Officialsportsbetting.com Golf Betting Rory McIlroy cards 5-under 65, leads by one at PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy cards 5-under 65, leads by one at PGA Championship

TULSA, Okla. — Tiger Woods made it sound as though Rory McIlroy played a brand of golf with which he wasn’t familiar Thursday in the PGA Championship. McIlroy looked free and easy and saw only opportunity at Southern Hills. He blasted his driver over trees and into fairways, setting up some of his seven birdies that carried him to a 5-under 65 and an early one-shot lead. Woods picked his spots and was never terribly crisp on a right leg he said felt worse than it did at the Masters last month. He fell apart in the middle of his round and at the end, finishing with two bogeys for a 74 and his worst start to a PGA since 2015. It was just what McIlroy needed as he tries to end nearly eight years without a major, many of those chances doomed by bad starts. This was his lowest start to par since a 5-under 66 when he won the PGA at Valhalla in 2014, the last of his four majors. “I think when your game is feeling like that, it’s just a matter of going out there and really sticking to your game plan, executing as well as you possibly can and just sort of staying in your own little world,” McIlroy said. “I feel like this course, it lets you be pretty aggressive off the tee if you want to be, so I hit quite a lot of drivers out there and took advantage of my length and finished that off with some nice iron play and some nice putting.” Will Zalatoris and Pebble Beach winner Tom Hoge each opened with a 66, while Matt Kuchar and Abraham Ancer were another shot behind. McIlroy and Woods were joined in the group by Jordan Spieth, who lacks only this major to complete the career Grand Slam and arrived in Tulsa with his game in good form. But a series of missed birdie chances was followed by a series of missed par putts, and Spieth never quite recovered. He had a late birdie and saved par on his final hole at No. 9 for a 72. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was among those who played in the afternoon, as the heat index crept toward 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 Celsius). The difference between McIlroy and Woods was clear early in the round. On the 461-yard 12th hole, Woods hit iron off the tee that left him 178 yards. McIlroy pounded driver with a slight fade with the prevailing breeze, leaving him 86 yards. He hit lob wedge to a foot for birdie. That was the start of four straight birdies for McIlroy, which included a 6-iron to 25 feet for his longest birdie of the day at the par-3 14th. McIlroy made birdie on the two par 5s from greenside bunkers, hitting a 3-iron both times on the 628-yard 13th and the 665-yard fifth. He hit another big drive on the tough par-4 second, leaving 7-iron to about 10 feet. That one felt like a bonus to him. “You go out there and hit driver a lot, and if you have a hot week, you have a hot week and you’re up there,” Woods said. “The game is just different. It’s much more aggressive now, and I know that. But I was playing to my spots. If I would have hit the ball solidly on those two holes and put the ball in the fairway, I would have been fine.” He was speaking of No. 4, where he put iron in the rough and McIlroy hit a 327-yard drive up the hill and into the wind that left him a flip wedge to the green (he missed an 8-foot putt); and the ninth hole, when Woods’ tee shot hit a tree and left him a 4-iron to the green. The bigger concern was his leg. Woods has said he has good days and bad from a leg badly injured in his February 2021 car crash, and this didn’t looked like a great one. Of equal concern was going into Friday nine shots behind McIlroy and likely having to fight to make the cut. The warmth — not oven heat like the 2007 PGA in August — and mild wind led to ideal scoring, though Southern Hills still had enough defense. Only 17 of the 78 players from the morning wave broke par. “I don’t think a major champion here has ever been double digits under par, so you know the scores aren’t going to go much further,” Hoge said. “It’s a grind out here. If you get out of position in the rough here, it’s tough to control the golf ball around these greens because they can get running off so fast. You just try to keep it simple.” One other part of Southern Hills’ history with seven previous majors: Five of the champions had at least a share of the 18-hole lead. Xander Schauffele was in the group at 68, while Tony Finau was among those at 69. John Daly tried to revive some memories at age 56 and with a beard longer than any rough at Southern Hills. He opened with a 67 in 2007 and was 2 under through 10 holes until fading at the end with four bogeys over his last five holes for a 72.

