CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Men`s professional golf`s strongest field is set to compete at Quail Hollow Club, known as one of the longest courses on the PGA Tour, for this week`s PGA Championship, the second major tournament of the season.
Rory McIlroy, fresh off completing the career Grand Slam at the Masters last month (becoming the sixth player to do so), is potentially the top contender at Quail Hollow, a course where he has claimed victory four times. He aims to achieve a feat not seen since Jack Nicklaus in 1975: winning both the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same year.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler recently earned his first win of the season. Similarly, LIV Golf League standout Bryson DeChambeau secured a recent victory and will be looking to bounce back from his final-round struggles at the Masters by capturing his third major title.
Defending PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, who won two majors in 2024, was slowed by a rib injury afterwards. According to ESPN Research, he is the only player to finish in the top 10 in the last five majors and could become the first player in 60 years to win his first three majors within a five-start span.
Here`s a breakdown of the 156-player field, categorized by their potential: from top favorites and strong contenders to those with an outside chance, former champions, and the 20 PGA of America club professionals.
Tier I: The Clear Favorites
The world`s best golfers are no longer solely focused on chasing Scottie Scheffler, even though betting odds slightly favor him over Rory McIlroy this week. The biggest spotlight might be on McIlroy, especially after his long-awaited Masters victory and return to Quail Hollow Club, one of his absolute favorite venues. In the past 70 years, only five golfers have managed to win 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 golf`s most exclusive club returns to a venue that feels like home. He is the only four-time champion of the Wells Fargo Championship (now Truist Championship) held at Quail Hollow. He won by five strokes in 2024, one in 2021, seven in 2015, and four in 2010. In 2015, he set the course record with a 10-under 61. This course notably favors long hitters, and McIlroy was averaging 317.5 yards entering last week, ranking third in the field.
Scottie Scheffler
Surely, no one expected the world No. 1 to go an entire season without a win? After nine worldwide victories in 2024, Scheffler secured his first win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 4, dominating by eight shots and matching the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record at 31-under 253. Scheffler`s only prior appearance at Quail Hollow was the 2022 Presidents Cup, where he went 0-3-1 during the U.S. team`s victory.
Tier II: The Guys Who Can Win
Here are the other strong contenders with a legitimate chance to lift the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday. They possess the necessary game, mental toughness, and resilience to navigate four high-pressure rounds.
Xander Schauffele
The defending PGA Championship winner finished as runner-up in his last two starts at Quail Hollow, losing to Wyndham Clark by four strokes in 2023 and to McIlroy by five last season. Schauffele is steadily regaining his form after being sidelined by a rib injury. His recent results have been encouraging: a tie for 12th at the Valspar Championship, eighth at the Masters, 18th at the RBC Heritage, and 11th at the Truist Championship. The two-time major champion hits the ball far enough off the tee and is one of the tour`s best with long irons.
Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau has a solid history at the Wells Fargo Championship, finishing fourth individually in 2018 and tying for ninth in 2021. He came very close to catching Schauffele in last year`s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, finishing just one stroke behind. Given his exceptional length off the tee (leading the LIV Golf League at 333.3 yards average) and recent form (tied for fifth at the Masters and won the latest LIV Golf event in Korea), DeChambeau is expected to be a factor in a major once again.
Justin Thomas
The two-time PGA Championship winner ended a nearly three-year winless streak with a playoff victory at the RBC Heritage on April 20. He claimed his first Wanamaker Trophy with a two-stroke win at Quail Hollow in 2017. Thomas`s accuracy issues off the tee (57.8%) won`t be as detrimental here, and his putting has been strong for much of the season.
Collin Morikawa
With two runner-up finishes this season, Morikawa is due to end his winless stretch (his last tour win was the Zozo Championship in October 2023). The 2020 PGA Championship winner tied for fourth in the event last year.
Ludvig Åberg
The rising star won a signature event at the Genesis Invitational and finished seventh at the Masters, but his season has also included missed cuts and lower finishes (tied for 54th at RBC Heritage, 60th at Truist Championship). His iron play and putting have shown inconsistency; he ranks 131st in strokes gained: approach (-.214) and 149th in putting (-.358).
Brooks Koepka
The five-time major champion hasn`t quite performed like `Big-Game Brooks` in majors since securing his third Wanamaker Trophy at the 2023 PGA Championship. He hasn`t finished in the top 15 in his last seven major starts, including a missed cut at the Masters this April.
Justin Rose
Rose is coming off painful runner-up finishes at last year`s Open Championship and the Masters (where he lost to McIlroy in a playoff). The 44-year-old may not drive the ball as far as he used to, but it hasn`t significantly impacted his performance – he boasts five consecutive top-15 finishes in the PGA Championship. Rose withdrew from the Truist Championship before the third round due to illness.
