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What you need to know for the 2023 pga tour champions season.

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The PGA Tour Champions will begin its 44th season this week in Hawaii, and there is an abundance of storylines to keep an eye on this year.

Steven Alker, the reigning Charles Schwab Cup winner, looks to continue his Cinderella run in 2023, which will be his second full season on tour. The 51-year-old New Zealander, who won four times in ’22, is looking to become the first repeat Schwab Cup champion since Bernhard Langer claimed the title in three consecutive years from 2014-16.

Speaking of Langer, he’s staring at history.

The 65-year-old German, who became the tour’s oldest-ever winner last season, has 44 senior tour titles — one victory away from tying Hale Irwin’s all-time record. Langer has strung together 10 straight multi-win seasons, and if the two-time Masters champion makes it 11 in 2023, he’ll sit alone at the top.

Langer is defying time. He finished sixth last year in the cup standings and won it in ’21. Father Time, however, is ultimately undefeated, and in November, days before winning the TimberTech Championship, Langer said he’s “closer” to retirement, but isn’t ready to shelve his clubs just yet.

Some of Langer’s biggest challengers for a seventh Schwab Cup will be 2021 Ryder Cup captains Steve Stricker, 55, and Padraig Harrington, 51, who both tied Alker for the most wins (four) in ’22. Stricker notched that feat despite missing nearly half of the season recovering from a mysterious illness.

Jerry Kelly, Fred Couples, Thongchai Jaidee, Retief Goosen, Darren Clarke, Steve Flesch and Miguel Angel Jiménez, who led the circuit last year in top-10s with 16, hope to follow up strong seasons. Ernie Els, Mike Weir, David Toms, K.J. Choi, Alex Cejka, Stephen Ames and 2021 Rookie of the Year Jim Furyk are looking to take home a trophy after a winless ’22.

Second-year players Y.E. Yang, Ken Duke, Tim Petrovic, Brian Gay and Robert Karlsson are aiming for their maiden wins, while former world No. 1 David Duval hopes for a bounce-back sophomore campaign after his best finish last year in 21 events was a T-31.

Several years ago, Notah Begay III and Justin Leonard both traded in their clubs for a microphone. However, after turning 50 last year and getting their feet wet on the PGA Tour Champions, they both headline this year’s rookie class.

Leonard, the 1997 Open champion, last played full-time on the PGA Tour in 2015, but called it quits after failing to record a top-10 in consecutive seasons. Begay, a four-time Tour winner, made his final Tour-sanctioned start in 2013, as back injuries took a toll on him. They both competed a little last year on the senior set, with Begay playing twice and Leonard four times.

Both still plan to fulfill their broadcasting duties with Golf Channel and NBC Sports and hope their double schedule won’t wear them down as try to recapture glory on the course.

“It’s a little bit of a juggling act,” Leonard said in September, “but I knew going in and I enjoy both things. It’s a great crew at NBC, but I’ve really enjoyed also getting back into playing and practicing ... It’s something that I didn’t really know I had missed.”

“I’m trying to schedule around my kids’ birthday parties and basketball games and things like that,” Begay said in October. “My NBC schedule, obviously I’m going to do a little bit of television next year. I took a look at the schedule and looking at somewhere between 12 and 15 events and hopefully make some of the playoff events. It’s a pretty full docket for me and I’m going to require some good organization. Do you know anybody that can help me?”

Begay and Leonard, however, won’t be the only notable newbies on the over-50 circuit this season. There’s the five Q-School recipients, which include Tim O’Neal. Plus, Tour winners Boo Weekley, Jason Bohn, Daniel Chopra, Brian Bateman and Stewart Cink are expected to make their debuts this year.

“I will probably sprinkle in a few [PGA Tour Champions] events, but my plan is to focus on PGA Tour golf for a while,” Cink, the 2009 Open champion who turns 50 in May, said at December’s PNC Championship.

But every season, you never know whose golf career can be given a second lease on life.

In August 2021, Alker was virtually unknown, never recording a top-10 in 122 career Tour starts. However, shortly after turning 50, he Monday qualified for the Boeing Classic and finished T-7. With the top 10, he got into the following event and then recorded six straight top-10s before notching his maiden victory.

Now, playing alongside a slew of regular major winners, Alker is arguably the face of the tour entering 2023.

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Bernhard langer chases record; justin leonard and notah begay join the fun: five things to know about the 2023 pga tour champions season which starts friday in hawaii, share this article.

It was just a little more than two months ago Steven Alker was putting the finishing touches on his first Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Now with the 2023 PGA Tour Champions season upon us, it’s fair to ask if the senior circuit torch has been passed from Bernhard Langer to Alker.

Once again, the circuit starts in Hawaii, and the first event is reserved for winners of tournaments a season ago or past tournament champs at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on the Island of Hawaii.

The 54-hole tournament starts Friday, Jan.19 and concludes on Sunday, Jan. 21 at Hualalai Golf Course .

This is the 44th season of the Champions tour.

Steven Alker train keeps rolling

Steven Alker reacts after making his final putt on the 18th hole to win of the 2022 Charles Schwab Cup. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK)

A true-to-life, out-of-nowhere story, Steven Alker Monday-qualified into his first Champions event within a month of turning 50 and that triggered something.

Five wins and 27 top-10s in just 33 starts on the PGA Tour Champions later, Alker heads to Hawaii as the top dog.

On Tuesday, Alker collected some serious hardware, as he won the 2022 Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA Tour Champions Player of the Year. He had already earned the Arnold Palmer Award which goes to the tour’s money leader. Alker made $3,544,425 in 2022; that’s the second most in a single season in Champions tour history. He also officially earned the Byron Nelson Award for having the best scoring average (68.27).

Justin Leonard joins the fun full-time

Justin Leonard plays his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the 2022 PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

A long-time on-air analyst for Golf Channel, Justin Leonard recently told Golfweek : “Just in the last year or so I have gotten back into much more specific golf training .”

He turned 50 last June and made his first start on the Champions tour at the 2022 Bridgestone Senior Players Championship about a month later. A tie for 61st was not the start he wanted but he did make three more starts, posting two top-20s. Now his senior circuit journey begins for real in Hawaii.

Who else may join the circuit in 2023?

Stewart Cink hits his tee shot on the 14th hole during the third round of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

There are some notable names who dabbled in a few events a year ago or are turning 50, and thus becoming eligible, in 2023:

• Stewart Cink, who won the 2009 Open Championship and won twice during the 2020-21 PGA Tour season, turns 50 in May.
• Boo Weekley, who was on the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team and who last won on the PGA Tour at the 2013 Charles Schwab Challenge, turns 50 in July.
• Notah Begay III , a long-time Golf Channel analyst who is a four-time PGA Tour winner, made two starts last season.
• Tim O’Neal, who earned his Champions tour card via the Final Stage of Q-School in December.

Miguel Angel Jimenez back to defend

Miguel Angel Jimenez tees off on the 17th hole during the final round the 2022 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai Golf Club in Hawaii. (Photo: Chris Condon/PGA Tiour)

Miguel Angel Jimenez is a three-time winner of the season opener (2015, 2020, 2022) and returns as the defending champion. He edged Alker on the second playoff hole to win last year.

