The 108th PGA Championship will take place at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Delaware County, from May 11 through May 17, 2026. The tournament will bring 156 professional golfers to compete on Aronimink’s par-70, 7,237-yard course for the Wanamaker Trophy, one of the most recognized trophies in professional golf.
The championship is one of the four tournaments that make up professional golf’s Grand Slam, along with The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship, which is played on courses in the United Kingdom.
Competitive play runs Thursday through Sunday, with players completing 18 holes per day. Organizers estimate the event will bring more than 200,000 spectators to the course and generate approximately $125 million in economic impact for the region.
The tournament provides an opportunity for local spectators to watch 156 of the world’s top golfers compete in close proximity.
Championship Week Schedule
Championship week begins on Monday, May 11, 2026, with the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup at Chester Valley Golf Club in Malvern, which is described as golf’s “major tournament” for military veterans.
Practice rounds will take place at Aronimink from Monday through Wednesday.
The official tournament schedule follows the standard four-round format:
- Thursday: First round
- Friday: Second round
- Saturday: Third round
- Sunday: Final round and awarding of the Wanamaker Trophy
The champion will be crowned on Sunday, May 17.
Ticket Availability and Attendance
Tickets for the 2026 PGA Championship are available through the tournament’s official website.
Championship+ Grounds Tickets for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday have sold out. Verified resale tickets are available through SeatGeek.
Remaining ticket options include:
- Championship+ Grounds Tickets for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday practice rounds
- A limited number of Championship+ Weekly Grounds Tickets
- Daily Club PGA Hospitality Tickets
Organizers state that no walk-up tickets will be available.
Each ticket includes complimentary food and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the event. Ticketed adults may bring up to two children aged 15 and under free of charge each day.
A limited number of complimentary tickets for U.S. military members and a guest will become available beginning in fall 2025.
Spectators attending the event will also have access to a retail area with merchandise and apparel from brands including Nike, Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Cutter & Buck, Under Armour, and Vineyard Vines, along with whiskey and wine lounges and concession areas across the course.
Course Preparation and Event Construction
Aronimink Golf Club has been closed since the beginning of November to prepare the course for tournament play and allow playing surfaces to recover.
The tournament requires extensive temporary construction across the property. General Chairman Mike Lewers compared the process to building a city on the 300-acre property in Newtown Square.
Infrastructure for the championship includes hospitality suites, viewing stands, concession stands, and video boards placed across the course. Lewers said heavy snowfall during the winter had little impact on preparations, which must fit within a relatively small space at the club.
Aronimink’s Tournament History
Aronimink last hosted the PGA Championship in 1962, when Gary Player won the tournament.
The PGA of America, which runs the PGA Championship, also organizes the Senior PGA Championship and the Women’s PGA Championship. In 2020, Aronimink became the first golf course to host all three championships when it staged the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The 2020 event was held without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first PGA Championship took place in 1916. The tournament was not held in 1917, 1918, 1919, and 1943 due to World War I and World War II.
Past champions include Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson.
The Wanamaker Trophy and Philadelphia Connection
The winner of the PGA Championship receives the Wanamaker Trophy, named after Rodman Wanamaker, a Philadelphia department store operator.
His son, Lewis Rodman Wanamaker, organized a meeting in New York on January 17, 1916, which led to the formation of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America and the creation of the PGA Championship.
Many people familiar with the Wanamaker name in Philadelphia are unaware of the family’s connection to the tournament.
Course Design and Restoration
Aronimink Golf Club was designed in 1928 by Donald Ross, one of the most influential golf course architects in American golf history. Ross considered Aronimink his finest design.
The course places strong emphasis on decision-making and accuracy. Off the tee, correct placement in the fairway determines the difficulty of the next shot. Aronimink’s greens contain slopes, false fronts, and runoff areas, requiring precise approach shots.
In 2017, the course underwent a restoration led by Malvern native Gil Hanse, a respected golf course architect. The restoration relied on original design records and historical aerial photography.
Work included:
- Removing trees added after the original design
- Restoring bunkers to their original clustered locations
- Expanding fairway widths
- Increasing green sizes by approximately 30 percent to restore original contours and runoff areas
The goal of the restoration was to return the course to Ross’s original design.
Previous Tournament Performance at Aronimink
Aronimink has hosted several prominent golf tournaments across different eras.
These include:
- The 1962 PGA Championship
- The U.S. Amateur
- The BMW Championship on the PGA Tour
- The 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
These tournaments demonstrated that results at Aronimink are influenced by precision ball striking, course management, and consistent play across the entire round.
Why the Championship Returned to Newtown Square
Hosting a PGA Championship requires large areas for infrastructure and operations. Tournament logistics require space for parking, hotels, hospitality areas, broadcast compounds, and spectator seating.
Newtown Square provides access to the Philadelphia media market while also offering nearby transportation routes, hotels, and event infrastructure necessary for a tournament of this scale.
The region has experience coordinating large sporting events and supporting large spectator crowds.
Players to Watch
Several top golfers are expected to compete for the Wanamaker Trophy in 2026.
Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion after winning the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, enters the tournament with a strong competitive record.
Rory McIlroy also has a connection to Aronimink, sharing the course record set during the 2018 BMW Championship held at the club.
Another player mentioned among potential contenders is Cam Young, who won The Players Championship earlier in the same month.
During the Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club last year, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, both two-time PGA Championship winners, spoke about the distinctive style of golf courses in the Philadelphia region.
Local Players and Qualification Opportunities
A local player could enter the field through qualifying events.
Jim Furyk, from West Chester, would qualify if he wins the Senior PGA Championship held in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, in mid-April.
Another pathway is the PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, where 312 club professionals from across the United States will compete for 20 spots in the Aronimink field. Some participants in that event represent Philadelphia-area courses.
Events During the United States 250th Anniversary
The 2026 PGA Championship will take place during the year of the United States’ 250th anniversary, known as the Semiquincentennial.
Philadelphia will host several large international sporting events during that year, including the MLB All-Star Game and matches during the FIFA World Cup.
