PGA Championship Preview & Picks

The Beat The Books Podcast dives into the 2026 PGA Championship at Aramannick Golf Club in Pennsylvania, where course history is minimal and recent changes have made the layout tougher than the 2018 BMW Championship. The host breaks down a high-stakes betting landscape, highlighting under-the-radar performers like Christopher Rettend—Norway’s newest PGA Tour winner—who defied expectations with a surprise victory. Despite a down week in props and outright picks, the focus remains on value-driven selections. Key players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are favored due to course fit and form, but the real opportunities lie in undervalued golfers such as Sung J.M. (plus 12,500), Akshay Batia (plus 9,000), and Alex Smalley (plus 12,500), all of whom have shown elite consistency. The host emphasizes that long drivers and iron accuracy are critical on this course, and warns against overvaluing past majors when form and current stats matter more. The episode ends with a strong call to bet smart, stay disciplined, and leverage data-driven insights across golf and other major sports. The episode reveals that the most profitable bets often come from players overlooked by the market—not just stars. Sung J.M. and Alex Smalley, both with recent top-20 finishes and strong iron play, are positioned as high-value picks despite low odds.