CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The most competitive field in men`s professional golf is set to descend upon Quail Hollow Club for this week`s PGA Championship. Known as one of the longest courses on the PGA Tour, Quail Hollow hosts the second major championship of the season.
Rory McIlroy, who recently achieved a historic milestone at the Masters by becoming only the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam, appears to be the player to beat at Quail Hollow. McIlroy boasts an impressive record here, having won four times. He aims to become the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1975 to win both the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same year.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is coming off his first win of the season. LIV Golf League standout Bryson DeChambeau also secured a recent victory and is likely eager to bounce back from his final-round struggles at the Masters by claiming his third major title.
Defending PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele faced a setback with a rib injury after winning two majors in 2024. According to ESPN Research, he is the only golfer to have finished in the top 10 in the last five major championships. Schauffele could become the only player in the past 60 years to win his first three majors within a five-start span.
Here`s a breakdown of the 156-player field, categorized from the leading favorites to potential hopefuls, including past champions and the 20 PGA of America club professionals:
Tier I: The Clear Favorites
The world`s top golfers don`t seem to be chasing Scottie Scheffler quite like before, even though he`s a slight betting favorite over Rory McIlroy this week. Perhaps the biggest target is on McIlroy, following his long-awaited Masters victory, as he returns to Quail Hollow Club, one of his most successful venues. In the last 70 years, only five golfers have captured the first two major championships 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 professional golf`s most elite group is back at a course where he has thrived. He is the only four-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship (now the Truist Championship) held at Quail Hollow Club, winning by five strokes in 2024, one in 2021, seven in 2015, and four in 2010. He set the course record with a 10-under 61 in 2015. Quail Hollow is known to favor powerful drivers, and McIlroy ranked third in the field averaging 317.5 yards heading into last week.
Scottie Scheffler
Did anyone really think the world No. 1 wouldn`t win this season? After securing nine victories globally in 2024, Scheffler claimed his first title of 2025 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 4th, winning by a dominant eight shots and matching the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record at 31-under 253. Scheffler`s only previous competitive appearance at Quail Hollow was the 2022 Presidents Cup, where he went 0-3-1 in the U.S. team`s victory.
Tier II: The Guys Who Can Win
Here are other legitimate contenders vying for the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday. They possess the game, courage, and composure required to handle four demanding rounds.
Xander Schauffele
The defending PGA Championship winner has been a runner-up in his last two starts at Quail Hollow, finishing four strokes behind Wyndham Clark in 2023 and five strokes behind McIlroy last season. Schauffele is steadily regaining form after a rib injury. His recent results are promising: T12 at the Valspar Championship, eighth at the Masters, 18th at the RBC Heritage, and 11th at the Truist Championship. The two-time major champion drives the ball sufficiently long and is one of the tour`s best long iron players.
Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau has a solid history at the Wells Fargo Championship, finishing fourth in 2018 and T9 in 2021. He came close to catching Schauffele at last year`s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, finishing just one stroke back. Given DeChambeau`s length off the tee (leading the LIV Golf League with a 333.3-yard average) and recent form (T5 at the Masters, win at the recent LIV Golf event in Korea), he is expected to be a factor in another major.
Justin Thomas
The two-time PGA Championship winner ended his nearly three-year winless streak with a playoff victory at the RBC Heritage on April 20th. He won his first Wanamaker Trophy by two strokes at Quail Hollow in 2017. Thomas`s occasional inaccuracy off the tee (57.8%) won`t be as severely penalized here, and his putting has been strong for much of the season.
Collin Morikawa
With two runner-up finishes this season, Morikawa is overdue to end his winless spell (his last tour victory 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. However, he has also missed two cuts and finished T54 at the RBC Heritage and T60 at the Truist Championship. His iron play and putting have shown weakness; he ranks 131st in strokes gained: approach (-.214) and 149th in putting (-.358).
Brooks Koepka
The five-time major champion has not performed like “Big-Game Brooks” in majors since winning his third Wanamaker Trophy at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. He hasn`t managed a top-15 finish in his last seven major starts, including a missed cut at the Masters in April.
Justin Rose
Rose is coming off agonizing runner-up finishes at last year`s Open Championship and the Masters, where he lost to McIlroy in a playoff. At 44, he doesn`t drive the ball as far as he used to, but this hasn`t significantly impacted his play, as evidenced by his 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 finished inside 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 par after six holes but nearly recovered to make the cut. This marked 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 at Quail Hollow but carded four bogeys over six holes on the back nine. He won his 11th PGA Tour title at the Sentry in Hawai`i at the start of the season.
