US PGA outsider tips: Three long shots to consider

2022 US PGA outsider tips

The second major of the year gets under way on Thursday and we have picked out some US PGA outsider tips worth considering to give us a good run for our money.

We have already looked at some of the leading contenders plus a guide to the Southern Hills course but now we focus on three players who are worth an each-way shout this week.

Talor Gooch

There is only one Oklohoma native in the 156-man field this week and that makes Gooch worth considering, having grown up just 110 miles from Tulsa.

Gooch qualified to play in all four majors this year by winning the RSM Classic last year and the 30-year-old had his sights set on Southern Hills as soon as the venue for the US PGA Championship was switched from Trump Bedminster.

“This is what you dream about, playing the PGA Championship in your hometown at one of your favourite places in the world,’’ said Gooch.

“Once I saw it switched venues to this course, immediately I’m like, ‘We’ve got to get there’. Shortly after, I started looking at Airbnbs and stuff to try to get a place reserved here.

“It’s a dream come true for an Oklahoma kid to go to Oklahoma State and to play the PGA Championship at Southern Hills. I’ve tried to not overhype the place because it’s one of my favourite places in the world.”

The wind which is forecast should also help Gooch’s chances and his joint-14th finish at the US Masters proved he can handle the big occasions.

The world number 35 would only need to produce a slight improvement on that to challenge for an each-way place, especially with Coral paying 10 places, and Gooch kicks off our US PGA outsider tips at 80/1.

Christian Bezuidenhout

Bezuidenhout has played in 15 PGA Tour events this year and missed just two cuts while enjoying five top-20 finishes so that sort of consistency could put him in the mix at a three-figure price.

The South African finished tied for 12th at the AT&T Byron Nelson last week and his short game is well suited to the challenge that lies ahead this week.

He was in contention at last year’s US PGA Championship, sitting tied fifth and just four shots off the lead after the third round before a final-round 77 saw him drop down the leaderboard.

It was a similar story at the US Open and helped by an early tee-off time on Thursday before the wind picks up, Bezuidenhout is the next of our US PGA long shots at 100/1.

Robert MacIntyre

We’re keen to back a British golfer in our US PGA outsider tips and MacIntyre fits the bill at 125/1.

The 25-year-old from Oban is gradually building up his experience at the majors and has made the weekend in all eight appearances at the biggest tournaments so far.

He has the length off the tee to get round this long course but also the short game which is almost certainly going to be vital for anyone hoping to be in the mix this week.

CLOCKING IN…⌚️

⏰️ The tee times are out for the 2022 @PGAChampionship @robert1lefty will be out early on Thursday with Ryan Palmer 🇺🇸 and Alex Noren 🇸🇪

📺 @SkySportsGolf

⛳️🇺🇸🏌🏼‍♂️😎 pic.twitter.com/3QSNfeNT3S

— Bounce (@bouncespmgt) May 17, 2022

MacIntyre, who is another early starter on Thursday, is pleased with his game too and believes he is well suited to a major at Southern Hills.

“This week is a major on a tough course,” he told The Scotsman. “The scores won’t get away from us. I don’t think I’ll need to press from the get-go. These are the events I feel I have the most chance. See when the scores go to 24 to 30-under, it’s just a putting competition.

“At these majors, they rarely go past 10-under. That’s massive for me. Normally I’ll have a hiccup somewhere, but you know it may not cost as much as a normal tour event when the scoring is 20-under.

“At majors, if I get it going I can get in contention. Three-under on a tough course is brilliant. Tee to green my game is as good as it’s ever been. You know everybody will be making mistakes. On the easier courses, you make one mistake and it feels like a double bogey. It hits harder. The tougher courses play to my strengths.”