Golf LIVE: Rory McIlroy makes injury announcement as Brooks Koepka confirms major change
Express Sport has all the build up to the second golf major of the year - the PGA Championship
The 2026 PGA Championship gets underway later this week and there is plenty of high-quality action to look forward to. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler returns to the Aronimink Golf Club just outside of Philadelphia with the aim of going back-to-back just as Brooks Koepka did seven years ago.
The latter has struggled to reach those levels over the last few years but has recently revealed what has changed in his game that could give him a strong chance of winning. Having secured consecutive Masters titles, Rory McIlroy is among the favourites but concerns emerged after he was spotted limping at the Truist Championship, though he has since eased injury concerns.
Multiple LIV Golf stars - despite the uncertainty surrounding their respective futures - are set be in action in the wake of the bombshell update that funding for the breakaway league would be ceasing.
Elsewhere, Truist Championship winner Kristoffer Reitan, after claiming his first PGA Tour triumph last weekend, will be looking to mix it with all of the high-profile names this weekend.
Stay with us on Express Sport for all the latest golf news and updates which includes build up to The PGA Championship...
KEY EVENTS
Everything you need to know about PGA Tour Championship
Many of the 100-plus field of golfers competing in this week's PGA Championship have already descended on Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia with the second major event of the year set to begin on Thursday.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is among the favourites to triumph and potentially claim another $3.42million (£2.53m) with that being the prize money to the winner in 2025.
Four rounds of 18-holes across Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is the format with the field set to be cut down heading into the weekend.
John Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson are the big LIV stars set to compete in Philadelphia while the final two spots were claimed by Truist Championship winner Kristoffer Reitan and ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic victor Brandt Snedeker.
Speith on pressure of securing Grand Slam in comparison to McIlroy
Jordan Speith has revealed the pressure he is facing to complete the Grand Slam is very different to what Rory McIlroy experienced.
The 32-year-old only needs the PGA Championship to join the elusive list of golfers to have won all four major events. However, Speith is certainly not putting any pressure on himself and has made a candid admission on his situation in comparison to McIlroy's.
He said at a press conference, via Sky Sports: "My situation was certainly different than his [McIlroy's] at Augusta, so I think that was unique to him," Spieth insisted. "You probably didn't see that kind of reaction with the other guys that have ever done it.
"Rory's was obviously a very unique final round and his history of having led there [2011, when he blew a four-shot lead on the final day] and stuff like that, so I don't think it would feel similar.
He added: "I went on a run of feeling like I was contending or having a good chance of contending at every major for a number of years and then it was periodic, and I feel like I'm close to being able to go back to doing that again. So I just want to give myself a chance."
"If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason [Grand Slam]. But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way.
"Just go out and get ready for the first hole, get a good game plan in and attack it the way it needs to be attacked. My game has been getting better and better. It's plenty good to have a chance to win."
Scheffler Truist Championship absence explained
While Rory McIlroy and other big names were at the Truist Championship last week, Scottie Scheffler was not, having previously revealed the reason for his absence.
Despite it being a PGA Tour Signature Event, Scheffler did not participate with the world No 1 revealing his very valid reasons for skipping it during an April 29 press conference.
“I typically don’t love playing the week before a major,” Scheffler said.
“It’s nice to have so many tournaments that are really good. If I had it my way I would play every single week out here. But just the nature of our sport and the demand on our time and everything it’s not really possible.
“If y’all were to walk with me each day of the tournament and see what we have to do in order to play one week, having to do that four weeks in a row... I wouldn’t be able to perform my best. So when I show up at a tournament I want to be able to give it my best and I have to set up my schedule in a certain way and, you know, the chips kind of fall where they do.”
Koepka reveals major change
Brooks Koepka has delivered an honest admission that he is finally happy playing golf again after shooting a back nine of 29 at ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic this past Saturday.
He said: “That’s the most excited I’ve been playing golf in a long, long time. I can tell you that much. I would say back until ’23, the PGA. That’s the most — it’s been a long time since I’ve had fun playing golf. I was very frustrated last year. Just wasn’t in a good place, but I think a lot of times when you — it’s like anybody, right?
“If they’re happy off the golf course, they’re going to play well on the golf course. I think that’s a huge, huge piece of it, and I’ve found that. Re-found my happiness, my love for the game. All the pieces are connected. It’s just now I’ve got to go out and go play.”
Koepka later added: “I’m super excited. It will be something I’ve been looking forward to for a while. I feel like I’ve been knocking on the door. It’s very close. It’s one piece here, one piece there.”
McIlroy makes injury admission
Rory McIlroy has explained why he was limping at the Truist Championship that took place last week.
Throughout the latter stages of the event in North Carolina, McIlroy was seen struggling to walk freely with the Masters champion revealing a blister was the cause.
However, he has since admitted it is only a minor issue and it will not impact his PGA Championship.
He said: "I've got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot, but it's underneath my nail. So I can't really get to it or so it's a little sore, but I'll be all right."
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