The 2026 PGA Championship is set to tee off at the historic Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, and the golf world is buzzing with anticipation. All eyes are on world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who enters as the +390 favorite, aiming to capture his second consecutive PGA Championship title. A victory would make Scheffler the first back-to-back winner since Brooks Koepka's dominant run in 2018 and 2019, and he'd join legendary company—Tiger Woods, who achieved the feat twice (1999-2000 and 2006-2007). However, Woods is notably absent from this year's field.
Action kicks off Thursday at 6:45 a.m. ET, with a stacked leaderboard ready to battle. Behind Scheffler, the odds board features familiar stars: Rory McIlroy (+950), Cameron Young (+1200), Jon Rahm (+1500), and a tie at +1800 between Ludvig Åberg and Xander Schauffele. But before you lock in your bets, golf expert David Bearman of SportsLine has crunched the numbers and is ready to share his sharpest predictions, sleepers, and golfers to avoid.
Bearman brings serious credentials to the table. A former ESPN golf researcher (2008-2011) and Deputy Editor of ESPN Chalk (2019-2023), he's been on fire in 2026, hitting Cam Young outright at The Players Championship, Matt Fitzpatrick at the RBC Heritage, and Young again at the Cadillac Championship. With over 18 units gained this season, his insights are not to be missed.
One of Bearman's boldest calls for the 2026 PGA Championship? He's fading Ludvig Åberg, despite the young Swede's tempting +1800 odds. Åberg, 26, is still searching for his first major victory. His best major finish came at the 2024 Masters, where he placed second, but his record at the PGA Championship is shaky—he missed the cut in both 2024 and 2025. "Simply put, I don't trust Åberg with it all on the line on Sunday," Bearman explains. "He may very well win 3-4 majors when all is said and done, but I need to see it first before backing him here."
With Aronimink's challenging layout and a field full of hungry contenders, this year's PGA Championship promises drama from start to finish. Whether you're backing Scheffler's dominance or looking for a dark horse, Bearman's expert picks could be your ticket to a winning weekend.