Jon Rahm
Rahm has consistently finished in the top 10 in all seven of his LIV Golf League starts this season and tied for 14th at the Masters. In last year`s PGA Championship, he was 4 over through six holes but nearly recovered enough 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 a stretch of four bogeys over six holes on the back nine. He earned his 11th PGA Tour victory at the Sentry in Hawai`i to start the season.
Viktor Hovland
Hovland, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion, appears to have resolved his swing issues after winning the Valspar Championship, tying for 21st at the Masters, and 13th at the RBC Heritage. He tied for third at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship, two strokes behind McIlroy.
Joaquín Niemann
The highly talented Niemann is still seeking his first top-10 finish in a major tournament, which will be his 24th major start. He has already won three times on the LIV Golf League this season.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton has performed well at the PGA Championship, with five top-25 finishes, including two top-10s, in 10 starts. He has won two events on the DP World Tour since October.
Patrick Reed
Reed made a strong final-round push to finish third at the Masters and is certainly capable of contending at Quail Hollow. In the 2017 PGA Championship, he birdied three holes on the back nine to get within one shot of the lead before a bogey on the final hole left him tied for second, two strokes behind Thomas. Reed has two top-10 finishes at the Wells Fargo Championship (2018 and 2021).
Tommy Fleetwood
An 11-time winner globally, Fleetwood is still pursuing his first PGA Tour victory. He has finished in the top 25 in nine of his last 13 major starts.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth could join McIlroy in completing the career Grand Slam by winning The Open Championship (“Claret Jug”). He won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015, and The Open two years later. When Spieth congratulated McIlroy last week, McIlroy reportedly told him he was next, to which Spieth replied, “Yeah, at Rory McIlroy Country Club,” according to Golf.com. Spieth had a perfect 5-0-0 record at Quail Hollow during the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay hasn`t won on tour in over two years and is still searching for his first major championship title. His driving and iron play, ranking ninth in strokes gained: tee to green (1.111), have been strong enough to win this season.
Shane Lowry
The Irishman`s main major focus this year might be The Open returning to Royal Portrush, where he won in 2019. He has played consistently well throughout this season, including a tie for second at the Truist Championship.
Russell Henley
Henley may not be the longest hitter, but his accurate driving, excellent iron play, and solid putting helped him tie for 10th at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Wyndham Clark
Clark`s performance in majors hasn`t been stellar since his unexpected victory at the 2023 U.S. Open, and his form this season has been inconsistent. Nevertheless, he drives the ball a great distance and won the Wells Fargo Championship two years ago.
Jason Day
Day won the 2015 PGA Championship and the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, where he also tied for fourth last year. Day withdrew from last week`s Truist Championship for undisclosed reasons.
Tier III: If Everything Goes Right
Here are the potential dark horses who could surprise the field and win the Wanamaker Trophy. This group includes past major champions, players with wins this season, and others who have shown promising comebacks.
Sungjae Im
Im has missed the cut in four of his last five PGA Championship appearances but secured top-10 finishes in the last two majors (tied for seventh at the 2024 Open Championship, fifth at the Masters). He also has two top-10 finishes in his last two starts at Quail Hollow.
Keegan Bradley
The U.S. Ryder Cup team captain and 2011 PGA Champion had a strong start to the season on the West Coast and tied for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before missing the cut at Augusta National. He has made the cut in nine of his last 10 PGA Championship starts.
Harris English
The five-time PGA Tour winner has seen more success at the U.S. Open, but Quail Hollow seems to suit his game. He tied for third at 12 under at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship.
Sepp Straka
Straka`s major breakthrough was a tie for seventh at the 2023 PGA Championship. He tied for eighth at Quail Hollow last year. He is coming off his fourth career PGA Tour victory at the Truist Championship. Can he win in back-to-back weeks?
Maverick McNealy
The new co-chairman of the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council holds a degree in management science and engineering. He also possesses a very good golf swing.
Thomas Detry
Detry tied for fourth at last year`s PGA Championship, his best major finish. This will be his first professional event played at Quail Hollow.
Rasmus Højgaard
A PGA Tour rookie this season, Højgaard has won five times on the DP World Tour, including the Irish Open in September. He and his twin brother, Nicolai, finished second in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event. Rasmus is second in the European Ryder Cup team standings, trailing only McIlroy.
Brian Harman
After a slow start to the season, Harman claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open on April 20. He tied for 13th in the 2017 PGA Championship.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre`s tie for eighth at last year`s PGA Championship helped pull him out of a slump attributed to homesickness. It likely contributed to his subsequent victories at the RBC Canadian Open and the Genesis Scottish Open.
