2023 PGA Championship - Preview Day Three
Credit: Getty Images

Placing a wager on golf is not just limited to picking the winner. Much like any regular round, we can have fun by creating multiple contests. Think of the last on course experience you had. Was there a match? Maybe it was a tournament where there was a contest, or you finished fifth overall. In all cases, wagering on the PGA Championship is the same thing.

One of the most popular bets on the market are placement props (proposition bets). You choose whether a player will finish in the top 5, top 10, etc. These contests have varying odds and create endless entertainment late on Sunday as the championship closes. After breaking down the course, watching players prepare, and surveying the odds board, here are four outstanding weekend wagers.

2023 PGA Championship - Preview Day Two
Xander Schauffele of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the practice range during a practice round prior to the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club on May 16, 2023 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Credit: Getty Images

· Jon Rahm is not only one of the favorites to win, but he has the lowest first-round scoring average on the PGA TOUR. An excellent driver and ranked first in the field on approach he’s going to get off to a hot start in Round 1. BetMGM offers a top 5 first-round contest. Take Rahm at +375 and start building your bankroll for the week.

· Xander Schauffele’s odds to win have dropped steadily since Monday. Grab him on BetMGM (+160) to finish in the top 10. Since 2017, Xander has the fifth best scoring average in major championships at 70.62. In those 23 starts he has finished in the top 10, 10 times.

· Oak Hill requires incredible iron game acumen. Sixty percent of the approach shots are played from over 175 yards. Since the last PGA, Tony Finau has won four times and become one of the world’s best approach players. BetMGM offers even money (+100) to have Finau finish in the top 20.

· In nine of his last 10 starts, Taylor Moore has finished in the top 40. In those 10 tournaments, Moore has gained over five strokes total against the field. Jump to BetMGM and take Taylor to finish in the top 40 at +130.

All operators offer placements bets. I chose the odds from BetMGM because they don’t split ties. Although other books may offer a larger positive return, if you tie for the final spot, your winnings will be split. Little details can be incredibly valuable in playing and betting the PGA Championship.

Keith Stewart, PGA covers the PGA TOUR and LPGA from a betting perspective. Published by Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, and PGA TOUR, Keith is also the founder of a golf betting media company called Read The Line.

The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (“PGA”) is not an online gambling operator, and PGAChampionship.com is not a gambling site of any kind. Odds are provided for information and entertainment purposes only. Odds were sourced from BetMGM and last updated 12 p.m. EST May 17, 2023. PGA makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of information given.

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