Rory McIlroy USPGA Championship Odds: Can He Finally Win Another Major?

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Rory McIlroy USPGA Championship Odds: Can He Finally Win Another Major?
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Rory McIlroy USPGA Championship Betting Predictions:

In-form Rory McIlroy returns to the scene of his last major success this week and betting sites have priced him as the second favourite to win the USPGA Championship behind new dad Scottie Scheffler.

McIlroy warmed up for the second major of the year by winning the pairs event with Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans which he followed by capturing the Wells Fargo Championship for a fourth time.

Despite a double-bogey at the last, McIlroy still finished five shots clear of nearest challenger Xander Schauffele thanks to a closing 65 at Quail Hollow.

McIlroy also won the week before his last major success, the USPGA at Valhalla in 2014, so it’s small wonder the popular Northern Irishman feels that the “stars are aligning”.

He said: “I really got some confidence winning in New Orleans with Shane. Coming into this week, at a golf course I am comfortable with, my golf swing feels more comfortable than it has done.

"Going to a venue next week where I have won, it feels like the stars are aligning a little bit. But I have a lot of golf to play and a lot of great players to try to beat. I am going into the next major of the year feeling really good about myself." 

McIlroy remains a best-priced 15/2 with BetMGM to win a fifth major title on Sunday despite filing for divorce from his wife a day after winning at Quail Hollow, but here we look at some of the golf betting sites to examine the merits of the other markets.

Rory McIlroy USPGA Championship Odds 

McIlroy may be at the top of his game right now, but he still has to finish above world No.1 Scheffler and a host of LIV golfers, such as three-time champion Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, if he is to lift the Wanamaker Trophy.

Scheffler was a minor doubt to be playing this week, but on Monday it was revealed his wife had finally given birth to a son last Wednesday which meant the American “took a more significant break than I would have”, adding that he is “prepared as possible” for the challenge in Kentucky.

His form heading to Louisville is spectacular, having won four of his last five tournaments, one of which was the US Masters, with the only ‘failure’ a runners-up spot at the Houston Open.

Scheffler’s odds on a third major title have drifted slightly from 7/2 to 4/1 on betting apps because of his less-than-ideal preparation, but he is head and shoulders above the the rest of the field right now.

With that in mind, Bet365 are offering 25/1 on a McIlroy/Scheffler dual forecast which means both players must finish in the top two in any order.

McIlroy has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last nine majors, including two runners-up spots at last year’s US Open and the Masters in 2022, so his form in elite tournaments cannot be questioned, even if it has been a decade since his last triumph.

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Bet365 also offers another interesting way of boosting the odds on McIlroy, who is priced at 45/1 to win via a play-off.

Valhalla has hosted the USPGA Championship on three occasions and the first two both required more than 72 holes, Mark Brooks beating Kenny Perry in a play-off in 1996, and Tiger Woods edging out Bob May four years later.

McIlroy only won by a shot at Valhalla in 2014, but Phil Mickelson nearly forced a play-off at the last when his eagle putt narrowly missed the target, so this track has a tendency to produce close encounters.

This lengthy 7,675 yard par-71 course is now much tougher than in the past and a winner in single figures is more than likely, with an increased chance of a bunched leaderboard on Sunday.

McIlroy To Ror Out Of The Blocks?

For those who like to dabble in the first-round leader market, McIlroy is available at 18/1 with BetVictor to be top of the pile on Thursday, which certainly has its merits.

The world No. 2 led the field alongside Lowry in New Orleans three weeks ago, The Players Championship in March and Dubai Invitational at the start of the year, so he has form for making fast starts.

Boylesports are offering 5/1 on either McIlroy, Scheffler or Rahm leading after the first round as a special.

The same bookmaker goes 100/1 on McIlroy making a hole in one or 50/1 on a wire-to-wire victory, something he achieved at Hoylake in the same year he won the USPGA Championship for a second time.

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