Collin Morikawa will look to defend his PGA Championship title this week at the t Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. This will be the 103rd edition of the PGA Championship, which was first staged in 1916. Who will take home the Wanakamer Trophy this time around along with a big check? Check out our preview of some of the favorites, sleepers, and long shots to win the 2021 PGA Championship.
After winning his first PGA TOUR event in a long while, McIlroy is looking to keep his momentum going when he hits the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island this week. McIlroy, who just won the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club earlier this month, has five top 10s and 12 made cuts in 13 starts. McIlroy is sixth this season among all players in terms of birdies per round, 8th in eagles (holes per), and second in driving distance (yards per).
Thomas has got to be among the names you have to watch out for this week. Even though he’s coming off a T26 at the Wells Fargo Championship, the last event he started, Thomas is 6 of 6 in his last six events. That stretch includes his win at THE PLAYERS Championship and a T13 at the Valspar Championship. Overall this season, Thomas has five top 10s in 14 starts. Take note of this as well: Thomas is No. 1 this season with a birdie average of 4.8.
Rahm is coming off a T34 at the AT&T Byron Nelson which succeeded a missed cut at the Wells Fargo Championship. But if you take a further step back and check out his last nine starts, you’d see that Rahm has cracked the top 10 six times and made the cut nine times. Moreover, Rahm has nine top 10s in 15 total starts this season. He has yet to win this season, but Rahm has at least one PGA TOUR event win in each of the last four years.
Finau didn’t take part in last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson, but he’s listed on the field for this upcoming tournament in South Carolina. The last time he saw action, Finau picked up his second missed cut in three starts. However, don’t let that discourage you from looking towards his direction, as Finau has been a strong performer in major events over the past few years. He had a T4 at the PGA Championship in 2020 and a T5 at the 2019 Masters Tournament.
Smith has skipped the last three PGA TOUR events, but in the last one he was part of, he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans together with partner Marc Leishman in April. This season, Smith has six top 10s in 15 starts.
McDowell has missed the cut a total of nine times in 14 starts this season, though he’s cracked the top 10 once when he went with a T4 at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship last March.
Singh has not won a PGA TOUR event since 2008. His best days are clearly way behind him, but who knows if he can recapture his old glory in one of these tournaments? Singh is a two-time PGA Championship winner, winning the Wanamaker Trophy in 1998 and 2004.
