Rory McIlroy Arrives as a Different Beast, and Aronimink's 174 Bunkers Won't Stop Him

Twelve months ago, Rory McIlroy showed up to the PGA Championship and basically sleepwalked through it. A tie for 47th. Not great. But that was before he won a second green jacket, claimed victory at the Ryder Cup, and remembers what it feels like to be dangerous. This week at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, the Northern Irishman is back and operating on a completely different level.

"Coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year," McIlroy said, and you can feel the difference. "I feel like I've got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors." His second Masters win marked his sixth major championship. Grab a seventh this week and he ties Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Bobby Jones. That's the weight of history he's carrying into Thursday.

The Course Is Basically Unplayable (and He Knows It)

Aronimink has hosted exactly one men's major before, way back in 1962. Gil Hanse renovated it in 2018, and the par-70, 7,394-yard beast has far fewer trees than it used to. What it does have is 174 estimated bunkers, including over 20 on the par-4 11th hole alone. Approach shots climb uphill to sloped greens that'll eat your soul for breakfast.

McIlroy gets it. "Strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent," he said. "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."

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, the world's top-ranked player, arrived as co-favorite after winning his third major at the 2025 PGA at Quail Hollow Club and the Open Championship before summer ended. He's trying to go back-to-back at a major for the first time. The greens, he said simply, are "diabolical."

A Field Built to Win

This is the strongest major field of the year. Ninety-seven of the top 100 golfers in the world showed up in Newtown Square, and the storylines are stacked. Cameron Young is the trendy pick after breaking through to win The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship this spring, rising to No. 3 in the world. He has seven major top-10s and is focused on staying process-driven rather than result-obsessed.

Other notable first-time-major seekers include Tommy Fleetwood of England, Viktor Hovland of Norway, Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, and Jordan Spieth, who's chasing his fourth major and needs just the PGA to complete the career Grand Slam. Spieth hasn't won on tour since 2022, but he feels his game is peaking. "It's plenty good to have a chance to win," he said. "It's about working my way into contention."

One quick note: McIlroy cut short his Tuesday practice round due to a blister on his right pinky toe, but he was back on the course Wednesday and is expected to compete. A nagging toe won't slow down a man hunting his seventh major.

Thursday marks the start. Ninety-nine percent of this field will go home wondering what might have been. One golfer will have the green jacket.

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