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5 dark horses who could upset and win PGA Championship 2018

By David Salituro

AKRON, OH - AUGUST 04: Tony Finau plays his shot from the second tee during World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational - Round Three at Firestone Country Club South Course on August 4, 2018 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
AKRON, OH - AUGUST 04: Tony Finau plays his shot from the second tee during World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational - Round Three at Firestone Country Club South Course on August 4, 2018 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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AKRON, OH – AUGUST 05: Kyle Stanley plays his shot from the third tee during the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational – Final Round at Firestone Country Club South Course on August 5, 2018 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
AKRON, OH – AUGUST 05: Kyle Stanley plays his shot from the third tee during the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational – Final Round at Firestone Country Club South Course on August 5, 2018 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

3. Kyle Stanley

Stanley is coming to Bellerive off a strong finish last week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He got to within two shots of Justin Thomas in the final round at Firestone before finishing four behind in second play. The 30-year-old Stanley first made his name on the PGA Tour in 2012, when he lost a six-shot lead in the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open only to come back and win the next week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He struggled to maintain that form for the next several years, however, but is finally back and ready to contend. He added a second PGA title at the Quicken Loans National last year.

Stanley isn’t long off the tee, ranking just 92nd on tour, but he consistently keeps the ball in play. He is fifth in driving accuracy and fourth in greens in regulation.

This season he lost in a playoff to Bryson DeChambeau at the Memorial in addition to his runner-up finish at Bridgestone. In 21 starts on tour, he has been inside the top 25 11 times, with five top-10 finishes. Stanley has never finished in the top 10 at a major championship and missed the cut at all three prior PGA Championships. That could change this week as he is poised for a major breakthrough .

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