PGA Championship 2025 Preview and Predictions

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 the PGA of America's professional club member rankings — club professionals who teach and administer golf across the country. These players compete alongside Tour stars, adding a democratic quality unique among the majors. (In practice, they rarely contend, but their presence reflects the PGA of America's mission.)

Historic Venues

The PGA Championship rotates among a roster of elite private and public courses:

• Valhalla Golf Club (Louisville, KY): Has hosted multiple PGA Championships and Ryder Cups. Known for its risk-reward back nine
• Bethpage Black (NY): One of the toughest public courses in America. Produces scoring that tests even elite fields
• Southern Hills (Tulsa, OK): A classic parkland layout that rewards precision iron play
• Kiawah Island (SC): The Ocean Course is one of the most wind-exposed major championship venues, producing dramatic scoring swings based on daily conditions
• Oak Hill (Rochester, NY): A refined, tight Donald Ross design that rewards shot-making precision

What Skills Win PGA Championships

The PGA Championship's course selection tends toward venues that reward:

• Driving accuracy — the rough at PGA Championship venues is typically thick and punishing
• Iron accuracy from 150–200 yards — protected greens reward precise approach play
• Short-game versatility — the variety of lies and situations around PGA Championship greens demands creative chipping and pitching
• Putting pressure management — Sunday back nines at majors test every player's mental game regardless of their statistical putting rank

Notable Recent Champions

The PGA Championship roll of honor in recent years reflects the Tour's elite. Brooks Koepka won three of five from 2018–2022, establishing a major championship dominance rarely seen in the modern game. Justin Thomas's 2022 win at Southern Hills — overcoming a large deficit to force a playoff — was one of the decade's most dramatic major finishes. Scheffler, McIlroy, Rahm, and the emerging generation of top players are perennial threats.

Brooks Koepka's PGA Championship Legacy

No player in the modern era has a more impressive PGA Championship résumé than Brooks Koepka. His ability to elevate in this specific major — winning in 2018, 2019, and 2023, and finishing second in 2022 — suggests something genuine about how his game matches these types of demanding, accurate-play venues. When Koepka enters a PGA Championship week, even in limited form, he deserves respect on the betting boards.

Contender Profiles for 2025+

The PGA Championship contender shortlist looks similar to other major championships at the top: Scheffler leads any field he enters, McIlroy brings the full package of major championship ability, Jon Rahm's ballstriking is elite on demanding courses, and players like Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa have profiles that fit these types of courses well.

Look for the Strokes Gained: Total leaders entering PGA Championship week. The most consistent all-around players tend to deliver on these demanding, balanced venues — there's rarely one single overwhelming strength that wins PGA Championships the way Augusta rewards specific draw-biased ball flight.

The Wanamaker Trophy

The Ryder Wanamaker Trophy — the prize awarded to PGA Championship winners — is the largest trophy in major championship golf, standing over two feet tall and weighing around 27 pounds. It's also the only major trophy that stays permanently with the winner rather than being held for a year and returned (like the Open's Claret Jug). Champions receive the original and a replica. It's an underrated piece of sporting iconography.

How to Watch

The PGA Championship airs on ESPN and CBS in the United States, with streaming available on ESPN+. TNT Sports covers the championship for UK viewers. Check PGAChampionship.com for broadcast schedules and streaming information specific to the current year's event.