2023 PGA Championship: Patrick Cantlay Betting Preview, Picks & Predictions

by BettingPros Staff |
May 15, 2023

The PGA Championship used to bat cleanup as the fourth and final major of the season, but this will be the fifth time that the PGA has been held in May, in between the Masters and the U.S. Open.

Justin Thomas is the defending champion. He shot a final-round 67 at Southern Hills last year and beat Will Zalatoris in a playoff to win the Wanamaker Trophy, the giant piece of hardware awarded annually to the PGA champ. Thomas and Brooks Koepka have combined to win four of the last six PGA Championships, with Collin Morikawa and Phil Mickelson interrupting the Thomas/Koepka reign in 2020 and 2021.

This year's PGA Championship returns Oak Hill in Pittsford, N.Y., where Jason Dufner finished -10 to win the 2013 PGA, beating runner-up Jim Furyk by two strokes. But the East Course at Oak Hill will look much different than it did at the last PGA here 10 years ago. Course architect Andrew Green presided over a major remodeling intended to make the course more faithful to the original Donald Ross design. The course will once again play at par-70, and after playing at 7,163 yards in 2013, it has been stretched to 7,400 for this year's event.

Will favorites Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler flex their muscles at Oak Hill? Will Thomas and Koepka extend their stretch of PGA dominance? Or will an unexpected winner emerge from the field the way Jimmy Walker did at Baltusrol in 2016? Read on for betting profiles of the top contenders for the 2023 PGA Championship.

Check out our 2023 PGA Championship Betting Guide >>

Patrick Cantlay 2023 PGA Championship Best Bets

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Patrick Cantlay Stats to Know

- Best odds to win: +2200 (DraftKings)
- World ranking: 4
- Best PGA Championship finish: T3
- Last four PGA Championship finishes: T3, T43, T23, MC
- Last four tournament finishes: T19, T14, 3, T21

Patrick Cantlay Course History

Patrick Cantlay hasnâ€™t come close to a top-25 at the PGA Championship since 2021, when he logged a T23 , improving from a T43 in 2020. The 31-year-old Californian is still searching for his first win of the season while also trying to earn his first major since becoming a pro in 2011. Heâ€™s dialed in with his driver and irons, while his putter tends to be an asset instead of a liability on the greens.

Patrick Cantlay Recent Form

Cantlayâ€™s form is been rock-solid entering the PGA Championship. He has gone T19, T14, 3 and T21 in his last four solo events and ranks third on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee, while also displaying precision with his irons. If not for some slow starts and final-round mishaps, weâ€™d likely have seen Cantlay win one or two events this year. Instead, weâ€™re forced to admire his talent with the expectation of a T10 to T25 finish as the most likely outcome until proven otherwise.

Patrick Cantlay Betting Outlook

When it comes to consistently finishing near the top of the leaderboard, Cantlay delivers. However, outright wins have been hard to come by for Cantlay in 2023, as he's logged six top-10 finishes and has finished top-25 in 10-of-12 events on the PGA Tour this season. Despite the trophy drought, the 31-year-old Californian is ranked fourth in OWGR and could be rounding into form to secure the first major win of his 11-year career. He's ranked sixth in total strokes gained and 18th in strokes gained putting, while also ranking second in total driving, which factors in distance and accuracy. Cantlay is hitting 70.4% of greens in regulation, showcasing his iron precision. One of the top all-around players in the game, Cantlay has the skill to contend in any event, so I like investing in him to win this week.

2023 PGA Championship Golfer Profiles

Check out our previews for each of the top golfers competing at Oak Hill this week:

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