quite like Fowler.
The 29-year-old American continues to come close to breaking his major duck, with a solo second at the Masters representing his latest nearmiss. Surely it has to happen sooner rather than later. Right?
Fowler’s game should be well-suited to Bellerive: he has plenty of length and is one of the finest putters around. Until he wins a major, though, there will always be doubts, and the pressure only intensifies the longer the wait continues.
One of these days, it will all go Fowler’s way, so why not this week in Missouri?
Dustin Johnson
The world No 1 enters the PGA Championship as the firm favourite – and it’s pretty clear to see why. Before failing to reach the weekend at the British Open last month – his first missed cut of the season – Johnson posted eight top 10 finishes in 11 events, including two titles and a thirdplace at the US Open.
The blip at Carnoustie has certainly not derailed the American, who responded by winning the Canadian Open and finishing tiedthird at Firestone, and he leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: total, and is first in eagles, birdies and scoring average (68.601).
Johnson, 34, has seen his major bids halted this season by one poor round, but, quite simply, no one can hang with him when he’s dialled in. It’s almost criminal that Johnson has only one major to his name. That could very well change come Sunday.