Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy lead 108th PGA Championship field
World number one Scottie Scheffler and recent Masters champion Rory McIlroy headline a unified field at the 108th PGA Championship, which begins this Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.
The prestigious tournament marks the first time players from the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf League will compete together since the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund announced it will cease funding the breakaway circuit after this season.
Eleven competitors from the Saudi-backed tour are in the 155-man field, including former major champions Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.
Two-time winner Phil Mickelson will be absent from the historic event, skipping his second consecutive major due to an ongoing family health matter.
McIlroy targets historic major double
The Northern Irishman arrives in Pennsylvania just a month after securing his second consecutive green jacket at Augusta National.
A victory this week would make the 35-year-old the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1975 to win both the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same calendar year.
He previously lifted the Wanamaker Trophy twice, with his most recent triumph coming at Valhalla Golf Club a decade ago.
Scheffler aims for successful title defence
The defending champion enters the week looking to replicate his dominant five-stroke victory from last year’s event at Quail Hollow.
Despite recent concerns over his form, the American star remains a formidable threat after finishing second in three consecutive tournaments.
The top-ranked player currently leads the tour in total strokes gained and scoring average, making him a prime candidate to retain his crown.
New contenders emerge at Aronimink
Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick have firmly established themselves as strong challengers to the established elite following exceptional recent form.
The American runner-up is chasing his maiden major championship after claiming three tour victories since August, fuelled by significant improvements on the putting greens.
Rounding out the field are recent tournament winners Brandt Snedeker and Kristoffer Reitan, with the 45-year-old veteran notably ending a seven-year victory drought to secure the final qualification spot.
The historic Aronimink layout last hosted this specific major championship in 1962, when South African legend Gary Player triumphed by a single stroke.