The PGA Championship may be the least-noticed major championship most years, but it brings an unusual level of intrigue to Valhalla Golf Club outside of Louisville, Ky., this week.
Scottie Scheffler won his last start, the RBC Heritage last month. He’s won four of his last five actually, including the Masters, Players Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational. Another win would create a summer of conversation around the pursuit of a grand slam.
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Rory McIlroy has won his last two starts, including a dominant performance Sunday to win the signature event Wells Fargo Championship. He’s seeking to end his decade-long major drought, his last being the 2014 PGA at … Valhalla.
And Brooks Koepka, the defending PGA champion, won his last event, LIV Golf’s Singapore tournament. A sixth major championship of his career would tie him at 12th all-time with Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson.
This is before we mention Jon Rahm, Ludvig Åberg, Xander Schauffele or any of the rest of the top contenders at Valhalla. There are plenty of them, which is why we’ve brought back our Big Board for this PGA Championship, ranking the top contenders in the field 1-40.
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1
Scottie Scheffler
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
27
Scheffler is far and away the favorite at Valhalla. As evidenced by his four-shot victory at Augusta National earlier this spring, Scheffler is the best player in the world by a significant margin. Scheffler will come into the PGA having not played since the RBC Heritage, which he won by five shots the week after the Masters. The Texan did not enter the field at the Wells Fargo Championship, last week’s signature event, as his wife Meredith was due to give birth to their first child. At Valhalla, Scheffler looks to go 2-of-2 in majors this season. Only six players have pulled off the feat: Craig Wood, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth. There is one perplexing hurdle in Scheffler’s way: He has never won a tournament outside of February-April. All 10 of Scheffler’s PGA Tour wins have occurred during those three months. — Gabby Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
RBC Heritage
1
Masters
1
Houston Open
T2
Players Championship
1
Arnold Palmer
1
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 wins
Strokes Gained
25-29
United States
PGA Tour
2
Jon Rahm
LIV
Spain
Age:
29
When Jon Rahm first left for LIV, he was undeniably one of the two best players in golf. He hasn’t done anything to dispel that notion, finishing top 10 in all seven LIV events this season with four top 5s. But because so few people see LIV events and he hasn’t won — mixed with a very disappointing T45 at the Masters — it feels like there’s a little pressure on Rahm to restate his claim as a top player while Scottie Scheffler separates himself from the pack. Still, Rahm is halfway to a career grand slam and should be considered one of the favorites in Louisville. — Brody Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
T10
Adelaide
T3
Masters
T45
Miami
T4
Hong Kong
T8
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 wins
Strokes Gained
25-29
Spain
LIV
3
Rory McIlroy
PGA Tour
Northern Ireland
Age:
35
A month ago Rory McIlroy stood in front of the scorer’s building at Augusta National and openly talked about dramatic swing changes. So much has changed — he and Shane Lowry stormed from behind to win the Zurich Classic to close out April, and McIlroy followed that up with a dominant win at the Wells Fargo Championship Sunday. Every part of his game is working right now, from the tee to green. Is that enough to win his first major championship in 10 years since … checks notes … the PGA Championship at Valhalla? McIlroy is a man who has his favorite courses. He’s won four times at Quail Hollow, which bears a striking resemblance to Valhalla. — Hugh Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
1
Zurich Classic
1
RBC Heritage
T33
Masters
T22
Texas Open
3
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
4 wins
Strokes Gained
30-35
Northern Ireland
PGA Tour
4
Ludvig Åberg
PGA Tour
Sweden
Age:
24
The Swedish rookie has done more than enough to prove he can contend on the game’s biggest stages. He came in solo second place at the Masters in his tournament debut, and the finish only added to his stacked resume, which now includes two worldwide wins, a Ryder Cup appearance and four top-10s this season on the PGA Tour. Now the only question is, can he actually break through to win a major in his first year as a pro? All signs point to that outcome being extremely plausible. The only concern for Åberg at the PGA Championship is his health. The 24-year-old withdrew from last week’s Wells Fargo Championship due to a “knee issue.” He took the week off to rest at home. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
RBC Heritage
T10
Masters
2
Texas Open
T14
Players Championship
8
Arnold Palmer
T25
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 (Masters, 2024)
Strokes Gained
20-24
