The Last Four Winners of the PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is the second major in the golfing calendar, coming after the prestigious Masters at Augusta National, with this year’s renewal set to return to the iconic Quail Hallow Club for the second time on 12-18 May.
Justin Thomas was crowned the champion when the Charlotte-based course first held the PGA Championship in 2017, but the PGA odds are in favour of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele this year.
The unpredictability of championship golf means it’s never as straightforward as backing a market leader when it comes to the majors. So, to get inspiration ahead of this year’s PGA, let’s take a look at the last four winners.
2024 – Xander Schauffele
There was never any doubt about Schauffele’s ability, but the American needed a breakthrough in a major to take his career to the next level and prove that he’s not a nearly man after finishing runner-up in both the Open and Masters.
That came in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club when he beat Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke at the traditional home of the Wells Fargo.
Schauffele had the outright clubhouse lead at the end of the first two rounds but shared the top spot with Colin Morikawa at the conclusion of round three.
A final round score of 65 (-6) was enough to hold off a charging DeChambeau, who shot 64 (-7) to just miss out.
2023 – Brooks Koepka
Arguably, one of the greatest major champions of the modern era, Brooks Koepka, won the PGA Championship for a third time in 2023.
Taking place at Oak Hill East Course in Rochester, New York, for the first time since 2013, Kopeka beat Viktor Hovland and Scheffler by two shots to claim his fifth overall major.
After an opening round of +2, Koepka pulled himself into contention at the end of round two with a 66 (-4), and he replicated that feat to secure the lead after 54 holes.
It was another fine round from the American to seal the win, with a final round of 67 taking him to -9 for the week.
2022 – Justin Thomas
Five years after his aforementioned PGA Championship win at Quail Hallow, a resurgent Thomas claimed his second major at Southern Hill Country Club.
Consistent opening rounds of 67 left him on -6 and just three shots back at the halfway stage, but a third-round 74 (+4) saw him lose ground by seven strokes going into the final day.
Five birdies in the closing 10 holes helped him card another -3, forcing a playoff with Will Zalatoris—where Thomas held his nerve for the victory.
With the tournament returning to Quail Hallow this year, JT—who has recorded several top 10 finishes this year—might be secretly confident.
2021 – Phil Mickelson
Winning his first major since the 2013 Open and his first PGA Championship since 2005, Phil Mickelson rolled back the years in 2021 at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.
Back at the Ocean Course for the first time since McIlroy won his second major in 2012, a second-round score of 69 shot Mickelson into a one-shot advantage at the halfway stage.
A third-round 70 kept him one stroke clear of Koepka and, despite shooting a closing +1, held on for a memorable win and a sixth major.
