Scheffler and McIlroy fancied for PGA Championship title

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler will try to defend his title in next week's 108th PGA Championship (Orlando Ramirez)

(Orlando Ramirez/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)

Top-ranked defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Masters repeat winner Rory McIlroy are oddsmakers favorites for the 108th PGA Championship, which tees off Thursday at Aronimink.

Scheffler, who won the 2022 and 2024 Masters and last year's British Open and PGA Championship, took a week off before trying for a first major title defense after a hot start to the season.

The 29-year-old American won his first start of the year at the American Express tournament in the California desert and added a third place at Phoenix and fourth at Pebble Beach.

He has been runner-up in each of his past three starts -- at the Masters and Heritage tournaments in April and last week at Doral.

"Sometimes you're able to build some positive momentum, and at times in my career I've been able to really feed off of that," Scheffler said. "When you feel like you're in a good spot with your game and you're seeing the right shots, sometimes it doesn't feel that difficult."

Scheffler took confidence, and some ideas about what he needs to improve to win a fifth major.

"A lot of positives," Scheffler said. "Some stuff I can clean up, but overall definitely some positives from the last few weeks."

Scheffler could complete a career Grand Slam at next month's US Open at Shinnecock, which concludes on his 30th birthday.

"I would love to be able to win the US Open," Scheffler said. "I've had some success at that tournament before and I think it suits my style of game. I'm excited to go to Shinnecock this year and hopefully get it done."

McIlroy completed a career Grand Slam and snapped a 10-year major win drought by winning last year's Masters and last month become only the fourth player to win back-to-back titles at Augusta National, boosting his motivation for this year's majors.

"This year I think winning was validation for all the work that I've put in over the last few years to get myself back to this place where I'm winning majors," McIlroy said.

Not since Jordan Spieth took the Masters and US Open in 2015, when the majors were on a different rotation, has a player won back-to-back majors, a feat McIlroy managed in 2014 and could achieve again this week.