Sweden
PGA Tour
5
Xander Schauffele
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
30
There’s no easy way to discuss Schauffele right now. On paper, he’s playing the second best overall golf on any tour. In 12 starts this season he’s finished outside of the top-10 just four times. Oh, and only once outside the top-25. The problem? He isn’t winning. It’s one thing to just fall short or not grab it. That’s always been Schauffele’s bugaboo. But this season between a final group fading at Riviera, a disappointing final group back nine at The Players and a McIlroy dismantling him Sunday at Quail Hollow, the storyline of Schauffele’s finishing struggles have reached a new level. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
2
Zurich Classic
T23
RBC Heritage
T18
Masters
8
Valspar
T5
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T2 (Twice)
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
6
Wyndham Clark
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
30
Wyndham Clark’s reputation is that he’s not exactly a finesse golfer — he will hit driver and get the ball out as far as he can, then hack it out of the lie with a wedge up to the green. If he must simply find the fairway, he’ll take less than driver to do it. It’s an effective game though — the 2023 U.S. Open winner won at Pebble Beach earlier this year and twice finished runner-up to Scottie Scheffler in March. But it may come down to course setup to determine whether or not Clark can claim his second career major. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T47
RBC Heritage
T3
Masters
Cut
Houston Open
T31
Players Championship
T2
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
7
Collin Morikawa
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
27
As a past PGA champion and a contender at last month’s Masters, Morikawa is entering the week at Valhalla with some revived momentum. Despite faltering at the finish line at Augusta, the two-time major winner seems content with his form. Since winning the 2021 Open Championship, Morikawa has captured just one additional title on tour (the 2023 Zozo Championship). Swing issues have been the central culprit for his inconsistency. But the week following his T3 finish at the Masters, Morikawa again showed signs of progress, posting a solo ninth place at the RBC Heritage. According to reports, Morikawa also recently reconnected with his lifelong swing and mental coach, Rick Sessinghaus, a familiar face who could help the Southern Californian continue his upward trend. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T16
Zurich Classic
T23
RBC Heritage
9
Masters
T3
Texas Open
T75
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 wins
Strokes Gained
25-29
United States
PGA Tour
8
Max Homa
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
33
Max Homa had been the top-15 golfer who couldn’t even get in the mix at a major. He finally put some of that narrative to rest with a T3 at last month’s Masters. On the other hand, Homa’s game is still trying to catch up to last year’s level. His driving stats have taken a step back, and his putting has been volatile. But the best thing for Homa is he’s playing better on bigger stages. Between a T8 at the Arnold Palmer, a T8 last week at Quail Hollow and his great Masters week, he’s playing great golf in the signature events. We’ll see if the great ball striker can keep it up. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T8
RBC Heritage
T55
Masters
T3
Texas Open
T25
Players Championship
T64
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T3 (Masters, 2024)
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
9
Brooks Koepka
LIV
United States
Age:
34
The defending PGA champion got hot earlier this month when he won LIV Singapore by two shots to claim his fourth victory on the breakaway tour. Knowing Koepka’s tendency to find a groove just in time for the majors, his form could be dangerous for the rest of the field at Valhalla. Before hoisting the trophy, Koepka hadn’t performed particularly well in 2024, including at this year’s Masters. The five-time major winner finished T45. At LIV Singapore, he called the result an “embarrassment” and admitted that he had to “apologize” to his team for the failure. Koepka is clearly looking to prove something — both to himself and those around him — and that motivation will likely serve him well in Louisville. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
1
Adelaide
T9
Masters
T45
Miami
T45
Hong Kong
28
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
5 wins
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
LIV
10
Joaquin Niemann
LIV
Chile
Age:
25
Any list of the best players in the world without a major now must include Joaquin Niemann to feel complete. The Chilean has been on a torrid pace since the fall, with a win in the Australian Open and two of the first three LIV events sending a message that the rising star had found another level to his golf game. A very solid T22 finish at the Masters indicated the game would hold up against all of the best, and not just LIV fields. Neimann is averaging 317.4 yards off the tee at seven LIV events, second only to Bryson DeChambeau, and is finding the green in regulation 75.13 percent of the time. Pretty, pretty good. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
