48 hours before the 108th PGA Championship in history, the news has not been idle in Pennsylvania. A quick summary of what you shouldn’t miss this Tuesday, May 12 at Newtown Square. It’s over here!
Justin Rose, but which clubs to choose?
The Englishman, two top 10s in the last three PGA Championshipwonders what to do about his set of clubs. The Olympic gold medalist in Rio in 2016 arrived this Tuesday at the driving range weighted down by two bags with 20 irons on one side and 11 on the other. Not sure that he will choose his new McLaren irons to try, at 45, to win a 2nd Major, 13 years old after theU.S. Open !
« I’ve played with so many different sets of irons over the last five years that I don’t think it’s a problemnevertheless underlined the Briton, not really worried. The fact that I haven’t played well the last two weeks has nothing to do with the irons. »
Counting 20 irons in one bag, and 11 in the other. Justin Rose is working on something at the moment. pic.twitter.com/RMuwOaTwuZ
— Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) May 12, 2026
Reitan, a golden family
Winner for the first time on the PGA Tour last weekend, at the Truist Championship, Kristoffer Reitan comes from a very famous and wealthy family. He is the grandson ofOdd Reitana billionaire businessman worth $9.1 billion and ranked 403rd in the Forbes rankings. He is co-owner and CEO of Reitan Groupwhich employs 38,000 people in Scandinavia and the Baltic region. Her sister is an alt-pop artist in the Norwegian music industry, with over 300,000 subscribers on Instagram.
Bryson DeChambeau, finally the right one?
Bryson DeChambeauone of the eleven members of the LIFE Golf present this week at the UPSGA, had three consecutive top 5 finishes at the PGA Championship: tied for 4th, tied for 2nd and 2nd. No one has achieved such a sequence since Tiger Woods (2005-2009).
Chasse gardéeÂ
For ten years, the PGA Championship has been the exclusive property of the Americans. The last time that a “étranger » won in this Major, it was August 13, 2015 with the success of the Australian Jason Day à Whistling Straits. The last European to have lifted the imposing Wanamaker Trophy East Rory McIlroyà Louisville (Kentucky) au Valhalla Golf Club the 10th of August 2014.
62, record à battre
This is the lowest round score ever achieved in a PGA Championship since 1958 and the tournament’s transition to stroke play format. This 62 (-9) was achieved by two golfers during the same edition. It was on the par 71 at Valhalla Golf Club, in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2024. Xander Schauffele (above), future winner, opened hostilities at the end of the first round before being imitated by Shane Lowry in the 3rd round. Three other players played -9 but on a par 72: Gary Player en 1984 (2e tour à Shoal Creek CC), Jose Maria Olazabal in 2000 (3rd round at Valhalla GC) and Hiroshi Iwata en 2015 (2e tour à Whitsling Straits).
For some Majors I didn’t travel to the venue in advance and had good results, but in general when I did travel in advance it worked well for me.
Rory McIlroy on his recognition well ahead of Aronimink Golf Club
Bad start doesn’t prevent victory
The proof with John Mahaffeyauthor of a 75 (+4) after eighteen holes at the 1978 USPGA Oakmont. The American will win on Sunday in the play-off against Jerry Pate et Tom Watson after a total score of -8 and three successive cards of 67 (-4), 68 (-3) and 66 (-5). The day before the last round, he was still seven shots behind the same Tom Watson, leader after 54 holes at -10.
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Rory devant Jack
Rory McIlroy, who has just achieved the double in Mastersalso holds the record for the largest margin for a winner of the PGA Championship. When he won in 2012 Kiawah Islandhe thus has an 8 stroke lead over the Englishman David Lynn. It’s one step better than Jack Nicklausvictorious in 1980 Oak hill. Nick Pricelauréat de l’édition 1994 à Southern Hillsfor his part, won by six lengths over his runner-up, Phil Mickelson!
Koepka, the 5th man
There are five of them to have led a PGA Championship from start to finish before lifting the Wanamaker Trophy. Brooks Koepka is the last to have achieved this feat in 2019 at Bethpage Black. Before him, alone Hal Sutton (1983 Ã Riviera CC), Raymond Floyd (1982 Ã Southern Hills), Jack Nicklaus (1971 au PGA National GC) et Bobby Nichols (1964 Ã Columbus GC) had succeeded.
Cameron Smith, in an impasse, changes everything
Unable to make the cut at the Masters last April, Cameron Smith has decided to make several changes within its technical staff. To our colleagues from Today’s Golferl’Australien a avoué avoir été dévasté après son échec à Augusta. « I feel like I’ve worked hard for the last eighteen months without any concrete results, it’s time for that to change “, he underlined at the start of the week at Newtown Square (Pennsylvania).
