The 2026 PGA Championship is set to be a thrilling spectacle, with a star-studded field of golfers ready to battle it out at Aronimink Golf Club. As the second major of the season, all eyes are on the defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, who enters as the clear favorite. However, the real story lies in the struggles of LIV Golf's stars, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, and the breakout performances of Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick.
The LIV Golf Conundrum
What makes this tournament particularly fascinating is the uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf's future. With funding from Saudi Arabia set to end after the 2026 season, both DeChambeau and Rahm find themselves in a precarious position. DeChambeau, in particular, is desperate to silence the noise and remind everyone of his golfing prowess. Having finished second in the last two PGA Championships and top four in four of the last five, he is in search of a major win outside the U.S. Open. Meanwhile, Rahm, who has historically struggled at the PGA, is seeking to awaken something in himself. A win would move him one step closer to the career grand slam and calm the chatter about his future.
The Breakout Stars
Cameron Young, this year's breakout star, is playing the best golf of his career. With two big wins in his last five starts, he is dominating with his putter and has grown extremely comfortable with the pressure of contending on the weekend. Young is seeking to capture his first major, and while he has time on his side, the best time to get that first major under his belt is now, when his entire game is firing on all cylinders. Similarly, Matt Fitzpatrick is suddenly playing the best golf of his career, and there is no better time for him to capture a second major title and prove he is one of the game's elite. Fitzpatrick has become a tremendous all-around player, adding distance to quality ball-striking, putting, and scrambling.
The Veterans' Quest
Jordan Spieth, once the hottest star in the game, is seeking to complete the career grand slam. While he has produced just enough rounds to make you think that the same guy who ripped off three majors in three years is still in there, consistency has been lacking for a long time. All he needs is one week where it all clicks at the PGA for him to join the ranks of golf's immortals. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, seems genuinely freed from the burden of expectation. With every victory, he'll climb a notch higher on the all-time list, but instead of letting the pressure of history crush him, McIlroy now seems to embrace that opportunity to move closer to a place on golf's Mount Rushmore.
The Dominant Defending Champion
Scottie Scheffler, the reigning champion, has little to prove this week after getting his first major win outside of Augusta, Georgia, last year at Quail Hollow. However, his 2026 hasn't been as dominant as we've grown accustomed to over the past few years, largely due to slow starts. If he can figure that out, he can become just the third player to go back-to-back at the PGA, joining Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods (twice).
The Underdogs
Tommy Fleetwood, who wasn't anyone playing better golf to close out 2025, seems to have been passed by Young as the player who seems most likely to join the major champion ranks next. With little attention on him currently, perhaps this is the perfect time for Fleetwood to slide into contention and finally emerge as a serious threat in 2026. Brooks Koepka, McIlroy's second Masters win broke a tie with Koepka for the most major wins of this era. Given how dominant he's been at the PGA in his career, if there were ever a time for Koepka to find it and pull back even with McIlroy, this might be the week.
In conclusion, the 2026 PGA Championship promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with a star-studded field of golfers ready to battle it out. From the LIV Golf conundrum to the breakout stars and the veterans' quest, there is something for everyone to enjoy. As the tournament unfolds, we can expect to see some surprising angles, hidden implications, and psychological or cultural insights that will keep us on the edge of our seats. Personally, I think that the tournament will be a testament to the resilience and determination of the golfers, and I can't wait to see who comes out on top.