T7
Adelaide
T3
Masters
T22
Miami
T9
Hong Kong
T4
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T16 (Masters, 2023)
Strokes Gained
25-29
Chile
LIV
11
Viktor Hovland
PGA Tour
Norway
Age:
26
The current form of the 13th-ranked player in the world is a giant cloud of mystery heading into the PGA. Hovland has been transparent about his relentless pursuit of perfection in his game, particularly in his full swing. The only problem with that effort is that he’s still in the middle of it, and good tournament results are difficult to come by. Hovland missed the cut at the Masters and has only finished in the top 20 once this season on tour. As he continues to work through swing changes and adjustments, Hovland’s ability to clinch his maiden major championship title will be left largely to chance. When will his work on the driving range finally carry to the course? — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T24
Masters
Cut
Players Championship
T62
Arnold Palmer
T36
Genesis
T19
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T2 (PGA, 2023)
Strokes Gained
25-29
Norway
PGA Tour
12
Patrick Cantlay
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
32
For seven years running, Cantlay was arguably the most steady, consistent player on tour. His strokes gained statistics in each category remained eerily similar each season. He racked up top-10 finishes. You could always count him among the best 5-8 golfers in the world. Suddenly, though, we’re seeing a less reliable Cantlay in 2024. He has just two top-10s. He’s uncharacteristically finished outside the top 20 in seven of 11 starts. And when he entered the weekend at the Genesis Invitational with a five-shot lead, he shot 70 and 72 for a disappointing fourth-place finish. Cantlay hasn’t finished top 5 in a major since 2019, so he knows as well as anyone he needs to find that form. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T29
Zurich Classic
T23
RBC Heritage
T33
Masters
T22
Players Championship
T68
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T3 (PGA, 2019)
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
13
Bryson DeChambeau
LIV
United States
Age:
30
The man who showed up to the Masters with 3D-printed irons now takes his act to Valhalla. If you feel like anything is possible with Bryson DeChambeau, it’s because it often is — he shot a first-round 65 with those irons. He also played the next three rounds over par, and has finished T26 and T27 at the last two LIV events. So what should we expect from DeChambeau at this PGA Championship? He’s still not a great bet to win, but the through line in all of his equipment efforts is removing as many variables as possible. He’ll always be susceptible to a better player having a better week, but when it all works it does create a high floor for himself. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
T27
Adelaide
T26
Masters
T6
Miami
T7
Hong Kong
T6
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
LIV
14
Tyrrell Hatton
LIV
England
Age:
32
Tyrrell Hatton is a difficult golfer to place. He’s No. 9 in the world on DataGolf. He’s compiled double-digit top-20 finishes each of the last eight years. Yet he never won a PGA Tour event in seven seasons on tour. He’s never truly been in contention to win a major. And when he left for LIV this winter, it was met with something of a shrug. Nonetheless, Hatton is one of the more reliable players in the field, and he’s coming off a T9 at the Masters and a T5 at the last LIV event in Singapore. He’s a great ball striker and one of the best putters in golf. It might be a mistake to overlook Hatton. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
T5
Adelaide
T14
Masters
T9
Miami
T4
Hong Kong
T21
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T5 (Open, 2016)
Strokes Gained
30-35
England
LIV
15
Sahith Theegala
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
26
The breakout is coming, we think. The first PGA Tour win came in the fall and Theegala has had other chances since, including The Sentry, WM Phoenix Open and RBC Heritage. The knock on Theegala was a driver that could get off the planet, but the 26-year-old has made progress. He’s 78th on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy this season, but that’s a considerable step-up from the No. 172 he was last year. And that’s not necessarily a deal breaker — plenty of recognizable names are below Theegala in that particular stat. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T52
Zurich Classic
Cut
RBC Heritage
2
Masters
T45
Houston Open
T28
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
9 (Masters, 2023)
Strokes Gained
25-29
United States
PGA Tour
16
Matt Fitzpatrick
PGA Tour
England
Age:
29
