The second major of the PGA Tour season, the PGA Championship, tees off on May 14. Who can challenge world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who arrives fully prepared to defend his throne? Do the four Japanese players, including Hideki Matsuyama, have a real chance? Golf commentator Rex Kuramoto breaks down the key storylines.
The PGA Championship is the only major open exclusively to professional golfers, hosted by the PGA of America. This unique setup allows 20 club professionals to compete alongside Tour pros.
Club professionals are those employed at golf courses. Since they rarely compete on the PGA Tour, they seldom contend for the title. Yet, a fascinating angle is how many will make the cut. In 2023, 46-year-old Michael Block finished 15th, electrifying the event.
Some top Tour pros have deep ties to this “club pro major.” Justin Thomas, who edged Hideki Matsuyama in a thrilling 2017 win, has a special connection as his father was a club pro. Similarly, world No. 3 Cameron Young hopes to capture his first major on the same stage where his father once dreamed of playing.
Cameron Young, fresh off winning the Cadillac Championship in May, celebrated with his father David, a club pro, and his family.
Armed with exceptional power, Young has already won two signature events this season—The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship—and contended at the Masters. Adding to the narrative, his father is the club pro at Sleepy Hollow Country Club, a storied course near New York.
For the Young family, the PGA Championship holds special meaning. With an elite resume and now seen as a top contender for the next major, Cameron enters this year’s tournament at a pivotal moment. Despite fatigue from a busy schedule, the timing feels right.
Adding further intrigue is the venue: Aronimink Golf Club. It has hosted few Tour events; notable recent ones include the 2018 BMW Championship and two AT&T Nationals. Unlike Quail Hollow or Southern Hills, this course offers a rarer challenge.
The course itself is somewhat unusual for a major. It’s not overly long by modern standards. Legend has it that architect Donald Ross designed it with club members in mind, not tournament play. A 2015-16 restoration by popular architect Gil Hans aimed to return the course to its original form, with Hans emphasizing it was “for the members.”
Winners at Aronimink include Keegan Bradley (2018), Justin Rose, Nick Watney, and Gary Player (1962). All are versatile all-rounders, not purely power hitters. They succeeded by combining accuracy, short game, and putting, often outperforming dominant stars like Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson. This history fuels buzz that a “dark horse” could emerge this year.
