Breaking Down the 2026 PGA Championship Field

Major season continues as Aronimink Golf Club plays host to the 2026 PGA Championship. A field of 156 players will tee it up just outside Philadelphia, and the Fried Egg Golf staff decided to split up some notable names into buckets. From current form and past major results to straight-up vibes, here’s our breakdown of this week’s field, from the favorites all the way to the guys just there for the walk and talks.

Scottie Scheffler

Age: 29 | OWGR: 1
Major History: Wins (4), Top 10s (17), Starts (26)

The clear favorite, even if you think he’s been a little grumpy. The irons have looked less than Scottie Scheffler-standard at times, and maybe there have been a few days where the putter looked uncooperative. Scheffler will enter the PGA with three straight runners-up finishes, each to arguably the other best players in the world right now: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Cameron Young. The standards have become so tilted and the microscope so fine. But the constant is he should be the favorite to win and the least surprising player you’d see holding the trophy come Sunday. –Brendan Porath

Rory McIlroy

Age: 37 | OWGR: 2
Major History: Wins (6), Top 10s (34), Starts (68)

No matter what you think of Rory McIlroy, he remains the straw that stirs the drink in professional golf. Is Scottie Scheffer the better player? Probably, but the gap is a lot smaller in 2026 than it was a year ago. It will get even more interesting if McIlroy wins a second-straight major and kicks off a discussion we haven’t had in 10 years since Jordan Spieth won the season’s first two majors. Can McIlroy win the true Grand Slam, holding all four majors at once? As unlikely as that sounds, he’s the only player with a chance in 2026, and if he wins his third PGA, the excitement going into the U.S. Open will be considerable. What used to pass as conventional wisdom for McIlroy — when the setup is soft, he can dominate — has likely flipped in recent years. When courses are firm and fast, his skills pull him even further from the pack. He’s worked on his short game to the point where it’s now one of the best in the game. If you’re McIlroy, you might want to pray the rain holds off in Philadelphia so the course can show some teeth. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Ludvig Aberg

Age: 26 | OWGR: 15
Major History: Top 10s (2), Best Finish (2), Starts (9)

Is Ludvig Aberg still poised to follow in Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm’s footsteps as the next great European player? Probably. But it would be nice to see him close the deal in a big tournament to solidify that potential. He had his chance at the Players this year and spit the bit with an ugly 76 in the final round. Overall, he’s become one of the game’s most well-rounded players, improving his chipping and wedge play this season. His driving and iron play are two of the best skills in golf. He just needs to close strong in a major. Aronimink is a great opportunity for him to break through. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Bryson DeChambeau

Age: 32 | OWGR: 28
Major History: Wins (2), Top 10s (10), Starts (37)

This one simple question will SHOCK you. How many top 10s in majors does Bryson DeChambeau have since 2024? The answer is almost TOO BIG to reveal here. I bet the suspense is KILLING YOU. Are you ready? It’s six. What a MACHINE. Please like, comment, and subscribe for more insights like this. Next up on this season of “Can Bryson Win A Major With Homemade Clubs?” is Aronimink, which should be a SICK CHALLENGE for the game’s longest player. Bryson has a great chance to win the third major of his career by focusing on THIS ONE SIMPLE TRICK: Shooting the lowest score over four days. Either way, top five lock, incoming. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Matt Fitzpatrick

Age: 31 | OWGR: 4
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (6), Starts (43)

Undeniably one of the top five players to this point in 2026 and coming off a win alongside brother Alex, Matt Fitzpatrick heads to the City of Brotherly Love looking for his second major title. He has three wins and a runner-up finish in his last five starts, consistently showing himself to be one of the best all-around players in the game. –Will Knights

Jon Rahm

Age: 31 | OWGR: 21
Major History: Wins (2), Top 10s (15), Starts (37)

Two narratives get spun every time Jon Rahm finishes a tournament. One is that he hasn’t been the same since he joined LIV Golf, he is wildly overrated, and his only on-course success over the last few years has been in weak-fielded LIV events. The other is that Rahm is one of the best, most consistent players in the world, and his rare off weeks have come at inopportune times. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. His T-38 at the Masters, which included an opening round 78, was a disappointing display. But regardless of what you think of the strength of the field, Rahm’s LIV results shouldn’t be overlooked. He has five top-two finishes in seven LIV tournaments this year. It isn’t hard to make the case that Rahm is a top-five player in the world right now, but eventually the two-time major champ does need to prove it again in a major. –Joseph LaMagna

