The last time the PGA Championship was contested at Valhalla Golf Club back in 2000, a certain individual named Tiger Woods produced a magical Sunday afternoon that up to now lives long in the memory of golf fans. Down by two with 12 holes to play in regulation, Woods went on a scoring spree, shooting seven-under-par the rest of the way to force a playoff with 31-year-old journeyman Bob May.
In the playoff, Woods was just as clutch, making a birdie and two ice-cold pars to seal a hat-trick of major titles in 2000 that included record-setting wins at the U.S. Open (where he won by 15 shots) and the British Open (won by eight strokes). He would later complete the Tiger Slam by capturing the 2001 Masters, and in the process, hold all four major titles at once.
Tiger may live long in the memory because of that performance 14 years ago, but if not for unheralded Bob May pushing him on that Sunday afternoon, there would be no legendary story to tell. Read on as we highlight three golfers who we think can pull off a Bob May and not just contend for but also win this year’s PGA Championship, cashing in for their bettors all the while. You can also check out our preview for the year’s final major here.
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Three 2014 PGA Championship High-Value Sleeper Picks
If there’s one guy on the PGA Tour who could be destined to break through and win his first ever major title this year at Valhalla, it’s Jason Day. He has come close to winning his first major many times, finishing in the top-10 of a major tournament seven times in the last five years, including twice in the PGA Championship.
[sc:Golf240banner ]He finished in a tie for eighth last year at Oak Hill and the more he puts himself in contention on these Sunday afternoons, the chances are he will eventually break through.
In fact, in the PGA Championship’s recent history, records show that the odds are in favor of golfers who have not yet won a major title. 17 of the last 26 PGA champions won their first major championship in this event. 13 of those 17 winners are still stuck on one major victory.
One explanation for this is that the PGA Championship closely resembles a regular PGA Tour event which gives less-accomplished players a greater chance of winning the tournament. Day has already proven this year that he can win a PGA Tour event, winning the Accenture World Golf Championships Matchplay event in Arizona last February, outlasting Victor Dubuisson over 23 holes.
That event pitted the 64 best golfers in the world. Day is listed at +2,500 to defeat 155 other golfers next week and win his first ever PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Jason Dufner
Most of the headlines entering the year’s final major revolve around whether big names like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods can take down the last major of the season.
That sits perfectly fine with defending champion Jason Dufner who prefers to do the talking on the golf course, just like he did last year at Oak Hill where he came back from a shot down to beat Jim Furyk by two shots on Sunday.
Dufner, priced at +2,800, may have struggled in the first three major tournaments of the season, missing the cut at both the Masters and the U.S. Open before finishing a lowly 51st in the British Open, but his game seems to be custom fit to the PGA Championship layout.
He has finished in the top 5 of the PGA Championship thrice in the past four years. Aside from his win last year, he finished in a tie for fifth in 2010 as well as a runner-up finish in 2011 to Keegan Bradley where he lost in heartbreaking fashion via playoff.
Create a betting account now and cash in on the world’s best golfers as they try to win the year’s final major tournament.
Graeme McDowell
It’s hard to believe but it’s already been four years since Graeme McDowell held off the advances of major winners such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els in the back nine to win the 2010 U.S. Open and claim his first ever major title.
He has only won once on American soil since then, a playoff victory over Webb Simpson at the RBC Heritage golf tournament last year, but he is perfectly poised next week to win his second major crown at Valhalla.
McDowell has been solid so far this season, evidenced by his winning performance at the French Open earlier this month where he came back from eight shots down to stun overnight leader Kevin Stadler and win by a stroke.
Heading into the PGA Championship, McDowell has recorded back-to-back top-10s, finishing ninth at both the British Open and the Canadian Open just these past two weeks. McDowell, pegged at +3,500, also had an impressive showing at the golfing world’s final major last year, finishing in a tie for 12th place.
Cash in on one of the smaller names and find yourself enjoying far better value than if you bet on the Rorys or the Tigers.
