2026 PGA Championship: Scheffler Leads Odds at Aronimink

There are courses that host championships, and then there are courses that seem destined to hold them. Aronimink Golf Club belongs firmly in the latter category. This week, as the 2026 PGA Championship descends upon the Philadelphia suburbs, I find myself thinking about all the ways a venue can elevate a tournament—and how Aronimink seems purpose-built to do exactly that.

The Betting Landscape: Scheffler's Familiar Perch

It has become almost ritualistic at this point: arrive at a major championship, check the odds board, find Scottie Scheffler's name at the top. The World No. 1 enters Aronimink as the clear favorite at +450, a position he's occupied with such regularity that anything else would feel disorienting.

Scheffler carries the weight of defending champion after his victory at Quail Hollow last year, and he arrives fresh from a runner-up finish at the 2026 Masters. The man simply does not miss, and at a Donald Ross classic like Aronimink, his precision iron play should translate beautifully.

Behind him, Rory McIlroy sits at +800, a two-time PGA Championship winner riding the momentum of his second Masters title. There's something poetic about McIlroy chasing his seventh major at a course that rewards both power and finesse—he possesses both in abundance when everything clicks.

The Hot Hand: Cameron Young's Ascent

Perhaps the most intriguing name in the top tier is Cameron Young at +1100. After victories at the Players Championship and Cadillac Championship this season, plus a T3 finish at Augusta, Young has announced himself as something more than a talented ball-striker—he's become a genuine contender every time he tees it up.

I've watched Young develop over the past few seasons, and there's a quiet confidence about him now that wasn't there before. He no longer looks like he's knocking on the door of major success; he looks like someone ready to kick it down.

The LIV Contingent Makes Its Presence Felt

Rounding out the top five are the two biggest names from LIV Golf: Jon Rahm at +1400 and Bryson DeChambeau at +1800. Say what you will about the fractured landscape of professional golf, but when the majors roll around, these players remain every bit as dangerous as anyone in the field.

Xander Schauffele matches DeChambeau at +1800, while Ludvig Åberg lurks at +2000. The depth of talent assembled here is staggering, with names like Matt Fitzpatrick (+2200), Tommy Fleetwood (+2500), and Collin Morikawa (+4000) all capable of lifting the Wanamaker Trophy come Sunday evening.

The Supporting Cast

Further down the odds board, the intrigue only deepens:

Brooks Koepka (+4500) – A four-time major champion who knows exactly what it takes
Justin Thomas (+4500) – Former PGA Champion with a point to prove
Viktor Hovland (+5000) – Still searching for that breakthrough major moment
Jordan Spieth (+7000) – Could this be the week he completes the career Grand Slam?

Each name carries its own narrative, its own reasons for believing this might be their week. That's the magic of major championship golf—on the right course, at the right moment, anyone in the field can find something transcendent.

Why Aronimink Matters

Donald Ross designed Aronimink in the 1920s, and Gil Hanse's recent restoration work has only enhanced its championship credentials. The course demands everything from a player: precise iron play, imaginative short game work, and the mental fortitude to navigate its subtle challenges. This is not a venue that yields birdies easily, but it rewards excellence in a way that feels earned rather than given.

Walking these fairways, you can feel the history pressing in—the 1962 PGA Championship, numerous other professional events, generations of great players testing themselves against Ross's vision. This week adds another chapter to that story.

The Takeaway

The 2026 PGA Championship arrives at Aronimink with Scottie Scheffler as the deserved favorite, but the depth of this field suggests we're in for a memorable week. From McIlroy's major pedigree to Cameron Young's hot streak to the dangerous LIV contingent, the Wanamaker Trophy is genuinely up for grabs. Whatever unfolds, Aronimink will provide a worthy stage for the drama.