The excitement and anticipation are palpable in the golf world this week as the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina is set to begin on Thursday morning. Some of the top golfers from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League will compete for the season’s second major.
Ahead of Thursday’s tee-off, CBS Sports—who will be broadcasting the tournament over the weekend—interviewed several prominent figures from across the sports world, including J.J. Watt and Chris Paul. But one opinion that stood out came from none other than NBA legend and avid golf fan Charles Barkley.
While Barkley may have one of the funkiest swings in the game for a former athlete, his love for golf is well-known. He’s even been rumored to be improving over the last few years.
Happy birthday to Charles Barkley!
His golf swing is aging like fine wine. pic.twitter.com/acw4onEVpB
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 20, 2025
Still, he closely follows the sport and didn’t hesitate when asked to predict a winner at Quail Hollow. His pick? Rory McIlroy. Barkley believes McIlroy will capture not only his second major of the year—after winning the Masters—but also his fifth PGA Championship title overall.
“My pick to win the PGA Championship is Rory McIlroy,” Barkley said. “I think he’s on a roll right now, and getting that Grand Slam took all the pressure off his back. His confidence is sky-high at the moment.”
McIlroy is a popular pick—and understandably so—given how well he has performed in the PGA Championship throughout his career. So far in 2025, he’s played some of the best golf of his life, already capturing three tournament victories.
Most recently, he had a strong showing at the Truist Championship in Philadelphia, finishing 10-under and tying for seventh in the field.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, McIlroy holds the second-best odds to win the tournament, trailing only Scottie Scheffler, who, despite his dominance elsewhere, has yet to claim a PGA Championship victory in his young career.
Related: Rory McIlroy Announces Major Decision Ahead of PGA Championship
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