It is officially PGA Championship week! The second major championship of the 2024 season gets underway this week in Kentucky! For the fourth time in the history of the tournament, and the first since 2014, the PGA Championship will be held at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
The defending champion of the tournament this year is Brooks Koepka, who won his third PGA Championship last year at Oak Hill Country Club. The man who won it last time it was at Valhalla in 2014 is Rory Mcilroy, who hasn’t won a major championship since that victory.
Here are a few storylines to look forward to ahead of the PGA Championship this week!
But before that, here’s some info on the PGA Championship:
Jack Nickalus and Walter Hagen have won the most PGA Championships throughout the tournament’s history. They have each won it 5 times.
The last three winners of the tournament have all won the PGA Championship at least once before. In 2021 Phil Mickelson won his second PGA title (2005), in 2022 Justin Thomas won his second PGA title (2017), and in 2023 Brooks Koepka won his third PGA title (2018, 2019).
Scottie Scheffler will look to become the first golfer to win consecutive majors since 2015 when fellow Texan Jordan Spieth won The Masters and the U.S. Open consecutively.
The 2024 Tournament will be the 106th playing of the PGA Championship. It will be the fourth tournament held at Valhalla Golf Club. It was previously played at Valhalla in 1996, 2000, and 2014.
The PGA Championship has been held in the Month of May since 2019 (with the exception of 2020, which was moved due to COVID). It was previously held in the month of August.
CAN RORY FIND MAJOR GLORY AGAIN AT VALHALLA?
LOUISVILLE, KY – AUGUST 10: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland poses with the Wanamaker trophy after his one-stroke victory during the final round of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 10, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy’s last major championship victory was in August of 2014 and it came at Valhalla. The Northern Irishman held off Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler to win his fourth major title and second consecutive major in 2014. However, he hasn’t been able to cross the finish line in a major as a champion since. Can he finally get his fifth major title in the place that he won his last? He enters in terrific form, having just won the Wells Fargo Championship last week.
CAN JORDAN SPIETH COMPLETE THE CAREER GRAND SLAM?
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 12: Jordan Spieth of the United States follows his shot from the fourth tee during the second round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
McIlroy missed his shot at the career grand slam last month at Augusta, now Jordan Spieth is on career Grand Slam watch. The three time major champion is on his 7th attempt to win a Wanamaker Trophy. However, he has been dealing with a wrist injury recently and hasn’t been in contention at all recently. Can Spieth battle through the injury and claim the career slam? I can’t see it happening. But the storyline is certainly something to watch for.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER….WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 14: Scottie Scheffler of the United States poses with the Masters trophy after winning the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
What can we expect out of Scottie Scheffler this week? The new dad will be making his first start since the RBC Heritage in April and hasn’t finished lower than T2 since February. Could the pressure of winning back to back majors be too much? Could the pressure of winning his fifth tournament in six starts be too much? Who knows. But it will be interesting to see how Scheffler performs this week with such a big spotlight on him.
CAN JUSTIN THOMAS WIN IN HIS HOME STATE?
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MAY 22: Justin Thomas of the USA celebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after the final round of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 22, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
The kid from Kentucky will look to win his third Wanamaker this week at Valhalla. After a very down year in 2023, Thomas has been on an up and down ride in 2024. However, what should be most concerning with JT is his play in the recent majors. Since winning the PGA Championship in 2022, Thomas has played in seven majors and missed the cut in four of them. His best finish in the ones that he’s made the weekend is a T37. Can a return to his home state help him regain some major form and get him his 3rd PGA Championship victory?
CAN BROOKS KOEPKA REPEAT?
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – MAY 21: Brooks Koepka of the United States celebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club on May 21, 2023 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It’s the PGA Championship, so you have to keep an eye on Brooks Koepka. The reigning champ, and three time winner of the tournament, is coming off a win at his last LIV event in Singapore. Can he be the first guy to repeat as PGA Champion since, well, himself? He successfully defended his 2018 title in 2019, so he knows what it takes to repeat at this tournament.
WILL TALOR GOOCH MAKE GOOD USE OF HIS EXEMPTION?
CADIZ, SPAIN – JULY 2: Talor Gooch of RangeGoats GC poses with the trophy after winning the LIV Golf – Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama on July 2, 2023 in Cadiz, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Sticking with LIV golfers, Talor Gooch is a man to keep an eye on. He has been very vocal against the PGA Tour and the majors since he joined the LIV Tour. Gooch, along with a few other LIV golfers, was granted a special exemption into this week’s tournament. Can he prove the PGA right that they gave him an exemption and improve on his career best T14 at a major?
