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It is hardly a surprise that Scottie Scheffler is the big favourite for many heading into this week’s PGA Championship.

The world No.1 has arrived at Quail Hollow off the back of an eight-shot victory at the CJ Cup Bryon Nelson, his biggest margin of victory on the PGA Tour.

After skipping last week’s $20m Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club to maximise recovery and preparation, Scheffler looks poised to challenge for his third major in North Carolina.

Paul McGinley said as much in the Golf Channel‘s preview show for the second major of the season.

“I think anybody who beats Scottie Scheffler this week will have a real good chance of being the PGA champion,” the Irishman claimed.

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What makes this tournament so tantalising, however, is the form of the big hitters.

Rory McIlroy is a four-time winner at the Charlotte venue and is unburdened after completing the career grand slam at the Masters.

Bryson DeChambeau, meanwhile, has contended in four of the last five majors and won on his last LIV Golf outing in Korea.

That’s not to mention the chances of defending champion Xander Schauffele and a resurgent Justin Thomas at Quail Hollow.

Brandel Chamblee however, still appears to think this will be a one-man show.

“It took a bizarre, one of the most bizarre incidents I’ve ever heard of, any of us have ever heard of, to topple off the momentum he had going to the PGA last year,” Chamblee weighed in, referring to Scheffler’s arrest at Valhalla.

“If he didn’t get run over by a water buffalo this week from his car to the golf shop, I don’t know how they’re going to stop him.”

Chamblee’s level of confidence in Scheffler caught McGinley off guard.

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“Really?” he replied. “You put him that far ahead?

“There are so many guys playing well, Brandel. I mean, really? I put him as a slight favourite. I wouldn’t put him as an overwhelming favourite.”

And that was when Chamblee decided to double down, saying he is more than just a slight favourite.

“You just look at the run he’s on right now,” he said. “There’s a sense, is it the beginning of an era, or is he on a two, three year run? Or could this be a 10, 15 year run?

“In so many ways, he reminds me of Jack Nicklaus. The tempo of his golf swing, the high hands, the way he releases the club, and his consistency.”

topics

Paul McGinley Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship

Ben Parsons is the Senior Writer at bunkered and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.