Off-the-Tee Strategy at Aronimink Will be "Non-Existent" at the PGA Championship

A great test of golf will put stress on your entire game. From tee box to green, an elite course will pose questions every step of the way. According to Rory McIlroy, Aronimink won’t exactly fit the bill.

During his pre-tournament press conference Tuesday morning, the two-time PGA Championship winner was asked what he likes about this year’s host. After taking a moment, he mentioned the bunkering and the variety of the par 4s and 3s. But then he said something that dulled my excitement just a tad.

“I think in this day and age I'm not sure if it's going to test all aspects of your bag,” he said. “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.”

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He went on to add that when classic golf courses like Aronimink get modern renovations, which often include an immense amount of tree removal, strategy off the tee goes by the wayside. It might not sound like a big deal, but going into each round knowing 20% of the shots the field hits don’t require a lot of thought isn’t exactly what I like to see at major championships.

For McIlroy and the rest of the players, the greens will be the main focus.

“I think getting yourself in the right sections of the greens, making sure you leave yourself below the hole for the most part. That's the key this week,” he said.

McIlroy has played just four competitive rounds at Donald Ross’ Aronimink, and those came eight years ago when he finished fifth at the BMW Championship, two shots out of a playoff. He did, however, take a one-day scouting trip recently to get a lay of the land—don’t worry, folks, that’s allowed!

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Outside of the obvious, there’s plenty of reason to like McIlroy’s chances at a third Wanamaker this week. He’s arguably the greatest driver the game has ever seen, so on a golf course that allows him to use it everywhere, that feels like a big advantage. Plus, at last week’s Truist Championship, he was first in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and fifth in proximity. If that carries over, he’ll have plenty of chances to put circles on his scorecard.