PGA Championship 2026 at Aronimink: Scheffler's Title Defense and Everything You Need to Know

By Rachel Kim · May 15, 2026

The 2026 PGA Championship is underway at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Scottie Scheffler enters as the defending champion after winning his third career major in dominant fashion — 12 under par, five shots clear of the field as Jon Rahm collapsed down the stretch. Coverage continues today with the main feed running from 6:45 AM to 12 PM ET.

Why Aronimink Is the Perfect Stage for This Championship

Aronimink is a Donald Ross design, later renovated by Dick Wilson, and it plays as a 7,267-yard par 70 that rewards precision over power. Located twenty minutes west of downtown Philadelphia in Newtown Square, it's been criminally underrated for decades. The fairways are tree-lined and tight. The greens are slick, subtly contoured Ross surfaces that punish anyone who misreads the break by even a degree. This isn't a course where you overpower the layout — you have to think your way around it.

What We Learned from the 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink

The last time Aronimink hosted a marquee event was the 2018 BMW Championship, and that week told us a lot about how this course plays under tournament conditions. Keegan Bradley went low and won, but the real story was Tiger Woods. Tiger was in full comeback mode that season, and Aronimink's strategic demands seemed tailor-made for his style. He contended all week, and the atmosphere around that course was electric — I genuinely felt like the entire Philadelphia sports scene showed up.

The scoring at the BMW was lower than I'd expect for a PGA Championship, but that's because the PGA of America will almost certainly firm up the greens and narrow the fairways. When the setup gets tough at Aronimink, the tree-lined corridors become claustrophobic, and those Ross greens start rejecting anything that isn't perfectly struck. I expect the winning score this week to land somewhere around 8 to 12 under, assuming conditions stay dry.

Can Anyone Stop Scottie Scheffler?

Scottie Scheffler isn't just the defending champion — he's playing the best golf of anyone on the planet right now. His win last year was a statement. Twelve under par in a major, winning by five shots. That's Tiger Woods territory. The rest of the field has to be wondering what they're even doing out there.

I watched Jon Rahm's final round collapse in real time last year, and it was genuinely painful. Rahm had been right there through 54 holes, but Scheffler's precision on Sunday was suffocating — every fairway, every green. The mistakes compounded and Jon couldn't keep pace. I'll be watching closely to see if Rahm's confidence is truly rebuilt this week.

My honest take? Scheffler wins again unless his putter goes completely cold. His ball-striking at a course like Aronimink — where finding fairways and hitting greens in regulation is the entire battle — gives him an edge that's almost impossible to overcome.

The Dark Horses and Sleeper Picks Worth Watching

Rory McIlroy has two PGA Championship titles already, and he thrives at courses that demand aggressive play off the tee. Aronimink's par 70 layout means birdie opportunities are scarce, and Rory's ability to create scoring chances where others can't is a legitimate weapon. I'd put him at the top of the "if not Scheffler" list.

Collin Morikawa is a sneaky pick that I'm genuinely excited about. His iron play is surgical, and Donald Ross greens reward approach shots that land in the right quadrant. Morikawa won the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park at 23 years old — he knows how to handle the pressure of this specific major.

Xander Schauffele continues to be the most consistent major championship performer who doesn't get enough credit. He's had top-10 finishes in majors at a rate that's borderline absurd, and a tight, demanding course like Aronimink plays directly into his patient, mistake-free style.

My true dark horse? Tommy Fleetwood. He's been quietly putting together a strong 2026 season, his ball flight suits tree-lined courses, and the Philadelphia crowds will appreciate his grinder mentality. If the weather turns nasty — and May in Pennsylvania can absolutely deliver rain and wind — Fleetwood's experience in British conditions becomes a serious asset.

What to Watch For the Rest of the Week

Coverage continues today with the main feed running from 6:45 AM to 12 PM ET, so set those alarms if you're on the West Coast. The morning wave at Aronimink tends to get better conditions — greens are freshly rolled and the rough hasn't been trampled. Keep an eye on which side of the draw Scheffler landed on, because that morning/afternoon split has historically decided PGA Championships.

The holes to watch are the stretch from 10 through 13. The 10th is a long par 4 with a creek guarding the approach. The 11th is a par 3 where the green is surrounded by trouble on three sides. I've seen more leaderboard movement on that stretch than anywhere else on this course. Players who survive it with their score intact tend to be holding the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.