Next First-Time Golf Major Winner Odds: Hovland And Aberg Lead Elite Field

Xander Schauffele recently captured the USPGA Championship at Valhalla and golf betting sites have turned their attention to which player could become the next first-time major winner.

The understated American had developed a reputation as the nearly man of elite golf, having posted 12 top 10s in his previous 27 major appearances without lifting a trophy, but he finally got his hands on one in Kentucky.

Schauffele birdied the long 72nd hole for a one-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau and simultaneously broke the record score to par in majors at 21 under.

After Schauffele’s thrilling victory, we’re examining the players in the queue for success at the highest level and their next first-time golf major winner odds.

Hovland And Aberg Top Of The Tree

Viktor Hovland considered pulling out of the USPGA Championship because of his poor form, but the Norwegian looked transformed in the year’s second major.

Hovland briefly held the lead on the back nine and was still in with a chance of winning when he teed off at the 17th, but he missed a makeable birdie and then three-putted the closing hole for a bogey to finish in third place.

Since the 2022 Open, Hovland has finished seventh or better in four of the last seven majors and he was inside the top 20 in two others, with a missed cut at this year’s Masters the only blemish.

Hovland has yet to post a top 10 at the US Open and his best performance in that major came as a leading amateur on his 2019 debut when he finished 12th, so he needs to step up if he is to get the job done at Pinehurst in June.

However, his performance at Valhalla bodes well for the future and he is the fifth favourite at 18/1 with Bet 365 to win The Open Championship at Royal Troon, so he could even break his duck this year.

Hot on his heels at 5/2 is Hovland’s Ryder Cup partner Ludvig Aberg, who finished runner-up on his major debut at the US Masters in April, although he subsequently missed the cut at Valhalla.

Aberg only turned professional in June last year, but the Swedish sensation has already risen to sixth in the world rankings on the back of his first PGA Tour title at the RSM Classic which came just six weeks after a runners-up spot at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

This year, Aberg already has five top 10s to his name on the PGA Tour, including eighth at The Players Championship, so it only seems to be a matter of time before he wins one of the four majors, bearing in mind three of them take place on American soil.

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Open And Shut Case For Fleetwood?

The Open was widely regarded as Fleetwood’s best chance of capturing a major considering he was born in Southport which has the highest concentration of championship links courses in the UK.

That said, Fleetwood has finished in the top five in three of his last seven US Open appearances, including Los Angeles Country Club last year, and posted third place at Augusta in April.

However, The Open is top of Fleetwood’s priorities and he would equal Rory McIlroy’s victory in 2014 in terms of popularity among British fans should he win in July.

Fleetwood is 25/1 with Bet365 to get his hands on the Claret Jug in South Ayrshire and new betting sites make him 4/1 to be the latest first-time major winner.

Cantlay And Homa Have Major Obstacles

Patrick Cantlay was widely regarded as one of the next major winners in waiting, but he has recorded just two top 10s in 19 appearances since posting ninth at the US Masters in 2019 which he immediately followed with third spot at the USPGA Championship.

The American remains in the world’s top 10 but he hasn’t lifted a trophy since winning the BMW Championship for a second time almost two years ago and is 5/1 to become the latest first-time major champion.

Max Homa had a dismal major record between 2019-23, but his fortunes seem to have changed on the back of a surprising 10th-placed finish at Hoylake 12 months ago.

Homa followed that up with third at the Masters and although he was never in the running at Valhalla, the feeling is that this six-time PGA Tour champion is starting to turn a corner and is justifiably 6/1 with betting apps to be the next major champion. 

Niemann Could Have Trouble Ahead

No-one can doubt Joaquin Niemann’s talent, but his decision to jump ship and join LIV Golf means that he will experience problems making it to the starting line-up of majors.

Unlike previous champions Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, the Chilean has no exemptions to play in major tournaments and as things stand he will have to go through qualifying to make it to the US Open.

LIV Golf players are not awarded world ranking points, so despite winning twice on the breakaway tour this year, Niemann’s current standing of 88th will only dip further unless there is a radical shift in policy.

Niemann has also yet to post a top 10 in 21 major outings, missing the cut in seven of them, so he needs to improve if he is to become the next first-time major winner for which he is 7/1.

Zalatoris Stands Out As Major Threat

One player who thrives in the atmosphere of majors is Will Zalatoris, who has finished runner-up in all three American majors, going closest at the 2022 USPGA Championship during which he lost a three-hole aggregate play-off with Justin Thomas.

Remarkably, Zalatoris has never failed to finish inside the top 10 in three visits to Augusta, but he missed most of the 2022-23 season after undergoing back surgery.

Zalatoris’ sole PGA Tour victory came at the Fedex St Jude Championship in August 2022 when he beat Sepp Straka in a play-off, but he has been runner-up on five occasions.

Betting sites make Zalatoris 8/1 to be the next man to break the major duck, the same price as Tyrrell Hatton, who is eligible to play at this year’s US Open despite joining LIV.

Hatton has posted top 10s in all four majors, including this year’s US Masters, but just six in 36 appearances suggests he is not about to break the mould any time soon.

Winless Young Impresses In Big Tournaments

Cameron Young has played only 12 majors yet has five top 10s which ordinarily would point to the American being a candidate.

Young enjoyed a remarkable Open debut in 2022 when he missed out on the title by one shot from Cameron Smith and a year later he was eighth at Hoylake, so he seems to have a taste for links golf.

However, Young has a poor US Open record and has yet to win on the PGA Tour, so betting sites have made him available at 9/1.

Tony Finau had a stunning spate of nine top 10s in 13 majors between 2018-21, but his best position in the last 12 was 15th place at Royal St George’s three years ago.

With encouraging major performances drying up, Finau is 10/1 to be the next first-time major champion.

One player being talked about as a major force in the game of golf is Sahith Theegala, who won his first PGA Tour title at the Fortinet Championship last year and has been runner-up twice in 2024.

The 26-year-old American’s best major showing was ninth at the 2023 US Masters, but an encouraging 12th at Valhalla suggests he could soon become a contender. Theegala is 12/1 to next join the list of first-time major winners so backing him with a free bet could be a good long term option.

* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.