Viktor Hovland
Hovland, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion, seems to have found his swing again after winning the Valspar Championship, finishing T21 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 exceptionally talented Niemann is still seeking his first top-10 finish in a major; this will be his 24th attempt in the big four events. He has already won three times on the LIV Golf League circuit this season.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton has a strong record at the PGA Championship with five top-25 finishes, including two top-10s in 10 starts. He has won twice on the DP World Tour since October: the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Patrick Reed
Reed mounted a Sunday charge to finish third at the Masters and is certainly capable of being in contention at Quail Hollow. In the 2017 PGA Championship, he made three birdies on the back nine to get within one shot of the lead, but a bogey on the final hole resulted in a tie 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 worldwide, Fleetwood is still pursuing his first PGA Tour victory. He has finished in the top 25 in nine of his last 13 major appearances.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth has the chance to join McIlroy in achieving the career Grand Slam by winning a Claret Jug. Spieth won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015, followed by The Open two years later. When Spieth congratulated McIlroy at last week`s Truist Championship, McIlroy reportedly told him he was next. Spieth`s reply, according to Golf.com, was “Yeah, at Rory McIlroy Country Club.” Spieth had a dominant 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 aiming for his first major championship win. His driving and iron play (ranking ninth in strokes gained: tee to green at 1.111) have been strong enough to contend for victories this season.
Shane Lowry
Lowry`s biggest major focus will likely be in July when The Open returns to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the site of his 2019 Claret Jug win. He has shown consistent form throughout the 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 finish T10 at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Wyndham Clark
Clark`s major results have been inconsistent since his unexpected victory at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and his form this season has been erratic. Nevertheless, he hits the ball exceptionally long and won the Wells Fargo Championship two years ago.
Jason Day
Day won the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits and the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship. He finished T4 at Quail Hollow last year. Day withdrew from last week`s Truist Championship for undisclosed reasons.
Tier III: If Everything Goes Right
Here are the potential dark horse candidates to win the PGA Championship. This tier includes a mix of former major champions, winners on tour this season, and players who have shown signs of a comeback.
Sungjae Im
Im has missed the cut in four of his last five PGA Championship starts but has finished in the top 10 in the last two majors: T7 at the 2024 Open Championship and fifth at the Masters. He has also recorded top 10s in his previous two starts at Quail Hollow.
Keegan Bradley
The U.S. Ryder Cup team captain, who won the 2011 PGA Championship, had a solid start on the West Coast and finished T5 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 appearances.
Harris English
The five-time PGA Tour winner has found more success at the U.S. Open, but Quail Hollow seems to suit his game. He tied for third at 12 under par at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship.
Sepp Straka
Straka`s major breakthrough came with a T7 finish at the 2023 PGA Championship. He tied for eighth at Quail Hollow last year and is coming off his fourth career PGA Tour win at the Truist Championship. Can he win 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, and he also possesses an impressive 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 runner-up in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event. Rasmus currently ranks second in the European Ryder Cup team standings, trailing only McIlroy.
Brian Harman
After a slow start to the season, Harman secured his fourth PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open on April 20th. He tied for 13th at the 2017 PGA Championship.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre`s T8 finish at last year`s PGA Championship seemed to lift him out of a slump caused by homesickness. It likely contributed to his two 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, tying for ninth at the 2024 U.S. Open and eighth at the Masters. He has also finished inside the top 15 in his last two starts at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Andrew Novak
The 30-year-old is playing the best golf of his career and earned his first PGA Tour victory with Ben Griffin at the Zurich Classic team event. This will be only his second major appearance.
Sam Burns
Burns appears to have overcome his struggles in majors, highlighted by a T9 finish at the 2024 U.S. Open. He also 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 in the LIV Golf League recently with three consecutive top-10 finishes.
Min Woo Lee
It might be time for Lee to find his form in a major again. He missed the cut at The Open in 2024 and finished 49th at the Masters.
Daniel Berger
Berger, who has battled 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 continues; he tied for 27th at Augusta National, his first made cut in a major since finishing T35 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 struggled with their form as visibly as Homa over the last year, despite being a two-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship (2019 and 2022). He seemed to find some answers with a T12 finish at the Masters.
Matt Fitzpatrick
The former U.S. Open champion recently described his season performance as “rubbish” and the “worst I`ve ever played.” His past results at Quail Hollow haven`t been strong either.
Nicolai Højgaard
Højgaard`s recent stroke-play form has been poor, missing four consecutive cuts and finishing T56 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He is currently 33rd in the European Ryder Cup team standings and needs to improve his results to make the squad.
Byeong Hun An
The South Korean golfer could be a dark horse candidate for a top-10 finish this season. 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 into the PGA Championship from winning the 2020 Masters has 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 placed on Theegala this season, but he hasn`t recorded a top-15 finish in his first 13 tour starts. He is struggling with both approach shots (148th in strokes gained: approach at -.358) and off the tee (132nd at -.135). He withdrew from the Truist Championship during the final round due to a neck injury.
