Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round...

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 2 of the U.S. Open.</em></p><p>The all-important second round had everyone in the field battling to make the cut. Oakmont was relentless, and no one was safe regardless of their score on Day 1.</p><p>Below, we kept our eyes on the leaders and tracked those fighting to make the weekend. (All times ET.)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>8:35 p.m.</strong> - Horns blow to end Day 2 due to inclement weather. Here's how the top of the oddsboard stands heading into the weekend.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player (Score)</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Sam Burns (-3)</td>
<td>+375</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland (-1)</td>
<td>+475</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (+4)</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.J. Spaun (-2)</td>
<td>+850</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ben Griffin (E)</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka (+2)</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adam Scott (E)</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm (+4)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim (+2)</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell Henley (+2)</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa (+4)</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Thomas Detry (+2)</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Sam Burns' 5-under day was the best score by two shots. He rocketed up the leaderboard as the field struggled around Oakmont for a second day. The second-round scoring average was +4.74.</p><p>Viktor Hovland did his best to keep pace with Burns by posting a 2-under 68. Hovland is leading the field in strokes gained: tee to green, while Burns is third.</p><p>Scottie Scheffler is seven shots off the lead but the third favorite on the oddsboard. His 71 on Day 2 was below his standards, but it didn't eliminate him from contention.</p><p>Rory McIlroy fought hard to make the cut, birdieing two of his final four holes to secure himself a weekend tee time. With how hard Oakmont is playing, there's a chance McIlroy finds himself closer to the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round if he can post a low number early Saturday.</p><p><strong>7:55 p.m.</strong> - The second of two gruelling days at Oakmont is coming to a close. The cut is locked in at 7-over with a number of marquee players headed home early. Only three golfers are under par through 36 holes: Sam Burns (-3), J.J. Spaun (-2), and Viktor Hovland (-1).</p><p><strong>7:10 p.m.</strong> - Rory McIlroy sneaks inside the cut with two birdies in his final four holes. Ludvig Aberg, Bryson DeChambeau, and Tommy Fleetwood, who doubled his final hole, will all miss the cut. </p><p><strong>6:35 p.m. </strong>- J.J. Spaun plays his final four holes at 2-over par to slip to 2-under for the tournament. His score is still 2.68 strokes better than the field average, and he's a top-four favorite on the oddsboard.</p><p><strong>6:20 p.m.</strong> - Bryson DeChambeau's title defense will come up well short. He's 4-over in his last three holes and three shots back of the projected 7-over cut with only two holes remaining. He ranks 137th in strokes gained: putting and 112th in around the green. It will be his first missed cut at the U.S. Open since 2017.</p><p><strong>5:55 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau makes a double-bogey on No. 5 and is also in danger of missing the cut. He has four holes remaining to get back to 7-over.</p><p><strong>5:45 p.m.</strong> - Oddsboard update: </p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Sam Burns</td>
<td>+400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.J. Spaun</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ben Griffin</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Thomas Detry</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adam Scott</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>5:35 p.m.</strong> - Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg are both outside the cutline and running out of holes. Neither has a par-5 remaining and will need some late magic to make the weekend. </p><p><strong>4:45 p.m.</strong> - After briefly sneaking inside the projected cutline, McIlroy drops a shot on No. 11 to fall back to 8-over. He has Oakmont's four easiest holes remaining to find a birdie and keep his weekend chances alive.</p><p><strong>3:50 p.m.</strong> - 7-over is trending toward being the cut, meaning McIlroy (+8), Patrick Cantlay (+8), and Matt Fitzpatrick are on the outside looking in. Tommy Fleetwood (+7) and Aberg (+7) are moving in the wrong direction with half their rounds remaining.</p><p><strong>3:45 p.m.</strong> - The difficult U.S. Open venue is making it feel as though no one is hitting good shots. Niklas Norgaard has the low round going of the afternoon at 3-under through five. Other than him, no one of note is making a run. Thriston Lawrence, who has missed six straight cuts on the PGA TOUR heading into this week, is the new leader at 5-under.</p><p><strong>2:50 p.m.</strong> - Players we're watching hovering around the cut: Aberg (+4), Phil Mickelson (+4), Wyndham Clark (+6), Cantlay (+7), McIlroy (+8), and Justin Rose (+9).</p><p><strong>2:15 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy opens his first round with a double-bogey. Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele records back-to-back birdies to climb to even par for the event. Leader Spaun is also on the course and is even through four.</p><p>Cutline update from <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a>:</p><ul>
<li>6-over: 44.5%</li>
<li>7-over: 51.5%</li>
<li>8-over: 3.8%</li>
</ul><p><strong>1:40 p.m.</strong> - Scottie Scheffler salvages a 1-over 71 by gaining over two strokes putting. He was, once again, visibly frustrated during his round, and it appeared headed toward a far worse number. But he played the tough front nine at even par to keep him in the mix. He ended the day in a tie for 37th, which will surely improve as the afternoon wave takes on Oakmont.</p><p><strong>1:10 p.m. </strong>- The morning wave is starting to sign scorecards. Sam Burns posts the week's lowest round - a 65 capped by a brilliant par save on his final hole. He's in the clubhouse at 3-under and the betting favorite at +425 on theScoreBet/ESPN Bet. Brooks Koepka shoots 4-over to sit at 2-over for the tournament. Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth both carded 75s but will make the cut. Justin Thomas and Sepp Straka are among the early notables heading home early.</p><p><strong>12:55 p.m.</strong> - LIV Golf's top player, Joaquin Niemann, is fighting to make the cut. He's 8-over with three of the hardest holes on Oakmont remaining. Niemann turned in his best career finish at a major at the PGA Championship when he finished in a tie for eighth. He entered the week after earning his fourth victory on LIV this year. </p><p><strong>12:15 p.m.</strong> - Sam Burns and Viktor Hovland are playing a different course, at 5-under and 4-under, respectively. The course is playing 4.47 strokes over par.</p><p><strong>11:45 a.m.</strong> - Burns, coming off a playoff loss at the Canadian Open, is 5-under in Round 2, two shots better than anyone else on the course. He's now the betting favorite at +650 on theScoreBet/ESPN Bet.</p><p><strong>11:20 a.m.</strong> - The front nine (+3.73) at Oakmont is playing nearly three strokes more difficult than the back (+0.85) - something to remember when looking at the leaderboard.</p><p><strong>11:00 a.m.</strong> - Cutline update from <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a>:</p><ul>
<li>6-over: 34.5%</li>
<li>7-over: 55.3%</li>
<li>8-over: 8.4%</li>
</ul><p>There are a few notable players in a second-round free fall. Jon Rahm is 5-over through 11, sitting at 4-over for the tournament. Jordan Spieth started even and is now 5-over. Justin Thomas doesn't look like he'll be playing weekend golf, sitting at 10-over with six holes to play. And Sungjae Im, who got to 5-under Thursday, is down to 2-over for the tournament.</p><p><strong>10:40 a.m.</strong> - Viktor Hovland is playing the best of anyone on the course right now. He's 4-under through 10 holes to climb one behind leader J.J. Spaun. Hovland was lights out tee-to-green in Round 1, which carried into today. He added a chip-in eagle on No. 17 to ignite his round.</p><p><strong>10:30 a.m</strong>. - Since his birdie on 17, Koepka has bogeyed three straight holes to fall back to even for the tournament - a reminder that a good round can be quickly flipped upside down at Oakmont.</p><p><strong>10:10 a.m.</strong> - Scheffler's struggles continue, this time on Oakmont's greens. On the drivable par-4 17th, Scheffler left himself a 12-footer for birdie and walked off with a bogey. He's 1-over through eight, in desperate need of a couple of birdies.</p><p><strong>9:35 a.m.</strong> - Koepka steals a shot on the short par-4 17th. His drive ended up in a brutal position, but a perfect pitch over a bunker left him an easier chip for a birdie, which he drained. He's 1-under on the day and one back of Spaun. Even though he missed both major cuts this year, the five-time major champ is a serious contender at Oakmont.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brooks Koepka makes it look TOO EASY with the birdie chip-in to move one back! 🐥<br><br>📺 Peacock | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/wvP8kaqHlH">pic.twitter.com/wvP8kaqHlH</a></p>— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/GolfChannel/status/1933521910815395925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>8:55 a.m.</strong> - Thomas is 2-over through five holes and on the outside of the projected cut. If he fails to make the weekend, it would be his seventh missed cut in his last 11 major starts.</p><p><strong>8:20 a.m.</strong> - Cutline projections from <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a>: </p><ul>
<li>6-over: 36.0%</li>
<li>7-over: 40.4%</li>
<li>8-over: 12.8%</li>
</ul><p><strong>8:10 a.m.</strong> - Rahm, Scheffler, and Koepka - the top three on the oddsboard after Round 1 - are on the course. Rahm bogeyed his first, Scheffler birdied his opening hole, and Koepka is even through two holes. Players we'll be watching who are fighting to make the cut in the morning wave include Thomas, Jason Day, and Joaquin Niemann.</p>

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U.S. Open forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 2 at Oakmont

