8 Outsiders to Watch at The PGA Championship 2024

Coming into this year's PGA Championship, most eyes are fixed upon Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy, all of whom are making their way to Valhalla having claimed victory in their most recent start.

It's easy to see why this trio are considered the hot favourites. Scheffler, the Masters champion and world number one, has been imperious this season and will be feeling buoyant after the recent birth of his first child with his wife, Meredith. 

Koepka is the defending champion and the five-time major winner looked to have once again peaked at the right time during his triumph at LIV Golf's latest event in Singapore. The 34-year-old is the king of the big occasion and will be an ominous sight on the leaderboard should he find himself there.

The same can be said of McIlroy, who has shaken off patchy form of late to win in consecutive appearances. He partnered Shane Lowry to a thoroughly enjoyable success at the Zurich Classic, while he took that to another level with his display at Quail Hollow, one of his favourite venues, in claiming the Wells Fargo Championship just before making his way to Kentucky for the second major of the campaign.

It's now been a decade since the Northern Irishman secured his fourth - and most recent - major title at Valhalla, which would have been scarcely believable had you proposed that reality at the time, but perhaps the stars have aligned once more for the man from Holywood.

However, this is golf, and major championship golf at that, and unless you're Scottie Scheffler at Augusta, the favourites don't always win.

We only have to scroll down the list of winners in this event and see that surprises can happen. Whether it be John Daly, Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel, YE Yang, or even Phil Mickelson in 2021, the PGA Championship is rarely predictable. 

If there is to be an unexpected name etched on the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday - it could be one of these players, all of whom are priced greater than 50/1 on Betway.

Ben An (66/1)

The former winner of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth might just fancy completing the double with its American equivalent. He finished in third place at this past weekend's Wells Fargo, which followed a tie for fourth a fortnight ago at the Byron Nelson. A tie for 16th at the Masters in April stands as his best performance in a major to date. Don't bet against him beating that at Valhalla.

Sungjae Im (66/1)

Perhaps it's because we're now 15 years removed from Yang's shock defeat of Tiger Woods in 2009, but let's have another star from South Korea. We know that Sungjae Im can compete on the grandest stages - his runner-up at the Masters in 2020 confirms that - and he is coming here after a great week in Charlotte (tying for 4th), while he's not long removed from a recent title on the Korean Tour.

Alex Noren (100/1)

Former Ryder Cup player Alex Noren is showing that there is indeed life after 40 with some wonderfully consistent results of late. The Swede hasn't missed a cut this year and was a contender at the Byron Nelson just a couple of weeks ago when he finished in third place.

Akshay Bhatia (125/1)

The skinny American's physique might be deeply offensive to any of us with excess body fat, but he's a fantastic golfer, now a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, and he returns to a place where he won the Junior PGA Championship as a 16-year-old in 2018. Who says he can't succeed again at Valhalla?

Ryan Fox (200/1)

Despite his brilliance on the DP World Tour in recent years, it's been a bit of a struggle for the New Zealander in the United States, but he showed encouraging form at the weekend, where he finished in a tie for fourth at the Myrtle Beach Classic, which was played opposite the Wells Fargo. We all know what Fox can do when the switch is flicked on - and why can't it be at a major championship?

Cam Davis (150/1)

When you're thinking of an Australian contender called Cam, it'll probably be Smith you're thinking about, but we're turning our attention towards Cam Davis. The 29-year-old finished in a tie for fourth in last May's PGA at Oak Hill, and he recently posted a top 12 at the Masters Tournament. He's beginning to find his feet in the biggest events.

Lucas Glover (200/1)

Soon to mark the 15th anniversary of his US Open victory at Bethpage, 2023 marked something of a renaissance for Glover, who won consecutive tournaments last August, including the first FedEx Cup Playoff. He's been quieter lately - but his results haven't been bad, either. There could yet be another major run for the 44-year-old.

Matthieu Pavon (200/1)

Finally, it's been an incredible period in the life of Matthieu Pavon. He claimed the Open de Espana for his maiden DP World Tour success before switching across the Atlantic and making an instant impact by winning the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. The 31-year-old also marked his Masters debut with a 12th-place finish. Last year, we saw Celine Boutier win the Evian Championship, so perhaps it's the era for French players to shine in the majors.

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