In all, Jimenez has 13 Champions wins, and has won at least one tournament on the circuit since 2014.

Bernhard Langer chasing history

Bernhard Langer plays his tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the 2022 Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)

Bernhard Langer has 44 victories on the Champions tour. A 45th win would tie the all-time mark with Hale Irwin. A 46th win would set the mark and likely put it out of reach for a long time.

Of the players on the tour’s all-time wins list who are still active, Fred Couples has the most victories at 14.

Langer, 66, won twice last season, including in November in the second-to-last playoff event.

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PGA TOUR Champions 2024 Schedule + Tournament Details

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Table of Contents

The PGA Tour Champions starts in January with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship and concludes in November with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

The PGA senior tour schedule 2024 provides every tournament’s details, venue information, purse, and past winners. Bettors will want to follow this guide closely to gain inside information on the course and players to watch .

PGA Tour Champions Schedule 2024

Pga tour champions tournament details, mitsubishi electric championship.

Tournament History

Originally named the MONY Tournament of Champions, the event was played in California, Mexico, and Puerto Rico before finding a stable home in Hawaii. The inaugural tournament took off in 1984 when Orville Moody claimed a 7-stroke win over Dan Sikes.

Since then, the name has changed on eight occasions, with the current title sponsor, Mitsubishi, the longest-serving partner. The lush fairway and ocean backdrop of Haualalai golf club has been on the Senior PGA Tour schedule since 2006.

The Kona-based golf course is a par 72 design and measures 7,117 yards off the back tees on an average day.

⛳️ Fun Fact: When Senior Golf Source polled the PGA Tour Champions caddies, this was their favorite location, with Pebble Beach in a close second.

Chubb Classic

The Chubb Classic debuted in 1988 as the Aetna Challenge and was played at The Club at Pelican Bay until 1990. Gary Player , a fellow citizen of South Africa (like me), won the 1988 edition. And another compatriot, Harold Henning, finished second in the 1989 vintage, two strokes behind Gene Littler.

The tournament has featured at 12 golf courses since its inception, with the latest change in 2021. The organizers switched the venue to the Tiburon Black Course, designed by Australian Greg Norman. The Tiburon Black course is a par 72 layout reaching 6,945 yards off the back tees.

Our team particularly loves this course in Naples because of its idyllic location near beaches and plenty of sunshine in southwest Florida. However, be prepared; the Ritz Carlton is on the property, and staying here tends to come at a hefty price.

Trophy Hassan II

The Trophy Hassan II tournament is older than the PGA Tour Champions itself. The first event teed off in 1971, called the Moroccan Grand Prix, which saw Orville Moody defeat Jerry Heard by 2 strokes.

Prince Moulay Rachid hosts the event in honor of his father, Hassan II, and it is played at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The tournament was removed from the schedule between 1986 to 1990 but returned in 1991 when Vijay Singh defeated the late Payne Stewart in a playoff.

The Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is situated on a 440-hectare estate, winding through cork oak forests, and is littered with lakes and bunkers.

Cologuard Classic

The Cologuard Classic is the third event on the annual calendar and is one of the newest editions of the Tour. It was launched in 2015 at the Omni Tucson National in Arizona as the Tuscon Conquistadores Classic. The name changed to its current form in 2018.

Marco Dawson is the first name on the silverware after bagging the inaugural title in 2015 by 2 strokes over Barty Bryant. The Omni Tucson National reaches 7,328 yards off the back tees with a total par rating of 73.

Hoag Classic

The first tee shot in the Hoag Classic was struck in 1995, but back then was known as the Toshiba Senior Classic. The name remained in 2005 when “senior” was dropped from the title and became the Toshiba Classic. Toshiba continued as the title sponsor until 2018 when Hoag took over.

The William F. Bell designed Newport Beach Country Club is the host golf course and has set the stage for several fierce battles since its inception. Bob Murphy and Jay Sigel entered the record books in 1997 when the duo went 9 holes in a playoff before the winner was decided.

Newport Country Club is a par 72 golf course which is not as long as some on tour, measuring 6618 yards off the Championship tees.

The Galleri Classic

The Galleri Classic entered the Tour Champions fray in 2023, holding its first outing at the Dinah Shore course at the Mission Hills Country Club, Coachella Valley, California. The Par 72 golf course played 7,112 yards for the Galleri on average.

David Toms surged to victory in the inaugural version of this tournament played in 2023, beating Steven Alker by 4 shots.

Invited Celebrity Classic

Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, hosted the ClubCorp Classic in 2022, adding a new event to the Tour schedule. The event name changed to the Invited Celebrity Classic after the company rebranding in 2022.

The course measures 6973 yards off the black tees, and 71 is a par score. Scott Parel from Michigan was the first to get his hands on the trophy in the 2022 edition. Mark Hensby from Australia took the second iteration of the event in 2023 with a 54-hole score of 12 under par.

Mitsubishi Electric Classic

The PGA Tour Champions made the Mitsubishi Electric Classic a reality in 2013. However, its original title was the Greater Gwinnett Championship. Bernhard Langer won the inaugural event in 2013 by 3 strokes over Tom Lehman and Tom Pernice Jr.

TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, has put on the spectacle since it teed off over a decade ago. The 27-hole facility was designed by “The Great White Shark,” Greg Norman. The Stables/ Meadows are the usual combination for tournament events, but it may change depending on the years.

The Meadows and Stables 18-hole combination totals 7322 yards off the back tees and is a par 72 layout.

Insperity Invitational

The Insperity Invitational has cemented its place as a mainstay on the annual sporting calendar in Houston. It started in 2004 as the Administaff Small Business Classic and immediately entertained us. Larry Nelson crawled his way back from 7 shots down to force a playoff with Hale Irwin.

Nelson bagged the title, and the tournament holds firm two decades on. Since Administaff changed their name in 2008, the event is now the Insperity Invitational. It was initially played at Augusta Pines, Texas, but is now hosted by The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course.

The par 72 Tournament Course at Woodlands Country Club extends 7025 yards off the back tee. John Daly set the par 3 16th alight in the 1994 Shell Houston Open when he pured a 6 iron off the tee and drained the shot for a memorable ace.

Principal Charity Classic

The Principal Charity Classic resumes regulation tour play in June after back-to-back Majors in May. Des Moines, Iowa, has welcomed professionals with open arms since the event commenced in 2001 as the Allianz Championship.

Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines hosted the inaugural showing of the Principal Charity Classic. It moved twice between 2001 and 2012 before finding solace at the Wakonda Club, which has held the Classic since 2013. Wakonda totals 6,847 yards off the back tees and is a par 72. 

Jim Thorpe won the first-ever Principal Charity Classic beating Gil Morgan by 2 strokes in 2001. Jay Haas has lifted the trophy three times, more than any of his peers.

American Family Insurance Championship

Tour Champions professionals stay in the midwest for the American Family Insurance Championship played at University Ridge Golf Club, Madison, Wisconsin. Steve Stricker is the tournament host, and 78 of the tour’s best players are penciled in on the tee sheet.

