The world’s top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler will begin defending his PGA Championship crown Thursday afternoon at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, paired with English players Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick.
The defending champion, ranked first globally, will tee off at 2:05 p.m. ET alongside fourth-ranked Fitzpatrick and seventh-ranked Rose in one of the day’s final groupings from the opening par-four hole.
Scheffler, who claimed last year’s British Open title and dominated the PGA Championship by five strokes at Quail Hollow, enters the tournament after three consecutive second-place finishes on tour. His recent near-misses include the Masters, where the American nearly completed a historic rally from 12 shots behind after two rounds.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, ranked second worldwide and fresh off his successful Masters title defense at Augusta National where he edged Scheffler by one stroke, will begin play much earlier at 8:40 a.m. from the par-four 10th tee. McIlroy’s group includes American Jordan Spieth and Spain’s Jon Rahm, who represents one of 11 LIV Golf competitors in this year’s second major championship.
Teeing off one group before McIlroy will be a star-studded trio featuring 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and LIV Golf’s Tyrrell Hatton from England. This tournament marks Koepka’s second major appearance since departing LIV in December, following his tie for 12th place at the Masters.
Current U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun will start his round at 12:59 p.m. from the first tee, joined by American Max Homa, who earned his spot in the 156-player field after six-time major winner Phil Mickelson withdrew, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Cameron Young, competing in his fifth PGA Championship while enjoying his strongest PGA Tour campaign with two victories already this season, will play in an American trio with former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and two-time champion Justin Thomas, starting one group before Scheffler.
Tournament play will officially commence at 6:45 a.m. when Philadelphia native Braden Shattuck hits the opening shot, playing alongside England’s Alex Fitzpatrick and American Ben Griffin.
