Dustin Johnson Receives PGA Championship Exemption To Continue Impressive Major Streak

The former World No.1 has been invited into the field for Aronimink

Dustin Johnson holds his finish on an iron shot
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dustin Johnson has received a special invitation into the PGA Championship for the second consecutive year.

The full 2026 PGA Championship field was unveiled on Tuesday, with Johnson's name confirmed in the list of of 154 players.

Johnson has six top-10s in the PGA Championship including back-to-back runners-up finishes in 2019 and 2020.

He perhaps came closes to winning the Wanamaker Trophy in 2010, though, where he thought he had reached a playoff for the title before receiving a penalty for 'grounding' his club in a bunker on the 72nd hole.

He thought it was a waste area but was deemed to have broken the rules, eventually finishing T5 as Martin Kaymer defeated Bubba Watson in extra holes.

The former World No.1 has missed six of his last ten Major cuts and only has two top-10s from 15 Majors since joining LIV Golf.

His exemptions for the PGA Championship and The Open have now expired, having won The Masters in 2020.

Dustin Johnson at the 2020 Masters

(Image credit: Getty Images)

He has a lifetime exemption for Augusta, while his US Open exemption expires this year after his maiden Major triumph at Oakmont in 2016.

Johnson currently ranks 468th in the world with best finishes of T17th, in three separate LIV events, this year.

There will be 11 LIV Golfers in the 2026 PGA Championship, with Bryson DeChambeau, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Tom McKibbin, Joaquin Niemann, David Puig, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Elvis Smylie all set to tee it up.

Two-time PGA Champion Phil Mickelson has withdrawn as he continues to deal with a private family matter.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews.

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