Who will master the miles? PGA champion returns to Quail Hollow, with the last three holes separating the contender from the champion
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler started with a 5-1 favorite, but the field has rich competitors to lay the foundation for potential quarrels. McIlroy shows that achieving a career grand slam in the Masters has not overshadowed his passion or intensity. He had another solid week at Philadelphia Cricket Club, finishing an astonishing 130th top ten in 265 games in the PGA Tour. The Northern Irishman won four championships at Quail Hollow, prompting Jordan Spieth to call Rory McIlroy Country Club! McIlroy has a better record than his best competitor.
Quail Hollow has transformed into a rubbed ryegrass rough, adjusting for the spring. Even the best putters, the Poa Trivialis green is a granular test. Unlike the Masters, leaders receive 90% to 95% of T-shirts, Charlotte’s course requires becoming a master class. The winner of this week is likely to get a third of the stroke on the green.
Schefler continued to draw exclamation marks with his extraordinary consistency. His symphony reaches Byron Nelson’s progressive gradual typo, where he won with a stunning eight shot. Scheffler will be eager to light up his lessons this week’s game since his arrest in Valhalla. The world ranked No. 1 in the Masters, and will spend a huge Sunday in Charlotte.
However, the main actors won’t bring the full narrative of this championship. The Grand Slam doesn’t require extra glory, but the breakdown of the golf elite level adds new conspiracy. As LIV Golf continues to desire longevity and even willing to adapt to secure world ranking points, its players bring unique momentum to thrive at the biggest stage of the sport.
This week, there are 15 LIV golfers in the field, including major champions Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith. Each of them will be eager to prove that they can still beat the best. Although Ram and Smith have been trying to do their best in their own games lately, Dechambeau seems to have found a new gear on the court and on the route. Over the past two years, the quirky Americans have flipped the script over, from an isolated genius to a well-affined artist. He has been fighting for the Grand Slams, and his victory in South Korea should have raised hope after he withered in the Masters Sunday Heat. Dechambeau has performed well in the season, scoring 2.53 this season, second only to Scheffler and Scheftler, with an average of 3.23, and Golf Leat Golf Lecrics accounts for 3.23 in height. Last year’s 64-place finish at Valhalla sent him soaring second in the PGA Championship, weeks after the U.S.’s open victory against McIlroy.
2017 champion Justin Thomas seems to return to form at the right time. A victory at RBC Legacy ended a long drought since his second PGA title in 2022, securing his first title. Thomas has made the top 10 six times this year, and his memory of his teenage professionalism on these reasons should give him all the energy he needs to compete again this week.
Architect Tom Fazio has done a huge job expanding the rich legacy of George Cobb and Arnold Palmer, who have laid the foundation for one of the best park courses in the United States. During the annual PGA Tour event held in the course, most of the stadiums were played on Quail How, except for 20 club professionals. In a unique test of accuracy for all rounds, even a high level of green in the regulations does not guarantee a good score. The stimulator reads over 12, and even the most patient golfers will test green. The 7626-yard PAR-71 course will offer spectacular fireworks as golfers enjoy roller coaster rides on the route from the highest point to the lowest point to 80 feet.
The Ryder Cup in September added a layer of background to the second biggest season of the season. While the top of the pile seems relatively stable for Europe and the United States, everyone in the top 20 wants to justify their case with Captain Luke Donald and Captain Keegan Bradley. Bethpage promises to be a Generation Ryder Cup match and has a lot of expectations and appetite to add the team to one of the best mainland stars on both sides of the pond.
During a major week, there is always a small dose of historical danger. Xander Schauffele was the last first minority champion when Valhalla’s DeChambeau last year. Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood and Rickie Fowler will be among the hopes of winning for the first time. However, the world of golf may be eager to see if McIlroy can get out of the Master Monkey.
