Out of the Rough: PGA Championship (2025)

When it comes to golf, namely the United States, there are a few golf courses that are ‘household names.’

Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Oakmont, Pinehurst, Bethpage and this week’s host, Quail Hollow come to mind.

Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina takes centerstage this week as the best golfers in the world collide for the PGA Championship.

Typically the host of the annual Truist Championship (formally the Wells Fargo Championship,) Quail Hollow last hosted the PGA Championship in 2017. It most recently hosted the Presidents’ Cup in 2022.

The Field

With this week being the PGA Championship, it marks the second Major of the season and therefore, all of the World’s best will be in one location, battling it out for the coveted Wanamaker Trophy.

Xander Schauffele comes in as the defending champion, as he held off Bryson DeChambeau a year ago at Valhalla to claim his first Major title. 

Of course, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler looks to claim his third Major title, and his first non-Masters title, this week.

All eyes will be on Rory McIlroy who is arguably the hottest golfer in the world right now, having won the Masters Tournament, THE PLAYERS Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am so far this season. This is also a course where McIlroy has had a ton of success at over his career. 

This was the place McIlroy recorded the first of his 29 PGA Tour victories. He would go on to win the Truist Championship three other times, most recently doing so a season ago. 

Justin Thomas claimed his maiden Major victory here in 2017, topping the likes of Francesco Molinari and Louis Oosthuizen and will be back this week as he attempts to win his third Wanamaker Trophy. 

Other notable golfers teeing it up this week include Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matusyama, Russell Henley, Viktor Hovland and Maverick McNealy.

A total of 16 members of LIV Golf will be in attendance this week, led by former PGA Championship winners Brooks Koepka (2018, 2019 and 2023,) Phil Mickelson (2005 and 2021) and Martin Kaymer (2010.)

Beyond that, Jon Rohn Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Sergio Garcia and Cameron Smith highlight the list of LIV Golf players in this week’s field.

What is unique to the PGA Championship is the ability for Tour professionals across the country to have their chance to play along the best.

One of them became a fan favorite in 2023 at Oak Hill in Michael Block, who is back this year as well.

Due to the inclusion of PGA professionals, this field is arguably the weakest of the Majors.

Other former PGA Championship winners teeing it up this week include Thomas (2022 & 2017,) Morikawa (2020,) Jimmy Walker (2016,) Jason Day (2015,) McIlroy (2014 & 2012,) Jason Dufner (2013,) Keegan Bradley (2011,) Padraig Harrington (2008,) Vijay Singh (2004 & 1998) and Shaun Michael (2003.)

The Course

Quail Hollow will host its second PGA Championship, first holding the event in 2017.

It was designed by George Cobb in 1959 and has seen a rich history over its 65 years. It has seen renovations from Tom Fazio in 1997, 2003 and 2016 to adapt to the increased length of Tour pros and continuing to be a quintessential fit for majors.

This track first hosted the PGA Tour’s Kemper Open in 1969 through 1979 prior to the event switching to the Congressional. From there, Quail Hollow has hosted the World Seniors Invitational before becoming the more stable host to the Wells Fargo Championship in 2003.

Quail Hollow most recently hosted the Presidents Cup in 2022 which saw the United States reign supreme over the international squad.

It last hosted a major in 2017 where Justin Thomas claimed the first Major title of his career. 

Like most major-quality courses, this week’s track rewards the longer players off-the-tee and requires a very well-rounded game from tee-to-green.

Quail Hollow is not necessarily a bomber’s paradise, but it is an advantage to get off-the-tee with length. We have seen in recent outings that fairway finders are able to compete but the leaderboard is often littered with the longest drivers.

Typically, we see this course set up for a non-major in the Truist Championship. Therefore, we’d see shorter rough and wider fairways. That won’t be the case this week as the course will be set up in a way to terrorize the best golfers in the World.

Long iron play too will be crucial as a large number of approach shots will be taken from 175-plus yards this week.

Golfers will be required to scramble for pars this week as the winning score in 2017 when Quail Hollow last hosted the PGA Championship was -8. 

The greens this week are Bermuda and boy are they fast. Those competent with the flat stick on Bermuda greens will have a big advantage as three-putting can derail anyone’s round.