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 1 of the U.S. Open.</em></p><p>Welcome!<br><br>We tracked all the action from Oakmont Country Club during Round 1. We focused on the leaders, marquee players, and any surprises throughout the day. (All times ET.)</p><p><strong>8:45 p.m.</strong> - Here's how the top of the oddsboard looks after Day 1:</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player (Score)</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm (-1)</td>
<td>+575</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (+3)</td>
<td>+650</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka (-2)</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa (E)</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau (+3)</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.J. Spaun (-4)</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim (-2)</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ben Griffin (-1) </td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg (+2)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sungjae Im (-2)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Spieth (E)</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele (+2)</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland (+1)</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy (+4)</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Jon Rahm is the favorite at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet after his opening-round 69. He led the field in strokes gained: off the tee in Round 1, which usually translates to success at Oakmont. </p><p>Scottie Scheffler struggled big time relative to his standards. His 3-over start puts him seven shots off the lead. He was still 1.63 shots better than the field average. </p><p>Brooks Koepka shot 68 and gained 6.72 strokes on the field, his best round in a major since winning the 2023 PGA Championship. His odds shifted the most Thursday, moving from +7000 to +900.</p><p>Rory McIlroy started the day with two birdies in his first three holes, but a back-nine 41 ruined his round. He shot 74 to end the day in a tie for 62nd. The cut will likely be either 6-over or 7-over, <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">according to DataGolf</a>, so McIlroy will need to be careful on Day 2. </p><p><strong>7:20 p.m.</strong> - Sungjae Im fell off the pace with three bogeys in his last seven holes after touching 5-under for the day. He finishes Round 1 in a tie for third, two back of J.J. Spaun. Im's last top-10 finish came at the Masters in a down year where he's struggled with his approach play. He's lost strokes with his irons in 10 consecutive events.</p><p><strong>6:55 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler cards a 3-over 73, a round that contained an uncharacteristic six bogeys. His score is still better than the field average, but he only hit seven of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens in regulation. He will have to clean up all aspects of his game if he's going to climb back into contention.</p><p><strong>6:30 p.m.</strong> - Koepka posts a 2-under 68, a round capped by back-to-back birdies. He gained nearly three strokes around the greens in Round 1, something he will need to continue to do to stay in the hunt. The two-time U.S. Open champ, who has missed the cut in both majors contested this season, was +7000 before the tournament but has seen his odds shrink to +1000.</p><p><strong>6:05 p.m.</strong> - Oakmont has knocked Scheffler off his game. The world No. 1 is rattled and is 3-over through 15 after missing a very short putt for par.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="de" dir="ltr">Scheffler Smash! <a href="https://t.co/KEQ7x7Rw8J">pic.twitter.com/KEQ7x7Rw8J</a></p>— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) <a href="https://twitter.com/fried_egg_golf/status/1933279388323242193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>5:35 p.m.</strong> - Here comes Rahm. The Spaniard eagles the par-5 fourth to jump to 2-under for the tournament. He moves atop the oddsboard ahead of Scheffler at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+475</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.J. Spaun</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sam Burns</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>5:15 p.m.</strong> - There's no one specific skill that's currently elevating players to the top of the leaderboard. Im has only hit six of 10 fairways, but is being saved by his chipping. Spaun gained four strokes putting, and the only real long hitter near the top of the board is Sam Burns. So far, the players with the best all-around game are finding success at Oakmont.</p><p><strong>5:05 p.m.</strong> - Only Nos. 4 and 17 are playing under par today at 0.08 and 0.07 strokes, respectively. The remainder of the course is brutal, with a current scoring average of 4.83 over. </p><p><strong>4:45 p.m.</strong> - Im gets to 4-under to sit tied with Spaun atop the Day 1 leaderboard. Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Reed, Koepka, and Burns are all 1-under and off to nice starts to their tournaments. Justin Thomas, on the other hand, is 5-over through 11 and heading toward another disappointing major result.</p><p><strong>4:10 p.m.</strong> - Oakmont is keeping the world No. 1 in check. Scheffler makes the turn at 2-over par after carding four front-nine bogeys. His live odds have drifted to +425 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, nearly double his pre-tournament odds of +250.</p><p><strong>3:05 p.m.</strong> - The scoring average at Oakmont is approaching 5-over. While some players are finding ways to make birdies, the majority of the field is getting beaten up. The cut is trending toward 7-over, with 8-over a possibility, according to <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a>. </p><p><strong>2:50 p.m.</strong> - A few players in the afternoon wave are making noise early into their rounds. Sam Burns is 3-under through 5, carrying his strong finish at the Canadian Open to Oakmont. Koepka drained a lengthy eagle on No. 6 to sit at 2-under for the day. Patrick Reed made a rare albatross on No. 4 from 286 yards to jump to 2-under par.</p><p><strong>2:15 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler is three holes into his first round, with a birdie on the second and a bogey on the third to sit at level par. He's the heavy tournament favorite at +200.</p><p><strong>1:35 p.m.</strong> - Xander Schauffele finishes birdie-birdie to post a 2-over 72, the same score Ludvig Aberg turned in. Rory McIlroy stumbles home to an opening-round 74. Bryson DeChambeau cards a 73, where he lost all of his strokes on and around the green.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790148/cropped_GettyImages-2219804356.jpg?ts=1749761178" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790148/w220xh124_GettyImages-2219804356.jpg?ts=1749761178 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790148/w320xh180_GettyImages-2219804356.jpg?ts=1749761178 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790148/w640xh360_GettyImages-2219804356.jpg?ts=1749761178 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790148/w768xh432_GettyImages-2219804356.jpg?ts=1749761178 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790148/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2219804356.jpg?ts=1749761178 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>1:05 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy's round is unravelling. He's five over in his last five holes, capped by a double-bogey on the lengthy par-3 eighth. He continues to find himself in horrible spots at Oakmont, hacking his ball out of thick rough far too often.</p><p><strong>12:40 p.m.</strong> - Spaun cards a bogey-free 66 - a truly incredible round at Oakmont - to take the early first-round lead of the U.S. Open.</p><p><strong>12:25 p.m</strong>. - Notable players struggling in Round 1: Shane Lowry (+6), Cam Smith (+5), Patrick Cantlay (+4), Justin Rose (+4), Schauffele (+4), Tommy Fleetwood (+4), and Hideki Matsuyama (+4). The extremely early look at a potential cut line is 6-over and is trending toward 7-over, <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">according to DataGolf</a>.</p><p><strong>12:10 p.m.</strong> - Oakmont is starting to punish the field. The scoring average is 4.76 strokes over par, and only two players are at 2-under or better. Spaun continues to lead at 4-under. He's bogey-free and is gaining nearly four shots on the field with his putter.</p><p><strong>11:45 a.m.</strong> - Rory McIlroy avoids utter disaster on the par-5 fourth. His drive ended up in the right rough, and it took three shots to get back to the fairway. His approach from 178 yards settled 30 feet from the cup, and he drains the lengthy bogey effort to fall back to even for the tournament. He easily could have walked off the fourth green with an eight.</p><p><strong>11:30 a.m</strong>. - It's been an interesting 12 holes for DeChambeau. He's hitting the ball well, ranking seventh in strokes gained: off the tee and ninth in strokes gained: approach. However, the defending champ has lost nearly 1.5 strokes around the green, most of those coming on the par-5 12th, where he was over the back of the green in two shots and walked away with a bogey.</p><p><strong>10:30 a.m.</strong> - The level of concern was high for Rory McIlroy this week after an ugly showing at the Canadian Open, but that worry has vanished after nine holes. He's 2-under, has gained over a stroke off the tee and nearly two shots on the greens. McIlroy is down to +700 on the oddsboard after getting as long as +1600 before the tournament started.</p><p><strong>10:05 a.m</strong>. - The scoring average is currently 4.46 strokes over par. The front nine is playing over 1.5 strokes tougher than the back. </p><p><strong>9:40 a.m.</strong> - Oakmont is conceding birdies early. Spaun is 4-under through nine, and there are nine players in red numbers already. It's also showing its teeth, with 15 players 3-over or worse.</p><p><strong>8:45 a.m.</strong> - Dare we say McIlroy looks ... back? After he couldn't find a fairway last week in Canada, McIlroy launched his first beauty of the day, a 392-yard drive on the par-5 12th, leading to his second birdie.</p><p><strong>8:30 a.m. </strong>- The morning's featured groups are on the course, with defending champion DeChambeau and McIlroy among them. It's extremely early into this tournament, but Spaun has the lead at 2-under through four holes. Aberg and McIlroy are also under par early in Round 1.</p>

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U.S. Open forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 1 at Oakmont

We covered the outright market and discussed who has the best chance of beating Scottie Scheffler...

<p>We covered the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3297967" href="https://thescore.com/news/3297967">outright market</a> and discussed who has the best chance of beating <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> at Oakmont Country Club. </p><p>Now it's time to turn our attention to the secondary markets and pick our favorite props for the week, which won't have anything to do with the winner and will protect us against a potential Scheffler runaway victory.</p><p><strong>Sepp Straka: Top-20 finish (+180)</strong></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>It's another week and another opportunity to cash in on the most undervalued golfer in the world.</p><p><a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Sepp Straka</a> continues to rack up high finishes, but his odds don't reflect his results. Yes, he's missed both cuts in majors this year, which is a tad concerning. However, he tied for third at the Memorial in his most recent start, won the Truist Championship three starts ago, and finished inside the top 20 in 10 of 15 events this year. Straka is one of the most accurate drivers of the ball in the field, a great iron player, and a well-above-average putter.</p><p>If he carries the form he showed two weeks ago into Oakmont, you're getting fantastic value on him to place in the top 20 at +180, available at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet.</p><p><strong>Shane Lowry: Top-20 finish (+175)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/325" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/325">Shane Lowry</a> shares a lot of similarities with Straka - both are very accurate drivers of the ball, which will help keep them out of the thick and penal Oakmont rough. They're also strong iron players. That combination might not win them the tournament, but it's enough to get them in the mix.</p><p>Lowry held a four-shot lead after 54 holes at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont. He shot 76 in the final round but still finished in a tie for second. He's playing consistently well this year, with eight top-20s in 12 starts. Expect another solid outing from the Irishman at a course that rewards his style of play.</p><p><strong>Ludvig Aberg (-120) over Justin Thomas</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/cropped_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w220xh124_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w320xh180_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w640xh360_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w768xh432_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a> is having a nice season, winning the RBC Heritage and finishing second at the Truist Championship and Valspar Championship. But those courses didn't penalize wayward drives, which Thomas has struggled with all year. He's 121st in driving accuracy this season, and missed fairways at Oakmont will lead to a lot of bogeys. Thomas has also missed back-to-back cuts at U.S. Opens.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg </a>is one of the world's best drivers of the ball and seems to be rounding back into the same form he had when he won at Torrey Pines earlier this year. A fluky quadruple bogey in Round 2 of the Canadian Open prevented him from finishing second, and he placed T16 at the Memorial two starts ago. Aberg has a huge advantage over Thomas off the tee, yet he's only a slight favorite in this head-to-head matchup, one that may cash before the weekend.</p><p><strong>Lucas Glover (-105) over Tom Kim</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5772" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5772">Tom Kim</a> is having a forgettable season. He has one top-10 result and no other finishes inside the top 35. He doesn't have the distance required to keep up with the field at Oakmont and isn't hitting enough fairways to compensate for his lack of length off the tee. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2208" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2208">Lucas Glover</a>'s results won't blow you away, either, but he's having a consistent season because of his strong approach play. We'll bank on Glover making the cut and Kim missing it to cash this head-to-head Friday evening.</p><p><strong>Tournament hole-in-one: No (-160)</strong></p><p>The four par 3s at Oakmont are no joke. One of them (No. 8) is 289 yards, forcing most of the field to hit driver. The shortest par 3 is 182 yards, and the greens are so severe at this course that getting balls close to the pin will be tough.</p><p><strong>Min Woo Lee: Round 1 score over 73.5 (-130)</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777938/cropped_GettyImages-2207539530.jpg?ts=1743289942" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777938/w220xh124_GettyImages-2207539530.jpg?ts=1743289942 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777938/w320xh180_GettyImages-2207539530.jpg?ts=1743289942 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777938/w640xh360_GettyImages-2207539530.jpg?ts=1743289942 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777938/w768xh432_GettyImages-2207539530.jpg?ts=1743289942 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777938/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2207539530.jpg?ts=1743289942 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4299">Min Woo Lee</a> is plenty long off the tee, but he's extremely erratic and in poor form. He hasn't had a top-40 result since his win at the Houston Open, and Oakmont isn't a good course fit for him. The Round 1 scoring average could be three or four strokes over par, and it's easy to see Lee come in well below the average to open his week.</p><p><strong>Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, and Corey Conners all to make the cut (+337)</strong></p><p>Packaging these five players together to make the cut will give you a nice +337 payout. <a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a> has never finished worse than T14 in eight U.S. Opens. <a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/678">Tommy Fleetwood</a>'s game suits Oakmont well, and he has two finishes (no missed cuts) outside the top 25 in his last 12 starts. <a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1907">Corey Conners</a> is one of the best ball-strikers in the world, which bodes well at this tough venue. And we already waxed poetic about Straka and Lowry.</p><p><strong>Brooks Koepka: To miss the cut (+120)</strong></p><p>The dominant <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1461" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1461">Brooks Koepka</a> we once saw at majors is no more. Since winning the 2023 PGA Championship, he's failed to finish inside the top 15 and has missed back-to-back major cuts. What's most concerning is Koepka's lack of distance off the tee, averaging only 300.9 yards and hitting 55.65% of the fairways on LIV this year. For a player who relies heavily on his driver, those numbers won't hold up at Oakmont.</p><p><strong>Cameron Smith: To miss the cut (-105)</strong></p><p>According to <a href="https://datagolf.com/course-fit-tool?course_num=608">DataGolf.com</a>, Oakmont is a horrible course fit for <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/891" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/891">Cam Smith</a>. It makes sense - he's short and inaccurate off the tee but has a tremendous short game off tight lies, which are present at a course he's had success at - Augusta National. However, there's no short grass around Oakmont's greens, meaning Smith's chipping skills will be largely neutralized.</p><p>Additionally, Smith has missed the cut in three straight majors. It should be no surprise if he makes it four straight this week.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31525660/related

U.S. Open prop bets: Which LIV players will miss the cut?

Sam Bennett is the new betting favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, surpassing Connor McDavid ...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/3949" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/3949">Sam Bennett</a> is the new betting favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, surpassing <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/4560" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/4560">Connor McDavid</a> after the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/13" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/13">Florida Panthers</a> took Game 3 of the series.</p><p>The Panthers centerman is +140 on theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, ahead of <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/28" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/28">Edmonton Oilers</a> superstar McDavid (+240) and Florida's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/100" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/100">Brad Marchand</a> (+400) and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/1631" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/1631">Sergei Bobrovsky</a> (+600). Bennett entered the series at +2500 and was as high as +15000 (bet $1, win $150) to win the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP at the start of the postseason.</p><h3>Conn Smythe odds</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Sam Bennett</td>
<td>+140</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Connor McDavid</td>
<td>+240</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brad Marchand</td>
<td>+400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sergei Bobrovsky</td>
<td>+600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Leon Draisaitl</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aleksander Barkov</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Bennett recorded his fourth goal of the Stanley Cup Final and 14th of the playoffs Monday night during Florida's 6-1 <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3298183" href="https://thescore.com/news/3298183">victory</a> over the Oilers, extending his postseason goal lead by four over Edmonton's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/3948" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/3948">Leon Draisaitl</a>. Bennett is fifth in playoff points and leads the Panthers with 20.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The Panthers are -260 (72.2% implied probability) to win the Cup and have a 2-1 series lead. Meanwhile, the Oilers are +215 in the series after entering as the favorite.</p><p>Game 4 goes Thursday night in Sunrise, Florida, where the Panthers are pegged as -145 favorites.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31518611/related

Bennett muscles past McDavid as Conn Smythe favorite

Golf's toughest test is here.   The 2025 U.S. Open will be played at the iconic Oakmont Country C...

