Aronimink Awaits: Three Early Picks for the 2026 PGA Championship

A Masterpiece Rediscovered

There are courses you play, and there are courses that play you. Aronimink Golf Club, nestled in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, has always belonged to the latter category. When Donald Ross declared in 1948 that he had "built it better than I knew," he was acknowledging something every golfer who walks those fairways eventually understands: this land demands respect.

Next week, more than 150 players will discover exactly what Ross meant when the 108th PGA Championship arrives at this historic venue. The timing feels almost poetic—America's 250th birthday year, a major championship returning to the birthplace of the nation, and a course meticulously restored to its original grandeur by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner since 2016.

I've walked Aronimink's corridors of green, felt the subtle deceptions in those fairway slopes, and watched approach shots that looked perfect somehow find their way into one of the 174 bunkers that now guard this layout. Trust me when I say: this week will separate the complete players from the one-dimensional bombers.

Why Aronimink Changes Everything

The modern PGA Championship has become a bomber's paradise. Brooks Koepka's three victories in the last decade, Bryson DeChambeau's consecutive runner-up finishes—the evidence points toward raw power as the primary currency. But Aronimink operates on a different economy.

At nearly 7,400 yards playing to par 70, the course appears to favor distance on paper. Look closer, though. Hanse widened the fairways somewhat, but he also added over 100 bunkers to Ross's original design. The fairways feature pronounced slopes that turn confident drives into awkward stances. Those classic Ross greens—full of humps, bumps, and shaved runoff areas—punish anything less than precise iron play.

This is a course where Total Driving matters more than raw distance. Finding the proper positioning off the tee, executing long-iron approaches from uneven lies, hitting not just greens but the right parts of greens—these skills will determine who lifts the Wanamaker Trophy.

Three Players Built for This Test

Xander Schauffele: The Complete Package

If there's a player in professional golf whose game profile matches Aronimink's demands, it's Xander Schauffele. His ball-striking consistency borders on surgical, and his ability to control trajectory and shape makes those sloping fairways far less threatening. When the course demands precision over power, Schauffele's methodical approach becomes a significant advantage. He's proven he can close major championships, and this venue feels tailored to his strengths.

The Precision Premium

Beyond Schauffele, look for players who excel at scrambling and possess elite short-game skills. Those shaved runoff areas around Ross's greens will send countless approach shots into difficult recovery positions. The player who can get up-and-down from Aronimink's collection areas will gain strokes on the field with every successful save.

Iron Play Specialists

With 174 bunkers dotting the landscape and uneven lies becoming the norm rather than the exception, long-iron proficiency becomes paramount. The days leading up to Thursday's opening round should see the practice range filled with players working on controlled approaches from below and above their feet. Those who arrive with that skill already sharpened will have a distinct advantage.

The Atmosphere Awaits

There's something special about a major championship returning to a restored classic. Aronimink hasn't hosted a PGA Championship since 1962, when Gary Player claimed his second major title. The Philadelphia galleries are famously passionate, occasionally rowdy, and always knowledgeable. The combination of Ross's architectural genius, Hanse's faithful restoration, and a celebratory American backdrop creates conditions for a memorable week.

Twenty PGA club professionals will also be teeing it up, a reminder that this championship maintains connections to the grassroots game that other majors sometimes forget. Watch for at least one of them to make a weekend charge and capture the hearts of everyone following along.

Takeaway

The 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink rewards precision over power. Players who excel at total driving, long-iron play from challenging lies, and creative short-game solutions should rise to the top. Xander Schauffele's complete skill set makes him a compelling early favorite on a course that punishes one-dimensional games. The Wanamaker Trophy will find a home with someone who can navigate Ross's masterpiece with both brain and hands working in concert.