PGA CHAMPIONSHIP '24: Capsules of 10 key players at Valhalla
A capsule look at 10 key players going into the PGA Championship, which starts May 16 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Listed in predicted order of finish:
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
Age: 27.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 1.
Worldwide wins: 11.
Majors: Masters (2022, 2024).
Best PGA Championship finish: Runner-up at Oak Hill in 2023.
Backspin: Scheffler has won three of his last four starts, including his second Masters. The exception was a runner-up finish in Houston. A decent putting week means he’ll be in contention. A good putting week usually means an easy win. But he comes into the PGA Championship off a three-week break for the birth of his first child.
BROOKS KOEPKA
Age: 34.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 37.
Worldwide wins: 16.
Majors: PGA Championship (2018, 2019, 2023), U.S. Open (2017, 2018).
Best PGA Championship finish: Won at Bellerive in 2018, Bethpage Black in 2019 and Oak Hill in 2023.
Backspin: Koepka restored his reputation as “Big Game Brooks” last year by winning his fifth major in seven years. He wasn’t a factor in his three majors since winning at Oak Hill. But he won a LIV Golf event in Singapore that was sure to boost his confidence.
RORY MCILROY
Age: 35.
Country: Northern Ireland.
World ranking: 2.
Worldwide wins: 35.
Majors: PGA Championship (2012, 2014), U.S. Open (2011), British Open (2014).
Best PGA Championship finish: Won at Kiawah Island in 2012 and Valhalla in 2014.
Backspin: McIlroy can’t come to a major without being reminded of what he hasn’t done. His PGA Championship title at Valhalla in 2014 was the last time he won a major. The Masters was another letdown for him. At least he comes to Valhalla having won the team event in New Orleans with Shane Lowry.
LUDVIG ABERG
Age: 24.
Country: Sweden.
World ranking: 6.
Worldwide wins: 2.
Majors: None.
Best PGA Championship finish: Making his PGA Championship debut.
Backspin: Aberg is starting to be anointed as the biggest threat to Scottie Scheffler and this is only his second major appearance. He was runner-up to Scheffler in his major debut at the Masters. He was in the mix the next week. Rough-framed fairways would seem to suit him with his length and accuracy off the tee.
JORDAN SPIETH
Age: 30.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 21.
Worldwide wins: 16.
Majors: Masters (2015), U.S. Open (2015), British Open (2017).
Best PGA Championship finish: Runner-up at Whistling Straits in 2015.
Backspin: This will be Spieth’s eighth attempt at trying to complete the career Grand Slam and join the most exclusive group in golf. The good news for Spieth is expectations have rarely been this low. He is getting next to nothing out of his game. He has missed the cut in four of his last five tournaments that had a 36-hole cut, including the Masters.
JON RAHM
Age: 29.
Country: Spain.
World ranking: 5.
Worldwide wins: 20.
Majors: Masters (2023), U.S. Open (2021).
Best PGA Championship finish: Tied for fourth at Bellerive in 2018.
Backspin: Rahm has gone 13 months without winning, and he is 0-for-7 on LIV Golf since he defected in December to the Saudi-funded league. He was lucky to make the cut at the Masters. But an angry Rahm can also be a dangerous one in the majors.
MAX HOMA
Age: 33.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 10.
Worldwide wins: 7.
Majors: None.
Best PGA Championship finish: Tied for 13th at Southern Hills in 2022.
Backspin: The last piece of the puzzle for Homa is the majors and he showed up in a big way at the Masters. He challenged all the way until a bad break on the par-3 12th at Augusta National but came away believing his game can stack up to the biggest tests.
JUSTIN THOMAS
Age: 31.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 29.
Worldwide wins: 15.
Majors: PGA Championship (2017, 2022).
Best PGA Championship finish: Won at Quail Hollow in 2017 and Southern Hills in 2022.
Backspin: This is a rare occasion where a player has a hometown major. Thomas has gone winless since his second PGA Championship title two years ago, though his game is never as far off as it looks. The test will be not to try too hard before a home crowd. This will be his third tournament with new caddie Matt Minister.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
Age: 30.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 117.
Worldwide wins: 11.
Majors: U.S Open (2020).
Best PGA Championship finish: Tied for fourth at Harding Park in 2020 and at Oak Hill in 2023.
Backspin: DeChambeau has played well enough to win twice on LIV Golf, but more telling are the majors. He opened with a 66 at the PGA Championship last year and was on the fringe of contention in the final round. He shared the 36-hole lead at the Masters last month until a slow slide. Cleaning up a few mistakes could go a long way.
TIGER WOODS
Age: 48.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 801.
Worldwide wins: 93.
Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007), U.S Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006).
Best PGA Championship finish: Won at Medinah (1999, 2006), Valhalla (2000) and Southern Hills (2007).
Backspin: Woods won at Valhalla in 2000 when he was 24 and healthy. He has not played since making the cut and then finishing in last place at the Masters, and the PGA Championship will be only his third tournament this year. A fifth PGA title would tie the record held by Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen.
