PGA Championship tees off at historic Aronimink with Scheffler and McIlroy leading
The PGA Championship returns this week, bringing the world’s best golfers to Aronimink Golf Club. The historic course near Philadelphia last hosted the event in 1962. This year’s field includes 98 of the top 100 players, with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy leading the rankings as favourites. The tournament begins on Thursday, May 18, with 46 hours of live coverage split between ESPN and CBS Sports. Aronimink, a Donald Ross-designed course that opened in 1928, recently underwent a full restoration. The club joins Philadelphia’s rich golf history, which includes Merion hosting the U.S. Open five times.
Scheffler enters as the world’s top-ranked player and betting favourite. He won last year’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club by five shots. Rory McIlroy, fresh off a Masters victory, is ranked second favourite. Both will compete against rising stars like Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick, who have each claimed two individual wins in the past two months. The winner will receive the Wanamaker Trophy, a lifetime exemption to the PGA Championship, and five-year exemptions to the other major tournaments.
Aronimink’s restored layout will test the 156-player field over four days. The champion will earn not only the trophy but also long-term entry into golf’s biggest events. Coverage starts Thursday, with Scheffler and McIlroy leading a packed leaderboard.