The Championship was born in 2016, and Kirk Triplett claimed a 2 shot victory over Bart Bryant and Mike Goodes. University Ridge is a par 72 Robert Trent Jones Jr design and is slightly lengthy for senior tour pros, stretching 7,259 yards. 

The front nine is relatively open, while the back nine is lined with trees and demands course management from tee to green.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Open

After a stint in the midwest, the tour heads east to Upstate New York, where the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open awaits. En-Joie has gracefully hosted the event since its inception in 2007, where R.W. Eaks triumphed over Bruce Vaughan by 3 strokes.

En-Joie is a 7,030-yard track off the back tees, and 72 is a par score for the round. The course was originally designed and built by local businessman George F. Johnson, but upgrades were made in 1998 and 1999. The greens transformed from flat round greens into challenging large and undulated dance floors.

We particularly “enjoy” the En-Joie course for its local, friendly vibe and beautiful rolling hills. While it’s not nearly as polished as most of the courses on this tour, we found it to be one of the best for spectators, with free tickets and giveaways.

Boeing Classic

The Boeing Classic has become a permanent fixture on the PGA Tour Champions and Seattle sporting calendar. 2005 saw the first tee shot struck in the tournament when it was the Boeing Greater Seattle Classic.

David Eger claimed the inaugural trophy winning by 3 strokes over Tom Kite. However, in 2007, fans were treated to the largest contingent of players in a Tour Champions playoff. Seven players ended the tournament on 9 under par. Zimbabwean Denis Watson would eventually steal the show as he drained an eagle putt on the second playoff hole to bag the crown.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Club at Snoqualmie Ridge has hosted the tournament since it launched, frequently challenging the Pros. The 7,264-yard layout with a par score of 72 suits long hitters given its wide fairways. It also treats you to spectacular mountain and water vistas.

Shaw Charity Classic

The Tour makes its way north to Calgary, Canada, in mid-August for the Shaw Charity Classic, a mainstay on the schedule since 2013. Although the course plays a par 72 for amateurs, they corrected the rating to a par 70 for the Shaw Charity Classic.

Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club has welcomed the tour since 2013, measuring 7,158 yards from the black tees. In addition, the course sits at 3,590 feet above sea level, adding extra yards to each shot. Rocco Mediate lifted the first trophy in 2013, obliterating the field by 7 strokes.

The Ally Challenge

Grand Blanc Township in Michigan is the venue for the Ally Challenge, one of the newer events on tour. The PGA Tour Champions arrived at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in 2018 when Paul Broadhurst became the first champion.

The 7,112-yard golf course is a par 72 layout designed by Joe Lee and is relatively long for senior tour players, and is lined with trees. This demands a combination of driving distance, fairways, and greens in regulation.

Ascension Charity Classic

The Ascension Charity Classic is another tournament in its infancy on tour. It teed off for the first time in 2021 when David Toms beat Dicky Pride in a playoff. The St Louis-based Norwood Hills has hosted the first two Ascension Charity Classics on their West course, which is no stranger to tournament golf.

Norwood Hills plays 6,992 yards, and 71 is considered a par score. The fairways are lined with trees and demand an accurate tee shot to attack the flag on approach. In addition, 5 lakes are scattered throughout the links and come into play for half the round.

Sanford International

The tour returns to the Midwest in September for the Sanford International, another relatively young event. 2018 saw the Sanford International debut, and Steve Stricker showed his class to defeat Tim Petrovic and Jerry Smith by 4 shots.

Minnehaha Country Club is the host venue, littered with water hazards and tree-lined fairways. It is not the longest golf course on tour, reaching 6,530 yards off the burgundy tees, but it does demand precision to walk away with a low round.

Pure Insurance Championship

As we enter the back end of the season, the Tour Champions journeys to the West Coast for the Pure Insurance Championship. The famed Pebble Beach is the host venue for the event, originally titled the First Tee Open. However, organizers have changed the name on five occasions.

The Pure Insurance Championship became the official title in 2017 and has remained since. Craig Stadler lifted the cup in the inaugural event in 2004, winning by 3 strokes over Jay Haas.

Constellation Furyk & Friends

The Constellation Furyk and Friends event kicked off in 2021 as a way for the Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation to raise funds for at-risk children. Timuquana Country Club puts on the event, which was first won by Phil Mickelson in the 2020-21 season.

The Country Club is located a short distance from my base for two years when I was navigating the high seas. Timuquana measures 6,949 yards from the back tees and is a standard Par 72 layout. Finally, its tree-lined fairways leave little margin for error, demanding accuracy off the tee.

If you’re traveling with family, Furyk & Friends is one of our favorites to bring the kids. In 2023, the tournament went all out with food trucks, a petting zoo, free ice cream, and more!

SAS Championship

The SAS Championship has featured on the PGA Tour Champions since 2001, played at the Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. Bruce Lietzke won the inaugural outing and went back to back in 2002.

The 54-hole complex opts for the Meadow and Highlands combination of courses for the SAS, playing 7,237 yards and carrying a 72-par total.

Dominion Energy Charity Classic

The Dominion Energy Charity Classic is the first playoff round for the Charles Schwab Cup. The top 72 players on the money list will be invited to the no-cut event after the SAS Championship.

The Country Club of Virginia in Richmond has hosted the event since it teed off in 2016 when Scott McCarron bagged the title. The venue is dominated by tree-lined fairways and the odd water hazard, making accuracy vital for success.

Simmons Bank Championship

The top 54 golfers on the money list after the Dominion Energy Charity Classic progress to the Simmons Bank Championship. The penultimate event of the year is hosted by Pleasant Valley Country Club, a parkland golf course with lightning-quick greens.

The tournament has a new headline sponsor this year after the partnership with TimberTech expired at the end of 2023.

Charles Schwab Cup Championship

The entire season has built up to this moment, where the remaining top 36 players are the only ones invited. The tour travels to Phoenix Country Club, Arizona, for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Puerto Rico, Oklahoma, and California all hosted the event before its switch to Arizona in 2014. The initial Charles Schwab Cup Championship was called the New York Life Champions played in Dorado, Puerto Rico, with Mike Hill winning the first two editions.

The parkland-styled Phoenix Country Club has hosted the cup since 2017,  measuring 6,764 yards, and it is a par 71.

5 PGA Tour Champions Major Tournaments

Regions tradition.

Golf Course: Greystone G&CC, Birmingham, AL Tournament Purse: $2,500,000 Dates: May 10 – 12, 2024

Past champions.

The Regents Tradition was first played in 1989 at the Desert Mountain Cochise course. Don Bies won the inaugural event by a shot over my compatriot Gary Player. Since 2016, the Founders Course at Greystone Golf and Country Club has remained the host venue.

It is the first major on the calendar, typically occurring in the second week of May after the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship

Golf Course: Fields Ranch East, Frisco, TX Tournament Purse: $3,500,000 Dates: May 25 – May 28, 2023

Like the PGA Championship, the senior edition is hosted at a different golf course every year. However, the tournament was hosted at Dunedin Golf Club in Florida from 1945 to 1962. In addition, the PGA National Golf Club hosted the affair from 1982 to 2000.  

