The second major championship in men's professional golf begins this week with the PGA Championship.
The 2026 PGA Championship will be held at Aronimink Golf Club, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.
Last year, Scotty Scheffler hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy and won by five strokes at Quail Hollow. Now, he's 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 stories to watch for this year's 2026 PGA Championship
Scotty Scheffler looks to continue success at PGA Championship
Speaking of Scotty Scheffler, he became the first golfer to win back-to-back PGA Championships since Koepka won in 2018-19. His track record has been almost perfect. He has been runner-up three times in a row in each of his last three starts. Scheffler has also scored six top-five finishes this season, highlighted by winning The American Express in January. At the PGA Championship, he has five top 10s in his last six starts. This also includes being arrested before finishing eighth in 2024.
The injury at the Masters last month was a big deal. Injuries have started to increase 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 walked to the clubhouse due to a blister on his right pinky toe. Last week, McIlroy played at the Truist Championship limping due to a blister problem.
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Who's headed to Aronimink?
Cameron Young, who is looking for his first major win, has two wins and two third-place finishes in his last six starts. Wins at The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship. Matt Fitzpatrick has three wins and a runner-up finish in his last six starts. Despite being one stroke behind Young in 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 US 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 looks like that trend will continue. From an American perspective, don't 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 will win the PGA Championship in 2024, recorded three consecutive top 10s, including a tie for third at The Players. Another player is Jordan Spieth. Although he hasn't won a title in four years, Spieth is one Wanamaker Trophy away from becoming the seventh player to complete the career Grand Slam.
Non-Americans must watch
In addition to Fitzpatrick and McIlroy, there are some players from outside the United States to watch. Si Woo Kim is tied with Scheffler and Young with six top 10s this season. Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood are right behind that trio with Ludwig Aberg with five. Fleetwood, who won the FedEx Cup last year, is coming off a top-five finish at last week's Truist Championship.
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pga professional
One of the things that makes the PGA Championship different is the competition from the PGA professionals. The PGA Championship is operated by the PGA of America. They give PGA professionals, who teach golf across the country, the opportunity to compete in major championships. The top 20 and ties from their qualifying events make their way to that year's PGA Championship.
This year, 20 PGA professionals are competing, including Michael Block from Mission Viejo, Calif. Block has competed in seven PGA Championships, including finishing in 15th.th In 2023, highlighted by his hole-in-one while pairing with McIlroy in the final round.
notable groups
Here's a look at when the notable groups competed in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship. All times ET. You can watch select groups exclusively on ESPN+.
- 8:18 am (Thu) | 1:43 pm (Friday): Ludwig Aberg, Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau
- 8:29 am 1:54 pm: Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Tyrell Hatton
- 8:40 am 2:05 pm: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm
- 1:32 pm 8:07 am: Victor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry
- 1:43 pm 8:18 am: Tommy Fleetwood, Chris Gotterup, Robert McIntyre
- 1:54 pm 8:29 am: Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas
- 2:05 pm | 8:40 am: Scotty Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose
How to watch the 2026 PGA Championship
Here's 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 and Sunday: 10am-1pm (ESPN), 1-7pm (CBS)
hoisting the wanamaker trophy is my choice
It sounds chalky, but it's Scotty Scheffler. He has come one step away from victory in each of his last three matches. Scheffler doesn't seem to be fazed by anything, which leads to success in this game. Being so close to victory means that even on Sunday, the time to hoist another trophy is just around the corner.
When is the next PGA Championship?
Next year's PGA Championship will be held in 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 at the area since 1963.
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