BlogPGA Championship Preview and Picks

The Buzz:

The PGA Championship is generating a lot of buzz, and it’s very promising for all the betters.

Looking at the top players in the field, most of them are peaking right now.  #1 Scottie Scheffler won two weeks ago in Dallas.  We all know how much Rory McIlroy has done this year, including his win at the Masters.  Last week at the Truist, he was T-7th.  After a rough season due to a rib injury, #3 Xander Shauffele is showing signs of life  He was T-8th at the Masters and T-11 last week at Truist, including a final round 66.  #4 Collin Morikawa is not in great form, struggling with his putter. After finishing 2nd at the Arnold Palmer and T-10th at the Players, he was T-14th at the Masters and T-17th at Truist.  #5 Justin Thomas is also a player to watch this week, he won the Heritage and was T-2nd at Truist.  As for #6 Ludvig Aberg, his game has had good moments, including a win at the Genesis and finishing 7th at the Masters.  But he was T-54th at Heritage and T-69 at Truist.

Now, how can we pass on Sepp Straka, who won last week at Truist, becoming the second multiple winner on the PGA Tour this year (Straka also won American Express).  The hard-luck story has to be #10 Shane Lowry, who could be playing the best of his life and still is winless since the 2019 British Open.  He was runner-up to Rory at Pebble Beach and T-2nd last week at Truist, and if he can come up with those clutch shots down the stretch, he could be a multiple winner.

Two others to watch this week are #14 Patrick Cantlay, who is quietly coming into form, including a T-4th at Truist. Last, we can’t forget about #15 Bryson DeChambeau, who, other than Rory, could be the hottest player in golf. DeCambeau had problems in the final round, saw it at the Masters when he finished T-5th, and struggled in LIV Golf Mexico but won LIV Golf Korea.

If I were going to name three favorites, it would have to be Rory, Bryson, and Scottie Scheffler.

So, is there a trait that will help win this week?

The winner will be a player who hits it long.  That’s because Quail Hollow is long at 7,626 yards, and you add the three-plus inches of rain that have dropped, and the course will be even longer.  Of those that don’t hit it long, the only player I like is Patrick Reed, who has a great record at Quail Hollow, including finishing T-2nd at the 2017 PGA Championship.

One I don’t like:

Sorry to say, Jordan Spieth is a no for me. Just like the pressure that Phil Mickelson faces at the U.S. Open or Rory McIlroy used to face before he won the Masters, the same is true for Spieth at the PGA Championship. I don’t see the stars aligning this week. His record at Quail Hollow is terrible, his best finish is T-28th at the 2017 PGA Championship.  This course just doesn’t suit Spieth, and his game is not that great right now, so look for disappointment for Jordan again.

Why has Scottie Scheffler not played at Quail Hollow?

So, do we make a big deal over Scottie Scheffler never playing an individual event at Quail Hollow?  He played in the 2022 Presidents Cup, lost three in four matches, and had a halve in one.  So the question is, why hasn’t he played at Quail Hollow?  The answer is easy: Scheduling.  He is a Dallas boy who loves to play in the Byron Nelson and at Colonial.  With the PGA Championship and Truist wedged between the two events, Scheffler has to take a week off, which is the Truist.  He didn’t play it last week, which had to do with the schedule because he doesn’t want to play five straight weeks.  After the Memorial is Canada, the week before the U.S. Open. So that you can see, something has to go, and that has been Quail Hollow.  Have to forget the results of the Presidents Cup. Scheffler will have a terrific week; the course is perfect for his game, and he could win this week.

Anyone else?

Looking at driving distance, don’t be surprised to see either Michael Thorbjornsen, Rasmus Hojgaard, or Alejanro Tosti doing well. Keith Mitchell played well for two rounds at Truist, and he is someone to watch. Another who has played well at Quail Hollow is Keith Mitchell, who was T-8th in 2019 and T-3rd in 2021 at Quail Hollow. Also, don’t forget Wyndham Clark, who won at Quail Hollow in 2023.

