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Rory McIlroy is looking to become the first golfer since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win the first two major championships of the year this week in the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia.
As such, you’d think that McIlroy would enter the event, which he won both in 2012 at Kiawah Island and 2014 at Valhalla Golf Club, with a well-thought-out strategy.
As it turns out, you’d be incorrect.
In fact, McIlroy said exactly the opposite when asked about his plan for the week at Aronimink, specifically regarding his drives.
Rory McIlroy says the course setup this week could benefit him:
“These renovated courses, there’s just less strategy off the tee – which plays right into my hands. I’m happy to bash driver and go get it and figure it out from there.”
🔊https://t.co/dRjProPEV8 | @Garywilliams1Up pic.twitter.com/06HCWePKBw
— PGA Championship Radio on SiriusXM (@SiriusXMPGATOUR) May 12, 2026
Rory McIlroy Says He Has No Strategy On The Tee Box At PGA Championship
McIroy is coming off a tie for 19th at the Truist Championship following a difficult week on the tee box. Thankfully, the six-time major winner doesn’t expect that to be much of an issue at Aronimink.
“I think in this day and age, I’m not sure if it’s going to test all aspects of your bag,” McIlroy said via ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti. “There’s going to be a lot of, again, as I said, strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent.
“It’s basically bash driver down there and then figure it out from there. Which I think is a lot of these newer, newly renovated (courses). I think about Oak Hill in 2023, here. When these traditional golf courses take a lot of trees out, it makes strategy not as much of a concern off the tee.
“But the greens are, as I said at the start, the greens are the main focus this week. And I think getting yourself in the right sections of the greens, making sure that you leave yourself below the hole for the most part, that’s the key this week.”
So there you have it. The strategy in the PGA Championship, at least according to Rory McIlroy, is to just hit the ball as far as possible off the tee without any regard for where it goes.
For some of us, that’s disappointing to hear. For others, perhaps, say, Bryson DeChambeau, that’ll be music to their ears. Ultimately, only time will tell whether McIlroy is correct in his assessment.