Ranking the top 6 storylines for the 103rd PGA Championship

With the first tee shot of the 2021 PGA Championship from Kiawah Island drawing near, it's time to look at what narratives will dominate the second major of the year.

Here are the top six storylines to follow as the week goes on:

6. What's up with DJ?

Something is up with the No. 1 player in the world, and we'll find out if a trip to his home state will get his year back on track.

In Dustin Johnson's seven starts since winning in Saudi Arabia in February, he has one top-10 finish, placed outside the top 25 on four occasions, and missed the cut at the Masters in his title defense. He also unexpectedly withdrew on a Monday from both the Texas Open and AT&T Byron Nelson.

But Kiawah Island could be a perfect get-right spot for the 36-year-old. If past tournament success is any indication, then Johnson's back-to-back runner-up showings at the PGA Championship suggest he'll make another strong run at the title.

5. Koepka's knee

Say what you will about Brooks Koepka's current standing in the game and whether or not he's still an elite player, but any time there's a major championship on the docket, he's a name that has to be discussed.

Koepka has won more major championships (four) than he has missed cuts (three) in his major career. Tiger Woods is the only other player who can say the same thing. However, one of those missed cuts from Koepka was at the Masters in April, which can largely be attributed to his injured right knee.

That same knee issue is still giving him problems at Kiawah. He's admitted to not being 100% but did say his knee is feeling a lot better than it was at Augusta. If there were no question marks about his health heading into the week, Koepka would be considered a favorite at a venue that plays right into his hands. But it remains to be seen which version of the four-time major winner is in action this week.

4. First-timers

In addition to being kind to Cinderella stories like Rich Beem (2002), Shaun Micheel (2003), and Y.E. Yang (2009), the PGA Championship has also proven to be a spot where top players win their first major title.

Collin Morikawa did it last year, Justin Thomas broke through in 2017, Jason Day earned his first during his incredible run in 2015, and even Martin Kaymer won his first at the 2010 PGA Championship. Three of these players reached No. 1 in the world at some point in their career and few would argue that Morikawa doesn't have that type of potential.

So who's next? The most obvious choice is Jon Rahm. The Spaniard is No.3 in the world rankings and possesses all the skills you'd expect out of a champion at Kiawah.

Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Cantlay, and Tony Finau are other top-15 players in the world without a major victory on their resume. There's a good chance one of these six players is hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.

3. Pete Dye's beast

You know it's a major championship when the venue becomes one of the bigger storylines.

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort is set to shine and test every facet of a player's game.

"It's a brutal golf course," Will Zalatoris said, according to ASAP Sports. "You've got to hit it good. There's no faking it around this place. Every aspect of your game has to be on."

That seems to be the consensus about Pete Dye's South Carolina masterpiece, which will play as the longest major championship course ever at 7,876 yards.

What's intriguing about the course's length is that tournament organizers will use a variety of different tee boxes that could drastically impact how the course is played depending on the wind direction. Golfers may play four rounds at Kiawah, but there's a good chance each day will play much differently than the last.

2. McIlroy returns to Kiawah

It's hard to believe Rory McIlroy is without a major championship victory in nearly seven years, and it didn't look like the Northern Irishman would add to his tally any time soon before winning the Wells Fargo Championship - a tournament he's now won three times.

Now, full of confidence, McIlroy returns to the site of his dominant eight-shot victory at the 2012 PGA Championship poised to break his major slump.

As the betting favorite, it would be surprising not to see McIlroy's name at or near the top of the leaderboard when things are all said and done on Sunday.

1. Spieth's chase of the career grand slam

It has been a couple of years since Jordan Spieth's pursuit of the career grand slam was the hottest topic going into a PGA Championship, but with the three-time major winner back in elite form, his shot at history is easily the biggest story of the week.

Spieth has a chance to join the elite company of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen as the only players to claim golf's four major titles.

And this may be his best chance yet.

Spieth's advantage comes from his recent iron play and world-class short game. He ranks fourth in the field in strokes gained: approach over his past 24 rounds and his ability to get up and down from anywhere never disappeared during his slump.

People may want to write Spieth off because of Kiawah Island's length, believing there's no way the 27-year-old can keep up with the likes of DeChambeau and McIlroy off the tee. While that may be true, if the wind off the Atlantic Ocean wreaks havoc, distance will be far less important.