The 2023 edition is set down for Fields Ranch in Frisco, Texas after Steven Alker won the 2022 edition at Harbor Shores in Michigan. The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship is the oldest senior golf tournament on the calendar, with Jock Hutchinson winning the first event in 1937 on 7 over par. 

U.S. Senior Open

Golf Course: SentryWorld, Stevens Point, WI Tournament Purse: $4,000,000 Dates: Jun 27 – Jun 30, 2024

The third PGA TOUR major of the season sees the pros vie for the coveted Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy. The U.S. Senior Open is played at a different golf course every year.

Winged Foot hosted the first U.S. Senior Open in 1980, and Argentine Roberto De Vicenzo claimed a 4-stroke victory.

Bridgestone Senior Players Championship

Golf Course: Firestone Country Club, Akron, OH Tournament Purse: $3,500,000 Dates: Jul 11 – Jul 14, 2024

The penultimate PGA Tour Champions major hits our screens in mid-July 2024 when the Kaulig Companies Championship returns to Firestone Country Club. The South Course or the “Monster” as it is colloquially known, is the chosen track.

It measures 7,400 yards off the Championship tees and is a par 70, with only one par 5 on each nine. The course is best suited to long hitters, and Jerry Kelly will attempt to win here for the third time in four years.

The inaugural Kaulig Companies Championship went ahead in 1983 at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio. Miller Barber was the first to etch his name onto the trophy defeating Gene Littler by one stroke.

Senior Open Championship

Golf Course: Carnoustie Links, Scotland Tournament Purse: $2,850,000 Dates: Jul 25 – Jul 28, 2024

The Senior Open Championship returns to Carnoustie for the first time since 2016. Englishman Paul Broadhurst walked away victorious on that weekend. This is the third time that ‘Car-nasty hosts the best in the seniors game, and Alex Čejka will look to defend the title he won at Royal Porthcawl in 2023.

Gale-force winds and rain always remain a threat. We will see plenty of punch shots on approach and bump and runs around the dance floor. The first official Senior Open Championship was played at Turnberry in 1987 as Neil Coles walked away with a one-stroke victory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the pga champions playing.

The PGA Champions play on the PGA Tour Champions, for former tour and major winners. The Tour hosts over 28 tournaments a year at different venues across North America, Europe, and Africa.

What is the difference between PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions?

The PGA Tour is for professional golfers under the age of 50. Conversely, the PGA Tour Champions is for past tour winners and major champions over 50 .

What yardage does the PGA Champions Tour play?

The yardage on the PGA Senior Tour courses plays between 6800 to 7300 yards. The yardage differs depending on the golf course and changes from one week to another.

How much do Champions Tour players make?

The 2023 PGA Champions Tour average was $303,404. Steve Stricker topped the list, winning $3,986,063, while Dennis Hendershott was at the bottom, taking home $1080.

How much do caddies make on the Champions Tour?

Caddies on the Champions Tour typically take home 5 to 10% of their players’ PGA Senior Tour winnings. However, each player-caddie agreement varies as there are no specific guidelines. 

Final Thoughts on the PGA Tour Champions

There you have everything you need to know about the PGA Tour Champions 2024. I have covered it all, from the schedules, history and past winners. It is evident that Bernhard Langer is a dominant force on the Tour, as he is tied with Hale Irwin for the most victories.

I recommend you bookmark this guide to refer back to for dates, past winners and tournament information. It is everything you need to stay updated and informed about the PGA Tour Champions.

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Matt Callcott-Stevens has lived and breathed golf since he was four. As a junior, he played competitively, until he discovered his talents were better suited to writing about the game. Matt holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing through the Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona and has provided golf game improvement tips to seniors and the average golfer for seven years.

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PGA Championship 2023: The top 100 golfers competing at Oak Hill, ranked

Once known as the black sheep of golf’s four big events , the PGA Championship has arguably been the most entertaining major championship over the past decade, and the tournament will look to continue that good fortune as the golf world descends on Rochester, N.Y., for the 105th edition of the championship.

No, there will be no Tiger Woods, as the 15-time major winner is sidelined following ankle surgery last month . But the PGA will not be short on storylines. There is Jon Rahm, who can turn his Nevada-in-the-summer heater into something historic. Scottie Scheffler will try to reinsert his name as the best player on the planet. Rory McIlroy is in a bit of a slump yet remains a betting favorite, as is defending champ Justin Thomas. Speaking of title defenses, after skipping his last year, Phil Mickelson returns to the PGA amid more controversy after accusing the PGA of America of colluding with the PGA Tour against LIV Golf . And Jordan Spieth may or may not attempt to secure the career Grand Slam once more, depending on whether his injured left wrist will cooperate .

As the 2023 PGA Championship approaches, we ranked the field, hoping to give you a leg up on your friends as you watch/bet on one of the best weeks in golf.

Nos. 100-91

Trey mullinax, adri arnaus, adam schenk, robert macintyre, thorbjorn olesen, danny willett, alex smalley, patrick rodgers, yannik paul, joel dahmen.

Alex Bierens de Haan

Could this finally be the year Rodgers figures it out? He entered the AT&T Byron Nelson 33rd in strokes gained and 26th in scoring. The only thing hurting is Thursday, as he ranks 90th in Round 1 scoring. … Bob Mac has not become the player Scotland hoped he would be after finishing T-6 at the 2019 Open. He’s also still just 26, and for all the folks who will like Shane Lowry this week with potentially bad conditions in the forecast, make sure you put Macintyre on your list as well. … Smalley hails from Rochester, a fact you will only hear 8,000 times if he happens to be in contention.

K.H. Lee, Hayden Buckley, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Emiliano Grillo, Justin Suh, Davis Thompson, Brandon Wu, Ben Griffin, Dean Burmester, Maverick McNealy

Mike Mulholland

It remains tough to gauge the competitive spirit over at LIV Golf, so take this with a grain of salt, but Burmester has been good on the Saudi-backed circuit at times in 2023. … Thompson and Griffin have been solid in their rookie seasons on the PGA Tour, and Thompson made a nice little run at the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot when he was still in college. We tend to shy away from young guys at majors, but this duo could make some noise. … McNealy got off to a strong start this season, but hasn’t been the same since dealing with an injury, failing to finish inside the top 30 since January.

J.T. Poston, Mackenzie Hughes, Min Woo Lee, Harold Varner III, Nick Taylor, Scott Stallings, Victor Perez, Pablo Larrazabal, Andrew Putnam, Adam Hadwin

Sam Greenwood

Lee came apart Sunday at the Players Championship, but that he worked his way into the final group showcased the type of game he possesses. If the weather gets bad, he’s one name that could squeak through. … Taylor has already racked up five top-10s this season, including a runner-up finish at the WM Phoenix Open. He’s not been efficient off the tee, but the rest of his game has been lights-out. If the set-up calls for accuracy and keeping the bigger numbers at bay, don’t be shocked to see Taylor in the mix. … There’s always one European player near the lead at the PGA or U.S. Open on Friday morning that causes casual golf fans to go, “Wait, who?” which spirals the European cognoscenti into a dark place, aghast at the American ignorance which then leads a cultural war of sorts in the media center. Perez will be that guy at Oak Hill.

