Rory McIlroy Is Back and Starving For His Seventh Major at Aronimink

The Northern Irishman walked into last year's PGA Championship riding high after ending a decade-long drought at the Masters. He left disappointed, settling for a tie for 47th. Fast forward twelve months: McIlroy has won a Ryder Cup, claimed a second green jacket, and now he's at Aronimink Golf Club this week with something to prove. "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 would tie him with Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Bobby Jones. He's got the mindset. He's got the momentum. There's just one small problem: a blister on his right pinky toe that's been nagging him since last Friday. McIlroy cut his Tuesday practice round short because of it, but he was back on the course Wednesday and is expected to compete. When you're chasing history, a toe blister is just noise.

The Strongest Field of the Year Takes On a Course That Doesn't Forgive

McIlroy and defending champion Scottie Scheffler headline a ridiculous lineup at Aronimink, with 97 of the top 100 golfers in the world on site. This is the strongest field of 2026. Scheffler collected his third major win at the 2025 PGA at Quail Hollow Club and added the Open Championship before summer was out. Now he's trying something he's never done before: go back-to-back at a major. "That's why you can't treat them quite the same because there's so much energy around a major," Scheffler said. "You come into the press room, there's more people, more fans, more noise."

The course itself is a test. Aronimink was renovated by Gil Hanse in 2018 and has far fewer trees than it once had. What makes up for that? An estimated 174 bunkers, including 20-plus on the par-4 11th hole alone. The greens are sloped brutally. McIlroy didn't mince words about the setup: "Strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent. It's basically, bash driver down there and then figure it out from there." He summed up the week simply: "The greens are the main focus this week."

First-Time Winners Are Waiting For Their Moment

The PGA Championship has crowned 12 first-time major winners since 2001. This week, players like Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, and Cameron Young are hunting for their first. Young is a trendy pick after winning The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship this spring and rising to No. 3 in the world. He's got seven major top-10s on his resume and has been intentional about keeping his process the same, regardless of the stakes. "It's kind of remarkable how much more it's recognized for winning versus coming in second," Young said. "Obviously there is a huge difference career-wise, but golf-wise, it's small."

The field of 156 includes 11 LIV Golf members and 20 PGA teaching professionals, with fan favorite Michael Block back in the mix after his memorable tie for 15th three years ago at Oak Hill, where he made a hole-in-one on Sunday. The top 70 and ties make the cut after 36 holes.

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