The 2019 PGA Championship is set at the beautiful Bethpage Black Course in New York. By all accounts the course is in fantastic condition and temperatures will be in the low 60s with a chance of rain on Friday. Additionally, the Black Course will be a par 70 measuring 7465 yards. The slope will is 155 and the rating is 77.5. This is a monster of course and contribute to higher scores in the field this week and only those players with length and accuracy will be able to stand up to the very challenging conditions. So, keeping this in mind, lets predict the winner of the 2019 PGA Championship.

I am not one to follow the odds, so this year I believe that a proven competitor will win the Wanamaker Trophy. This course is so challenging it is unlikely that a first time Major winner will walk off with all the hardware.

Finishing third will be Rory McIlroy. Regardless of what the experts think, Rory is a long straight hitting player that is poise to win his third PGA Championship and 6th overall Major. He is playing his best golf in years and his length will be an advantage. His challenge is closing. In 2019 he continually puts himself in position to win, but can’t see to close the deal. He will have to putt his best to win.

Finishing second is Dustin Johnson. Another long straight hitter, Johnson also has developed a short game. He is back into his 2016/2017 form before he fell down the stairs at the Masters and as such his game fits perfectly with the length of Bethpage Black. He is cool under pressure and has the ability to go low on any round. Lastly, he can come from behind to win, expect to see him in the final two or three groups on Sunday. Unfortunately, he will have another second place finish at a Major in 2019.

The winner of the 2019 PGA Championship will be Brooks Koepka. By far the strongest competitor in the Majors over the past three years, Koepka will add another PGA Championship on Sunday. He, like Johnson and McIlroy, will not be bothered by the length of this weekends course. He is a solid competitor who rises to the pressure of any Major. Koepka has a surprisingly strong short game when it counts and it will have to count this weekend. I expect to see Brooks Koepka holding the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.

My dark horse is Jordan Spieth. Truthfully, this is more a sentimental pick than anything else. He has the game and experience to win his career grand slam this weekend, but I am unsure if he will rise to the occasion. Spieth is playing better of late and needs something positive to happen to regain his former form. If anyone from outside the top 25 of the OWGR, Spieth is my pick to win.

Who would you pick to win the 2019 #PGAChampionship #golfchat #QuestionOfTheDay

— The Grateful Golfer (@TheGratefulGolf) May 14, 2019

As you can see, I have left out Tiger Woods. He is the odds on favourite to win, unfortunately I do not see it this time. Bethpage Black is a long course and I think that this length will hurt Woods. He proved he can play at the Masters, but this is a different course with different challenges. I predict that Tiger will finish somewhere between the top 10 and 15 at the end of the tournament.

The 2019 PGA Championship is set on Bethpage Black. It is going to be a fantastic weekend of golf and I expect to see some fantastic players. Given the challenge of the course, I think former Major winners will crowd the top of the leaderboard this weekend. At the end, Brooks Koepka will walk away with his 4th Major and the Wanamaker Trophy.

Who do you have winning this weekend?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!