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PGA Championship: Tiger Woods opens at 20/1, with Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth the Bellerive favorites
PAUL ELLIS
Dustin Johnson had a quick exit at Carnoustie. Oddsmakers think it will be a different tale at Bellerive.
Not long after Francesco Molinari lifted the claret jug in triumph, gambling books released odds for the 2018 PGA Championship. And it's the World No. 1 who comes in as favorite, with the 34-year-old listed at 14-1. Prior to his missed Open cut, Johnson had eight top 10s in 12 starts this year, and ranks first in the FedEx Cup and first in strokes gained. He has solid track record at "glory's last shot," although his highest finish remains the T-5 from the waste area debacle at Whistling Straits in 2010.
Trailing just behind DJ is Rory McIlroy, who shrugged off a stumble out of the gate for a strong finish at Carnoustie. The Ulsterman, a two-time Wanamaker champ, is listed at 16-1 following his T-2 performance this weekend.
Joining McIlroy is Jordan Spieth, who will be hoping to wash the sour Sunday taste from Carnoustie when he heads to St. Louis. Spieth is gunning to complete the career Grand Slam at Bellerive, as well as a turn in PGA fortune. Aside from a runner-up finish to Jason Day in 2015, the final major has not been kind to the Texan, his next best finish a T-13 in four other appearances.
Tiger Woods, fresh off a sterling weekend at Carnoustie, is not far behind at 20-1. The 42-year-old, who held the lead halfway through the final round, will be making his first PGA Championship appearance since 2015. Woods has four wins at the championship, although just one top 25 since he finished runner-up to Y.E. Yang in 2009. Woods is tagged at 20-1.
Justin Rose, who made the Carnoustie cut on the number and charged all the way to T-2, is at 18-1, just ahead of Rickie Fowler (20-1), Justin Thomas (21-1) and Jon Rahm (22-1). Molinari, now with three wins on the summer, joins Jason Day at 25-1, while U.S. Open champ Brooks Koepka is at 28-1.
Meanwhile, poor Xander Schauffele can't get any love. Despite finishing T-2 at the Open, to go with a T-6 at Shinnecock, the reigning Rookie of the Year owns a 50-1 mark. Given his trajectory in just two years on tour, that's a number ambitious gamblers might want to grab while they can.
Other notables include Patrick Reed (32-1), Phil Mickelson (40-1) and Hideki Matsuyama (45-1).
The 100th PGA Championship begins August 9th. Justin Thomas is the reigning champ.