The PGA Championship: A Star-Studded Field at Quail Hollow
The most competitive field in men’s professional golf heads to Quail Hollow Club, one of the longest courses on the PGA Tour, for this week’s PGA Championship, the second major of the season.
Rory McIlroy, who finally achieved immortality in golf by becoming the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters last month, could be the golfer to beat at Quail Hollow, where he has won four times. He will try to become the first player to win the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same year since Jack Nicklaus in 1975.
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler is coming off his first win of the season, as is LIV Golf League star Bryson DeChambeau, who would likely like to erase his Sunday fade at the Masters by capturing his third major championship.
The current PGA Championship champion, Xander Schauffele, was hampered by a rib injury after winning two majors in 2024. According to data, he is the only golfer to finish in the top 10 in each of the last five majors, and he will seek to become the only player in the last 60 years to win his first three majors in a streak of five participations.
Here’s a look at the 156-player field, from the favorites and contenders to the former champions and the 20 PGA of America club professionals:
- Clear Favorites
- Those Who Can Win
- If Everything Goes Right
- Miracles Happen
- Happy to Make the Cut
- Past Champions
- PGA Professionals
Tier I: The Clear Favorites
The world’s best golfers don’t seem to be chasing Scottie Scheffler, even though he’s a slight betting favorite over Rory McIlroy heading into the week. The biggest target might be on McIlroy’s back after he won a coveted green jacket at the Masters and heads to Quail Hollow Club, one of his favorite golf courses in the world. In the last 70 years, only five golfers have won the first two majors of the season: Ben Hogan (1953), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tiger Woods (2002), and Jordan Spieth (2015).
Rory McIlroy
The newest member of professional golf’s most exclusive club returns to what has been his happy place. He is the only four-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship (now the Truist Championship) at Quail Hollow Club. He won by five strokes in 2024, one in 2021, seven in 2015, and four in 2010. He set the course record with a 61 under par in 2015. Did I mention that the course favors big hitters off the tee? McIlroy averaged 317.5 yards heading into last week, third in the field.
Scottie Scheffler
You didn’t think the world’s No. 1 golfer would go an entire season without a win, did you? After winning nine times worldwide in 2024, Scheffler earned his first victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 4, winning by a staggering eight strokes and tying the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record at 31-under 253. Scheffler’s only previous competition at Quail Hollow was the 2022 Presidents Cup; he went 0-3-1 in the U.S. team’s 17 ½-12 ½ victory.
Tier II: Los que Pueden Ganar
Here are the other legitimate contenders to win the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday. They have the games, the grit, and the nerve to handle four pressure-packed rounds.
Xander Schauffele
The current PGA Championship champion was the runner-up in his last two appearances at Quail Hollow, losing to Wyndham Clark by four strokes in 2023 and McIlroy by five last season. Schauffele is slowly recovering since being sidelined due to a rib injury. His recent results have been encouraging: he tied for 12th at the Valspar Championship, eighth at the Masters, and 18th at the RBC Heritage and 11th at the Truist Championship. The two-time major championship winner hits far enough off the tee and is one of the best long iron players on tour.
Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau had a pretty good track record at the Wells Fargo Championship, finishing solo fourth in 2018 and tying for ninth in 2021. He nearly chased down Schauffele at last year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, losing by one stroke. Given DeChambeau’s length off the tee (he leads the LIV Golf League with an average of 333.3 yards) and his recent form (tied for fifth at the Masters and won the most recent LIV Golf event in Korea), DeChambeau should be in the mix again at a major.
Justin Thomas
The two-time PGA Championship champion ended his nearly three-year winless streak with a playoff victory at the RBC Heritage on April 20. He captured his first Wanamaker Trophy with a two-stroke victory at Quail Hollow in 2017. Thomas won’t be penalized as much for his inaccuracy off the tee (57.8%), and his putter has been hot for much of the season.
Collin Morikawa
Twice a runner-up this season, Morikawa is counting down to end his winless streak (his last tour victory was at the Zozo Championship in October 2023). The 2020 PGA Championship champion tied for fourth place at last year’s event.
Ludvig Åberg
The up-and-coming superstar won a signature event at the Genesis Invitational and was seventh at the Masters, but also had a couple of missed cuts and tied for 54th at the RBC Heritage and 60th at the Truist Championship. His iron game and work on the greens have been suspect; he is 131st in strokes gained: approach (-.214) and 149th in putting (-.358).
Brooks Koepka
The five-time major champion has barely played like “Big-Game Brooks” in the majors since winning his third Wanamaker Trophy at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York. He hasn’t finished in the top 15 in his last seven major appearances, including a missed cut at the Masters.
Justin Rose
Rose comes from heartbreaking seconds placed in last year’s Open Championship and the Masters, where he lost to McIlroy in a playoff. The 44-year-old doesn’t hit as far from the tee as before, but that hasn’t affected his game too much: he has five consecutive top-15 finishes in the PGA Championship. Rose withdrew from the Truist Championship due to illness before the third round.
