The stage is set for what promises to be an absolute barnburner at Aronimink Golf Club. World number one Scottie Scheffler leads a stellar field into battle for the 108th PGA Championship, with Thursday’s opening round marking the start of a four-day war against one of golf’s most unforgiving layouts.

The defending champion wasted no time getting acquainted with the beast that awaits. Scheffler hit the practice fairways on Monday alongside swing coach Randy Smith and putting guru Phil Kenyon, fine-tuning his game after a week’s rest following a scintillating run of form.

The 29-year-old American has been absolutely unstoppable in recent weeks, finishing runner-up at the Masters, the Heritage tournament, and Doral just a fortnight ago. With four major titles already in the bag, Scheffler can complete golf’s ultimate prize, the career Grand Slam, at next month’s US Open. But first, he faces the daunting prospect of defending his crown on a course that hasn’t hosted a men’s major since Gary Player’s triumph in 1962.

Aronimink’s green monsters await

The numbers alone tell a sobering story. Stretching 7,394 yards across a par-70 layout, Aronimink bristles with 174 bunkers strategically positioned to punish wayward shots. But it’s the greens that have the world’s best players genuinely concerned.

“What makes this place difficult are the greens, so you really need to be able to control your distances, hit the ball in the fairway,” warned 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley, who also captured the 2018 BMW Championship on this very track.

“Off the tee it’s not extremely challenging, but the greens get really crazy and they are really mounded and hilly… so to put the ball in the right spot is really important.”

The course’s undulating putting surfaces run at lightning-fast speeds, turning approach shots into a high-stakes game of precision. Miss your mark by mere yards, and you’ll face putts that could send your ball tumbling off the green entirely.

Fitzpatrick warns of severe test

World number four Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off three PGA Tour victories in the past two months, echoed Bradley’s sentiments about Aronimink’s green complexes.

“It will be the green complexes for sure,” the 2022 US Open champion declared. “They’re very severe in spots. It will be interesting to see where the pins get put. There’s two or three holes where you can’t have more than four pins.”

The Englishman also highlighted how the course rewards power players, noting that length off the tee becomes crucial as it takes many bunkers out of play entirely. It’s a factor that could favour the game’s biggest bombers whilst punishing those who struggle to find the short grass.

Spieth’s Grand Slam dreams

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth finds himself in familiar territory, chasing the final piece of golf’s ultimate puzzle. A victory at Aronimink would complete his career Grand Slam, adding the PGA Championship to his Masters (2015), US Open (2015), and Open Championship (2017) triumphs.

The Texan emphasised the cerebral challenge that awaits, explaining how course management becomes paramount in major championship conditions.

“Right now it’s about getting to know the golf course, where the pin locations are going to be, where these pins you attack, where are the ones you lay off of, stuff like that. What are the deceiving shots,” Spieth explained.

The art of major preparation

Spieth also offered fascinating insight into how modern players approach major championship preparation, revealing a more measured strategy compared to the marathon practice sessions of yesteryear.

“It’s really more methodical now where it used to be hours and hours,” he said. “It’s not just an age thing. It’s more just like recognising that major weeks can feel really long and you want to feel your best when you wake up Sunday morning.

“Part of it is energy conservation and figuring out how to attack the course. As far as the reps go, if you’re not ready by now after the last couple weeks, you can’t really cram for the test at a major.”

It’s a philosophy that speaks to the evolution of professional golf, where players increasingly prioritise peak performance over sheer volume of practice.

The field received a late shake-up with Jake Knapp withdrawing due to a thumb injury, opening the door for first alternate Tom Hoge to grab his spot in the 156-strong field. It’s the kind of last-minute drama that adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling championship.

Aronimink’s return to major championship golf marks a significant moment for the suburban Philadelphia venue. The course has waited 62 years to welcome the world’s best back for golf’s second major of the season, and the layout promises to provide a stern examination of every facet of the game.