The 2025 PGA Championship: Analysis and Expectations at Quail Hollow
The second major of the 2025 season, the PGA Championship, tees off this Thursday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Expectations are high and fans are wondering: Will Rory McIlroy be able to add his second consecutive major? Will Scottie Scheffler add another title to his impressive resume? What can we expect from Bryson DeChambeau and the LIV Golf golfers?
Below, we break down six key storylines to follow this week at the PGA Championship, from the favorites to the surprise players and much more.
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Scheffler or McIlroy: Who is the favorite?
The debate over who is the favorite centers on the world number 1, Scottie Scheffler, and the Masters champion, Rory McIlroy.
Although Scottie Scheffler is the slight favorite according to the odds and is coming off his first victory of the 2025 season, I think it could be argued that Rory McIlroy is the best golfer on the planet right now. He has already won three times on tour this year, and each of those was against a very competitive field.
Mark Schlabach
McIlroy’s recent form and his history at Quail Hollow Club, where he has won four times and been runner-up once, make him the player to beat this week. Scheffler, on the other hand, has not played in any stroke-play event there and his only appearance at Quail Hollow in the 2022 Presidents Cup was not memorable.
Analyst Paolo Uggetti agrees that McIlroy should be the favorite, highlighting his excellent current form. However, he points out how quickly the top of golf can change. Scheffler has been consistently good, but his only victory and the fact that he hasn’t kept up the pace of last year have opened the door for McIlroy to position himself as the best player in the world.
Other contenders to consider
Besides Scheffler and McIlroy, other players could stand out this week.
Justin Thomas, with six top 10 finishes in 2025.
Justin Thomas, who is playing the best golf of his career, won the last PGA Championship held at Quail Hollow in 2017. Thomas ended a nearly three-year winless streak on the tour by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff on April 20. He was runner-up at the Valspar Championship and tied for second place at last week’s Truist Championship.
Thomas has a good track record at Quail Hollow, finishing in the top 26 in five of his six appearances. He is fifth in strokes gained: tee to green (1.227) and approach (.896) and 20th in putting (.432).
Bryson DeChambeau is also a name to consider, especially given the length of the course and the need for a good long game. DeChambeau is gaining more than two strokes with his driver, a figure that surpasses that of the second-ranked player in that category by a full stroke. He has improved the rest of his game in recent years, with five top 10s in the last nine majors.
What to Expect from Xander Schauffele?
Xander Schauffele, the defending champion, has shown an upward trend in his game after missing more than two months due to a rib injury. He has achieved four consecutive finishes, including a tie for eighth place at the Masters and eleventh at the Truist Championship.
Although he is ranked 7th in strokes gained: approach (.821), he is ranked 157th off the tee (-.320), 135th around the green (-.155), and 140th in putting (-.244). This could be attributed to a lack of repetitions. Schauffele has won two of the last four majors and has finished in the top 10 in seven of the last nine.
Schauffele is a mystery at the moment. His level is high, and although he is not in top form, he still manages to finish in the top 20. In his last four tournaments, Schauffele’s worst result is a tie for 18th place at the RBC Heritage. The fact that the defending champion is a bit off the radar is significant.
LIV Golfers to Watch
Who is the favorite at this year’s PGA Championship?
Bryson DeChambeau is a strong contender due to his distance off the tee. He was the runner-up at last year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, losing to Schauffele by one stroke.
Patrick Reed has also performed well at Quail Hollow.
Joaquín Niemann sigue siendo una figura a seguir, ya que no ha logrado destacar en un major. Niemann tiene el juego para ganar múltiples majors.
Surprise Players to Watch
Keith Mitchell has shown an upward trend after a difficult end to 2024. Mitchell has five consecutive top-25 finishes.
Taylor Pendrith, although he hasn’t played well in recent weeks, had three top 10s earlier this season.
The Højgaard twins (Nicolai and Rasmus) could make some noise this week. Michael Thorbjornsen and Akshay Bhatia are also players to watch.
How will Quail Hollow play this week?
Quail Hollow is one of the longest courses on the tour, at 7,626 yards. It is the fourth longest in PGA Championship history and the longest for a par 71 course. The course is expected to play even longer after Monday’s rain. If that’s the case, there won’t be much roll on the fairways, which will put even greater emphasis on distance off the tee and play with long irons.
Contenders will also have to play well around the greens because they will likely miss some. Golfers will have to survive the par 3s (three of the four are over 200 yards), score well on the par 5s, and survive the final three-hole stretch known as the “Green Mile.”
