Aronimink is set up perfectly for the two best players on the planet to do battle.
Scottie Scheffler is in tremendous form, having finished second in each of his last three events. He hunted down Rory McIlroy at The Masters, falling just short on the final holes.
Meanwhile, Aronimink is perfectly suited to McIlroy, whose distance will be a real advantage this week. He’s coming off his second-straight Masters, and he’s as motivated as he has ever been.
But Johnson Wagner thinks there could be a surprise winner at this year’s PGA Championship outside of Scheffler and McIlroy. In fact, the Golf Channel Analyst said he’s struggling to see a world where he doesn’t win the event after walking the golf course.
Johnson Wagner is convinced Ludvig Aberg will win the PGA Championship
Ludvig Aberg has been flying under the radar since his collapse at The Players. He led at Sawgrass on the final day but found the water twice, falling out of contention.
Since then, he’s strung together consistent performances. He’s been in the top 10 in three of his last four events, making it five top 10s and three top fives already this season. And aside from McIlroy and Scheffler, Aberg is Wagner’s prediction to win the Wannamaker Trophy this week.
When asked what his PGA Championship predictions were on CBS, Wagner said, “I went kind of chalk with Scottie and Rory. Obviously, I think they’re clearly the two best players in the world. I mean, when you look at how many majors, what is it? Four of the last six majors have been won by Rory and Scottie.
“But I’m going off the wall a little bit for my person who’s actually going to win, and that’s Ludvig Aberg.
“When I walked this golf course yesterday, it was just as I’m walking, I’m thinking there’s no way Ludvig Aberg is not winning this golf tournament. This is tailor-made for his game and he’s been on decent form.”
Why Ludvig Aberg is perfectly suited to Aronimink Golf Club
Åberg enters the 2026 PGA Championship as one of the favorites because his elite physical profile is perfectly suited to Aronimink.
The course is a bomber’s paradise, but still requires accuracy off the tee to avoid the thick rough. Players with distance off the tee will have an edge with their ability to avoid the dangerous fairway bunkers, but players still must hit the fairway.
The rough, and even the first cut, at Aronimink this week, are massive hazards. Michael Kim said he’d struggle to hit the ball 100 yards out of a bad lie. So, Aberg, one of the longest and straightest drivers in the game, is set to deliver an incredible driving performance at the PGA.
Aronimink’s next defense is its Donald Ross-designed greens, which are expansive and undulating. Hitting the green isn’t enough here. You must find the right tier and avoid the false fronts and run-offs.
The greens resemble Augusta National with the strategy required to find the right area of them, and that’s a place that Aberg has thrived since he burst onto the scene with a runner-up finish as an amateur.
While putting has been his historic weakness, Aberg is incredibly accurate with his irons on approach shots, which will give him a huge edge this week.
Aberg was built in a lab to play golf courses like these, so don’t be surprised to see him in the mix on Sunday.
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