20th May, 2021 by The Caddie
We’re just days away from the start of the second men’s golf major of 2021 – the USPGA Championship. The Caddie gives a quick guide on the 5 players to watch at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA from Thursday 20 May – Sunday 23 May.
Following a troubled start to 2021, McIlroy won on his most recent outing at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. Despite not winning a major championship since The Open at Hoylake Royal Liverpool in 2014, Rory heads to Kiawah Island as the last man to win around the Pete Dye designed layout at the PGA Championship in 2012.
Quite possibly the most talked about player in the world of golf right now. The reigning US Open champion currently leads the driving distance stats on the PGA TOUR which will be very important on the monster Ocean Course at Kiawah. DeChambeau won most recently at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
He may be under the radar in the United States but in the UK the man from Oban is very much on our watch list. MacIntyre isn’t afraid of competing at big events with a T-6 finish on his debut Open Championship and a T-12 on his Masters debut. And if it gets windy on the South Carolina coast then the Scot might feel right at home.
Another man to have found form in recent months with a win at the Valero Texas Open in April. The Texan requires only the USPGA Championship to complete the career grand slam having won The Masters (2015), US Open (2015) and The Open (2017). If Spieth can drive the ball well then he could be standing with the final piece of the major championship jigsaw – the Wanamaker Trophy.
With 7 top 5s in his last 13 starts, it could be argued that Hovland is the form player anywhere in world golf. The Norweigan hasn’t won in 2021 but his consistency is exemplary and has never missed a cut in a major championship. Hovland won twice in 2020 and is in a strong position to qualify for his first Ryder Cup in the autumn.
You can follow live updates and daily articles from the PGA Championship, 17-23 May, from our colleagues at bunkered with additional coverage right here from The Caddie.
