Rory McIlroy succeeded Scottie Scheffler as Masters champion and can add a third US PGA Championship success to his amazing list of achievements (Picture: Getty Images) Rory McIlroy rumbles into this week’s US PGA Championship with the pressure off as he seeks to follow his career grand slam with the new and very lofty goal of winning all four majors in the same year. He’s a four-time winner at host venue Quail Hollow where his long, booming drives off the tee give him a distinct advantage and he will hold no fear when tackling the frightening final three holes of the course which are known as the Green Mile. And contrary to the famous line from the epic Tom Hanks film of the same name, miracles can take place at the most expected places and McIlroy, who also lost a play-off to Rickie Fowler at the Charlotte track, set a course record 61 when winning there in 2015. His most recent success at Quail Hollow was just 12 months ago when he won the Truist Championship by five shots and his superiority over the rest of the field at is plain for all to see. Heavy rain in the region will mean the course plays even longer than its mammoth 7,626 yards over the first couple of days as the ball is held up on wet fairways and deep rough which also plays into the hands of Big Mac’s thunderous drives. He can take command from the get-go, making Europe’s Ryder Cup sensation attractive at 16/1 with Betfred and Bet Victor to sit atop the leaderboard after Thursday’s opening round. Fresh from celebrating his 36th birthday on May 4, Rory is back to being golf’s Jedi warrior having already won at Pebble Beach and the Players’ Championship at Sawgrass as well as Augusta this year. Tommy Fleetwood is one of the best golfer’s yet to win a major but his long game can pay dividends at Quail Hollow (Picture: AP) He is worth a decent bet at 5/1 with Betfred, BetMGM and Unibet to celebrate his third US PGA Championship and the sixth major in a career which is already one of the best the sport has ever witnessed. Xander Schauffele was runner-up in the Truist on this course in 2023 and again the following year and he is worth an each-way bet at 16/1 with Betfair, who are paying out on 12 places, while punters should place similar wagers with the same firm on Patrick Cantlay at 25/1 and Tommy Fleetwood at the same price. • Elite Status can live up to his name by winning the Duke of York Clipper on the first day of flat racing’s Dante meeting at York. Karl Burke’s four-year-old bay colt is at his best on good going, winning twice at Newbury when experiencing such conditions, and is 4/1 with Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill to prevail in Yorkshire. • Coco Gauff’s reward for dispatching Emma Raducanu at the Italian Open is a tough assignment against Mirra Andreeva but the American world No.3 can advance to the semi-finals at 4/5 with Betway. ArrowMORE: Arsenal’s £50m target rejects Chelsea offer and wants Real Madrid transfer instead ArrowMORE: Novak Djokovic sends message to Andy Murray after splitting from coach ArrowMORE: Roy Keane says Scott McTominay was ‘tarnished’ by £47m Man Utd signing