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Final Round 2-Balls - J.T. Poston / E. Cole
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
J.T. Poston-145
Eric Cole+120
Final Round Match-Ups - J.T. Poston vs J. Spieth
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Jordan Spieth-115
J.T. Poston-105
Final Round 2-Balls - B. Horschel / S. Jaeger
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Billy Horschel-115
Stephan Jaeger-105
Final Round 2-Balls - J. Spieth / M. Greyserman
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Jordan Spieth-155
Max Greyserman+130
Final Round 2-Balls - A. Tosti / D. Wu
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Alejandro Tosti-135
Dylan Wu+145
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - S. Im / R. Hisatsune
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Sungjae Im-155
Ryo Hisatsune+130
Final Round Six-Shooter - Group B - S. Lowry / B. Harman / V. Hovland / K. Bradley / S. Im / S.W. Kim
Type: Final Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Shane Lowry+350
Viktor Hovland+350
Sungjae Im+375
Brian Harman+500
Keegan Bradley+500
Si Woo Kim+550
Final Round Six-Shooter - Group C - M. Fitzpatrick / R. Hisatsune / A. Novak / B. Campbell / M. Hughes / C. Davis
Type: Final Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Matt Fitzpatrick+320
Andrew Novak+400
Mackenzie Hughes+400
Ryo Hisatsune+425
Brian Campbell+500
Cam Davis+550
Final Round Match-Ups - S. Lowry vs S. Im
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Shane Lowry-110
Sungjae Im-110
Final Round 2-Balls - A. Putnam / R. Hoey
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Rico Hoey-120
Andrew Putnam+130
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - V. Hovland / T. Hoge
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Viktor Hovland-150
Tom Hoge+125
Final Round Score - Viktor Hovland
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-155
Under 68.5+120
Final Round Match-Ups - D. Berger vs V. Hovland
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Daniel Berger-115
Viktor Hovland-105
Final Round Match-Ups - C. Davis vs T. Hoge
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Tom Hoge-145
Cam Davis+120
Final Round 2-Balls - S. Choi / T. Rosenmuller
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Thomas Rosenmuller-160
Sam Choi+175
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - S. Lowry / D. Berger
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Shane Lowry-115
Daniel Berger-105
Final Round Score - Daniel Berger
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-155
Under 68.5+120
Final Round Score - Shane Lowry
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-155
Under 68.5+120
Final Round 2-Balls - Z. Blair / C. Hoffman
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Charley Hoffman-125
Zac Blair+135
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - W. Clark / B. Hun An
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Wyndham Clark-115
Byeong Hun An-105
Final Round Score - Byeong Hun An
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5+115
Under 69.5-150
Final Round Score - Wyndham Clark
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5+125
Under 69.5-165
Final Round Match-Ups - K. Bradley vs W. Clark
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Keegan Bradley-110
Wyndham Clark-110
Final Round Match-Ups - M. Fitzpatrick vs B. Hun An
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Byeong Hun An-110
Matt Fitzpatrick-110
Final Round 2-Balls - A. Baddeley / S. Power
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Seamus Power-190
Aaron Baddeley+210
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - M. Fitzpatrick / B. Campbell
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Matt Fitzpatrick-135
Brian Campbell+115
Final Round Score - Matt Fitzpatrick
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5+115
Under 69.5-150
Final Round 2-Balls - M. Wallace / M. NeSmith
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Matt Wallace-150
Matt NeSmith+165
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - C. Davis / M. Hughes
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Mackenzie Hughes-135
Cam Davis+115
Final Round Match-Ups - A. Novak vs M. Hughes
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Andrew Novak-115
Mackenzie Hughes-105
Final Round 2-Balls - B. Martin / K. Mitchell
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Keith Mitchell-150
Ben Martin+165
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - P. Cantlay / K. Bradley
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Patrick Cantlay-155
Keegan Bradley+130
Tie
Final Round Six-Shooter - Group A - S. Scheffler / R. Henley / P. Cantlay / T. Fleetwood / J. Thomas / M. McNealy
Type: Final Round Six-Shooter - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+225
Patrick Cantlay+425
Justin Thomas+450
Russell Henley+475
Tommy Fleetwood+550
Maverick McNealy+600
Final Round Score - Keegan Bradley
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5+125
Under 69.5-165
Final Round Score - Patrick Cantlay
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-120
Under 68.5-110
