Winning the PGA Championship means a spot in the championship for life, with those who lift the Wanamaker Trophy earning unlimited exemptions back into the tournament each and every year.
Throughout the history of the Major, a total of 74 players have won and, for 2026, several former champions will be teeing it up at Aronimink Golf Club, but some won’t be.
Scottie Scheffler defends his title from 2025
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Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion and, under that exemption category, 14 former champions will be present in the field in Pennsylvania.
Those 14 are part of the 156-man field, which also includes 20 PGA professionals, but a number of former champions won’t be playing in the second men’s Major of 2026.
The reasons for their absence vary, including retirement, injury or other factors, and we’ve listed five notable past winners who won’t be present this year…
Tiger Woods
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Woods missed the PGA Championship in 2025 after rupturing his left Achilles while training at home, and had been working towards a competitive return to action at the start of this year.
Regularly claiming he was eyeing a return at The Masters, Woods’ prep work came to a halt at the end of March, when he flipped his car onto its side after a failed overtake.
After being charged with driving under the influence, the four-time PGA Championship winner announced that he would be “stepping away” from the game indefinitely in order to “seek treatment and focus on my health.”
Last lifting the Wanamaker Trophy in 2007, he also claimed the PGA Championship in 2006, 2000 and 1999.
It’s currently unclear as to when Woods will return to professional golf as he continues his rehabilitation treatment.
Phil Mickelson
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Mickelson is famed for his 2021 PGA Championship victory, when he became the oldest Major winner in history.
Despite playing in the championship last year, missing the cut in the process, the six-time Major winner won’t be present in Philadelphia, citing family health matters.
Teeing it up at LIV Golf South Africa, that’s the only tournament Mickelson has played…
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