US PGA 2019: final-round betting advice, tips & TV details for Bethpage Black

Sky Sports Golf, from 1pm Sunday

Story so far
Brooks Koepka is becoming the ultimate Major machine and he holds a seven-shot lead heading into the final round of the US PGA Championship at Bethpage Black.

Koepka, who was sent off an 11-1 joint-favourite alongside Dustin Johnson, is the defending champion and the Floridian slugger has acted accordingly this week.

A Friday 65 followed a first-round 63 on the notoriously difficult Black Course and, to put Koepka's performance in perspective, only 15 players are under par for the tournament. A level-par round of 70 on Saturday sees him sitting at 12 under heading into the final round.

The three-time Major champion holds a commanding lead over a quartet of chasers. Harold Varner, Jazz Janewattananond, Luke List and Johnson are all seven back and world number one Johnson may be the only man capable of reeling in the leader if he falters.

Leaderboard
-12 Brooks Koepka
-5 Harold Varner, Jazz Janewattananond, Luke List, Dustin Johnson
-4 Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Wallace
-3 Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth
-2 Erik van Rooyen, Sung Kang
-1 Rickie Fowler, Danny Lee

Best odds
1-14 B Koepka, 22 D Johnson, 80 L List, 125 H Matsuyama, H Varner, J Janewattananond, 175 bar.

Betting without Brooks Koepka
15-8 D Johnson, 7-1 H Matsuyama, L List, 10 H Varner, 12 J Janewattananond, X Schauffele, 14 M Wallace, 16 J Spieth, 18 P Cantlay, A Scott, 50 bar.

Final-round betting advice

It is fanciful to suggest that Koepka can be caught, but Bethpage Black is one of the toughest tracks around and it is entirely possible that he will not extend his lead. However, he probably won't need to.

The 29-year-old is so far in front that there is no need for him to take any risks. Any punters who are on Koepka can lay off at short prices if they wish, but he is almost certain to cruise to a comfortable wire-to-wire victory in New York.

Several bookmakers have priced up a market without the leader and Dustin Johnson is unsurprisingly the heavy favourite.

He is the world number one for a reason and Bethpage is made to his talents. Were it not for Koepka's involvement, DJ would be on the cusp of a second Major title but he has bumped into a man on a mission this week.

He is the most likely to top the 'without Koepka' market, but it could be worth backing Xander Schauffele to finish second.

The 25-year-old Californian had never played a competitive round at Bethpage until this week and he has improved as the tournament has progressed. He opened up with a level-par 70 on Thursday, went one better with a 69 on Friday and was two under for his round yesterday. He is worth an each-way interest.

Final-round twoball punters are pointed towards Chez Reavie in the 5.55pm match with Tommy Fleetwood.

Fleetwood opened his US PGA bid with a fine 67 but the Englishman was hosting the British Masters in Southport last week and a third-round 72 indicates that fatigue may be taking hold.

Reavie has defied a lack of length off the tee to gatecrash the top 20 at Bethpage this week and is likely to card another solid round in New York. He is an underdog worth siding with.

Recommendations
X Schauffele without B Koepka
1pt each-way 12-1 bet365
C Reavie to win twoball
1pt 9-5 BoyleSports

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