Tournament information:

This is the 107th edition of this event, one of golf’s four major championships. It’s the third oldest behind the British Open and U.S. Open. The plans for the PGA Championship were created on January 16, 1916, at a meeting of a group of PGA Tour professionals, including Walter Hagen. Their vision was to create a national championship that would rival the U.S. Open in terms of importance. Their dream came to reality just months later as the first PGA Championship Match Play event was played at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, NY, that year. Englishman Jim Barnes took home the inaugural crown.

After the inaugural tournament, the event took a two-year break from 1917 to 1918 because of World War I. The break-in action didn’t faze Jim Barnes, as he went on to win the PGA Championship in its return to the Tour in 1919. Since the two-year hiatus, The PGA Championship has only seen one other break in 1943 due to World War II. The most significant change in the event’s history occurred in 1958 when the format changed from Match Play to 72-hole stroke play.

The famed Wanamaker trophy, awarded to the winner of the PGA Championship, can trace its roots back to the beginning of golf equipment. In the early part of the 20th Century, A.G. Spalding & Bros. was the predominant maker of golf equipment; however, Rodman Wanamaker sought to create a company that would rival Spalding in the golf industry. Though his plan ultimately failed, his dream will always be remembered, as he was the one who first sponsored the PGA Championship and the trophy which today bears his name.

Course information:

• Quail Hollow Golf Club
• Charlotte, N.C.
• 7,626 yards     Par 35-36–71

Quail Hollow features a course rating of 75.0 and a slope rating from the back tees of 140. The tees, fairway, and rough are 419 Bermuda Grass with Perennial Ryegrass.  The greens were changed after the 2023 Truist and are Champion Ultradwarf Bermudagrass.

One of the big secrets to Quail Hollow is that the players love the course. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, it’s considered one of the most exclusive clubs in America and, in the players’ eyes, one of the best challenges. For years, it was considered a “U.S. Open-type” venue, and the PGA of America was smart enough to hold its major on it.

Quail Hollow Club is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is a private member club founded by James J. Harris on April 13, 1959. The club hosted the Kemper Open from 1969 through 1979, the PaineWebber World Seniors Invitational from 1983 through 1989, and the Wells Fargo Championship since it debuted in 2003.

The property was initially a dairy farm owned by former North Carolina Governor Cameron Morrison. In the late 1950s, a group of affluent men decided to create a private club patterned after the Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta. George Cobb was recruited to design the course, and it opened in June 1961. To attract members, one of the founding members enlisted the help of a close friend, Arnold Palmer. Palmer liked the course so much that he was instrumental in bringing the Kemper Open to Quail Hollow. The event was played there from 1969-79, then abruptly moved to Washington, D.C. in 1980.

Palmer didn’t forget Quail Hollow. When he began playing the Champions Tour in 1980, he worked to bring the Paine Webber Invitational to Quail Hollow, where it was played between 1983-88.  Palmer tinkered with the course in the late ’80s, but a significant renovation was done by Tom Fazio in 1997.

But at the end of 2016, the course underwent many changes to prepare for the 2017 PGA Championship, Truist, and any other events that will be played on the course in the future. Along with redoing all of the greens, thousands of trees were removed, a bit like Oakmont Country Club. This reshaped the way the course plays and made the elements of wind more effective.

They also made significant changes in four holes.  The first and second holes were condensed into a single hole, a 540-yard par 4. The fifth hole was changed from a par 5 to a par 4. A new second hole was built, a par 3. The 11th was given extra bunkering.  The average green size is 6,500, which is about average, and the course is dotted with 62 bunkers.  Water comes into play on six holes (7, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18).  Along with the changing of the greens, course architect Tom Fazio made some changes four years ago to the 8th hole, making it play straight, and now it is potentially a drivable par 4.  He also made a significant change to 16, adding 18 yards to the hole and bringing the lake into play, making it much tougher.  He also changed 17, moving the tee to the right and adding 20 yards to the hole.  The changes were well received, even the change from a par 72 to 71.

Let’s take a look at vital stats that are important for those playing at Quail Hollow.

