Who can win it? The five biggest threats at the 2026 PGA Championship

It's a traditional layout that looks sensational and will test the field with especially fast and sloping greens.

Length from the tee is likely to be key because shorter irons in hand will be needed to set up par breakers (and par savers).

Here are five golfers who can win this week.

Scottie Scheffler - the World No. 1

It's been an odd start to the year for Scheffler. He was a four-time winner in 2022, landed three titles in 2023, nine in 2024, and six last year.

This year he was victorious in his first outing, at The American Express in January, but he is yet to add to that tally despite finishing second in his last three outings (including last month's Masters).

He can never be overlooked in the majors, however. He's won four of the last 17 played and finished top 10 in five of his six PGA Championship appearances.

He's always a danger at the weekend, too. In fact, he's carded two sub-70 scores in the final two rounds in 13 of his last 15 starts.

Rory McIlroy - the man on a mission

After he successfully defended the Masters last month, McIlroy said: "I don't think I'll go through that lull of motivation like last year."

He was referring to the downturn his form took after completing the Career Grand Slam at Augusta in 2025. This time he has more success in the crosshairs and is on record as taking aim at Gary Player's major count of nine.

Beating it would make him the top international winner of majors and he does like a Donald Ross layout.

He has won three times at the Ross redesigned East Lake, finished second in the US Open at the Ross-created Pinehurst, and carded a first-round 62 when T5 at Aronimink in the 2018 BMW Championship.

Bryson DeChambeau - the big hitter

Word from the course is that the course should suit a golfer who puts length ahead of accuracy from the tee box.

DeChambeau fits the bill having won two US Opens when a similar profile was required – in fact, the second of them came at Pinehurst which is another Ross design.

The LIV star also reported earlier this year, after a course visit, that it reminds him of Ridgewood, another course he has won on.

He won twice in March and landed a top five last week.

Russell Henley - the Donald Ross specialist

Since 2020, Henley's record on Donald Ross designs has been little short of superb.

He's 4-for-4 at logging a top 10 at Sedgefield and 1-for-1 at Detroit. He was also T7 in the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst.

And on the Ross redesign at East Lake he has been the second, third and fourth best scorer for the week (the tournament has used starting strokes in the past).

He even has a fine major championship record: five top 10s in his last seven starts.

Kurt Kitayama - the sneaky outsider

We need an outsider and what about one who combines all the requirements?

Length from the tee? He ranks eighth in the field for Driving Distance.

Donald Ross form? His best major finish was T4 in this championship at the Ross-designed Oak Hill in 2024.

Form? He was a winner last year, was second at the major championship-hosting Riviera in February, and has finished T8th, T9th and T19th in his last three starts.