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Remind me next time

Valhalla Tips -

Recommended Bets:-

Hunter Mahan@ 66/1

Justin Rose@ 28/1

One of the four Major Championships of golf alongside the Masters, U.S Open and Open Championship, the PGA was established in 1916 and is the last of the quartet to be played during the season in mid-August. This year’s venue is Valhalla golf course in Louisville, Kentucky.

From 1996 through to 2007, the USA provided 10 of the 12 winners, Vijay Singh won it twice in that period, but in the last six years they have only carried off the title twice courtesy of Keegan Bradley in 2011 and Jason Dufner last year.

Valhalla last hosted the tournament in 2000 when Tiger Woods won with a record score of -18 (270). More recently this scenic track played host to the 2008 Ryder Cup won by USA over Europe by 16.5 to 11.5 points, their first victory in the competition since 1999.

The course has a distinct two sided personality with the outward half set in low lying parkland with a links flavour to it, while the final nine takes in higher tree covered terrain in line with most American inland courses and a huge creek that plays a big part in the management of the last four holes.

Measuring 7,540 yards and with a par of 72, the Kentucky course underwent a major overhaul at the backend of 2011 when all 18 greens were totally rebuilt. Arguably the feature hole down the difficult final stretch is the 16th, a 508 yard par four which features a huge green, protected by a deep front bunker and huge run off slopes to the side.

At the time of writing (July 2nd) it’s amazing that Tiger Woods is still the outright favourite at betting odds of just 9/1 (as low as 11/2) despite his injury wrecked season.

The only other player in single figures is Rory McIlroy with Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, U.S Open champion Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson next in the ante-post betting list.

As this midway stage through the PGA season, it’s not entirely straightforward coming up with a tip, but what we do know from the history of this event is that outsiders have a very good record and any course form isn’t wholly relevant given the changes in the make-up of the lay out.

Going back to that Ryder Cup, the two players that stood out through the three days were JB Holmes and Hunter Mahan. The former has been in much the better form of the two, winning the Wells Fargo back in April and after a barren spell playing much better in the U.S Open. I think its fair to say he is a golfer that’s hard to catch right from a betting perspective.

Mahan has missed four of his last nine cuts, but a welcome return to form in the Quicken Loans National, where but for a last round 74 would have seen him in the top 10, augurs well and Valhalla sets up nicely for him granted a decent round of putting, his weakest stroke. At 66/1 he could be worth an early punt, while this track I think is made for the in-form Justin Rose and if he can stay hot for the next month this proven major performer has to be on my short list.

I will update this column as and when we get closer to the PGA and almost certainly add to the betting profile.