The PGA Championship returns this week to Southern Hills Golf Club in Tulsa, Okla., 15 years after Tiger Woods won the 13th of his 15 major championships there in 2007. Woods is back in the field, but, just like the Masters, defending champ Phil Mickelson is not. Post-Gazette golf writer Gerry Dulac handicaps the top 20 contenders for the second major of the season and predicts the winner.
— Scottie Scheffler: That green jacket he won last month was no fluke.
— Jordan Spieth: A victory and a solo second in his past two tour starts.
— Jon Rahm: Mexico Open victory two weeks ago makes him more dangerous.
— Rory McIlroy: Was Masters runner-up legit or just another back-door finish?
— Shane Lowry: This might be the Irishman to keep your eye on.
— Patrick Cantlay: Ready after two playoff losses and a team victory in New Orleans.
— Justin Thomas: Time to add to the only major title he won in 2017 PGA.
— Cameron Smith: His marvelous short game a good fit for Southern Hills.
— Dustin Johnson: Already has three near-misses in PGA Championship.
— Collin Morikawa: At 25, has two wins, five top-10s in nine major starts.
— Hideki Matsuyama: Neck injury slowed his red-hot start to the season.
— Max Homa: Has four wins in past two years, including two this season.
— Keegan Bradley: Improved putting has 2012 PGA champ contending again.
— Tiger Woods: He's baaack ... and feeling a "lot stronger" than at the Masters.
— Brooks Koepka: Four-time major champ not in good form, but does that matter?
— Xander Schauffele: Has yet to prove he deserves all the annual major hype.
— Will Zalatoris: Seems to rise in majors, with four top-8s in six appearances.
— Viktor Hovland: World No. 6 will need a better short game in his adopted home state.
— Joaquin Niemann: Only a matter of time until the 23-year-old is regular major contender.
— Sam Burns: Two-time winner this season too good to continue major burnouts.
And the winner is ... Jordan Spieth. After his huge Masters disappointment, he becomes the first modern-day player other than Tiger Woods to complete golf's Grand Slam.
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com and Twitter @gerrydulac.
