PGA Championship preview podcast: Can Jon Rahm disrupt Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy’s major hopes at Valhalla?

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka all arrive at Valhalla having won their last event; Jon Rahm without a worldwide win since his 2023 Masters success; Download and listen to the special PGA Championship preview edition of the Sky Sports Golf podcast

Jon Rahm was world No 1 and pre-tournament favourite going into last year’s PGA Championship, but is he heading to Valhalla under the radar since joining LIV Golf?

The Spaniard won the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2022 and followed it up with a four-shot win at Augusta National last April, his fourth win in three months on the PGA Tour at that point, but has failed to return to the winner’s circle since that Masters success.

He lost his world No 1 ranking to Scottie Scheffler at the PGA Championship 12 months ago, as the American finished tied-second to Ryder Cup teammate Brooks Koepka, with Scheffler, Koepka and Rory McIlroy – winner in his last two PGA Tour starts – the three most fancied to impress this week.

Rahm finished his DP World Tour campaign last year with three consecutive top-nine finishes and has produced consistent results in the LIV Golf League in 2024, ending no worse than 14th – including four top-fives – in his first seven starts for Legion XIII.

A poor title defence at The Masters saw Rahm end tied-45th and 20 strokes behind Scheffler, although the Sky Sports Golf podcast team believe he could be a player to look out for this week in Kentucky.

One name that just doesn’t come up at the moment is Jon Rahm,” Zane Scotland told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “I know he hasn’t been on his amazing form, but this is Rahm and he is a big name.

“This is a guy who does seem to have to work harder to be in the conversation than anyone else and he’ll be hating that! Everyone talks about Scottie Scheffler being the best player in the world and Rory McIlroy now turning it on, but this is a guy who can also feels he sits in that bracket.

He sees himself as the best week in, week out, regardless of where he is in the rankings. Valhalla is a big-boy golf course and he has got that resolve where you know things don’t always have to go his way to get it done.

“A big player who has been playing okay and hasn’t won is normally a good bet, because they’re hungry for it, so that’s where I’d go with Rahm. As long as he has not lost his game, he’s dangerous.”

What else features this week?

Scotland and Kit Alexander join Sarah Stirk for this week’s episode, where they reflect on McIlroy’s impressive win at the Wells Fargo Championship and whether the stars could be aligning for him to complete his major drought at Valhalla.

They also discuss how winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside good friend Shane Lowry could have spurred him on to a big second half of the season, plus look at the role he is playing in the PGA Tour finalising their Framework Agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Scotland and Kit Alexander join Sarah Stirk for this week’s episode, where they reflect on McIlroy’s impressive win at the Wells Fargo Championship and whether the stars could be aligning for him to complete his major drought at Valhalla.

They also discuss how winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside good friend Shane Lowry could have spurred him on to a big second half of the season, plus look at the role he is playing in the PGA Tour finalising their Framework Agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

There’s a discussion about how Scheffler becoming a father could have hampered his preparation for the PGA Championship, plus a look at some of the outside names who could make a run for major victory.

We also have an exclusive interview with PGA professional Michael Block, who is back at the event after jumping into the spotlight with a hole-in-one alongside McIlroy on his way to an impressive tied-15th finish.