Final Round Match-Ups - S. Scheffler vs P. Cantlay
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler-165
Patrick Cantlay+140
Final Round 2-Balls - V. Whaley / J. Paul
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Vince Whaley+100
Jeremy Paul+110
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - S. Scheffler / R. Henley
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler-185
Russell Henley+150
Final Round Score - Russell Henley
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-155
Under 68.5+120
Final Round Score - Scottie Scheffler
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 67.5-105
Under 67.5-125
Final Round Match-Ups - R. Henley vs B. Harman
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Russell Henley-155
Brian Harman+130
Final Round 2-Balls - M. Thorbjornsen / G. Higgo
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Michael Thorbjornsen+100
Garrick Higgo+110
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - B. Harman / T. Fleetwood
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Tommy Fleetwood-135
Brian Harman+115
Final Round Score - Brian Harman
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5+125
Under 69.5-165
Final Round Score - Tommy Fleetwood
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-130
Under 68.5+100
Final Round Match-Ups - J. Thomas vs T. Fleetwood
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Justin Thomas-115
Tommy Fleetwood-105
Final Round 2-Balls - J. Dahmen / C. Kim
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Chan Kim+100
Joel Dahmen+110
Tie+750
Final Round 2-Balls - J. Thomas / M. McNealy
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Justin Thomas-145
Maverick McNealy+120
Final Round Score - Justin Thomas
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-120
Under 68.5-110
Final Round Score - Maverick McNealy
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 68.5-145
Under 68.5+110
Final Round Match-Ups - S.W. Kim vs M. McNealy
Type: Final Round Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Maverick McNealy-125
Si Woo Kim+105
Final Round 2-Balls - S.W. Kim / A. Novak
Type: Final Round 2-Balls - Status: OPEN
Si Woo Kim-115
Andrew Novak-105
Final Round Score - Si Woo Kim
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5+115
Under 69.5-150
Final Round Score - Andrew Novak
Type: Final Round Score - Status: OPEN
Over 69.5-130
Under 69.5+100
JM Eagle LA Championship
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Akie Iwai+275
Lauren Coughlin+275
Ingrid Lindblad+375
Nelly Korda+900
Ina Yoon+1000
Jeeno Thitikul+1600
Minjee Lee+1600
Rio Takeda+1800
Miyu Yamashita+4000
Chisato Iwai+17500
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Final Round 2 Balls - E. Pedersen v M. Yamashita
Type: Final Round 2 Balls - Status: OPEN
Miyu Yamashita-170
Emily Pedersen+185
Tie+750
Final Round 2 Balls - J. Thitikul v M. Lee
Type: Final Round 2 Balls - Status: OPEN
Jeeno Thitikul-145
Minjee Lee+160
Tie+750
Final Round 2 Balls - N. Korda v R. Takeda
Type: Final Round 2 Balls - Status: OPEN
Nelly Korda-145
Rio Takeda+160
Tie+750
Final Round 2 Balls - I. Yoon v I. Lindblad
Type: Final Round 2 Balls - Status: OPEN
Ina Yoon-115
Ingrid Lindblad+125
Tie+750
Final Round 2 Balls - A. Iwai v L. Coughlin
Type: Final Round 2 Balls - Status: OPEN
Lauren Coughlin+100
Akie Iwai+110
Tie+750
Major Specials 2025
Type: To Win A Major 2025 - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+160
Bryson DeChambeau+350
Xander Schauffele+350
Ludvig Aberg+400
Collin Morikawa+450
Jon Rahm+450
Brooks Koepka+700
Justin Thomas+700
Viktor Hovland+700
Hideki Matsuyama+800
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PGA Championship 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Rory McIlroy+500
Scottie Scheffler+500
Bryson DeChambeau+1400
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Xander Schauffele+1400
Jon Rahm+1800
Collin Morikawa+2000
Brooks Koepka+2500
Justin Thomas+2500
Viktor Hovland+2500
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US Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Rory McIlroy+500
Scottie Scheffler+500
Bryson DeChambeau+1200
Xander Schauffele+1200
Jon Rahm+1400
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Collin Morikawa+1600
Brooks Koepka+1800
Viktor Hovland+2000
Justin Thomas+2500
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The Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Rory McIlroy+500
Scottie Scheffler+550
Xander Schauffele+1100
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Collin Morikawa+1600
Jon Rahm+1600
Bryson DeChambeau+2000
Shane Lowry+2500
Tommy Fleetwood+2500
Tyrrell Hatton+2500
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Ryder Cup 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
USA-150
Europe+140
Tie+1200

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The First Look: Sentry Tournament of ChampionsThe First Look: Sentry Tournament of Champions