Paul Casey, Nicolai Hojgaard, Ben Taylor, Thomas Detry, Gary Woodland, Matt Kuchar, Thomas Pieters, Alex Noren, Kevin Kisner, Adam Svensson

Ross Kinnaird

Woodland has made the cut in nine of his past 10 starts and was on the early board at the Masters. But as good as he’s been from tee-to-green (11th in off-the-tee and 11th in approach), the former U.S. Open champ has been a mess with his short game, ranking outside the top 190 in SG/around-the-green and putting. Perhaps worth a flier as a first-round leader, but hard to see him doing much after that. … Speaking of fliers, Noren is listed by most sportsbooks at 150-to-1 as of writing. He’s not coming into Rochester hot, missing his last three cuts, but for a guy ranked just outside the top 50 those are pretty enticing odds. … Kuchar is making his 15th start at the PGA. He’s finished inside the top 10 three times since 2015, but also missed the cut three times in that span.

More PGA Championship 2023 Preview Coverage

Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, Keith Mitchell, Aaron Wise, Mito Pereira, Denny McCarthy, J.J. Spaun, Phil Mickelson, Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert

Andrew Redington

At last year’s U.S. Open, looking and sounding nothing like himself, Mickelson promised to keep his opinions about golf’s governing bodies to himself. Now, well, now he’s using Twitter to send vague deleted threats to the PGA and USGA. Honestly, we missed his magisterial pronouncements, and that he’s making them signals he’s feeling good about himself and his game … Meronk is coming of a win at the Italian Open, played at the course that is set to host the Ryder Cup. The Polish native can lock down a spot in Rome with a good showing in Rochester.

Adam Scott, Cam Davis, Brendon Todd, Bryson DeChambeau, Seamus Power

David Cannon

Scott feels like he belongs higher on the list. He also has just one top-five finish in his last 30 major starts, with his last top-10 coming in 2019. The Aussie showed much needed signs of life in Charlotte with a T-5 finish considering he’s not inside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup points list, and finished T-5 at the 2013 PGA, so perhaps all hope is not lost. … DeChambeau is currently 38th—repeat, 38th—out of 48 players on LIV Golf’s season standings. Hard to envision someone struggling in that league somehow beating the world’s best at Oak Hill. Conversely, DeChambeau’s ceiling remains high, and maybe all he needs is a good round to get right.

Sepp Straka, Joaquin Niemann, Chris Kirk, Davis Riley, Abe Ancer

Chris Graythen

Niemann has made the cut in 10 straight major championships, including a T-16 at this year’s Masters. He’s also been struggling at LIV Golf this year (25th out of 48 in the individual standings), so read into that what you will. … It's a bit unfair to describe Riley’s 2023 as a sophomore slump, given he partnered with Nick Hardy to win the Zurich Classic last month. However, he hasn’t taken the jump that some thought he might coming off a strong 2022 season, entering the Nelson 121st in strokes gained and 122nd in scoring after ranking 46th and 37th in those categories last year. The Zurich gives him the runway to find his game without pressing, so if you’re searching for a super longshot, Riley warrants a look.

Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Taylor Moore, Talor Gooch, Taylor Montgomery

ROSLAN RAHMAN

People are saying “Taylor/Talor” is the new “Cameron” in professional golf. Although, in total transparency, we originally had Ancer in this group but ultimately decided that having three dudes with the same name was too cool to pass up. … For those looking for a top-20 play, Henley finished T-4 at the Masters with T-19s at the RBC Heritage and Players Championship.

Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Billy Horschel, Wyndham Clark, Justin Rose

Kevin C. Cox

The Masters was a political win for LIV Golf on a number of fronts. However, we’re not sure the tournament was the proper gauge of competitive atrophy, since Augusta National is a course best played by experience and a number of LIV Golf members had plenty of Masters reps under their belts. With most of the field not playing in the 2013 PGA at Oak Hill, this might be the better barometer of how LIV Golf players hold up. If you’re looking for a dark horse in this bunch, Reed might be the best bet. … Tommy Lad is coming off a T-5 at the Wells Fargo, and T-5 at last year’s PGA. Bettors have been biten many a time riding Fleetwood at the majors, but the Englishman’s game does seem like a proper fit at Oak Hill.

Kurt Kitayama, Tom Hoge, Hideki Matsuyama, Corey Conners, Rickie Fowler

Hoge entered the Nelson leading the tour in SG/approach; what’s just as impressive is he’s as good on the short ones (second in proximity from inside 100 yards) as he is the long ones (second in proximity from 200-225 yards). Only reason he didn’t crack our top 25 is his recent play, failing to make the weekend in five of his last seven starts before Dallas. … For all the cries of being overexposed, Fowler’s revival in 2023 has somehow gone under the radar. Fowler has finished T-20 or better in eight of his last nine starts and is 11th on tour in strokes gained. Crazy as it might sound he’s a handful of top-fives away from running into Ryder Cup consideration.

No. 25: Jordan Spieth

World Ranking: 10 PGA starts: 10 Best finish: 2nd, 2015 Frankly, if Spieth is dealing with a serious wrist issue , he probably doesn’t merit this spot. However, he had been playing well, with five finishes of T-6 or better since late February. He’s also that rare bird that tends to elevate his game in the sport’s biggest events. Yes, he can make the easy look difficult, but he also makes the difficult look easy, and playing through an injury at a major qualifies as difficult. We don’t think he gets the career Grand Slam this week, but with Spieth, you tend to expect the unexpected.

No. 24: Sahith Theegala

World Ranking: 25 PGA starts: First If you did an anonymous poll at tour headquarters of which player the league would love to see take the next step, Theegala would win running away. He’s got the game and personality to be the sport’s next big star. (Why he failed to get a Presidents Cup nod continues to confound.) Had back-to-back top-10s at the Masters and RBC Heritage, and if a little rain softens up Oak Hill, Theegala’s aggressiveness (10th in birdie average) may give him the chance to earn that breakthrough victory.

No. 23: Harris English

Meg Oliphant

World Ranking: 37 PGA starts: 6 Best finish: T-19, 2020 Quietly putting together a nice comeback campaign, highlighted by a T-2 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T-3 at the Wells Fargo. His approach game remains a work in progress, but if he gets right with the irons, English may regain the form he had just two summers ago, a form that earned him a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

No. 22: Tom Kim

Mike Ehrmann

World Ranking: 19 PGA starts: 2 Best finish: MC, 2020, 2022 He has come back down to Earth after his torrid fall, but Kim hasn’t been a no-show by any means, finishing T-16 at the Masters and T-23 at the Wells Fargo. There’s a good chance there will be a raucous crowd on hand in Rochester, and Kim embraced such an atmosphere at the 2022 Presidents Cup. Throw in a solid second-shot game (15th in SG/approach) and Kim shouldn't disappoint.

No. 21: Dustin Johnson

World Ranking: 82 PGA starts: 13 Best finish: 2nd/T-2, 2019, 2020 Didn’t play that well at the Masters and was 20th out of 48 players on LIV’s season standings going into Tulsa before his victory. But Johnson could take a year off from the sport, win his first event back and no one would blink twice. Did finish T-8 here at the 2013 PGA, and though he missed the cut in his last two PGA tries had back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2019 and 2020.

