PGA Championship Field Adds LIV Players, Mickelson Out
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- PGA Championship – The 2026 tournament will run May 14‑17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, featuring a field drawn from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf.
- Rory McIlroy – The 2026 Masters champion says he is “more motivated than ever” as he seeks a second straight major at the PGA Championship.
- Scottie Scheffler – World No. 1 and defending PGA champion is the pre‑tournament favourite to win a fifth major in as many seasons, after skipping the Truist Championship.
- LIV Golf – Xavi Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson (special exemption), Cameron Smith, Tyrell Hatton, Elvis Smylie, David Puig, Tom McKibbin, Thomas Detry, Martin Kaymer and Joaquin Niemann have all received invitations to compete.
- Phil Mickelson – The 2021 PGA champion withdrew for personal reasons and will be replaced by Max Homa.
- Tiger Woods – The three‑time Grand Slam winner remains out while recovering from a March DUI‑related crash and treatment in Switzerland, and has not received a special exemption for the US Open.
- Brandt Snedeker – After winning the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, Snedeker earned a surprise major invite, marking his first PGA Tour win since 2018.
Why it matters: The sizeable LIV contingent gives the breakaway league a rare major platform, intensifying competition for Tour regulars, while the exits of Mickelson and Woods open spots for newcomers like Max Homa and Brandt Snedeker, reshaping the tournament’s narrative and potential outcomes.
