Traditionally not the most prestigious of the four men's golf Majors, but the PGA Championship this year holds extra special intrigue following what happened at The Masters.
As Rory McIlroy heads to one of his favourite venues at Quail Hollow fresh off a Green Jacket win and career Grand Slam that will make him a big favorite in many people's eyes.
Jordan Spieth could even follow him by completing his own Grand Slam, or could even the rejuvenated Justin Thomas successfully defend the PGA Championship crown he won at the venue back in 2017?
Those PGA Tour favorites will have to deal with the LIV Golf challenge again though, with 13 players from the team golf league qualifying or receiving invites to play.
Like The Masters, past champions can compete in the PGA Championship for life, so Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer and Brooks Koepka will tee it up at Quail Hollow.
As Major champions in the last five years, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith also qualify - along with Dustin Johnson on the final year of his five-year exemption into the PGA and Open following his 2020 Masters victory.
The PGA of America has issued special invites to both Chilean Joaquin Niemann and Sergio Garcia - with the Spaniard returning to the PGA Championship for the first time since 2022.
Veteran Richard Bland earned a spot by winning the Senior PGA Championship last year while Tyrrell Hatton gets in thanks to being a member of the last European Ryder Cup team who will remain in the OWGR top 100 a week before the tournament.
The PGA Championship is the only Major that doesn't give automatic invites to the top 50 in the OWGR, but players in the top 100 not already qualified usually get in so Patrick Reed could be a late entry nearer to the tournament.
Dean Burmester qualifies by virtue of a top 15 finish in last year's PGA, while LIV Golf reserve John Catlin qualifies as one of the top three in the OWGR International Federation ranking.
LIV Golfers qualified for the PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka (Past champion)
- Phil Mickelson (Past champion)
- Martin Kaymer (Past champion)
- Jon Rahm (Major winner)
- Cameron Smith (Major winner)
- Bryson DeChambeau (Major winner)
- Dustin Johnson (Major winner)
- Tyrrell Hatton (Ryder Cup & Top 100)
- Joaquin Niemann (PGA invite)
- Sergio Garcia (PGA invite)
- Richard Bland (senior PGA champion)
- John Catlin (International Federation ranking top 3)
- Dean Burmester (Top 15 last year’s PGA)
Qualifying criteria for the PGA Championship
- All winners of any PGA Championship
- Winners of the last five Masters
- Winners of the last five US Opens
- Winners of the last five Open Championships
- Winners of the last three Players Championships
- Top three on the Official World Golf Ranking International Federation Ranking List
- Current Senior PGA champion
- The top 15 (and ties) in the previous year’s PGA Championship
- The top 20 in the PGA Professional Championship
- The 70 leaders in PGA Championship points list (based on official money earned on the PGA Tour since the previous PGA Championship)
- Members of the last USA and European Ryder Cup teams ranked in top 100 of OWGR one week before the start of the tournament
- Any tournament winner co-sponsored or approved by the PGA Tour since the previous PGA Championship
- Any additional players not included in categories 1-12 that the PGA of America deems worthy of an invite
- The first available players from the list of alternates (those below 70th place in official money standings) to make the field up to 156