<p>Golf's toughest test is here. </p><p>The 2025 U.S. Open will be played at the iconic Oakmont Country Club, widely regarded as one of the most challenging courses in the world. A field of 156 players will descend on the Pittsburgh-area property with hopes of winning the season's third major, but only a few have a realistic chance.</p><h3>The course</h3><ul>
<li>7,372 yards, par 70</li>
<li>Designed by Henry Fownes in 1903, renovated by Gil Hanse in 2023</li>
<li>Poa annua grass greens</li>
<li>5-inch rough throughout</li>
<li>Heavily bunkered (168 total) are strategically placed along the fairways and greens, creating an extremely demanding tee-to-green course</li>
<li>All of the holes have a gradual tilt toward the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which intersects the course but cannot be easily seen from the grounds</li>
</ul><h3>Past U.S. Open champions</h3><p>2024: Bryson DeChambeau<br>2023: Wyndham Clark<br>2022: Matt Fitzpatrick<br>2021: Jon Rahm<br>2020: Bryson DeChambeau<br>2019: Gary Woodland<br>2018: Brooks Koepka<br>2017: Brooks Koepka</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Past winners at Oakmont</h3><p>2016: Dustin Johnson<br>2007: Angel Cabrera<br>1994: Ernie Els<br>1983: Larry Nelson<br>1973: Johnny Miller<br>1962: Jack Nicklaus<br>1953: Ben Hogan</p><h3>The favorite</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td> +275</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>"If you're a premier ball-striker, you'll be licking your chops," <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a> <a href="https://asaptext.com/asap_media/media/1017/1081/transcripts/156853.pdf">said</a> about Oakmont on Monday.</p><p>That means <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> should be salivating at his opportunity to win the U.S. Open. He's the best ball-striker in the world and is 25th in strokes gained: putting this season on the PGA TOUR.</p><p>Scheffler is in a class of his own on the course and the oddsboard, listed as the heavy +275 favorite at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. He's won three of his last four starts - a run that includes the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament - and heads to Oakmont in better form than he displayed during his historic 2024 season.</p><p>The World No. 1 has acknowledged that unpredictable golf courses, especially when missing the fairway, can be his kryptonite. That could explain his struggles at last year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst and his inability to crack the top five at the Open Championship. Thankfully for Scheffler, the thick rough lining Oakmont's fairways won't be unpredictable; it'll simply be challenging to play from.</p><p>Scheffler will be incredibly tough to beat. If you're betting on the outright winner, you must decide if you want to swallow the short price on Scheffler or roll the dice on his top challengers.</p><h3>The contenders</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Given the test Oakmont will present this week, only three players have a legitimate chance at beating Scheffler. Even these golfers have holes in their games that may prevent them from winning the major, but at their best, they're the only ones who can go toe-to-toe with Scheffler.</p><p><a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a> is the top option to beat Scheffler. The defending champion and two-time U.S. Open winner was built for golf's toughest test. He has all the tools to survive 72 holes at a U.S. Open venue. DeChambeau's length off the tee gives him a massive advantage over a field likely to be missing as many fairways as he does, except he'll be playing his second shot 50 yards closer to the green than the field average. His power is second to none, giving him the best chance at hitting shots from the thick, five-inch rough. DeChambeau's a fantastic putter and knows how to scramble around U.S. Open greens. He's had a successful run in recent majors and should be in contention again.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>'s game has been off since he won the Masters, but things can change quickly when you're one of the most talented golfers ever to live. McIlroy has struggled off the tee since his driver was deemed nonconforming at the PGA Championship. He was abysmal at last week's Canadian Open, testing a new driver that failed to deliver results. However, he was spotted using a driver similar to the one he used at the Masters, which could be the spark that his game needs.</p><p>McIlroy's U.S. Open odds have drifted considerably since winning the Masters, so a buy-low situation may be developing. It's worth noting that McIlroy has finished inside the top 10 in six straight U.S. Opens, including back-to-back runner-up results.</p><p>Finally, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a> proved to everyone that his game hasn't suffered since joining LIV when he was the only player at the PGA Championship with a realistic chance of catching Scheffler. He ultimately came up short, but knowing that version of Rahm still exists is why he's one of three Scheffler contenders this week.</p><p>The Spaniard is a former U.S. Open winner and possesses all the qualities of a multi-time U.S. Open champion. If Rahm can package it all together through four rounds at Oakmont, he should have a good opportunity to win his third career major.</p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joaquin Niemann</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tommy Fleetwood</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Thomas</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patrick Cantlay</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sepp Straka</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brooks Koepka</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Spieth</td>
<td>+6600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton</td>
<td>+6600</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>We won't spend much time on this group because there's a roughly 50% chance the winner is one of the top four on the oddsboard. In fact, theScore bet is offering Scheffler, McIlroy, DeChambeau, and Rahm against the field at +100. That's not to say someone like Schauffele or <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> can't win, but there isn't enough value in this range on any player to consider backing them in the outright market.</p><p>Schauffele is the obvious choice in this range, but he's not driving the ball straight enough to make him a consideration in the outright market. While he's launching it longer than ever off the tee, Schauffele is hitting only 52.86% of his fairways, a number likely to drop at Oakmont. He's also 139th in strokes gained: putting this season.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/325" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/325">Shane Lowry</a> or <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/534" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Sepp Straka</a> are extremely accurate drivers and give you a nice discount on Morikawa, who boasts a similar game. Still, it's hard to imagine any of these players outclassing Scheffler on Sunday.</p><h3>Pick</h3><p><strong>Bryson DeChambeau: To win (+750)</strong></p><p>DeChambeau is the pick to outduel Scheffler. </p><p>Right now, it's easier to trust the captain of Crushers GC than it is McIlroy or Rahm. DeChambeau continues to prove it on the biggest stages, claiming five top-six finishes in his previous six major appearances, including his win at Pinehurst last year.</p><p>He conquered an extremely similar test when he won by six shots at Winged Foot in 2020, and he's a much better golfer nowadays. DeChambeau's well-rounded game has been on display in the last two Masters, and he'll face shots from uneven lies at Oakmont similar to those he's seen at Augusta National.</p><p>Backing DeChambeau at double the odds of Scheffler is a far easier pill to swallow. It's also the best way to maximize your winning potential while getting a Sunday sweat.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31518239/related

U.S. Open betting preview: Who can beat Scheffler at Oakmont?

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka are the favorites in their respective French Open finals match...

<p>Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka are the favorites in their respective French Open finals matches. Defending champion Alcaraz will take on Jannik Sinner on Sunday, while Sabalenka will face Coco Gauff on Saturday. </p><p>Alcaraz is a -120 favorite at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet in his first meeting with Sinner in a Grand Slam final. Alcaraz has an 8-4 edge over Sinner in their career head-to-heads and is 2-1 against the Italian on clay. Those two clay victories came in last year's French Open semis and the finals of May's ATP 1000 event in Rome.</p><p>Alcaraz advanced to his second straight French Open final after Lorenzo Musetti retired while trailing two sets to one and down two games in the fourth set. Alcaraz also beat Americans Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton amid his title defense.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Sinner knocked off Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the other semifinal. Sinner is a three-time Grand Slam champion, but all three came on hard court, and this will be his first French Open final appearance. </p><p>On the women's side, Sabalenka is a -220 favorite over Gauff (+165). It will be Sabalenka's first French Open final appearance and Gauff's second. The American lost to Iga Swiatek in 2022.</p><p>It's the second time they've played each other in a Grand Slam final; Gauff got the better of Sabalenka at the 2023 US Open. The top two-ranked women in the world are even at five wins apiece in their 10 head-to-head matches.</p><p>Sabalenka defeated No. 5 seed Swiatek in the semis to reach her first final at Roland Garros. She also beat 8-seed Qinwen Zheng and 16-seed Amanda Anisimova on her way to the championship match.</p><p>Gauff's path was a bit easier. She knocked off Ekaterina Alexandrova and No. 7 seed Madison Keys before ending French wild card Lois Boisson's remarkable run.</p><p>The women's final starts at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, while the men's final takes place at 9 a.m. on Sunday.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31486510/related

French Open finals betting: Alcaraz, Sabalenka favorites at Roland Garros

Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty returns to the track Saturday for the Belmont Stakes, the final...

<p>Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty returns to the track Saturday for the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of this year's Triple Crown. </p><p>Sovereignty skipped the Preakness Stakes, opening the door for Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism to claim the second leg. Now, both horses will race in Saratoga Springs, New York, to determine which horse had the better season.</p><p>Journalism is the narrow +160 favorite to win the eight-horse Belmont Stakes, slightly ahead of Sovereignty (+200).</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Horse</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Journalism</td>
<td>+160</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sovereignty</td>
<td>+200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Baeza</td>
<td>+400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rodriguez</td>
<td>+600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hill Road</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Crudo</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Heart of Honor</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Uncaged</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Belmont Park on Long Island usually hosts the race but is undergoing a renovation project. The race at Saratoga Springs will be 1.25-miles (10 furlongs and the same length as the Kentucky Derby) as opposed to Belmont Park's 1.5 miles (12 furlongs).</p><p>Journalism has won five of his last six races, while Sovereignty has claimed three of his previous four. </p><p>Baeza is the third favorite at +400. He came third in the Kentucky Derby as a late entry following the scratch of Rodriguez, who hasn't raced since early April but is in the Belmont field at +600.</p><p>The post time for Saturday's race is approximately 7:04 p.m. ET. </p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31483461/related

Belmont Stakes betting preview: Sovereignty returns for Triple Crown's final leg

It's Canadian Open week! While it may be just another tournament for most golf fans, it's the lon...