Xander Schauffele

Age: 32 | OWGR: 10
Major History: Wins (2), Top 10s (18), Starts (35)

The 2024 PGA champion is back to playing classic Xander Schauffele golf with consistent play across the board and no finish outside the top 25 since early February. Xander’s Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and Approach statistics are both among the best in the world right now. A solid putting week could easily have him claiming a third major championship title in three years. –Will Knights

Cameron Young

Age: 29 | OWGR: 3
Major History: Top 10s (7), Best Finish (2), Starts (19)

After a T-3 finish in his PGA Championship debut in 2022, Cameron Young hasn’t finished better than T-47 at the year’s second major since. The good news? That version of Young was a different player than the one teeing it up at Aronimink. The now-29-year-old world No. 3 is fresh off a dominant win at the Cadillac Championship and added even more major experience to his resume after playing in the final pair at the Masters this year. By my count, 74 different men have won the PGA Championship in its 107-year history to this point. This week, the PGA Tour’s Mr. 1,000 is primed to become the PGA of America’s Mr. 75. –PJ Clark

Tommy Fleetwood

Age: 35 | OWGR: 7
Major History: Top 10s (8), Best Finish (2), Starts (42)

After eight straight majors without a top-10 finish, Tommy Fleetwood comes to Aronimink in a bit of a scuffle. His 2026 season got off to a hot start with four early top 10s, but inconsistencies in his approach and around-the-green play have capped his upside. The bright side is there will be significantly less focus on this pre-major Wednesday than there was on him and his son Frankie at the Masters Par-3 Contest. –Will Knights

Chris Gotterup 

Age: 26 | OWGR: 11
Major History: Top 10s (1), Best Finish (3), Starts (5)

Chris Gotterup has lost some steam since beginning the PGA Tour season hot with two wins in three starts following a breakout season in 2025. Still, beware the young golfer who shows that they belong with the best in the world early in their major championship career. Gotterup hung around until late in last July’s Open Championship, ultimately finishing solo third in his fourth ever major appearance. He could be a factor at Aronimink. –Joseph LaMagna

Tyrrell Hatton

Age: 34 | OWGR: 25
Major History: Top 10s (8), Best Finish (T-3), Starts (43)

The tempestuous little Brit is beating the no-shows at majors charges now by posting one top 10 each of the last three years. That’s a big improvement over the fallow years that preceded it and more in line with the quality of player and results at non-majors. It includes a push at the Masters last month, waiting for Rory McIlroy to potentially kick it away. That’s his best result of the year, including on LIV Golf, where fields and results carry less weight and more scrutiny. Another top five at a major seems possible, likely even, at Aronimink. –Brendan Porath

Si Woo Kim

Age: 30 | OWGR: 20
Major History: Top 10s (1), Best Finish (T-8), Starts (35)

It’s time for Si Woo Kim to make a splash in a major championship. He’s too good a player to have one career top 10 in 35 major starts. Kim’s skill set is fairly straightforward: he is extremely accurate but though short off the tee, a great iron player, has world-class short game, and struggles on the greens. Currently, the South Korean is enjoying the best approach play season of his career. He’ll need the irons to show up in Philadelphia if he wants to contend, as he’ll be playing from behind most of the top players in the field. –Joseph LaMagna

Robert MacIntyre

Age: 29 | OWGR: 12
Major History: Top 10s (5), Best Finish (2), Starts (20)

The PGA Tour season started nicely for Robert MacIntyre with top-five finishes at Sony, the Players, and Valero, but it quickly turned ugly at the Masters when he missed the cut and received an official reprimand from the club after flipping off the 15th hole. He’s been a pretty pedestrian player ever since. In the past two years, MacIntyre has evolved from being a quirky, fun player with a very limited skill set to being a legitimate threat to win big tournaments. He certainly could win a major — and nearly did at the U.S. Open in 2025 — but it would still come as a surprise to see him outduel one of the top players like Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Collin Morikawa