With the fast greens and long approach shots, getting the ball to stick will be tricky. Therefore those with competent around-the-green skill sets too will see an advantage this week.

In these low scoring affairs, taking advantage of the par fives are a must. That is where the majority of scoring will be done. 

In all, it takes a lot to claim victory at Quail Hollow.

The Weather

As of the time of writing this, we can expect some wet conditions heading into Thursday and the start of the PGA Championship. Monday is currently calling for thunderstorms and a 90-percent chance of precipitation, Tuesday is calling for a 55-percent chance of precipitation with scattered thunderstorms and Wednesday is calling for a 35-percent chance of precipitation with isolated thunderstorms. Not real. However, things will clear up a bit as play begins on Thursday with just a 25-percent chance of precipitation and just a ten-percent chance on Friday. There is a slight chance for some A.M. thunderstorms on Friday, with a 45-percent chance but Sunday is calling for just a 15-percent chance of precipitation. At this point, winds won’t be a factor, beginning Thursday at seven miles-per-hour before gradually increasing to a high of ten miles-per-hour on Saturday but returning to seven miles-per-hour come Sunday. Temperatures will begin at 86-degrees on Thursday before peaking at 90-degrees on Saturday. Temperatures will dip to 82-degrees on Saturday before bouncing up to 86-degrees on Sunday. In all, the weather forecast could be better but it could be worse.

Key Stats

• Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)

• Scrambling

• Strokes Gained: Putting on Bermuda (SG: PUTT Bermuda)

• Total Driving (Average Driving Distance 75%, Driving Accuracy 25%)

• Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%)

• Approach Shots from 175-plus Yards

• Bogey Avoidance

• Three-Putt Avoidance

• Par 5 Average Scoring

• Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (SG: ATG)

• Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (SG: TTG)

DFS Suggestions

$10,000+

I’m going to be as bland and as boring as humanly possible to begin this article. Yes, the first two suggestions include Scottie Scheffler ($13,400.) Now, over the last five seasons at the PGA Championship, Scheffler placed eighth a season ago, second in 2023, missed the cut in 2022, placed eighth in 2021 and fourth in 2020. Scheffler won his last time out, claiming THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Heck, in nine events played so far this season, Scheffler has an average finishing placement of 9.22. I’m not going to go into the stats as it’s apparent his game fits just fine here. I’ll move right into my second offering and another non-surprise in Rory McIlroy ($12,200.) McIlroy is rather good at Quail Hollow. Over the last five events held at Quail Hollow, McIlroy won in 2024, placed 47th in 2023, won in 2021, placed eighth in 2019 and 16th in 2018. He also placed T22nd here in 2017 when the PGA Championship was last hosted at Quail Hollow. Of course, McIlroy is having one of the best seasons any golfer has had in some time. He won the Masters Tournament, THE PLAYERS Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He has the best average finishing placement of anyone on Tour at 7.38 in three events played. Again, I won’t go on about any stats because there’s no need. I’d be hard pressed to go into this week without either of these two in my lineups. Sometimes it’s not about searching for an edge and simply going with the sure thing. There will be edges to be found further down the board!

