PGA Championship 2026: Results, Winner & Recap

Aaron Rai stood on the ninth tee at Aronimink three shots behind and going nowhere. Ten holes later he was a major champion. The Englishman closed with a 65 to win the PGA Championship 2026 by three strokes, finishing at 9 under par on a Sunday when 22 players had started within four shots of the lead.

He was ranked 44th in the world. It was his 13th major start. Nobody had him on their list. He was not the only surprise of the year: our 2026 majors review puts all four in context.

PGA Championship 2026 Results at a Glance

• Dates: May 14-17, 2026
• Venue: Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (par 70)
• Winner: Aaron Rai (England), 70-69-67-65, 271 (9 under)
• Margin: Three strokes
• Runners-up: Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley, 274 (6 under)
• Tied 4th: Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg and Matti Schmid, 275 (5 under)
• Tied 7th: Cameron Smith, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele, 276 (4 under)
• Tied 10th: Kurt Kitayama, Justin Rose, Chris Gotterup and Patrick Reed, 277 (3 under)
• Purse: $20.5 million, with $3.69 million to the winner

How Rai Won It

Smalley led after 54 holes at 6 under. Rai sat two back after rounds of 70, 69 and 67. Through eight holes on Sunday he was 1 over for the day and drifting.

Then came the par-5 ninth. Rai rolled in a 40-foot eagle putt to turn in 1-under 34. A 4-foot birdie at the 11th pulled him level at 6 under. A 7-foot birdie at 13 gave him the lead at 7 under, and he never gave it back.

The 17th settled it. From nearly 70 feet on the par 3, Rai holed for birdie and went three clear. He played his last ten holes in 6 under par.

It was his first major and his second PGA Tour title, after the 2024 Wyndham Championship. The win brings a lifetime PGA Championship exemption and five-year exemptions into the Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open and The Players.

The History Rai Made

Rai is the first Englishman to win the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes in 1919. He is also the first non-American winner since Jason Day in 2015 and the first European champion since Rory McIlroy in 2014.

He does it his own way. Two gloves, one on each hand, a habit from childhood. Head covers on his irons, a lesson in respecting equipment from his father. Born in Wolverhampton, he turned professional at 17 and earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in 2020.

Kitayama's 63

The round of the week belonged to Kurt Kitayama. His bogey-free 63 on Sunday tied the lowest final round in major championship history, two shots better than anything else posted all week. He started with three straight birdies and climbed into the top 10 at 3 under.

PGA Championship History and Significance

Founded in 1916, the PGA Championship has moved around the calendar more than any other major and has evolved considerably over the decades.

From Match Play to Stroke Play

The PGA Championship was originally contested as a match play event from 1916 to 1957. The switch to 72-hole stroke play in 1958 transformed the championship, making it more accessible to television audiences and aligning its format with the other three majors.

A Change of Season

For decades the PGA was the last major of the year, played in August. In 2019 it moved to May, the first time it had been held in that month since 1949. It now sits second in the major calendar, a month after Augusta.

Notable Champions

The PGA Championship's winners list reads like a hall of fame:

• Jack Nicklaus: Five PGA Championship victories
• Walter Hagen: Five titles, including four in a row during the match play era (1924-1927)
• Tiger Woods: Four titles, in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007
• Brooks Koepka: Back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019, then a third in 2023, cementing his reputation as a major championship specialist

Aronimink Golf Club, the 2026 Venue

Aronimink hosted the PGA Championship for the second time. The first was 1962, when Gary Player won by one shot over Bob Goalby at 2-under 278. It was the club's first major.

Course History

Donald Ross designed Aronimink, and the course opened in 1928. Ross later said: "I intended to make this my masterpiece, but not until today did I realize that I built better than I knew."

Gil Hanse led a restoration that used aerial photographs from the late 1920s and 1930s to bring back Ross's original intent. Bunkers were reshaped, new tees added and greens enlarged to recover lost hole locations. The club has since hosted the 2018 BMW Championship and the 2020 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, and before that the AT&T National in 2010 and 2011.