Quail Hollow has a lot of history in the last 21 years of hosting events, as it continues hosting not only the Truist but also the PGA Championship, the Presidents Cup in 2017, the PGA Championship in 2022, and the PGA Championship in 2025.
In 2017, the PGA of America saw a lot of changes to the course, but for this year, the course will be routed like it is for the Truist. The PGA will play the course to a par 71, like it has been played the last couple of years but the big change is yardage. Last year, during the Truist, the course played at 7,558 yards, but for this year it will play at 7,626 yards, 68 yards longer. There are no changes to the course; the holes that have added yardage are:
1st hole – Goes from 495-yard par 4 to 505 yards
9th hole – Goes from 505-yard par 4 to 530 yards
17th hole – Goes from 190-yard par 3 to 223 yards

The significant changes for this year’s PGA Championship is the date. The 2017 PGA Championship was played in August when the course was bone dry and ran fast. In May, the course is more lush, with all the rain falling in the Charlotte Area. On Sunday, they had an inch and a half, and on Monday, close to two inches. With the heavy rain on Sunday, plus the forecast for Monday, the PGA of America closed the course to spectators. Making things worse, Tuesday and Wednesday call for more showers and thunderstorms, especially as it gets hotter in the afternoon. The upper-level, low-pressure system that has plagued the area will finally move away Thursday, allowing drier conditions to return with partly cloudy skies. The chance for thunderstorms returns late on Friday and continues into Saturday. The daily temperature range varies from lows in the 60s to highs in the 80s.
So off the bat, the course will play a lot longer than its 7,626 yardage. So off the bat, can’t see a short hitter having any chance at all this week. So, how hard has the course played over the years?

In August 2017, the PGA Championship course played to an average of 73.47, which was the hardest course for the year.

In 2018, when it returned to its May date, the course played to a 72.13 average and was the 5th hardest on Tour.

In 2019, the course played to a 71.76 average and was the 8th hardest. No matter when it was played, the course’s character did not change between the PGA Championship and the Wells Fargo, but yes, it is more challenging at a par 71 than before.

In 2021 (there was no event in 2020), the course played to a scoring average of 72.26 and was the 5th hardest course on the PGA Tour.
They rerouted the course for the Presidents Cup in 2022 to ensure that its most famous holes, 16 through 18, would be a factor in match play. Holes 1-8 remain unchanged from the original order, but the ninth hole for the Presidents Cup is the normal 12th hole. From there, Nos. 10-15 will be the original Nos. 13-18, meaning the “Green Mile” will be holes 13-15 for the matches. The closing stretch will be holes 10, 11, and nine.
The course returned to normal after the Presidents Cup, as the “dream mile” returned to holes 16, 17, and 18. Also, since the course was used for the Presidents Cup, the Wells Fargo was played at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, just outside of Washington, D.C.

The Wells Fargo returned to Quail Hollow in 2023, played to a 71.23 average, and was the 15th hardest course on the PGA Tour.

Last year, with a field of only 68 players, the scoring average was 71.73, as it was the 6th hardest course for the year.

So this week’s information is based on the most important stats for Quail Hollow, data from Last year’s Wells Fargo Championship, and data from all the players in the field with stats from 2025. We take their rank for each stat and then add the four categories.

From year to year, Quail Hollow is always demanding and challenging; you look at the list of winners who are some of golf’s best ball strikers, like Jason Day, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Lucas Glover, and 2023 champion Wyndham Clark. Yes, some weird winners like Max Homa (yes, he was a fluke winner back then), Derek Ernst, Joey Sindelar, and James Hahn have won. Flukes happen, but most of the time at Quail Hollow, you’ll get a quality winner who plays well in major championships and significant events. So, looking at our four categories, we see that they are all related to ball striking, except for the last category, which will be very important: scrambling. Remember, our stats are for Quail Hollow only, as in 2022 it was played at TPC Potomac in Maryland and not in 2020 due to COVID-19.

First is driving accuracy, essential in looking at Quail Hollow stats from last year and the years it’s been held at Truist. Last year, the course ranked 34th on the PGA Tour in driving distance (average, all holes 300.9 yards), and its 61.92% was 27th in driving accuracy (out of 47 courses).

Winner Rory McIlroy ranked 1st in driving distance (all holes 325.5 yards) and 59th in driving accuracy, hitting only 29 of 56 fairways (51.79%).

