By Frank Pingue
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) – The PGA Championship is brimming with compelling storylines ahead of Thursday’s opening round, perhaps none bigger than whether Rory McIlroy will be able to build on his career Grand Slam success at one of his favourite venues.
McIlroy ended a near 11-year drought at majors with his Masters triumph last month to complete the career Grand Slam and must be licking his lips given his happy hunting ground of Quail Hollow is hosting this week’s PGA Championship.
The Northern Irishman has enjoyed more success at Quail Hollow than any golfer in the 156-player field having won the PGA Tour’s regular stop here for a record fourth time last year by a comfortable five-stroke margin.
“Always nice to come back to Quail Hollow, for obvious reasons. I have obviously great memories from this place,” said McIlroy. “First win on the PGA Tour 15 years ago. Winning last year, I probably played my best golf of the year last year here, especially at the weekend.”
The Northern Irishman will start his opening round from the 10th tee at 8:22 a.m. ET (1222 GMT) alongside Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele in a group featuring the world’s top three players.
Twice major winner Scheffler will be plenty confident having matched the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record in his last start while Schauffele is hoping to become the event’s first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2019.
Jordan Spieth is the next man up when it comes to the career Grand Slam and the chance to follow McIlroy into golf’s most exclusive club is most definitely on his mind.
“For me, if I could only win one tournament for the rest of my life, I’d pick this one for that reason,” said Spieth, who will be making his ninth attempt at completing the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors.
Twice champion Justin Thomas has found his form right on time for his return to the site of his major breakthrough having ended a three-year victory drought last month and finishing tied for second in last week’s PGA Tour Signature Event.
World number five Thomas, who earned a two-shot victory at Quail Hollow in 2017 and then won a second PGA Championship in 2022, credits his mental preparation for his recent run of encouraging results.
“We all want to win, and I’m no different; I just think sometimes you’re in a better head space than others to try to capitalise or give yourself a chance,” said Thomas. “I feel like that’s kind of how it’s been the last couple of events.
Fan favourite Bryson DeChambeau, who finished runner-up last year and briefly held the lead early in the final round at the Masters, will be looking to earn third major title after winning his second U.S. Open in 2024.
DeChambeau, who won the LIV Golf Korea event in his last start, will play the opening two rounds in the company of Viktor Hovland and Gary Woodland, starting at 1:47 p.m. from the first tee.
The first shot of the tournament will be struck at 7:00 a.m. by European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who will set off from the first tee in the company of Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Germany’s Martin Kaymer.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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