The opening round of the second major championship is right around the corner, and my 2026 PGA Championship power rankings are the perfect starting point for assembling your PGA Championship picks and pool selections.
I’ve got you covered from the betting favorites in the PGA Championship odds through the longshots and sleepers down the board.
Power Rankings Methodology
My power rankings are based on a meticulous analysis of current form and statistical performance metrics, with a particular emphasis on scoring and ball-striking statistics tailored to the demands of Aronimink Golf Club.
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Top targets: 🎯 |
Higher on: 📈 |
Leans: ✅ |
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Course fits: ⛳ |
Lower on: 📉 |
Fades: 🛑 |
1. Cameron Young (+1320) 🎯: Already with two wins this season, Young has also paced this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green across his past seven events, while carding six Top 10s. That includes the pair of wins and T3s in both the Arnold Palmer and Masters. He’s also impressively second in bogey avoidance and fourth in adjusted scoring average for the season.
2. Scottie Scheffler (+455) ⛳: With three consecutive solo-seconds while pacing this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green during the mini heater, Scheffler’s ball-striking prowess has been on full display, and he’s a perfect course fit to go low at Aronimink. There should be no surprise if he wins... or finishes solo second, again.
3. Ludvig Aberg (+2241) 🎯: It’s becoming automatic for Aberg, and he’s gained true strokes across the board while carding four Top 5s through his past seven events — which includes ranking fourth in true strokes gained tee-to-green and 13th in accuracy.
4. Jon Rahm (+1603) 📈: The tee-to-green game comes in spades for the Spaniard, and oddsmakers aren’t giving any discounts because Rahm can succeed at this shot-maker's track. He’d probably be priced even lower if his opening-round 78 in the Masters didn’t pave the way to a disappointing T38.
5. Xander Schauffele (+1853) ✅: Don’t be scared away by the T60 in the Truist. Schauffele has finished Top 20 in 15 of the past 16 major championships with a pair of wins and seven more Top 10s, including his T9 at the Masters where he finished sixth in true strokes gained tee-to-green and second on approaches.
6. Rory McIlroy (+967) 🛑: Simply put, I’m skeptical McIlroy can string together four strong enough rounds to win a second consecutive major championship. Him losing strokes on and around the greens last week at Quail Hollow was also concerning, especially considering it was his 15th trip to a track he’s won at four times.
7. Matt Fitzpatrick (+2823) 📉: I believe Fitzpatrick has peaked in 2026. That doesn’t mean he won’t play well at Aronimink this week, it’s just expectations should be tempered following the heater from the solo second at THE PLAYERS through his third win of the season with his brother in the Zurich Classic.
8. Bryson DeChambeau (+2431) 🛑: Look for Aronimink to be set up to defend the “bomb and gouge” tee game, and I’m not confident enough in DeChambeau’s iron play considering he ranks 61st in this field in true strokes gained on approaches across eight 2026 events.
9. Russell Henley (+7651) 🎯: Aronimink sets up perfectly for Henley, and his tee-to-green precision has led to ranking third in bogey avoidance, 11th in Par 4 scoring average, and 16th in adjusted scoring average in 2026. He’s also third in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green and fourth in driving accuracy across his past 18 events.
10. Collin Morikawa (+5394) ✅: I’m viewing Morikawa as a potential contrarian target this week because he played bad at a poor course fit in the Cadillac Championship to halt an impressive five-tournament run of Top 10s dating back to his win at Pebble Beach. He’s pacing this field in true strokes gained on approach while ranking sixth in tee-to-green play and ninth in driving accuracy this season, after all.
11. Tyrrell Hatton (+7094) 📈: It’s a little difficult to land a true statistical gauge for Hatton, but it’s impossible to ignore his T4-T16-T3 run across the past three major championships. He also has a trio of Top 5s on the LIV circuit and owns the ball-striking chops to play well at Aronimink.
12. Rickie Fowler (+7094) ✅: There’s a lot to like about Fowler’s current form. He’s carded three consecutive Top 10s while gaining true strokes across the board, including his T2 in the Truist last week. He also popped during a similar mini heater in 2023 to finish T5 in the U.S. Open, and he’s one of the few players with multi-event experience at Aronimink.
13. Tommy Fleetwood (+3125) 📉: There is plenty to be excited about following Fleetwood’s solid T5 in the Truist while gaining true strokes across the board, but just remember, his last Top 10 finish in a major championship was all the way back in the 2024 Masters.
