The PGA Championship, serving as the second major tournament of the 2025 golf season, is scheduled to commence this Thursday at Quail Hollow Club located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Several intriguing questions surround the event: Can Rory McIlroy claim a second consecutive major victory? Will Scottie Scheffler add another major title to his accomplishments? What sort of performance can be anticipated from Bryson DeChambeau and fellow golfers from the LIV league?
From the leading favorites to potential dark horses and other points of interest, here are six key storylines to follow during this week`s PGA Championship.
Who is currently the favorite: world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler or the recent Masters champion, Rory McIlroy?
Mark Schlabach: Although Scottie Scheffler is marginally favored by bookmakers and is coming off his first win of the 2025 season, one could argue that Rory McIlroy is currently the most in-form golfer globally. He has already claimed victory three times on the tour this year, with each win coming in highly competitive fields at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players Championship, and the Masters, where he joined an elite group of six players to complete the career Grand Slam.
Given McIlroy`s recent performance and his strong record at Quail Hollow – including four wins and one runner-up finish – he appears to be the player to beat this week. In contrast, Scheffler has never competed in a stroke-play tournament here, and his sole appearance at Quail Hollow during the 2022 Presidents Cup was not particularly successful. He posted an 0-3-1 record, contributing only half a point to the U.S. team`s victory.
Paolo Uggetti: I concur with Mark – Rory should be the favorite this week, and no one is arriving at this tournament in better form. Nonetheless, it is quite remarkable how swiftly the dynamics at the pinnacle of the sport can change. Scheffler has demonstrated impressive consistency this season, but because he has secured only one win and hasn`t maintained the torrid pace from last year, he has, in essence, created an opportunity for McIlroy to reclaim the perception of being the world`s best player. It wouldn`t be surprising if, by Sunday, both players are vying for another major title and find themselves competing directly against each other.
Excluding Scottie and Rory, which player would be your pick this week?
Schlabach: Justin Thomas is currently playing some of the best golf of his career and won the last PGA Championship held at Quail Hollow in 2017. JT ended a nearly three-year winless streak on tour by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff on April 20. He also finished runner-up at the Valspar Championship (a tournament he arguably should have won but bogeyed two of the final three holes) and tied for second at last week`s Truist Championship.
Thomas has a solid history at Quail Hollow, finishing within the top 26 in five out of his six starts there. His statistics are strong: fifth in strokes gained: tee to green and approach, and 20th in putting.
Uggetti: If you tell me this course is one of the longest in professional golf, features challenging rough, and recent rain will make driving distance crucial, how could I not pick Bryson DeChambeau? Quail Hollow is expected to favor long hitters this year, and no one hits it longer than DeChambeau. According to Data Golf, he gains over two strokes with his driver alone, a full stroke more than the second-place player in that category. However, it`s not just driving; DeChambeau has significantly improved other aspects of his game in recent years, evidenced by five top-10 finishes in the last nine majors. If he can replicate his performance from Valhalla last year, he will undoubtedly be a contender.
What are your expectations for the defending champion, Xander Schauffele, this week?
Schlabach: After being sidelined for over two months due to a painful rib injury, Xander Schauffele`s game appears to be moving back in the right direction. He has recorded four consecutive strong finishes, including a tie for eighth at the Masters and 11th at the Truist Championship.
While he ranks seventh in strokes gained: approach, his performance off the tee, around the green, and in putting are currently much lower. This could be attributed more to a lack of recent competitive play than any fundamental issue. The key takeaway is Schauffele has won two of the last four majors and finished in the top 10 in seven of the last nine. Furthermore, he was runner-up in his last two appearances at Quail Hollow.
Uggetti: Schauffele is currently something of an enigma in the sport. As always, his baseline level of play is so high that even when he`s clearly not in peak midseason form, he still manages to land in the top 20. Over his most recent four tournaments, his lowest finish was a tie for 18th. To be honest, I`m uncertain what to expect from Schauffele at Quail Hollow this week, but the fact that the defending champion and two-time major winner is somewhat flying under the radar right now is quite telling.
Which players from LIV Golf will you be following most closely this week?
Schlabach: Driving distance will be paramount at Quail Hollow Club, so it`s hard not to see Bryson DeChambeau being competitive. He finished runner-up at last year`s PGA Championship at Valhalla, finishing just one shot behind Schauffele. He held an early lead in the final round of the Masters before a difficult finish saw him tie for fifth. Nobody hits the ball as far as DeChambeau off the tee, and if his iron play improves from his performance at Augusta National, I wouldn`t be surprised to see him holding the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday. Patrick Reed, who finished solo third at the Masters, also has a solid track record at Quail Hollow.
Uggetti: Until he secures a top-10 finish at a major, my answer will remain Joaquín Niemann. It`s becoming a notable pattern that the player who consistently wins on the LIV Tour struggles to perform at major championships against the world`s elite competition. Niemann possesses the game to win multiple majors, and Data Golf currently ranks him among the top 10 players globally. So, why hasn`t this translated into success during the four biggest weeks of the year? This question continues to linger over Niemann`s career, and this week presents another opportunity for him to challenge that trend.
Are there any lesser-known or under-the-radar players to keep an eye on this week?
Schlabach: With Sepp Straka`s second win of the season at the Truist Championship, former University of Georgia golfers have now claimed victory five times in 22 PGA Tour events this season.
Another former Bulldog, Keith Mitchell, has shown positive momentum after struggling significantly at the end of 2024. Mitchell has recorded five consecutive top-25 finishes, including tying for second at the Corales Puntacana and seventh at the Truist Championship. He ranks 11th on tour in driving distance and 21st in strokes gained: tee to green. He has two career top-10 finishes at Quail Hollow.
Canada`s Taylor Pendrith hasn`t had stellar results recently, but he posted three top-10 finishes earlier this season. He is another player with significant length off the tee and hits greens in regulation consistently. While his short game and putting haven`t been his strength, a hot putter this week could see him contend.
Uggetti: Here`s a two-for-one suggestion: pay attention to the Højgaard twins, Nicolai and Rasmus. Both possess the necessary length for this course and could potentially make some unexpected noise this week. Regarding other young players to watch, I would also include Michael Thorbjornsen; he has secured two top-5 finishes this season and has been playing consistently strong golf lately.
Finally, after observing Akshay Bhatia at The Players Championship, it`s evident he has the capabilities to win a major. Perhaps at this stage of his career, where his game is very good but not yet flawless, a venue like Quail Hollow could provide the perfect setting for a significant breakthrough.
How do you anticipate the Quail Hollow course will play this week?
Schlabach: Quail Hollow is one of the longest courses on the tour, measuring 7,626 yards. This ranks it as the fourth longest in PGA Championship history and the longest ever for a par-71 layout. It is expected to play even longer after being soaked by rain on Monday, with additional precipitation in the forecast through Wednesday. If the rain continues, there will likely be minimal roll on the fairways, further emphasizing the importance of driving distance and skilled long iron play.
Contenders will also need to excel around the greens because missing greens will be common. According to ESPN Research, eight greens were hit successfully less than 50% of the time during the 2017 PGA Championship, with the opening hole being hit just 33% of the time.
Golfers will need to manage the par 3s effectively (three of the four holes are over 200 yards), score well on the par 5s, and successfully navigate the challenging final three holes, notoriously known as the `Green Mile.` During the 2017 tournament, there were more double-bogeys or worse recorded on the Green Mile than birdies or better, highlighting its difficulty.