PGA Championship
August 13th – 16th, 2015
Whistling Straits (Straits Course)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Par: 72 / Yardage: 7,501
Purse: $10 million (last year)
with $1.8 million (last year) to the winner
Defending Champion:
Rory McIlroy

This week’s field includes:
As of this minute when I write this on Monday morning, the field includes 104 of the top 107 in the latest Official World Rankings. Those not playing are #24 Chris Kirk not playing due to his broken hand, #74 Alexander Noren who has a stress fracture in his upper body, presumably in a rib and #89 Graham Delaet who hurt his left thumb at the Canadian Open
The field includes all 25 of the top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2015 are in the field.
The field includes 25 players in the top 25 on this year’s PGA Tour money list.
The field includes 32 players that have won 39 of the 40 events on the PGA Tour this year: Sangmoon Bae (Frys.com Open), Ben Martin (Shriners Hospitals); Robert Streb (McGladrey Classic), Ryan Moore (CIMB Classic), Bubba Watson (WGC-HSBC Champions & Travelers); Charley Hoffman (OHL Classic at Mayakoba); Patrick Reed (Hyundai T of C); Nick Taylor (Sanderson Farms Championship); Alex Cejka (Puerto Rico); Rory McIlroy (WGC-Cadillac Match Play & Wells Fargo); Jimmy Walker (Sony Open in Hawaii & Valero Texas Open), Bill Haas (Humana); Jason Day (Farmers & RBC Canadian); Brooks Koepka (WM Phoenix); Brandt Snedeker (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am), James Hahn (Northern Trust); Padraig Harrington (Honda Classic); Dustin Johnson (WGC-Cadillac); Jordan Spieth (Valspar, Masters, U.S. Open & John Deere); Matt Every (Palmer); J.B. Holmes (Shell Houston); Jim Furyk (RBC Heritage); Justin Rose (Zurich Classic of New Orleans); Rickie Fowler (Players); Steven Bowditch (Byron Nelson); David Lingmerth (Memorial); Fabian Gomez (FedEx St. Jude); Danny Lee (Greenbrier); Zach Johnson (British Open); Scott Piercy (Barbasol) and Troy Merritt (Quicken Loans), Shane Lowry (WGC-Bridgeston).
The only winner not in the field are Chris Kirk (Crowne Plaza Colonial) and .
The field includes 15 past champions: Rory McIlroy (2014 & ’12), Jason Dufner (2013), Keegan Bradley (2011), Martin Kaymer (2010), Y.E. Yang (2009), Padraig Harrington (2008), Tiger Woods (2007, ’06, ’00 & 1999), Phil Mickelson (2005), Vijay Singh (2004 & 1998), Shaun Micheel (2003), Rick Beem (2002), David Toms (2001), Davis Love III (1997), Mark Brooks (1996) and John Daly (1991).
A perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the PGA Championship field is our performance chart listed by average finish. Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the PGA Championship field in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the PGA Championship field.
A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.
Another cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmaker in Las Vegas.
**NOTE**
One thing to look for is our new GOLFstats IQ. For those that play in fantasy golf it’s a perfect way to help you pick those players in Draft Kings and Victiv games. You can customize the list of those in the tournaments, to look back a couple or many years of tournament stats and you can go back a couple or ten weeks prior to the tournament. On top of that, all the stats are fully sortable to help you pick your six players, we even give you their value for the week to help you chose.
That’s GOLFstats IQ, give it a try and tell us what you think of it
24/7 GOLF
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It gives you everything that you need to know about golf, you have all the players results and every tournament result, again at your fingertips. It’s very easy to use and you can take a good amout of GOLFstats with you everyplace. No need to get home and check things out on your computer at home, you can answer any question with your Ipad.
