PGA Championship 2026 - the second major of the year is here

The PGA Tourseason is now entering one of the biggest weeks of the year as the 2026 PGA Championship takes place. After months of big tournaments, signature events and constant focus on the world rankings, the second major of the year is taking over the golf world. As usual, we are chasing good odds. Last week's recommended bet was 4/5 in, and gave an ROI of 184.

And the timing could hardly have been better from a Norwegian perspective.

Last week we had one of the biggest Norwegian golf stories in many years when Kristoffer Reitan delivered the biggest win of his career in the signature event tournament Truist Championship. On one of the PGA Tour's most demanding courses, the Norwegian kept his cool throughout the weekend and showed that his level not only belongs on the tour - but also at the very top of the world elite.

The victory sends him into the PGA Championship with enormous self-confidence, and suddenly it is no longer just Viktor Hovland who carries the Norwegian expectations in a major context.

A major that always tests the entire game

The PGA Championship has evolved over time to become the major tournament where the total package often becomes the deciding factor. The courses are long, the rough is brutal, the greens are fast, and the field is usually the strongest we see all season.

There are very few hiding places in these types of tournaments.

Players who struggle off the tee are quickly punished. Poor shots often end up in positions where par suddenly feels like a win. At the same time, the pressure is noticeably higher than in regular PGA Tour tournaments, especially as the leaderboard begins to gather the world's stars over the weekend.

Historically, this is also the major where elite ball striking often stands out the most. Length alone is rarely enough. It's about control, discipline and the ability to handle demanding iron shots over four full days.

That's why we so often see names like Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele involved when the PGA Championship is decided.

The world stars gather

Scottie Scheffler naturally enters as one of the biggest favorites after another season where his tee-to-green play has been at an absurd level. When the American puts at an average level, he still feels like the world's toughest player to beat.

At the same time, it's impossible to ignore Rory McIlroy in a major context. The Northern Irishman still has a top level in very few matches when the driver works, and this week's course should suit his aggressive playing style far better than several of the previous major layouts.

Brooks Koepka is also a name that automatically becomes interesting when the calendar shows a major. Throughout his career, the American has shown a very special ability to raise his level in the biggest tournaments, and it is rarely wise to overlook him in this type of championship. He delivered a backnine of an incredible 29 strokes on Saturday in the Myrtele Beach Classic. It showed traces of old greatness, and not least he himself stated that it now feels fun to play again. He himself says that he has not had the same feeling as he has now, since the 2023 season.

In addition, players like Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg and Xander Schauffele come in with profiles that are very well suited to major golf.

The Reitan effect – Norwegian golf has a new star

For Norwegian golf, this major week feels different than it has in a long time.

Of course, Viktor Hovland has already established himself as a world star, but what has happened with Kristoffer Reitan in recent months has given Norwegian golf a whole new breadth at the top.

Last week's victory was no fluke. Reitan fielded an extremely strong field on a course that demanded quality in all parts of the game, and the way he handled the pressure throughout the weekend was perhaps most impressive of all.

It also makes this major extra exciting.

Because suddenly Reitan doesn't just enter as an outsider hoping to make the cut. Now he actually enters with credibility, self-confidence and a game that seems to withstand the biggest arenas.

That doesn't mean expectations should be unreasonable right now. Majors are still something completely different from regular tour tournaments. But the level he showed last week means he could definitely be a factor if his long game continues to work.

What will be crucial this week?

This week is primarily about tee-to-green quality.

Players who consistently put themselves in good positions off the tee will gain a huge advantage throughout the four rounds, while long and precise iron shots will become essential, especially on the demanding par 4 holes that often define major tournaments.

It is also a week where mental discipline becomes extremely important.

Bogeys are going to happen. Even the best players in the world are going to miss fairways, miss greens and get into difficult situations. The difference is often who avoids the big mistakes and stays patient the longest.

Therefore, this feels like a tournament where complete players with elite ball striking and major experience get a clear advantage.

Ready for the games

This year's PGA Championship is shaping up to be a fantastic major week. The world's best players are gathered, the pressure is immense, and several of golf's biggest names are entering with both form and question marks.

At the same time, Kristoffer Reitan's victory last week gives the entire tournament an extra Norwegian layer of excitement.

Now it's just a matter of finding the right games.

Our recommended games are as follows:

As usual when it's a Major tournament, the selection of games is huge. We'll probably try to keep it within what we see as "safe bets" at good odds. Even though there are a lot of tempting options.

Cam Young – Top 10 (2.38)

First game this week, Cameron Young will be top 10 – and it's hard to get around how extreme his form actually is right now.

The American has been in the top 10 in six of his last seven tournaments, and even more impressively, four of those results have come in the top 3. That says a lot about the level of performance he's delivering week-to-week right now.

Is Cam Young the best golfer in the world right now?

His recent results certainly point in that direction. His tee-to-green play has been at an absurd level, his driver is working, and at the same time he looks far more comfortable under pressure than in previous seasons.

