The field has been cut in half at The Ocean Course, but the favorites at the beginning of the week remain the same after two blustery days on Kiawah Island. As he almost always does, Tiger Woods entered the season’s final major as the favorite. After an impressive round of 71 that moved him into a share of the lead, he’s now listed at a heavy 1/1.
2012 PGA Championship Odds: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy Remain Favorites
Rory McIlroy is second at 13/2 after the Northern Irishman held on to card a 75 in the extremely difficult conditions on Friday. McIlroy is playing in the third-to-last group and his game certainly seems to be rounding into form after a difficult summer. Despite growing up on the links in Europe, McIlroy prefers to play the classic American parklands courses. Kiawah is certainly not that, but it’s a links-style course in aesthetics only, as the paspalum grass eliminates the typical low and bump-and-run play you would see in Europe. McIlroy can take advantage of a forecast calling for less windy conditions and can continue to play the ball through the air over the weekend as he tries to capture his second major.
Lurking and well within striking distance are Graeme McDowell and Phil Mickelson. The two veterans are always contenders at the majors, and Mickelson expressed his admiration and affinity for the course layout and conditions on Friday afternoon. The current odds as the third round gets underway, via Bovada:
Tiger Woods 1/1
Rory McIlroy 13/2
Ian Poulter 9/1
Vijay Singh 10/1
Carl Pettersson 11/1
Adam Scott 14/1
Graeme McDowell 25/1
Phil Mickelson 20/1
Aaron Baddeley 33/1
Jamie Donaldson 40/1
Keegan Bradley 40/1
Peter Hanson 50/1
Trevor Immelman 50/1
For a live leaderboard, visit Golf.com.
For news and updates throughout the week at the PGA Championship, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all your golf news as the playoffs approach, visit SB Nation’s golf hub.
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