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Way back in 2003 when this tournament was inaugurated as the Wachovia Championship few might have predicted what a respected event it would become. It wasn’t that the event or the course were deemed as poor, it’s just that it initially seemed just another event on the schedule. When Joey Sindelar landed the second edition, and when Derek Ernst and James Hahn won a decade later, it did appear a quirky one but otherwise the winners have been of the highly grade and the course has become a major championship host. This year the tournament becomes both the PGA Championship final warm-up and also it is a Signature event. So we’ve got a fine field, albeit small in size, but it does lack Scottie Scheffler who is with his wife who is due to give birth any time soon. The course has always been viewed as one which suits high quality drivers of the ball – it’s one reason Rory McIlroy has won there three times – but up to 2013 many were sniffy about the greens. There were transformed soon afterward and are now Bermuda grass. The layout is a George Cobb original that has had a lot of renovation work on it. A key part of that work was to thin out the trees which has helped grass growth. It is a par 71 that plays to 7,558 yards. Keith Mitchell, who plays the course well but is not qualified to try again this year, said in 2021: “There are some courses on tour where you can hit bad shots, get away with it and still try to make birdie. You can’t do that here. I think that’s a true test of golf.” Former winner Jason Day said: “You need every aspect going. You need to drive it well because it is a long golf course. If you’re not hitting fairways, then you’re going to miss greens because of how firm the greens are, so you need a really good short game to try and save yourself.”
Angles to consider 1/ Quality There have been 18 regular tour winners at Quail Hollow. 10 of them have won majors, 14 have finished top three in a major. Note: the defending champion Wyndham Clark won here before winning the US Open. 2/ Major Championship hosting Nine of the last 10 winners had already landed a top 10 at Riviera or Torrey Pines – the other two regular PGA Tour stops that have hosted majors. 3/ Driving Those players have also driven the ball well at Riviera or Torrey Pines in the past (ranking top 10 in Strokes Gained Off the Tee) 4/ Putting The last five winners ranked top four for SG Putting – alas they gave little hint beforehand it would happen.
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Patrick Cantlay He has three top four finishes at Riviera, drives the ball well there and has done so at Torrey Pines also. He’s yet to excel in major but does have a top three finish and he has the game. Fourth at Riviera this year and third in his last individual start at the Heritage. Cameron Young He has three top 20s at Riviera and one at Torrey Pines with a best of second at Riviera – and his driving stats at both have been superb. It’s a known strength of his game. An excellent major performer with a second and a third in his five top 10 finishes. Recently second at Innisbrook and ninth in the Masters, both times superb off the tee. Will Zalatoris He was fourth at Riviera last year and second this year. He’s been seventh at Torrey Pines and he’s driven the ball well at both. He loves a tougher set up which is why he likes the majors (three times second in them). He’s only played the course once, a missed cut in 2021, but it should suit. Was a careful withdrawal last week which adds some weight to the price.
Tips: 0-3; -6.00pts 1pt e.w. Patrick Cantlay at 18/1 (Unibet, Betfred, BetMGM, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 29th 1pt e.w. Cameron Young at 28/1 (Unibet, Skybet, Paddy Power, BF Sportsbook, BetMGM, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 34th 1pt e.w. Will Zalatoris at 40/1 (Unibet, Skybet, BetMGM, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 60th
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