2025 PGA Championship best bets, expert predictions include Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood

Rory McIlroy’s unforgettable win at the Masters will be hard to top, but the loaded field at the 2025 PGA Championship has the firepower to pull it off. The PGA Tour’s second major of the year kicks off Thursday morning from Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A majority of the best betting sites for golf list McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler as co-favorites, while a few sportsbooks give a slight edge to Scheffler. Another player to watch this week is long-shot Jordan Spieth, who needs a PGA Championship victory to complete the career grand slam.

The PGA Championship last stopped at Quail Hollow in 2017 when Justin Thomas won his first major. However, Quail Hollow has annually hosted the Wells Fargo Championship since 2003, offering plenty of data and course history to review before the players tee it up on Thursday.

Continue reading to see my expert betting picks and best bets for the 2025 PGA Championship.

2025 PGA Championship best bets and odds

NOTE: Odds are based on the best value our experts find when writing; check lines closer to round one to ensure you get the best odds.

Rory McIlroy to win the PGA Championship

Best odds: +500 at DraftKings Sportsbook

McIlroy flips a switch when the PGA Tour visits Quail Hollow. His odds are inflated after winning the Masters, but there’s still value in betting the No. 2 player in the Official World Golf Ranking.

He’s got four career victories at Quail Hollow and nearly captured a fifth but lost to Rickie Fowler in a playoff. In 14 appearances at the Charlotte course, McIlroy earned 10 finishes in the top 10 with only one missed cut.

Rory set the course record in 2015, shooting a 61 in round three of the Wells Fargo Championship. He went on to win the event by a landslide, beating Patrick Rodgers and Webb Simpson by seven strokes.

In the last 10 years, McIlroy has led the PGA Tour in strokes gained at Quail Hollow. It’s the sixth-longest course on Tour, which is perfect for Rory. He ranks first in SG: Off The Tee and third in Driving Distance.

Tommy Fleetwood to beat Viktor Hovland

Best odds: -125 at bet365 Sportsbook

Tommy Fleetwood’s track record at Quail Hollow proves long driving isn’t necessary to perform well at the course. He’s never been known for power, but finished T14 or better in his past three trips to Quail Hollow.

Fleetwood’s best result was T5 at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship. Entering the 2025 PGA Championship with back-to-back finishes in the top seven is a major plus.

Meanwhile, Viktor Hovland has been up and down this season. Hovland missed three straight cuts before winning the Valspar Championship.

The victory translated to two more strong performances at the Masters and RBC Heritage before underwhelming at last week’s Truist Championship with a T54 finish. He’s missed the cut in three of the last five majors, but also took third at the 2024 PGA Championship.

Young golfers like Hovland are known for inconsistency. Fleetwood has more experience on the PGA Tour, making him the more reliable bet in this head-to-head market.

Fleetwood finished T10 or better in four of the last 10 majors, and fell outside the top 30 only twice.

Top Canadian – Taylor Pendrith

Best odds: +380 at Caesars Sportsbook

For this prop bet to hit, Ontario native Taylor Pendrith must shoot lower than the other Canadian golfers in the field. Corey Conners (+125) leads the market, followed by Pendrith (+380), Mackenzie Hughes (+380), Nick Taylor (+475) and Adam Hadwin (+800).

Pendrith’s recent form is a bit worrisome. He notched a T5 finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in late March, but missed the cut in two of his last four events.

Despite his shaky play, Pendrith’s game is a great fit at Quail Hollow. Last year at the Wells Fargo Championship, Pendrith carded a T10 finish and was tied for the third-lowest score in the second round.

Since 2014, only one player has won at Quail Hollow while ranking outside the top 15 in Driving Distance heading into the tournament. Of the players in this year’s PGA Championship field, Pendrith ranks 15th.

Pendrith had the second-best score of the Canadians in the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, and the +380 odds for him to take the crown in his return to Quail Hollow are too good to pass on. Betting $10 on this market returns $38 if Pendrith beats his fellow countrymen.