So check it out, just hit this link to get 24/7 GOLF:
Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:
Who’s Hot in the field for the PGA Championship
Player | WGC-Bridgestone | Barracuda | Quicken Loans | Paul Lawrie Matchplay | Canadian Open | European Masters | British Open | Barbasol | John Deere | Scottish Open | The Greenbrier | French Open | Travelers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Danny Lee (313 pts) |
T6 (90) |
DNP | T4 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | T3 (60) |
DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | T25 (8.33) |
Bubba Watson (305.33 pts) |
2 (150) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | Win (44) |
Jason Day (295.67 pts) |
T12 (57) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | T4 (106.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Justin Rose (295 pts) |
T3 (135) |
DNP | T4 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T6 (80) |
DNP | DNP | 74 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Zach Johnson (281.5 pts) |
T33 (25.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (176) |
DNP | T3 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 6 (20) |
Rickie Fowler (274.67 pts) |
T10 (60) |
DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T30 (26.67) |
DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Danny Willett (254.83 pts) |
T17 (49.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (132) |
T6 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Jordan Spieth (254.67 pts) |
T10 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T4 (106.67) |
DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Jim Furyk (241.67 pts) |
T3 (135) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 4 (80) |
DNP | T30 (26.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Robert Streb (238.33 pts) |
5 (105) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T18 (42.67) |
DNP | T14 (24) |
DNP | T2 (66.67) |
DNP | DNP |
David Lingmerth (220 pts) |
T6 (90) |
DNP | 3 (90) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T74 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T6 (40) |
DNP | T64 (0) |
Shane Lowry (197.33 pts) |
Win (198) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | T31 (12.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Brooks Koepka (194 pts) |
T6 (90) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T18 (32) |
DNP | T10 (53.33) |
DNP | DNP | T22 (18.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Tyrrell Hatton (190.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T5 (70) |
DNP | 3 (90) |
CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | T22 (18.67) |
DNP | T12 (25.33) |
DNP |
Marc Warren (177.5 pts) |
T25 (37.5) |
DNP | DNP | 4 (80) |
DNP | DNP | T40 (13.33) |
DNP | DNP | T4 (53.33) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
J.J. Henry (177 pts) |
DNP | Win (132) |
T63 (0) |
DNP | T41 (9) |
DNP | DNP | T23 (18) |
CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | T60 (0) |
Sergio Garcia (167.83 pts) |
T37 (19.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 6 (60) |
T6 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T25 (8.33) |
Matt Kuchar (159.17 pts) |
T25 (37.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T7 (55) |
DNP | T58 (0) |
DNP | DNP | T2 (66.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Marc Leishman (155.83 pts) |
T33 (25.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T2 (133.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T39 (3.67) |
David Howell (152.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 3 (90) |
DNP | T16 (34) |
T49 (1.33) |
DNP | DNP | T10 (26.67) |
DNP | T49 (0.67) |
DNP |
Bernd Wiesberger (144.5 pts) |
T25 (37.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T31 (19) |
T68 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
DNP |
David Hearn (143.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 3 (90) |
DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | T67 (0) |
DNP | T2 (66.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Louis Oosthuizen (142 pts) |
T42 (12) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T2 (133.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T73 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Patrick Reed (137.17 pts) |
T15 (52.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T16 (34) |
T20 (40) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T29 (14) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Russell Henley (136.17 pts) |
T17 (49.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T20 (40) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 5 (46.67) |
DNP | DNP |
James Morrison (133 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T17 (33) |
DNP | DNP | T20 (40) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | 2 (66.67) |
DNP |
Jason Bohn (126.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T4 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T12 (25.33) |
DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Scott Piercy (126 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T79 (0) |
DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
T14 (24) |
DNP | T29 (14) |
DNP | DNP |
Justin Thomas (123.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T4 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T5 (46.67) |
DNP | T54 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Brendan Steele (116.67 pts) |
DNP | T7 (55) |
T30 (20) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T6 (40) |
T25 (8.33) |
Steven Bowditch (113.33 pts) |
T12 (57) |
DNP | T67 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T30 (26.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | T15 (11.67) |
Martin Kaymer (111.5 pts) |
T45 (7.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T12 (50.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 4 (53.33) |
DNP |
Branden Grace (108.17 pts) |
T17 (49.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T20 (40) |
DNP | DNP | T17 (22) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Luke Donald (105.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T74 (0) |
DNP | T12 (50.67) |
DNP | DNP | T7 (36.67) |
DNP | DNP | T7 (18.33) |
Troy Merritt (105.33 pts) |
77 (0) |
DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who’s Not Hot in the field for the PGA Championship
Player | WGC-Bridgestone | Barracuda | Quicken Loans | Paul Lawrie Matchplay | Canadian Open | European Masters | British Open | Barbasol | John Deere | Scottish Open | The Greenbrier | French Open | Travelers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stephen Gallacher (-36.67 pts) |
56 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Fabian Gomez (-33.33 pts) |
T67 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
George Coetzee (-30 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Matt Every (-26.67 pts) |
74 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Daniel Berger (-24 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | T41 (6) |
CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Sangmoon Bae (-23.33 pts) |
T63 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T54 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Kevin Streelman (-23.33 pts) |
DNP | 71 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | 77 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Darren Clarke (-20 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-13.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Tim Clark (-20 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | T63 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Nick Taylor (-16.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T52 (0) |
DNP | T56 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who to watch for at the PGA Championship
Best Bets:
Bubba Watson
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T64 | CUT | T11 | T26 | 2 | CUT | 70 | CUT |
Have to like him for so many reasons. First the course sets up perfectly for him, he is 1st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, 37th in total driving and 27th in ball striking. So the planets are aligning for Watson and you can bet the farm that he will be in the running on the back nine of Sunday. Second he played great in 2010 getting into the playoff, if he played well then he will play well now.
Jordan Spieth
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | CUT |
In looking at Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green we see that Spieth ranks 2nd and in total driving he is 42nd which isn’t bad. As for ball striking, Spieth is 41st so all of these stats are not the best but shows that he will do better at Whistling Straits than Firestone. If he could win this week it would be one of the biggest accomplishments in golf as only Ben Hogan in 1953 and Tiger Woods in 2000 have won three majors in one year.