<p>It's Canadian Open week! While it may be just another tournament for most golf fans, it's the lone opportunity for those north of the border to witness some of the game's best compete.</p><p>The second-oldest PGA TOUR event will be played at TPC Toronto, a new venue for the tournament that dates back to 1904. Two-time Canadian Open winner <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> is the headliner, with <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1907" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1907">Corey Conners</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/325" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/325">Shane Lowry</a>, and defending champion <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4894" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4894">Robert MacIntyre</a> rounding out the field.</p><p>Let's get to five predictions for what's about to unfold at Canada's national open. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>A Canadian will contend ...</strong></p><p>Two years ago, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1122" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1122">Nick Taylor</a> ended a 69-year drought for Canadians at their home open. Now, there are more Canadians playing better than ever who have a legit shot at repeating Taylor's magic (including Taylor himself).</p><p>Conners has the best shot at pulling off the feat. He's third on the oddsboard at +2000 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, behind McIlroy and Aberg and tied with Lowry. TPC Toronto is a demanding course from a ball-striking perspective, and few players in the world are better ball-strikers than Conners. If his putter can hold serve, he should have a late tee time Sunday.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1850" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1850">Taylor Pendrith</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1056" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1056">Mackenzie Hughes</a>, and the 2023 champ - Nick Taylor - are all inside the top 13 on the oddsboard. The odds for any Canadian to win the tournament are +525 (16% implied probability). Canadian golf fans hoping for some more home-country heroics could be in luck.</p><p><strong>... and that Canadian will be Taylor Pendrith</strong></p><p>Pendrith has the best shot at winning this tournament among the Canadians. The North Course at TPC Toronto is tailor-made for his style of play. Distance will be vital to success over four rounds on the 7,400-yard, par-70 layout, and Pendrith has more than enough horsepower to keep up with the other bombers in the field. </p><p>He's also playing some of the best golf of his career. Pendrith finished T5 at the PGA Championship - his best career result in a major - and came T12 at the Memorial Tournament last week, where he led the field in strokes gained: approach.</p><p>The crop of Canadians is strong this week, but if one is going to make a run, Pendrith will be the guy. </p><p><strong>"The Rink" will deliver an ace</strong></p><p>Since its inception in 2017, "The Rink" hole at the Canadian Open has become the tournament's main attraction. However, there's yet to be a hole-in-one at the signature hole, which would surely send the rowdy fans into a frenzy.</p><p>This is the year it happens. "The Rink" hole has been a challenging par 3 in past editions, typically playing close to 200 yards. But the 14th hole at TPC Toronto's North Course is maxed out at 160 yards this year, with the ability to move it up to 140.</p><p>With a wedge in hand for the entire field, and a green that has some accessible pin locations, there'll be an ace at the Canadian Open's signature hole.</p><p><strong>TPC Toronto will provide a stiff test</strong></p><p>Any time the PGA TOUR heads to a new course, there are always concerns as to whether or not it can test the world's best players. But at 7,400 yards, one of the longest venues on the schedule, the new host site will do a good job challenging this week's field.</p><p>It won't be as difficult as a major championship or tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but players will have a handful of demanding mid-to-long irons into the greens that'll make birdies tough to come by. The par 5s are scorable, but there aren't many other birdie opportunities on the property.</p><p>Expect a winning score in the mid-teens, with the potential for one or two players to separate from the pack. Once Sunday comes to a close, any concerns about the new course from a PGA TOUR-test perspective will be squashed and should have fans excited to see the tournament return to TPC Toronto next year. </p><p><strong>The winner will lead the field in strokes gained: ball striking</strong></p><p>When the North Course at TPC Toronto was renovated by architect Ian Andrew ahead of this year's Canadian Open, there was a focus on making it a tee-to-green test. </p><p>"The focus for me is trying to balance out tee to green becoming a greater part of what is required for a player to succeed and hopefully win rather than it just becoming a putting contest," Andrew said, <a href="https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/needtoknow/2025/06/02/five-things-to-know-tpc-toronto-rbc-canadian-open-course-history-statistics-records-yardage">according to PGA TOUR's Adam Stanley</a>.</p><p>A lot of PGA TOUR venues fail to challenge golfers' ability to hit long irons into greens. Players hit it so far off the tee, typically leaving them with wedges into most par 4s. That means the green-in-regulation percentage is relatively high, and the only way to separate from the field is by making a lot of putts. </p><p>That won't be the case this week, with six par 4s over 480 yards. The winner of this tournament will lead the field in strokes gained: ball striking (off the tee plus approach) due to the course's demanding length.</p>

HAMILTON, ONTARIO - MAY 31: (L-R) Taylor Pendrith of Canada and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walk off the 15th tee during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club on May 31, 2024 in Hamilton, Ontario.

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5 Canadian Open predictions: Will we finally see an ace at 'The Rink?'

The Edmonton Oilers are slight favorites over the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final remat...

<p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/28" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/28">Edmonton Oilers</a> are slight favorites over the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/13" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/13">Florida Panthers</a> in the Stanley Cup Final rematch.</p><p>After knocking out the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/22" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/22">Dallas Stars</a> in five games, the Oilers have -130 (56.5% implied probability) odds at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, while the Panthers have +110 odds.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/4560" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/4560">Connor McDavid</a> and Co. will look to end the Oilers' 35-year Stanley Cup drought. The franchise dominated the NHL with five championships from 1984 to 1990, but they have to get past one of the league's best teams to claim this season's crown.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The Panthers will play in their third straight Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Oilers in seven contests last year to earn the franchise's first title. Their appearance marks the sixth consecutive campaign in which a Florida team has reached the finals.</p><p>Defending the Stanley Cup has become more common, which bodes well for the Panthers' chances. The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/14" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/14">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> (2020 and 2021) and the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/10" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/10">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> (2016 and 2017) have both become repeat champions within the past decade. Before that, the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/18" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/18">Detroit Red Wings</a> were the most recent team to win back-to-back Cups in 1997 and 1998.</p><p>The meeting between the Oilers and Panthers will be the first Stanley Cup rematch since the Penguins and Red Wings faced off in both 2008 and 2009, winning one series apiece.</p><p>Heading into the finals, McDavid leads all players in playoff points with 26, one ahead of his teammate <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/3948" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/3948">Leon Draisaitl</a>. Edmonton's captain tops the Conn Smythe oddsboard as the -115 favorite, ahead of Panthers netminder <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/1631" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/1631">Sergei Bobrovsky</a>.</p><h3>Conn Smythe odds</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Connor McDavid</td>
<td>-115</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sergei Bobrovsky</td>
<td>+275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aleksander Barkov</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Leon Draisaitl</td>
<td>+700</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthew Tkachuk</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sam Bennett</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stuart Skinner</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Carter Verhaeghe</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brad Marchand</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Both McDavid's odds and the Oilers' Stanley Cup odds suggest he's likely to collect his second straight Conn Smythe trophy if Edmonton hoists the Cup. McDavid won last year despite the Oilers' losing effort.</p><p>However, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/6553" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/6553">Stuart Skinner</a> has a chance at +4000 if the Oilers' offense goes cold. Bobrovsky is playing great, and if this series turns into a defensive battle, Skinner could make a push. He has three shutouts in his last seven starts and, if he picks up a few more in the finals, he'd have a strong Conn Smythe case.</p>

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Oilers slight favorites over Panthers in Stanley Cup rematch

The PGA TOUR heads north of the border this week for the RBC Canadian Open - the second-oldest no...

<p>The PGA TOUR heads north of the border this week for the RBC Canadian Open - the second-oldest non-major tournament on the calendar. </p><p>The event will be held at a new venue, moving away from the classic city courses to TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley's North Course. A field of 156 golfers will take on the monstrous 7,389-yard, par-70 layout. </p><h3>The course</h3><ul>
<li>7,389 yards, par 70</li>
<li>Doug Carrick design</li>
<li>Bentgrass greens</li>
<li>Six par 4s are over 480 yards, and four are over 500 yards</li>
<li>The course's main defense is its length</li>
<li>Comparable venues: TPC San Antonio (Valero Texas Open), TPC Craig Ranch (CJ Cup Byron Nelson)</li>
</ul><p>Outside of majors, new courses are rare on the PGA TOUR. But from a betting perspective, it presents an opportunity with a little extra research to gain an edge on the rest of the market.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>From firsthand experience, "big" is the best way to describe this golf course. The fairways are wide, the greens are large, and the bunkers are deep. It's a driver-heavy layout that evokes minimal strategy off the tee. Players who gain strokes off the tee and are hitting their long irons well will have a huge advantage.</p><p>The greens are relatively simple and should be easy to putt on if a player hits it in the correct section of the green. That also means scrambling should be easier than usual, as the absence of wild undulations allows chip shots to settle more consistently near the hole.</p><h3>Previous winners</h3><p>2024: Robert MacIntyre (-16)<br>2023: Nick Taylor (-17)<br>2022: Rory McIlroy (-19)<br>2021: No tournament<br>2020: No tournament<br>2019: Rory McIlroy (-22)<br>2018: Dustin Johnson (-23)<br>2017: Jhonattan Vegas (-21)</p><h3>The favorites</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+450</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+1400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Robert MacIntyre</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sam Burns</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Taylor Pendrith</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a> is a heavy +450 favorite at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. The course is a perfect fit for the two-time Canadian Open winner since it's bombs away, and no one on the PGA TOUR is better with their driver than McIlroy. However, his price is very short, and he's coming off an uninspiring performance at the PGA Championship. There's a good chance he spends the week fine-tuning his game for Oakmont, and that's too big of a risk to take at his short odds.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a> is the name that pops off the page in this section. He's long and straight off the tee - the reason he won earlier this year at Torrey Pines - and is coming off one of the best rounds of his career when he gained 6.7 strokes to the field in Round 4 of the Memorial Tournament.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1907" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1907">Corey Conners</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1850" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1850">Taylor Pendrith</a> will have a ton of local support and have a good opportunity to follow in fellow Canadian <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1122" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1122">Nick Taylor</a>'s footsteps after his historic win in 2023. Conners is playing about as consistently as anyone on the PGA TOUR with nine top-25s in his last 10 starts. Meanwhile, Pendrith came T5 at the PGA Championship and T12 last week at the Memorial Tournament.</p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Luke Clanton</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Harry Hall</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Keith Mitchell</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sungjae Im</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nick Taylor</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Thorbjorn Olesen</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Noren</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wyndham Clark</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kurt Kitayama</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Smalley</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chris Gotterup</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gary Woodland</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>John Keefer</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Rose</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cameron Young</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Davis Riley</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jake Knapp</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt Wallace</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Homa</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rasmus Hojgaard</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Thomas Detry</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/7706" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/7706">Luke Clanton</a> is making his professional debut, but he may be a recognizable name due to his success on the PGA TOUR as an amateur. He hits it a mile and is really good on long par 4s. In a statistical model created specifically for TPC Toronto, Clanton ranks second in the field over the past 36 rounds behind McIlroy and ahead of Conners, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3117" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3117">Keith Mitchell</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/325" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/325">Shane Lowry</a>, and Aberg, to name a few.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1941" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1941">Jake Knapp</a> is another bomber who should have little issue navigating the new layout. He finished third at this course in 2019, before the renovation that added length.</p><p>Mitchell, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/407" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/407">Thorbjorn Olesen</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2892" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2892">Kurt Kitayama</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4422" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4422">Alex Smalley</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4701" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4701">Rasmus Hojgaard</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2506" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2506">Thomas Detry</a> are all viable options in this range due to their distance off the tee. </p><h3>Picks</h3><p><strong>Ludvig Aberg: To win (+1400)</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/cropped_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w220xh124_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w320xh180_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w640xh360_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w768xh432_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770875/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2200056393.jpg?ts=1739747141 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Aberg has struggled to find his form over the past month, but a 66 on Sunday at Muirfield Village should do wonders for his confidence heading to Canada.</p><p>The young Swede is an elite driver of the ball and can use his world-class long-iron play to separate from the field on lengthy par 4s. The North Course at TPC Toronto is tailor-made for Aberg's game, and a win this week would not be a surprise.</p><p><strong>Luke Clanton: To win (+3300), top-10 finish (+400)</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788574/cropped_GettyImages-2206110863.jpg?ts=1748893063" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788574/w220xh124_GettyImages-2206110863.jpg?ts=1748893063 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788574/w320xh180_GettyImages-2206110863.jpg?ts=1748893063 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788574/w640xh360_GettyImages-2206110863.jpg?ts=1748893063 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788574/w768xh432_GettyImages-2206110863.jpg?ts=1748893063 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788574/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2206110863.jpg?ts=1748893063 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Julio Aguilar / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Clanton possesses a lot of the same tools as Aberg. In his 13 PGA TOUR starts, he's gained strokes off the tee 12 times. Though he hasn't competed on the TOUR since March, he's won twice at the collegiate level since, suggesting that the form that once made him the betting favorite in a PGA TOUR event as an amateur is still there.</p><p>Despite just 13 counting events, the 21-year-old is already ranked 115th in the Official World Golf Ranking, a number that'll surely skyrocket as the summer progresses. Clanton could replicate exactly what Aberg did two years ago and make the Ryder Cup team only a few months after debuting professionally in Canada.</p><p><strong>Ricky Castillo: To win (+12500), top-20 finish (+375)</strong></p><p>We're venturing well down the board for this one, but <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/6334" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/6334">Castillo</a> is a steal at +12500. </p><p>The PGA TOUR rookie came T5 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson two starts ago, a course that compares similarly to TPC Toronto. Castillo also came T12 at the Valspar Championship, a layout that demands precision off the tee and rewards strong long-iron play. He's 24th in strokes gained: off the tee, 46th in strokes gained: approach, and 32nd in driving distance on the PGA TOUR this season.</p><p><strong>Antoine Rozner: To win (+25000), top-20 finish (+475)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/4732" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/4732">Rozner</a> is one of the best long-iron players in this field and enters the week off three quality starts on the PGA TOUR, with no finish outside of the top 35. Two of the tournaments - the Valero Texas Open and CJ Cup Byron Nelson - were held on courses with similar characteristics to TPC Toronto.</p><p>The Frenchman is +25000 for a reason, but he's a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and has the required tools to contend at this week's venue. </p>

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Canadian Open betting preview: Target elite drivers at TPC Toronto

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are on a collision course to repeat last year's Stanley ...

