Who Will Contend At This Week’s USPGA Championship?
Aronimink Golf Club, close to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, will host next week’s USPGA Championship. It will be the second time the course has hosted what is now the second major of the season, following on from its last hosting the event in 1962.
Gary Player was the winner the last time the USPGA was contested at the course, but it will be a different name on the trophy this week as a host of the world’s top golfing superstars will head to Newtown Square in the hope of following Rory McIlroy into the history books as the second winner of a major in 2026.
Of course, McIlroy himself will want to add to his second Masters Green Jacket, which he won last month at Augusta and the Irishman is one of several top stars the bookmakers feel have a good chance of lifting the famous Wanamaker Trophy.
Contenders This Week At Aronimink?
- Scottie Scheffler (United States) – 4.5
- Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) – 9.0
- Bryson DeChambeau (United States) – 11.00
- Jon Rahm (Spain) – 12.0
- Xander Schauffele (United States) – 17.00
- Cam Young (United States) – 19.00
- Matt Fitzpatrick (England), Ludvig Aberg (Sweden), Collin Morikawa (United States) – 23.00
- Tommy Fleetwood (England) – 26.00
- Justin Thomas (United States) – 34.00
- Justin Rose (England), Brooks Koepka (United States), Viktor Hovlund (Norway) – 36.00
- Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Tyrrell Hatton (England), Patrick Reed (United States) – 41.00
- Chris Gotterup (United States), Patrick Cantlay (United States) – 46.00
- 50.0 bar.
The bookmakers unsurprisingly have World Number 1 Scottie Scheffler as their favourite to win the event. Scheffler won the event for the first time in his career last year at Quail Hollow and his five-shot victory demonstrated his dominance of the course and field across the four days.
However, expect Rory McIlroy to come into this event feeling he can do well. A two-time Champion himself, he will feel his game is in shape to do well here.
You also cannot discount the LIV Golf duo Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, both of whom are Major winners and both of whom will feel they have a point to prove after less than stellar showings at Augusta last month.
In-form Cam Young, who pushed McIlroy all the way at Augusta is a good option also, as is the in form Justin Rose, while Tommy Fleetwood will feel he has a good chance of breaking his Major duck on a course that should suit his game.
However our pick to win is England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (23.00). Not only is he a recent winner, he is a former US Open Champion and his form is outstanding at the moment.
Any Each Way Outsiders to Consider?
The USPGA Championship has seen a number of surprise winners in the past including the likes of Jimmy Walker in 2016, Yang Yong-eun in 2009 and Shaun Micheel in 2003. Could an outsider also perform well this time around in Pennsylvania?
A couple of players did well at Augusta but faded on the final round. Shane Lowry (56.00) and Gary Woodland (81.00) are two players, both of whom are major winners and both of whom have been in solid form. Lowry in particular is overdue a victory and has finished in the top ten on three occasions in the last seven USPGA Championships.
But for a good each way bet, our pick would be Justin Spieth (71.00). A native of Pennsylvania, he will enjoy great support and while he has not won a tournament since 2022, his form has shown signs of getting back to somewhere near his best form, which saw him win three Majors in a two-year spell.
