👋 {{readername | Hey, golf fans}},

The PGA Championship is here, and in case you missed our special handbook, featuring the history, records, TV schedule, and more, check it out here. Today we are talking about Aronimink, the players, Scottie’s… Scottie-like opinion on his rivalry with Rory, Tiger’s possible return, and more.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our PGA Championship merchandise. Plus, participate in the Prediction Challenge today.

Let’s get started…

Before we start with today’s edition, let's kick things off with the stories that've been making waves.

U.S. Open champion, who authored one of the greatest major comebacks, passed away. He was known for his humility and candor.

Jason Day once again upsets fans with his outfit in a major. But his choice directly addresses one of his key problems.

Justin Thomas’s adorable moment with daughter Molly seems to have put him at ease before the PGA Championship. He looked all smiles in the latest photo dump.

To accept the challenge of Aronimink Golf Club is like holding the door open for an enemy determined to tear the house down. But it figures. Donald Ross and his crew didn’t put colossal effort into building this course a century ago to make it a birdie paradise. Remember the rare 8mm video we mentioned in our PGA Championship Handbook? Watch it here: crews armed with hand saws and wheelbarrows frozen in time in this 101-year-old footage.

The par-70 layout will be tough, but we’ve still got our clear favorites. Rory McIlroy last played this course in 2018, when he finished solo fifth at the BMW Championship. He also ranks first in SG: Off‑the‑Tee. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, is second in SG: Around the Green and 14th in SG: Putting. He leads the field in all-time scoring average in majors (69.94).

However, the man most likely to throw a wrench in those plans is Cameron Young. The 29-year-old, son of a PGA professional, has six top‑10s and two wins in his last seven starts. His PGA Championship record is a bit shoddy (three MCs in four appearances), but he has the game to turn the tables.

The Course: It’s the kind of Donald Ross course that will have pros searching for their confidence on their hands and knees. It plays longer than it did the last time the PGA Tour stopped here eight years ago. Since its most recent restoration, 102 new bunkers were added, and with four more thrown in since, that brings the total to 174. The rough is lush and at least 3 inches deep. No mercy for mishits and no easy escape for long-hitters.

Some golf gear simply belongs in your rotation. Like our latest drop that carries a mix of PGA Championship special merchandise, alongside refreshed takes on some of your favorite essentials.

A few thoughtful essentials. Made for people who genuinely love the game.

Rivalry: For the past four and a half years, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have won a combined four of the last five majors. So every golf nerd hopes the Scottie vs. Rory rivalry brings back the thrill of the Tiger vs. Phil era. But Scottie couldn’t care less about that, nor does he place much importance on this rivalry. Instead, listen to his candid and thoughtful answer on what drives him to become the best golfer on the planet.

That doesn’t mean Scottie isn’t competitive. Far from it. In fact, if another player is racking up multiple wins in a season, he might just follow them at lunch to see what they’re eating. No kidding—this young PGA Tour winner experienced it firsthand.

Rory, on the other hand, might have missed Scottie’s Champions Dinner this week due to a nagging injury, but he has been all class about the World No. 1. Remember his “apology” to Scottie’s family after beating him? That mutual admiration has only grown. So we won’t have a banter-filled rivalry like Tiger vs. Phil, but a different one where respect is paramount.

Return: Reportedly, Tiger’s rehab in Zurich is over. His Gulfstream G550—here is an inside look at the luxury modern-day Montgolfier—arrived in Florida, according to TMZ Sports. It’s still unclear whether Tiger was on the flight. He had been in Switzerland for rehab at one of the country’s most exclusive treatment centers.

The news comes after Judge Darren Steele gave prosecutors the green light to access Woods’s medical files. Perhaps he is here to deal with the latest decision?

Hey folks! Welcome to the Essentially Golf Prediction Challenge!

Show off your golf instinct by making the PGA Championship picks. You’ve got a chance to bring the golf analyst inside you and predict scores, possible records, and earn a chance to walk away with a $25 gift card.

Weekly Prize: Top scorer each week grabs a sweet $25 gift card — yep, a reward for being right.
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The par-3 eighth was the hardest hole the last time the PGA Tour stopped at Aronimink. So, if you happen to be playing this Par-3, how to go about it? Here’s a breakdown.

To sum it up, club selection and tee-shot accuracy are crucial here. If you are struggling with the latter, here are three drills to fix that.

PGA Tour pro-turned-analyst Colt Knost is a busy man. But he’s also known for his sharp wit. Knost once stunned Trevor Immelman with a self-deprecating joke on a live broadcast. Less surprising, then, that he was mic’d up again and went roaming the range at Aronimink Golf Club. We’ll let you watch the full video without spoiling the punchlines, but keep an eye out for his hilarious exchange with Spieth and Si Woo Kim here.

Back in 2016, Knost—he was still a PGA Tour pro then—crashed at Spieth’s place for AT&T Byron Nelson. He loved the mansion with its basketball court, simulator, gym, and whatnot, but still had one gripe. There was a TV in every corner, but not a single one in the guest room where Colt was staying. So he openly aired his “TV deprivation” complaint to the media. Spieth installed a TV in his room soon.

Today’s story comes from our reader, Marianne Irrgang, who shared with us a memorable day from the 1971 U.S. Open.

“My husband and I went together for one day of the U.S. Open Tournament at Merion in 1971. Arnie was my husband's favorite. Our son, just last year, gave him a Starting Lineup - Timeless Legends miniature - with his card - all intact, made by Kenner. Surely, not worth a lot of money, but he loved it! We were there on a gorgeous day. We cherish the memory. I took my shoes off and walked on that beautiful green grass. I wish you all at "Essentially Golf" a similar wonderful lifetime golf memory. You deserve it!”

Have a golf story to share? Or a tip? Or just a picture of your equipment, garage golf setup? Better still, a hot take on a thorny issue? You can comment below or email us directly here.

Thank you for reading this edition of Essentially Golf.

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