Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, will host the 108th PGA Championship from May 11 through May 17, 2026. The championship will be played on the club’s par-70, 7,237-yard course, bringing 156 professional golfers to the Philadelphia region for four days of competition.
The PGA Championship is one of professional golf’s four annual tournaments that form the sport’s Grand Slam. The other tournaments are:
- The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia
- The U.S. Open
- The Open Championship is played in the United Kingdom
The U.S. Open and PGA Championship rotate among courses throughout the United States.
Tournament director Jackie Endsley said the event brings 156 of the world’s best golfers to the region and gives local Pennsylvanians and people who may not have attended a championship before the opportunity to see these athletes compete.
Championship Week Schedule
Championship week begins Monday, May 11, with the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup at Chester Valley Golf Club in Malvern, described as golf’s “major tournament” for military veterans.
Practice rounds take place Monday through Wednesday at Aronimink. The tournament runs Thursday through Sunday, with competitors playing 18 holes each day.
- Thursday: First round
- Friday: Second round
- Saturday: Championship round
- Sunday: Final round and presentation of the Wanamaker Trophy
Organizers expect more than 200,000 spectators. Endsley said spectators were not permitted during the 2020 Women’s PGA Championship because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers look forward to welcoming fans to Aronimink in 2026.
Course Preparation And Construction
Preparing Aronimink for the championship has required extensive work across the club’s 300-acre property.
Temporary tournament infrastructure includes:
- Hospitality suites
- Viewing stands and grandstands
- Concession stands and concession facilities
- Video boards throughout the course
General Chairman Mike Lewers compared the preparation to building a city on a 300-acre property in Newtown Square.
The golf course closed at the beginning of November so the playing surface could recover from regular use and the property could accommodate tournament construction. Lewers said heavy snowfall during the winter had very little impact on preparations.
Projected Economic Activity
Organizers estimate the championship will generate approximately $125 million in economic activity for the Philadelphia region.
The estimate includes spending by visitors on:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Transportation
- Local services
The championship will also be broadcast internationally, providing television coverage of the Philadelphia region to golf audiences worldwide.
History Of Aronimink And The Championship
Aronimink Golf Club previously hosted the PGA Championship in 1962, when South African golfer Gary Player won the tournament.
The PGA of America, which organizes the PGA Championship, also operates two other tournaments:
- Senior PGA Championship
- Women’s PGA Championship
In 2020, Aronimink became the first course to host all three PGA of America championships.
Jackie Endsley served as tournament director for the 2020 Women’s PGA Championship before receiving the same role for the 2026 PGA Championship in January.
The PGA Championship began in 1916. The tournament was not held in 1917, 1918, 1919, and 1943 due to World War I and World War II.
The winner receives the Wanamaker Trophy, named after Philadelphia department store operator Rodman Wanamaker. His son Lewis Rodman Wanamaker organized a meeting in New York on January 17, 1916, which led to the creation of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America and the PGA Championship.
Aronimink head golf professional Jeff Kiddie said people familiar with the Wanamaker name in Philadelphia are often surprised to learn about the family’s connection to the championship.
Past winners of the PGA Championship include:
- Jack Nicklaus
- Tiger Woods
- Rory McIlroy
- Vijay Singh
- Phil Mickelson
Course Design And Restoration
Aronimink Golf Club was designed by golf course architect Donald Ross and completed in 1928. Ross considered it his finest work.
The course demands accurate placement off the tee and precise approach shots into greens that contain slopes, false fronts, and runoff areas.
In 2017, Malvern native and golf course architect Gil Hanse completed a restoration using original design records and historical aerial photography.
The project included several changes:
- Removal of trees added after Ross’s original design to reopen sightlines
- Bunkers returned to their original clustered locations
- Fairways widened to restore strategic options
- Greens expanded by approximately 30 percent to restore contours and runoff areas
Philadelphia Golf Culture And Spectators
Philadelphia sports fans are widely known for their enthusiastic support of their teams.
Jackie Endsley said fans in the city strongly support their home teams, and organizers expect that energy to appear in a respectful way during the championship while spectators cheer for the world’s best golfers.
Golf spectators have traditionally been associated with quiet applause known as the “golf clap.” In recent years, tournaments have experienced more vocal fan reactions.
The Philadelphia region also played a role in what is often called the Golden Age of American golf course architecture. Many courses from that era appear less frequently on professional tours because the properties are smaller than modern tournament venues require.
Jeff Kiddie said hosting a championship of this size requires space for logistics such as parking and hotels, and he said the club feels fortunate the event can return to Aronimink.
Players To Watch
Jeff Kiddie said past champions such as Justin Rose and Keegan Bradley have demonstrated well-rounded play with precise iron shots and creativity around the greens.
Players identified as contenders include:
- Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, is described as a strong driver and one of the best iron players in the game
- Rory McIlroy, who shares the course record at Aronimink after a round during the 2018 BMW Championship
- Cam Young, who won the Players Championship earlier this month
During the Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club last year, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, both two-time winners of the PGA Championship, praised golf courses in the Philadelphia region. Thomas said the courses have a different style and look compared with others and said they remind him of Scotland or Ireland because there appear to be no bad courses to play.
Local Golfer Qualification Possibility
West Chester native Jim Furyk could qualify for the championship field by winning the Senior PGA Championship scheduled for mid-April in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.
Another qualifying route is the PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, where:
- 312 club professionals will compete
- 20 spots in the Aronimink field will be awarded
Ticket Information And Spectator Experience
Tickets for the 2026 PGA Championship are available through the official tournament website.
Current ticket availability includes:
- Practice round tickets for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Verified resale tickets for Thursday through Sunday through SeatGeek
- Limited Championship+ Weekly Grounds Tickets
- Limited Daily Club PGA Hospitality Tickets
No walk-up tickets will be available.
Each ticket includes:
- Complimentary food
- Non-alcoholic beverages throughout the event
Ticketed adults may bring up to two children ages 15 and under free each day.
Spectators at Aronimink will also find merchandise areas featuring Nike, Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Cutter & Buck, Under Armour, and Vineyard Vines. Whiskey and wine lounges will be available on the grounds, along with concession areas located throughout the course.
Philadelphia Area Golf Events
The 2026 PGA Championship will take place during the year of the United States’ 250th anniversary, connected to Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial celebrations.
Other large sporting events scheduled in the region during that period include:
- MLB All-Star Game
- FIFA World Cup matches
Championship golf will return to the Philadelphia area again in 2030, when the U.S. Open is scheduled at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore.
