PGA Championship: Top 25 players with best chance to win at Valhalla, ranked

The PGA Championship has produced an impressive list of winners over the past decade.

Brooks Koepka won three Wanamaker Trophies and Justin Thomas won two. Phil Mickelson became the oldest major champion at Kiawah Island three years ago, and the year before that Collin Morikawa established himself as a generational talent at TPC Harding Park.

Golf’s top players seem to hover near the top of this leaderboard every year, regardless of the course. This trend will continue this year, as Valhalla has a talent for creating thrilling drama.

The top 25 players for the second major championship of the 2024 season are as follows:

Top 25 PGA Championship Players, Rankings

25. Russell Henry

Russell Henry had a strong 2024 season, ranking 12th on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained. His short game was solid, but his tee shot distance held him back a bit. Still, what he lacks in power he makes up for in accuracy. No one would be surprised if the former Georgia Bulldog cracks the top 10 again.

24. Sepp Straka

Sepp Straka, another University of Georgia product, has been playing well since finishing tied for 16th at the Masters. He tied for fifth at the RBC Heritage and most recently tied for eighth at the Wells Fargo Championship. The result could have been even better had the final round not resulted in a 3-over 74.

23. Hideki Matsuyama

The 2021 Masters champion would rank high on this list if not for his recent withdrawal from the Wells Fargo Championship. Matsuyama, who ranks third on tour in strokes gained from tee to green, has the talent to win this week. However, his back problems and poor putting could hold him back.

22. Tyrrell Hutton

Tyrrell Hatton, who joined Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf Team in January, tied for ninth at Augusta National and had strong finishes at the past two PGA Championships, finishing tied for 15th and 13th, respectively. The Englishman is a great ball striker and putter and is the recipe for success on any layout.

21. Justin Thomas

Will the Louisville native win his third Wanamaker Trophy in his hometown? That’s never out of the question. Thomas is trending in the right direction this season, ranking 11th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained from tee to green. He also has three top-10 finishes, and if he can get his putter to work together, he should continue to have solid finishes this week.

20. Cameron Young

Valhalla may be built for Cameron Young, who drives the ball long and straight. He ranks seventh on tour in total driving and has four top-10 finishes this season. The Westchester, New York, native has yet to qualify this year, and many would be shocked if he makes his first appearance this week.

19. Jason Day

The conversation surrounding Jason Day this season has revolved less around his great play and more about his attire. Day recently tied for fourth at the Wells Fargo Championship, marking his fourth top-10 finish of the season. However, somewhat surprisingly, his weakness this season has been his iron play. Still, Day has a great short game that always seems to save him.

18. Matthew Fitzpatrick

The 2022 U.S. Open champion felt like he was getting close for months but just couldn’t get over the hump. Some weeks I’m a driver. Next, he was let down by his approach play. Either way, Fitzpatrick ranks eighth on tour in total driving and has an otherworldly performance in his short game. That alone could make him the first British player to win the PGA since Jim Barnes in 1919.

17. Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland is currently ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Rankings, but his short game has completely given up on him in 2024, dropping him to 17th here. Those are high numbers to start with: Hovland ranks 113th on tour in total strokes gained and 186th on tour. Earned strokes around the green.

Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images

16. Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith has competed in each of his past six PGA Championship appearances, his best finish being a tie for ninth place a year ago. The Australian is one of the best putters in the world and has a game that translates to any golf course.

15. Saheeth Seegala

Sahith Segala has five top-10 finishes this season, including a solo second place at the RBC Heritage. He had a solid year, but his short game kept him from getting into the winner’s circle. Perhaps things will change this week.

14. Brian Harman

Brian Harman proved he has the guts to win a major with Royal Liverpool last summer. He can take any shot when he needs to, has a very good short game, and has the mental strength to overcome any obstacle. However, the lack of distance off the tee could be a negative factor this week.

13. Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood fended off Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Invitational in January and has finished 13th or better in three of his past four starts, including a tie for third at Augusta. ing. He rarely gets out of position, and that trait should lead to a solid performance in Valhalla.