Age: 29 | OWGR: 6
Major History: Wins (2), Top 10s (10), Starts (25)

A bit of a mystery man coming into the PGA given the residual injury concerns. Those seem quieted with the Masters and Harbour Town top 10s. The Augusta week was a gutty, incredible result that should be applauded and stick with you in your view of Collin Morikawa for years. Everything about his skill set and recent seasons should make him a frequent pick to win, but the injury interlude has thrown

this season’s progression off kilter. Only Adam Scott has been a better approach player this year. Collin in contention would be great for golf and he’d be a proper champion for this PGA. –Brendan Porath

Akshay Bhatia

Age: 24 | OWGR: 23
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-16), Starts (10)

The former teenage phenom took the latest step in his career progression in 2026 by winning his first signature event at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Akshay Bhatia’s upside has been continuously limited by his off-the-tee ability, but his approach and putting stats continue to keep him near the top of leaderboards. –Will Knights

Jacob Bridgeman

Age: 26 | OWGR: 19
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-41), Starts (3)

Across 11 starts on Tour this season, Jacob Bridgeman has eight top 25s and four top 10s, with three of those finishes in the top five, including a signature win at the Genesis Invitational. The former Clemson star has found his footing in the pro game thanks to a hot putter - Bridgeman leads the Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting - and boasts a consistent approach game that should translate to chances at Aronimink. A win in just his fourth major start would be unusual, but it certainly wouldn’t be a Bob May situation. –Adam Woodard

Sam Burns

Age: 29 | OWGR: 35
Major History: Top 10s (3), Best Finish (T-7), Starts (23)

Coming off a season in which he nearly won his first major championship, Sam Burns put up a strong showing at the 2026 Masters and enters the PGA Championship with an outside chance. His lack of off-the-tee prowess has been a harbinger in years past. Still, Aronimink boasts a splendid set of greens that will really test these players, and no one consistently putts as well as Burns. If he can give himself enough chances, he certainly has a shot this week. –Will Knights

Patrick Cantlay

Age: 34 | OWGR: 30
Major History: Top 10s (5), Best Finish (T-3), Starts (36)

Here are some facts: Over the last six months, Patrick Cantlay has been the 11th-best player in golf. He remains one of the most consistent ball-strikers on the PGA Tour. So why does it feel like he has no shot every time we play a major? The track record speaks for itself. In eight years, he’s contended in just two majors (the 2019 Masters and the 2023 U.S. Open) and was ultimately an afterthought in both. His consistency is probably underrated. But it’s also been four years since he won a tournament. He would need a hot putting week to break through and his putting has been poor in 2026. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Harris English

Age: 36 | OWGR: 21
Major History: Top 10s (5), Best Finish (2), Starts (36)

A runner-up at two of last year’s major championships, Harris English hasn’t exactly found that top-tier form in 2026. He’s only missed one cut so far, but a T-4 finish at the RBC Heritage is his only top 20 so far this season. Coming off an unforeseen career year in 2025, can English tap into that well again for four rounds at Aronimink? –PJ Clark

Ben Griffin

Age: 30 | OWGR: 14
Major History: Top 10s (2), Best Finish (T-8), Starts (8)

Following a breakout season in 2025, Ben Griffin has been a major disappointment so far in 2026. However, a third-place finish at the Cadillac Championship — his first top 10 of the season — could indicate Griffin is rounding back into form in advance of the year’s second major. –Joseph LaMagna

Russell Henley

Age: 37 | OWGR: 9
Major History: Top 10s (6), Best Finish (T-3), Starts (45)

The Russ Bus is an incredible athlete and professional golfer who gets results despite hitting it woefully short compared to his modern peers. The PGA can be inhospitable to such a deficiency, but there may be enough shortish holes, by modern standards, for Russell Henley to pick off at Aronimink. His short game remains top-notch when he does miss greens on approach with longer clubs. He’s been a bona fide top 10 player in the world for most of a year now and is having another strong season, though not quite up to 2025. He’s got top 10s in five of his last nine majors. But is there enough power for the PGA? –Brendan Porath

