Tiger Woods will return to golf next week at the PGA Championship. The PGA of America has announced the field for next week’s major at Valhalla, and Woods — a four-time winner of the event, most recently in 2007 — is listed among the contenders. The field includes 16 prior PGA champions and 33 major champions.
It also includes a LIV Golf champion — Talor Gooch, who won LIV’s individual title last season. Gooch had been outspoken in his condemnation of the majors for not inviting LIV players to their events, so much so that he won’t even attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open or Open Championship.
The PGA of America, which has taken a more evenhanded approach toward LIV players than some other entities, decided to extend Gooch a special exemption, in addition to the invitation it made earlier to LIV’s Joaquin Niemann. Neither Gooch nor Niemann qualified for the PGA under its typical qualification processes, which include victories on the PGA Tour or high standing in the Official World Golf Rankings. LIV’s three-round, no-cut tournaments do not receive points from the OWGR, meaning LIV players do not have the opportunity to improve their rankings.
Many LIV players had already qualified their way into the PGA Championship, either through prior victories at the PGA Championship — like Phil Mickelson and defending champion Brooks Koepka — or through strong performance at other recent majors, like Jon Rahm (2023 Masters winner), Cam Smith (2022 Open winner), Dustin Johnson (2020 Masters winner) and Bryson DeChambeau (2020 U.S. Open winner).
Also in the field: Michael Block, the PGA club pro who launched himself into history last year when he carded an ace, played alongside Rory McIlroy, and finished in the Top 15 at Oak Hill. That performance changed his life, and he’ll be one of the stories to watch this year.
Block and 20 other club pros will round out the full field this year. Six will be playing in their first PGA Championship of their careers. Two spots will be reserved for winners at this week’s PGA Tour events, the Wells Fargo Championship and the Myrtle Beach Classic, if they are not already qualified.
The PGA Championship will take place May 16-19 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Previous PGA Championships at Valhalla took place in 1996 (winner: Mark Brooks), 2000 (Woods) and 2014 (McIlroy). For the full field as of May 7, click here.
Source Agencies