$9,000-$9,900

One of my overall favorites this week is Justin Thomas ($9,900.) Of course, Thomas won his first-of-two PGA Championships at Quail Hollow in 2017. He’s also very quietly having one of the best seasons to date on Tour. He placed second last week at the Truist Championship and won the RBC Heritage in his start prior. He also placed second at the Valspar Championship, ninth at The Genesis Invitational, sixth at the WM Phoenix Open and second at The American Express on the season. Thomas also placed eight at Valhalla last season at the PGA Championship. Over the last five playings at Quail Hollow, Thomas placed 21st in 2024, 14th in 2023, 26th in 2021 and 21st in 2018. He is currently fifth on Tour in both SG: TTG and SG: APP, 14th in three-putt avoidance, 23rd in SG: ATG, 31st in bogey avoidance, 34th in par-five average scoring, 44th in GIR%, 81st in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 103rd in scrambling, 104th in total driving and 107th in SG: PUTT Bermuda. He’s also on my betting card at +2200. Also consider Hideki Matsuyama ($9,400.) Matsuyama has been finding himself back into form as of late, placing 17th at the Truist Championship and 21st at the Masters Tournament across his last two outings. He won The Sentry Tournament of Champions to begin the 2025 season back in January. Matsuyama hasn’t played at Quail Hollow since 2019 where he placed 31st. Across the last five PGA Championships, he placed 35th in 2024, 29th in 2023, 60th in 2022, 23rd in 2021 and 22nd in 2020. He is currently third on Tour in scrambling, fourth in SG: ATG, 11th on SG: TTG, 26th in SG: APP, 29th in bogey avoidance, 34th in total driving, 40th in par-five average scoring, 59th in GIR%, 125th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 126th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards and 173rd in three-putt avoidance. Shane Lowry ($9,200.) As much as Lowry hurt me last week at the Cricket Club, I can’t deny how well he’s been playing. He was the runner-up last week at the Truist Championship, placed 12th at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 18th at the RBC Heritage, eighth at the Valspar Championship, 20th at THE PLAYERS Championship, seventh at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, 11th at the Cognizant Classic and second at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this season. Across the last four PGA Championships, Lowry placed sixth a season ago, 12th in 2023, 23rd in 2022 and fourth in 2021. His form at Quail Hollow has not been great, placing a best 34th in 2018 in four starts over the last five playings here. Lowry is currently third on Tour in SG: TTG, eighth in SG: APP, tenth in scrambling, 17th in SG: ATG, 24th in bogey avoidance, 49th in total driving, 58th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 81st in three-putt avoidance, 96th in GIR%, 125th in par-five average scoring and 166th in SG: PUTT Bermuda. 

$8,000-$8,900

I’m officially on the ‘get Patrick Reed ($8,100) to Bethpage’ train. A win this week would all but guarantee that. If we look back across the last five PGA Championships, Reed placed 53rd last year, 18th in 2023, 34th in 2022, 17th in 2021 and 13th in 2020. He also placed sixth at the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow, 28th in 2019 and eighth in 2018. Reed most recently placed fourth at LIV Korea, 17th at LIV Mexico City and seventh at LIV Miami. He also finished third at the Masters Tournament this season. We don’t have the same stats to compare Reed to the PGA Tour guys, but the results are there. Reed is also on my betting card at +9000. Also consider Russell Henley ($8,700.) Henley’s best finish at a PGA Championship over the past five seasons was last season where he placed 23rd at Valhalla. He also placed tenth at the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow last season as well. He wasn’t great last week at the Cricket Club but prior to that placed eighth at the RBC Heritage. He also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, placed 30th at THE PLAYERS Championship, sixth at the Cognizant Classic, fifth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and tenth at the Sony Open in Hawaii on the season. Henley is currently fourth on Tour in GIR%, 13th in bogey avoidance, 14th in SG: ATG, 16th in SG: APP, 18th in SG: TTG, 64th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 67th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 81st in both total driving and three-putt avoidance, 87th in scrambling and 95th in par-five average scoring. Also consider Sepp Straka ($8,000.) Straka comes into this week fresh off winning the Truist Championship last week. He also won The American Express earlier this season. Outside of winning last week, Straka placed 12th at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 13th at the RBC Heritage, 28th at the Valspar Championship, 14th at THE PLAYERS Championship, fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and 11th at the Cognizant Classic as of late. He missed the cut at Valhalla last season but did place seventh at Oak Hill in 2023. He also placed eighth at the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow last season. Straka is currently second on Tour in all three of SG: APP, GIR% and par-five average scoring, sixth in both bogey avoidance and SG: TTG, 22nd in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 49th in three-putt avoidance, 78th in scrambling, 86th in total driving, 111th in SG: PUTT Bermuda and 121st in SG: ATG. 