The winner of The Open à St Andrews in 2022 thus turned towards Claude Harmon IIIson of the famous Butch Harmon in order to correct his swing problems. I got to a point where I was thinking so much about my swing that I couldn’t hit the ball, which is never pleasant.stresses the former world No.2. It really simplified things and made me focus on one thing instead of a thousand. »
With death in his soul, he separated from his lifelong trainer, Grant Fieldwith whom he had worked since his childhood.It was terrible, he declares. I’ve known Grant since I was nine years old, and he’s also a very good friend, so it’s been difficult, but I feel like I made the right decision for my golf. I think I made the right choice. »
Since his 32nd place at theU.S. Open 2024Smith, 32, remains on six missed cuts in a row in Majors!
Scottie Scheffler, not world number 1 for nothing
The defending Texan has the lowest scoring average at the PGA Championship for at least twenty rounds played. Or 69.09 in 22 laps. He is ahead of Brooks Koepka, 69.56 (50 laps), Viktor Hovland69.79 (24 laps) and Justin Thomas70 (36 tours).
We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. All we can do is learn from things that have happened, good or bad. Simply speculating about what could have been done, what could have been different, doesn’t really make much sense.
Jon Rahm on the very uncertain future of LIV Golf
Almost full box
For the 17th time in 18 years, at least 95 of the world’s top 100 golfers are participating in the PGA Championship. The only exception: the 2020 edition, disrupted by Covid-19, which brought together Harding Park (California) 91 of the top 100 players in the world rankings. This year, 98 of the top 100 players are present, with the exception of Lucas Herbert (89e) and Shaun Norris (95e).
Jimmy Walker l’exception
Xander Schauffele, then world No. 3, won the USPGA in 2024 before Scottie Scheffler, world No. 1, won last year. In seven of the last twelve PGA Championships, the winner was among the top ten in the world rankings before the start of the competition. The winners of eleven of the last twelve PGA Championships have occupied the No. 1 or No. 2 positions in the world at some point before or after their victory. The only exception is Jimmy Walkerwinner in 2016, whose best career ranking was 10th place in the world.
Concern for Rory
Clearly bothered by a blister on the little toe of his right foot, Rory McIlroy took off his shoe at the start of hole no. 4 during his reconnaissance round. He had already mentioned this little problem to Charlotte last week on the sidelines of the Truist Championship…Â
Fair to say the foot blister is bugging Rory a bit. Took his shoe off on No. 4, might be abandoning his practice round. pic.twitter.com/0D1pmiquJt
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) May 12, 2026
The incredible series of Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler has participated in six PGA Championships and finished in the top 10 five times (tied for 4th in 2020, tied for 8th in 2021, missed cut in 2022, tied for 2nd in 2023, tied for 8th in 2024 and winner in 2025). Since the introduction of the stroke play format in 1958, only three other players have finished in the top 10 in at least five of their first six appearances: Jerry Pate (1976-1981), Jack Nicklaus (1962-1967) and Rory McIlroy (2009-2014).
Phil, the oldest
Eight of the last nine PGA Championships have been won by a player under 34. The only exception is Phil Mickelsonwho was almost 51 years old when he won at Kiawah in 2021. From 2001 to 2016, eight of the sixteen winners were at least 34 years old.
Not simple to keep the trophy
Brooks Koepka won two PGA Championships consecutively in 2018 and 2019, the first in August, the second in May. Since then, the outgoing champion has experienced much more difficulty: Koepka (tied 29th in 2020 at TPC Harding Park), Collin Morikawa (8e ex æquo en 2021 à Kiawah Island), Phil Mickelson (absent en 2022), Justin Thomas (65e ex æquo en 2023 à Oak Hill CC), Brooks Koepka (26e ex æquo en 2024 au Valhalla GC) et Xander Schauffele (28e ex æquo en 2025 au Quail Hollow Club).
Scottie Scheffler takes risks
Scottie Scheffler admitted to not knowing the region that hosts the PGA Championship well. But he still planned to try the local culinary specialty, the Philly Cheesesteak. A hot, juicy and cheese-dripping sandwich with caramelized onions, thinly sliced beef, crispy bread and melting cheese… Quite a program!
Xander Schauffele, the marathon runner
The longest series of consecutive cuts reached in Majors is currently held by Xander Schauffele, 16 since the USPGA 2022, ahead of Scottie Scheffler (15, since the US Open 2022) and Corey Conners (10, since The Open 2023).
Photo : Maddie Meyer / PGA of America