<p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/28" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/28">Edmonton Oilers</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/13" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/13">Florida Panthers</a> are on a collision course to repeat last year's Stanley Cup Final. </p><p>The Oilers took a 3-1 series lead Tuesday night to join the Panthers at one win away from reaching the finals. Florida will try to punch its ticket to defend the Cup on Wednesday on the road in Carolina.</p><p>But neither series is over, and there's still a chance for either a <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/22" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/22">Dallas Stars</a> or <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/12" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/12">Carolina Hurricanes</a> comeback. There have been 32 instances where a team erased a 3-1 deficit dating back to 1942, most recently by the Panthers when they stormed back on the Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in 2023.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The odds are stacked against them, but the Hurricanes are +750 (11.8% implied probability) and the Stars are +600 (14.3% implied probability) at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet to win their respective series. </p><p>That means there's roughly a 26% implied probability that one of the Stars or Hurricanes is in the Stanley Cup Final. When laid like that, it's not a sure-fire guarantee that we'll have a rematch of last year on our hands. </p><p>It's must-win from here on out for both teams down 3-1. Carolina is in a coin-flip contest at home Wednesday, with the moneyline at -110 a side. Dallas is a slight -125 favorite for its Thursday night matchup.</p><p>If you think there could be a comeback on deck, now would be a great time to back either the Stars or Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup. Dallas is +1400 and Carolina is +1600, which will be closer to even money if either team wins its next three games.</p><p>But if you think it's another Oilers-Panthers final, then now is the time to back your pick to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. Edmonton and Florida are both +110 to win it all, odds that will be shorter if both teams advance.</p>

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What the odds say: Could there be a 3-1 comeback in either NHL series?

The PGA TOUR rolls into Dublin, Ohio, this week for the Memorial Tournament - a staple on the gol...

<p>The PGA TOUR rolls into Dublin, Ohio, this week for the Memorial Tournament - a staple on the golf calendar. </p><p>It's the penultimate signature event of the year and the final with a cut. The 72-man field will take on Jack Nicklaus' famed Muirfield Village Golf Club with $4 million to the winner up for grabs. The top 50 and ties after Friday will make it to the weekend.</p><h3>The course</h3><ul>
<li>7,569 yards, par 72</li>
<li>Designed by Jack Nicklaus</li>
<li>Seven par 4s over 450 yards</li>
<li>Considered a second-shot course that rewards elite iron play</li>
<li>Bentgrass greens are smaller than average and well-protected by bunkers</li>
</ul><h3>Past winners</h3><p>2024: Scottie Scheffler (-9) over Collin Morikawa<br>2023: Viktor Hovland (-7) over Denny McCarthy<br>2022: Billy Horschel (-13) over Aaron Wise<br>2021: Patrick Cantlay (-13) over Collin Morikawa<br>2020: Jon Rahm (-9) over Ryan Palmer<br>2019: Patrick Cantlay (-19) over Adam Scott<br>2018: Bryson DeChambeau (-15) in a playoff over two others<br>2017: Jason Dufner (-13) over Rickie Fowler, Anirban Lahiri<br>2016: William McGirt (-15) in a playoff over Jon Curran<br>2015: Justin Rose (-15) in a playoff over Rickie Fowler<br>2014: Hideki Matsuyama (-13) in a playoff over Kevin Na<br>2013: Matt Kuchar (-12) over Kevin Chappell<br>2012: Tiger Woods (-9) over Andres Romero, Rory Sabbatini</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>The favorites</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Xander Schauffele</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Justin Thomas</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Patrick Cantlay</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Defending champion <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> is the prohibitive favorite at +300 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet. He's two starts removed from winning the PGA Championship and came T4 last week at the Charles Schwab Challenge, where he led the field in strokes gained: tee to green. Yes, Scheffler can easily win this tournament, but +300 is a steep price to pay.</p><p>The players in the group right behind Scheffler are mostly enticing. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1213" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1213">Xander Schauffele</a> feels overdue for a victory, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/3135" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/3135">Collin Morikawa</a> is a fantastic course fit, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a> is playing some of his best golf in recent years. All three are viable options at +1600 and above.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1451" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1451">Patrick Cantlay</a> is the only fade in this tier. Even though he's a two-time winner (once when <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1111" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1111">Jon Rahm</a> was forced to withdraw after Round 3 with a six-stroke lead), he's not playing well enough to be considered. He has one top-10 in his last seven starts and is coming off a missed cut at the PGA Championship.</p><h3>The next tier</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tommy Fleetwood</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corey Conners</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hideki Matsuyama</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Spieth</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shane Lowry</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Berger</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Denny McCarthy</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sepp Straka</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Keegan Bradley</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthew Fitzpatrick</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell Henley</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sam Burns</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sungjae Im</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tony Finau</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>If you are venturing into this price range, consider betting on the without Scheffler market. Often, you can get a player priced at +4000 in the outright market who may be +3300 in a market that theoretically removes Scheffler from the tournament. The odds are a bit shorter can be more than worth it.</p><h3>Picks</h3><p><strong>Xander Schauffele: To win (+1600)</strong></p><p>Schauffele plays consistently well at Jack's Place, and even when he doesn't have his best stuff, he can still find a way to post good scores. He hasn't finished worse than tied for 24th in his last six starts at the Memorial.</p><p>Additionally, Schauffele is trending toward the form that earned him two majors last year. He has four top-20s in his last five starts and gained 5.6 strokes off the tee at the PGA Championship. If he brings that driving form with him to Ohio and tidies up his approach play, he'll be in the mix for a first victory of the year.</p><p><strong>Matt Fitzpatrick: To win (+4500), top-20 finish (+170)</strong></p><p>The Englishman is having a down year, and it's been over two years since his last victory at the RBC Heritage. However, there are signs indicating that <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/808" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/808">Fitzpatrick</a> is trending.</p><p>He gained 5.8 strokes on approach shots at the PGA Championship, his highest mark since that win two years ago. He's also gained strokes on approach in three straight tournaments, something he hasn't done since - you guessed it - 2023. </p><p>Fitzpatrick has three top-10 finishes at the Memorial in his last five starts, displaying his affinity toward the Nicklaus layout. He's a bit of a long shot at +4500 but one with far more upside than the odds suggest.</p><p><strong>Sepp Straka: Top-20 finish (+155)</strong></p><p>We love <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/534" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/534">Straka</a> in these parts. He's consistently undervalued, being priced alongside players in worse form and with less upside. Straka won the Truist Championship two starts ago for his second victory of the season. He has nine top-20 results in 14 starts this year - a 64.3% rate - while his odds imply a probability of only 39.2%.</p><p>Straka came tied for fifth at the Memorial in 2024 and finished T16 the year prior. Keep backing Straka while the market is slow to catch up.</p><p><strong>Tony Finau: Top-20 finish (+170)</strong></p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/2172" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/2172">Finau</a> has back-to-back top-20 showings, one at the Truist Championship and one at the PGA Championship. He consistently gains strokes off the tee and flashed with his approach play at Quail Hollow two weeks ago, gaining 5.2 strokes on the field with his irons.</p><p>His results over the past few years on TOUR suggest he plays his best golf as June approaches. Finau has five top-20 results at the Memorial in his eight career starts. That's a 62.5% hit rate, while his odds imply a probability of 37%. Take the value and run.</p>

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Memorial Tournament betting: Who will conquer Muirfield Village?

Mitch Marner's time in Toronto appears to be up.  The Maple Leafs' star is set to become an unres...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/4718" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/4718">Mitch Marner</a>'s time in Toronto appears to be up.</p><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/5" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/5">Maple Leafs</a>' star is set to become an unrestricted free agent and seems destined to test the open market. There have been no rumblings of the two sides working on a new deal, and the Leafs <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3236850" href="https://thescore.com/news/3236850">reportedly</a> asked Marner to waive his no-trade clause at this year's deadline.</p><p>But the writing is on the wall after another season of high expectations for Toronto ended in disappointment against the<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/13" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/13"> Florida Panthers</a>. The Leafs need to make a change. With Marner poised to command a huge payday in free agency, it's unlikely Toronto will commit big money to run back the same group that's consistently come up short in the playoffs.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Who will sign Marner this offseason?</p><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/16" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/16">Chicago Blackhawks</a> are the +275 favorites at theScore Bet to land Marner's services. The fit makes sense considering the Blackhawks desperately need to add some skill at wing to help <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/13829" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/13829">Connor Bedard</a>. While a Bedard-Marner duo would be on the smaller side, there's no debating that the combo would be as dynamic as any in the NHL.</p><p>Chicago also has $30 million in cap space, per <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/cap/_/year/2025">Spotrac</a>. That's more than enough to get a deal done.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Blackhawks</td>
<td>+275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flyers</td>
<td>+400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Penguins</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mammoth</td>
<td>+550</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hurricanes</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Red Wings</td>
<td>+1300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rangers</td>
<td>+1300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ducks</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wild</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Canadiens</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Predators</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kraken</td>
<td>+2300</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/9" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/9">Philadelphia Flyers</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/10" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/10">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/186" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/186">Utah Mammoth</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/12" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/12">Carolina Hurricanes</a> are all under +1000.</p><p>The Flyers need a lot of help and have plenty of cap space.</p><p>The Penguins are an interesting spot since Marner and general manager Kyle Dubas are familiar with each other from their time in Toronto.</p><p>The Mammoth have long been rumored to be in the Marner sweepstakes. As a new team with a recently unveiled name, logo, and money to burn, Utah is in a prime position to make a big splash. Signing Marner would be a game-changer, igniting excitement and helping build a passionate fan base.</p><p>Carolina was reportedly linked to Marner at the deadline. When it became clear that <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/4772" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/4772">Mikko Rantanen</a> wouldn't sign with the Hurricanes after they acquired the Finnish star from the Colorado Avalanche during the season, the possibility of a Rantanen-Marner trade surfaced. That deal never came to fruition, but now Carolina can spend some of its nearly $32 million in cap space on the three-time All-Star.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Islanders</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Golden Knights</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Avalanche</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stars</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kings</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Devils</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blues</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flames</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sharks</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lightning</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Canucks</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Capitals</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sabres</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blue Jackets</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oilers</td>
<td>+4500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Panthers</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jets</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bruins</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Senators</td>
<td>+6000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The above list is all long shots, but a few teams stand out. </p><p>The <a href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/25">San Jose Sharks</a> have the most cap space heading into next season, and they're a young team that could use a veteran star like Marner. Additionally, Patrick Marleau works in the Sharks' front office and is familiar with the type of player Marner is from their time playing together in Toronto. He could push for San Jose to sign him.</p><p>The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/17" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/17">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> also have a boatload of cap room. If Marner's camp is prioritizing money this offseason, taking a flier on a team with $40 million to spend isn't a bad option.</p><p>You'll notice the Leafs are absent from the oddsboard. That could be one of two things: This situation is so fluid that the sportsbook doesn't want to take the risk that Marner re-signs overnight with his hometown team, or there's no chance he returns to the Blue and White.</p><p>Whichever direction the Marner story goes, it'll be the talk of the offseason until he puts pen to paper.</p>

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Blackhawks favored to sign Marner if he leaves Toronto

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are down to the final four, and the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers...

