Top 5 pairings to watch at the 2023 PGA Championship
The pairings for the 2023 PGA Championship, which begins on Thursday, May 18, have been announced. There are a few interesting groups that will tee off at Oak Hill.
The likes of Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka are grouped, while Jon Rahm is paired with Cameron Smith and Matt Fitzpatrick. Three past champions Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, and Collin Morikawa are in a threesome for Thursday's round.
Let's have a look at five pairings to look at in Oak Hill this week.
#1 Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland (8 am EST)
Brooks Koepka is two times champion and Scottie Scheffler is one of the favorites at this year's PGA Championship. It will be interesting to see if Koepka continues his Masters form at Oak Hill.
The group also has Gary Woodland who finished T6 at the 2016 PGA Championship.
#2 Matthew Fitzpatrick, Cameron Smith, Jon Rahm (1:58 pm EST)
This is an interesting group as we have three different major champions paired together. While Fitzpatrick is defending champion at the US Open, Cameron Smith also holds the Open Championship.
World No. 1 Jon Rahm is entering Oak Hill after registering his win at the first major of the season, The Masters. Red-hot Rahm is the favorite to win the 2023 PGA Championship as well.
#3 Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson (8:33 am EST)
A couple of years ago, 50-year-old Mickelson became the oldest man to win the PGA Championship. The following year he didn't compete at the event. Last year saw the ace golfer becoming the first signing of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf and things have never been the same since.
The group also has Patrick Cantlay and Rickie Fowler, two of the most consistent players on the Tour at the currently.
#4 Keegan Bradley, Jason Day, Bryson DeChambeau (2:31 pm EST)
This group has two former champions - Keegan Bradley and Jason Day - and 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau, who is now in LIV, also finished T4 at the 2020 PGA Championship. Day is coming to Oak Hill with a win at the Wells Fargo Championship last week.
Bradley hasn't been in great form of late with just two top 10s this season.
#5 Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa (1:36 pm EST)
All three in this group have experienced the feeling of lifting the Wanamaker trophy in the past. Last year, Thomas beat Will Zalatoris in a playoff to win the PGA Championship for the second time.
This year none of the three have been at their absolute best. Morikawa lost the Sentry Tournament of Champions to Jon Rahm after leading most of the time in the tournament.
Rory McIlory started the year as World No. 1 and also won the DP World Tour's Hero Dubai Desert Open but hasn't been the same since then. Both Rory and Thomas failed to make a cut at Masters last month.
Fans will be hoping their favorite players to get back in form at the second major of the season.
When will the first round of the 2023 PGA Championship start?
The 2023 PGA Championship, Round 1 will begin on Thursday, May 18, with the first group teeing off at 7 am.
ESPN+ will stream the tournament from 7 am to 1 pm and ESPN will telecast it from 1 pm onwards.