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Rory McIlroy seems like a good bet to finish strong at the Wells Fargo Championship given his history at Quail Hollow and his recent form at the Zurich Classic. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Golf betting: Should you bet on Rory McIlroy in the month of May?

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 5/1/24

If his karaoke moment after the Zurich Classic was any indication, Rory McIlroy is back in a big way. Does that mean you should start backing him with your bets again?

The Northern Irishman was in fine spirits after he and fellow countryman Shane Lowry won at TPC Louisiana last weekend, marking his first PGA Tour victory of the season. The duo then took to the stage to cover Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", which could easily be interpreted as a rallying cry given that McIlroy hasn't played up to his own standards in 2024 -- and, in turn, bettors have been less willing to wager on him.

Now that McIlroy has a win and the PGA schedule is into the meat of its season, we look to two upcoming events: The Wells Fargo Championship and the PGA Championship. One Tour event and one major. Each an important event where a victory, or at least a top-5 finish, could really show that McIlroy's 2024 campaign has turned the corner.

Are you ready to start believing in McIlroy again when you place your bets?

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry singing “Don’t Stop Believin’” after winning the @Zurich_Classic of New Orleans is the #JazzFest performance you didn’t know you needed. ⛳️ @PGATOUR pic.twitter.com/s3r64pCJDg
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) April 29, 2024

Sportsbooks haven't posted exact odds for the Wells Fargo Championship yet since there is one more event — the CJ Cup Byron Nelson — taking place first. However, BetCarolina projects that McIlroy will be listed at 10-1 odds to win, with only Scottie Scheffler being priced better at 4-1.

Betting on McIlroy to do well at this event makes sense because of his history playing at Quail Hollow. He won his first event there in 2010 and won the Wells Fargo Championship there in both 2015 and 2021. He has a top-10 in eight of nine weekends at the North Carolina course, according to the PGA Tour's website, which includes a solo fifth-place finish in 2022.

"There are 135 players with 20 or more rounds at the Wells Fargo Championship when it’s been held at Quail Hollow Club. Of that group, McIlroy is the only player with a scoring average under 70 (69.42)," the Tour website says when breaking down why McIlroy has been so successful there.

Twelve years ago at the Wells Fargo Championship, Rory McIlroy took home his first PGA Tour win in style. pic.twitter.com/N7ifLjFByR
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) May 3, 2022

Then comes the PGA Championship, where DraftKings lists McIlroy at 9-1 odds to win the event. He also has a solid history at Valhalla Golf Club, winning the PGA Championship there in 2014 by one stroke over Phil Mickelson. If he can finish in the top 10 at the Wells Fargo, he could be worth betting on for the second major event of the season.

The biggest outside factor when betting on McIlroy at the PGA Championship is Scheffler. The world No. 1 is currently the 7-2 favorite to win at Valhalla after totaling four victories and nine top-10 finishes through the first third of the season. Scheffler didn't slow down after winning the Masters at the beginning of April and won the RBC Heritage the following week, so there are already projections he could complete a season grand slam.

Scheffler is also first on the PGA Tour when it comes to driving both off the tee and approaching the green and both skills are crucial at Valhalla, so he will be McIlroy's biggest competition with bettors for this event.

The road to Valhalla runs through Frisco.

The final round of the PGA Professional Championship kicks off this morning and by the end of the day the Corebridge Financial Team will be finalized and on their way to the @PGAChampionship! pic.twitter.com/mFp4ZuH207
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 1, 2024

So, should you bet on Rory McIlroy in these upcoming events?

He seems like a good bet to finish strong at the Wells Fargo Championship given his history at Quail Hollow and his recent form at the Zurich Classic. Perhaps wait to see how he finishes before wagering on him in the PGA Championship, although if he stays in form he could be worth your wager at Valhalla as well.

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