Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

PGA Championship: How it's going, how to watch, what's at stake, betting odds

ENT

PGA Championship: How it's going, how to watch, what's at stake, betting odds
ENT

ENT

PGA Championship: How it's going, how to watch, what's at stake, betting odds

2025-05-18 09:47 Last Updated At:09:50

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite to win the PGA Championship after shooting a 6-under 65 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead over Sweden's Alex Noren.

Scheffler started the day three shots behind second-round leader Jhonattan Vegas, but finished the third round with a flurry playing the final five holes in 5 under.

More Images
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jhonattan Vegas, of Venezuela, hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jhonattan Vegas, of Venezuela, hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches as Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, putts on the 14th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches as Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, putts on the 14th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jordan Spieth speaks during a news conference at the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Jordan Spieth speaks during a news conference at the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the bunker on the 10th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the bunker on the 10th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Barring a uncharacteristic meltdown by the world's No. 1 player or someone making a record-breaking run up the leaderboard, it seems Scheffler is destined to win his third major championship.

Some other big stars jettisoned up the leaderboard on Saturday too, including Jon Rahm, who shot 67 (and hit a fan in the head with approach shot) leaving him five shots back. Bryson DeChambeau briefly led the tournament on Saturday entering the 16th hole, but collapsed late playing the final three holes in 3 over and is now six shots behind.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who made the cut on the number, was unable to take advantage of moving day and shot 72. He is 13 shots behind, ending any hopes of winning all four majors in the same calendar year.

Here are some other details about the PGA Championship.

The unflappable Scheffler.

If he wins, this will give him half of golf's career Grand Slam since his other two wins have come at the Masters.

Noren played the final five holes on Saturday to shoot 66, but it was overshadowed by Scheffler's late run.

J.T. Poston and Davis Riley are both four shots behind Scheffler, while Rahm and Si Woo Kim are five shots back. Among the players tied for eighth place and six shots behind are DeChambeau, Matthieu Pavon, Tony Finau, Matt Fitzpatrick and Keegan Bradley.

Coverage of the PGA Championship on Sunday goes from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on ESPN+, then moves to ESPN until 1 p.m. CBS and Paramount+ take over from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite and now listed at -400 by BetMGM Sportsbook, meaning Las Vegas believes everyone else is playing for second place.

Noren is at +1600, while Rahm is at +1800 and DeChambeau is at +2500. Poston is listed at +3300.

The winner gets the Wanamaker Trophy, which at 27 pounds is the heaviest of the four major championship trophies.

Xander Schauffele was trying to become only the third player to win the PGA Championship in consecutive years in stroke play, but he has struggled all week and barely made the cut. He is 13 shots behind Scheffler entering the final round.

Scheffler has everyone's attention with the three-shot lead.

There are some capable players behind him, including Rahm and DeChambeau. The problem is the deficit might be too great as Scheffler doesn't regularly shoot over par, so they'd likely need to fire something in the low 60s to even have a chance.

The lowest round this week is Vegas' 64.

Noren, who is three shots behind, is technically within striking distance. So are Poston are Riley at four back. But those players don't have the experience in big tournaments so it will be interesting to see if they fade in the final round.

There are 16 players from LIV Golf in the field at the PGA Championship, the same number as last year. Half of them made it to the weekend.

Rahm and DeChambeau are in the top 10, but Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton have fallen out of contention. The 52-year-old Richard Bland of England shot 76 to fall to 2-over par for the tournament and is no longer a factor either.

Play was suspended early Saturday because of thunderstorms moving through the area and eventually the PGA of America delayed starting times and said players would be grouped in threesomes going off both tees. There is no rain in the forecast for Sunday and temperatures will be in the low 80s.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy was the center of curious questions when it was revealed his driver had been tested and ruled unfit for play by the USGA before the PGA Championship started. He had to use a backup driver for the week and has been a non-factor all week.

McIlroy isn't speaking, refusing to speak to the media for three straight days.

