Expert picks, predictions and odds for the 2024 PGA Championship

The PGA Championship is set to begin this week, with 156 golfers readying up for the four days of the second golf major of the year.

After April's Masters tournament, American golfer Scottie Scheffler further cemented himself as the best player in the world right now. He battled difficult wind over four days in Augusta to win the major by four strokes and secured himself a second green jacket in three years in the process.

Unsurprisingly, the recent performance and top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking has put Scheffler in the driver's seat to win a second straight major according to latest odds. However, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy is not far behind after winning the Wells Fargo Championship last weekend.

Here's what golf experts from around the web are predicting for the 2024 PGA Championship just ahead of the start of the tournament.

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Visit our PGA Championship leaderboard and full coverage

2024 PGA Championship predictions

Louisville Courier-Journal: Scottie Scheffler is the top pick

Alexis Cubit writes: "Given Scheffler’s hot streak, he’s the favorite to win the PGA Championship. He is ranked No. 1 in the world and leads PGA players in scoring average (68.743), birdie average (5.38), average total strokes gained (2.851), average strokes gained approaching the green (1.398) and greens in regulation percentage (74.76%)."

Golfweek: Rory McIlroy at top of picks to win

Riley Hamel writes: "Since the Players, he’s 25th in SG (shots gained): Putting. He was third in SG: Approach at the Valero Texas Open and fourth at the Wells Fargo. And, of course, the driver is clicking (he gained over six shots on the field at Quail Hollow off the tee)."

Golf Digest: Staff writer likes Xander Schauffele

Christopher Powers writes: "Xander Schauffele is going to win a major in his career, and now would seem like the perfect time given how well he is striking the golf ball."

FOX Sports: Cameron Smith has an outside shot

Chris Fallica writes: "I'll preface any outright by saying you don't need me to tell you it will take a monster effort to beat Scottie Scheffler and throw in Rory McIlroy if you wish. But Smith is a major champion who should be able to find his way onto the smaller bent greens and make some birdies."

CBS Sports: Golf writer sticking with Scheffler

Kyle Porter writes: "I'm just going to keep picking Scottie until he loses, which he hasn't done much over the last few months. Since March 1, Scheffler has lost to one golfer: Stephan Jaegar at the Houston Open. That's it. It probably hurts him a little bit that this is less of a strategy golf course and more of an execution golf course, but he's been firing on all cylinders in both of those areas for a long time now."

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2024 PGA Championship betting odds

Odds are courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday.

• Scottie Scheffler (+450)

• Rory McIlroy (+750)

• Brooks Koepka (+1400)

• Xander Schauffele (+1400)

• Ludvig Åberg (+1800)

• Jon Rahm (+1800)

• Bryson DeChambeau (+2500)

• Collin Morikawa (+2800)

• Joaquín Niemann (+3300)

• Max Homa (+3300)

• Cameron Smith (+4000)

• Cameron Young (+4000)

• Justin Thomas (+4000)

• Patrick Cantlay (+4000)

• Tommy Fleetwood (+4000)

• Viktor Hovland (+4000)

• Wyndham Clark (+4000)

• Tyrrell Hatton (+5000)

• Hideki Matsuyama (+5500)

• Jason Day (+5500)

When is the 2024 PGA Championship?

• Dates: May 16-19, 2024

• Time: Coverage begins 7 a.m. ET Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday

• Location: Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky

• Cable TV: ESPN (Thursday, Friday, early Saturday, early Sunday); CBS (Saturday afternoon, Sunday afternoon)

• Streaming: ESPN+; YouTube TV; Paramount+; fuboTV

HOW TO WATCH: Watch all four days of the PGA Championship with a fuboTV subscription

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 PGA Championship expert picks and predictions