The 2025 PGA Championship: Analysis and Predictions from Quail Hollow
The second major of the year is approaching with the 2025 PGA Championship, which will be held from Thursday to Sunday at Quail Hollow Club. Alofoke Deportes experts analyze the favorites and key bets for this prestigious tournament.
Expert Predictions
Matt Barrie: Rory McIlroy is his pick. Barrie trusts players who are at their peak, and Rory is. With the career Grand Slam already achieved, he returns to a course where he has won four times. It’s his playground, and he will win again.
Tory Barron: Justin Thomas is Barron’s pick. Despite any recent bias, Thomas is in a position to win the PGA Championship for the third time. After ending nearly three years without a win with a victory at the RBC Heritage in April and a second-place finish at the Truist Championship, he has the confidence and the putter to excel at Quail Hollow, where he lifted the Wanamaker Trophy in 2017.
Michael Collins: Scottie Scheffler is Collins’ pick. “How many times are we going to disrespect the world number 1?” Collins wonders. He believes Scheffler’s attitude is misinterpreted, but predicts he will prove his worth once again.
Jeff Darlington: Justin Thomas is also Darlington’s pick. He highlights Thomas’ resurgence since October 2024, with a second-place finish at the Zozo Championship. He returns to the place where he won his first PGA Championship, and Darlington predicts a new victory.
Michael Eaves: Rory McIlroy is Eaves’ pick. The victory at the Masters took a great weight off his shoulders. He believes he could be playing the most relaxed golf in almost a decade, and a pressure-free Rory is dangerous. Furthermore, with four previous wins at Quail Hollow, he dominates the course. Eaves anticipates conversations about the Grand Slam.
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Rory McIlroy is Lawrence-Riddell’s pick. He considers that sometimes the most obvious choice is the right one. With the Masters and the Grand Slam already under his belt, and being the best golfer in the world in 2025, added to a course where he has won four times and that rewards distance, Rory is his pick.
Andy North: Shane Lowry is North’s pick. He highlights his good game, his excellent ball striking off the tee, and his good iron shots.
Mark Schlabach: Bryson DeChambeau is Schlabach’s pick. If the winner needs length off the tee, solid play with long irons, and consistent putting, Schlabach is betting on Bryson. After a less-than-brilliant performance at the Masters, DeChambeau will be looking to prove himself, especially after his victory in the LIV Golf League in Korea.
Marty Smith: Rory McIlroy is Smith’s pick. He enters the PGA Championship after winning the two most prestigious tournaments of the year, the Players Championship and the Masters. With the pressure and constant questions from fourteen years ago, Smith sees Rory with confidence in every facet of his game. He returns to Quail Hollow, where he has the lowest scoring average in PGA Tour history among 246 players with at least 20 rounds played, and has won four times.
Curtis Strange: Rory McIlroy, about Scottie Scheffler, is Strange’s bet. He always supports the Masters champion at the PGA to be able to talk about the Grand Slam this year.
Paolo Uggetti: Rory McIlroy is Uggetti’s pick. Although it seems obvious given Rory’s form and his recent performance at Quail Hollow, he can’t bring himself to choose another player. He acknowledges the difficulty of winning a major, but believes everything aligns for Rory, who has proven to be the best golfer in the world this year.
Scott Van Pelt: Bryson DeChambeau is Van Pelt’s pick. Quail Hollow is a big course, and it’s also very wet this week. DeChambeau’s length advantage will be magnified this week, and Van Pelt believes he will win.
Betting Analysis
The experts from Alofoke Deportes also analyze the key bets for the tournament.
Tyler Fulghum, ESPN BET Live host:
- Winner: Xander Schauffele (+2000).
- McIlroy or Scheffler are very expensive. Schauffele has the disciplined and complete game to excel in a tournament like this.
David Gordon, ESPN Researcher:
- Winner: Lowry (+4500).
- Lowry should be near the top, but his odds don’t reflect it. If it’s not Rory or Xander, Gordon is picking Lowry, currently third in strokes gained: tee to green, with top-6 finishes in two of the last four PGA Championships.
Pamela Maldonado, betting analyst:
- Winner: McIlroy (+475).
- Quail Hollow is his kingdom. The course suits his strengths, and he has won here four times.
Favorite Bet for the Top 10:
Fulghum: Patrick Reed (+550). Reed has performed well in the majors.
Gordon: Bryson DeChambeau (+140). DeChambeau has had more top-5 finishes at the PGA Championships since 2020. His length off the tee and shorter rough have worked for recent winners at Quail Hollow.
Maldonado: Jon Rahm (+190). Rahm is long off the tee, precise with his long irons, and doesn’t shy away from a difficult course. Quail is made for players who can overcome the long par-4 holes and handle the pressure.
Scheffler or McIlroy Bets Favorites:
Fulghum: McIlroy Top 10 in Round 1 (+200). McIlroy doesn’t usually start fast in the majors, but this is a course he dominates. After winning at Augusta, he could get off to a quick and easy start.
Gordon: McIlroy on Scheffler: Head-to-Head at the Tournament (-110). Rory has an advantage in course knowledge, length, and putting.
Maldonado: McIlroy Top 10 in Round 1 (+200). McIlroy is in control and confident. His game will be methodical.
Value Bets (100-1 or more):
Fulghum: Tony Finau (+12500). The price is very attractive for someone with Finau’s talent.
Gordon: Denny McCarthy (+17500). McCarthy has performed well at Quail Hollow. His lack of distance off the tee is concerning, but he compensates in other aspects.
Maldonado: Keith Mitchell (+11000). Mitchell has performed well recently, with five consecutive Top 20s.
Other Featured Bets:
Gordon: Corey Conners to be the top-ranked Canadian (+165). Conners has won in this market in four of the last five majors.
Maldonado: Justin Thomas (-120) vs. Xander Schauffele. Thomas knows how to win here and Schauffele doesn’t compare to his approach game. JT’s consistency with his tee-to-green game makes the difference.
