Quail Hollow Preview: PGA Championship 2025

IT IS HARD TO FOLLOW The 2025 Masters.

It is even harder when the 4th ranked major finds a gap between the Truist Championship and the Charles Schwab in Texas. And returns to a course that we have seen quite a few times on the Tour.

However, it is a major nonetheless.

For those who do not know, Quail Hollow was the site of the Wells Fargo Championship, a regular PGA Tour event. When the signature events arrived, Wells Fargo (a bank in the US) didn’t fancy doubling their purse overnight, so dropped the sponsorship of the event.

The PGA Championship has been sneaky good. Xander started his dominance last year here, 2023 was the Block Party, ‘22 we saw JT double his major tally after a 200/1 Mito Pereria was one good tee shot from history and is now….history. 2021 we had Phil breaking records by winning a major at 50 years old, and before that Koepka reigned supreme, with Tiger lurking.

Quail is a 7600 yard, par 71, where it has rained today to make it soft. It is going to be very hot this weekend. Spare a though for Bobby Mac. If you were to build the perfect scenario for Rory to win a major, I would say pick a long course, where he has had success in the past, strength off the tee has an advantage, and he has recently got the major drought off his back. Quail is a bombers course, and he is fresh off the Grand Slam completion. He will therefore be my favourite this week at Quail Hollow (backed at 6/1).

Rory has won four times at Quail Hollow, the first his maiden win on the PGA Tour in 2010. He followed with titles in at the Wells Fargo in 2015, 2021, and 2024. He holds the course record here (61, -10). If it was a PGA Tour event this week at Quail Hollow after Rory’s Masters win, he would be a clear pick. He won here by miles a year ago.

From LIV, I like Bryson and Reed (as picks, not blokes). Good form on LIV, mind-boggling driver averages from Bryson in Korea (341 yard average, 86% fairways hit…) and a solid showing in recent majors is plenty of rationale. I think Bryson will storm out of the gates so I have an FRL bet.

A great finish at Augusta for Reed along with a solid record (he also has a T2 in 2017 here) and the opportunity to piss in Rory’s cornflakes leaves enough reason to back Reed at 70/1.

The Big 3 (Rory, Scottie, Bryson) could provide serious entertainment, but don’t sleep on Justin Thomas. He is a two-time PGA Championship winner, one of which was here at Quail Hollow. Excluding The Masters, his last 3 events on Tour have been 2nd, 2nd, 1st, and save for a wild Hovland finish at the Valspar it would have been 2 wins in 3. He seems to have turned a corner, he is long enough, he is putting well. He ticks the boxes, and even has a reasonable run in the Wells Fargo records (T14,T21,T26)

Spieth doesn’t really have the indicators pointing the right way, other than wanting to complete the Grand Slam. But 3 Top-10s in 2025 and a T14 at Augusta showed promise.

Day is a weird one. If the disc herniation is as bad as they say, this is a daft bet. But if he is fit, the form has been decent. 3 Top 15s in his last 6 majors, and 3 Top 10s in 2025 already. He is playing well at tough tracks, T13 at Pebble, T8 at Bay Hill, T8 at Augusta. T9 here in 2017, T4 here at the Wells Fargo in 2024.

Cashmere Keith is dialled this season, and just fired a 62 for another course record last week. He is my outsider that I hope competes. T3 here in 2021, his last five starts are T18, T12, T2, T18, T7. Trending. And, he is super long off the tee. Another tick.

Rosey almost broke our hearts at Augusta. He shows up in majors, and has a really, really good record in recent PGA Championships. I backed him for a Top 10 at 13/2. Although he isn’t the longest he certainly picks his stages to perform. Could be printing money.

Straka is on fire and has some form here, as does Xander Schauffele, let’s not forget he is still reigning PGA and Open Champion. I would check recent major form as well as course history, so Sung Jae Im also piqued my interest after his T5 at Augusta.

Scheffler has never played here on the Tour schedule, and so Rory should be the man to beat.

Enjoy the week.

Pat