<p>The Stanley Cup Playoffs are down to the final four, and the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/28" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/28">Edmonton Oilers</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/13" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/13">Florida Panthers</a> are the co-favorites to win it all.</p><p>The Oilers and Panthers are both +250 on theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, with the <a data-in-app-uri="" href="">Dallas Stars</a> trailing closely at +275. The <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/teams/12" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/teams/12">Carolina Hurricanes</a> round out the group at +325, meaning no team has an implied probability worse than 23.5%.</p><p>Florida entered the postseason as the +700 favorites, while Edmonton had the longest odds at +900 of the four remaining teams before the playoffs started.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Very little separates the final four, and the series odds reflect that. The Oilers and Panthers are both -120 favorites in their respective matchups, which implies a probability of 54.5%. Each conference final is essentially a coin flip.</p><p>Despite odds suggesting each of the final four teams has a near-equal chance, bettors are banking on Edmonton to win it all more than the rest.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/4560" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/4560">Connor McDavid</a> and Co. have amassed 33.5% of the bets and 32.6% of the handle (money wagered) on the Stanley Cup winner market. The Stars have received the second-most bets (22.5%) and handle (24.9%), the Panthers the third most (21.1% of bets, 21.3% of the handle), and the Hurricanes the fourth most (17.4% of bets, 17.8% of the handle).</p><p>As for the playoff MVP, McDavid is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe award. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/4772" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/4772">Mikko Rantanen</a>, who's been carrying the Stars, is a close second.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Connor McDavid</td>
<td>+325</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mikko Rantanen</td>
<td>+350</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Frederik Andersen</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sergei Bobrovsky</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Leon Draisaitl</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jake Oettinger</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aleksander Barkov</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sam Reinhart</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Andrei Svechnikov</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthew Tkachuk</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sebastian Aho</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brad Marchand</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seth Jarvis</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>What stands out here is that the Panthers have no players shorter than <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/1631" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/1631">Sergei Bobrovsky</a> at +800. Florida is a well-balanced team with a good shot at winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. McDavid isn't having as dominant a playoff run as last year when he won the Conn Smythe on a losing team, so if Florida hoists the Cup again, a Panther will likely win the MVP.</p><p>Taking a stab at a long shot on the Panthers isn't a bad idea. Brad Marchand leads them in playoff points. Betting on him at +3000 seems like a worthwhile wager. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/3949" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/3949">Sam Bennett</a> (+6000), who leads Florida in playoff goals, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/3208" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/3208">Carter Verhaeghe</a> (+7500) are also value options.</p>

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Stanley Cup betting: Oilers, Panthers co-favorites among final 4

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 4 of the PGA Championship.</em></p><p>Welcome! </p><p>The final round of the 2025 PGA Championship is upon us. Scottie Scheffler looks destined to claim his third career major after a flurry of birdies at the end of his third round provided him a three-shot cushion for Sunday. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Danger lurks around Quail Hollow that could derail Scheffler's day, and there are also opportunities for birdies to give chasers like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau a glimmer of hope. It'll take a special day, combined with Scheffler collapsing, for anyone who's not the No. 1 player in the world to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy, but there's still a lot of golf to be played.</p><p>We'll track the action throughout the day and analyze how the course is playing. Who knows, maybe we'll have another dramatic major finish like the one at the Masters.</p><p>Let's get to it! (All times ET.)</p><p><strong>6:55 p.m. </strong>- That's a wrap, folks! Scheffler is your PGA Championship winner, doing so in dominant fashion for his third career major title. He bogeys 18 to win by five over Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, and Davis Riley. </p><p><strong>6:25 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler was tied for the lead when he stood on the 10th tee. He now leads by six as he plays the 17th. It's time for the Vince Carter "it's over" gif.</p><p><strong>6:05 p.m.</strong> - Rahm finds the water on 17 as Scheffler birdies 15. The World No. 1 has a four-shot lead with three holes to play. Nos. 16-18 are the most difficult of the course, but Scheffler navigated them perfectly in Round 3.</p><p><strong>5:50 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler birdies 14, moving two clear of Rahm with a par 5 left to play. Barring disaster, this tournament is Scheffler's. </p><p><strong>5:40 p.m. </strong>- Scheffler pars Nos. 11, 12, and 13 to head to the drivable par-4 14th with a one-shot lead. Rahm makes par on 14, a hole with a scoring average of 3.67, and pars the par-5 15th. Scheffler moves to a -550 favorite with Rahm unable to capitalize on the two scoring holes on Quail Hollow's back nine. </p><p><strong>5:05 p.m.</strong> - The tie was short-lived. Scheffler birdies the 10th and hits a beautiful drive on the tough 11th hole. He's -250 with Rahm +200 in what's become a two-horse race.</p><p><strong>4:50 p.m.</strong> - It's tied at the top! Rahm birdies the 11th, a hole playing 0.31 strokes over par on the day. If Scheffler fails to birdie the par-5 10th, a hole playing 0.36 strokes under par, this tournament will be dead even.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786313/cropped_GettyImages-2215770790.jpg?ts=1747602493" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786313/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215770790.jpg?ts=1747602493 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786313/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215770790.jpg?ts=1747602493 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786313/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215770790.jpg?ts=1747602493 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786313/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215770790.jpg?ts=1747602493 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786313/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215770790.jpg?ts=1747602493 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Alex Slitz / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>4:45 p.m. </strong>- Scheffler bogeys No. 2 to fall back to 9-under, one ahead of Rahm. Scheffler hit two fairways, four greens in regulation, and made three bogeys and one birdie in his front nine. We have a ball game!</p><p><strong>4:30 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler plays Nos. 7 and 8 at even par, a stretch of holes playing to an average of 0.73 strokes under par. By giving nearly a full shot back to the field, Scheffler's live odds are back down to -400. Rahm has a 2-footer to get within two shots, and he's +475 to win the tournament. Things are getting interesting.</p><p><strong>4:15 p.m. </strong>- Scheffler makes par on the par-5 seventh for the second time this week. Meanwhile, Rahm birdies No. 8 to get within three of the leader, but he's still +1200 to win.</p><p><strong>3:56 p.m.</strong> - Another poor iron shot on the par-3 sixth leads to a bogey for Scheffler. He's 1-over on the day but still maintains a four-shot advantage over eight players. Scheffler heads to the easy par-5 seventh, followed by the drivable par-4 eighth.</p><p><strong>3:43 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler doesn't seem to have his best stuff. However, it likely won't matter. He's hit two of five greens in regulation and two of four fairways, and his lone birdie came after a wayward drive. Scheffler still holds a four-shot lead.</p><p><strong>3:07 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler gets his dropped shot back by rolling in a 14-footer for birdie on No. 2. He leads by four and has live odds of -900 (90% implied probability).</p><p><strong>2:55 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler pulls his iron shot into the bunker, a rare miss from the world's best iron player. He fails to get up and down from the bunker, leading to a bogey. Alex Noren also made a bogey, so Scheffler still leads by three.</p><p><strong>2:40 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler and Noren are off. Scheffler carves it beautifully down the right side of the fairway. Noren must make an early birdie to put the pressure on.</p><p><strong>2:35 p.m.</strong> - Some insight from Xander Schauffele about today's 17th hole. </p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Perhaps one to tuck away for later today from Xander:<br><br>"17 is a pretty ridiculous setup today. That will be one to keep an eye on...you have like a 10-foot window to land it to keep it somewhere like pin-high."</p>— Will Gray (@WillGrayGolfbet) <a href="https://twitter.com/WillGrayGolfbet/status/1924169733982585045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>1:45 p.m.</strong> - Eagles are abundant today. There have already been nine eagles made, five coming on the par-5 seventh, compared to five all day in Round 3. Easier pin locations on Nos. 7 and 8 are a big reason for the low numbers.</p><p><strong>12:50 p.m.</strong> - Schauffele is showing everyone chasing Scheffler what's available. The defending champ is 5-under through 14 with a bogey on his scorecard. A round in the mid-60s is certainly possible with today's conditions.</p><p><strong>12:30 p.m.</strong> - Quail Hollow is playing a stroke easier relative to par than the first three days, with a current scoring average of 71.46. More than half the field is already on the course, but none of the first six holes are playing under par. If a chaser is going to narrow the gap, they have to pick up a couple of birdies before the par-5 seventh.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31325465/related

PGA Championship forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 4 from Quail Hollow

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 3 of the PGA Championship.</em></p><p>Moving day at Quail Hollow delivered, ending with Scottie Scheffler pulling away from the pack to take a three-shot lead into Sunday. </p><p>It was a bunched leaderboard for most of the day. At one point, Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau all shared the lead at 7-under. But a vintage Scheffler performance on the closing stretch at Quail Hollow created a clear path for his third major championship.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Below was our running analysis and updates throughout Round 3. (All times ET.)</p><p><strong>7:45 p.m. </strong>- Here's the oddsboard heading into the final round.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player (Score)</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (-11)</td>
<td>-500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Noren (-8)</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm (-6)</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau (-5)</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.T. Poston (-7)</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Davis Riley (-7)</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Scheffler has an implied win probability of 83.3%. It will take a catastrophic round from the world No. 1 to not hoist the Wanamaker Trophy. </p><p><strong>7:20 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler makes easy work of the "Green Mile," birdieing his final two holes to take a three-shot lead into the final round. Scheffler gained 2.7 strokes on the field by birdieing Nos. 17 and 18 and played his final five holes at 5-under par. He's now a -500 favorite.</p><p><strong>6:55 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler pours in a birdie on No. 17, only the sixth birdie of the day on the hole. He's 10-under for the tournament, two shots ahead of Alex Noren, and a -260 favorite. The Scheffler who dominated last season is back, and this is his tournament to lose.</p><p><strong>6:30 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler birdies the par-5 15th. Let's see if he can navigate the tough three-hole closing stretch to take the solo lead into Sunday.</p><p><strong>6:20 p.m.</strong> - Oddsboard update:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>-110</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alex Noren</td>
<td>+850</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+850</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Davis Riley</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jhonattan Vegas</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthieu Pavon</td>
<td>+2800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.T. Poston</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Keegan Bradley</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tony Finau</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>6:00 p.m.</strong> - After touching 8-under, DeChambeau goes bogey, double-bogey to fall three shots off the lead. He went from tournament favorite to +1000 quickly. Meanwhile, Scheffler makes an eagle on the drivable par-4 14th. He heads to the par-5 15th as a co-leader and odds-on favorite.</p><p><strong>5:55 p.m.</strong> - Noren birdies four of his final five holes to grab the clubhouse lead at 8-under. This is Noren's second start of the year after he was sidelined for 31 weeks with neck and hamstring injuries.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786171/cropped_GettyImages-2215619907.jpg?ts=1747519881" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786171/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215619907.jpg?ts=1747519881 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786171/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215619907.jpg?ts=1747519881 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786171/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215619907.jpg?ts=1747519881 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786171/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215619907.jpg?ts=1747519881 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786171/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215619907.jpg?ts=1747519881 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>5:42 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau finds the water on the par-3 17th. His outright odds plummet from +300 to +800 after one bad swing.</p><p><strong>5:35 p.m.</strong> - The leaders are approaching the "Green Mile" holes 16 through 18. This stretch is playing 1.16 strokes over par for the day, so getting through at even would be a fantastic way to close Round 3.</p><p><strong>5:10 p.m.</strong> - The stint with three stars atop the leaderboard was short-lived. Jon Rahm bogeys the par-3 17th and Scheffler drops a shot on No. 11. Meanwhile, DeChambeau takes over as the tournament favorite while facing an up-and-down for birdie on No. 15.</p><p><strong>5:00 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau, Scheffler, Rahm, and Jhonattan Vegas are all deadlocked at 7-under par. We officially have a major championship-caliber leaderboard. Buckle up.</p><p><strong>4:45 p.m.</strong> - Rahm joins the party at 7-under, birdieing the difficult 16th hole, which is playing 0.32 strokes over par.</p><p><strong>4:30 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler cards a 2-under front nine, making the turn in a share of the lead with Vegas at 7-under. The oddsboard suggests this tournament is a three-horse race between Scheffler, DeChambeau (-6), and Rahm (-6).</p><p><strong>3:55 p.m</strong>. - Scheffler looks a lot like the player who won seven times last year. After opening Round 3 with a bogey, he's made birdie on three of his last four holes and heads to the par-4 eighth - the easiest hole on the front nine - with a chance to take the solo lead.</p><p><strong>3:30 p.m.</strong> - Oddsboard update:</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+135</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+330</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt Fitzpatrick</td>
<td>+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Homa</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jhonattan Vegas</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>J.T. Poston</td>
<td>+3300</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>2:55 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler, DeChambeau, Rahm, and Tony Finau are all at 5-under, two off the lead. It took longer than expected, but the cream is rising to the top.</p><p><strong>2:50 p.m.</strong> - Si Woo Kim takes the solo lead after a birdie on the par-3 fourth. Kim's now +750 to win. He was +12500 (bet $1 to win $125) before the tournament started. </p><p><strong>2:35 p.m. </strong>- Vegas' two-shot lead vanishes in two holes. Back-to-back bogeys drop him into a four-way tie for first. There are 33 players within four of the lead.</p><p><strong>2 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler bogeys No. 1, his first bogey on Quail Hollow's opening hole of the week. Meanwhile, Vegas also bogeys his first hole, tightening the leaderboard and setting the stage for an intriguing moving day.</p><p><strong>1:20 p.m.</strong> - DeChambeau lips out on the second hole for what would have been back-to-back birdies to open his round. Rahm is 2-under through four, narrowing the gap to one shot between him and Scheffler. DeChambeau and Rahm are second and third on the oddsboard at +475 and +1000, respectively.</p><p><strong>12:20 p.m.</strong> - The first six holes at Quail Hollow have all played over par for the week. If a chaser can play this group of holes at 2- or 3-under par, they'll likely have made up a good chunk of shots on the field. And if you're Vegas, being even through six will have to feel like a win.</p><p><strong>12:05 p.m.</strong> - The final group, consisting of leader Vegas, Matthieu Pavon, and Matt Fitzpatrick, goes off at 1:55 p.m. Scheffler, Max Homa, and Si Woo Kim make up the penultimate group. DeChambeau, the longest hitter in the field, tees off alongside Taylor Pendrith and Richard Bland, the field's shortest hitter, at 12:49 p.m.</p><p><strong>11:55 a.m.</strong> - The third round is finally underway after a three-hour delay. Inclement weather forced tournament organizers to switch to threesomes off split tees, condensing the tee sheet considerably. Now Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele will tee off at 1:38 p.m. off No. 10 instead of being in one of the first pairings out. </p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31315551/related

PGA Championship forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 3 from Quail Hollow

The 150th Preakness Stakes runs Saturday with Journalism pegged as the betting favorite to captur...

