2025 PGA Championship golf predictions, odds and PGA Tour picks for Today, 05/15/25

Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning US Open champion, last year’s runner-up at Valhalla, and a winner at LIV Korea on his most recent start, will be a popular pick but it’s 2-time US PGA champion Justin Thomas who looks a rock-solid option at a venue where he captured this title in 2017, before doubling up at Southern Hills 3 years ago.

After finishing runner-up at the Valspar Championship, Thomas looked a lively player at the Masters but his preparation was hampered by a late caddie switch after Matt Minister suffered a back injury. While he never recovered from a sluggish start at Augusta, where he finished 36th, Thomas returned to winning ways the following week with temporary looper Joe Greiner – now working with Collin Morikawa – on the bag, claiming the title at the RBC Heritage.

Minister returned at the Truist last week, helping his boss to 2nd place behind Sepp Straka. All areas of the game were firing in Philadelphia as Thomas shot 4 consistent rounds of 66-67-66-67 to ensure he will return to Quail Hollow full of confidence. Thomas is long enough off the tee to cope with the demands of the Charlotte venue, he is striking his irons with his trademark zest, and, perhaps most crucially, his putting has arguably been better than ever this year. He is particularly fond of the Bermuda greens he will encounter in North Carolina.

While others have more recent wins to their names, defending US PGA champion Xander Schauffele has been playing himself steadily back into form and he also looks to have tantalizing value at a venue where he has excelled. After 2 months off with a rib injury, the Californian has worked his way close to his best, no doubt with the Majors in mind, finishing 12th at the Valspar, 8th at the Masters, 18th at the Heritage and 11th at the Truist. He missed the cut as a young gun in the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow but he finished runner-up in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Wells Fargo Championship, showcasing his ability to cope with the course. Having claimed 2 Majors wins last year, he could make a mockery of his odds.

Ludvig Aberg looked well suited to Quail Hollow and Joaquin Niemann will surely get his act together in Majors soon, while this could also be the week for Tommy Fleetwood’s long-awaited breakthrough. The Englishman has form figures of 14-5-13 from his last course starts and his ultra-consistent form – 18 top-25 finishes from his last 19 starts – means that he should again figure on the PGA Championship leaderboard.

Fleetwood, who birded the 72nd hole on Sunday to share 4th place at the Truist – his best finish of the year – stuck around to congratulate his close friend McIlroy at the Masters last month. He will be desperate not only to emulate the Northern Irishman, but also to continue the success of his Ryder Cup colleagues Straka (twice), Aberg and Viktor Hovland, all of whom have won on the PGA Tour this year. He’s playing well enough to do so.

Sam Burns, available at huge three-figure odds, could also play a hand in the finish. An elite putter, Burns thrives on Bermuda, with 4 of his 5 wins coming at courses predominantly featuring that grass type. He must improve on a modest Majors record, but he was 13th at the Heritage, 5th at the Byron Nelson, and eight-under through three rounds of the Truist before finishing tied-30th.