Rory McIlroy says what surprised him when he arrived at Quail Hollow for his practice round ahead of the PGA Championship

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Rory McIlroy is the favorite to win the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow this week.

The 35-year-old has been the best golfer in the world in 2025, and he won the last major championship, The Masters.

In doing so, he finally completed the career Grand Slam, which alleviated almost all pressure on the rest of his career.

The other reason that McIlroy has been tipped to contend at the PGA Championship is his fantastic record at Quail Hollow.

The Northern Irishman knows the course as well as anyone, winning there four times previously.

After his first practice round before the PGA Championship, he revealed that it’s set up differently to what he was expecting.

• READ MORE: Jon Rahm suggests what he thinks would have happened to Rory McIlroy if he had won The Masters in 2011

Rory McIlroy says Quail Hollow golf course was different from what he expected

McIlroy said in his pre-PGA Championship press conference that he expected the golf course at Quail Hollow to be different than usual.

Typically, courses are made significantly more difficult for major championships, yet it appears to be the same as when he won the Wells Fargo Championship last May.

“I thought it was going to feel different just because it was a major championship, and I got out on the golf course yesterday, and it felt no different than last year at the Wells Fargo,” McIlroy told the media.

“The rough is maybe a little juicier. But fairways are still the same cut lines and same visuals. It doesn’t feel that much different.

McIlroy also commented on the strategy he will try to implement at Quail Hollow, with his long driving set to be an advantage.

“No, I think it’s the same, especially with how soft it is,” he added. “I think you have to be super aggressive off the tee, and then you have to pick your spots going into the greens.

Rory McIlroy explains how wet practice rounds have affected his PGA Championship preparation

The rain at Quail Hollow was so heavy on Monday that players were not able to practice on the course.

They were allowed to practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the soft conditions were misleading. It’s going to be hot and dry during the tournament.

McIlroy shared what he’s tried to do in his practice rounds to prepare himself for when the course will be firmer than it is now.

“Yeah, I tried to hit a lot of downhill putts yesterday just to try to feel what the speed of the greens might be like towards the tournament days,” he said.

“But yeah, it’s a little different. The chip shots are reacting a touch differently. The sand is firm, so you’re probably getting a little bit more spin out of the bunkers.

“It’s probably not a true representation of what we’re going to face this week in the tournament days. It looks like it’s going to dry up, especially at the weekend.