NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 10, 2026, 15:03 EDT
Scottie Scheffler heads into PGA Championship week at Aronimink Golf Club as both the reigning champ and the top betting pick, but this second major isn’t shaping up as a simple Scheffler-versus-Rory McIlroy matchup. According to FanDuel odds reported by CBS Sports, Scheffler sits at +440—so a $100 bet nets $440 if he wins. McIlroy comes next at +750. Jon Rahm and Cameron Young are tied behind them, each at +1300.
Timing’s key here. The PGA Championship tees off Thursday, May 14, at Aronimink near Philadelphia. According to the PGA of America, 154 golfers are locked in, with two spots still open for the winners of the Truist Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic. Among those in the field: 15 past PGA Champions, 29 major winners, and 20 PGA of America Golf Professionals—club and teaching pros who qualified through the PGA track.
The contenders are starting to stack up just as the leaderboard’s losing its neatness. According to Golf Channel’s Associated Press report, Scheffler and McIlroy still hold the top two spots globally, but Cameron Young, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Chris Gotterup have firmed up the tier right behind them. Young, ranked No. 3, downplayed any sense of security, telling the AP his position “doesn’t really guarantee me anything.” Golf Channel
McIlroy adds intrigue here. After locking up back-to-back Masters titles, he called himself “more motivated” heading for Aronimink, Shinnecock, and Birkdale. Scheffler, for his part, is chasing a repeat at the PGA Championship in stroke play—a feat Golf Channel notes only Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka have managed. Golf Channel
CBS Sports’ analytics-backed preview dialed back on Bryson DeChambeau, even after his strong PGA Championship showing, but highlighted Tommy Fleetwood at +2500 as a longer-shot with a credible way into the mix. Not a result—just a forecast—but it hints at shifting betting focus before round one.
Aronimink brings extra historical weight to the week compared with a typical venue swap. Pennsylvania is set to hold the championship for the 10th time, according to the PGA of America, while Aronimink itself was where Gary Player secured his first PGA Championship back in 1962.
At 90, Player stands by his old assessment in a PGA Magazine article—he’s long said the PGA is “the hardest major to win,” pointing to its all-pro lineup. That observation feels especially apt this week: Scheffler leads the odds, but plenty of contenders are stacked up behind and there aren’t many easy targets on the sheet. PGA Championship
The real wild card sits off the odds board. This year’s harsh northeastern winter delayed the start of the growing season, and as Kerry Haigh, the PGA of America’s chief championship officer, put it to Golf Channel: “Mother Nature is going to happen.” Still, he praised the course as being in “outstanding condition.” A May major in Pennsylvania? It still takes a little bit of luck. Golf Channel
Some late changes have shaken up the field. Tiger Woods won’t play, according to Golf Channel, while Phil Mickelson pulled out due to what the PGA of America called a family health issue. Dustin Johnson, whose automatic eligibility expired, got in on a special invite; he told reporters he was “very happy and thankful” for the spot. Golf Channel
It’s a setup we’ve seen before, though it’s far from predictable. Scheffler leads the betting, McIlroy comes in buzzing off his recent major, with Rahm and Young crowding right behind. Aronimink, for its part, isn’t likely to play along with an easy narrative. Or as Justin Thomas summed it up to Golf Channel’s AP report: “Aronimink should be good.” Golf Channel
