PGA Championship: Why Philly Fans Love Scottie Scheffler
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- The PGA Championship already has a major winner ... the crowds at the Aronimink Golf Club are proving once again that Philadelphia is an exceptional sports town. No city combines the edginess of the Northeast, the passion of an SEC fan base and elite sports knowledge. They are even magnanimous enough to cheer for Dallas native Scottie Scheffler.
"How can you hate that guy even if he is a Cowboy fan?" asked Dan Machon of King of Prussia, Pa. "He's one of us. He even went to jail at a sporting event. What's more Philadelphia than that?"
Scheffler said on Wednesday that he had never played a round of golf in Philadelphia in his life. But he was followed by the biggest gallery of the day and cheered throughout his 3-under-par round on Thursday.
"I got chirped more than I expected for being a Cowboys fan," Scheffler said. "But it was all in good fun. I got quite a kick out of it. The fans were quite funny today. Philly is definitely a sports town. … The crowd had some great energy today. There were some really cool spots on the golf course where you can kind of get punch bowl type of feel and the crowd can get loud."
Philly fans are one of a kind, heckling Scottie Scheffler for being a Cowboys fan.
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) May 14, 2026
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Scheffler, the defending champion in this tournament and four-time major winner, is among seven players tied for the lead after Day 1
While Philly is known for booing everyone, including its own, most fans say that's about accountability more than negativity. Winning and losing is important, but not the only factor that earns respect.
"Scheffler fits the city," said Patrick Dwyer from Manayunk, Pa. "He just puts his head down and works. We like athletes who get after it no matter what. Like Allen Iverson. Work your ass off, get up when you get knocked down and keep fighting, win or lose. Scheffler seems to be like that. As long as he doesn't have an actual Cowboys star on his hat, he's fine."
About 75% of the crowd at Aronimink is dressed in typical golf fan attire, while the rest are in various shades of green representing the Philadelphia Eagles. The conversation in the concession area ranges from commentary on Rory McIlroy's errant drives to analyzing the NFL schedule release. A guy in a "Philly Philly" hat is upset because he feels the Jaguars have an advantage over the Eagles in London in Week 5. One thing everyone agrees on, Philly is going to blow out Dallas on Thanksgiving.
"We're just happy that this tournament is here so we have something to root for," said Joe Viola from Ambler, Pa., "while we're waiting on the Birds."
Philadelphia fans haven't had the best month, with the Flyers and 76ers both getting swept in second-round playoff series. Even worse, Sixers season-ticket holders gave up their seats, allowing Knicks fans to invade their home arena. But no one is apologizing in this crowd.
"The 76ers don't put out a good product," says Anthony Garifo from Pottstown, Pa. "We don't demand winning, but we demand effort. They're not all in. Why would we be all in? Their owner (Josh Harris) has the New Jersey Devils and the [Washington] Commanders. I hope he sells the [Sixers.]"
Fueling the Philly-NY rivalry
Philadelphia fans do want to distinguish themselves from New Yorkers when it comes to golf. They don't want to be associated with the over-the-top crowd at Bethpage Black for last year's Ryder Cup. Fortunately, Rory McIlroy appears to hold no ill-will against the Northeast after New Yorkers rode him mercilessly last September.
"Philadelphia is a wonderful golfing city," McIlroy said. "A lot of great golf courses and [Aronimink] is certainly one of them."
McIlroy, along with Scheffler, is a fan favorite. "Rory is definitely cool in Philly," Machon says. "He seems like a lunch-pail kind of guy. … We're not New York. What they did last year at the Ryder Cup crossed the line. Of course, they were all probably hammered. So maybe check back later in the day. At least I hope we won't do anything like that."
Philadelphia has a storied history with major tournaments. Merion Golf Club, just down the road from Aronimink, was the location for Ben Hogan's "Miracle at Merion" – a dramatic U.S Open victory in 1950. In 2013, Merion put to rest any concerns about an old-school course being big enough to host a modern U.S. Open. The tournament will return to Merion in 2030. A beautiful weekend in Newtown Square should put Aronimink in good position to hold future tournaments as well.
Joe Bausch, a Villanova professor and golf historian who helped the nationally recognized revitalization of the urban golf course Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia, says that the fans take getting used to. "I'm from the Midwest," he says. "They're more interactive here. But they love golf as much as fans anywhere. It's part of the fabric of the city and there's great history here. So many people play. These crowds know the sport inside and out."
Renowned course designer Donald Ross crafted Aronimink in 1928, claiming "I intended to make this my masterpiece, but not until today did I realize that I built better than I knew." Ross, however, may not have expected to jam 200,000 fans into the area over four days. If Scheffler noticed the crowd on Thursday, it will only be more intense by Sunday as the weather gets considerably warmer.
One of the reasons Aronimink was chosen for this year was to help kick off the 250th anniversary of the United States. If you don't like the Philadelphia sports scene, you're going to have to endure it this summer. Philly will return to the national spotlight with the MLB All-star game and World Cup matches later this summer.
"We're misunderstood," said Gerald Irwin from Norristown, Pa. "If you give us crap, we'll give you crap back. But we really love sports. We love to see guys give it their all. As for Eagles fans attacking Santa back in the day, that was on us. That's a mistake. Never attack Santa. As long as we don't do that, we'll be fine."
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 6:02 AM.