Key keywords: Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, 2024 PGA Championship, sleeper golf contenders, FedEx Cup Standings, men's major golf championship, LIV Golf vs PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy major drought As the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club approaches, golf fans across the globe are locked into the most stacked set of narrative threads in recent major history, headlined by the sport’s two biggest active stars and a deep pool of underrated contenders poised to upset the odds. First, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler enters the week riding one of the most dominant stretches in PGA Tour history: he has claimed four wins in his last six starts, including a second green jacket at the 2024 Masters, and has finished outside the top 10 just once in 12 events this season. His relentless ball-striking, consistent short game, and unflappable on-course demeanor have made him the clear pre-tournament favorite, with oddsmakers giving him shorter odds than any player ahead of a major in the last 20 years. Scheffler has repeatedly stated that he is prioritizing major wins above all else in 2024, and a victory at Valhalla would put him halfway to the calendar Grand Slam, a feat not achieved since Tiger Woods in 2000. Next, Jon Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion and former world No. 1, makes his return to a PGA Tour-sanctioned major for the first time since his high-profile move to LIV Golf last December. Rahm has won three times on the LIV Golf circuit this season, but questions remain about whether his adjusted schedule, which features far fewer 72-hole stroke play events, will leave him prepared for the brutal four-day grind of Valhalla’s 7,500-yard par-72 layout. Rahm dismissed those concerns in his pre-tournament press conference, noting that he has put in 12 extra practice rounds and focused heavily on building stamina for late-week competition. The long-running rivalry between Rahm and Scheffler, which defined the 2022 and 2023 PGA Tour seasons, is expected to take center stage once again, as both players have openly stated they are eager to test their games against each other on golf’s biggest stage. Beyond the two headliners, sleeper contenders are drawing plenty of attention from analysts and bettors alike. Min Woo Lee, the 25-year-old Australian who won the 2024 Players Championship, has flown under the radar for much of the season but has the length and creative short game to excel at Valhalla. Adrian Meronk, the Polish star who has won twice on the DP World Tour in the last year, is making just his third major start but has already proven he can compete with top-tier fields in limited appearances. Davis Riley, who has three top-5 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, is another dark horse, with a low ball flight perfectly suited to Valhalla’s narrow fairways and undulating greens. Additional top storylines include Rory McIlroy’s continued quest to end his 10-year major drought, the first full head-to-head matchup between LIV Golf and PGA Tour players at a major since the LIV launch in 2022, and the impact of strong performances on the early 2024 FedEx Cup Standings, which will determine who qualifies for the season-ending Tour Championship and $18 million grand prize.