Here is a look at the driving average at Quail Hollow for the last few years:
*2023 – Quail Hollow ranked 39th in driving distance (average, all holes 303.9 yards), and its 54.36% was 17th in driving accuracy (out of 58 courses).
Winner Wyndham Clark ranked 19th in driving distance (all holes, 312.3 yards) and T-63rd in driving accuracy, hitting only 23 of 56 fairways (41.07%).
*2022 – Played at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms.
*2021 – Quail Hollow ranked 35th in driving distance (average, all holes 299.0 yards), and its 54.09% was 9th in driving accuracy (out of 50 courses).
Winner Rory McIlroy ranked 2nd in driving distance (all holes, 322.7 yards) and T-76th in driving accuracy, hitting only 19 of 56 fairways (33.93%).
*2020 – Was not played due to COVID
*2019 – Quail Hollow ranked 32nd in driving distance (average, all holes 299.1 yards), and its 55.57% was 8th in driving accuracy (out of 49 courses).
Winner Max Homa ranked 23rd in driving distance (all holes, 302.5 yards) and T-45th in driving accuracy, hitting only 31 of 56 fairways (55.36%).
*2018 -Quail Hollow ranked 36th in driving distance (average, all holes 301.7 yards) and, with 52.34% accuracy, 6th in driving accuracy (out of 51 courses).
Winner Jason Day ranked 9th in driving distance (all holes, 316.3 yards) and T-49th in driving accuracy, hitting only 27 of 56 fairways (48.21%).
So driving it far and straight is essential.

Our second category is Proximity to hole. We consider hitting greens one of the essential stats. Last year, the course ranked 16th in greens in regulation. In the 20 years that Quail Hollow has hosted the Truist and PGA Championship, ten of the 20 years saw the winners finish in the top five in Greens in Regulation, with Rory McIlroy finishing T-2nd that category last year hitting 49 of 72 greens. But for our second category, we will take it a step further with Proximity to the hole, which is the distance to the hole from shots hit from the fairway. Last year, the course ranked 1st as the field averaged 47 feet and 1 inch from the hole, with winner, McIlroy, ranked 2nd, averaging 38 feet, five inches from the hole.

Here is a look at greens hit, along with Proximity to hole at Quail Hollow for the last few years:
*2023 – The course ranked 16th in Greens in Regulation (out of 58 courses) and 3rd in Proximity to hole, averaging 43 feet and 4 inches.
Winner Wyndham Clark was 1st in Greens in Regulation, hitting 58 of 72 greens and 4th in Proximity to hole, averaging 36 feet and 9 inches.
*2022 – Played at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms.
*2021 – The course ranked 10th in Greens in Regulation (out of 51 courses) and 2nd in Proximity to hole, averaging 43 feet and 10 inches.
Winner Rory McIlroy was 3rd in Greens in Regulation, hitting 54 of 72 greens, and T-13th in Proximity to hole, averaging 40 feet and 6 inches.
*2020 – Was not played due to COVID
*2019 – The course ranked 9th in Greens in Regulation (out of 49 courses) and 2nd in Proximity to hole, averaging 41 feet and 7 inches.
Winner Max Homa was T-17th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 49 of 72 greens and 16th in Proximity to hole, averaging 37 feet and 10 inches.
*2018 – The course ranked 10th in Greens in Regulation (out of 51 courses) and 3rd in Proximity to hole, averaging 42 feet and 9 inches.
Winner Jason Day was T-69th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 41 of 72 greens and 59th in Proximity to hole, averaging 44 feet and 2 inches.

Our third category is Strokes Gained tee-to-green, which considers distance and accuracy off the tee and greens hit. Driving and greens hit are essential in examining Quail Hollow’s stats over the last couple of years. Every year, greens hit, and driving accuracy is critical and key to playing the course well. The course ranked 4th in greens hit last year and 27th in driving accuracy. So, hitting fairways and greens is essential.
Last year, tournament winner Rory McIlroy ranked 1st in driving distance, averaging 325.5 yards per all drives, was 59th in Fairways hit, and T-2nd in greens hit. In strokes gained Tee-to-Green, McIlroy was 1st, and in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee, he was 1st.

