In one week, Quail Hollow will be ready to kickstart the second major of the season – the PGA Championship. A rich field with the top golfers in the world awaits golfing fans in Charlotte, North Carolina. Xander Schauffele will be looking to defend a major title for the first time in his career, with the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy ready to lay their hands on yet another major. But before the week leading up to the coveted title, some rumblings are happening behind the scenes.

Michael Thorbjornsen was slated to appear at the Truist Championship with an unwanted tag on his name. He was the only person on the field at the signature event not eligible for the PGA Championship happening a week down the line. He was the third alternate for the second major of the season. Now, after something happened, the American golfer got lucky.

South African golfer Shaun Norris was one of the invitees for the major. However, the former LIV pro had to decline the invite. The reason is that he has to deal with a ‘family health matter,’ according to AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. This has allowed Michael Thorbjornsen to make his debut at the major.

Norris had previously played in three editions of the PGA Championship. He failed to make the cut at the 2019 and 2020 editions but managed to finish inside the cutline in 2022, albeit at T71. The South African had earned an invite after impressing on the DP World Tour this season, claiming a brilliant victory at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December 2024, clinching the title by one stroke over Marcus Kinhult, John Parry, and Ryan van Velzen.

He had also won the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup on the Japan Golf Tour previously. While he would have gotten the chance to test his mettle alongside the best golfers in the world, it was not meant to be.

Michael Thorbjornsen’s long-awaited opportunity

“One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.” These words would be in the mind of the young American golfer when he tees up at Quail Hollow for his PGA Championship debut. This will be his fourth appearance at the major, having made three appearances at the US Open. He finished 79th in his debut at the 2019 US Open but failed to make the cut during the 2022 and 2023.

But he is heading to the PGA Championship with a spring in his step, with strong performances in recent times. He has only made 6 cuts in 12 starts, but he has two top 10 finishes to boast about. The American golfer finished T2 at the Corales Puntacana Championship and also carded a T4 finish at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Australian golfer Karl Vilips. He did finish T33 in a strong CJ Cup Byron Nelson field, but his true test before the PGA Championship will be the Truist Championship.

A strong showing at the signature event will be key to confidence ahead of his first appearance at a major outside the US Open. Do you think that the Stanford grad can make a splash at the PGA Championship?