PGA Championship : Aronimink GC Entry List
The second men’s Major Championship of the year is here. This is what you need to know ahead of the 2026 US PGA Championship.
All eyes on Aronimink
For the first time since 1962, and second time ever, Aronimink Golf Club is hosting one of the four marquee tournaments in men's golf after Gary Player won the US PGA Championship there 64 years ago.
Founded in 1896 as the Belmont Golf Association, it would take the Aronimink name in 1900 and after two changes of location, moved to its current Newtown Square home, just outside of Philadelphia, in 1928.
Laid out by Donald Ross, universally regarded as one of golf’s greatest designers, it was considered by the Scotsman himself to be among his finest work. A restoration was completed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner in 2018, aimed at bringing the course back to the original 1928 design, featuring wider fairways through large-scale tree removal, more than 100 additional bunkers, many coming in clusters, 18 new tee boxes and larger greens.
More recently, in 2025, a new tee was added to the 18th hole, increasing its length to 490 yards. Worth highlighting too is the fact that three of its four par threes measure more than 200 yards.
Opportunity knocks
We have reached week 19 of the 2026 DP World Tour season, and as a Major Championship, there are big gains to be had on the Race to Dubai with a strong performance this week.
*As with the other three Majors, there are 10,000 points on the Race to Dubai Rankings to be played for, with 1,665 going to the winner assuming they are a DP World Tour member.
*With the Wanamaker Trophy the ultimate goal for the world's best, a hefty prize purse - which totalled a record-breaking $19 million last year - reported to be $20+ this year is also on offer.
*Also at stake are exemptions to play in the other three Majors for the next five years, along with lifetime eligibility for the US PGA Championship and a five-year exemption to play on the PGA TOUR and a seven-year membership on the DP World Tour.
Scheffler defends as McIlroy's Major hunt continues
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have won four of the last five and five of the last nine Major Championships between them.
Such has been their level of consistency, the world's top two players will again be the ones to beat.
Last year, Scheffler won the US PGA Championship and The Open to become a four-time Major winner, while last month McIlroy held off the American to claim his second Green Jacket in as many years and take his Major title-winning haul to six.
Victory for Scheffler would see him become the first player to retain the US PGA title since countryman Brooks Koepka in 2018-19.
For McIlroy, the Northern Irishman has spoken of his motivation to peak for the sport's biggest events and build on his already distinguished CV as a career Grand Slam winner.
Inside the field
With past US PGA champions earning a lifetime exemption to play in the event, 15 of those take their place in the 156-player field.
Pádraig Harrington, champion at Oakland Hills in 2008, is among the 29 Major winners teeing it up.
He is one of 55 DP World Tour members in action, of which 11 are making their Championship debut: Angel Ayora, Dan Brown, Alex Fitzpatrick, Jordan Gumberg, Daniel Hillier, Casey Jarvis, Kota Kaneko, Mikael Lindberg, Kristoffer Reitan, Adrien Saddier and Jayden Schaper.
In the case of Ayora, Kaneko, Lindberg and Schaper, that quartet are making their Major bow. Lindberg and Gumberg secured their spots through the Asian Swing, finishing among the top three on those rankings alongside Bernd Wiesberger.
There are also 20 PGA of America Golf Professionals representing the Corebridge Financial Team, including Michael Block who made headlines with a hole-in-one alongside McIlroy in 2023.
All Rosy at Aronimink?
Not since Australia's Jason Day in 2015 at Whistling Straights has the US PGA been won by someone hailing from outside the United States of America.
Among those hoping to change that is Justin Rose, who perhaps more than most can fall back on fond memories at Aronimink.
It was in 2010 that the Englishman won the AT&T National, while in 2018 at the BMW Championship on the PGA TOUR he finished runner-up to Keegan Bradley after a play-off defeat.
Since surrendering a lead at the turn of the final round to miss out at the Masters by two shots, he has switched to McLaren Golf irons - a project he has been part of building.
But having won his sole Major to date in the state of Pennsylvania at Merion in 2013, could the popular 45-year-old silence his doubters over his recent equipment change and take home the silverware?
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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