(Photo credit: James Lang-Imagn Images)

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- One year ago, Rory McIlroy arrived at the PGA Championship unsure of the next Everest he would climb.The Northern Irishman was playing his first major since ending a 10-year drought and completing the career Grand Slam in dream fashion at the Masters. He settled for a tie for 47th.Twelve whirlwind months later, following a Ryder Cup victory and a second green jacket, McIlroy is rejuvenated and unlikely to let something like a nagging toe ailment hold him back.McIlroy and defending champ Scottie Scheffler headline the strongest field of the year, with 97 of the top 100 golfers in the world on site at Aronimink Golf Club for the PGA Championship beginning Thursday.'Coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year,' McIlroy said of his level of motivation. 'I feel like I've got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors.'McIlroy's second Masters marked his sixth major championship; a seventh this week would tie him with the likes of Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and Bobby Jones.He cut short his Tuesday practice round on the fourth hole due to discomfort from a blister on his right pinky toe, which he said he's had since last Friday. McIlroy was back on the course Wednesday and is expected to compete.Aronimink has hosted just one men's major before, the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player. It was the site of the 2020 Women's PGA Championship and the 2018 BMW Championship won by Keegan Bradley.Renovated by Gil Hanse in 2018, the par-70, 7,394-yard course has far fewer trees than it once did, something players have noted. Aronimink makes up for that with an estimated 174 bunkers, including 20-plus on the par-4 11th hole alone. Many approach shots are uphill to difficult, sloped green complexes.'Strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent. It's, basically, bash driver down there and then figure it out from there,' McIlroy said. '... The greens are the main focus this week, and 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.''Course is firming up. Greens are diabolical,' 2024 champion Xander Schauffele added. 'It should be a really good test.'World No. 1 Scheffler collected his third major win at the 2025 PGA at Quail Hollow Club and added the Open Championship before the summer was out. He'll try to go back-to-back at a major for the first time.His peers have expressed their admiration that he takes a consistent mindset into every tournament, though Scheffler admits the fanfare of a major is hard to ignore.'That's why you can't treat them quite the same because there's so much energy around (a major),' Scheffler said. 'You come into the press room, there's more people, more fans, more noise. There's just a lot more stuff going on.'But over the course of my career, I felt like, if I show up to a tournament, I'm there to give that tournament my best.'The PGA Championship has crowned 12 first-time major winners since 2001, including the likes of Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas. Notable players seeking their first major title this week are Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland of Norway, Ludvig Aberg of Sweden and Cameron Young.Young is a trendy pick this week after he broke through to win The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship this spring and rose to No. 3 in the world. He has seven major top-10s to his name and is intent on keeping his process the same.'It's kind of remarkable how much more it's recognized for winning versus coming in second,' Young said. 'Obviously there is a huge difference kind of career-wise, but golf-wise, it's small. Yeah, it's been nice for that to be recognized, but at the same time, I at least am trying to value the work that I put in and kind of evaluate days based on how I go about my day and not necessarily what I shot or how I finished a tournament.'The field of 156 includes 11 members of LIV Golf and 20 PGA teaching professionals, notably Michael Block, who became a fan favorite when he tied for 15th three years ago at Oak Hill and made a hole-in-one on Sunday. The top 70 and ties will make the cut after 36 holes.Jordan Spieth's pursuit of his fourth major title is an annual yet under-the-radar storyline. Spieth needs just the PGA to complete the career Grand Slam, but he hasn't won on tour since 2022.'My game has been getting better and better,' Spieth said. 'It's plenty good to have a chance to win. It's about working my way into contention.'--Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media