Aronimink Awaits: My PGA Championship Picks and the Course That Could Crown a Champion

A Championship Venue With Championship Stakes

There's something about the way early May light falls across a great Pennsylvania golf course that makes everything feel consequential. As the 2026 PGA Championship arrives at Aronimink Golf Club, the air is thick with possibility—and not just because Jordan Spieth is once again within reach of completing the career grand slam.

I've walked Aronimink's Donald Ross design multiple times, and each visit reinforces why the PGA of America keeps returning to this corner of Delaware County. It's a big, demanding layout that rewards precision and punishes overconfidence. The kind of place where major champions are forged, not stumbled upon.

The Spieth Question: Is This Finally the Week?

Jordan Spieth arrived at Monday's press conference in reflective form, comparing his swing work to—of all things—smoking chicken. "It got up to 155 quickly and then takes awhile," he mused about his smoker at home. "I was like, man, this kind of feels like what I'm trying to do in the swing."

It's the kind of folksy analogy that reminds you why we've always loved watching Spieth. He's endlessly thoughtful, perpetually self-aware, and somehow still capable of surprising everyone—including himself.

This marks his tenth attempt at completing the career Grand Slam after capturing the 2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open, and 2017 Open Championship. At around 80-1, he represents intriguing value for those who believe sustained effort eventually finds its reward. "I know what to do and how to get there," Spieth said. "It's just I have to stay the course and just trust that it will happen."

But a decade of near-misses has taught us caution. The Wanamaker Trophy has proven particularly elusive for Spieth, and Aronimink won't give anything away easily.

Where the Smart Money Is Moving

Speaking with fellow golf writers and reviewing the betting landscape, one theme emerges: the top of the board feels unusually concentrated this year. Scottie Scheffler returns as defending champion, Rory McIlroy continues his own pursuit of major redemption, and Cameron Young has positioned himself as perhaps the most dangerous player without a major title.

Cameron Young (+1,200) demands attention. Yes, his Sunday 74 at the Truist Championship raised eyebrows, but one round doesn't erase months of elite ball-striking. Aronimink rewards players who can move the ball both directions and manage their misses—that's Young's game in a nutshell. At 12-1, he offers compelling value against a narrow field of realistic contenders.

Brooks Koepka (+4,000) represents the kind of major championship insurance I always want in my betting portfolio. Big, burly Northeastern courses have historically suited his aggressive style, and we've seen too many times what happens when Koepka decides a major championship matters to him. That number feels almost disrespectful.

The Course Factor

Aronimink isn't subtle. At over 7,400 yards with Ross's characteristic crowned greens and strategic bunkering, it demands length off the tee and creativity around the putting surfaces. The rough will be up, the greens will be firm, and patience will be tested.

I've stood behind the 18th green here and watched players make doubles when pars seemed certain. That's what Aronimink does—it reveals character in the closing stretch when everything tightens.

My Betting Card

• Top Play: Cameron Young (+1,200) — The best player without a major, on a course that rewards his strengths
• Value Play: Brooks Koepka (+4,000) — Major pedigree at a dismissive number
• Longshot: Jordan Spieth (+8,000) — Because history demands we keep believing

The Takeaway

The 2026 PGA Championship offers a fascinating collision of narratives: Scheffler defending, McIlroy hunting, Spieth dreaming, and Young announcing himself. Aronimink will sort them all out over four days, as great courses always do. My money says someone from the top tier claims it—but at these prices, Cameron Young and Brooks Koepka offer the value I'm looking for when the Wanamaker is on the line.