The 108th PGA Championship: A Preview of the World’s Best Golfers
The golf world is abuzz with excitement as the 108th edition of the PGA Championship is set to tee off on May 18 at the historic Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY. Considered one of the most prestigious events in the world, the PGA Championship is the second of four grand slam tournaments this season, with a rich history dating back to 1916. The picturesque Oak Hill Country Club is no stranger to majors, having already hosted three U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships, as well as a Ryder Cup, U.S. Amateur, and two Senior PGA Championships.
The Favorites to Win the PGA Championship
Picking the champion this year is no easy task, given the numerous world-class players in the field and their recent strong play. Several LIV players will be at Oak Hill, while Tiger Woods will likely be absent due to ankle surgery. Let’s take a look at some of the favorites for this year’s tournament.
Jon Rahm: The World’s No. 1 Golfer
Rahm is coming off his second major championship, winning The Masters in April. The world’s No. 1 golfer already has four wins this season and is coming off a runner-up finish in his most recent start in Mexico. Rahm is the only player who can win the calendar grand slam in 2023, making him a strong contender for the PGA Championship.
Scottie Scheffler: The No. 2 Ranked Player
Scheffler has already won twice this year and is the No. 2 ranked player in the world. He won this year’s “fifth major,” The Players Championship, and is seeking his second grand slam title and a return to the top in the world rankings. With his impressive performance this season, Scheffler is definitely one to watch at the PGA Championship.
Rory McIlroy: A Four-Time Major Winner
A former world No. 1, McIlroy is a four-time major winner and two-time PGA Champion. He continues to be recognized as one of the world’s most talented players and has had a solid 2023, including a win at the CJ Cup and a second at Bay Hill. The TOUR champion is hungry to win his fifth major, enduring a nine-year drought since his last grand slam title.
Brooks Koepka: A Four-Time Major Champion
Koepka already has four major championships to his name, including back-to-back PGA wins in 2018 and 2019. He also finished runner-up to Rahm at the Masters and was victorious on the LIV Tour in April. With his recent performances, Koepka is playing the best golf of his career, making him a strong contender for the PGA Championship.
Justin Thomas: The Defending PGA Champion
The defending PGA champion defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff at Southern Hills last year. He also held up the trophy in 2017 at Quail Hollow. Thomas missed the cut at the Masters but has posted two solid finishes in a row at the RBC Heritage (8th) and Wells Fargo Championship (T14), making him a strong contender to retain his title.
Cameron Smith: The Young Gun
The young man with the long hair is most notorious for chasing down Rory McIlroy to win the Open Championship at St. Andrew’s last July. Smith was one of the world’s hottest golfers before bolting for the LIV Tour. Since then, he has dropped down the world rankings chart. However, as his resume suggests, he plays best in the big events, making him a dark horse for the PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele: The Best Player Without a Major
Schauffele, along with Patrick Cantlay, has the designation of “best player without a major championship.” But he has been knocking on the door, with two runners-up and six top-5 finishes in grand slam events. He has also won seven times on the PGA Tour since his 2017 rookie season. Schauffele is coming into the PGA in excellent form, finishing runner-up at the Wells Fargo.
Patrick Cantlay: A Top-5 Ranked Player
Like Schauffele, Cantlay is one of the best players never to break through in a major. He has eight wins on the PGA Tour and ranks in the top-5 in the world. Cantlay is considered a favorite at next month’s U.S. Open near his home in Los Angeles but would like to add that first grand slam title a month early.
Jordan Spieth: Chasing the Career Grand Slam
Spieth is one of the championship’s biggest stories, as he is attempting to become just the sixth player in the game’s history to complete the career grand slam. The three-time major champion enters the PGA in good form, finishing in the top-6 in five of his last nine starts, including a second at the RBC Heritage. Spieth currently ranks No. 10 in the world.
Cameron Young: The Home Favorite
If you’re looking for good value, here it is. The New York native was born not far from Oak Hill, so there will be a little bit of “home course advantage.” Having won the 2021-22 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Young is a solid major championship player, finishing T-3 at last year’s PGA and 2nd at The Open Championship. He also contended at The Masters this year before falling off late and finishing T-7.
Others to Watch
Phil Mickelson: Don’t be fooled by his age. At 52, Mickelson is coming off a runner-up finish at the Masters and won the PGA Championship just two years ago, the oldest major winner of all time.
Tony Finau: The winner at the Mexico Open in late April, Finau has performed well in major championships, finishing in the top 10 eight times. He currently ranks No. 11 in the world.
Matt Fitzpatrick: The defending U.S. Open champion has risen to No. 7 in the world and is coming off a win in April at the RBC Heritage. He contended at last year’s PGA, finishing T-5.
Collin Morikawa: He’s usually one of the favorites but hasn’t played exceptionally well of late. Still, a two-time major champion, Morikawa is always a threat in any tournament he enters. His first grand slam title came at the PGA three years ago at Harding Park.
The Likely Winner
The PGA Championship is notorious for producing big-name winners. The last four PGA champions have a combined eight major championships between them. In fact, you have to go back to 2009 and Y.E. Yang to find the last PGA champion to truly come out of nowhere. Thus, picking an experienced favorite is a good bet. Oak Hill traditionally is a difficult course, with high rough and quick greens, so whoever wins will need to drive the ball straight, get up and down consistently, and fight for pars. Given the way Rahm and Scheffler have dominated the PGA Tour this season, no one should be surprised if one of those two is holding the Wanamaker Trophy when all is said and done.
