PGA Championship: Scheffler defends, Woods missing, Johnson present

The PGA of America published the field of participants for the 108th PGA Championship last week. 154 players were confirmed, with two final places being awarded at the Truist Championship and the Myrtle Beach Classic at the weekend. The tournament will be played from May 14-17 at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania - just outside Philadelphia.

It is the only major tournament reserved exclusively for professionals. No amateurs, no Monday qualifying. 156 players, a cut after round two, 750 FedEx Cup points and 100 world ranking points for the winner. And a field that reflects the fault lines of modern golf more clearly than almost any other tournament this year.

You can find the leaderboard and Tee Times for the 2026 PGA Championship here.

The defending champion of the PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler returns to Aronimink as the reigning champion. The Texan, who leads the world rankings, skipped the Truist Championship this season to prepare specifically for his title defense. Scheffler has won four major titles in the past three years and is once again considered the top favorite.

The most prominent absentees

Tiger Woods

The name that stands out the most is not on the list. As a four-time PGA champion, Tiger Woods has lifetime eligibility, but he will be absent from a major in 2026 for the second time in a row - after the Masters in April. The background is well known: In March, Woods was arrested in Florida for drunk driving after being involved in another car accident. He pleaded not guilty, but announced that he would "seek treatment and focus on his health". He is currently undergoing inpatient rehabilitation in Switzerland.

It is a turning point. Woods won the PGA Championship four times between 1999 and 2007. The fact that his name is now missing for the second time in a row underlines how far his situation has moved away from competitive golf.

Phil Mickelson

The second big name of recent decades is also missing - albeit under different circumstances. Mickelson, PGA champion in 2005 and 2021, was initially on the field list published on Tuesday. However, he withdrew just hours later, citing a family health issue. Mickelson has only played one event in the current LIV season. LIV CEO Scott O'Neil commented cautiously on the withdrawal: "I just want to be very sensitive about it."

Mickelson was replaced by Max Homa, who tied for ninth place at the Masters in April and was the first man to step up.

The LIV faction

The PGA Championship remains the Major where the boundaries between Tours are the most permeable. Several LIV players are qualified through their status as former Major winners or through world rankings:

• Bryson DeChambeau - 2020 US Open champion, one of the most draw-worthy names at LIV
• Brooks Koepka - two-time PGA champion (2018, 2019), who has dominated the tournament like no other
• Jon Rahm - fresh from his deal with the DP World Tour, Masters Champion 2023
• Cameron Smith - Open Champion 2022
• Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, David Puig, Tom McKibbin, Elvis Smylie - in via various qualification routes

The special invitation for Dustin Johnson is particularly noteworthy. The two-time major winner would not have qualified based on his current form, but the PGA of America invited him separately. Johnson's streak of 69 consecutive major appearances thus remains intact - a record that the organizers obviously wanted to protect.

Find out all about the men's golf majors here.

The favorites at the PGA Championship

Several names stand out alongside Scheffler:

Rory McIlroy arrives as the newly crowned 2026 Masters champion. The Northern Irishman, number two in the world rankings, showed in Augusta that he can win the big moments again. He won the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014 - Aronimink would be his third title.

Xander Schauffele won the 2024 PGA Championship and is consistently strong at this tournament: he finished runner-up at Quail Hollow in both 2023 and 2024. He belongs to the absolute top group.

Collin Morikawa, 2021 PGA Champion, is playing a solid season and has the experience to hold his own on challenging courses.

Hideki Matsuyama, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Cameron Young and Sahith Theegala complete a group of players who can win a major at any time. Young in particular is having a strong season and has already won two titles on the PGA Tour this season.

Jordan Spieth is also in the field - for him, a win at the PGA Championship would be the last missing building block to a career Grand Slam. Although his form has improved recently, he has been a long way from winning a major.

The club professionals

A special feature of the PGA Championship: 20 starting places go to club professionals who have qualified via the PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes. Winner Jesse Droemer leads the group. Fan favorite Michael Block, who caused a sensation at Oak Hill in 2023 with a tied 15th place, is taking part for the fifth time in a row. For most of these players, participation alone is the highlight of their career - but Block has shown that a club pro can also make headlines.

Aronimink Golf Club: The course of the 2027 PGA Championship

Aronimink Golf Club was founded in 1896 and is one of the most traditional courses on the American East Coast. Designed by Donald Ross and later redesigned by Gil Hanse, the course last hosted the PGA Tour 's BMW Championship in 2018. It is considered technically demanding, with narrow Fairways, fast greens and a course layout that rewards precision.

What this field tells us

The list of participants in the 2026 PGA Championship is more than just a list of names. It is a reflection of the balance of power in golf: LIV players entering the field via historic exemptions. A Dustin Johnson who needs a special invitation to save his streak. A Tiger Woods sitting in a Swiss clinic while his name no longer appears on any start list. And in the middle of it all, a Scottie Scheffler who is quietly defending his title. Or will someone get in his way?

The race will be held on May 14. The field could still change by then - but the story it tells is already set.