Jon Rahm
Rahm hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in seven LIV Golf League starts this season, and tied for 14th at the Masters. At last year’s PGA Championship, he was 4 over par after six holes and nearly struggled to make the cut. It was his first missed cut in a major since the 2019 PGA Championship.
Hideki Matsuyama
The 2021 Masters champion was in contention at the 2017 PGA Championship before making four bogeys in six holes on the back nine. He earned his 11th PGA Tour victory at The Sentry in Hawaii to start the season.
Viktor Hovland
Hovland, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion, seems to have found his swing after winning the Valspar Championship, tying for 21st at the Masters and 13th at the RBC Heritage. He tied for third place at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship, two strokes behind McIlroy.
Joaquín Niemann
The ultra-talented Niemann is still looking for his first top-10 finish in a major in what will be his 24th appearance in the four majors. He has already won three times in the LIV Golf League this season.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton has performed well in the PGA Championship with five top 25 finishes and two top 10 finishes in 10 appearances. He finished first in two events on the DP World Tour since October: the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Patrick Reed
Reed made a charge on Sunday to finish third at the Masters, and he is more than capable of getting into the mix at Quail Hollow. At the 2017 PGA Championship, he made three birdies on the back nine to get within one shot of the lead, but a bogey on the final hole left him tied for second, two shots behind Thomas. Reed had top 10s in two of his Wells Fargo Championship appearances in 2018 and 2021.
Tommy Fleetwood
Winner on 11 occasions worldwide, Fleetwood is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. He finished in the top 25 in nine of his last 13 major appearances.Jordan Spieth
Spieth can join McIlroy to complete the career Grand Slam by winning a Claret Jug. Spieth won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015 and The Open two years later. When Spieth congratulated McIlroy at last week’s Truist Championship, McIlroy told him he was next. Spieth’s response, according to Jack Hirsh of Golf.com, “Yes, at Rory McIlroy Country Club.” Spieth went 5-0-0 at Quail Hollow in the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay hasn’t won on tour in over two years and is still looking for his first major championship victory. His golf and iron game – he’s ninth in strokes gained: tee to green (1.111) – has been good enough to win this season.
Shane Lowry
The biggest major championship for the Irishman will arrive in July, when The Open returns to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, where he lifted a Claret Jug in 2019. He has played consistently well throughout the season, including a tie for second place at the Truist Championship.
Russell Henley
Henley may not hit the ball far enough off the tee, but his accuracy off the tee, spectacular iron play, and solid putting helped him tie for tenth place at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Wyndham Clark
Clark’s results in the majors haven’t been good since he unexpectedly won the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and his form has been inconsistent throughout the season. Still, he hits the ball off the tee and won the Wells Fargo Championship two years ago.
Jason Day
Day won the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship. He tied for fourth at Quail Hollow last year. Day withdrew from last week’s Truist Championship for unspecified reasons.
Tier III: If All Goes Well
Here are the surprise candidates to win the PGA Championship. This tier includes some previous major champions, winners on tour this season, and a handful of players who have returned this season.
Sungjae Im
Im missed the cut in four of his last five starts at the PGA Championship, but finished in the top 10 in the two previous majors, tying for seventh at the 2024 Open Championship and fifth at the Masters. He had top 10s in his last two starts at Quail Hollow.
Keegan Bradley
The U.S. Ryder Cup team captain, who won the 2011 PGA Championship, got off to a good start on the West Coast and tied for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before missing the cut at Augusta National. He made the cut in nine of his last 10 PGA Championship appearances.
Harris English
The five-time PGA Tour winner has enjoyed more success at the U.S. Open, but Quail Hollow has suited his eye. He tied for third at 12-under par at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship.
Sepp Straka
Straka’s breakthrough in a major came with a tie for seventh at the 2023 PGA Championship. He tied for eighth at Quail Hollow last year. He is coming off his fourth PGA Tour victory of his career at the Truist Championship. Can he win two weeks in a row?
Maverick McNealy
The new co-chairman of the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council has a degree in engineering and science management. He also has a pretty sweet swing.
Thomas Detry
Detry tied for fourth place at last year’s PGA Championship, his best result in a major. It will be his first professional event at Quail Hollow.
Rasmus Højgaard
A PGA Tour rookie this season, Højgaard won five times on the DP World Tour, including the Irish Open in September. He and his identical twin brother, Nicolai, finished second at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event. Rasmus is second in the European Ryder Cup team standings, behind only McIlroy.
Brian Harman
After a slow start to the season, Harman earned his fourth PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open on April 20. He tied for 13th at the 2017 PGA Championship.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre’s tie for eighth place at last year’s PGA Championship pulled him out of the doldrums of being homesick. It also likely propelled him to two victories at the RBC Canadian Open and the Genesis Scottish Open.
Corey Conners
The Canadian golfer finished in the top 10 in two of the last three majors: he tied for ninth at the 2024 U.S. Open and eighth at the Masters. He finished in the top 15 in his last two appearances at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Andrew Novak
The 30-year-old player is playing the best golf of his professional career and earned his first PGA Tour victory with Ben Griffin at the Zurich Classic. It’s only his second major appearance.