14. Patrick Reed (+11527) ⛳: While it obviously would have been preferred to see Reed play competitively following his T12 in the Masters while gaining true strokes across the board, it’s hard to argue with his major championship consistency and how Aronimink sets up to suit his game. The track won’t penalize his lack of driving length while also allowing him to show off his short-game skills.
15. Patrick Cantlay (+5081) 📉: After missing the cut in three consecutive majors, Cantlay finished T12 in the Masters, which is also the only finish outside the Top 10 through his past four events. My concern is his driving accuracy and putting have been the two weakest parts of his game during the mini run.
16. Min Woo Lee (+7094) ✅: With consecutive Top 20s leading in, Lee is quietly returning to top form, and he’s already carded a pair of close calls this season with his T2 at Pebble Beach and T3 in Houston.
17. Sam Burns (+7094) ✅: When the ball-striking spikes, Burns’ putter puts circles on the card, and he’s played the weekend in seven straight major championships with three Top 10s. I’m expecting the five-time PGA Tour winner to play well at Aronimink this week.
18. Brooks Koepka (+5394) 🛑: I expect precision off the tee to narrow fairways and tidy putting on massive green complexes to be important to scoring this week, and Koepka ranks 116th in this field in true strokes gained putting and 106th in driving accuracy in 2026.
19. Si Woo Kim (+7651) 📈: It’s always the putter with Kim. I have the utmost confidence his elite ball-striking from tee-to-green will give him plenty of scoring opportunities, but I’m also quite confident he won’t cash in enough circles on the card across four rounds to be a legitimate threat to win. He’s 103rd in this field in true strokes gained putting this season.
20. Adam Scott (+7094) 📈: The Aussie has gained true strokes on approach in all 10 events this season to rank second in this field in the metric while also ranking 10th in tee-to-green play. If he drives it well and the putter heats up, Scott will score. It’s just that those are potentially big ifs.
21. Chris Gotterup (+6566) ✅: I’m a little worried Gotterup peaked earlier this season with his two wins, but his game travels, and he’s also carded three straight Top 25s in majors, including his T3 in the 2025 Open.
22. Robert MacIntyre (+9245) 📉: The lack of current form and overall poor ball-striking numbers are glaring warning signs, and in particular, MacIntyre's ranking 118th in the field in true strokes gained on approaches.
23. Viktor Hovland (+7094)🛑: Your mileage may vary, but I have no interest in Hovland considering he’s entering the event on a T42-T38-T31 stretch and has carded a single Top 10 in 2026 — which was also all the way back in his season debut in the Waste Management.
24. Justin Rose (+7094) 📉: There’s been no event-to-event consistency from Rose in 2026, and switching to McLaren Golf irons midseason probably isn’t the answer. Obviously, there is potential for Rosey to put it all together, but I’m just not adding him to my tickets or teams.
25. Hideki Matsuyama (+10209) 🛑: Yes, Matsuyama could put it all together this week. It’s just hard to envision him flipping the switch entirely after finishing 71st in the Truist and losing true strokes across the board, including ranking 70th in tee-to-green play and 65th in putting.
26. J.J. Spaun (+7094) ⛳: The 2025 U.S. Open winner has improved in three consecutive events and gained true strokes across the board during his T5 in the Truist. This track could also set up perfectly for him, and Spaun’s ball-striking prowess is never in question.
27. Justin Thomas (+6566) 🛑: With a single Top 25 across 15 majors since winning the 2022 PGA Championship and just a single Top 10 in 2026, it’s a full Thomas fade for me.
28. Alex Smalley (+15284) 📈: It’s been a solid surge for Smalley. He’s carded seven Top 25s across his past nine events while gaining true strokes across the board, including ranking 21st in tee-to-green play. His game is on the rise.
29. Nicolai Hojgaard (+7651) ✅: The highs are high, and the lows are low with Hojgaard, and it’s especially reflected in his driver spraying all over the park. Still, he’s gained true strokes across the board while carding five Top 5s across his past 12 events, which includes ranking 16th in tee-to-green play and a T2 last week in the Truist.
30. Alex Fitzpatrick (+15284) ⛳: It’s hard to argue with the heater Fitzpatrick is on. He followed up his T9 in the Cadillac Championship with a solo-fourth in the Truist, and his ball-striking is absolutely dialed with ranks of second in this field in both true strokes gained tee-to-green and on approaches while ranking sixth in driving accuracy across the two events.