Corey Conners
The Canadian golfer has finished in the top 10 in two of the last three majors (tied for ninth at the 2024 U.S. Open, eighth at the Masters). He has also finished in the top 15 in his last two Wells Fargo Championship appearances.
Andrew Novak
The 30-year-old is playing the best golf of his career and secured his first PGA Tour win with Ben Griffin at the Zurich Classic. This will be only his second major start.
Sam Burns
Burns seemed to overcome his struggles in majors by tying for ninth at the 2024 U.S. Open. He tied for 13th at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Cameron Smith
Another former major champion with limited history at Quail Hollow, Smith has shown improved form on the LIV Golf League recently with three consecutive top-10 finishes.
Min Woo Lee
It`s time for Lee to find his major form again. He missed the cut at The Open in 2024 and finished 49th at the Masters.
Daniel Berger
Berger, who has been battling a back injury for much of the past two seasons, is set to return to the PGA Championship for the first time since missing the cut in 2022.
Michael Kim
Kim`s impressive comeback from golf`s difficulties continues; he tied for 27th at Augusta National, his first made cut in a major since tying for 35th at The Open in 2018. Kim withdrew from the Truist Championship during the third round due to a back injury.
Max Homa
Few golfers have publicly struggled with form or confidence as much as Homa recently. However, he is a two-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship (2019 and 2022 at Quail Hollow) and seemed to find some positive momentum with a tie for 12th at the Masters.
Matt Fitzpatrick
The former U.S. Open champion recently described his season`s performance as `rubbish` and his `worst ever`. His past results at Quail Hollow also haven`t been strong.
Nicolai Højgaard
Højgaard`s recent stroke-play form has been poor, including four consecutive missed cuts and a tie for 56th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He needs to turn things around to improve his position in the European Ryder Cup standings.
Byeong Hun An
The South Korean golfer could be a dark horse candidate for a top-10 finish. He won the Genesis Championship on the DP World Tour in October and finished solo third at the Wells Fargo Championship last year.
Dustin Johnson
Johnson`s five-year exemption from winning the 2020 Masters expired, requiring a special invitation to enter the field. He is currently 28th in the LIV Golf season-long points standings.
Sahith Theegala
High expectations were set for Theegala this season, but he hasn`t achieved a top-15 finish in his first 13 tour starts. He`s struggling with both his approach play (148th in strokes gained: approach, -.358) and driving (132nd off the tee, -.135). He withdrew from the Truist Championship in the final round due to a neck injury.
Gary Woodland
Woodland`s inspiring return from brain surgery remains one of golf`s best stories. He has two top-10 finishes at Quail Hollow and still possesses significant driving distance (313.3 yards).
Akshay Bhatia
The moment where Bhatia finds his form in a major is likely coming soon. He tied for third at The Players Championship, another significant event.
Tom Kim
The South Korean golfer returns to Quail Hollow, where his enthusiasm and bold play during the 2022 Presidents Cup endeared him to the crowds.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris is still seeking consistency after recovering from back surgery. His world ranking has fallen to 74th.
Nick Taylor
Taylor broke 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 seen an improvement in form 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 but has since recorded five consecutive top-25 finishes, including a tie for second. He also held the outright lead at last week`s Truist Championship. He has two top-10 finishes at Quail Hollow on his record.
Sergio Garcia
Garcia last made the cut at the PGA Championship in 2015 (tying for 54th). He has three top-10 finishes on the LIV Golf League this season and has finished in the top 25 in his last three starts at Quail Hollow.
Aaron Rai
Rai is exceptionally accurate with both driver and irons but lacks distance (174th in driving distance, 286.6 yards). He has missed the cut in his last two starts at Quail Hollow.
Adam Scott
The 2013 Masters champion has 20 top-10 finishes in 95 major starts but only one in his last 21. He has missed the cut in three of his last four PGA Championship appearances.
Tony Finau
Finau was previously a consistent top-10 player in majors but has only one (a tie for third at the 2024 U.S. Open) in his last 15 starts.
Mackenzie Hughes
If local knowledge matters, Hughes could be a dark horse. He lives near Quail Hollow Club and tied for ninth at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2022 and sixth last year.
Lucas Glover
After strong performances in Florida (tied for third at The Players, eighth at the Valspar Championship), Glover has struggled in recent weeks. He won the Wells Fargo Championship in 2011 and was runner-up two years prior.
Tier IV: Hey, Miracles Happen
These players are considered long shots. For one of them to win, everything would need to align perfectly over 72 holes at Quail Hollow Club. However, history shows that underdogs can hoist the Wanamaker Trophy – remember Y.E. Yang, Shaun Micheel, and Rich Beem?
