PGA Championship 2026: Analyzing the data from Aronimink’s past tour events

Carlos M. Saavedra

Again, that may seem obvious. The players that won holed a lot of putts. That is common at most events. However, if you look deeper, you’ll find it is a notable indictor of success at Aronimink.

Take the most recent event, the 2018 BMW Championship. The top four players on the leaderboard that week were Bradley, Rose, Xander Schauffele and Billy Horschel. They were all among the top 10 best putters that week. Of the 44 shots by which they collectively beat the field average, more than half (23.1) came on the greens.

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In fact, eight players in the top 10 on the leaderboard that week also finished inside the top 10 in strokes gained/putting.

When Nick Watney won the AT&T National in 2011, the top five players on the leaderboard were among the top 15 best putters. None ranked inside the top 10 in driving distance and only one featured in the top 25 in strokes gained/approach, typically a strong measure of success at majors.

Approach play is (oddly) unimportant

To that last point above, the data suggests that Aronimink doesn’t reward strong iron play.

In 2010, when Rose and Moore battled for the AT&T National title, neither ranked inside the top 40 in strokes gained/approach. Furthermore, two of the six best players in that category actually missed the cut that week (Shaun Micheel and Greg Owen).

We know that was a similar storyline in 2011, and again in 2018, the data suggests victory isn’t found in approach. Rose actually lost strokes in approach (-0.2 per round) that week and still found himself in a playoff.

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Fred Vuich

With greens that average around 8,300 square feet, known for their sweeping movement and size, it appears that players can easily find the putting surfaces but it’s how quickly they can hole out when they do that correlates to success.

In 2018, players hit greens 11 percent more often than at a typical PGA Tour event. Yes, it was very soft that week due to heavy rain in the lead up to the tournament, but that same tendency appeared in both 2011 and 2012 when weather wasn’t an issue.

Practice wedges, not mid-irons

One of the most interesting metrics that DataGolf tracks at courses is the relative volume of approach shots based on distance. At this year’s Masters for example, players hit noticeably less shots from 75 to 100 yards, 100 to 125 yards and 125 to 150 yards, versus a regular PGA Tour course. The year’s first major is usually a battle of mid and long irons, especially given the challenging contours and speeds of the greens.

If you look at Aromimink, it’s the opposite. In all three tour events it has hosted, players hit fewer shot from 150 to 200 yards and considerably more shots from 100 to 150 yards.

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The layout, tipping out at 7,200 yards, isn’t long by modern standards, especially for a major championship. It is well bunkered—with more than double the number of bunkers this year than it had before the 2017 renovation by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner—but it isn’t long. Players can take on doglegs, pick and choose which bunkers to carry off the tee and find themselves with more wedges and less mid and long irons than they might be used to.

Remember also, this week will play to a par of 70. There are only two par 5s. Those players that typically have an edge with distance, often going into par 5s with long irons, could find that advantage limited at Aronimink.

That is what the past tells us. How the future and the 108th PGA Championship will play out is ahead of us. Will those trends and tendencies help someone claim the Wanamaker Trophy? I’ll be watching to find out. With my spreadsheets open.