Photo by Benny Hassum on Unsplash The PGA Championship is the second major of the calendar year, typically played in May. Organized by the PGA of America (distinct from the PGA Tour), it carries full major championship weight and a rich history that includes some of the sport's most dramatic finishes. Here's a complete guide to what the PGA Championship rewards, who historically performs best, and what to expect in upcoming editions. The PGA Championship's Unique Identity Among the four major championships, the PGA Championship is sometimes unfairly dismissed as the "fourth" major — the one that follows the Masters, US Open, and Open Championship in prestige. This is an undeserved reputation. The PGA Championship has produced some of the sport's greatest moments and is played at world-class venues on a rotating basis. What makes it distinct is its field composition: unlike the other majors, the PGA Championship traditionally includes the top 20 players from t...
Bryson DeChambeau has won the US Open twice — at Winged Foot in 2020 and Pinehurst in 2024 — establishing himself as one of the most accomplished active players at this specific major championship. He arrives at Shinnecock Hills as a two-time champion with a game that has evolved significantly since his Winged Foot performance and with the motivation of a player who knows exactly what it takes to win the hardest major.
His Two US Open Victories
DeChambeau's 2020 US Open win at Winged Foot was built on power — he drove the ball past the rough on a course designed to make that impossible, effectively making Winged Foot play like a different course than the one everyone else was playing. His 2024 Pinehurst victory was a more nuanced performance, demonstrating that his game had matured beyond pure power into a more complete championship package. The evolution from Winged Foot to Pinehurst makes him a genuinely different and more complete player heading into Shinnecock.
Why Shinnecock Is Different
Shinnecock Hills presents a specific challenge for power hitters. The links-style layout, with its firm fairways and exposure to wind, does not reward driving the ball long to the same extent that parkland courses do. Balls that run out on firm Shinnecock fairways can run through into rough or into difficult lies. The emphasis on trajectory control — keeping the ball below the wind, landing approaches with the right angle to hold firm greens — is as important as distance. DeChambeau's game has the range to handle these demands, but Shinnecock is not a course where his power advantage is as decisive as it was at Winged Foot.
The Motivation
A third US Open title would put DeChambeau alone in second place on the all-time US Open wins list — behind only Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus with four. That context is not lost on a player who has consistently expressed his desire to be remembered among the game's greatest champions. Shinnecock Hills in 2026 is an opportunity to take a significant step toward that legacy.
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