- 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
- Davis Riley
- Cam Davis
- Ben Griffin
- Joe Highsmith
- Jacob Bridgeman
- Nick Dunlap
- Kurt Kitayama
- Adam Hadwin
- Lee Hodges
- Taylor Moore
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Cameron Young
- Matt Wallace
- Chris Kirk
- Dean Burmester
- Brian Campbell
- Max Greyserman
- Laurie Canter
- Stephan Jager
- Eugenio Chacarra
- Thorbjørn Olesen
- Karl Vilips
- Matthieu Pavon
- Thriston Lawrence
- Erik van Rooyen
Rickie Fowler had dropped to 125th in the world rankings and required a special invitation from the PGA of America to enter the field. This seemed to motivate him last week, as he was only two strokes off the lead after the first round. One of his six PGA Tour victories came at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, where he defeated D.A. Points and McIlroy in a playoff at Quail Hollow.
Phil Mickelson turns 55 next month, and his prime playing years are likely behind him. However, he made history as golf`s oldest major champion by winning the 2021 PGA Championship. He has 10 top-10 finishes in 17 starts at Quail Hollow, including a tie for fifth in 2018. According to datagolf.com, among players with at least 20 rounds here, `Lefty` ranks third in true strokes gained (2.10), behind only McIlroy (2.87) and Day (2.12).
Some players on this list, including Campbell, Highsmith, Vilips, Higgo, and Griffin, have already won PGA Tour events this season.
Tier V: Happy to Make the Cut
This group includes some veteran golfers looking to maintain their playing status and several newcomers aiming for more opportunities on tour. They are generally not expected to contend unless something truly extraordinary occurs, much like Shaun Micheel`s surprising victory more than two decades ago.
- Alex Noren
- Tom McKibbin
- Richard Bland
- Patton Kizzire
- Harry Hall
- John Catlin
- Johnny Keefer
- Séamus Power
- Luke Donald
- Ryan Gerard
- Beau Hossler
- Justin Lower
- Kevin Yu
- Jhonattan Vegas
- Max McGreevy
- Rafael Campos
- Sami Välimäki
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
- Keita Nakajima
- Niklas Norgaard
- Patrick Fishburn
- Daniel van Tonder
- John Parry
- Rico Hoey
- Takumi Kanaya
- Elvis Smylie
- Victor Perez
- Marco Penge
Alex Noren, who tied for 12th at last year`s PGA Championship, didn`t make his first start of 2025 until last week`s Truist Championship due to neck, hamstring, and glute injuries.
At 52, Richard Bland is the second-oldest player on the LIV Golf League and continues to play well, ranking 17th in points and finishing in the top 12 in his last two events.
Tom McKibbin, 22, played at the same golf club in Northern Ireland as McIlroy. He reportedly disregarded McIlroy`s advice when he joined Rahm`s Legion XIII LIV team. He is one of the longest hitters in the LIV Golf League (322.2 yards average) but has struggled significantly with his putting.
Tier VI: Past Champions
This category includes former PGA Championship winners not listed in the tiers above. Past champions receive a lifetime exemption into the major. This group has previously included players like 1991 winner John Daly and 2002 winner Rich Beem, as well as Tiger Woods (currently recovering from injury).
- Martin Kaymer
- Jimmy Walker
- Jason Dufner
- Padraig Harrington
- Vijay Singh
- Shaun Micheel
John Daly is skipping the PGA Championship this year to compete in the Regions Tradition, the first major on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Daly withdrew from last year`s PGA Championship after an opening round 11-over 82.
Rich Beem stated that his commitments as an analyst for Sky Sports at major tournaments have left him insufficient time to prepare. Beem missed the cut last year after finishing 20 over through 36 holes, admitting he “got my [butt] handed to me.”
Tier VII: PGA of America Professionals
These are the top-20 finishers from the PGA Professional Championship, held from April 27-30.
- Tyler Collet
- Jesse Droemer
- Brian Bergstol
- Michael Block
- Dylan Newman
- Brandon Bingaman
- Ryan Lenahan
- Andre Chi
- John Somers
- Justin Hicks
- Rupe Taylor
- Tom Johnson
- Nic Ishee
- Eric Steger
- Bob Sowards
- Bobby Gates
- Greg Koch
- Timothy Wiseman
- Larkin Gross
- Michael Kartrude
This list includes Michael Block, who captivated audiences at the 2023 PGA Championship with a final-round hole-in-one and finished tied for 15th. This was the best finish for a club professional since Lonnie Nielsen tied for 11th in 1986.
Tyler Collet of Florida won the PGA Professional Championship by a dominant 10 strokes, the largest margin in the event`s history. This will be his fourth appearance in the PGA Championship. Collet played college golf at Eastern Kentucky.