<p>The 150th Preakness Stakes runs Saturday with Journalism pegged as the betting favorite to capture the second leg of American horse racing's Triple Crown.</p><p>Journalism is a short +120 favorite in the nine-horse race at Pimlico in Baltimore. He was the favorite heading into the Kentucky Derby but placed second to Sovereignty.</p><p>Speaking of the Kentucky Derby winner: Sovereignty won't be running in the Preakness, eliminating the potential for a third Triple Crown winner in the last 11 years.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Preakness odds</h3><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Horse</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Journalism</td>
<td>+120</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sandman</td>
<td>+350</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Goal Oriented</td>
<td>+500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Clever Again</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>River Thames</td>
<td>+800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>American Promise</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gosger</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Heart Of Honor</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pay Billy</td>
<td>+3000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Journalism earned the favorite position for the Kentucky Derby largely due to his win at the Santa Anita Derby, one of the key prep races before heading to Churchill Downs.</p><p>The Preakness is the shortest of the Triple Crown races at 9.5 furlongs (one furlong is an eighth of a mile). This may be a better distance for Journalism as he ran out of steam late at the Kentucky Derby. His four career victories were all races of nine furlongs or shorter. </p><p>Sandman and American Promise are the only other two horses competing in the Preakness that also ran in the Kentucky Derby. Sandman finished seventh, while American Promise came 16th. They were +500 and +1100 in Kentucky, respectively.</p><p>Goal Oriented, a Bob Baffert-trained horse, is the third favorite and has two wins in two career races. He won a Kentucky Derby preliminary race at Churchill Downs. </p><p>A nine-horse field is a stark difference compared to 19 that ran in the Kentucky Derby. A smaller field means less traffic for the faster horses to navigate, usually allowing them to break away from the pack. The odds reflect this, and Journalism should have a good opportunity to win as the favorite.</p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31308640/related

Preakness Stakes betting preview: Journalism favored in 9-horse field

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 1 of the PGA Championship.</em></p><p>Round 2 of the PGA Championship is in the books. Jhonattan Vegas holds a two-shot lead over a trio of players, with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler lurking three shots behind. </p><p>Below is our running analysis of the day, where we focused on the leaders and those battling to make the cut. A handful of marquee players snuck inside the 1-over cutline, including Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele. (All times ET)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>8:30 p.m.</strong> - Quail Hollow played slightly easier on Day 2. The scoring average was 72.45 compared to Thursday's 72.76, and there was no scoring difference between the morning and afternoon wave of players.</p><p>Here are some strokes-gained data to help highlight how the players atop the leaderboard got there.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>SG:T2G</th>
<th>SG:P</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Jhonattan Vegas</td>
<td>+4.05</td>
<td>+1.55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthieu Pavon</td>
<td>+3.13</td>
<td>+1.48</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt Fitzpatrick</td>
<td>+3.27</td>
<td>+1.34</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Si Woo Kim</td>
<td>+2.33</td>
<td>+2.27</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Homa</td>
<td>+2.23</td>
<td>+1.88</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+3.90</td>
<td>+0.21</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Vegas has been rock solid tee-to-green and with his putter. The shocking part is he's shown few signs of life prior to this week. He's also played in only 16 majors during his career and made the cut six times. Despite being a PGA TOUR veteran, he's in uncharted territory.</p><p>Matthieu Pavon's form has also been suspect. He hasn't finished inside the top 40 on the PGA TOUR this season and has lost strokes tee-to-green in six consecutive events.</p><p>Matt Fitzpatrick and Max Homa are also surprises. Neither had been playing their best golf before the PGA Championship, but they do have the pedigree to win a major. They are easily Scheffler's stiffest competition at the top of the leaderboard.</p><p>With that said, this is Scheffler's tournament to take. He hasn't putted great through two rounds but has been brilliant tee-to-green. He's the +200 favorite with Bryson DeChambeau (-3) next on the oddsboard.</p><p><strong>7:05 p.m.</strong> - The cut is locked in at 1-over. Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Aberg, and Justin Thomas are among those heading home early. </p><p><strong>7:00 p.m.</strong> - McIlroy, Scheffler, and Schauffele all secure a weekend tee time. McIlroy bogeys his final hole - his fourth bogey on the back nine - to card a 2-under 69. Schauffele posts an even-par 71, and Scheffler fires a 68 despite missing two birdie putts inside six feet on the back nine.</p><p><strong>6:50 p.m.</strong> - Off the hospitality tent! Needing a bogey at worst to make the cut, Rory McIlroy's drive bounces off the roof of a hospitality tent and lands on the bank of the creek running along the 18th fairway. This lucky break may have saved McIlroy's chances at the weekend. </p><p><strong>6:20 p.m.</strong> - Si Woo Kim makes an improbable ace on the par-3 6th, a monstrous 252-yard hole. He vaults into a tie for fourth thanks to his 6-under round.</p><p><strong>6:10 p.m.</strong> - Scheffler is in absolute cruise control. He's doing nothing outstanding, but he's plotting along beautifully, sitting at 5-under for the tournament and three shots back of the lead. He followed up his lone bogey of the day on No. 13 with back-to-back birdies, and heads to the "Green Mile" (Nos. 16-18) as the +250 tournament favorite.</p><p><strong>5:30 p.m.</strong> - Schauffele is in danger of missing only his fourth cut in a major championship, and first since the 2022 Masters. A missed cut would also end his streak of 12 straight major finishes inside the top 20. Schauffele is 2-over through 13, and the cut is a coin flip between +1 and +2.</p><p><strong>5:10 p.m. </strong>- The cutline is trending toward 1-over. <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a> projects +1 has a 70.1% chance, meaning Lowry, Straka, and Corey Conners are all battling to make the weekend.</p><p><strong>4:55 p.m.</strong> - The leaderboard may not be the most appealing, but the oddsboard suggests this tournament will be won by a star. </p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler</td>
<td>+275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau</td>
<td>+750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy</td>
<td>+1000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matt Fitzpatrick</td>
<td>+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jhonattan Vegas</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Max Homa</td>
<td>+1500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>4:25 p.m. </strong>- McIlroy makes the turn at 3-under for the day to get back to even for the tournament. He hit only four of nine greens in regulation on the front side but still made three birdies and was perfect at scrambling. He has to tighten up his approach play on the back, especially through Quail Hollow's tough finishing stretch.</p><p><strong>3:35 p.m.</strong> - Fitzpatrick has been in a slump, with only one top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR since last year's PGA Championship. He lost strokes on approach shots in seven of eight tournaments to start the year, but does seem to have turned a corner with his irons. He ranks 17th in strokes gained: approach so far, sitting in a tie for seventh at 4-under</p><p><strong>2:45 p.m.</strong> - Vegas makes double-bogey on his final hole to fall back to 8-under for the tournament, good for a two-shot lead. His odds drop from +750 to +1200.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785991/cropped_GettyImages-2215468653.jpg?ts=1747429917" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785991/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215468653.jpg?ts=1747429917 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785991/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215468653.jpg?ts=1747429917 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785991/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215468653.jpg?ts=1747429917 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785991/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215468653.jpg?ts=1747429917 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785991/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215468653.jpg?ts=1747429917 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>2:25 p.m.</strong> - This leaderboard is a tough one to figure out. It's full of players who showed absolutely no form coming into the week. Vegas has missed three of his last four cuts, with one top-30 finish in his last nine starts. Max Homa's struggles are well-documented. He's played the weekend once in a tournament with a cut, and that's when he finished T12 at the Masters. Pavon (-6) hasn't finished inside the top 40 this year, and Luke Donald (-5) is a part-time player.</p><p><strong>1:53 p.m. </strong>- The marquee group of McIlroy, Scheffler, and Schauffele has teed off. Scheffler remains the betting favorite at +330, while Schauffele (+1) is +4500 and McIlroy (+3), who likely needs to shoot 1-under to make the cut, is +2200.</p><p><strong>1:25 p.m.</strong> - If you think you're seeing more birdies than Round 1, that's because you are. Friday's scoring average (72.22) is half a stroke easier than Thursday's.</p><p><strong>1:10 p.m.</strong> - Aberg joins Thomas in the clubhouse at 3-over after posting a disappointing 75. They will need a lot of help if they're going to make the weekend.</p><p><strong>12:50 p.m.</strong> - Thomas misses a 15-footer on his final hole by inches to finish the day at 3-over par. He has a 7.6% chance of making the weekend, per <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a>.</p><p><strong>12:35 p.m.</strong> - Aberg makes a costly bogey on the par-5 seventh. He'll likely need to play the final two holes at 1-under to make the weekend. Justin Thomas is in the same boat, needing to birdie his final hole of the day.</p><p><strong>12:25 p.m.</strong> - Homa taps in for par on his final hole to post a 7-under 64. His sensational lap around Quail Hollow marks his lowest round in a major. Homa ranks first in strokes gained: off the tee and fifth in putting for Round 2.</p><p><strong>12:15 p.m.</strong> - First-round leader Vegas is 1-under through 10 and holds a three-shot edge over six players. Despite having no success in major championships, he doesn't appear to be going away.</p><p><strong>11:10 a.m.</strong> - The cut has a 60.6% chance of being 2-over, according to <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a>. Thomas (+2), Aberg (+2), Matsuyama (+2), and Joaquin Niemann (+1) are all on the course and fighting to make the weekend.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785951/cropped_GettyImages-2215430634.jpg?ts=1747411699" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785951/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215430634.jpg?ts=1747411699 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785951/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215430634.jpg?ts=1747411699 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785951/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215430634.jpg?ts=1747411699 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785951/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215430634.jpg?ts=1747411699 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785951/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215430634.jpg?ts=1747411699 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Warren Little / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>10:40 a.m.</strong> - Homa is flying up the leaderboard and the oddsboard. He's 7-under through 12 and has moved from +50000 (bet $1 to win $500) to +1200 thanks to his torrid start.</p><p><strong>9:55 a.m.</strong> - It's cutline day, and our eyes will be locked in on who's in and who's out. <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a> projects a 54.3% chance the cut lands at 2-over, with a 23.1% likelihood that it moves to 1-over and a 19.7% chance it stretches to 2-over.</p><p><strong>9:30 a.m.</strong> - There are fireworks early at Quail Hollow. Another morning of benign conditions is allowing players to make birdies, as seen from the hot starts from Homa and Joaquin Niemann. Homa is 5-under through seven holes, and Niemann is 4-under through seven. DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa, and Tyrrell Hatton are all under par in the early stages of their second rounds.</p>

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PGA Championship forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 2 at Quail Hollow