No. 20: Shane Lowry

Warren Little

World Ranking: 26 PGA starts: 11 Best finish: T-4, 2021 It feels like Lowry has been a trendy sleeper pick for like six straight majors. We’re not sure if this is because everyone digs Lowry’s game (25th SG/tee-to-green) or because they dig Lowry, for things always seem a bit more fun when he’s in the plot. Likely to be a popular dark horse, and this time we won’t argue otherwise.

No. 19: Jason Day

Patrick Smith

World Ranking: 20 PGA starts: 13 Best finish: Win, 2015 We’ve gone back-n-forth on Day. His rejuvenation has been one of our favorite stories of 2023 , racking up six top-10s and ranking eighth in strokes gained before capping things off with his victory on Sunday at the AT&T Byron Nelson , his first in five years. In that same breath, the past month also has been a reminder that the 35-year-old Aussie remains cursed on the health front, with vertigo taking him down at the Masters. The fear for bettors would be that the elements take their toll on the former PGA champ. But if his body holds up, don’t be surprised if his flat stick (11th in SG/putting) keeps Day in the mix.

No. 18: Keegan Bradley

World Ranking: 22 PGA starts: 12 Best finish: Win, 2011 Since winning the 2011 PGA, Bradley has just one other top-10 finish at this tournament … which came in 2012. But he has been playing well this season and is one of the better second-shot performers from the rough (27th in proximity). A good finish in Rochester could put Bradley squarely in the Ryder Cup discussion.

No. 17: Sungjae Im

Sean Gardner

World Ranking: 18 PGA starts: 4 Best finish: T-17, 2021 Four finishes of T-8 or better in his last six stars, three of which (Players, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo) were designated events. However, outside of the Masters, Im has not been a factor at major championships yet. A good way to change that will be keeping his ball out of the left side rough, as he’s 172nd in proximity from the rough on the left versus seventh from the right.

No. 16: Viktor Hovland

World Ranking: 11 PGA starts: 3 Best finish: T-30, 2021 Last year's Open and last month’s Masters were important steps for Hovland. He ejected hard at St. Andrews and never quite got going Sunday at Augusta National, but competing at majors is a bit like riding a bike in that you have to fall off to figure out how to stay on. The important thing is making sure those experiences don’t create too much scar tissue. The short game remains a mess (166th around-the-green, 130th putting), but the ball-striking is so good it can combat those deficiencies.

MORE: Viktor Hovland says he’s ‘sucked’ at chipping. Here’s what he’s doing to get better

No. 15: Sam Burns

World Ranking: 14 PGA starts: 3 Best finish: T-20, 2022 The WGC-Dell Match Play (which Burns won) doesn’t account for stats, which is why Burns’ numbers look pretty pedestrian (39th strokes gained, 107th SG/tee-to-green). Conversely, that could also be interrupted as, save for his Austin conquest, Burns hasn’t been the tour-de-force player we saw last season, and he hasn’t finished better than T-20 at a major championship in his still-young career. His potential puts up this high on our list, but be careful in putting Burns in those fantasy lineups.

No. 14: Tyrrell Hatton

Eston Parker/ISI Photos

World Ranking: 17 PGA starts: 8 Best finish: T-10, 2016, 2018 On one hand, Hatton’s been sneaky solid this year, ranking seventh in strokes gained and four finishes of T-6 or better in 11 starts. On the other, Hatton ripped Southern Hills greens last year and wanted to take a flamethrower to Augusta National, so maybe he’s not the guy you want to bet on at a venue such as this.

No. 13: Max Homa

World Ranking: 6 PGA starts: 4 Best finish: T-13, 2022 Homa’s record over the past 12 months should place him inside out top 10. His record at majors should have him outside the top 50.. The latter, and his performance from the rough (154th in hole proximity from the high stuff vs. 11th from the fairway) does give us pause, but expect Homa to get the major monkey off his back by finding his way onto the weekend leaderboard.

No. 12: Justin Thomas

Richard Heathcote

World Ranking: 13 PGA starts: 7 Best finish: Win, 2017, 2022 That JT hasn’t won since hoisting his second Wanamaker at Southern Hills is more of an indication of how tough it is to win than any indictment on the recently turned-30-year-old. And yet, Thomas hasn’t been right this year; he’s currently 67th in the FedEx Cup standings —and is starting to run out of time to turn it around. Thing is, the numbers mostly remain solid (11th SG/tee-to-green, 16th in strokes gained), they just haven’t translated to solid results. Majors aren’t usually the environments that spur reversals, but Thomas isn’t far away from being the player we know he can be, and perhaps a title defense is exactly the fire under his behind that he needs.

No. 11: Tony Finau

Hector Vivas

World Ranking: 12 PGA starts: 8 Best finish: T-4, 2020 Playing the best golf of his career, ranking third in strokes gained and second in approach, and fresh off a win in Mexico over Rahm just weeks ago. That the PGA routinely resembles setups seen on the PGA Tour (at least compared to other majors) also helps Finau’s cause. If the putting can just remain slightly better than average, Finau’s hot streak should continue in Rochester.

No. 10: Cameron Young

World Ranking: 15 PGA starts: 1 Best finish: T-3, 2022 When I heard Young was going to be on the cover of Golf Digest, I pitched a video idea where a camera crew would follow him on a tour through the Bronx, stopping at pizzerias and subway stations and Yankee Stadium. The idea was shot down with force. Anyway, Young has been brilliant at majors in his fledging career, finishing T-3 at last year’s PGA and runner-up at the Open, plus a T-7 last month at the Masters. He’s a certified big-game hunter, and expect that trend to continue at Oak Hill.

MORE: Cameron Young's swing move that helps him hit it super high

No. 9: Collin Morikawa

World Ranking: 16 PGA starts: 3 Best finish: Win, 2020 The short game remains a problem (161st in SG/putting). The second-shot game remains on point (fourth in approach, fifth in GIR percentage). Jason Dufner won the 2013 PGA at Oak Hill despite putting like a donkey, and though it’s not quite an apples-to-apples comparison given the course’s restoration, the soul of the place remains intact, which is why we think Morikawa has a shot at his third major championship.

No. 8: Cameron Smith

World Ranking: 8 PGA starts: 7 Best finish: T-13, 2022 (Whispers) Hey, come here … (looks around) … little closer … (voice barely audible) … are we sure Smith didn’t just ride a five-month heater? Because the returns since St. Andrews haven’t been great. Should you argue otherwise, the only remaining answers for his display over the past 10 months are that he’s in a rut or apathetic to his new surroundings. Call this standing a show of respect for what he did in 2022, but the next three majors will give us an idea of what is going on with this cat.

No. 7: Matt Fitzpatrick

World Ranking: 7 PGA starts: 7 Best finish: T-5, 2022 The prevailing thought is, the tougher the PGA of America sets up Oak Hill, the better Fitzpatrick’s chances will get. We mostly agree with that logic, although Fitzpatrick’s bulging disc issues don’t seem conducive to the expected thick and luscious rough. He has played well over the past month, with a win at the RBC Heritage and T-10 at the Masters, and if his approach game returns to his historical mean, Fitzpatrick should contend come the weekend.