$7,000-$7,900

Leading off this price range is Daniel Berger ($7,900.) Berger is currently seventh on Tour in SG: TTG, 14th in scrambling, 20th in bogey avoidance, 23rd in SG: APP, 29th in SG: ATG, 32nd in GIR%, 35th in total driving, 44th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 71st in par-five average scoring, 97th in SG: PUTT Bermuda and 148th in three-putt avoidance. Dating back to the WM Phoenix Open, Berger’s worst finish in nine events was 30th. He placed 11th at the Truist Championship, third at the RBC Heritage, 21st at the Masters Tournament, 30th at the Valero Texas Open, 20th at THE PLAYERS Championship, 15th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, 25th at the Cognizant Classic, 12th at The Genesis Invitational and second at the WM Phoenix Open. Berger hasn’t played in a PGA Championship since 2022 where he missed the cut. Also consider Si Woo Kim ($7,700.) Kim is currently first on Tour in par-five average scoring, 12th in SG: ATG, 13th in SG: TTG, 42nd in bogey avoidance, 49th in three-putt avoidance, 53rd in GIR%, 54th in SG: APP, 57th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 87th in total driving and 168th in SG: PUTT Bermuda. Kim placed 17th last week at the Truist Championship. He also placed 15th at THE CJ Cup Byron Nelson and eighth at the RBC Heritage in three-of-his-last-four starts. Kim has missed back-to-back cuts at PGA Championships coming into this week but did place 16th here at Quail Hollow last season. Also consider Robert MacIntyre ($7,500.) MacIntyre is currently 12th on Tour in GIR%, 23rd in SG: TTG, 41st in SG: APP, 61st in par-five average scoring, 71st in scrambling, 82nd in total driving, 97th in SG: ATG, 104th in three-putt avoidance, 116th in SG: PUTT Bermuda and 124th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards. MacIntyre hasn’t been in insane form coming into this week by any means. He placed 34th at the Truist Championship, 32nd at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and 66th at the RBC Heritage coming into this week. Earlier this season, MacIntyre has finishes such as ninth at THE PLAYERS Championship, 11th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and sixth at the WM Phoenix Open. He placed eighth at Valhalla last season but will be making his Quail Hollow debut this week. 

$6,000-$6,900

Leading off this price range is David Puig ($6,500.) On LIV this season, only Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau have a better average finishing placement through seven events than Puig. He most recently placed 30th at LIV Korea, 13th at LIV Mexico City, 14th at LIV Miami and fourth at LIV Singapore. Puig has played in just one PGA Championship previously, missing the cut last season. He too will be making his Quail Hollow debut this week. Also consider Bud Cauley ($6,200.) Cauley has made five consecutive cuts coming into this week, highlighted by an insane run of form between THE PLAYERS Championship and the Valero Texas Open. He placed sixth at THE PLAYERS Championship, fourth at the Valspar Championship and fifth at the Valero Texas Open. Cauley last played a PGA Championship in 2020 where he placed 37th. He also last played Quail Hollow in 2019 where he placed 24th. Cauley is currently 14th on Tour in both SG: APP and SG: TTG, 19th in scrambling, 32nd in both total driving and proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 39th in bogey avoidance, 50th in GIR%, 66th in SG: ATG, 70th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 71st in par-five average scoring and 131st in three-putt avoidance. Also consider Nick Taylor ($6,000.) Taylor is fresh off a 17th place finish at last week’s Truist Championship. He placed 12th at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as well. Earlier this season, Taylor won the Sony Open in Hawaii. He also placed 12th at The American Express, 25th at the WM Phoenix Open and ninth at The Genesis Invitational. Taylor has missed the cut in his last three appearances at the PGA Championship (2024, 2023 & 2020.) Taylor placed 43rd last year at Quail Hollow, 26th in 2021 and 54th in 2019. Taylor is currently 14th on Tour in bogey avoidance, 15th in GIR%, 17th in SG: APP, 23rd in scrambling, 33rd in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 42nd in SG: TTG, 44th in total driving, 86th in three-putt avoidance, 93rd in SG: ATG, 105th in SG: PUTT Bermuda and 119th in par-five average scoring. 

