2024 PGA Championship course: Valhalla Golf Club will provide stern test, dramatics at year’s second major

It’s not an annual stop on the golf calendar, but Valhalla Golf Club delivers energy whenever it gets the nod. As host of the 2024 PGA Championship, the Jack Nicklaus design will return to the spotlight for the fifth time in the competition, having previously hosted players at three PGA Championships and one Ryder Cup – all since 1996.

Each instance was memorable in its own right. Mark Brooks defeated Kenny Perry in the 1996 PGA Championship in a playoff after the Kentucky native made bogey on the last hole of regulation and watched the rest of the action in the broadcast booth. Brooks birdied the first hole of the sudden-death playoff to lift the Wanamaker Trophy.

Four years later, it was Tiger Woods’ turn to win a playoff by defeating Bob May in dramatic fashion. Responsible for one of the most iconic moments of Woods’ career, Valhalla was the course where Woods chased his golf ball to the bottom of the cup in the first of the three-hole playoffs. This marked Woods’ fifth career major championship at the time and became part of his famous Tiger Slam.

The 2008 Ryder Cup provided its fair share of moments, as well as when the relatively unknown US team defeated the visiting Europeans. From Boo Weekley piloting his driver through the fairways to Anthony Kim baptizing Sergio Garcia in Sunday’s singles matches and unknowingly defeating him, the Ryder Cup marks one of the American’s high points in competition over the past two decades.

It’s been a decade since Valhalla served as the backdrop for Rory McIlroy’s fourth (and still most recent) major championship. Then, aged 25, McIlroy defeated Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler in a race against the clock as a shroud of darkness was about to engulf Valhalla.

“It’s really funny, so going into Valhalla in 2014, I won my last two matches, and this year, I won my last two matches,” McIlroy said after winning the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday. “I just need to try to replicate everything I did in 2014, try to do it all over again. Yeah, I’m feeling really good about my game. I need to stay in my own little world for the next week and not get too far ahead of myself, but if you can to get to the first tee at Valhalla on Thursday and feel as good about my game as I did today, I think I’ll have a good chance.”

While some things have remained the same 10 years later, others have not, including Valhalla itself. The main difference between 2014 Valhalla and 2024 Valhalla is, ironically, the grass. (After all, he’s hosting in the Bluegrass State.) A few years ago, Valhalla changed its fairways from bentgrass to Zeon Zoysiagrass, which is more conducive to firm, fast conditions. Whether that comes to fruition, given the weather forecast, is another question, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

The fairway grass has also changed, while the grass around the bunkers has been removed. Rough has already delineated fairway bunkers and stopped golf balls from rolling into the sand. This protective liner will not be available for the 2024 PGA Championship, which could actually be beneficial for players as they have more control of their golf balls in the bunkers than on the course.

Hitting the fairways will continue to be at a premium, with the golf course being rough and the fairway lengthened by about 150 yards compared to 2014. The par-4 1st has added 50 yards thanks to a new tee, the par-4 12th has 20 more yards away, the par-3 14th can now play to 250 yards, and the par-5 18th has had 30 yards added. In total, the par 71 will be 7,609 yards, according to the PGA Championship website.

While robust on paper, Valhalla presents a number of nine-point scoring chances – proven by Mays and Woods both posting 31s to close in 2000 and McIlroy closing in at 32 in 2014. Between the two par 5s and the short par 4 13th ( which Bryson DeChambeau may very well try to drive despite it being a green island), players will have the opportunity to go downhill a bit on the second nine in Valhalla. And if they do, they could enter the winner’s circle on Sunday night.

Winning scores in Valhalla

*The 1996 and 2000 PGA Championships were played at par 72