NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 17: Aaron Rai of England poses with The Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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The 2026 PGA Championship wrapped up at Aronimink Golf Club this past weekend, and while Aaron Rai claimed his first major championship of his career, there were several storylines outside of Rai’s victory.
Just like I do after every major event on the PGA Tour schedule, it’s time for 18 thoughts after the 2026 PGA Championship.
Despite not being overly long at 7,394 yards, Ironmink’s Donald Ross design proved that length isn’t everything. This storied course, with its classic architecture, tested every aspect of the players’ games. Clever pin placements, narrow fairways, and the infamous turtle-back greens forced even elite pros into mistakes, producing 127 three-putts in the opening round alone—remarkably close to the 190 total three-putts at Augusta National across four rounds.
When people think of Ross designed courses, the focus typically surrounds the greens. Whether they are the “turtleback” greens of Pinehurst No. 2, or the “spines” of Aronimink, Ross’s designs continue to challenge the best golfers even after almost 100 years. When the PGA of America announced Aronimink would be the host course of the 2026 PGA Championship, it was a Ross design which confounded the game’s best players.
The PGA of America made a clear statement with its setup. Instead of favoring brute strength or chasing the kind of ultra-low winning scores sometimes seen at the PGA, the organizers created a test reminiscent of a U.S. Open. While the rough was punishing enough, the main defense was in uniquely tricky pins and the necessity to approach the greens from just the right angles. Forget runaway victories; nine-under-par was enough to claim the trophy, leaving many big names in the dust.
DeChambeau finds himself in quite the slump, as it pertains to the major championships. DeChambeau’s latest majors go as follow:
Sure, DeChambeau won the 2024 U.S. Open, but since that season came to a close he has struggled as of late. For a player who is weighing his options next season, getting his game back on track should be priority No. 1.
Several stars faltered at Ironmink. Bryson DeChambeau, Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley, Viktor Hovland, and Tyrrell Hatton all missed the cut, surprising many. Even as many LIV Golfers missed the weekend, others—like Jon Rahm and Cam Smith—finished in the top ten.
Pre-tournament expectations suggested players would overpower Aronimink with the driver-then-wedge strategy. This echo of the “bomb and gouge” era didn’t materialize. The combination of sticky rough, narrow landing spots, and devilish greens meant that even power hitters like Rory McIlroy had to dig deep, often coming up short despite making charges late in the tournament.
Rory McIlroy led the charge over the weekend of criticizing the course set up. He said the pin placements were questionable, and even went as far as to say the jam-packed leaderboard on the weekend was a sign of a bad course set up. Many, like Jon Rahm, praised the set up and called the talk of a winner being -20 preposterous when he first set foot on the golf course.
Pace of play issues resurfaced, with rounds ballooning to five and a half hours. The compact, old-school layout led to occasional backups, and Justin Thomas’s group even found itself put on the clock. Needless to say, you want to have better pace of play in a major championship.
Meanwhile, newcomer Garrick Higgo suffered a two-stroke penalty for being late to his tee time. He recently fired his caddy, reportedly because of the issue last weekend, and to make matters worse he missed the weekend by just a single shot. Was it because of the penalty? We’ll never know, but you have to wonder what could have been for the young pro.
Come Sunday, it was all about who could handle the slippery, contoured greens. Players who lagged putts to smart spots and avoided the dreaded three-putt separated themselves from the field. In the end, it was the most adaptive and creative putters—not necessarily the longest hitters—who contended.
When the PGA Tour, and in this case the PGA of America, is looking at putting together a tremendous major championship, the goal should always be a 4th Round filled with drama. The 2026 PGA Championship had plenty of it as Alex Smalley was a one-shot leader heading into the final round of the tournament and any number of players were in position to make a charge. It was thrilling cinema.
When people talked about Scottie Scheffler before 2024 they always said he had all the game needed to win multiple majors, but he just has to figure out the putting. Scheffler’s performance on the greens this past weekend reminded everyone of those days. It was the flat blade which let Scheffler down on more than one occasion, and will likely have the 2025 PGA Champion wondering if he let one go.
When Aaron Rai took the lead Sunday, he was able to hold off some of the “big guns” on tour. Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, and even Rory McIlroy all made a charge, but came up short with Rai making all the clutch shots on his way to victory.
Rai demonstrated remarkable composure on Sunday. When he faced a daunting 68-foot birdie putt on 17 with the Philadelphia crowd rooting for a bigger name, Rai calmly drained the putt, sealing his place in major championship history. His stoic celebration—measured and respectful—stood in contrast to the chaos others might have embraced in such a moment.
The biggest story was the triumph of Aaron Rai—a player distinguished as much by his unique style as by his golf. Rai is known for wearing two gloves and using iron covers, choices rooted in his upbringing and family values. Far from quirks, these habits remind him of his family’s sacrifices and keep him grounded. Rai proved “different” can still win.
Following Rai’s incredible putt on No. 17, his reaction was very stoic. No huge fist pump or celebrating with his caddy. Instead, a small fist pump and a wave to the crowd. Rai knew he still had one hole to play, and there were golfers behind him. While that putt made him a major champion, Rai’s stoicism and being able to stay in the moment, was more than commendable.
If you ask any golf fan to rank the four major tournaments you’ll find any number of order, but the PGA Championship is typically dead last. There are even some who suggest the Players Championship is better than the PGA Championship. It felt as if the PGA of America heard the criticisms and decided to make their major challenging. To make their tournament notable. For 2026, mission accomplished. The next question is will it continue, or is this a one-off based on a course which was able to be manicured to challenge the best players in the world?
With the 2026 PGA Championship concluded in such dramatic fashion, golf fans now turn their attention to the U.S. Open at Shinnecock and the upcoming CJ Cup events. In the meantime, one thing is clear: Aronimink reminded the golfing world why classic setups and unexpected winners are the backbone of golf’s greatest dramas.
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