Ludvig Åberg of Sweden plays his shot from the second tee during a practice round prior to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 12, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Getty Images

First-round leader bets are always a little chaotic, but that’s also where the value can live.

This week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink gives bettors a loaded board with plenty of star power, but the FRL market is less about picking the eventual winner and more about finding the right mix of early scoring upside and one-round volatility.

Here are two players worth targeting to start fast on Thursday.

Ludvig Aberg (+3000, FanDuel Sportsbook )

Aberg has been frustrating at times this year, but there’s no doubt he’s been consistently excellent on Thursday.

In eight starts, Aberg is averaging a first-round score of 69.25, which is well above the Tour average.

While his backers have been exasperated by his lack of victories, it’s his late-round struggles, including a back-breaking final round 76 during The Players…