How It Played

Aronimink played as a par 70 and gave little away. Scottie Scheffler's opening 67 was good enough for a share of the first-round lead, and 6 under was enough to lead after 54 holes. For context on how the setup compares with a U.S. Open, see our preview of the year's third major.

How the Field Qualified

The PGA Championship consistently attracts one of golf's deepest fields, combining the world's top-ranked players with club professionals who earn their spots through PGA of America qualifying.

Main Routes In

Past Champions

• PGA Championship winners receive lifetime exemptions

Tour Performance

• Winners of PGA Tour events in the qualifying window
• The top 70 on a special PGA Championship points list, separate from the FedExCup standings

Special Invitations

• The PGA of America issues special exemptions, traditionally used to bring in highly ranked players from the Official World Golf Ranking

PGA Club Professional Qualifier

One of the PGA Championship's most distinctive features is the inclusion of 20 PGA club professionals who earn their spots through the PGA Professional Championship. These club pros compete alongside the world's best, creating compelling underdog storylines that are unique to this major.

How the Favourites Fared

Scottie Scheffler The world number one came in as defending champion and opened with a 67 to share the lead. Two 71s left him five back going into Sunday, and he finished tied 14th at 2 under.

Xander Schauffele Tied seventh at 4 under. In the hunt, never quite at the front.

Rory McIlroy The two-time PGA Champion opened with a 74 and fought back to finish tied seventh at 4 under.

Collin Morikawa The 2020 PGA Champion never got going and finished tied 55th at 3 over.

Ludvig Åberg The young Swede finished tied fourth at 5 under, four behind Rai.

Brooks Koepka The three-time PGA Champion finished tied 55th at 3 over.

Jon Rahm Rounds of 69, 70, 67 and 68 earned a share of second. A strong week that ran into one exceptional Sunday.

Elsewhere Viktor Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood missed the cut. Sahith Theegala finished tied 60th.

Schedule and Format

Championship Week Timeline

• Thursday, May 14: First round
• Friday, May 15: Second round, cut after play
• Saturday, May 16: Third round (moving day)
• Sunday, May 17: Final round

Cut Rule

The PGA Championship cuts to the low 70 scorers and ties after 36 holes from a starting field of 156. There is no secondary cut. For more on how cuts work in professional golf, see our guide on what the cut is in golf.

Prize Money

The 2026 purse was a record $20.5 million, up $1.5 million from 2025. Rai took home $3.69 million.

How the PGA Championship Fits the Major Calendar

The 2026 major championship season ran as follows:

1. The Masters (April 9-12), Augusta National Golf Club
2. PGA Championship (May 14-17), Aronimink Golf Club
3. U.S. Open (June 18-21), Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
4. The Open Championship (July 16-19), Royal Birkdale

The PGA Championship's May positioning means players arrive fresh from Masters competition, and form lines from Augusta often carry into the second major. For a complete overview of all four majors, see our major championships guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the PGA Championship 2026?

Aaron Rai of England. He shot a final-round 65 to finish at 9 under, three ahead of Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley.

When was the PGA Championship 2026?

May 14-17, 2026.

Where was the PGA Championship 2026 played?

Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, a Donald Ross design that opened in 1928. It last hosted the championship in 1962.

How do players qualify for the PGA Championship?

Past champions, PGA Tour winners, the top 70 on a special PGA Championship points list and special invitations from the PGA of America make up most of the field. Twenty spots go to club professionals through the PGA Professional Championship.

What was the PGA Championship purse for 2026?

$20.5 million. Rai earned $3.69 million.

How is the PGA Championship different from the PGA Tour?

The PGA Championship is a single tournament - one of golf's four major championships - organised by the PGA of America. The PGA Tour is a season-long series of tournaments that forms the primary professional golf circuit in North America. Despite sharing the PGA name, they are separate organisations.

What is the cut at the PGA Championship?

The low 70 scorers and ties after 36 holes advance to the weekend. There is no second cut.

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