[Herald Economy=Reporter Jo Yong-jik] Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is aiming for back-to-back PGA Championship titles.The PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, will bring together the world’s top players — including Scheffler, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Cameron Young of the U.S. — all vying for the Wanamaker Trophy.
The big storyline is whether world No. 1 Scheffler can repeat. He’s come up short in his last three starts, finishing second at the Masters in April when McIlroy beat him by one shot, losing in a playoff to Matt Fitzpatrick at the RBC Heritage, and finishing runner-up to Cameron Young at the most recent Cadillac Championship.
Per the pairings announced on the 13th, Scheffler will play the first two rounds with Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose (both England). The trio will start their opening round on the 1st hole.
McIlroy, Scheffler’s most formidable challenger, is chasing consecutive major victories after successfully defending his Masters title in April. He arrives in strong form and will be a central figure in the title race.
One wrinkle for McIlroy is a toe injury he aggravated after finishing tied for 19th at last week’s Truist Championship. He reportedly removed a toenail to treat a blister and has been wearing golf shoes a half-size larger with extra cushioning at the outside of his shoe to ease the discomfort.
It’s also worth noting that McIlroy has been paired with Jon Rahm. McIlroy has publicly criticized Rahm’s move to LIV Golf, adding an extra edge to their grouping.
Among the Koreans in the field are Kim Si-woo, Sungjae Im and Yang Yong-eun. Kim hasn’t won this season but has shown he’s a contender with top-five finishes at both the RBC Heritage and the Cadillac Championship. Sungjae Im tied for fifth at the recent Truist Championship, climbing 10 spots in the world rankings.
