Brooks Koepka Begins PGA Championship Title Defense; Scheffler Aims for Second Major of the Season

Overview
The 106th PGA Championship returns to Valhalla Golf Club this week, marking the second major championship on the DP World Tour schedule. 156 top golfers from around the world are set to showcase their skills.

Valhalla, we meet again!
Located in Kentucky, the course was designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1986 and hosted its first major in 1996, followed by two more in 2000 and 2014. Ahead of the 2014 major, Valhalla underwent a significant renovation, with all 18 greens rebuilt, bunkers added or renovated, and a new irrigation system installed to address drainage issues. The club is also known for hosting the 2008 Ryder Cup, two Senior PGA Championships, and a Junior PGA Championship for both boys and girls.

Since the 2014 PGA Championship, Valhalla has replaced its bentgrass fairways with Bermuda grass, resulting in faster and firmer playing conditions. In 2021, the club removed rough between the fairways and fairway bunkers to emphasize accuracy off the tee, meaning even slight misses will be punished.

Title Defense
Brooks Koepka claimed his third PGA Championship title last year at Oak Hill Country Club, defeating Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler by two strokes. A key moment in the final round came at the 16th hole, where Hovland, one shot back, bogeyed after finding a fairway bunker, while Koepka birdied, creating a four-shot lead.

With his third Wanamaker Trophy, Koepka joined an elite group as the 20th man to win five major championships in golf. He became the sixth player to win the PGA Championship three times or more. If he defends his title this week, he’ll be the first to successfully defend since 2018 and 2019 when he won consecutive titles at Bellerive and Bethpage Black.

McIlroy’s Fifth Major on the Horizon?
Despite a 20th-place finish at the Masters, Rory McIlroy has tasted victory alongside Shane Lowry in recent weeks at the Wells Fargo Championship and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Valhalla holds fond memories for McIlroy, who won his most recent of four majors here nearly a decade ago, part of a three-tournament winning streak that included triumphs at The Open and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Can history repeat itself this week?

While major victories have been elusive for the Northern Irishman in recent years, he has consistently won worldwide. However, to end the drought and add another major to his collection, McIlroy may need to overcome a player in the form of a Tiger Woods in his prime—Scottie Scheffler.

New Father Scheffler Eyes Second Major of the Season
After the birth of his first child, world number one Scheffler skipped last week’s Wells Fargo Championship. This week, he begins his quest for a second major of the season at the PGA Championship. Undoubtedly the dominant force in men’s golf this year, he has won four of his last five events, including his second Green Jacket at the Masters, making him the first to defend that title. Despite a three-week break since his RBC Heritage win, Scheffler remains the favorite heading into the tournament.

DP World Tour Members Shine
Ludvig Aberg made his major debut with a runner-up finish; hopes are high for another strong performance following his impressive start to his professional career less than a year ago. One of seven Swedes in the field, including Jesper Svensson, who received a PGA invitation after his DP World Tour breakthrough victory earlier this season in Singapore. Sebastian Soderberg makes his PGA Championship debut, having performed well in the Asian Swing, as did Takumi Kanaya and Adri Arnaus, who also earned exemptions. Tommy Fleetwood, who finished third at Augusta National, aims for his first US victory in a major this week.

Twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard tee it up for the second consecutive year at the PGA Championship, while Robert MacIntyre, Victor Perez, and Sami Välimäki, among others, make their major debuts as dual members this season.

(European Tour)