PGA Championship 2026: The big names not playing at Aronimink

The PGA Championship gets underway this week at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.

World number one Scottie Scheffler will attempt to defend his title and add a fifth major to his already impressive resume.

The 29-year-old will face stiff competition, though, from the likes of reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy and the in-form Cameron Young and Matthew Fitzpatrick.

LIV Golf recruits Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm will also believe they can hoist the Wanamaker Trophy above their shoulders on Sunday evening.

And elsewhere, we shouldn’t discount the likes of Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton.

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Or what about Jordan Spieth? The American needs only a PGA Championship victory to complete the career grand slam and will mount his 10th attempt at the feat.

Nine-time major winner Gary Player believes Spieth can still join him in the grand slam club and even become the world number one again.

Despite the field boasting 156 players, there are some big names not playing in the second men’s major of the year.

GolfMagic has decided to take a look at the notables who’ve missed out.

Scroll down…

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Tiger Woods

Woods, 50, was on the cusp of making his first start in a major championship since missing the cut at the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon.

The 15-time major champion spoke of his desire to compete at the 2026 Masters but faced a race against time to be fit after undergoing back surgery last October.

Woods’ hopes of making his 27th Masters appearance were dashed, though, after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in late March.

The golf legend is currently in Switzerland in rehab, according to reports, and has not announced any timeframe for a possible return.

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Woods is not eligible for the U.S. Open next month, either, as he exemption into the major ran out last year.

The USGA will likely extend an invite to the three-time U.S. Open winner if he would like to make an appearance at Shinnecock Hills, but it seems unlikely Woods will accept the offer.

Phil Mickelson

The 2026 PGA Championship will not feature three-time winner Phil Mickelson.

Lefty has only played once in the LIV Golf League this season, in South Africa, after announcing that he was taking some time away from the sport to deal with an undisclosed family health matter.

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Mickelson’s decision not to play meant Max Homa was added to the field.

Tony Finau

The big American was once inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking, but has fallen to 119th.

That meant Finau did not qualify for this year’s Masters and he also hasn’t done enough to secure a tee time this week.

Finau was invited last week’s signature event at Quail Hollow and needed a win play his way in, but finished in a share of 31st in the 72-man field.

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An alarming slide for big Tone.

Sergio Garcia

Garcia missed out on playing in the PGA Championship in 2023 and 2024, but his form in the LIV Golf League last season saw him receive an invite by the PGA of America to participate in the 2025 edition of the major at Quail Hollow.

The veteran finished 67th last year and has struggled for form through six LIV Golf events this season.

A runner-up finish to Lucas Herbert last week in Virginia will boost Garcia’s confidence, though, who admitted to Spanish media during a frustrating Masters week that he would consider retirement unless results improved.

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As things stand, Garcia is not qualified for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills or The Open at Royal Birkdale.

Tom Kim Tom Kim

Tom Kim

When Tom Kim arrived on the scene in 2022, he was touted as a future star.

He quickly racked up three PGA Tour titles but has since fallen to 145th in the OWGR.

Will Kim turn it around?

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Will Zalatoris

Although Will Zalatoris is yet to win a major, the American was a force to be reckoned with during the early part of his career.

Zalatoris finished runner-up at the 2021 Masters and lost in a play-off to Justin Thomas at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

He was also beaten by one shot at the 2022 U.S. Open at Brookline by Matthew Fitzpatrick.

Back injuries have severely curtailed what was once a promising career.

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Anthony Kim

Few would’ve predicted Anthony Kim would win a professional golf event when he returned to the sport after more than a decade.

But the 40-year-old did just that in February, reeling in the aforementioned Rahm and DeChambeau down the stretch at LIV’s stop in Adelaide to win for the first time since 2010.

LIV now receive world ranking points and Kim has climbed to inside the top 200 for the first time since 2012.

Should the PGA of America given Kim an invitation?

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Lucas Herbert

Lucas Herbert’s victory in Virginia saw the Australian secure a spot in the field for next month’s U.S. Open.

The achievement saw him climb back inside the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

But it arrived too late and he will sit this one out.

The 2026 PGA Championship gets underway on Thursday.

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Keep checking GolfMagic for regular updates.

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