Scottie Scheffler enters the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink as the world No. 1 and defending champion. The 29-year-old won the PGA in 2024 and also claimed the British Open that year, along with Masters titles in 2022 and 2024 [1, 2].
In January 2026, Scheffler captured his 20th PGA Tour title at the American Express tournament. Since then, he has finished second at three events: the Masters, Heritage, and Doral tournaments [1, 2]. He described this run of runner-up finishes as "a little bit bittersweet," saying, "Finishing second hurts. But when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing second than there is when you’re finishing 30th" [1].
Scheffler’s consistency is notable. He has finished in the top 10 in each of his past six majors, the longest streak since Vijay Singh posted seven straight top-10s from 2004-2006. In his last 20 major starts, Scheffler has four wins and 16 top-10 finishes [1, 2].
Scheffler credits his drive to personal improvement rather than rivalry. "My sources of motivation have always been internal," he said. "Getting better at golf is such an interesting and fun thing to try to accomplish. When I can go out by myself and practise and have something I want to work on and improve on, that’s one of my favorite things. I also love competition. But I think the preparation is something that I really enjoy. I don’t really think about much else other than that" [2].
Scheffler shares the spotlight with second-ranked Rory McIlroy. The two players have won four of the last five majors, though they have never faced off in a Sunday back-nine duel for a title [1, 2]. McIlroy praised Scheffler’s approach, saying, "It’s his relentlessness, the comfort in which he does the same things over and over" [1].
Scheffler arrives at the PGA Championship seeking to turn his recent runner-up finishes into a victory and extend his major success streak [1, 2].