Scheffler up for major challenge after birth of child

The wild card coming into this week's PGA Championship was not Scottie Scheffler but his wife Meredith, who had the golf world on baby watch wondering if her world number one husband would be at Valhalla Golf Club for the year's second major.

That suspense ended with reports of the birth of the couple's first child at the weekend sending new dad Scheffler to Louisville as the red-hot favourite to claim the Wanamaker trophy and get halfway to the calendar grand slam.

With four wins in his last five starts, including a second Masters Green Jacket last month, it seemed the best chance of stopping Scheffler from adding another major to his collection was keeping him at home in Texas thinking about names for their new born.

But for the 156 player field there was no such luck.

Having not played a competitive round since his win at the Heritage three weeks ago there will be some rust to shake off but oddsmakers are unmoved, installing Scheffler as the 3-1 favourite ahead of twice champion Rory McIlroy at 7-1.

In 10 starts this season Scheffler has seven top five finishes, his worst result a tie for 17th.

"He's been on such a hot run... he's had so much momentum," said 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman, now a golf analyst for CBS.

"You kind of wonder if any rust has started to collect on his game being out of competitive golf of the last three weeks or so, but he has proven to us that his mental toughness, the way he prepares the way he handles things out in competition.

"He seems to be able to just pretty much handle everything that gets there in his way."

CONFIDENT MCILROY

The last of McIlroy's four major wins came at Valhalla a decade ago and the Northern Irishman returns to Louisville in blazing form with back-to-back wins at