$5,900-

With this week being a full-field Major (unlike The Masters,) we get the $5k price range. Leading things off down here is Michael Kim ($5,900.) Kim is currently sixth in bogey avoidance, 15th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 19th in SG: TTG, 21st in scrambling, 22nd in both three-putt avoidance and SG: ATG, 32nd in total driving, 34th in par-five average scoring, 39th in SG: APP and 65th in SG: PUTT Bermuda. Kim has come back to earth of late, after his insane run-of-form earlier this season. He placed 54th at the RBC Heritage in his last outing. Prior to that he placed 27th at the Masters Tournament, 32nd at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and 28th at the Valspar Championship over his last four outings. Earlier this season he had a run-of-form where he placed second at the WM Phoenix Open, 13th at The Genesis Invitational, 13th at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, sixth at the Cognizant Classic and fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Kim last played the PGA Championship in 2019 where he missed the cut. He placed seventh at the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow in 2023. Also consider Thorbjorn Olesen ($5,800.) Olesen is currently tenth on Tour in bogey avoidance, 12th in three-putt avoidance, 17th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 21st in GIR%, 26th in SG: TTG, 40th in par-five average scoring, 48th in SG: APP, 56th in scrambling, 57th in SG: ATG, 67th in total driving and 98th in SG: PUTT Bermuda. Olesen placed seventh last week at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic and 29th at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. He also placed fifth at the Valero Texas Open as of late. Olesen placed 53rd last season at Valhalla. Also consider Lee Hodges ($5,600.) Hodges is currently second on Tour in par-five average scoring, 14th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 21st in bogey avoidance, 32nd in SG: APP, 36th in GIR%, 43rd in scrambling, 45th in SG: TTG, 50th in total driving, 70th in three-putt avoidance, 72nd in SG: PUTT Bermuda and 96th in SG: ATG. Now, Hodges has missed the cut in four consecutive events coming into this week but did place 11th at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, ninth at the Farmers Insurance Open, 34th at The American Express and tenth at the Sony Open in Hawaii earlier this season. Hodges placed 12th at Valhalla a season ago. He also placed 24th at Quail Hollow a season ago.

Betting Card

• Justin Thomas (+2200)

• Viktor Hovland (+5500)

• Patrick Reed (+9000)

• Maverick McNealy (+13000)

• Jacob Bridgeman (+30000)

Viktor Hovland (+5500)

When it comes to the PGA Championship, something just clicks for Hovland. He placed third last year at Valhalla and placed second at Oak Hill in 2023. He also has played Quail Hollow well as of late. He placed 24th in 2024, 43rd in 2023 and third in 2021. Hovland most recently placed 54th at the Truist Championship last week. Prior to that he placed 13th at the RBC Heritage, 21st at the Masters Tournament and he won the Valspar Championship. Hovland is currently ninth on Tour in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards, 11th in SG: APP, 20th in par-five average scoring, 50th in GIR%, 59th in SG: TTG, 68th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 124th in total driving, 127th in bogey avoidance, 131st in three-putt avoidance, 142nd in scrambling and 173rd in SG: ATG. 

Maverick McNealy (+13000)

McNealy is currently 21st on tour in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 26th in GIR%, 30th in SG: APP, 34th in par-five average scoring, 57th in SG: TTG, 87th in bogy avoidance, 91st in proximity to the hole rom 175-plus yards, 114th in total driving, 120th in three-putt avoidance, 145th in scrambling and 149th in SG: ATG. He most recently placed 60th at last week’s Truist Championship but prior to that placed third at the RBC Heritage, 32nd at the Masters Tournament, third at the Valero Texas Open and 32nd at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He also placed second at The Genesis Invitational, ninth at the WM Phoenix Open and eighth at The Sentry Tournament of Champions earlier this season. McNealy placed 23rd last year at Valhalla as well. 

Jacob Bridgeman (+30000)

Bridgeman is fresh off a fourth place finish at last week’s Truist Championship. Prior to that he placed tenth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, third at the Valspar Championship, 15th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and second at the Cognizant Classic. Bridgeman is currently fourth on Tour in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 34th in par-five average scoring, 36th in total driving, 40th in proximity to the hole from 175-plus yards,  47th in scrambling, 61st in SG: ATG, 73rd in bogey avoidance, 87th in SG: TTG, 98th in SG: APP, 126th in GIR% and 139th in three-putt avoidance. He’ll be making both his PGA Championship and Quail Hollow debut this week.