English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick has captured widespread public interest heading into next month’s PGA Championship following his climb to a career-high No. 3 position in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The 31-year-old secured a dramatic playoff victory over top-ranked Scottie Scheffler at Sunday’s RBC Heritage tournament, capping off an impressive stretch that included a second-place finish at The Players Championship, a victory at the Valspar Championship, and an 18th-place showing at the Masters.
Despite stumbling with a bogey on the final regulation hole Sunday that forced a playoff with Scheffler, Fitzpatrick recovered brilliantly by hitting a 4-iron approach shot through strong winds to within 13 feet of the pin, then sinking the birdie putt to claim victory on the first playoff hole.
The strong performance has dramatically shifted betting markets, with Fitzpatrick’s PGA Championship odds improving from 35/1 to 20/1 according to Oddschecker. The 2022 U.S. Open winner has attracted the most wagering action this week, drawing 23% of all PGA Championship winner bets placed since his Harbor Town triumph.
Cameron Young ranks as the second-most popular betting choice this week, capturing 6% of total wagers alongside Ludvig Aberg, Sam Burns, and Justin Rose. Young previously defeated Fitzpatrick at The Players Championship.
Despite the recent attention on other players, Scheffler remains the tournament favorite with 7/2 odds, translating to a 22% probability of victory. He has drawn 5% of this week’s betting action, matching the percentage for LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm.
Masters winner Rory McIlroy holds the second-best pre-tournament odds at 7/1, while Rahm sits at 12/1. Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau follow at 16/1, with both Fitzpatrick and Young positioned at 20/1.
Looking ahead to this week’s action, Fitzpatrick will team with his brother Alex as co-favorites for the Zurich Classic, the PGA Tour’s sole team competition. The Fitzpatrick brothers share 11/1 odds with the pairing of Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry.
