PGA Championship Contenders and Dark Horse Value Picks
By James Moreau | 14 May, 2026

Beyond the heavy favorites, this trio represent a high-upside dark horse capable of shaking up the leaderboard at Aronimink.

Fresh off back-to-back Green Jackets, Rory McIlroy arrives at the 2026 PGA Championship as the man to watch, trailing only reigning champion Scottie Scheffler in the betting markets.  Yet, as the spotlight follows the leaders, a trio of elite Asian golfers enters the week playing the best golf of their careers.

At +1700, the odds for Xander Schauffele highlight his position as one of the world’s most consistent performers. The Taiwanese American has been in superb form, recently earning $1,725,000 at March’s Players Championship and securing a top ten finish at the Masters last month.  With two major titles already on his resume from 2024, Schauffele’s accuracy and composure in high-pressure environments make him a top-tier threat to claim another trophy this week.

Similarly, Collin Morikawa has been on fire lately.  He took home $3.6 million at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and backed that up with a solid T-7 finish at the Masters.  At +2200, he’s a high-value pick to secure his second PGA Championship trophy.

Akshay Bhatia at +6500 serves as a compelling “dark horse” pick with plenty of upside.  The 24-year-old Indian American has had a breakout in March, highlighted by a massive win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where he earned $4M.  Given Bhatia’s recent success on big stages, this line offers strong value for a young player with his potential.