<p><em>Stay tuned throughout the day as theScore keeps you updated with insights and analysis from Round 1 of the PGA Championship.</em></p><p>Welcome in!</p><p>We tracked what went down at Quail Hollow Golf Club during Round 1 and provided analysis on what we saw. We focused on the leaders, marquee names, and any surprises throughout the day. (All times ET.)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>8:35 p.m.</strong> - The leaderboard and oddsboard could not be more different. The players who went low in Round 1 are not receiving any respect from the betting market. Take a look. </p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Place</th>
<th>Player</th>
<th>Score</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>Jhonattan Vegas</td>
<td>-7</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T2</td>
<td>Cam Davis</td>
<td>-5</td>
<td>+3500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T2</td>
<td>Ryan Gerard</td>
<td>-5</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4</td>
<td>Aaron Rai</td>
<td>-4</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4</td>
<td>Stephan Jaeger</td>
<td>-4</td>
<td>+4000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4</td>
<td>Alex Smalley</td>
<td>-4</td>
<td>+5000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4</td>
<td>Ryan Fox</td>
<td>-4</td>
<td>+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>T4</td>
<td>Luke Donald</td>
<td>-4</td>
<td>+25000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><em>Odds via theScore Bet</em></p><p>Meanwhile, here are the players oddsmakers believe have the best shot at winning. </p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Player (Score)</th>
<th>Odds</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Scottie Scheffler (-2)</td>
<td>+350</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bryson DeChambeau (E)</td>
<td>+900</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tyrrell Hatton (-3)</td>
<td>+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jon Rahm (-1)</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ludvig Aberg (-1)</td>
<td>+1800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Viktor Hovland (-2)</td>
<td>+2200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Rai (-4)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Collin Morikawa (-1)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rory McIlroy (+3)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jhonattan Vegas (-7)</td>
<td>+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>The point is - a lot of golf is left to be played. The top of the leaderboard might lack star power, but that can change quickly Friday.</p><p><strong>8:15 p.m. </strong>- Jhonattan Vegas out of nowhere! The 40-year-old birdies five of his final six holes to snag a 2-shot lead. He has one top-35 finish in majors throughout his career. Vegas gained 4.64 strokes tee to green and added another 2.77 with his putter. A truly incredible round.</p><p><strong>7:15 p.m.</strong> - Bryson DeChambeau bogeys the 18th to card an even-par 71. His bogey moves his outright odds from +600 to +900, but he remains second on the oddsboard behind Scottie Scheffler (+350). Jon Rahm (-1), Ludvig Aberg (-1), and Tyrrell Hatton (-3), are all +1800. This tournament is wide open.</p><p><strong>6:35 p.m.</strong> - Collin Morikawa had a great round going until the 18th. His punch-out from the right trees found the creek running alongside the fairway. A costly double-bogey drops him back to 1-under for the day, moving his outright odds from +900 to +2500. </p><p><strong>6:00 p.m.</strong> - Ok, Justin Thomas. The two-time PGA champ birdies three straight holes to get back to 1-over par. It looked like he had nothing going earlier in the round, but is showing some fight as his day comes to an end. </p><p><strong>5:45 p.m.</strong> - Morikawa climbs to 2-under with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 while gaining strokes across the board. Hatton (-3) and Ludvig Aberg (-2) are two others putting together notable afternoon rounds.</p><p><strong>5:00 p.m.</strong> - Cam Davis is cooking. He's 6-under through 15 to take the solo lead. The Aussie has gained over five strokes putting and ranks 53rd in the field in strokes gained: tee to green. </p><p><strong>4:05 p.m.</strong> - Is the cream starting to rise to the top? Aberg, Hatton, and Viktor Hovland are 2-under midway through their opening rounds, and they're three of the top six favorites.</p><p><strong>3:40 p.m.</strong> - Bryson DeChambeau's distance control looks off again, just as it was at the Masters. He's lost over a stroke on his approach shots through six holes. </p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785828/cropped_GettyImages-2215292772.jpg?ts=1747343133" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785828/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215292772.jpg?ts=1747343133 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785828/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215292772.jpg?ts=1747343133 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785828/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215292772.jpg?ts=1747343133 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785828/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215292772.jpg?ts=1747343133 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785828/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215292772.jpg?ts=1747343133 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Warren Little / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>3:15 p.m.</strong> - Thomas is 4-over through his first seven holes and has hit only two greens in regulation. Morikawa and DeChambeau are also 1-over on the day, continuing the trend of pre-tournament favorites getting off to slow starts.</p><p><strong>2:35 p.m.</strong> - Ryan Gerard bogeys his final two holes, which are both playing over par on the day, to drop back to 5-under par, good for the early clubhouse lead. He's ahead of Luke Donald, Ryan Fox, Alex Smalley, and Stephan Jaeger by one.</p><p><strong>2:00 p.m.</strong> - Players from the morning wave are starting to sign their scorecards. Let's break down what we saw from some of the notables with a morning tee time. </p><p>Scottie Scheffler: He carded a 2-under 69 with a double-bogey on his seventh hole. His approach play wasn't sharp, but he was saved by his short game. He gained over 1.5 strokes around the green, highlighted by a chip-in eagle on No. 15. He birdied two of his final three holes to give him some positive momentum heading into Round 2.</p><p>Rory McIlroy: He shot a 3-over 74, doubling the same hole Scheffler did. However, McIlroy played his remaining holes at 1-over following his double-bogey and was let down by his driver and putter most of the day. He lost over two strokes putting and hit only four of 14 fairways. McIlroy closed as the tournament favorite, but his odds have lengthened to +2500 after his sluggish start.</p><p>Xander Schauffele: The defending champion played alongside Scheffler and McIlroy, playing equally uninspiring golf. A double-bogey on the par-4 16th also derailed his round as he made only one birdie in his final 11 holes. His driver was the lone bright spot of the day, but he'll need to clean up the other aspects if he's going to make a strong title defense.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785743/cropped_GettyImages-2215243648.jpg?ts=1747320003" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785743/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215243648.jpg?ts=1747320003 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785743/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215243648.jpg?ts=1747320003 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785743/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215243648.jpg?ts=1747320003 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785743/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215243648.jpg?ts=1747320003 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785743/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215243648.jpg?ts=1747320003 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Alex Slitz / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Jon Rahm: The Spaniard made the turn at 2-under, but four bogeys on his second nine prevented him from posting a low score. He finished the day at 1-under, a solid opening round that didn't knock him out of contention. </p><p>Brooks Koepka: It was a miserable day for the three-time PGA champion. He lost nearly 1.5 strokes tee to green, and another stroke with his putter to post a round of 75. He has one top-20 finish in a major since winning the Wanamaker Trophy in 2023 and is coming off a missed cut at the Masters. He'll need to do some heavy lifting Friday to have any hope of contending.</p><p>Ryan Gerard: He'll likely be the first-round leader as he's 7-under through 16 holes. He's been lights out in all aspects of the game, but he has zero history of contending in majors. It's tough to envision him hanging around for very long.</p><p><strong>12:45 p.m.</strong> - It's been an interesting opening round, but not for an overly exciting reason. Twelve players are 3-under or better, but <a href="https://datagolf.com/live-model/pga-tour">DataGolf</a> isn't giving any of them more than a 5% shot at winning the tournament. Scheffler is even par, the best of the notable names on the course. Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele are also stuck in the mud at 2-over. The door is wide open for Bryson DeChambeau to make noise in the afternoon and take a stranglehold of this tournament.</p><p><strong>11:50 a.m. </strong>- Scheffler gets it back to red numbers with a birdie on No. 2 after his double on the 16th. He's losing strokes to the field on approach shots, which are usually his bread and butter. Scheffler is the +375 favorite on theScoreBet/ESPN Bet.</p><p><strong>11:30 a.m.</strong> - The scoring average around Quail Hollow is 1.84 shots over par. Donald, Fox, and Alex Noren all share the lead at 4-under with 20 players under par. Brooks Koepka (+5), Patrick Cantlay (+4), Schauffele (+2), and McIlroy (+2) are among the notables off to tough starts.</p><p>No offense to Donald, but the European Ryder Cup captain is gaining over four strokes on the green. That's an unsustainable clip, and his time atop the leaderboard is likely going to be short-lived.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785787/cropped_GettyImages-2215272809.jpg?ts=1747339035" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785787/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215272809.jpg?ts=1747339035 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785787/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215272809.jpg?ts=1747339035 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785787/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215272809.jpg?ts=1747339035 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785787/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215272809.jpg?ts=1747339035 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/785787/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215272809.jpg?ts=1747339035 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Warren Little / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>11:10 a.m. </strong>- McIlroy makes the turn at 1-over, which might have been the best score he could have shot. He hit only one fairway on his opening nine and seems to be battling a case of the lefts. Two wayward drives to the left were the reasons for his bogey and double-bogey on his first nine.</p><p><strong>10:50 a.m.</strong> - With the pre-tournament favorites struggling, DeChambeau's odds shorten from +900 to +650 before he's even teed off. Rahm is +1100 after making the turn at 2-under. Schauffele is all the way down at +7000 and is worth a bet with so much golf left to be played.</p><p><strong>10:30 a.m. </strong>- Carnage at the par-4 16th for the morning's marquee group. McIlroy, Scheffler, and Schauffele all make a double-bogey. Scheffler erases an eagle he made on the previous hole to fall back to even, while Schauffele drops to 2-over and McIlroy moves to 1-over.</p><p><strong>10:20 a.m. </strong>- Nine players are tied for the lead at 3-under, including both Ryder Cup captains, Keegan Bradley and Donald. Cantlay and Shane Lowry are two surprises who are struggling, sitting at 2-over midway through their rounds.</p><p><strong>9:30 a.m.</strong> - The entire morning wave is on the course. McIlroy, Scheffler, Schauffele, Rahm, and Koepka are among those with early tee times. The weather in Charlotte is ideal, and Quail Hollow looks immaculate. It's early, but the scoring average is currently 2-over despite the benign conditions.</p><p>Scheffler doesn't look overly sharp, hitting only one green in regulation through four holes. He chipped in on the par-4 12th to erase the bogey he posted on his second hole of the day. </p><p>Schauffele seems comfortable in the first few holes of his title defense, and McIlroy is even par with a birdie and a bogey on his scorecard. </p><p>Ryan Fox and Tommy Fleetwood are holding the extremely early lead at 3-under par, proving there are birdies to be made.</p>

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PGA Championship forecaddie: Running analysis of Round 1 at Quail Hollow

Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite for this week's PGA Championship, and bettors are suppo...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1540" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1540">Scottie Scheffler</a> is the betting favorite for this week's PGA Championship, and bettors are supporting him the most out of everyone in the field.</p><p>The World No. 1 has amassed 18.8% of the handle on theScore Bet/ESPN Bet and 11.6% of the total bets, leading the way in both categories. Scheffler's odds have remained consistent since Monday, sitting at +450.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/599" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/599">Rory McIlroy</a>, second on the oddsboard at +475, has received the second-most handle at 14.7% and 10.5% of the bets. McIlroy, fresh off his Masters victory, is a four-time winner at Quail Hollow - the site of his first PGA TOUR victory in 2010.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/437" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/437">Bryson DeChambeau</a> has attracted the second-most bets of anyone in the outright market, but only narrowly over Scheffler. DeChambeau has 11.3% of the total bets placed and 12.7% of the handle. However, his odds have moved the most. DeChambeau opened the week at +1100 but has been bet down to +800.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/1747" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/1747">Justin Thomas</a> (+1600) has taken the fourth most bets and handle, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///pga/players/5384" href="https://thescore.com/pga/players/5384">Ludvig Aberg</a> (+2500) sits fifth in both categories.</p><p>Outside of the outright market, Thomas finishing in the top 10 is the most bet on prop. DeChambeau and Schauffele placing in the top 10 ranks second and third, while Scheffler and McIlroy recording a top-five spot rounds out the five most-bet props.</p><p>Bettors are hoping to see a rare hole-in-one. Any player scoring an ace is the most bet on non-placement prop at +130. There have only been six holes-in-one in 20 tournaments contested at Quail Hollow.</p><p>There's still plenty of time for these numbers to vary slightly ahead of Thursday's opening tee shot, but for now, Scheffler is the player most bettors will be rooting for. </p>

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PGA Championship insights: Bettors choosing Scheffler among the Big 3

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