Viktor Hovland

Age: 28 | OWGR: 27
Major History: Top 10s (5), Best Finish (T-2), Starts (25)

The Norwegian is having the worst off-the-tee season of his professional career, performing slightly worse than last year in that category. Perennially an elite iron player, Viktor Hovland cannot be ruled out of this tournament, especially if the putter heats up. But to contend, he’ll need to drive the ball much better than he has for much of the year. –Joseph LaMagna

Jake Knapp

Age: 31 | OWGR: 39
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (11), Starts (6)

Only Scottie Scheffler (6) and Si Woo Kim (6) have more top-10 finishes than Jake Knapp (5) on the PGA Tour this year. Unfortunately for Knapp, the sweet-swinging speedster’s season has been derailed by a thumb injury, and he has withdrawn from two consecutive tournaments. Whether or not he tees it up by the time Thursday rolls around will be the biggest question mark surrounding Knapp’s PGA. –Joseph LaMagna

Min Woo Lee

Age: 27 | OWGR: 31
Major History: Top 10s (1), Best Finish (T-5), Starts (18)

As Joseph LaMagna mentioned on a recent Fried Egg Golf podcast, Dr. Chipinski has proven to be more than just a short-game chef and speed demon off the tee. The power is still there — he’s 10th in Driving Distance and 15th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee — but Lee has taken a massive jump with his iron play and has made strides with putting so far in 2026. This is no longer a player who can only win in Mexico, Houston, or Detroit, and he’s proven that by finding himself in the mix at Riviera, Pebble Beach, and Bay Hill this year. Yes, it was a very disappointing Masters missed cut given his form going in, but Min Woo Lee is finally set up to cook at a major championship very soon. –PJ Clark

Hideki Matsuyama

Age: 34 | OWGR: 17
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (10), Starts (52)

Normally one of the best iron players in the world, Hideki Matsuyama has really struggled off the tee in 2026. While Aronimink doesn’t feature many hazards and will likely be a bomber’s paradise, he will need to keep it between the mustard and the mayo to have a chance. An above-average week off the tee and decent putting can easily put Hideki in contention on the weekend. –Will Knights

Patrick Reed

Age: 24 | OWGR: 35
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (8), Starts (46)

After a blazing start to the year in which he won twice in three starts on the DP World Tour, we haven’t heard much from Patrick Reed, mainly because he hasn’t teed it up many times. Through two rounds at Augusta National, the 2018 Masters champion was T-2 but slid to T-12 by the end of the weekend. A firm Aronimink would benefit Reed, who wields one of the sharpest short games in the world. The softer the conditions, the more of a longshot Reed should be considered. –Joseph LaMagna

Justin Rose

Age: 45 | OWGR: 7
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (23), Starts (85)

Amidst a late-career resurgence, the new face of McLaren Golf heads to Aronimink with four top 10s in his last six PGA Championship starts. Justin Rose has a terrific course history at Aronimink, winning the 2010 AT&T National at the club and finishing runner-up to Keegan Bradley after losing a playoff at the 2018 BMW Championship. –Will Knights

Adam Scott

Age: 45 | OWGR: 46
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (20), Starts (99)

A monument to longevity in an era that rarely produces it in professional golf. Adam Scott will hit 100 straight major starts this summer, a streak that only Jack Nicklaus has surpassed. At Doral, Scott accepted the honor but demurred, saying he’d rather be celebrated for winning a major rather than just playing in all of them. Scott is still an absolute stud, but something is not clicking across four straight days to put him near a trophy. He leads (No. 1 overall!) the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach, is a top 15 ball-striker, makes every cut, and then is just kinda there on the weekend. Given the skill and recent statistical profile, he is live to contend at Aronimink and another win on the resume would seem commensurate with the career he’s put up. –Brendan Porath

Sepp Straka

Age: 33 | OWGR: 13
Major History: Top 10s (2), Best Finish (T-2), Starts (19)

He hasn’t won yet, but 2026 has just been more of the same for the steady Sepp Straka. He’s once again near the top of the leaderboard in Strokes Gained: Approach, he’s keeping the ball on the planet off the tee, and he’s a slightly above-average putter. We know Straka can get hot — just look back at last year’s AmEx — and he has the most recent win in the Philadelphia area thanks to last year’s Truist at Philadelphia Cricket Club. With a win at Aronimink, we may need to dub Straka the new Philly Phanatic. Can someone get us his thoughts on Don Mattingly? –PJ Clark

