The year’s second major, the 2026 PGA Championship, is off and running. There are 156 players in the field, including 20 club professionals, all of whom are hoping to lift the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening.
The first round tees off with an number of intriguing storylines to follow. Here are five things to know for Thursday at Aronimink.
The defending champ
Scottie Scheffler won last year’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow by a whopping five shots and is the prohibitive betting favorite this year — a mantle he’s assumed for every tournament he’s played in for the better part of the last three years. And while the World No. 1 is already having a pretty stellar season, with a win and five other top 10s — including three straight runner-ups — in nine events, there are others who could arguably match that momentum this week. Who, exactly? Read on …
Rory, Cameron and others
Who are those players who could challenge Scottie this week? The list seems more extensive than usual! Masters champion and freshly-minted career grand slam winner Rory McIlroy is one; Players and Cadillac Championship winner Cameron Young is another; and three-time winner Matt Fitzpatrick (Valspar Championship, RBC Heritage, Zurich Classic) rounds out a formidable threesome of opponents. (Fitzpatrick also finished runner-up to Young at the Players).
Needless to say, this week appears to be set to be quite an epic clash of the titans.
What about the LIV players?
Given the uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf and it’s future, the spotlight is shining particularly brightly on its two biggest stars: Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, who are among a cohort of 11 total LIV competitors in this week’s field at Aronimink. DeChambeau has finished runner-up in the last two PGAs and was T4 in 2023; Rahm’s best PGA finish was T8 last year, and in 2021.
Michael Block
Michael Block, the club pro who became an everyman star when he finished T15 at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, is back in the field this week, marking the eighth time he’s qualified for the PGA Championship. The 2023 performance marked the only time he’s ever made the cut.
Forecast
The morning wave of tee times could encounter intermittent showers on Thursday. According to AccuWeather, conditions are expected to be cloudy with a high of 65°F and low of 47°F, with winds up to 13 mph winds.
Sounds like scoring weather to us! Click here for everything you need to know to watch the first round of the 2026 PGA Championship.