Here is a look at the driving distance, accuracy, and greens hit for the Wells Fargo winners in the last few years:
*2023 – The course ranked 39th in driving distance, with an average drive of all holes being 303.9 yards (out of 41 courses), 17th in driving accuracy, and 16th in Greens in Regulation.
Winner Wyndham Clark was 19th in driving distance, averaging 312.2 yards per all drives, 63rd in accuracy, hitting 23 of 54 fairways, and T-1st in Greens in Regulation, hitting 58 of 72 greens. Between the three stats, he ranked 1st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green.
*2022 – Played at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms.
*2021 – The course ranked 35th in driving distance, with an average drive of all holes being 299.0 yards (out of 51 courses), 9th in driving accuracy, and 10th in Greens in Regulation.
Winner Rory McIlroy was 2nd in driving distance, averaging 322.7 yards per all drives, T-76th in accuracy, hitting 19 of 54 fairways, and 3rd in Greens in Regulation, hitting 54 of 72 greens. Between the three stats, he ranked 9th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green.
*2020 – Was not played due to COVID
*2019 – The course ranked 32nd in driving distance, with an average drive of all holes being 299.1 yards (out of 49 courses), 8th in driving accuracy, and 9th in Greens in Regulation.
Winner Max Homa was 23rd in driving distance, averaging 302.5 yards per all drives, T-45th in accuracy, hitting 31 of 54 fairways, and T-17th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 49 of 72 greens. Between the three stats, he ranked 12th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green.
*2018 – The course ranked 36th in driving distance, with an average drive of all holes being 301.7 yards (out of 51 courses), 6th in driving accuracy, and 10th in Greens in Regulation.
Winner Jason Day was 9th in driving distance, averaging 316.3 yards per all drives, T-49th in accuracy, hitting 27 of 54 fairways, and T-69th in Greens in Regulation, hitting 41 of 72 greens. Between the three stats, he ranked 9th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green.

Our last category is scrambling mainly because of its history, where lots of greens are missed. Quail Hollow is adamant about getting it up and down since the course is a shot-maker delight.

Last year, it ranked 20th hardest in scrambling out of 47 courses, with players getting it up and down on greens 57.68% of the time. Winner McIlroy was ranked 2nd, getting it up and down in 17 of the 23 greens he missed.

Here is a look at the scrambling of the Wells Fargo winners the last few years:
*2023 – Quail Hollow finished 12th in scrambling of the 58 courses that tracked scrambling for the year, getting it up and down 55.24% of the time
Winner, Clark was ranked T-6th, getting it up and down in 17 of the 24 greens he missed.
*2022 – Played at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms.
*2021 – Quail Hollow finished 10th in scrambling of the 51 courses that tracked scrambling for the year, getting it up and down 53.48% of the time
Winner Rory McIlroy was ranked 1st, getting it up and down in 14 of the 18 greens he missed.
*2020 – Was not played due to COVID
*2019 – Quail Hollow finished 12th in scrambling of the 49 courses that tracked scrambling for the year, getting it up and down 56.32% of the time
Winner Max Homa was ranked 2nd, getting it up and down in 18 of the 23 greens he missed.
*2018 – Quail Hollow finished 12th in scrambling of the 51 courses that tracked scrambling for the year, getting it up and down 54.48% of the time
Winner Jason Day was ranked T-16th, getting it up and down in 24 of the 31 greens he missed.

The winner must do a great job getting it up and down on the greens he missed.

So the secret is that a ball striker or an excellent putter will rule and take the championship this week. I tend to favor ball striking because, in the past, that has been more important.

