PGA Championship Betting Tips -Can McIlroy do the business at Kiawah Island?

The PGA Championship is the second golf major of the year and takes place at Kiawah Island from May 20-23.

Collin Morikawa is the defending champion after winning his first major in 2020 when triumphing at TPC Harding Park.

Rory McIlroy won the USPGA Championship when it was held for the first time at Kiawah Island in 2012, winning by a tournament record eight strokes.

In a hotly-contested PGA Championship, three players offer value and are in the suggested winner bets.

Rory McIlroy has cut a frustrating figure in majors since lifting the last of his four titles in the 2014 USPGA Championship. But the Northern Irishman has several things in his favour this week.

First of all, he has fond memories of Kiawah Island having won his second major here in 2012. It was an emphatic eight-shot victory too, a record for the USPGA Championship.

McIlroy also has history on his side with 18 of the last PGA Championship winners having won already on tour in the same year.

McIlroy did that in his last tournament apppearance, ending a drought by winning the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow two weeks ago.

Despite letting punters down in majors since his last success in 2015, McIlroy has a lot going for him this week.

One of the brightest young talents on tour, Norwegian ace Viktor Hovland heads to Kiawah Island in good form and looks an each-way contender.

While he lacks experience in majors, the 23-year-old has been solid enough in his three appearances to date. He was 12th in the 2019 US Open as an amateur, 33rd in the 2020 PGA Championship and 21st in last month's Masters.

Since that first appearance at the Masters in April, Hovland has finished third twice. He was third behind Sam Burns in the Valspar Championship and again behind McIlroy in the Wells Fargo two weeks ago.

Given the fact that 15 of the last 21 major winners were first-time major champions, and the fact that no player from outside of the top 50 has won a major in the last 10 years, Hovland ticks plenty of boxes and is each-way value.

He doesn't have a win this year, but has won this season following his Mayakoba Golf Classic win in December.

World number 25 Cameron Smith has been on a good run of form, culminating with victory in the New Orleans Classic pairs event with fellow Australian Marc Leishman last month.

Smith was in contention for his first major success in last year's Masters, ultimately finishing runner-up to Dustin Johnson.

He also has a placing in the US Open previously from a fourth placed finished and is another one who stands out at each-way odds heading to Kiawah Island.

Since February Smith's last tournament appearance results read 4, 11, 17, 28, 10, 9 and 1. I think he could produce another big week and be in the frame come Sunday in South Carolina.