The 2022 U.S. Open champion hasn’t produced much buzz this season but has been steadily flying under the radar with solid results. Fitzpatrick snuck into the top 25 at the Masters and has five top-15 finishes on tour this season, including a solo fifth-place finish at the Players Championship. Valhalla could suit Fitzpatrick’s game well, as the course requires several risk-reward decisions that could favor the Englishman’s analytical nature and give him an edge on the field. Fitzpatrick is known for tracking every shot that he hits — both in competition and in practice — so that he can make improvements to the right areas of his game and determine an optimal course strategy. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T52
Zurich Classic
T11
RBC Heritage
T28
Masters
T22
Texas Open
T10
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
25-29
England
PGA Tour
17
Tommy Fleetwood
PGA Tour
England
Age:
33
Sometimes golfers become the best version of themselves later in their career, and Fleetwood seemed to reach a new level last season at 32. He racked up 11 top-10 finishes, won a Ryder Cup and continued to redefine how we look at him on big stages. The Englishman has finished top-10 in five of his last eight majors (four of those being top-5s) and that includes a T3 a month ago at Augusta. The interesting thing this week will be his excellent short game (gaining 0.69 strokes around the green, per DataGolf). Players are spending extra time in the rough preparing to miss greens at Valhalla, and that could be to Fleetwood’s advantage. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T13
RBC Heritage
T49
Masters
T3
Texas Open
T7
Players Championship
T35
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 (twice)
Strokes Gained
30-35
England
PGA Tour
18
Hideki Matsuyama
PGA Tour
Japan
Age:
32
A very good 2024 has seen Matsuyama already win one signature event (Genesis Invitational) and post a pair of top 10s (Players, Texas Open). But his status for the PGA Championship has to be in some doubt after a back injury forced Matsuyama to withdraw from last week’s Wells Fargo Championship at the last second. He has not played on the PGA Tour since the Masters and has had injury issues pop up during the last two seasons. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Masters
T38
Texas Open
T7
Players Championship
T6
Arnold Palmer
T12
Genesis
1
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
30-35
Japan
PGA Tour
19
Will Zalatoris
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
27
Zalatoris has been trending for a big week since his comeback from his back surgery in April 2023. A flare-up took him out of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, but otherwise, Zalatoris has not missed a beat this season. He posted top 5s at the Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer, in addition to a T9 finish at the Masters. Zalatoris has benefited from his switch to the increasingly popular broomstick putting method, but the best part of his game this season has been his approach play. Zalatoris is ranked eighth on the PGA Tour in strokes gained approach to the green, a strength that is particularly beneficial for tricky major championship pin locations. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T60
Zurich Classic
Cut
RBC Heritage
T44
Masters
T9
Houston Open
T74
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 (twice)
Strokes Gained
25-29
United States
PGA Tour
20
Brian Harman
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
37
Golf is strange. Harman ran away with the 2023 Open Championship by six shots, showed real fight at the Ryder Cup and ended the year strong. By the time he finished T2 at The Players in March, it was legitimate to ask if Harman was one of the 10-20 best golfers in the world. Now, you take a step back and see that T2 was Harman’s only top-10 finish in his last 12 starts. His approach game has taken a big dip, and he missed the cut at the Masters. If Harman has proven anything, it’s that he’s an elite competitor. But we’re reaching the point he either has it or he doesn’t on any given week. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T47
RBC Heritage
T12
Masters
Cut
Texas Open
T25
Valspar
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
36-40
United States
PGA Tour
21
Cameron Young
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
27
Four top-10 finishes, including a T9 at the Masters and a solo runner-up placing at the Valspar Championship, highlight Cameron Young’s 2024, but he remains in search of his first PGA Tour win. He’s now 27, certainly not an old man but also not quite a young one, making us wonder if and when it will come. We’ve certainly seen enough from him in major championships, with five top 10s in nine starts since 2022, to not discount it entirely. But can he close? Letting Peter Malnati chase him down at Valspar was not a great look. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T34
RBC Heritage
T62
Masters
T9
Valspar
2
Players Championship
T54
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 (Open, 2022)
Strokes Gained
25-29
United States
PGA Tour
22
Justin Thomas
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
31