What makes him extra interesting this week is how well his playing profile suits major golf. He is among the longest players in the field, but at the same time combines power with very solid control on the long irons – something that often becomes crucial in the PGA Championship.

Additionally, Cam Young has shown several times in the past that he thrives in large arenas. He rarely seems intimidated by the leaderboard or the level of opposition, and majors often feel like tournaments where he takes himself one step further.

When the form is as stable as it is now, the top 10 game feels very natural.

This is simply a player who looks like a constant factor at the very top of the leaderboard right now.

Scottie Scheffler – Bogey-free round over the weekend (2.32)

One of the more interesting special bets this week is about Scottie Scheffler and the possibility of the world number one delivering at least one bogey-free round over the weekend.

On paper, it may sound outrageous in a major, but when it comes to Scheffler, such achievements are almost starting to feel normal.

During The Masters earlier this year, the American went bogey-free on both Saturday and Sunday – at Augusta National. That alone is extremely impressive, and it says a lot about how absurdly stable his tee-to-green game actually is when he's in rhythm.

What makes this game interesting is that Scheffler is perhaps the player in the world who most often avoids major mistakes. He rarely gets into trouble off the tee, he has complete control over distances with his irons, and he is incredibly good at playing “stress-free golf” for long periods.

In the majors, where many players are pressured to take risks, Scheffler often feels like the only one who just keeps playing the same steady golf hole after hole.

Of course, this is still difficult. The PGA Championship is going to punish bad shots brutally, and one weak wedge or tricky bunker can ruin the entire game in a matter of seconds.

But that's precisely why the odds are interesting.

When you see how Scheffler has controlled major tournaments in recent seasons, and especially how he handled Augusta earlier this year, it certainly feels realistic that he can deliver at least one flawless round this weekend as well.

Patrick Cantlay - Top 20 (2.45)

Patrick Cantlay is really starting to look like himself again – and that makes him very interesting heading into this major week.

The American comes in with four straight top 20 finishes, and perhaps more importantly: his game looks far more stable and controlled than it did earlier in the season.

It's the tee-to-green part in particular that has started to resemble the level we associate with Cantlay at his best. He's hitting more fairways, his iron play has been sharper, and the rhythm of his entire game seems significantly better than it was just a few months ago.

In fact, it feels a bit like we are starting to see the version of Patrick Cantlay who for several years was among the most stable players on the entire PGA Tour.

It is also a profile that often fits very well in the majors.

Cantlay is rarely the player who makes the most birdies in the field, but he is extremely good at avoiding the big mistakes. He stays patient, plays smart golf and lets the tournaments come to him – an often underrated trait in the PGA Championship.

When the form is clearly pointing upwards, the top 20 game feels very natural this week.

He doesn't necessarily need to win the tournament to deliver here. If he continues to play the consistent and disciplined golf we've seen recently, he should have a very good chance of being high up throughout the weekend.

Lee Min Woo – Top 40 (1.80)

My Woo Lee top 40 just feels like a very strong game this week.

The Australian has been inside the top 40 in nine out of eleven tournaments so far this season, and that stability makes it quite surprising that the market still offers interesting odds on this particular game.

Especially when the shape looks increasingly better at the same time.

The last two tournaments have ended in 18th and 14th place, and there have been clear signs that his game is starting to fall into place even more. When the driver works, Lee Min Woo is a player who can create huge advantages for himself, and at the same time his close game has long been among the most creative on tour.

What also makes him interesting in the majors is that he often seems comfortable with difficult conditions. He rarely gets stressed by tough courts or strong fields, and his playing style often suits him better when the tournaments become more demanding.

Of course, there will always be some volatility with Min Woo Lee. He is not the most conservative player in the field, and his aggressiveness can sometimes lead to unnecessary mistakes.

But that's precisely why top 40 feels like a very attractive line.

With the form and stability he has shown throughout much of the season, it would take quite a bit for him to completely fall out this week.

Adam Scott – Top 40 (1.95)

Adam Scott's top 40 will be the last game this week – and this feels like a classic major player who may go a little under the radar for many.

The Australian has delivered several strong results throughout the season and continues to emerge as an extremely consistent golfer at a high level. Perhaps most impressive is how consistently he has actually delivered.

Scott has played ten tournaments so far this year and made the cut in all of them. Even more impressive is that nine of those ten tournaments have also resulted in a top 40 finish.

This includes a solid 24th place in the year's first major, The Masters.

That says quite a bit about how secure his base form is right now.

Although Adam Scott is no longer considered one of the biggest favorites in majors, he still has a playing profile that suits these types of tournaments very well. He is experienced, calm under pressure and extremely disciplined in the way he attacks demanding courses.

At the same time, it seems as if many people still underestimate how stable a level he actually maintains week after week.

This may not be the highest-rated player in the field anymore, but the top 40 line still feels very manageable when you see how consistently he has delivered throughout the season.

A typical player who can sneak onto the leaderboard without many people really noticing until Sunday afternoon.

These are our selected games this week. In a jungle to choose from, we believe we have found very playable games. There will definitely be a few games on odds list during the weekend.

Good luck!