No. 6: Rory McIlroy

World Ranking: 3 PGA starts: 14 Best finish: Win, 2012, 2014 Rory’s in a slump, or at least what qualifies as a slump for someone of his stature. It happens. What is slightly worrisome is that Quail Hollow, a place that usually serves as his playground, did not wake him from his slumber. Conversely, McIlroy is still fourth in SG/tee-to-green and finished T-8 at the 2013 PGA at Oak Hill. It’s not the wisest thing to bet on something coming in with poor form, yet the inverse is to bet against Rory, and that’s one bet we will not be making.

No. 5: Patrick Cantlay

World Ranking: 4 PGA starts: 6 Best finish: T-3, 2019 Having a new caddie in Joe LaCava will get all the attention, but Cantlay’s game has done plenty of talking as of late. Eighth in SG/tee-to-green, third in SG/off-the-tee and 16th in putting. Has finished in the top 10 in half of his starts, and was in the penultimate group at the Masters before being submarined by a final-round 75. Our only wish, if Cantlay should find himself in contention on Sunday, is to fully lean into his slow-play archetype. We’re talking 20-25 practice swings per shot, asking LaCava for a play-by-play rundown of Super Bowl XLII, reading a new chapter of The Fountainhead on every green. Golf Twitter will lose its mind.

No. 4: Brooks Koepka

World Ranking: 43 PGA starts: 10 Best finish: Win, 2018, 2019 Here are the facts, and they are indisputable: Koepka nearly surrendered an insurmountable lead on Sunday at the 2019 PGA at Bethpage Black. He threw dirt on his competition on Saturday night of the 2022 PGA and promptly laid an egg. He admitted that Phil got in his head Sunday at the 2021 PGA. He was thoroughly outplayed by Rahm during the Sunday marathon at this year’s Masters. The man of the utmost conviction is having a damn hard time closing golf tournaments. So why is Koepka this high? Because even the greats experience a crisis of confidence. What makes them great is weathering the storm to see the other side. Koepka is finally healthy, and the Masters proved he still has what it takes to be one of the best.

No. 3: Xander Schauffele

Gregory Shamus

World Ranking: 5 PGA starts: 6 Best finish: T-10, 2020 Only one top-10 finish in six PGA tries, but no matter. Schauffele has finished T-5 or better in four of his past five tour starts overall. Ranks fourth in strokes gained and fifth in scoring. There are no holes in his game and remains as cool as the other side of the pillow. We think Schauffele earns his major breakthrough in 2023 … just not here, as his methodical, efficient, no room for nonsense game seems better tailored for LACC.

No. 2: Scottie Scheffler

World Ranking: 2 PGA starts: 3 Best finish: T-4, 2020 In nine starts in 2023 (prior to the Nelson), Scheffler’s worst finish is a T-12. No surprise then that he’s first on the tour in SG/off-the-tee and SG/tee-to-green and second in strokes gained total. Scheffler’s game is so consistent that it can come off as plodding, but at Oak Hill, plodding will work. In fact, the only player that “plodders” better is …

No. 1: Jon Rahm

World Ranking: 1 PGA starts: 6 Best finish: T-4, 2022 Rahm could be playing left-handed with plywood and a whiffle ball and he’d still take the top spot. It seems blasphemous to state someone is capable of winning the Grand Slam given the depth and frontline firepower in the professional ranks, but that’s a conversation we may be entertaining as the sport heads to Los Angeles Country Club.

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PGA Tour merger: How 2023 golfer rankings compare with LIV tour standings

Editor's note: For the latest on the LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger, follow USA TODAY Sports' live updates here.

LIV golfers Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson have been hard to miss near the top of major tournament leaderboards this year – especially with Koepka collecting his fifth major at the PGA Championship .

But what about all the other players who left the PGA for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tou r in past months?

With the surprise announcement Tuesday morning of the merger of the two tours' business operations, here's a look at the top 52 players of each tour in 2023.

52? Yes, that's how many players are ranked currently on the LIV site so leaving out Kieran Vincent and Wade Ormsby seemed a bit odd. With a much deeper pool of players competing for the FedExCup , the PGA list leaves out notable players such as Hideki Matsuyama and Justin Thomas – just to name a few.

In the PGA, Jon Rahm (3,042 points) and Scottie Scheffler are running away from the pack with Max Homa, Viktor Hovland and Tony Finau rounding out the top five.

On the LIV tour, Talor Gooch (96 points), Branden Grace, Koepka and Cameron Smith (83) hold the top four slots with Peter Uihlein in fifth.

Who are the top players on the PGA tour and LIV Tour this year

Both entities announced the move in  a joint statement published Tuesday . The merger aims to create "a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players."

The terms of the agreement are not fully finalized and are scheduled to be completed in the coming months.

"After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said Tuesday in a statement.

Contributing: Lorenzo Reyes, Teddy Maiorca

2024 PGA Championship odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

L ouisville will be the center of the golf world this week with the 2024 PGA Championship in town for the 2nd major of the year. Valhalla Golf Club is hosting this storied event for 2nd time in 10 years. In 2014 Rory McIlroy won it to claim his 3rd major championship. The 1st round tees off on Thursday morning from Kentucky.

Below, we look at BetMGM Sportsbook's 2024 PGA Championship odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions .

World No. 1  Scottie Scheffler hasn't played since winning the RBC Heritage the week after winning the Masters, but he'll be back in the field this week following the birth of his 1st child and in search of his 2nd straight major title. He's the betting favorite again at +450, followed by McIlroy (+750) and Xander Schauffele (+1400), who dueled on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Championship. Reigning PGA Champion Brooks Koepka is at +1600 in his quest for a 4th Wanamaker Trophy.

The field also includes 4-time PGA Championship winner Tiger Woods , who opens at +15000 to win. Woods finished 60th at the Masters (+16).

Valhalla Golf Club is yet another long PGA Championship course, coming in at 7,609 yards. It's a par 71, making it an even more challenging track at that length. It was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1986 and this is the 4th time it is hosting a PGA Championship (1986, 2000, 2014). Hitting the fairway is critical because of how lush the rough is, penalizing players for missing with errant tee shots.

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PGA Championship – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook ; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 2:32 p.m. ET.

Brooks Koepka (+1600)

Koepka is a big-game hunter and the PGA Championship is his specialty. He's won this event 3 times already, claiming the title in 2018, 2019 and 2023. He finished 2nd in 2021 at Kiawah, too, behind only Phil Mickelson . Koepka did not have a good week at the Masters (T-49, +9), but he's since gotten back on track, finishing 10th in Adelaide and winning in Singapore, his last 2 LIV starts. With a U.S. Open-type layout, Koepka has the ability to grind through 4 rounds better than most players.

Ludvig Aberg (+1800)

Aberg withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship last week due to a knee injury, but that seems to be more of a precaution than a serious ailment for the 24-year-old star. In his 1st career major start at the Masters in April, he finished 2nd, showing that no stage is too big for him. He has the all-around game to win a PGA Championship, too, being one of the best drivers and long-iron players in the world.