Gary Woodland

Age: 41 | OWGR: 47
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (4), Starts (54)

The feel-good story of 2026, Gary Woodland’s struggle with PTSD and his return to the PGA Tour following brain surgery was capped with a win this spring in Houston. He’s also racked up two other top-15 finishes at the Valspar Championship and RBC Heritage. Woodland isn’t as dominant off the tee as he was in the late 2010s, but he’s still a top 30 player with the driver and his approach play has helped return some consistency to his game. –Will Knights

Nicolai Hojgaard

Age: 25 | OWGR: 29
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-14), Starts (13)

Nicolai Hojgaard nearly vacated his prime real estate in the Bob May Zone at the Truist Championship, where he finished two shots behind winner Kristoffer Reitan. The rising star has been pretty solid this season with top-five finishes at the Phoenix Open and Houston Open and four other top-25 showings. That said, he’s yet to crack the top 10 at a major, so a win would still be a surprise despite his rising stock in the game as a three-time winner in Europe and Ryder Cupper. –Adam Woodard

Marco Penge 

Age: 28 | OWGR: 40
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-28), Starts (5)

After a successful 2025 season, Marco Penge is not off to a strong start in 2026 with just one top-10 finish this year. The Englishman is a great driver with a streaky putter who conceivably has the talent to contend in a big tournament like the PGA. Penge won’t be many people’s pick to win at Aronimink, but a solid week from him isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. –Joseph LaMagna

Sahith Theegala

Age: 28 | OWGR: 76
Major History: Top 10s (1), Best Finish (9), Starts (13)

There’s no sugarcoating it: Last year was straight-up bad for Sahith Theegala, but the former standout at Pepperdine is starting to find his swing again in 2026. He’s already more than doubled his earnings from 2025 in a little more than half as many events this year, with four top 10s and eight top 25s. That said, his lack of consistent, championship-level form lands him among the Bob May potentials. –Adam Woodard

A category that should speak for itself. What, we can’t have a little fun with wordplay? Aldrich Potgieter — lovingly known as Big Potty on the Shotgun Start — is an intriguing raw talent to keep an eye on, a young South African with loads of speed who likely won’t win much until he refines his game. The other two plumbers are definitely not winning. –Joseph LaMagna

Francisco Bide

Age: 38 | OWGR: 4,973
Major History: First appearance

Stewart Cink

Age: 52 | OWGR: 1, 556
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (10), Starts (90)

Aldrich Potgieter

Age: 21 | OWGR: 75
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (64), Starts (5)

Wyndham Clark

Age: 32 | OWGR: 71
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (2), Starts (17)

Wyndham Clark has pulled himself out of a career nosedive this season, but it’s pretty clear at this point that his 2023 performance — when he won the U.S. Open and climbed as high as No. 3 in the world — was an outlier. He is not one of the game’s best players and likely won’t be again, barring another hot streak or a dramatic improvement in his putting or with his driver. Clark’s petulance and obtuse explanations for that behavior during last season in the majors — when he smashed a sign at the PGA Championship and a locker at the U.S. Open — made it clear he still has a lot of work to do on himself if he’s going to maximize his talent. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Brooks Koepka

Age: 36 | OWGR: 125
Major History: Wins (5), Top 10s (18), Starts (47)

Brooks Koepka said his 7-under 64 at the opposite-field Myrtle Beach Classic was “the most excited I've been playing golf in a long, long time.” The three-time PGA champion (2018, 2019, 2023) also added: “Refound my happiness, my love for the game. All the pieces are connected. It's just now I've got to go out and go play.” A confident Koepka could be a real problem for the field once again. That said, Brooks has four top-25 finishes in eight starts back on the PGA Tour, with just one top 10, hence the slim chance. –Adam Woodard

J.J. Spaun

Age: 35 | OWGR: 8
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (1), Starts (11)