Justin Thomas’s 2024 season has been a roller coaster ride, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll put together a hopeful performance or another disappointing one at Valhalla. On the one hand, Thomas is a two-time PGA champion and has proven to be successful on similar course set-ups, so it's possible he could break out of his major championship slump (he missed the cut in four of the last five majors). Plus, Thomas grew up in Lousiville and will have some strong hometown support. On the other hand, the 31-year-old didn’t show much positive momentum at the Masters. He imploded on the back nine on Friday to once again miss the weekend. He also missed the cut at the Genesis and the Players. Could Louisville be the end of his struggles? — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T21
RBC Heritage
T5
Masters
Cut
Valspar
T64
Players Championship
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 wins
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
23
Cameron Smith
LIV
Australia
Age:
30
One of the better major players of his generation, Smith won the 2022 Open Championship in thrilling fashion over Rory McIlroy but has also nine top-10 majors finishes including seven the last four years. Since he went to LIV, Smith has been slightly out of the spotlight, but he still finished sixth at the Masters in April, won two LIV events in 2023 and finished second to Koepka two weeks ago in Singapore. Smith can be unpredictable, but he’s arguably the best short-game player in the world. He’s a threat this week. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
T2
Adelaide
T14
Masters
T6
Miami
WD
Hong Kong
T2
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
30-35
Australia
LIV
24
Akshay Bhatia
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
22
At an age when most of his peers are preparing for NCAA championships or fighting their way up to the PGA Tour through Korn Ferry, Akshay Bhatia is a two-time PGA Tour winner making his second major start of the year. It’s difficult to not marvel at Bhatia, with his long but powerful swing attached to a rail-thin physique. But the 22-year-old clearly has learned a thing or two about how to compete on the tour since turning professional after high school. It’s a good bet that he’ll claim a major at some point, maybe soon. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
42
RBC Heritage
T18
Masters
T35
Texas Open
1
Houston Open
T11
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T35 (Masters, 2024)
Strokes Gained
20-24
United States
PGA Tour
25
Jordan Spieth
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
30
There have been flashes of hope and brief moments of stability, but for the most part, Jordan Spieth’s 2024 season has been nothing short of organized chaos. Since the WM Phoenix Open, Spieth has not managed to string together more than one consecutive made cut. He shot himself out of the Masters early, with a quadruple bogey on Day 1. He was also sent packing early at the Players, the Valspar and the CJ Cup. Lingering issues with his wrist have probably been a culprit. Spieth’s putting and driving have saved him occasionally — he’s ranked in the top 30 in both categories on tour right now. But his approach game is suffering. Spieth is currently ranked 110th in strokes gained approach to the green. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T29
CJ Cup
Cut
RBC Heritage
T39
Masters
Cut
Texas Open
T10
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
3 wins
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
26
Russell Henley
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
35
One of the most overlooked players on tour, Henley only has one win in the last seven years yet ranks No. 10 in the world on DataGolf. It hasn’t gotten much attention, but Henley became a dark horse Ryder Cup candidate with 14 top-20 finishes last year. In 2024 it’s only gotten better, finishing fourth at the Sony Open, the Arnold Palmer and the Texas Open. He’s an elite ball striker and a great putter. The strange thing is he’s specifically struggled at PGA Championships, not finishing better than T37 since 2016. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T10
RBC Heritage
T12
Masters
T38
Texas Open
4
Players Championship
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T4 (Masters, 2023)
Strokes Gained
30-35
United States
PGA Tour
27
Sam Burns
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
27
Fueling Sam Burns at this week’s PGA Championship will be a healthy dose of perspective, gained by the birth of his first child just last month (we also presume a handful of restful nights will help matters). There’s a long list of guys who found another level to their game after they became a father, and Burns does seem like that type. His 2024 has been uneven but the statistical performance is a smidge better than his actual results have been. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T13
RBC Heritage
T44
Masters
Cut
Valspar
Cut
Players Championship
T45
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T20 (PGA, 2022)
Strokes Gained
25-29
United States
PGA Tour
28
Tom Kim
PGA Tour
South Korea
Age:
21
