The PGA Championship often feels like the 20-handicap single who joined a threesome of scratch players on the first tee at your local course.
There's no debating the status of the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship, with those three events cemented as the best - and most prestigious - on the calendar. But whether it's the move from April to May or the lack of identity, the PGA Championship simply fails to measure up.
However, that doesn't mean the tournament hasn't delivered drama in recent years.
Since 2020 alone, Phil Mickelson - remember him? - became the oldest man to win a major, Brooks Koepka claimed his third PGA Championship, and Scottie Scheffler got arrested on his way to the golf course, only to win by five shots the next year. Add in back-to-back runner-up finishes by the bombastic Bryson DeChambeau, and you're officially cooking with gas at this major.
Here are six reasons this PGA Championship could keep that trend going.
Rory vs. Scottie
With all due respect to the likes of DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Young, the world of men's professional golf belongs to two players right now: Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Four of the last five major championships have ended with one of those two holding the trophy by Sunday evening. But although both play on the PGA TOUR, we've really lacked a head-to-head duel between the two.
According to Justin Ray of The Athletic, Scheffler and McIlroy haven't both entered the final round within three shots of the lead since the 2023 BMW Championship. Of course, that doesn't mean they haven't been factors at recent majors. Just a month ago at Augusta, Scheffler charged from four shots back to make things difficult for McIlroy before the Northern Irishman emerged with a one-shot win.
The two have avoided each other since. McIlroy skipped the RBC Heritage and Cadillac Championship before playing last week at Quail Hollow, while Scheffler did the opposite. That sets the table for a possible showdown this week at Aronimink, and you'd probably have to give the nod to Scheffler.
McIlroy hasn't finished in the top five in the PGA Championship since the event moved to May in 2019. Meanwhile, Scheffler has a victory and a runner-up result in the last three years.
Another Bryson party
It's a grip-it-and-rip-it week, according to McIlroy.
That should bode well for DeChambeau's chances, as he seems to thrive in tournaments where the driver is a huge weapon and accuracy is an afterthought. To DeChambeau's credit, he's much more than someone who hits it long. He's also great around the greens and can get hot with his putter.
Whether you love or hate him, you must admit DeChambeau makes you feel something that few other golfers can. After finishing runner-up in back-to-back PGA Championships, he's sure to have viewers glued to their TVs this weekend if he can contend in yet another major.
Rickie's resurgence
For years, Rickie Fowler was pegged as one of the best golfers in the world without a major championship. While he's yet to shake that label, his declining play has lowered expectations considerably, and he's no longer part of the popular conversation.
But - and hold onto your hats - this week at Aronimink may be Fowler's best chance to win a major championship in a very long time. Riding an impressive run of form, the 37-year-old has finished inside the top 10 in three straight signature events. He also gained over a stroke per round on approach shots during that stretch - a feat he's accomplished over three straight tournaments only once since 2015. That previous instance was in 2023, and Fowler went on to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic shortly after.
Fowler wins when his approach play is on, and that part of his game seems to be clicking right now. Though his lack of career victories has led to a new label as a career underachiever, Fowler remains one of the most popular and recognizable names in golf. If he's in contention late Sunday, it would captivate an audience that extends well past die-hard golf fans.
Olds' chance for one last ride
Professional golf has grown younger and younger as driving distance has become increasingly crucial to success. Still, there are a pair of top players carrying the torch for the 'olds' on Tour and should be in contention this week.
If you've watched major championship golf over the past couple of years, Justin Rose's name has essentially been seared on the leaderboard. The 45-year-old Englishman came painfully close to claiming a green jacket in each of the last two years, edged out by McIlroy both times. He's now posted top-five finishes in three of his last six majors and comes to Aronimink with an excellent history.
The PGA TOUR hasn't visited the iconic course much lately, but Rose has excelled when it has. He won the 2010 AT&T National at Aronimink and placed 15th in the same event the following year. In 2018, he finished runner-up at the BMW Championship, confirming he's got a real feel for the place. That combo of elite play and solid history is almost enough to make you forget that he switched three weeks ago to irons made by McLaren - the British luxury automaker famous for its Formula 1 team.
Adam Scott is the other 45-year-old in play, and he'll be competing in his 99th consecutive major - an absurd streak that dates back to the 2001 Open Championship. To put that into perspective, the last time Scott missed a major was the year before World No. 23 Akshay Bhatia was born. Scott's been very solid yet unspectacular in recent majors, compiling four top-20 finishes in his last six starts.
Grumpy Rahm looks for his win
Rahm appeared very grumpy with both the press and his play at Augusta in April while recording his worst result in a major since the 2024 PGA Championship. And that disappointment came before the Saudi PIF announced plans to withdraw funding from LIV Golf after the 2026 season. Since then, Rahm's been seemingly peppered with questions about his future, an obvious irritation for even the most patient person. However, a win at the PGA Championship would shift the narrative away from LIV to his success on the course.
Still, Rahm hasn't exactly fallen off the face of the earth, posting multiple wins on LIV and sitting second behind Scheffler on Data Golf's true strokes gained list over the last six months. But the Spaniard made his name by being the biggest bully on the block, dominating the professional scene with two wins and three other top-five finishes in a 12-major stretch from 2021-23. That's the Rahm the Saudis backed up the money truck for - not the one who hasn't earned a top-five major showing since 2023.
Next great American
A victory at Aronimink would cement Young as the next great American golfer. At 29, he could become only the second player to win the Players Championship and the PGA Championship in the same year and just the eighth golfer to add a major to their Players title before flipping the calendar.
Recent U.S. dominance at the PGA Championship should give Young hope, as Jason Day remains the only non-American to win the Wanamaker Trophy since 2015.
Young has also proven that his game can thrive on golf's biggest stages. In his first full season on the PGA TOUR in 2022, he secured two top-three finishes in majors. Since then, he's added five top-10 results in majors, including a T3 at this year's Masters.
It's taken him longer to rise to the top compared to Scheffler, but he's one of the few players who can go toe-to-toe with the World No. 1. If we get an all-American showdown Sunday, get your popcorn ready.
