8 PGA Championship headlines you need to know about
There’s no doubt about it officially: For the next seven days, Philadelphia is golf town.
Thanks to the Sixers, who saw themselves eliminated from the NBA playoffs by sweeping the I-95 rival Knicks, the runway is officially clear for the return of golf’s biggest tournament to Philly this week. Aronimink Golf Club, one of Philly’s many golden age, often popular golf clubs, will host the latest edition of the PGA Championship.
Last year, the golf world saw Philly’s golf bona fides when it felt like half the city showed up for the Philadelphia Cricket Club for the Truist Championship, which was moved to Philly to make way for the PGA at Quail Hollow. Now, the big show itself is in town, and it’s catching the golf world at a time when intrigue is at its peak. So before you tune in this weekend (on CBS or ESPN), and before the whirlwind of a big week hits you, let’s talk about the big news you should pay attention to.
The 8 biggest storylines of the PGA Championship
8. What happened to LIV?
The golf world has been plunged into a prolonged state of confusion over LIV’s wider tactics after the Saudi backlash. But the questions are getting louder. Case in point: My colleague Alan Bastable’s interview with LIV CEO Scott O’Neil of LIV Virginia, in which the embattled league head admitted that they are still wholly owned by the Saudis, and did not comment that that meant the Saudis retained decision-making control over potential investors in the league.
The questions will certainly continue this weekend in Philly, where – like the US Open at the LACC a few years ago – the action is already set against a backdrop of widespread LIV confusion.
7. What happened to famous LIV players?
The funny thing about the big weeks of the LIV season is that they serve as one of the few times there everyone in the world of golf meets. This week, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau will be in the same place as Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth. Most likely, they will find things to talk about about the current state of affairs.
Of course, the Aronimink poles aren’t exactly Yalta, so we shouldn’t expect any tectonic movements in the world of golf to come out of PGA week, but rest assured, people will talk.
6. What happened to the *other* LIV players?
No one will lose sleep over the long-term competitive prospects of players like Talor Gooch, who gave up his championship future arguably as the highest watermark of his LIV contract career, and now has his own team (OKGC, Smash GC of nee Brooks Koepka). But maybe we should be thinking about him!
Gooch is one of the few players from the LIV midfield who could be unfairly affected by the major changes that are likely to take place in the league over the next 12 months. Unlike Rahm and DeChambeau, who will have sponsors and invitations to major tournaments and a competitive future no matter what happens at LIV, players like Gooch are sacrificing their status for a chance at life-changing money. Fortunately, they got their paydays. Unfortunately, their future is now more in question than ever.
Ironically, Gooch (whose major tournament drama martyrdom in the LIV days made him lucky) will not be on the field this week at the PGA after receiving a special exemption in 2024. It’s a fitting reflection on the state of LIV’s midfield, and it raises the stakes for those he did make it into the field at Aronimink for a good show. This tournament may be at risk of hiring in the future.
5. Rory’s year?
Last year, I remember being struck by the sight of Rory McIlroy, who came to the PGA Championship. After his sensational win at Augusta National, I thought McIlroy would be floating in the air – and possessing a kind of human composure without having to prove it. It made me predict that he will win a bunch of majors, maybe as soon as 2025.
Then he appeared in Quail Hollow looking handsome, cursing and often peeping. He didn’t budge from that worldview until after the big ’25 season.
It wasn’t until he arrived at Augusta National for the first time as a champion that things changed. McIlroy arrived at the 2026 Masters with all the quiet confidence, confidence I thought I’d see from him at Quail Hollow. He then won his second green jacket, and spoke of a reset after feeling the grand slam was his “last stop” for his career. He said he’s found a new hunger and drive to compete in the majors at this stage of his life – and if that’s true, this week could provide confirmation of a new kind of Rory.
4. Where are you, Scottie?
Far be it from me to suggest that Scottie Scheffler doesn’t play good golf. He is still the number 1 player in the world. He is still the biggest threat to win every tournament he plays. He’s still very good at playing a really tough game – as he often reminds us with a laugh.
But Scottie Scheffler didn’t have the same untouchable power in 2026 that he had in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
A few thoughts on that: 1. It’s not inherently bad that this is true – Scheffler would have to be the greatest golfer in history to go half a decade without a single dip in his game, and even then it might be absurd to think. 2. It’s not like Scheffler’s “downfall” is implied: DataGolf’s world rankings still have him as the best player in the world by. three quarters of the gun. 3. It’s still early in the season – it’s early enough that a win will eliminate these discussions altogether.
In other words, Aronimink is Scottie’s chance to shut us up.
3. Forever Young
It’s hard to imagine a player who better fits the profile of this week’s winner than Cam Young, the Northeast golfer who plays the Northeast golf course. Young was playing the best golf of his career in 2026, earning wins at the Players Championship and Doral en route to an OWGR career-best ranking of World No. 3.
He describes himself as the type of golfer to win at least one major championship in his career, and his recent success in golf’s regular and major tournaments suggests his game is on the rise this week. This is a story to watch out for.
2. New leadership
If you’ve been paying attention to the myriad of other golf events out there, you may have missed the leadership challenges unfolding at the PGA of America, where new CEO Terry Clark will oversee his first championship since taking over from Derek Sprague’s short tenure.
Clark already has his plate full at the PGA of A, including talking about golf’s repatriation, the role of the PGA Championship in golf’s major leagues, the development of the tournament’s true identity and how to avoid the progressive moves that have dominated the last few years of the governing body ($800 Ryder Cup tickets tied to the World No. We’ll get a first look at his governing philosophy at press time this week, and we’ll be watching closely for what’s next).
1. Philly, baby!
Philadelphia is one of the most underrated golf cities, and for good reason. There may not be a metro area in the United States that has a better combination of great golf courses and die-hard golf fans. The city will play a big part in the fun this week, and hopefully make a good case for golf with the regular rotation of the majors.