One of the game’s fastest-rising stars, Kim hasn’t necessarily put his full potential on display this year. He’s missed two cuts since the start of the 2024 season but hasn’t placed higher than T17 in his PGA Tour starts. The 21-year-old is not afraid of shining on the sport’s biggest stages, however, and can rise to the occasion when he needs to. Kim posted a T2 finish at last year’s Open Championship in just his second appearance in the major while battling an ankle injury. Kim has yet to make the cut at the PGA Championship. He’s played the event three times. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T47
CJ Cup
T52
RBC Heritage
T18
Masters
T30
Texas Open
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T2 (Open, 2023)
Strokes Gained
20-24
South Korea
PGA Tour
29
Sepp Straka
PGA Tour
Austria
Age:
31
Few knew Sepp Straka’s name a year ago. Maybe most still don’t. But when he won the John Deere Classic last year with a Sunday 62 and followed it up with a T2 at the Open Championship, it propelled the 31-year-old Austrian to a European Ryder Cup spot and new respect in the game. It was a tough start to 2024 for Straka, but he’s found form lately with five top-20s in his last six starts with a fantastic run of iron play. The difficult part for Straka is he either has it or he doesn’t. He either gains 1.5 strokes in approach or loses 1.5, and the results follow suit. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T8
Zurich Classic
T11
RBC Heritage
T5
Masters
T16
Valspar
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T2 (Open, 2023)
Strokes Gained
30-35
Austria
PGA Tour
30
Dustin Johnson
LIV
United States
Age:
39
Does Dustin Johnson have one more moment in the spotlight in him? The two-time major champion should not be at the end of the ride — he’s still under 40 and won on the LIV tour as recently as January. But it’s difficult to ignore just how poor he has played in the majors since that defection to LIV two years ago, including missed cuts at the last two events. Everything about him says comfortable right now, not hungry. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Singapore
T7
Adelaide
T31
Masters
Cut
Miami
T24
Hong Kong
T21
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
2 wins
Strokes Gained
36-40
United States
LIV
31
Sungjae Im
PGA Tour
South Korea
Age:
26
The 26-year-old will make his sixth PGA Championship start this week. His best finish at the event was T17 in 2021 at Kiawah Island, his top performance at a major outside of the Masters, where he’s found the most success. The South Korean started the year with a bang, finishing tied for fifth at The Sentry, but he hasn’t been able to find the top of the leaderboard since then. A highly consistent player, it remains to be seen if Im can parlay his world-class ball striking into a major victory. Could Valhalla be his week to prove that it’s possible? — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T4
Korea
1
RBC Heritage
T12
Masters
Cut
Valspar
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T2 (Masters, 2020)
Strokes Gained
25-29
South Korea
PGA Tour
32
Jason Day
PGA Tour
Australia
Age:
36
Last season was something of a comeback year for the former world No. 1, winning the Byron Nelson and finishing T2 at the Open Championship. While fellow 2023 comeback story Rickie Fowler has come back to Earth, Day went T6 at Pebble Beach, ninth at Riviera and T4 at Quail Hollow. Those are all signature events, and he of course won his lone major at the 2016 PGA Championship. The question will simply be if his irons come to play this week. He’s an elite putter with a good short game and a good driver, but he’s losing strokes most weeks in approach. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T4
CJ Cup
T59
RBC Heritage
T18
Masters
T30
Houston Open
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
36-40
Australia
PGA Tour
33
Nicolai Højgaard
PGA Tour
Denmark
Age:
23
Who among us will not look back fondly at the 15 minutes Nicolai Højgaard led the Masters on that Saturday? Hojgaard ultimately was not ready for that moment, finishing T16 after finishing with a 74 on Saturday and a Sunday 76. But let us not forget the totality of his journey and how Højgaard’s rise from DP World Tour player to standout on the PGA Tour has come about over the last year. Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has been rightfully praised for calling up Ludvig Åberg, but he got the Højgaard pick dead on as well. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Zurich Classic
Cut
Puntacana
Cut
Masters
T16
Texas Open
T75
Players Championship
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T16 (Masters, 2024)
Strokes Gained
20-24
Denmark
PGA Tour
34
Nick Taylor
PGA Tour
Canada
Age:
36
The Canadian’s game has blossomed over the past two years. He captured his fourth PGA Tour win in February at the Phoenix Open after a sudden-death playoff and continues to string together consistent results. The only point of contention in Taylor’s career thus far is his lack of major experience and success. In eight starts in the majors, Taylor has made just two cuts, one in 2019 and the other in 2020. At Valhalla, the 36-year-old will look to make the weekend at a major for the first time in four years. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T43