12. Patrick Cantlay

Perhaps Patrick Cantlay’s position on the PGA Tour Policy Committee is holding him back this season. He has two top 10s and most recently tied for third at the RBC Heritage. However, he wasn’t at his best at Quail Hollow, proving Cantlay’s 2024 was a mixed bag. Still, Cantlay has the game to fight anytime, anywhere.

11. Bryson DeChambeau

Look for Bryson DeChambeau to produce even more thrilling content at this week’s PGA Championship. His antics at Augusta were incredible, but aside from his debacle late on Saturday the 15th, his play was also great. Despite this, DeChambeau will bomb all over Valhalla and will likely fight again.

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

10. Wyndham Clark

Clark, who was the popular pick last week, had a surprisingly difficult time defending his Wells Fargo title. Despite this, the reigning US Open champion has no glaring flaws in his game. It would be surprising if he doesn’t bounce back and compete in Valhalla.

9. Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa hasn’t had a great season with the putter, but he has competed in some big events. He tied for third at the Masters and would have done better than finishing 16th had it not been for a bad weekend at Quail Hollow.

8. Joaquin Niemann

Some would argue that Niemann is the hottest player on the planet going into the Masters. He’s cooled down since then, but his ability to form the shots he needs gives him a good chance to compete this week as well as other players.

7. Max Homa

Max Homa arrived in the Bluegrass State full of confidence after competing in the Masters. Before this year, many criticized Homa for not being able to play in a major tournament. But then the story changed. Homa has a game on the line for a major championship, and he could definitely win it this week. Having a great short game also always helps.

6. Ludwig Oberg

Last week, Ludwig Oberg withdrew He missed the Wells Fargo Championship due to a knee injury, but this was primarily a precautionary measure. This has left some scratching their heads, but Oberg says it’s okay. If that happens, the young Swede will likely compete like he did at Masters, where he finished solo in second place in his major debut.

5. Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm is yet to win in 2024, but no one would be surprised if the powerful Spaniard wins at Valhalla this week. He is without a doubt one of the most talented players in the world and there are absolutely no flaws in his game.

Photo by Lionel Ng/Getty Images

4. Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele ranks high on the list of “best players who never won a major.” Perhaps he will remove himself from that unlucky group, having just taken second place this week at Quail Hollow. In any case, Schauffele’s game is as good as anyone’s. The question is, “Can he get a deal done?”

3. Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka’s arrival in Kentucky two weeks after winning the LIV Golf Singapore is bound to raise some eyebrows for anyone not named Brooks Koepka. He’s a cold-blooded killer in the majors, and a win this week would tie him with Phil Mickelson for the sixth career win. Koepka also said his ball-striking is getting better and is the most important part of his game. He admits to being frustrated by his lackluster performance, especially at Augusta, so he plans to play in the game on Sunday.

2. Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy’s winning streak has him on track for major championship glory, something he hasn’t tasted since 2014, the last time the PGA of America visited Valhalla. McIlroy has won at this course before and clearly has a match to win again. . He ranks third on tour in total strokes gained and first in total driving, but it all comes down to his putting. If McIlroy’s flat stick works together like it did against Quail Hollow last weekend, watch out.

1. Scotty Scheffler

Scotty Scheffler is in a league of his own. He has won four of his last five starts, with the outlier being Stefan Jaeger’s win in Houston. Still, Scheffler finished in second place. But here’s a troubling statistic, courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau, that goes against Scheffler’s chances of winning back-to-back majors. Four of the past eight Masters winners have failed to qualify for the next PGA Championship, and none have finished in the top of the rankings. 20.

But Schaeffler is in a historic crisis. He ranks first in total strokes gained, greens allowed, proximity to the hole, bogey avoidance, par-5 scores, and numerous other statistics. He has also posted 40 consecutive rounds of even par or better, closing in on the record set by Tiger Woods (52) in 2000 and 2001.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.