Gary Woodland
Woodland`s remarkable comeback from brain surgery remains one of the sport`s most inspiring stories. He has two top 10s at Quail Hollow and continues to drive the ball with power (313.3 yards average).
Akshay Bhatia
Bhatia seems poised for a breakthrough in a major soon. He tied for third at The Players Championship, another significant event.
Tom Kim
The South Korean golfer returns to Quail Hollow, where he endeared himself to the crowds with his enthusiasm and daring play during the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris is still seeking answers after recovering from back surgery. He has dropped to 74th in the world rankings.
Nick Taylor
Taylor ended 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 the last three years.
Si Woo Kim
Kim has reversed his form after missing three cuts in four events, finishing T8 at the RBC Heritage and 15th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Keith Mitchell
Mitchell struggled last fall, finishing the year with four missed cuts. He has since achieved five consecutive top-25 finishes, including a runner-up at the Corales Puntacana Championship and holding the outright lead at last week`s Truist Championship. He also has two top 10s at Quail Hollow on his resume.
Sergio Garcia
Garcia last made the cut at the PGA Championship in 2015 (T54). He has three top 10s on the LIV Golf League this season and recorded top-25 finishes in his last three starts at Quail Hollow.
Aaron Rai
Rai is exceptionally accurate off the tee and with his irons. However, he is not long (174th in driving distance at 286.6 yards) and has missed the cut in his last two starts at Quail Hollow.
Adam Scott
The 2013 Masters champion has 20 top 10s in 95 major starts throughout his career 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 once a consistent top-10 finisher in majors, but he has only one (T3 at the 2024 U.S. Open) in his last 15 starts.
Mackenzie Hughes
If course familiarity is key, Hughes could be a sleeper pick. He lives near Quail Hollow Club and has finished T9 at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2022 and sixth last year.
Lucas Glover
After strong performances in Florida (T3 at The Players, eighth at the Valspar Championship), Glover has struggled in recent weeks. He won the Wells Fargo Championship in a playoff in 2011 and was runner-up two years earlier.
Tier IV: Hey, Miracles Happen
These are the long shots. Everything would need to align perfectly over 72 holes for someone from this group to win at Quail Hollow Club. However, there have been numerous underdog winners of the Wanamaker Trophy. Remember Y.E. Yang, Shaun Micheel, and Rich Beem? It`s possible.
- 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
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 at last week`s Truist Championship, where he was just two strokes off the lead after the first round. One of his six PGA Tour victories came at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, defeating D.A. Points and McIlroy in a playoff.
Mickelson turns 55 next month, and his peak golfing years are likely behind him. He became the oldest major champion in golf history by astonishingly winning the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. He has 10 top 10s in 17 starts at Quail Hollow, including a T5 finish in 2018. Among players with at least 20 rounds played here, `Lefty` ranks third in true strokes gained (2.10), trailing only McIlroy (2.87) and Day (2.12), according to datagolf.com.
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 trying to maintain their tour status and several newcomers seeking greater access to tour events. They are not expected to be among the frontrunners unless a truly miraculous performance occurs, similar to Shaun Micheel`s win over 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
Noren, who finished T12 at last year`s PGA Championship, made his first start of 2025 at last week`s Truist Championship after dealing with a neck injury and hamstring/glute tears.
At 52, Bland is the second-oldest player in the LIV Golf League and is still playing reasonably well, finishing 17th in points and inside the top 12 in the last two events.
McKibbin, 22, played at the same golf club as McIlroy in Northern Ireland. He reportedly disregarded McIlroy`s advice when joining Rahm`s Legion XIII LIV team. He is one of the longest drivers in LIV Golf (322.2-yard average) but has struggled significantly with his putting.
Tier VI: Past Champions
These are former PGA Championship winners not listed in the tiers above. Past champions receive a lifetime exemption into the major. This list has previously included winners like John Daly (1991) and Rich Beem (2002), as well as Tiger Woods, who is currently recovering from injury.
- Martin Kaymer
- Jimmy Walker
- Jason Dufner
- Padraig Harrington
- Vijay Singh
- Shaun Micheel
Daly is bypassing the PGA Championship to compete in the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama, the first major on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Daly withdrew from last year`s PGA Championship after a challenging opening round of 82 (+11).
Beem told the Associated Press that he hasn`t had sufficient preparation time due to his work as an analyst for Sky Sports at major tournaments. Beem missed the cut last year after finishing 20 over par 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 at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, 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 hole-in-one in the final round and finished T15 at 1-over 281. This was the best finish by a club professional at the PGA Championship since Lonnie Nielsen tied for 11th in 1986.
Tyler Collet, from Vero Beach, Florida, dominated the PGA Professional Championship with a commanding 10-stroke victory, the largest margin in the event`s history. He is making his fourth appearance in the PGA Championship. Collet played college golf at Eastern Kentucky.
Jasper Hawthorne