The PGA Championship is now underway at Aronimink Golf Club, where Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy headline the field.
Scheffler is aiming to defend his title from last time out, while McIlroy is looking for back-to-back major success after winning The Masters.
But several other players will be looking to upset the two superstars at the PGA Championship this week, across both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Rich Beem has now discussed those potential challengers, sharing his verdict as the first few players started their opening rounds at the PGA Championship.
How brave will your prediction be?
Rich Beem backs Xander Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg for PGA Championship contention
Beem said on Sky Sports Golf: “This is kind of my personal opinion but I look at Xander Schauffele, he would be the number one.
“Obviously won this championship a couple of years ago at Valhalla. He’s such a complete player in so many regards.
“When I look at this golf course, my mind immediately went to Xander. I mean, he drives it straight and drives it long.
“His iron play is tremendous, and his chipping and putting are as good as you want. There are no weaknesses in his game, and so you feel like this is a place that he would really have success and enjoy.
“Another one, because he’s such a complete player, but hasn’t had the wins as of yet, especially in majors, Ludvig Aberg.
“Again I dare you to find somebody in the game that looks so natural and comes so easily as Ludvig does, but yet he’s exceptional at everything, but he hasn’t put it together yet.
“He hasn’t quite finished it out on Sundays, sadly. I think it’s a matter of time, but I think that time is kind of, it’s squeezing him a little bit.
“I think that if he should go out and win this week, it’s finally going to put him in a position, okay, now I can go ahead and start running again.”
Schauffele is a two-time major champion, winning the PGA Championship and The Open Championship in 2024, while Aberg is chasing his maiden major title.
Who wins the PGA Championship this week?
Do you see Rory and Scottie's dominance of the majors continuing at Aronimink?
Rich Beem suggests how Jordan Spieth can complete the career Grand Slam
Also in the field for this year’s PGA Championship is Jordan Spieth, who is chasing the career Grand Slam once again.
The American has won The Masters, the US Open and The Open, but PGA Championship success has constantly eluded him over the years.
When asked if Spieth has a chance to finally get over the line this week, Beem said: “I would never say he doesn’t have a chance.
“I think that the way his golf game is trending as of late, he’s driving the golf ball exceptionally well, the whole game is getting better and better.
“Again though it comes down to being efficient on the greens. If you look at the way he played it from 2015 through 2017, he got on there, took one two looks, pulled the trigger, bam.
“Now he gets there, takes one look, two looks, and then figures out maybe do I want to look at the hole, do I not want to look at the hole?
“He just doesn’t have the confidence with the flatstick. Now listen, that can change at any given time in any given tournament as we both know.
“It just takes one good week of confidence and being on greens that you feel comfortable with. Will he feel comfortable here? I don’t think so.
“But listen, if you’re going to find some green complexes that will pique his interest, that have some character, have some personality to it, this is them, this is it right here.
“So I’m not going to discount him by any stretch of the imagination. But listen I think it’d take a pretty gargantuan effort to do so. But you never know.”
Spieth’s stunning displays on the greens were key to his two major wins in 2015, but he has failed to reach those same heights with the putter in recent years.
He entered the PGA Championship ranked 34th on the PGA Tour for SG: Putting in 2026, and 56th for putting average.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
