Everything you need to know about the PGA Championship — from how to watch to how to get merch without a ticket
Are you a golf-curious Philadelphian wondering what all the fuss is about? We’ve got you covered with what to know about the men’s major tournament coming to Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square this month.
It’s been over six decades since the PGA Championship made its way to the Philadelphia area. The last time was 1962. This month, the event will make its return to the area — and the course that hosted during its last stop here: Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square.
As we count down to the 108th PGA Championship, here’s everything golf-curious fans should know …
What is the PGA Championship?
There are four major championships on the men’s professional golf calendar: The Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship (or British Open), and the PGA Championship. The PGA Championship could arguably be seen as the least significant of all majors — but is still a big deal among golf pros, featuring a top-tier field of talent.
The annual event, which started in 1916, is the only major championship exclusively for professionals, featuring a 72-hole stroke play with a field of 156 players. But not all of them are PGA Tour players — more on that in a bit.
The PGA Championship is a much different event from the Truist Championship, a PGA Tour signature event that was held at The Philadelphia Cricket Club last year.
The main differences are in status and field size. The PGA Championship holds far more significance with a larger field of players compared with the Truist Championship, which is limited to about 72 players.
What are players competing for?
The field will compete for a massive cash prize of $3.6 million from the $20 million purse, 750 FedExCup points, and a replica of the Wanamaker Trophy.
The original Wanamaker Trophy went missing in 1925 after Walter Hagen gave it to his taxi driver to take it to his hotel. However, the trophy never arrived and remained missing for five years until it was found in 1930 in the basement of a manufacturing company.
As part of the purse for winning the event, the winning golfer will also receive a lifetime exemption into the PGA Championship, a five-year exemption into the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open, and The Players, a five-year PGA Tour membership, and a seven-year DP World Tour membership.
Who will be competing?
The event will feature past champions, and top PGA Tour golfers. Some of the players competing this year include Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and reigning champion Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler will defend his title after finishing at 11 under par last year. Meanwhile, McIlroy is coming off a Masters win, securing his second consecutive green jacket.
There’s also Jordan Spieth, who will be looking to become the seventh player to complete a career Grand Slam — winning all four major championships. He won the 2015 Masters, the 2015 U.S. Open, and the 2017 Open Championships. With last year’s Masters title, McIlroy became just the sixth player to complete the career grand slam.
Alongside some of the top names in the sport, there will be 20 PGA of America Golf Professionals teeing up to compete. They earned their spots in the competition by finishing among the top 20 at April’s PGA Professional Championship.
The group will be representing the 30,000-plus PGA members who work as club managers, teaching pros, and directors of golf.
Included on that list of PGA golf pros is Aston native Braden Shattuck, of Rolling Green Golf Club, who will make his third PGA Championship appearance.
Has the PGA Championship been held at Aronimink before?
With stops all over the country in recent years, the PGA Championship is now making its way to the Philadelphia area. But, has it been local before?
The answer is yes. Aronimink Golf Club hosted the PGA Championship in 1962, when it was won by Gary Player.
The club was scheduled to host the event again in 1993, but withdrew because it didn’t meet the PGA’s requirements for minority membership. It wasn’t until 1998 that Aronimink accepted its first Black member, Kenneth Hill.
Aronimink has also hosted three PGA Tour events in the last two decades — the 2010 AT&T National, the 2011 AT&T National, and the 2018 BMW Championship. It also hosted the Women’s PGA Championship in 2020.
Philadelphia has a rich golf history that extends well beyond Aronimink. The area has hosted five previous PGA Championships, and in 2013 hosted its most recent men’s major: the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, where it will be returning in 2030. Later this year, Merion will also host another big tournament: the 2026 Men’s Amateur Championship.
How can I watch?
How you’ll watch the PGA Championship depends on when you want to tune in. The early-morning rounds during the first two days will air on ESPN+, and then switch over to ESPN in the afternoon. On the weekends, it will start by streaming on ESPN+ before moving over ESPN for the mid-day hours, and then finally to CBS for the conclusions of Rounds 3-4. You can check out a more in-depth TV and streaming breakdown on the PGA’s website.
What should I know if I’m going?
Aronimink Golf Club is expected to bring in around 200,000 spectators for the week. The first three days (May 11-13) will consist of practice rounds and a pro-am, and then the real action begins on Thursday, May 14, before the champion is crowned on Sunday, May 17.
To read more about on-site experiences, from transportation and parking to food and beverages, you can click here.
Do I need tickets to get into the merch tent?
To the surprise of some, that answer is no.
A massive PGA Championship merchandise shop will be open at the club during the tournament, featuring items from Nike, Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Cutter & Buck, Under Armour, Vineyard Vines, and more. But, even if you don’t have a ticket for the action, there’s still an opportunity to buy some merch.
The PGA Shop will be open to the general public from Friday, May 8, to Sunday, May 10, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Parking will be complimentary, located at AmeriHealth Caritas on 3875 West Chester Pike. A complimentary shuttle service will be provided to take fans from the main spectator entrance at the course.
In terms of other Philly-themed Aronimink merchandise, Barstool Sports released its own line ahead of the event — including hats, and T-shirts.
Other golf brands, including Peter Millar, Holderness & Bourne, and Bobby Jones dropped their own Aronimink golf gear as well.
