Canada's most interesting golfer makes his major debut

Sure, it's a cut (or two) below the Masters, the U.S. Open and the British Open. But the PGA Championship is still a major, and the best players in the world will be gunning for the Wanamaker Trophy when the first round tees off on Thursday at 130-year-old Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.

Here's a look at some of the most interesting players in the 156-man field, including a rising Canadian rookie with a fascinating backstory.

The Big 2

Any discussion of major-championship contenders must begin with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, who occupy the top two spots in the world rankings and have won four of the last five majors. They also finished 1-2 at last month's Masters, where McIlroy grabbed his second consecutive green jacket with a one-stroke win over Scheffler, who shot 11 under par over the final two rounds to charge up the leaderboard after a slow start.

Scheffler won the Masters in 2022 and '24, and last year added his first PGA Championship and British Open titles. He began his 2026 season with a victory in the California desert before hitting a rough patch (by his standards) in late February and March, finishing outside the top 10 in three straight tournaments. But the 29-year-old American's game has come back around since his second son was born on March 27. Starting with the Masters, Scheffler has finished second in all three of his tournaments as a double dad.

McIlroy didn't compete for a month after his Masters repeat. That's an indication that, at this stage of his career, the 37-year-old Northern Irishman is laser-focused on adding to his six major championships, which include a pair of PGA Championships in 2012 and '14. He returned for last week's lucrative event at Quail Hollow, where he's won