PGA Championship: Who is beatable now?

By: Brian Gabrielle | bgsports.com

Tiger Woods comes off a dominating win at Firestone last week in great shape to defend his PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Phil and his physics. Now it’s the heat. He says hot weather suits him because it makes the ball fly straighter and it’s easier for him to get loose, find rhythm in his swing when it’s hot.

Who doesn’t want to play in the warmer weather? Talk to any pitcher. But with Phil Mickelson you have to try to undo what he’s spinning to himself. Are we to believe his wrist is healed? Are we to believe his head is healed after last year’s U.S. Open? So far this year, despite a typically hot start, we haven’t seen any indication that he’s moved on.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods continues to distance himself. Earlier this year I talked about how Rory Sabbattini was perhaps a player who could eventually get to world No. 1. Well, Tiger evidently still had Sabbattini’s "more beatable than ever" comments ringing in his head last weekend as he cleared eight strokes free of Sabbattini to win the Bridgestone Invitational in a romp.

He’s yet to win a major this year. I’m tempted to put the full 1.5 units on him in the outright but the odds are not favorable and he is human. So I’ll cover with him and go for two long shot bargains.

At this week’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, take Tiger Woods (7-4), 1/6 unit: Repeat - He won by eight strokes in a major-like field last week. Eight strokes. Forget about past performances in Tulsa. Eight strokes. Forget about being in the final group at two majors this year and not winning either. Eight strokes.

Actually, those seconds at the U.S. Open and the Masters might be motivating him more this week. He should have won at least one major this year. Reckon he’s not happy with those outcomes. Which is why he got to Oklahoma faster than a prairie dog down a hole. Look out world.

Take Tim Herron (200-1), 1/6 unit: Lumpy’s going to be sweating this week. A lot. His shirt is going to look like a topographical map. Playing pretty well the last month or so (including a T2 a couple weeks ago at the U.S. Bank Championship), Herron finished T14 in last year’s PGA.

Take Jeff Quinney (200-1), 1/6 unit: Two missed cuts recently but he’s got five top-10s this year. He got a quick endorsement deal because of the early success. I wonder if his tail off has something to do with it. Or fatigue, getting used to playing week in and week out on Tour. Whatever it is, one would think he could summon the strength to finish with a bang and secure his FedEx Cup standing (he’s currently 38th, on the bubble).