Zurich Classic
10
RBC Heritage
T49
Masters
Cut
Valspar
T64
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T29 (Masters, 2020)
Strokes Gained
36-40
Canada
PGA Tour
35
Shane Lowry
PGA Tour
Ireland
Age:
37
The best word for Shane Lowry is streaky. The burly Irishman can win big tournaments like the 2019 Open Championship and the BMW in London. And he can go through stretches where he drops out closer to the No. 75 player in the world than No. 50. But Lowry actually ended 2023 in fantastic form, helped Europe win a Ryder Cup and finished T4 and T3 on the Florida Swing. He and Rory McIlroy also just teamed up to win the Zurich Classic, but Lowry would be the first to tell you he didn’t play well. His putting has fallen off a cliff this season, averaging -0.65 strokes lost on the greens. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T47
Zurich Classic
1
RBC Heritage
T64
Masters
T43
Singapore Classic
T29
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
36-40
Ireland
PGA Tour
36
Keegan Bradley
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
37
Bradley will always have fond memories at the PGA. The Vermont native won in his maiden major start at the 2011 championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. The star of Netflix’s Full Swing Season 2 has struggled to contend in majors since then, however, and it's unclear if he’ll be able to get his game back to a place where major victories are possible. In January Bradley was close to re-entering the winner’s circle but he lost in a playoff to Grayson Murray at the Sony Open. He last won on tour at the 2023 Travelers Championship in Connecticut. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T21
RBC Heritage
T55
Masters
T22
Valspar
Cut
Players Championship
Cut
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
36-40
United States
PGA Tour
37
Min Woo Lee
PGA Tour
Australia
Age:
25
The 25-year-old had a rough three weeks heading into the Masters, only to pull off a top 25 in his third trip to Augusta National and follow that up with another top 25 at the CJ Cup. Lee remains one of the best drivers on the planet — he’s sixth in strokes gained off the tee, per DataGolf.com, and eighth in average (311.3 yards). Every other part of his game is solid enough, though Lee could tighten things up around the green. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
CJ Cup
T24
Masters
T22
Valspar
Cut
Players Championship
T54
Arnold Palmer
T44
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T5 (US Open, 2023)
Strokes Gained
25-29
Australia
PGA Tour
38
Lucas Glover
PGA Tour
United States
Age:
44
When Lucas Glover switched to a broom putter and became the story of the summer with back-to-back wins in August, the conversation was if it was just a nice hot streak from a 44-year-old veteran or the launch of an epic second act as he fixed his fatal flaw: putting. The nice reality is Glover has been somewhere in the middle. Sure, he doesn’t have a single top-10 finish in 2024, but he also is coming off four top-25 finishes in his last five starts. He’s been a reliably great iron player for 20 years, and that’s not changing. It’s really just about that putter, which has reverted to an issue this year. — Miller
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T16
RBC Heritage
T33
Masters
T20
Texas Open
T25
Valspar
11
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
1 win
Strokes Gained
40+
United States
PGA Tour
39
Matthieu Pavon
PGA Tour
France
Age:
31
A success story for the decision to give PGA Tour cards to top DP World Tour participants, Pavon already has his first win (Farmers Insurance Open), three top 10s and nine made cuts in 10 starts. And we’re not even talking about the T12 at the Masters. Pavon is making his PGA Championship debut but the run of consistency puts him in the argument to at least post a very nice finish this week. — Kellenberger
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
67
ISPS Handa
T30
RBC Heritage
T49
Masters
T12
Singapore Classic
5
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T12 (Masters, 2024)
Strokes Gained
30-35
France
PGA Tour
40
Si Woo Kim
PGA Tour
South Korea
Age:
28
Si Woo Kim is one of those players that can go ridiculously low at any given moment, and there’s no reason that can’t happen at Valhalla. Ranked No. 44 in the world, Kim has embodied consistency this season. He hasn’t missed a cut in 12 starts this calendar year, with a T6 finish at the Players Championship leading his 2024 resume. Kim has significant major experience, but he hasn’t contended in one just yet. He’s played in 28 majors, including seven PGA Championships, where he’s made the cut just twice. — Herzig
Performance last 5 tournaments
Wells Fargo
T16
CJ Cup
T13
RBC Heritage
T18
Masters
T30
Houston Open
T17
Past Performance
Best previous major finish
T12 (Masters, 2021)
Strokes Gained
25-29
South Korea
PGA Tour
(Top image: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Photos: Jason Butler, Jared C. Tilton, David Cannon / Getty Images)