I think “slim chance” is probably a little disrespectful to a guy who won a major in Pennsylvania less than a year ago and has not exactly fallen off a cliff. To be clear, there was an initial drop-off, but he is still a top approach player and above-average driver. The struggles of the first couple months seem gone now with a win in Texas and more consistently made cuts. But yes, there are like 15-20 better options, maybe, so perhaps his chances are “slim.” –Brendan Porath

Jordan Spieth

Age: 32 | OWGR: 51
Major History: Wins (3), Top 10s (14), Starts (52)

Unquestionably the best possible outcome in the field for a winner come Sunday night at Aronimink. Does it set up well for Jordan Spieth? Not really, relative to his peers, and that’s basically been the story since he started coming to the PGA with a chance to complete the career slam since 2017. Look, I don’t have SDS (Spieth Derangement Syndrome) like a few of my colleagues, but it’s hard to see him really contending. He plays well, and it’s like a top 20 result, which is fine. He makes every cut and is just there these days, and then will talk about how close it is to coming together. That’s probably not this week, despite how fun it would be for the game. –Brendan Porath

Justin Thomas

Age: 33 | OWGR: 16
Major History: Wins (2), Top 10s (8), Starts (41)

A two-time winner of the PGA Championship, Justin Thomas got off to a delayed start in 2026 due to a back injury that required surgery last November. He popped out of nowhere at the Players in just his second start, finishing T-8 after entering the weekend just four shots off the lead. That’s his only finish of note for this year as he continues to lose strokes with his driver and currently sits in the bottom 15 of Strokes Gained: Putting among all players on Tour. Given his current form, it would be stunning to see Thomas lift a third Wanamaker Trophy this week. Maybe he can give Cameron Young some tips in exchange for stealing his putter? –PJ Clark

Every player listed below is 25 years old or younger. Generally, we don’t see major championship winners out of this age bracket, as most professional golfers peak between ages 27 and 36. If I had to nominate one name to contend, however, I would select Michael Thorbjornsen, a 24-year-old with immense power and proficient putting who has already contended multiple times on Sunday in 2026. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Michael Brennan — already a winner on Tour — in contention on Sunday. –Joseph LaMagna

Angel Ayora

Age: 21 | OWGR: 107
Major History: First appearance

Michael Brennan

Age: 24 | OWGR: 52
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (24), Starts (1)

Casey Jarvis

Age: 22 | OWGR: 72
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (MC), Starts (2)

Johnny Keefer

Age: 25 | OWGR: 74
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-61), Starts (3)

David Puig

Age: 24 | OWGR: 62
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-39), Starts (5)

Jayden Schaper

Age: 25 | OWGR: 65
Major History: First appearance

Elvis Smylie

Age: 24 | OWGR: 94
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-72), Starts (3)

Michael Thorbjornsen 

Age: 24 | OWGR: 63
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-41), Starts (4)

Keegan Bradley

Age: 39 | OWGR: 32
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (5), Starts (50)

Hard to believe it’s been — gulp — 15 years since Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship. All the grief he’s received over the past year for what went wrong in the Ryder Cup has somewhat unfairly diminished Bradley’s longevity as a player, and that’s a shame. Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, and Jason Day are the only other prominent players from 2011 who remain relevant on the world stage. It was less than a year ago that Bradley was the seventh-ranked player in the world. If he can shake some of his captaincy-induced malaise, Bradley could rewrite his legacy with another major or a Ryder Cup appearance as a player. The main issue? His iron play. This year has been the worst of his career by a considerable margin. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Jason Day

Age: 38 | OWGR: 41
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (18), Starts (57)

Thursday’s opening round will mark exactly three years to the day of the 2015 PGA champion’s last win on the PGA Tour. It’s a far, far cry from the peak of eight wins between February 2015 and May 2016 for the former world No. 1. Still looking for a second major, Day peeked his head out at this year’s Masters, entering Sunday just three shots behind Rory McIlroy. Unfortunately, a Sunday 75 pushed him all the way out of the top 10 on the final leaderboard. I am preemptively calling Jason Day a pretender if he somehow finds his way into contention again this week. –PJ Clark

Luke Donald

Age: 48 | OWGR: 1,300
Major History: Top 10s (8), Best Finish (T-3), Starts (58)

