The PGA Championship returns to Newtown Square, PA, at Aronimink Golf Club this week for the first time in more than six decades, bringing golf’s biggest names to one of the sport’s most storied venues.
The 108th PGA Championship, which runs May 14-17, features a 156-player field competing for the Wanamaker Trophy on a restored Donald Ross design known for its rolling terrain, demanding greens and strategic bunkering. The course last hosted the championship in 1962, when Gary Player captured the title.
This year’s tournament arrives with no shortage of storylines: world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is attempting to defend his PGA Championship title, while Rory McIlroy enters fresh off a Masters victory and another chance to build momentum toward a historic season. Jordan Spieth returns seeking the one major championship missing from his résumé and a career Grand Slam.
A demanding major test
Aronimink is expected to reward precision as much as power. The par-70 layout stretches nearly 7,400 yards and features firm greens, deep bunkers, and thick rough that can quickly punish errant shots.
Scheffler said course conditions could dramatically affect scoring throughout the week.
“If the golf course is soft, there’s a lot of stuff you can kind of get away with,” Scheffler told reporters earlier this week. “But if you look at this golf course when it’s firm, the fairways are hard to hit.” (PGA Tour)
Tournament organizers expect one of the largest purses in golf again this year, with reports projecting a total purse near $19 million. Last year’s championship paid $3.42 million to the winner.
Players to watch
Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler enters as the tournament favorite after a dominant stretch that includes multiple runner-up finishes this spring. A victory would make him the first player since Brooks Koepka to win back-to-back PGA Championships. (PGA Tour)
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy arrives after winning the Masters earlier this year and is once again among the betting favorites. He acknowledged dealing with a blister issue during practice rounds but said equipment adjustments helped alleviate the problem before Thursday’s opening round.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth is making another attempt at completing the career Grand Slam, a feat achieved by only a handful of golfers in history.
“If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one,” Spieth said this week. “But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way.” (PGA Tour)
Spieth also said he believes his game is trending in the right direction after strong stretches earlier this season.
“I feel like I’m close to being able to go back to” consistently contending in majors, Spieth said. (PGA Tour)
Cameron Young
Young enters the week after a breakout season that included a Players Championship victory and a rise into the upper tier of the world rankings. Analysts and oddsmakers view him as one of the leading contenders for a first major title. (PGA Tour)
How to watch
Television coverage begins Thursday and Friday on ESPN from noon to 8 p.m. ET, with streaming coverage on ESPN+ starting in the morning. Weekend coverage shifts to a split schedule between ESPN and CBS.
Streaming options include Paramount+ and ESPN+, with featured groups and featured-hole coverage available throughout the tournament.
For golf fans, the week offers more than a major championship. It marks the return of one of the game’s classic venues to the sport’s biggest stage—and another chapter in an increasingly competitive era of men’s golf.
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