Driver testing is common at the majors. It's rare for a Masters champion at the center of attention.

Schauffele won the PGA Championship last year at Valhalla for his first major, making a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-shot victory over DeChambeau. Schauffele made the cut on the number to extend his streak to 64 tournaments, but he's 13 shots back and non-factor.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jhonattan Vegas, of Venezuela, hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jhonattan Vegas, of Venezuela, hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches as Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, putts on the 14th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches as Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, putts on the 14th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Scottie Scheffler watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jordan Spieth speaks during a news conference at the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Jordan Spieth speaks during a news conference at the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the bunker on the 10th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the bunker on the 10th hole during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

NEW YORK (AP) — As Aaron Judge jumped above the wall and tumbled to the turf, Carlos Rodón worried.

“I’m like, `Pplease don’t dive. Please stay on your feet,'” the New York Yankees pitcher said. “Obviously, I wanted him to dive there and he made the play and I’m grateful he got up because that’s a big body.”

Judge made three outstanding catches in right field on Friday night, saving three runs in an 11-0 rout of the Chicago Cubs that extended the New York Yankees’ winning streak to five following a six-game slide. Cody Bellinger hit a trio of two-run homers against his former team.

A two-time MVP at age 33, Judge gets attention for his offense: a major league-best .354 average with 34 homers and 79 RBIs. His defense is just as striking.

The 6-foot-7, 282-pound Judge leaped at the right-field wall to catch a 327-foot drive by Peter Crow-Armstrong against Rodón in the fourth inning, preventing would have been Crow-Armstrong's 26th home run.

“I think robbing a homer is probably the best, just to keep a run off the board,” Judge said.

When Judge caught the ball, it was about 15 inches over the top of the wall. PCA waved an arm at him in frustration and acknowledgement.

“He knows we work hard for our hits and our homers,” Crow-Armstrong said. “He’s having an unbelievable year and that was me just being like, come on man, like you got to take them away too?”

Judge's glove avoided the outstretched arms of a fan in a Yankees jersey, who reached over the fence with one hand but missed the ball. After the grab, Judge bowed his head and smiled.

“I’ve hit a couple fans already this year, so I tried to make sure I didn’t get that one,” Judge said.

Two pitches later, Judge rushed in and made a sliding backhand grab on Dansby Swanson's sinking liner for the third out of the inning. By the mound, Rodón held out his hands while shaking his head in amazement.

With runners at the corners, two outs in the eighth and a full count, Judge sprinted to deny Kyle Tucker of an extra-base hit, catching the ball just before the right-field foul line and sliding on his chest across the warning track. His pinstripes were soiled with dirt when he got up.

“It’s tough, but it’s my job. I got a job to do out there. That’s why they got me playing out there,” he said. “If the ball’s hit in your direction, you got to make a play.”

Judge's catch caught Aaron Boone's attention.

“My first thought was a little nervous, just going over there and sliding on the dirt pretty hard, like making sure the big guy was OK,” the manager said.

Judge doesn't think about sprained right big toe sustained when he ran into the Dodger Stadium fence on June 3, 2023, causing him to miss 42 games and hit far from his standard when he returned.

“That was kind of a freak thing,” Judge said. “You can’t let it hold me back.”

He took time after his last catch to gain his composure.

“I felt like I was running a mile to get to that ball,” he said. “I don’t think I’m getting older but sometimes it feels like it after it catches like that.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees players, including outfielder Aaron Judge, second from right, celebrate after winning a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees players, including outfielder Aaron Judge, second from right, celebrate after winning a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge walks onto the field during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge walks onto the field during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger, right, celebrates with Aaron Judge, left, after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger, right, celebrates with Aaron Judge, left, after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees players celebrate with outfielder Aaron Judge, center, after the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees players celebrate with outfielder Aaron Judge, center, after the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge strikes out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge strikes out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, July 11, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge runs after hitting a sacrifice fly during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge runs after hitting a sacrifice fly during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Recommended Articles