By CNN
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With his family having grown by one last week, new father Scottie Scheffler will look to do the same for his ever-expanding trophy cabinet at the 106th PGA Championship on Thursday.
The world No. 1 is the overwhelming favorite for the second major of the season at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, as golf’s dominant force seeks to go back-to-back following his comprehensive Masters triumph last month.
In-form Rory McIlroy will fancy his chances at halting Scheffler’s seemingly relentless charge, while reigning champion Brooks Koepka is hunting a fourth Wanamaker Trophy that would leave him just one behind the all-time record shared by Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus.
Jordan Spieth is bidding to join an even more exclusive club. Victory come Sunday would see the American become just the sixth player to have completed the career grand slam of all four majors in the modern era.
Tiger Woods is among that legendary group and will be hoping to build on a history-making Masters outing that saw him make the cut at Augusta National for the 24th consecutive time.
How to watch
Viewers in the US can follow the opening two rounds on ESPN from 11 a.m. ET. The broadcaster will also show the weekend’s action from 10 a.m. before coverage switches to CBS from 1 p.m.
Sky Sports Golf heads up coverage in the UK, with fans able to tune in from 1 p.m. BST on Thursday and Friday, then from 2 p.m. for the closing weekend rounds.
For more information on how to watch, check The PGA Championship website here.
New Dad Scheffler living the dream
If you can top Scheffler’s 2024 so far, you must be having an incredible year.
The 27-year-old looks borderline unstoppable at the moment, as victory at the RBC Heritage – just one week on from easing into his second green jacket at Augusta – made it four wins in five starts.
Yet his greatest prize was still to come. Scheffler subsequently stepped away from competitive action to be with wife Meredith, who last week gave birth to the couple’s first child, Bennett.
“I’m glad it was her going through it and not me because I don’t know if I could have done it. It was pretty nuts,” Scheffler told reporters Thursday.
“Extremely proud of her, and the look on her face right after birth, she was just glowing, so proud of herself and so excited to have our little boy.
“Sitting at home with the girl I dated in high school with our child and then the Green Jacket sitting in the closet is a pretty insane feeling, and I just wanted to be as thankful as possible,” he added.
Despite the loss of sleep and new tasks – diaper changing chief among them – Scheffler dismissed any concerns of a lack of preparation for his pursuit of a third career major, though there will be some disruption to navigate this week.
Assuming he makes the cut, his usual caddie Ted Scott will not be on the bag for Saturday’s third round as he attends his daughter’s high school graduation. Longtime friend and PGA Tour chaplain Brad Payne will deputize in the legendary bagman’s absence.
“Teddy is going home Friday night, coming back Saturday evening after the graduation … I’m sure they’ll do a little celebration afterward,” Scheffler said.
“That’s something we talked about from the beginning of our relationship – family always comes first, and it’s the same thing for me as it is for my caddie. It was a pretty easy decision.”
Woods optimistic he can weather Valhalla
There are few who can relate to Scheffler’s exact circumstances, but Woods most definitely can.
Woods was world No. 1 and a 14-time major winner when his son Charlie – now forging his own path in the game – was born. Fifteen years on, he shared his best advice for balancing parenting and the PGA Tour.
“Get some sleep,” Woods said with a smile on Thursday.
“All of us who have had children, those are some tough years and ahead of them. Try and get some rest as much as you possibly can.
“He’s the No. 1 player in the world, and having a great, stable family life at home is important to having a great life out here on Tour.”
Teeing up at his 23rd PGA Championship, Woods is chasing a record-equaling fifth win at the tournament.
The 48-year-old remains adamant that – despite his well-documented injury woes – he is capable of winning a 16th major and has previous at Valhalla, having lifted his second Wanamaker Trophy there in 2000 following a playoff victory over compatriot Bob May.
Despite a disappointing finish, his history-making performance at a notoriously hilly Augusta last month proved Woods could still handle the physical rigors of the game despite sporadic event appearances.
“My body’s okay. It is what it is,” Woods added Thursday.
“I wish my game was a little bit sharper. Again, I don’t have a lot of competitive reps, so I am having to rely on my practice sessions and getting stuff done either at home or here on-site.
“This is a big golf course and if you get in the rough here, things could get a little bit sore, but if I drive it well and do the things I need to do and what I did 24 years ago, hopefully it works.”
Spieth on the verge of golf immortality
World No. 2 McIlroy arrives in perfect form after storming to a second straight victory at the Wells Fargo Championship last week.
The Northern Irishman is looking to end a 10-year wait for his fifth major victory, having not won since besting Phil Mickelson by one stroke to seal his second PGA Championship at Valhalla in 2014.
McIlroy missed his latest opportunity to achieve the career grand slam at the Masters last month, meaning Spieth can beat him to it with a victory this week. Only Woods, Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player have ever achieved the feat.
“It’s very cool, but I would take any and all and as many majors as possible regardless of where they come,” Spieth, who won his last major in 2017, said Thursday.
“It’s just kind of a cool thing if you’re able to hold all four. There’s not many people in the game that have done that and you have an opportunity to do things that are very unique in the game of golf, that’s what kind stands the test of time afterwards.”
Despite the Texan’s major pedigree, the world No. 24 has struggled to find his best form of late, missing the cut in four of his 12 PGA Tour starts this year, including at The Masters.
Defending champion Koepka also struggled at Augusta, finishing 45th, tied with fellow LIV Golf star and typical major contender Jon Rahm.
