© Provided by CBS Sports The PGA Tour heads to Kiawah Island for the 2021 PGA Championship on Thursday, May 20, but for PGA Tour players, it will be anything but a day at the beach. The Ocean Course is one of the most dramatic on tour, skirting the Atlantic Ocean and offering little protection from a fierce wind. The PGA Championship was held on the course in 2012, with Rory McIlroy running away for an eight-stroke victory. He is among the many elite players in a 2021 PGA Championship field that also includes No. 1 Dustin Johnson, U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and three-time major winner Jordan Spieth, who will aim for a career grand slam.
Johnson is the 11-1 favorite in the latest 2021 PGA Championship odds from William Hill Sportsbook, with No. 2 Justin Thomas and third-ranked Jon Rahm on his heels at 12-1. DeChambeau is the 14-1 fourth favorite, while fourth-ranked Xander Schauffele joins Spieth and McIlroy in a group at 16-1. Before you lock in any 2021 PGA Championship picks or PGA Tour predictions, you need to see who golf insider Sal Johnson is backing.
A media legend and consummate golf insider, Johnson has a strong feel for which players have the momentum and how their games fit the courses.
Before Hideki Matsuyama won the Masters three weeks ago, Johnson made special mention of Spieth, Schauffele and Will Zalatoris as golfers to watch. He listed Spieth and Schauffele in his top three contenders and had Zalatoris as his top rookie. Zalatoris nearly caught Matsuyama and finished as runner-up, while Spieth and Schauffele tied for third.
He also knows when surging players are poised for a breakthrough. He tabbed Sungjae Im as a top contender before his first Tour win at the Honda Classic last season, then touted Tyrrell Hatton before he got his first tour victory the following week. Anyone who has followed Johnson's advice has cashed in huge.
Now Johnson, the first producer of "Inside the PGA Tour," a longtime ABC Sports golf producer who worked with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Greg Norman, and the founder of the world's top golf stats database, has released his highly confident 2021 PGA Championship picks, and they will surprise you.
Top 2021 PGA Championship expert picks
Shockingly, the golf expert is fading Jon Rahm, who is near the top of the PGA Championship odds 2021 and is playing arguably the best golf on tour. The problem is, he hasn't been able to turn that strong play into victories. He has finished in the top 10 in nine of his past 11 events, but the 27-year-old hasn't won on tour this season and has three wins in his career. Johnson isn't sure if it is a lack of killer instinct or experience, but he isn't listing him among his favorites to win.
On the other hand, Johnson knows Dustin Johnson has never been a strong spring player, but he expects the South Carolina native to heat up as summer arrives. The 36-year-old tied for 48th at the Valspar Championship, the same finishing spot as his 2012 PGA at Kiawah Island, but he said his game is close. He remains in the top 10 on tour in scoring average (69.885) and driving distance (311.6).
Johnson has also been watching every step of Jordan Spieth's resurgence, which culminated with his win at the Valero Texas Open. The PGA is the only major he hasn't won, and he can join an exclusive group with a win at Kiawah Island. Since missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, Spieth has finished in the top 10 in five of his past seven events, including a third at the Masters in his last tournament.
How to make 2021 PGA Championship predictions
This week, Johnson is touting a monumental long shot. This player has been playing consistently well and quietly was near the top of the leaderboard the last time the major was played at Kiawah Island. He could pull off a stunning victory in the PGA Championship 2021, and anyone who backs this underdog could cash in huge. You can only see who it is here.
Who wins the 2021 PGA Championship? Where do Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka finish? And which huge long-shot is a must-back? Check out the odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Sal Johnson's full leaderboard, picks and analysis for the 2021 PGA Championship, all from the insider who has a strong feel for when these players are in line for a big weekend.
2021 PGA Championship field, odds, contenders
Dustin Johnson 10-1
Jon Rahm 11-1
Justin Thomas 12-1
Bryson DeChambeau 14-1
Jordan Spieth 16-1
Brooks Koepka 16-1
Xander Schauffele 16-1
Rory McIlroy 16-1
Collin Morikawa 22-1
Patrick Cantlay 25-1
Hideki Matsuyama 25-1
Daniel Berger 30-1
Viktor Hovland 30-1
Tony Finau 30-1
Will Zalatoris 33-1
Tommy Fleetwood 33-1
Tyyrell Hatton 33-1
Webb Simpson 33-1
Patrick Reed 33-1
Justin Rose 40-1
Harris English 40-1
Jason Day 40-1
Cameron Smith 40-1
Scottie Scheffler 45-1
Joaquin Niemann 50-1
Louis Oosthuizen 50-1
Matthew Wolff 50-1
Matthew Fitzpatrick 50-1
Adam Scott 50-1
Paul Casey 50-1
Sung-Jae Im 60-1
Sergio Garcia 60-1
Shane Lowry 66-1
Lee Westwood 66-1
Marc Leishman 66-1
Corey Conners 66-1
Francesco Molinari 80-1
Gary Woodland 80-1
Max Homa 80-1
Rickie Fowler 80-1
Si-Woo Kim 80-1
Abraham Ancer 80-1
Matt Kuchar 100-1
Henrik Stenson 100-1
Bubba Watson 100-1
Cameron Champ 100-1
Brendon Todd 100-1
Robert Macintyre 125-1
Kevin Kisner 125-1
Branden Grace 125-1
Billy Horschel 125-1
Jason Kokrak 125-1
Martin Kaymer 125-1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 125-1
Kevin Na 125-1
Sebastian Munoz 125-1
Alex Noren 125-1
Zach Johnson 125-1
Ian Poulter 125-1
Phil Mickelson 125-1
Bernd Wiesberger 150-1
Thomas Pieters 150-1
Danny Willett 150-1
Byeong Hun An 150-1
Chez Reavie 150-1
Rafa Cabrera Bello 200-1