Top South African player betting tips at US PGA Championship
South Africa has a huge contingent of 11 players tackling the US PGA Championship starting on Thursday at the brutal Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
The 11 are bidding to join the great Gary Player as the only South African winners of the Wanamaker Trophy. Player won the PGA Championship twice, in 1962 and 1972, among his nine major titles.
All of the players bar Charl Schwartzel are ranked inside the top 100 players in the world as they seek to end a South African golf majors drought that stretches back to 2012. The most recent South African major winner was four-time major winner Ernie Els at the 2012 Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
The 2021 PGA Championship is to be played on the longest course in major golf history. It is the second major of the year following the Masters won by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel finished tied 26 at Augusta to be the best-placed South Africans at that tournament.
We have run the rule over the contingent to try to find some value in the betting market on who will be the leading South African player at the 2021 PGA Championship.
South African gamblers can bet legally on the US PGA Championship with the top South African betting sites. There are 11 South African players lining up, headed by 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen.
Odds for top South African player at US PGA Championship
Here are the US PGA Championship odds for top South African player:
4.00 Louis Oosthuizen
4.50 Charl Schwartzel
7.00 Garrick Higgo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
9.00 Branden Grace
11.00 Dylan Frittelli, Erik van Rooyen
12.00 Dean Burmester
19.00 George Coetzee, Brandon Stone
26.00 Daniel van Tonder
Preview of the South African chances at the PGA Championship
Louis Oosthuizen (World ranking: 31. Best world ranking: 4 ) It’s hard to believe the man they call Shrek is just 38. It seems as though he has been around and contending forever. Oosthuizen is putting well this season but his normally metronomic swing has not been delivering. Always gets up for the majors.
Garrick Higgo (World ranking: 51. Best world ranking: 51) The 22-year-old lefty is a sensation but this is by far the biggest event he has tackled. He has already won three times on the European Tour but this is his first major. One to keep an eye out for to see how he handles the big stage.
Charl Schwartzel (World ranking: 109. Best world ranking: 6) The 2011 Masters champion had endured a long slump in form but has been back to somewhere near his best since a good showing at the 2021 Masters last month. An experienced and high-class player.
Christiaan Bezuidenhuit (World ranking: 41. Best world ranking: 33) Has played six tournaments on the PGA Tour after being based in Europe, and he has made the cut each time. Ready to make his mark in a big tournament.
Dylan Frittelli (World ranking: 81. Best world ranking: 44 ) Has added 20-odd yards to his average drives this PGA tour season to be in the top 15 for driving distance so the long course will hold few fears. Has not been in great form of late though, missing the cut in six of his past eight starts.
Dean Burmester (World ranking: 89. Best world ranking: 86) Solid Zimbabwe-born pro with eight professional wins but has played in only two majors. This is his first PGA. He played two US Opens for one missed cut and one T56 in 2018. He needs to channel fellow Zimbabwe-born player Nick Price, who won PGA Championship titles in 1992 and 1994. Dean Burmester is paying 9.00 with top South African bookmakers.
George Coetzee (World ranking: 96. Best world ranking: 41) The big man had a breakthrough with his win at the Portugal Masters in 2020. It was his first win at en event not co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour. Has missed the cut in 10 of the 17 majors he has contested but does have a top 10 finish at the 2015 PGA Championship to hang his hat on.
Erik van Rooyen (World ranking: 78. Best world ranking: 40) The 30-year-old tends to do well on tough courses. He’s also never missed a cut in six major starts, and was top 10 in the 2019 PGA at the tough Bethpage course.
Brandon Stone (World ranking: 87. Best world ranking: 67 ) Stone can be a little inconsistent and he will be hoping that a couple of recent missed cuts on the African tour won’t stop him putting in a strong display. Finished 12th in the PGA Championship in 2018 but has missed the cut in five of the nine majors he has contested.
Daniel van Tonder (World ranking: 79. Best world ranking: 72) Not well known on the world stage but just a winning machine in South Africa. Van Tonder has won four African Tour events and one European Tour event (in Africa) since August last year. The 30-year-old is playing his first career major.
Branden Grace (World ranking: 92. Best world ranking: 10) Formerly a constant threat in the majors but not in that sort of form these days, though he did break a five-year drought to win the Puerto Rico Open earlier this year.
Our tip for top South African at US Masters: Christiaan Bezuidenhuit at $7 with Hollywoodbets
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