7 Big Names Missing The 2024 PGA Championship

It's time for the second men's Major of the year as the world's best - along with 21 club pros - get ready to tee it up at Valhalla Golf Club, ten years on from Rory McIlroy's Wanamaker Trophy win and the last time the Louisville, Kentucky venue hosted the Major.

The PGA Championship claims the strongest field in golf with all of the world's top-100 teeing it up. With the line-up so stacked and containing the likes of past winners Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, it means that there really aren't many big, current names not featuring.

But there are still some, many of whom ply their trade in the LIV Golf League and a couple of the PGA Tour veterans who miss the event for the first time in a long time.

So, which big names are missing the 2024 PGA Championship?

Louis Oosthuizen

The South African, winner of the 2010 Open at St Andrews, has finished runner-up in all four of the Majors and he's been T2nd at the PGA on two separate occasions. Oosthuizen was runner-up in 2017 at Quail Hollow and in 2021 at Kiawah Island. 

The Stinger GC captain in LIV Golf, who won twice on the DP World Tour late last year, actually received an invite into this year's event but declined due to personal commitments. He misses his second consecutive PGA Championship.

Zach Johnson

There was some surprise (or confusion) on social media that Johnson didn't receive an invite as the USA's most recent Ryder Cup captain while Luke Donald did - with the PGA of America running the US arm of the Ryder Cup.

However, Donald is also the current captain, with only the current captains getting an invite into the PGA of America's showpiece.

Two-time Major champion Johnson misses this championship for the first time since 2003, with his world ranking down at 229th.

Matt Kuchar

Another PGA Tour veteran who hasn't quite made the field is Matt Kuchar, with the World No.109 missing the PGA Championship for the first time in 10 years.

It was at Valhalla back then in 2014, meaning he has missed all three Valhalla PGA Championships that have taken place during his career (2000, 2014 and 2024). The venue also hosted in 1996 but he didn't turn pro until 2000.

Kuchar has played in the event 15 times, with his best finish of T7 coming at Whistling Straits in 2015.

Abraham Ancer

Former WGC winner Abraham Ancer is the highest-ranked player in the 2024 LIV Golf League standings not playing in the 2024 PGA Championship.

The Mexican won his first LIV Golf title in Hong Kong earlier this year, which was his sixth professional victory.

Ancer's best Major finish to date came in the PGA Championship, when he was T8th in 2021. He was also T9 in 2022 and misses the Major for the first time since 2018.

Sergio Garcia

Garcia misses his second consecutive PGA Championship after 24 appearances in the event.

His best-ever finish famously came in his debut at Medinah in 1999, when he took Tiger Woods all the way and hit 'that' iconic shot from next to a tree root that saw him running and jumping down the fairway.

The Spaniard is 10th in the LIV Golf standings this year, where he has twice lost in playoffs, so his game is still very good - but he is outside of the top-700 in the OWGR.

Bubba Watson

Another LIV golfer with a runner-up in the PGA Championship is Bubba Watson.

The two-time Masters champion lost in a playoff to Martin Kaymer at Whistling Straits in 2010 after he double-bogeyed the 18th hole in the three-hole aggregate format.

Watson misses the championship for the second straight year.

Mito Pereira

Pereira is another LIV golfer to not feature this week, but it could be so different for the Chilean.

He now infamously took a one-stroke lead to the 72nd tee in 2022 before finding water with his drive and making a double bogey for an agonising loss. He missed out on the playoff between Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by a single stroke.

A par down the last would have seen him become a Major champion and exempt into this championship for life.

The result earned his spot back for 2023 but his world ranking has tumbled since joining compatriot Joaquin Niemann in the LIV Golf League.