One of the game’s great statesmen these days, Luke Donald is in the field via his Ryder Cup captaincy. He’s made just one PGA Tour cut in the last year-plus, but it came, almost miraculously, at this very major on the even beefier Quail Hollow. That would be an incredible achievement again as one of the shorter hitters in pro golf when he was in his prime, let alone the current era. Root for LD as a fascinating player to follow the first couple days! –Brendan Porath

Rickie Fowler

Age: 37 | OWGR: 37
Major History: Top 10s (13), Best Finish (2), Starts (55)

If any of you Fowler Freaks are looking for signs of hope, there have legitimately been some in 2026. Fowler’s putting is, right now, as good as it’s been since 2019, when he was one of the best putters in the world. His iron game and his driving have been strong this year, and he has been trending of late with good play at Hilton Head, Doral, and Quail Hollow. Can Rickie Fowler, at age 37, pull together one final surge that rewrites the narrative of his career? There are some prominent examples of golfers who won their first major after age 35: Vijay Singh, Mark O’Meara, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, Darren Clark, Y.E. Yang, Todd Hamilton, and Shaun Micheel. But the clock is ticking fast for Fowler. –Kevin Van Valkenburg

Shane Lowry

Age: 39 | OWGR: 38
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (9), Starts (51)

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but for the second straight year, Rory McIlroy won the Masters. Somewhat relatedly, for the second straight year, Shane Lowry entered Sunday at Augusta inside the top 10 with a chance to win the green jacket. For the second straight year, Shane Lowry shot a score in the 80s to fall outside of the top 25. Another poor finish at a major he could’ve won, paired with a complete meltdown at PGA National earlier this year, should give anyone pause when setting expectations for Lowry moving forward. It’s been over a decade since he won a non-team event (with Rory as his partner, no less) in the United States, and at age 39, it may never happen again. –PJ Clark

Dustin Johnson

Age: 41 | OWGR: 471
Major History: Wins (2), Top 10s (23), Starts (66)

Dustin Johnson doesn’t have the same juice he used to bring to major championships, so his special invitation to Aronimink was surprising but certainly not shocking. DJ was at risk of missing his first major since the 2017 Masters until the PGA bailed him out as a charity case. At one time he was consistently among the best players in the world, but we haven’t seen that player in quite some time. Everyone who tees it up has a chance, sure, but Dustin Johnson will not be winning this week. –Adam Woodard

Cameron Smith

Age: 32 | OWGR: 239
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (9), Starts (38)

To steal a phrase from the political world, Cameron Smith is a PINO these days – a Professional in Name Only. The Aussie was the only player to miss the cut at all four majors in 2025 and he continued that trend last month at the Masters. He hasn’t been a competitive factor in any tournament in at least two years and is running out of time on his five-year major exemption from his 2022 Open Championship victory before he rode off into the LIV Golf sunset. Until he actually shows up for one of these events, Smith will continue to be one of the more disappointing case studies from the LIV era. –Adam Woodard

A major championship field is a rich pageant, and this group will contribute to the 2026 experience in many great ways with commentary, catnip, and maybe some golf shots. I am convinced Michael Block is as integral to the PGA Championship field as anyone and will be inevitably involved forever. Oak Hill marks time as Before Block and After Block, and we are living in the AB era. Get Scott Van Pelt and Curtis Strange and the rest of the broadcast prepped for him now. He was unfairly muzzled last year, and it’s time to lean back in. –Brendan Porath

Michael Block

Age: 49 | OWGR: 4,973
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-15), Starts (9)

Lucas Glover

Age: 46 | OWGR: 93
Major History: Wins (1), Top 10s (2), Starts (54)

Padraig Harrington

Age: 54 | OWGR: 894
Major History: Wins (3), Top 10s (16), Starts (87)

Max Homa

Age: 35 | OWGR: 123
Major History: Top 10s (3), Best Finish (T-3), Starts (24)

Billy Horschel

Age: 39 | OWGR: 117
Major History: Top 10s (3), Best Finish (T-2), Starts (44)

Michael Kim

Age: 32 | OWGR: 45
Major History: Top 10s (0), Best Finish (T-17), Starts (12)