PGA Championship Odds Preview: Scheffler, Rory, and the Aronimink Betting Board

Major week is here, and the 2026 PGA Championship board already has a clear shape: Scottie Scheffler is the favorite, Rory McIlroy is the main challenger, and the middle of the odds board is where bettors have to decide whether they want safety, ceiling, or price. Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania hosts this week's major, with play beginning Thursday. Scheffler enters at +480 as the defending PGA champion, while Rory is next at +850. Behind them, the board opens up with Cameron Young at +1200, Jon Rahm at +1300, Xander Schauffele at +1600, Bryson DeChambeau at +2000, and Ludvig Åberg at +2200. The Top of the Board Is Expensive for a Reason Scheffler at +480 is not a fun number, but it is understandable. He is the world No. 1, the defending champion, and chasing the first back-to-back PGA Championship run since Brooks Koepka in 2018 and 2019. When a player combines elite ball striking with major-winning proof, books do not give away much discount. Rory at +850 is where the conversation gets more interesting. After winning the Masters last month, his major confidence is no longer theoretical. The question is whether bettors want to back the emotional momentum or wait for matchup, placement, and live-betting markets where the price may be more forgiving. The Value Zone Starts After the Favorites Cameron Young at +1200 will draw attention because his ceiling has been visible all season, but that is also a short number for a player still trying to close a major. Rahm at +1300 and Schauffele at +1600 sit in the range where pedigree and win equity start to meet a better payout. Bryson at +2000 is the classic high-variance major profile: if the course lets him lean into power and short-game creativity, the ticket can get live quickly. Åberg at +2200 is the most polarizing name. The talent is obvious, and the recent top-10 profile is strong, but the closing question is real. At this price, bettors are not buying a sleeper. They are buying a player the market already respects. That makes placement markets potentially more attractive than an outright if you like his week but do not fully trust the Sunday finish. SBA Lean The cleanest early strategy is to avoid overloading the very top of the board unless you are comfortable paying the Scheffler tax. Rory at +850 is more appealing than Scheffler from a pure price standpoint, but the better 80/20 betting approach may be to pair one win-equity outright in the Rahm/Schauffele/Bryson range with top-10 or top-20 placement looks once those markets settle. Major weeks reward patience. The outright board is fun on Monday, but weather, tee-time waves, and course setup can all change the real betting edge by Thursday morning. --- Related reading: Cameron Young Goes Wire-to-Wire at Cadillac Championship as Scheffler's Runner-Up Streak Hits Three Weekly Recap: AI Picks Went 25-17 (60% Win Rate) — Apr 27 – May 3, 2026 Wednesday Betting Preview: NBA and NHL Playoff Odds, Spreads, and Best Bets for April 29