PGA Championship Betting – Stricker Keeps Roll Of First-Time Major Winners Going In Atlanta

July 22, 2011

Online betting players are witnessing golf like we haven’t seen in a long time: after the dominance of Tiger Woods, golf is now completely wide open and anyone can win on any given weekend, especially in the major championships, which has had six straight first-time winners. Look for a veteran American to make it seven when the 93rd edition of the PGA Tournament returns to Atlanta Athletic Club for the first time in 10 years.

What: Golf Betting
When: Thursday, August 11th - Sunday, August 14th
Where: Atlanta Athletic Club, Atlanta, GA
Pick: Steve Stricker +2050

The Favorites

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (+715) is coming off a T-25 at the British Open after romping through the U.S. Open, and he seems to love the PGA Championship, finishing T-3 in each of the last two years. Phil Mickelson (+1015) is a threat after coming in T-2 in England, and he had a real shot at winning, but four bogeys on the back nine ruined his chances. Mickelson, who won the 2005 PGA Championship, finished a stroke behind David Toms when this event was last held in Atlanta in 2001, and he should be confident after playing well in a tournament where he usually doesn’t perform to his abilities. The world’s top players, Luke Donald (+1215) and Lee Westwood (+1015), both missed the cut in their home country last weekend, and both have T-3 finishes at the PGA Championship (Donald in 2006, Westwood in 2009), but they’ve got their hands full trying to bounce back from their disappointments at the British Open.

Defending champion Martin Kaymer (+1615) is also in the mix, and he is coming off a T-12 at the British Open in a performance that should have been worse, but Kaymer made a number of clutch shots and the German never seems to be flustered at these events. Sometimes his swing lets him down, but it’s not nerves: Kaymer doesn’t have any, and that’s why he’s always a golf betting threat. Tiger Woods (+1615) is also listed as a golf betting option, but it would be surprising if he even played. He has skipped the past two majors because of his leg injuries, and it may be best for the 14-time major champion to sit out the rest of the year. 

The Second Tier

Dustin Johnson (+2050) will be remembered for grounding his club in an unknown bunk at Whistling Straits in this event last year, and after the British Open, Johnson has now played in the final group three times in the last six majors. However, Johnson just can’t seem to solve Sundays when it comes to major championships, which shows that he has some mental issues to work out. It’s definitely not physical because Johnson is one of the top players in the world when it comes to natural talent. Steve Stricker (+2050) doesn’t have Johnson’s talent, but he’s steady and a T-12 at the British Open was his fourth top-20 in a row in a major. In 11 stroke-play starts in 2011, Stricker has finished outside of the top 20 just once and he has two wins in his last four starts.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia (+2550) burst on the scene with a second-place result at the 1999 PGA Championship, and he finished T-10 in Atlanta in 2001. Garcia is on a roll after finishing T-9 at the British Open, his second straight top-10 in a major, and if he can keep his putter under control, he could finally win a major championship and as 42-year-old Darren Clarke proved over in England, there is always time to win a major, even though golf is getting younger.

The Longshots

Masters champion and South African Charl Schwartzel (+2850) has finished in the top 20 of all three majors this year after a T-16 at the British Open, and he finished T-18 in the PGA Championship last year, so he’s no flash in the pan. Rickie Fowler (+3050) came in T-5 in England, his best finish ever in a major, and like his fellow 22-year-old McIlroy, Fowler has an incredible amount of talent and he seems to have the mental fortitude: all he needs is experience.

Another young gun, 23-year-old Jason Day (+3250) from Australia, came in T-30 at the British Open after back-to-back runner-up finishes in the first two majors of the year, and if it’s warm in Atlanta, it shouldn’t bother Day, who lives in Texas. The real longshot for golf betting players is David Toms (+5250), who edged Mickelson to win the PGA Championship in 2001 here, but he has struggled since a playoff loss at the Players Championship and winning at Colonial, missing the cut twice (including at the U.S. Open), he withdrew from the John Deere Classic due to injury and he sat out the British Open. Be sure to check the field to see if he’ll actually play ahead of the tournament.

Prediction

Non-American players have won the last six major championships, with Northern Ireland winning three, South Africa taking a pair and then Germany in last year’s PGA Championship, so that will be a prevailing storyline ahead of this event. However, the Americans really threatened at the British Open, which was a huge surprise, and they could be preparing to take back the majors.

The pick here is Stricker, who has been as steady as anyone all season long, he has great all-around stats and he has long been considered the best putter on the PGA Tour (Stricker ranks first in putting). He doesn’t hit it long, but Stricker is straight and if it’s hot, that will dry the course out and he’ll get length that way. From tee to green, you may not find a better player than Stricker, and another thing to consider: the last six major winners have been first-time champions. Look for the 44-year-old American to make it seven, and lay a wager on Steve Stricker in your Golf Betting book.

PGA Championship Betting Pick: Steve Stricker (+2050)