The 108th PGA Championship is upon us, and for the first time in over six decades, the Wanamaker Trophy will be contested on the hallowed fairways of Aronimink Golf Club in the Philadelphia suburbs. The last time the championship visited this storied course, Gary Player walked away with the crown in 1962—a tournament that looked almost nothing like the one we'll see today.

Back then, the PGA Championship was still finding its modern identity. It was only the fifth edition played in stroke-play format, and the first where the host course itself earned a spot on the trophy rather than the winner's home club. The switch from match play to stroke play came out of necessity: the old format had lost money the year prior. But during those match-play glory days, one legend towered above the rest: Walter Hagen. He captured his first PGA Championship in 1921, then reeled off four consecutive wins from 1924 to 1927. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the middle of that historic run.

That number four carries a special weight this week. The PGA Championship was once the fourth and final major of the season—dubbed "Glory's Last Shot"—before the schedule shifted it from August to May. That move changed the tournament's identity, just as the transition from match play to stroke play did decades earlier. But one thing remains constant: this is a week where history gets written.

As the 2026 season unfolds, four players have clearly separated themselves from the pack of 150-plus competitors: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young, and Matt Fitzpatrick. They've been winning and placing in bunches, and on paper, it looks like one of them will hoist the Wanamaker Trophy come Sunday.

But here's the thing about the PGA Championship—just when you think you have it figured out, the tournament has a funny way of rewriting the script. If its 100-year history has taught us anything, it's that the favorites can stumble, and the unlikeliest heroes can emerge.

Statistically, Scottie Scheffler is having an even stronger start than his dominant 2025 campaign. The eye test backs it up: his ball-striking, short game, and putting have all clicked in ways that seem almost unfair. He's ahead of schedule, even by his own lofty standards. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy enters with redemption on his mind. After a heartbreaking near-miss earlier this season, the four-time major champion is hungry to add another PGA Championship to his resume and silence any doubts about his ability to close.

Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick round out the quartet of contenders. Young's power off the tee and improving iron play make him a constant threat, while Fitzpatrick's precision and short-game wizardry are tailor-made for a challenging course like Aronimink. Both have been knocking on the door of major glory, and this week could be their breakthrough.

So as the 2026 PGA Championship gets underway, keep an eye on the favorites—but remember that in golf, and especially at this championship, the only certainty is the unexpected. Whether it's a century-old ghost like Hagen making his presence felt or a new star being born, Aronimink is ready to deliver a week we won't soon forget.