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The 2023 PGA Championship Preview & Picks - Best Bets For Oak Hill

By Gary Emmerson

16 May 2023

Gary Emmerson 16 May 2023

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The 2023 PGA Championship takes place between May 18-21
Tournament is being held at Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, New York
Preview, predictions, stats & form

The PGA Championship returns to Oak Hill for the first time since 2013, with a star-studded field of the world's elite players vying for the Wanamaker Trophy. Who will win the second Major of the year come Sunday?

Justin Thomas returns to defend his title after defeating Will Zalatoris in a playoff last year.

The East Course of Oak Hill has been host to the PGA Championship on three occasions in 1980, 2003 and 2013.

Past and present Major winners who will tee off on Thursday include Masters champions Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Cameron Smith, Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley, John Daly, Jason Day, Bryson DeChambeau, Padraig Harrington, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, Hideki Matsuyama, Francesco Molinari, Patrick Reed, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson, Gary Woodland, Danny Willett, and Jimmy Walker.

These are our top four selections that could win the second Major title of the year.

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler had an inauspicious start on the PGA Tour this season by finishing T45 at the CJ Cup in South Carolina before finding another gear by placing T3 at the World Wide Technology Championship, T9 at the Houston Open, 2nd at the Hero World Challenge, T7 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, T11 at the American Express and victory at the WM Phoenix Open.

The 26-year-old American has been holding form on the PGA Tour since defending his title in Phoenix by placing T12 at the Genesis Invitational, T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, victory at the Players Championship, 4th WGC Dell Technologies Match Play, T10 at the Masters, T11 at the RBC Heritage, and T5 at the AT&T Byron Nelson last weekend.

The world's number two-ranked player has an excellent record at the PGA Championship, placing T4 in 2020 and T8 in 2021 before missing the cut in 2022.

Scheffler has been the only player to keep within striking distance of Jon Rahm this year and has the game to take the championship in New York.

Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm has been in superb form on the PGA Tour in 2023, winning multiple tournaments, including the second Major of his career, and returning to the top of the pile as the best golfer on the planet.

Rahm showed his intent early on when by placing T4 at the CJ Cup, T8 at the Hero World Challenge, victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, victory at the American Express, T7 at the Farmers Insurance Open, 3rd at the Phoenix Open and victory at the Genesis Invitational in his first seven tournaments.

The 28-year-old Spaniard's form dipped of those impressive performances, finishing T39 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, W/D from the Players Championship, T31 at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play before securing his first Green Jacket at the Masters in April and placing T15 at the RBC Heritage, and 2nd at the recent Mexico Open.

The world number one has featured six times at the PGA Championship, placing T58 in 2017, T4 in 2018, MC in 2019, T13 in 2020, T8 in 2021 and T48 in 2022.

Rahm has been colossal this year and is looking to become the first European golfer to win the U.S. Open, Masters and PGA Championship. Can he do it?

Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele has been ultra-consistent throughout the year but has yet to get over the finish line.

Schauffele's first six tournaments were impressive, placing T9 at the ZOZO Championship, 4th at the Hero World Challenge, T3 at American Express, T13 at the Farmers Insurance Open and T10 at the WM Phoenix Open.

The 29-year-old American's subsequent three starts were average, finishing T33 at the Genesis Invitational, T39 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T19 at the Players Championship.

Schauffele regained his touch by placing T5 at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play, T10 at the Masters, T4 at the RBC Heritage, T4 at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and 2nd at the recent Wells Fargo Championship.

The world number five has made five appearances at the PGA Championship, missing the cut on debut in 2017 before placing T35 in 2018, T16 in 2019, T10 in 2020, MC in 2021 and T13 in 2022.

Schauffele has had four top-five places in his last five events on the PGA Tour and will fancy his chances to win his maiden Major title at Oak Hill this weekend.

Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith featured on the DP World Tour and Asian Tour at the start of the year, securing the title at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship before missing the cut at the ISPS Handa Australian Open and PIF Saudi International.

Smith returned to LIV Golf Tour at the end of February, placing a credible 6th in Mayakoba before achieving some average results by finishing 26th in Tucson, 29th in Orlando, and T34 at the Masters.

The 29-year-old Australian has been in great touch since those performances, placing 4th in Adelaide, 7th in Singapore, and 2nd in Tulsa after losing a playoff to Dustin Johnson.

The world number eight does not have a good record at the PGA Championship, finishing T25 in 2015, MC in 2017, T56 in 2018, T64 in 2019, T43 in 2020 and T59 in 2021 before achieving his best result by placing T13 in 2022.

Smith has gone close in his last three appearances in the LIV Golf Tour and has the game to lift the Wanamaker Trophy in New York.

Verdict

2023 PGA Championship

Scheffler is holding form and can capture his second Major at Oak Hill this weekend.

Rahm is chasing history and will be tough to stop from winning his second Major tournament of the year.

Schauffele has done nothing wrong and has the game to win the PGA Championship in New York.

Smith is in excellent shape and should enter calculations this weekend.

Scottie Scheffler

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Jon Rahm

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Xander Schauffele

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