Sam Burns
Burns seemed to break through the glass in his struggles in the majors by tying for ninth place at the 2024 U.S. Open. He tied for 13th place at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Cameron Smith
Another former major champion without much history at Quail Hollow, Smith has played better in the LIV Golf League recently with three consecutive top-10 finishes.
Min Woo Lee
It’s time for Lee to get hot in a major again. He missed the cut at The Open in 2024 and was 49th at the Masters.
Daniel Berger
Berger, who battled a back injury for much of the previous two seasons, is set to return to the PGA Championship for the first time since missing the cut in 2022.
Michael Kim
Kim’s remarkable return from the abyss of golf continues; he tied for 27th at Augusta National, his first cut made in a major since tying for 35th at The Open in 2018. Kim withdrew from the Truist during the third round due to a back injury.
Max Homa
Few golfers have struggled with their form or confidence as much as Homa over the past year. Still, he is a two-time Wells Fargo Championship winner in 2019 and 2022, and seemed to figure some things out when he tied for 12th at the Masters.
Matt Fitzpatrick
The former US Open champion recently described his performance this season as “garbage” and “the worst I’ve played, in fact.” His past results at Quail Hollow haven’t been great either.
Nicolai Højgaard
Højgaard’s recent form in stroke play events hasn’t been good: he missed four consecutive cuts and tied for 56th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He is 33rd in the European Ryder Cup team standings and needs to turn things around to get back on the team.
Byeong Hun An
The South Korean golfer could be a sneaky pick for a top-10 finish this season. He won the Genesis Championship on the DP World Tour in October and was solo third at the Wells Fargo Championship last year.
Dustin Johnson
Johnson’s five-year exemption to the PGA Championship for winning the 2020 Masters expired, so he needed a special invitation to the field. He is 28th in the LIV Golf season points standings.
Sahith Theegala
Much was expected of Theegala this season, but he didn’t have a top-15 finish in his first 13 tour starts. He’s dealing with a double whammy of failings; he’s 148th in strokes gained: approach (-.358) and 132nd off the tee (-.135). He withdrew from the Truist Championship in the final round due to a neck injury.
Gary Woodland
Woodland’s remarkable comeback from brain surgery remains one of the best stories in sports. He had a couple of top 10s at Quail Hollow and is still swinging strong off the tee (313.3 yards).
Akshay Bhatia
The change is going to click in a major for Bhatia soon. He tied for third at the Players Championship, another big event.
Tom Kim
The South Korean golfer returns to Quail Hollow, where he won over the galleries with his enthusiasm and bold play at the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris is still looking for answers after recovering from back surgery. He has fallen to 74th place in the world ranking.
Nick Taylor
Taylor ended a streak of nine consecutive missed cuts in majors by tying for 40th at the Masters. The Canadian golfer has won three times on tour in as many years.
Si Woo Kim
Kim has turned things around after missing three cuts in four events. He tied for eighth at the RBC Heritage and 15th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Keith Mitchell
Mitchell struggled last fall, finishing the year with four consecutive missed cuts. He has racked up five consecutive top 25s, including a tie for second at the Corales Puntacana Championship, and held the outright lead at last week’s Truist Championship in Philadelphia. He also has a pair of top 10s at Quail Hollow on his resume.
Sergio Garcia
Garcia last made the cut at the PGA Championship when he tied for 54th in 2015. He has three top 10s in the LIV Golf League this season and had top-25 finishes in his last three starts at Quail Hollow.
Aaron Rai
Rai hits the ball exceptionally straight with a driver or irons. He doesn’t hit it as far off the tee: he’s 174th in driving distance (286.6 yards) and missed the cut in his last two starts at Quail Hollow.
Adam Scott
The 2013 Masters champion has 20 top 10s in 95 major appearances in his career, but only one in the last 21. He missed the cut in three of his last four PGA Championship appearances.
Tony Finau
Finau was once a consistent top-10 player in majors, but has only one (tied for third at the 2024 U.S. Open) in his last 15 starts.
Mackenzie Hughes
If familiarity matters, Hughes could be a surprise choice. Hughes lives next to the Quail Hollow Club, where he tied for ninth place in the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship and sixth last year.
Lucas Glover
After a couple of good performances in Florida (tied for third at the Players and eighth at the Valspar Championship), Glover has struggled in recent weeks. He won the 2011 Wells Fargo Championship in a playoff and was runner-up two years prior.
Tier IV: Miracles Happen
It’s the long shots. Everything would have to fit perfectly over 72 holes in four days at Quail Hollow Club for someone at this level to win. There have been more than a few longshots who have hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy. Remember Y.E. Yang, Shaun Micheel, and Rich Beem? It can be done.
J.T. Poston
Bud Cauley
J.J. Spaun
Phil Mickelson
Rickie Fowler
Sam Stevens
David Puig
Jake Knapp
Patrick Rodgers
Taylor Pendrith
Denny McCarthy
Tom Hoge
Eric Cole
Austin Eckroat
Garrick Higgo
Ryo Hisatsune
Nico Echavarria
Matt McCarty
Ryan Fox
Davis Thompson