Justin Rose
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T24 | T33 | T3 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T9 | T12 | T41 | CUT | CUT |
Another player in which stats say he should play well this week, he is 7th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green. As for total driving Rose is 4th and also 4th in ball striking so Rose should do well this week. If Rose has a weakness it could be in driving accuracy, he is 69th and scrambling which he is 105th but everything for the year points to a good week for Rose. The key for him is to play better over the first 36 holes, if he can do that, have an average third round it may save up some energy to play well on Sunday.
Best of the rest:
Henrik Stenson
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T3 | 3 | CUT | T6 | T4 | CUT | T14 | T47 |
This guy is so good I am really surprised he hasn’t won a major yet. He is 5th in Strokes Gained tee-to-green along with being 1st in total driving and ball striking. With these stats it shows that it’s almost impossible for him not to play well this week.
Dustin Johnson
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T8 | T48 | CUT | T5 | T10 |
He has a lot to prove this week. First was his bunker penalty on the 72nd hole that caused him not to get into the playoff. Johnson hits it far and straight, he is 18th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, but T-62nd in total driving and 91st in ball striking. Still he is long overdue to win a major, prefect place to do it.
Zach Johnson
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T69 | T8 | 70 | T59 | T3 | T10 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T17 | T37 |
Has some good memories of Whistling Straits. He finished T37th in 2004 but in 2010 many don’t remember but Johnson was just a shot back of the Kaymer/Watson playoff. He played very well with rounds of 69-70-69-70 and I just have to think that if you offer Johnson that score for this year he will take it. As for our stats, Johnson is 15th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, 48th in total driving and 37th in ball striking. As we said last week, if Johnson can prevail this week and win, it would muddy up the water on Jordan Spieth being Player-of-the Year and make the FedEx Cup playoffs very interesting.
Jim Furyk
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T5 | 2 | T42 | T39 | T24 | T63 | T29 | CUT | T29 | T34 | CUT | T18 |
In previous visits to Whistling Straits, Furyk has struggled, missing the cut in 2004 and finishing T-24th in 2010. But we should look at that finish in 2010, Furyk was among the leaders after making birdies at six and seven, but things got very nasty for him as he played his last 11 holes in seven over par which dropped him way down the leaderboard. So Furyk does have the good memories of playing well. He also has some good stats for this year that points to him playing well this week. Furyk is 3rd in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, but 85th in total driving and 50th in ball striking. So it’s a toss up on how he will do, frankly I think Furyk is just as happy with top-five finishes than winning. You can’t complain if your Jim Furyk, over his 22 year career he has won $65 million on the PGA Tour so maybe getting into the top-five is not a bad way of playing.
Solid contenders
Jason Day
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T15 | T8 | CUT | CUT | T10 |
Whistling Straits is a course that holds some good memories for Jason, he had has first of nine top-tens in majors when he finished T-10th at Whistling Straits in 2010, even with a 74 on the final day. So he knows he can play well on the course, he shot a third round 66. So what do the stats say, first in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green he is 26th, but is 83rd in total driving and 50th in ball striking. So he will need something special to level the playing field on these disadvantages, so Day will have to scramble and putt better than he usually does to make up for it. I don’t see him winning but I can see him in contention over the weekend.
Rickie Fowler
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T3 | T19 | CUT | T51 | T58 |
Has the stats, was 37th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, 21st in total driving and T-71st in ball striking. Even with those good numbers I just am not that impress with him this week and think he won’t have a good week, sorry.
Hideki Matsuyama
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T35 | T19 |
Hasn’t played well this year, still has numbers that point out this could be a great week for him. He is 4th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, 7th in total driving and ball striking.
Louis Oosthuizen
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T15 | T21 | CUT | CUT | CUT | 73 |
Has the power and could surprise a lot of folks. Ranks 31st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green along with being T42nd in total driving and 26th in ball striking.
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First time playing in this event |
More info:
Long shots that could come through:
Phil Mickelson
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | T72 | T36 | T19 | T12 | 73 | T7 | T32 | T16 | Win | T6 | T23 |
Played well at Whistling Straits in the past, he is a great scrambler which will help him a lot.
Tiger Woods
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T40 | T11 | CUT | T28 | 2 | Win | Win | T4 | T24 | T39 |
Think his ball striking could help him a lot on this course, just don’t like his short game which will dictate if he plays well or poorly.
justin Thomas
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First time playing in this event |
More info:
Watch this kid this week, yes it’s his first week ever in the PGA Championship but he does rank 23rd in Strokes Gained Tee-to-green. along with being T58th in total driving and 42nd in ball striking.
So what about Rory?
Rory McIlroy
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | T8 | Win | T64 | T3 | T3 |
He looks great in practice, but this is a guy that hasn’t played in competition in almost two months. Also think that his legs will get tired on the sand base grass, I still wonder if he is healthy enough to play this week why he didn’t play last week. Just feel he won’t be able to get everything working together.
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