Rory McIlroy Arrives at Aronimink With a Different Energy, and the Field Better Be Ready

Twelve months ago, Rory McIlroy showed up to the PGA Championship feeling lost. He'd just won the Masters to cap off his career Grand Slam, but when he teed it up last year at this event, nothing clicked. He finished tied for 47th and left wondering what was next.

Not this time. McIlroy is a completely different golfer walking into Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday, and he knows it. He's added a second green jacket to his trophy case and captured a Ryder Cup victory since then. The fire is back. "Coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year," McIlroy said. "I feel like I've got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors."

A seventh major this week would tie him with legends like Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Bobby Jones. That's the kind of company he's chasing now.

The Strongest Field of the Year Takes on a Monster Course

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler headlines the most stacked field of 2026. We're talking 97 of the top 100 golfers in the world showing up to Pennsylvania. This is the real deal.

Aronimink is no joke either. The course has been reworked since it last hosted a men's major back in 1962, and it's brutal in a new way. Yes, there are fewer trees than before, but Gil Hanse added something nasty in their place: 174 bunkers. On the par-4 11th alone, there are 20 or more sand traps waiting to swallow your shot. Approach shots play uphill into greens that slope in ways designed to make you suffer.

McIlroy broke down what it takes to win here: "Strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent. It's, basically, bash driver down there and then figure it out from there... The greens are the main focus this week, and I think getting yourself in the right sections of the greens, making sure you leave yourself below the hole for the most part. That's the key this week."

Even Xander Schauffele, who won this same event in 2024, looked at what's ahead and shook his head. "Course is firming up. Greens are diabolical," Schauffele said. "It should be a really good test."

Scheffler Hunting Back-to-Back Majors and a Starry Cast Chasing First Titles

Scheffler won his third major at the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and then added the Open Championship before summer arrived. Now he's trying something nobody has done recently: win back-to-back majors. "That's why you can't treat them quite the same because there's so much energy around a major," Scheffler admitted. "You come into the press room, there's more people, more fans, more noise. There's just a lot more stuff going on."

But this week's field is loaded with hungry guys still chasing their first major. Cameron Young is the trendy pick after exploding this spring with wins at The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship, shooting him to No. 3 in the world. English star Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland from Norway, Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, and a bunch of others are all sniffing their moment.

Then there's Jordan Spieth. Every year his pursuit of the PGA Championship to complete the career Grand Slam flies under the radar. He hasn't won on tour since 2022, but he believes the game is heading in the right direction. "My game has been getting better and better," Spieth said. "It's plenty good to have a chance to win. It's about working my way into contention."

Tee off is Thursday. Buckle up.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.