Five rivals Rory McIlroy must beat to end major drought at PGA Championship
The Northern Irishman is in good form as he returns to Valhalla
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Your support makes all the difference.Rory McIlroy arrives at the scene of his last major triumph in excellent form as he bids to end his 10-year major drought.
The PGA Championship returns to Valhalla for the first time since the Northern Irishman secured victory a decade ago. That win was McIlroy’s second major of a summer that seemed to mark his arrival as golf’s dominant force, but the 35-year-old has not added to his collection since.
A win at the Wells Fargo Championship has left him full of confidence for the event in Louisville, although off-course matters have taken centre stage in the past couple of days with the news that he has filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica.
With a field full of legitimate contenders due to compete at Valhalla, here are five of the challengers likeliest to rival McIlroy for victory at the second men’s major of the year.
The Masters winner has established himself as the best player in the world this season, dominating the PGA Tour. With his putting issues seemingly solved, the American was cool and calm in the final round at Augusta to secure a second green jacket.
A runner-up in the PGA Championship last year, if Scheffler is on form there are few, if any, capable of matching his unerring tee-to-green accuracy. With his first child, a son, having made a safe arrival last week, a win at Valhalla could cap a special fortnight for Scheffler.
Like McIlroy and Scheffler, Koepka arrives in Louisville having won on his last start, the LIV golfer securing victory in Singapore on 5 May. The defending champion loves this tournament, having lifted the Wanamaker Trophy three times, and his game is well suited to the sort of courses the PGA Championship favours.
Koepka’s major pedigree is in little doubt: a sixth title would move him alongside Phil Mickelson, Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino. A top-20 finish on debut at Valhalla in 2014 suggests he’ll be right up there again.
The rapid rise of Aberg continued on his major debut at Augusta, the smooth Swede not at all overawed by the occasion and pushing Scheffler closer than anyone. After a strong Ryder Cup showing in Rome, the 24-year-old has shown he can handle the spotlight.
The young gun elected to skip the Wells Fargo Championship to give a knee issue some extra rest, meaning he has been able to throw his full focus into competing at Valhalla. A beautifully clean striker, a breakthrough win is surely not far away.
Another Masters standout, DeChambeau was right in the mix before fading slightly on the Sunday. Still, the LIV big-hitter showed renewed control on the course, putting aside some of the wilder shots that characterised his dip in form after winning the US Open in 2020.
Twice a top-five finisher in this event, DeChambeau could well be an early pace-setter again.
For so long it has been a question of when, rather than if, Schauffele will win a major, but the signature win in one of golf’s biggest events is still yet to arrive for the 30-year-old. An Olympic gold medal does offer some form of consolation but he’ll be desperate to at last get over the line after a dozen previous top-10s.
His showing at Quail Hollow last weekend will have left him with mixed feelings – having surged into the lead, the Californian could not match McIlroy down the stretch. Indeed, his major history has been reflected in his PGA Tour results this season, Schauffele a consistent challenger (eight top-10 finishes since the calendar flipped to 2024) but yet to win. Now would be a fine time to end his reputation as golf’s nearly man.
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