One last parting gift, of the 156 players in the field this year, 45 played in the 2017 PGA Championship.
Here are the results of those who played in that championship:

Justin Thomas – Win
Patrick Reed – T-2
Hideki Matsuyama – T-5
Rickie Fowler – T-5
Jason Day – T-9
Dustin Johnson – T-13
Brian Harman – T-13
Brooks Koepka – T-13
Rory McIlroy – T-22
Gary Woodland – T-22
Jordan Spieth – T-28
Byeong Hun An – T-28
Bryson DeChambeau – T-33
Patrick Cantlay – T-33
Keegan Bradley – T-33
Lucas Glover – T-33
Bud Cauley – T-33
Thorbjorn Olesen – T-44
Tony Finau – T-44
Shane Lowry – T-48
Jason Dufner – T-58
Jon Rahm – T-58
Tommy Fleetwood – T-61
Adam Scott – T-61
Vijay Singh – 66
Alex Noren – T-67
Russell Henley – T-71
Tyrrell Hatton – CUT
Justin Rose – CUT
Jimmy Walker – CUT
Xander Schauffele – CUT
Jhonattan Vegas – CUT
Sergio Garcia – CUT
Matt Fitzpatrick – CUT
Daniel Berger – CUT
Adam Hadwin – CUT
Patrick Rodgers – CUT
Phil Mickelson – CUT
Chris Kirk – CUT
Luke Donald – CUT
Mackenzie Hughes – CUT
Shaun Micheel – CUT
Padraig Harrington – CUT
Cameron Smith – CUT
Si Woo Kim – WD

*Driving Accuracy: Is important because the fairways are close to the U.S. Open length and if you drive it into the rough, it’s tough.

*Proximity to hole: Hitting greens is important. Last year, Quail Hollow ranked 4th in Greens in Regulation, but in proximity to the hole, which tells how close players get to the hole, Quail Hollow ranked 1st, as the players averaged getting it 47 feet, one inch away.

*Strokes Gained tee-to-green: You need to hit it long and straight, along with hitting lots of greens. Last year, the course was 34th in driving distance and 27th in accuracy. So, it is essential to find a player who will do this.

*Scrambling: The percentage of time a player misses the green in regulation but still makes par or better. Last year, Quail Hollow was 20th on the PGA Tour, showing how tough it is to scramble at Quail Hollow.

Here are the 99 of 156 players from this year’s field with stats from 2025

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.

DraftKings tips

Most DraftKings points earned

We have compiled a database covering the last 54 events on the PGA TOur, beginning at the start of the 2024 season and ending with the 2025 Truist & Myrtle Beach. The database includes the number of points a player won during each event and its cost. From the database, we can determine the total DraftKing points earned, the players’ average points earned per event, and the average points based on the number of rounds played.

Of the players in the field, here are the top 70 playing in at least ten events:

So it makes sense that the top players on this list are guys who will make lots of points this week.

DraftKings tips

*Here are the guys that cost the most on DraftKings this week:

• Scottie Scheffler – $13,400
• Rory McIlroy – $12,200
• Bryce DeChambeau – $11,500
• Ludvig Aberg – $10,800
• Xander Schauffele – $10,700
• Collin Morikawa – $10,400
• Jon Rahm – $11,200
• Justin Thomas – $9,900
• Viktor Hovland – $9,800
• Brooks Koepka – $9,700
• Joaquin Niemann – $9,600
• Patrick Cantlay – $9,500
• Hideki Matsuyama – $9,400
• Jordan Spieth – $9,300
• Shane Lowry – $9,200
• Tommy Fleetwood – $9,100
• Tyrell Hatton – $9,000

There is no surprise with Scottie Scheffler at $13,200; he averages 106.6 points per game and has been awesome. But as we have said before, taking Scheffler will leave you with a price rate of just $7,320 for the remaining players.  The same if you take either Rory or Bryce, their price rate is so high it limits you.  For some, you can take Justin Thomas at $9,900 and Patrick Cantlay at $9,500, and that would leave you with $7,650 for your next four players.  So the big worry is to do two things: make sure you pick six players who will make the cut, and look for those solid players in the 7,500 to 8,200 range.

