Breven Honda
The second major championship in men’s professional golf begins this week with the PGA Championship.
The 2026 PGA Championship takes place at Aronimink Golf Club, which is 20 miles west of Philadelphia.
Last year, Scottie Scheffler hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy and won by five strokes at Quail Hollow. Now, he is trying to join Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka as the only two golfers to hoist the Wanamaker trophy in consecutive years, since 1958.
Here are 10 storylines to watch for this year’s 2026 PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler looks to continue success at PGA Championship
Speaking of Scottie Scheffler, he looks to be the first golfer to win back-to-back PGA Championships since Koepka did it in 2018-19. His track record has been nearly perfect. He has three straight runner-up finishes in each of his last three starts. Scheffler also has six top-five finishes this season, highlighted by winning The American Express in January. At the PGA Championships, he has five top 10s in his last six starts. That includes getting arrested in 2024 before still finishing eighth.
Rory McIlroy’s foot is bothersome
Injuries were a big thing to watch at the Masters last month. The injuries are starting to pile up ahead of the PGA Championship. Rory McIlroy, who won the Masters four weeks ago, cut his Tuesday practice round short. Three holes into his practice round, McIlroy headed to the clubhouse because of a blister on his right pinky toe. Last week, McIlroy played through the Truist Championship with a limp due to the ongoing blister issue.
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Who’s hot heading into Aronimink?
Cameron Young, who is looking for his first major victory, has two wins and two third-place finishes within his last six starts. The victories have come at The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship. Matt Fitzpatrick has three wins and a runner-up finish in his last six starts. Despite coming one stroke behind Young at the Players, Fitzpatrick won the Valspar. He also went back-to-back at the RBC Heritage and teamed up with his brother, Alex, to win the Zurich Classic.
Will someone from outside the U.S. win?
History says no, as each of the last 10 winners has been American. With the way Scheffler and Young are playing, as mentioned earlier, it seems that streak will continue. From an American standpoint, do not forget Collin Morikawa, who has two top 10s in his last three starts since withdrawing from the Players due to a back injury.
Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship in 2024, recorded three straight top 10s, including a third-place finish at the Players. One other player is Jordan Spieth. Although he has not won in four years, Spieth is a Wanamaker Trophy away from becoming the seventh player to complete the career grand slam.
The non-Americans to watch
In addition to Fitzpatrick and McIlroy, there are a handful of players from outside the U.S. to watch. Si Woo Kim is tied with Scheffler and Young with six top 10s this season. Ludvig Aberg is right behind that trio with five, along with Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood. Fleetwood, who won the FedEx Cup last year, is coming off a top-five finish last week at the Truist Championship.
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PGA Professionals
One of the things that makes the PGA Championship stand out is having the PGA Professionals compete. The PGA Championship is run by the PGA of America. They allow the PGA Professionals, who teach golf all throughout the country, to have a chance to compete in the major championship. The top 20 and ties from their qualifying event make their way to that year’s PGA Championship.
This year, there are 20 PGA professionals competing, including Michael Block from Mission Viejo, Calif. Block has competed in seven PGA Championships, including finishing 15th in 2023, highlighted by his hole-in-one while being paired with McIlroy in the final round.
Notable Groups
Here is a look at when the notable groups tee off in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship. All times ET. You can specifically watch the featured groups on ESPN+.
- 8:18 a.m. (Thu.) | 1:43 p.m. (Fri): Ludvig Aberg, Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau
- 8:29 a.m. | 1:54 p.m.: Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton
- 8:40 a.m. | 2:05 p.m.: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm
- 1:32 p.m. | 8:07 a.m.: Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry
- 1:43 p.m. | 8:18 a.m.: Tommy Fleetwood, Chris Gotterup, Robert MacIntyre
- 1:54 p.m. | 8:29 a.m.: Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas
- 2:05 p.m. | 8:40 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose
How to Watch the 2026 PGA Championship
Here is the Broadcast information to watch the PGA Championship. (All times ET)
- Thursday: Noon-7 p.m. (ESPN), 7-8 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Friday: Noon-8 p.m. (ESPN)
- Saturday & Sunday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (ESPN), 1-7 p.m. (CBS)
My pick to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy
It seems chalky, but it is Scottie Scheffler. He has come one swing away from winning each of his last three events. Scheffler does not seem fazed by anything, which benefits success in this game. Being that close to winning means that hoisting another trophy is right around the corner, even on Sunday.
When is the next PGA Championship?
Next year’s PGA Championship will make its way to Frisco, Texas. The tournament will be held at Fields Ranch East as it marks the 100th anniversary of the 1927 PGA Championship and the first men’s major in the area since 1963.
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