The PGA Championship, marking the second major golf event of the 2025 season, is scheduled to commence this Thursday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The tournament poses several compelling questions: Can Rory McIlroy clinch his second consecutive major title? Will world number one Scottie Scheffler expand his collection of major trophies? What level of performance can be anticipated from Bryson DeChambeau and other prominent LIV Golf players? This preview delves into six significant narratives leading up to the event, covering top contenders, potential dark horses, and more.
Who`s the favorite: Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy?
While Scottie Scheffler holds a slight edge as the betting favorite and recently secured his first win of the 2025 season, it`s arguable that Rory McIlroy is currently the world`s top golfer. McIlroy has already claimed three victories on tour this year, each in highly competitive fields including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players Championship, and the Masters, where he achieved the rare career Grand Slam as the sixth player to do so.
Considering McIlroy`s recent excellent form and his strong history at Quail Hollow Club, where he boasts four wins and one runner-up finish, he is arguably the player to beat this week. In contrast, Scheffler has not competed in a stroke-play event at Quail Hollow, and his sole appearance there during the 2022 Presidents Cup was unremarkable, finishing with a 0-3-1 record, contributing just half a point to the U.S. team`s victory.
Given the rapid shifts at the top of the sport, it`s noteworthy how quickly the dynamic can change. Scheffler has shown remarkable consistency throughout the season, but his single win this year, compared to his dominant pace last year, has effectively created an opening for McIlroy to reclaim the perception of being the world`s best player. It would not be surprising to see both players contending on Sunday, potentially vying against each other for the major title.
Other contenders beyond Scottie and Rory
Justin Thomas is currently playing some of the best golf of his career and previously won the PGA Championship held at Quail Hollow in 2017. Thomas ended nearly a three-year winless streak on tour by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff on April 20. He also finished second at the Valspar Championship, narrowly missing a win after late bogeys, and tied for second at the recent Truist Championship.
Thomas possesses a strong track record at Quail Hollow, with five top-26 finishes in his six starts there. His statistics this season are impressive: fifth in strokes gained: tee to green (1.227) and approach (.896), and 20th in putting (.432).
Considering Quail Hollow is one of the longest courses professional golf has encountered, features challenging rough, and has been softened by recent rain making driving distance crucial, Bryson DeChambeau emerges as a significant contender. Quail Hollow is expected to favor long hitters this year, and DeChambeau is currently excelling in that regard. According to Data Golf, he gains over two strokes with his driver, a full stroke more than the second-place player in that category. Beyond his driving, DeChambeau has significantly improved other aspects of his game over recent years, evidenced by five top-10 finishes in the last nine majors. If he can replicate his performance from last year`s PGA Championship at Valhalla, where he finished runner-up, he will likely be in contention for the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.
Xander Schauffele`s prospects as defending champion
Following a painful rib injury that sidelined him for over two months, Xander Schauffele`s game appears to be regaining momentum. He has recorded four consecutive strong finishes, including a tie for eighth at the Masters and a tie for 11th at the Truist Championship.
Despite ranking seventh in strokes gained: approach (.821), his statistics for other areas are lower: 157th off the tee (-.320), 135th around the green (-.155), and 140th in putting (-.244). These numbers likely reflect a lack of competitive rounds due to his injury layoff. However, Schauffele`s major record speaks for itself: he has won two of the last four majors and finished in the top 10 in seven of the past nine. Notably, he was also the runner-up in his last two appearances at Quail Hollow.
Schauffele remains a somewhat enigmatic figure in the sport currently. His baseline performance level is consistently high, meaning that even when not in peak form, he still manages top-20 finishes. Over his last four tournaments, his lowest finish was a tie for 18th. It`s difficult to predict exactly what to expect from Schauffele at Quail Hollow this week, but the fact that the defending champion and two-time major winner is flying somewhat under the radar is telling.
LIV Golfers to watch
Given the importance of distance off the tee at Quail Hollow Club, Bryson DeChambeau is certainly expected to be in the mix. He finished runner-up at last year`s PGA Championship, narrowly losing to Xander Schauffele. He also held an early lead in the final round of the Masters before finishing tied for fifth. DeChambeau`s driving distance is unmatched, and if his iron play improves from his performance at Augusta National, he could definitely be lifting the Wanamaker Trophy.
Patrick Reed, who finished third at the Masters, also has a favorable track record at Quail Hollow and is worth watching.
Until he achieves a top-10 finish at a major, Joaquín Niemann remains a key player to monitor from LIV Golf. It`s becoming a pattern that a player consistently winning on the LIV Tour struggles to perform at the highest level when competing against the world`s best at major venues. Niemann possesses the talent to win multiple majors, and Data Golf ranks him among the world`s top-10 players. The question remains why this hasn`t translated to success in the four biggest weeks of the year. This week at Quail Hollow presents another opportunity for him to break that trend.
Under-the-radar players
With Sepp Straka securing his second win of the season at the Truist Championship, former University of Georgia golfers have now claimed five victories in 22 PGA Tour events this season.
Another former Bulldog, Keith Mitchell, has shown significant improvement after a challenging end to 2024. Mitchell has recorded five consecutive top-25 finishes, including a tie for second and a tie for seventh recently. He ranks 11th on tour in driving distance (313.3 yards) and 21st in strokes gained: tee to green (.868). Mitchell has two career top-10 finishes at Quail Hollow.
Canada`s Taylor Pendrith hasn`t been in peak form recently but had three top-10 finishes earlier in the season. He is another player with substantial driving distance (307.9 yards) and is accurate in hitting greens (70.6%). While his short game and putting haven`t been exceptional, a hot putter this week could see him contend.
Here are two additional players to keep an eye on: the Højgaard twins, Nicolai and Rasmus. Both have the necessary length for this course and could quietly make an impact. Among other young talents, Michael Thorbjornsen is also worth watching; he has two top-5 finishes this season and has been playing consistently well recently.
Finally, having observed Akshay Bhatia at the Players Championship, it`s clear he has the potential to win a major. At this point in his career, where his game is strong but still developing, a venue like Quail Hollow could provide the perfect setting for a significant breakthrough.
How Quail Hollow will play this week
Quail Hollow measures 7,626 yards, making it one of the longest courses on the PGA Tour and the fourth longest in PGA Championship history, as well as the longest for a par-71 layout. The course is expected to play even longer after heavy rain on Monday, with more precipitation forecast through Wednesday. If these conditions persist, there will be minimal roll on the fairways, placing an even greater emphasis on driving distance and proficiency with long irons.
Contenders will also need strong short games as missing greens will be common. According to research, eight greens were hit less than 50% of the time during the 2017 PGA Championship, with the first hole being hit only 33% of the time.
Players will need to navigate the challenging par 3s (three of which exceed 200 yards), capitalize on the par 5s, and survive the notorious three-hole closing stretch known as the `Green Mile.` In 2017, this stretch saw more double-bogeys or worse (99) than birdies or better (88).
