As the 2026 PGA Championship gets underway this Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia, all eyes are on Jordan Spieth—and not just for his game. The 32-year-old American is chasing history: a career Grand Slam. But if the oddsmakers are any indicator, the road ahead looks steep.
Spieth is attempting to become just the seventh player ever to complete the Grand Slam, and the second in just over a year, following Rory McIlroy’s triumph at the 2025 Masters. It’s a monumental storyline, but the betting markets aren't buying it just yet.
At DraftKings, Spieth has drifted to +6300 after opening at +4000 months ago. That’s a long way from the favorites, and it reflects a player who hasn’t won a major since the 2017 British Open—his third major title. His first two came in rapid succession during his breakout 2015 season: the Masters and U.S. Open, back when the PGA Championship was still the final major of the year rather than the second.
This will be Spieth’s 10th attempt to complete the Slam. For context, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan both did it on their first try (1953), Tiger Woods on his first (2000), Gary Player on his third (1965), Jack Nicklaus on his third (1966), and McIlroy on his 11th just last year. Spieth is in elite company—he’s one of 11 players with exactly three legs of the Grand Slam, and one of three (alongside Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson) missing only the PGA Championship.
His best finish in this event came in that magical 2015 season, when he finished second at Whistling Straits, three shots behind Jason Day. But since then, the results have been a mixed bag. After a T-3 in 2019, Spieth hasn’t cracked the top 30 at the PGA Championship. He missed the cut last year at Quail Hollow after rounds of 76 and 68. His last PGA Tour win was the RBC Heritage in April 2022, and while he’s posted five top-20 finishes this season—including at the Masters—he has no top-10s to his name. Last week, he finished T-51 at the Truist Championship.
Still, Spieth insists he’s close. He recently overhauled his driver, 3-wood, and golf ball as part of a reset, and he’s been vocal about feeling his best form is just around the corner. His last top-10 at a major was a T-4 at the 2023 Masters.
For fans and bettors, the question isn’t just whether Spieth can win—it’s whether he can find the spark that once made him a three-time major champion before he turns 33. At Aronimink, a course that rewards precision and patience, the stage is set for a comeback story. But the odds suggest it’s a long shot worth watching.