Rory McIlroy (+750)

This number was a bit higher before McIlroy won in convincing fashion at Quail Hollow on Sunday, but he's still worth betting at +750. He's now won in back-to-back starts and heads to Valhalla where he won the 2014 PGA Championship. With the Masters pressure behind him, he can play more freely in Louisville this week knowing this event doesn't come with the burden of attempting to complete the grand slam.

PGA Championship picks – Contenders

Will zalatoris (+6000).

In Zalatoris' last 5 starts at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, he's finished 6th, 8th, MC, 2nd and 2nd. Few players in the world have had better recent success in those 2 major championships than Zalatoris, and it's largely because the best ball-strikers rise to the top in these events. He's a great bet for any PGA Championship, especially at +6000. That number is much longer than you'd expect from his major history.

Cameron Smith (+4000)

The biggest concern with Smith is his driving accuracy. He can get a bit wild off the tee, which at a course like Valhalla can be particularly penalizing. But if he can manage to keep it in the short grass, he'll be peppering these greens to give himself good looks at birdies. And when he misses the green, he has an excellent short game to scramble and recover for pars. He's finished 13th and 9th in his last 2 PGA Championship starts.

Jason Day (+5500)

Day is a past PGA Champion, winning in 2015 at Whistling Straits. He struggled in this championship in recent years but he has 6 career top-10s in the PGA Championship. Day is playing well at the moment, fresh off a T-4 at the Wells Fargo Championship last week, a good test before the year's 2nd major.

PGA Championship picks – Long shots

Jake knapp (+17500).

Knapp has all the talent in the world, but he can be inconsistent, particularly with his driver. When the timing of his swing is off, he tends to have a bad left miss off the tee, which has hurt him in recent months. But as we saw at the Mexico Open and Cognizant Classic in back-to-back weeks when he finished 1st and 4th, he's a star when the swing is timed up properly. He has the length to conquer Valhalla, too.

Alex Noren (+12500)

It's been 3 months since Noren finished worse than 24th in any event. He's on a heater right now and while that may not translate to a major win (he has zero career PGA Tour victories), he's worth considering at this price. Noren ranks 8th on tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green so his ball-striking is fantastic.

Cam Davis (+15000)

Davis was having a good week in Charlotte until he shot 6-over in the final round to tumble down the leaderboard, all the way to T-38. He surprised a lot of people when he came in 3rd at the 2023 PGA Championship and he's now made the cut in 3 straight years at this major.

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• Rory McIlroy sprints past Xander Schauffele, runs away with 2024 Wells Fargo Championship win
• Q&A: Jason Day on winning the PGA Championship, life at No. 1 and rediscovering his mojo

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This article originally appeared on USA Today Sportsbookwire: 2024 PGA Championship odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Power Rankings: PGA Championship

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Not unlike how many of the horses arrive for the annual Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs some 15 miles to its west, Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, is poised to host numerous thoroughbreds in top form for the 106th running of the PGA Championship.

A review of the course and other information is below the ranking of those projected to contend.

It’d be a curious opinion to want the sport’s top talents to descend at the second major of 2024 in form other than the current, so it’s a timely bonus that Valhalla will give all 156 entrants a terrific opportunity to stretch and showcase what they got.

This is the fourth edition of the PGA Championship on the Jack Nicklaus design. After testing as a par 72 in 1996 and 2000, it’s been a par 71 since Rory McIlroy prevailed in 2014. The field’s average that week was a modest 71.539, but that’s when the tournament was contested in August.

It’s late enough in the growing season this year for Valhalla to present its fully formed self, but it does so now capable of extending to 7,609 yards. That’s 151 yards longer than a decade ago, but the expectation is that it will again provide a fair and consistently strong exam. While visually striking in places, Valhalla’s setup as a proper stage is the narrative. The prepared will be rewarded on an exceptionally balanced course.

Because it’s a Nicklaus design, long hitters will be licking their chops off tees. With five par 4s tipping at 484 yards or longer piggybacking three par 5s, the driver will be a busy stick. Yet, in 2014, Valhalla surrendered just 278 yards on average in distance of all drives. That was 11th-lowest of all courses measured that season and respectful of the fact that greens average only 5,000 square feet. The formula favors course management over all alternatives. This is major, after all.

But make no mistake, confident drivers will feast. McIlroy prevailed in 2014 at 16-under 268 and was among five with four rounds in the 60s. He led the field in distance of all drives, total driving, Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and par-4 scoring.

McIlroy is among the 34 in this week’s field who competed here 10 years ago. The then-new, heat-tolerant T-1 bentgrass on the greens held its own in the muggy conditions at the time. It was a big deal because it was the first time the strain hosted a major. The darker-green surface is ready to touch 13 feet on the Stimpmeter this week; that is, if it wasn’t subject to persistent rain immediately in advance of and during the tournament.

There’s at least a slight risk of precipitation every day, although Thursday and Sunday are the early clubhouse leaders for cooperative conditions. Wind won’t be a significant factor at any time, so it’ll simply be a matter of dodging lightning and cloudbursts. Daytime highs might not hit 80 degrees until Saturday. Even with a warmup for the finale, it won’t be sweltering. If it’s soft, fairways will play wider but a blend of bluegrass and fescue trimmed to four inches will grab wayward strikes on either side.

In addition to a lifetime exemption into the tournament, the winner of the Wanamaker trophy will receive exemptions into the next five editions of each of the other three majors. He’ll also secure spots in the last two Signature Events of 2024 and the 2025 editions of The Sentry and THE PLAYERS Championship. His PGA TOUR membership exemption also will extend to the maximum five seasons through 2029.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

• MONDAY : Power Rankings
• TUESDAY *: Sleepers
• WEDNESDAY : Golfbet Insider
• FRIDAY : Medical Extensions
• SUNDAY : Points and Payouts; Qualifiers; Reshuffle

*Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.

Rob Bolton is a Golfbet columnist for the PGA TOUR. The Chicagoland native has been playing fantasy golf since 1994, so he was just waiting for the Internet to catch up with him. Follow Rob Bolton on Twitter .

Who can win the PGA Championship? Ranking all 156 golfers in the field

• Senior college football writer
• Author of seven books on college football
• Graduate of the University of Georgia

The strongest field in men's professional golf -- including each of the top 100 players in the Official World Golf Ranking -- heads to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, this week for the PGA Championship, the season's second major.

There will be plenty of storylines, including the return of world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler , who took a couple of weeks off before the birth of his first child, and defending champion Brooks Koepka , who has been competing in the LIV Golf League.

Scheffler, Koepka and world No. 2 golfer Rory McIlroy each won in their last starts, and they'll be among the favorites to lift the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday. McIlroy, who last won a major championship at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, picked up his 26th PGA Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.

PGA professional Michael Block and Tiger Woods will also be there.

Here's a look at the 156 golfers in the field, from the contenders to the dark horses at Valhalla.

Jump to a section: The guy everyone is chasing Players who can win If everything goes right Hey, miracles happen Happy to make the cut Past champions | Club professionals

Tier I: The guy everyone else is chasing