Happy New Year! The 2022 portion of the PGA TOUR schedule kicks off in Hawaii at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and boasts an impressive field of winners from 2021. Harris English looks to defend his title at Kapalua, while 38 of the 39 PGA TOUR winners from the 2021 calendar year are teeing it up. FIELD NOTES: Phil Mickelson will peg it at the Sentry Tournament of Champions for the first time in 21 years … English looks to become the first person to successfully defend his title at the Sentry Tournament of Champions since Geoff Ogilvy in 2009 and 2010 … The golfer eligible to tee it up this week and not in the field is Rory McIlroy … Xander Schauffele didn’t win a TOUR event last year, but he’s in the field thanks to his gold-medal performance in Tokyo last summer. Schauffele won this event in 2019 … Other winners of the Sentry Tournament of Champions who are teeing it up again including Justin Thomas (2017, 2020 – won THE PLAYERS in 2021), Jordan Spieth (2016 – won the Valero Texas Open in 2021), and Patrick Reed (2015 – won the Farmers Insurance Open in 2021) … First-time TOUR winners who are making their maiden trips to the Sentry Tournament of Champions include Cameron Davis, Joel Dahmen, Talor Gooch, Lucas Herbert, Garrick Higgo, K.H. Lee, Seamus Power, and Erik van Rooyen… World No. 1 Jon Rahm is back in action for the first time since the Fortinet Championship. No. 2 Collin Morikawa is also teeing it up and has a chance to overtake Rahm for top spot in the world. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points. COURSE: Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, par 73, 7,596 yards (yardage subject to change). The Plantation Course is one of two at Kapalua (The Bay Course being the other) and has long been home to the TOUR’s winners-only event. Opened in 1991, this was the debut design from Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. The duo did a hearty renovation in 2019. The course is the only on TOUR that plays to a par 73 and it features massive elevation changes, big fairways, and of course, wonderfully dramatic ocean views. STORYLINES: Mickelson, who won the 2021 PGA Championship at 50 years old, last played the winners-only event in 2001. He’s won it twice before (1994, 1998) when it was played at La Costa Resort and Spa in California … With 2022 underway, many stars have their eyes set on the Presidents Cup. There are plenty of International hopefuls teeing it up in Hawaii, including past team members Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Si Woo Kim, Sungjae Im, Branden Grace, and Abraham Ancer. The Internationals will be prime to takedown the American team, likely to include many from the victorious Ryder Cup squad from September … Only three times in the last 13 years has the winning score at the Sentry Tournament of Champions not been at least 20-under par (the average winning total is 22-under) … There were only 12 rounds over par in 2021… Players who are coming into Hawaii with some “off-season” momentum include Brooks Koepka (who took down Bryson DeChambeau in The Match), Viktor Hovland (who won the Hero World Challenge), and Kevin Na and Jason Kokrak (who won the QBE Shootout). 72-HOLE RECORD: 261, Ernie Els (2003) 18-HOLE RECORD: 62, K.J. Choi (3rd round, 2003), Graeme McDowell (4th round, 2011), Jason Day (4th round, 2015), Chris Kirk (4th round, 2015), Xander Schauffele (4th round, 2019). LAST TIME: Harris English could not have started his year any better. English, who captured the Sentry Tournament of Champions for his first victory on TOUR since 2013, would go on to win the Travelers Championship in June as well. He was also part of the victorious American Ryder Cup team. English’s win at Kapalua came in a playoff over Joaquin Niemann. The duo both finished at 25-under through 72 holes after Niemann fired a sizzing Sunday 9-under 64 (tied for the low round of the week). Although English missed a 10-foot eagle try on the 72nd hole that would have won him the tournament outright, Niemann struggled in the playoff and English’s 6-foot birdie was all he needed to take the title. Interestingly enough, the only reason English was in the field was because he made the TOUR Championship in 2020. Given the abbreviated schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sentry Tournament of Champions for 2021 expanded its field to include all those who made it to the TOUR’s season finale. Justin Thomas – looking to defend his title from 2020 – finished one shot out of the playoff. Ryan Palmer finished fourth alone, while Xander Schauffele and Sungjae Im finished tied for fifth. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 6-10 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 6-10 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Sunday, 4-6 p.m. ET (NBC), 6-8 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Saturday, 3:15 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Groups). 6 p.m.-10 p.m. (Featured Holes). Sunday, 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m. (Featured Groups), 4 p.m.-8 p.m. (Featured Holes). PGA TOUR Live is available exclusively on ESPN+ Radio: Thursday-Friday, 4–10 p.m. ET; Saturday, 5–10 p.m. ET; Sunday, 3–8 p.m. ET. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) Note: The weekend TV windows could change based on NFL windows.

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