So, for those who take Scottie Scheffler at $13,400, Rory McIlroy at $12,200, and Bryce DeChambeau at $11,500 they are all great choices that should be in the top five, but beware that it makes your next five choices even harder.  On most of my cards this week I will be taking Rory, he is doing great and yes has done great at Quail Hollow.  He has played at Quail Hollow 13 times, winning four times, was T-2nd in 2011, and has nine top ten finishes.  Yes, he missed the cut in 2011 and was T-47th in 2023, but from week in and week out, there is no other course that Rory has played better.  He is a big yes for me.  Scottie is good and so is Bryce so a tough choice among the three.  Ludvig Aberg at $10,800 is a big mystery, since winning the Genesis, he has struggled; he was 7th at the Masters, but something is not right with Ludvig.  The same can be said about Xander Schauffele at $10,700, it’s been a slow return after his break due to rib injuries.  The good news is that he looks close, and this week could be the week for him, so watch him; he was 2nd in his last two Quail Hollow starts.  Collin Morikawa at $10,400 is a no for me, he hasn’t played well but for this week he is a very short driver and will struggle.   Jon Rahm at $11,200 is a big mystery. Before going to LIV golf, he was an automatic pick each week, now we just don’t know.  I am saying no because his record is not good at Quail Hollow.  Justin Thomas at $9,900 is a very good pick this week; his game is very sharp, and we know he plays well at Quail Hollow. Viktor Hovland at $9,800 is a no, same reason, just not very consistent over the last year.  Brooks Koepka at $9,700 seems to be struggling with his game, I think he needs to figure out what tour is best for him before he moves on.  Joaquin Niemann at $9,600 is also a no, the course does not suit his game, and he feels he will struggle.  Patrick Cantlay at $9,500 is a yes for me, his game should be good this week, and yes, he hasn’t shown us much in past Quail Hollow starts, but think this week could be different for him.  Hideki Matsuyama at $9,400 could surprise a lot of folks. I think he will be good this week because the course is good for him.  Jordan Spieth at $9,300 is a no, the course is too big for him, and he has too much on his mind.  Shane Lowry at $9,200 is a no for me, just like with Spieth, the course is too big for him.  Tommy Fleetwood at $9,100 is a no, sorry again, he is too overpriced.  One thing to think about is that he has three good finishes in his last three Quail Hollows (T-14th in 2021, T-5th in 2023, and T-13th last year).  Tyrell Hatton at $9,000 is a no, even with the knowledge that he was T-3rd in 2023.

*Players in that $7,600 to $8,900 price range, which ones are worth the money?:

It’s a hard group for those over $8,200. I feel that Wyndham Clark at $8,500 could be good; his game is close to coming around. Patrick Reed at $8,100 plays well at Quail Hollow, and I feel the good play will continue this week. Sam Burns at $7,700 played well for 63 holes at Truist until he played his last nine five over. The course does suit his game.

*Some of the “bargains” this week at the PGA Championship

We also have to find some cheap players to make the cut and give you some points. I like Harris English at $6,800, he has been solid all year, and Quail Hollow does suit his gam.  Denny McCarthy at $6,700 is the best buy of the week.  Has played well in 2025 and was T-8th in 2023 and T-6th last year at the Truist.  Rasmus Hojgaard at $6,600 is another good buy, has played well in 2025, Quail Hollow is a perfect course for him.  Keith Mitchell at $6,200 is a steal, has played well of late, including a T-7th at Truist, at Quail Hollow was T-8th in 2019, and T-3rd in 2021.  Lucas Glover at $5,900 is another steal, has played well in 2025, and also holds his own at Quail Hollow.  Seamus Power at $5,600 is too good to pass up, was T-16th at Truist last year.  Ryo Hisatsune at $5,500 is also too cheap to pass up on since he will probably make the cut.

Here are some of the secrets of what it takes to play well at Quail Hollow:

Key stat of the week

It’s really sad, but the week’s big thing could be poor weather. Just look at the long-range forecast, and you can see that each day will be very wet, and storms could roll in and cause many delays. So, patience will be needed this week.

Here are some more key stats to look at for this week:

Important to see who is the best total driver of the ball going into the week and then checking to see who hits the most greens on the PGA Tour.

There is a need for patience. This is one of those courses where par is your friend, so don’t look for low scoring.

Does a non-marquee guy have a chance this week?  Two years ago, it was the story of Club pro Michael Block, and the big question is, is there another story like that out there?  Don’t think so; frankly, the days of John Daly, Y.E. Yang, Rich Beem, and Shaun Micheel winning are over.  Our winner will be a big name.