In the eyes of many, the PGA Tour season will only be properly up and running when the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have made their first appearances of the year.
Of course, Scottie Scheffler was meant to be in the field for The Sentry. However, a hand injury sustained on Christmas Day has meant that the world number one had to undergo surgery. Footage of Scheffler working in the gym with his hand wrapped up has been posted this week.
Rory McIlroy meanwhile, showed some bright signs this past week at the Dubai Desert Classic. The Northern Irishman can take plenty of positives from his tied fourth finish considering that parts of his game looked a little rusty across the course of the week.
McIlroy definitely has a point to prove in 2025 as his wait for a fifth major continues. The 35-year-old has reached such a level where he can win four times in a calendar year and there still be a debate over whether he had a good season or not.
The event Rory McIlroy will be the favourite for ahead of Scottie Scheffle
But beating Scheffler is going to be a tough task for anyone if he is able to pick up where he left off in 2024. The two-time Masters champion won nine times worldwide during the year. And it was ominous how he powered through the gears in the final round of the Hero World Challenge to win by six in December.
However, there is one tournament where McIlroy has been backed to win ahead of Scheffler. This year’s PGA Championship will take place at Quail Hollow – a course McIlroy has won on four times previously. And with that, Taylor Zarzour has told Golf Channel that the European has the edge in his mind.
“Everybody talks about Scottie Scheffler being the favourite in every tournament he enters. If there’s one tournament on earth this year where Scottie Scheffler will not be the favourite, it is right here in Charlotte, North Carolina 10 minutes from where I’m sitting right now at Quail Hollow Club,” he said.
“By the way, they’ve lengthened the ninth hole, a par four. It’s a very long par four. It was used as the 18th hole in the Presidents Cup a couple of years ago. And I showed it to Rory a few months ago and he said, ‘what are you guys trying to do to me?’ I said, ‘Rory, ‘we’re lengthening the hole, which means that you are the only person that is going to have the chance to hit the middle of the fairway there and get on the green in two’. He has taken advantage of Johnny Harris’ lengthening of that golf course in recent years, and I am totally with you, I think he’ll be the favourite in that event.”
How McIlroy has dominated Quail Hollow over the years
McIlroy’s record at Quail Hollow is absolutely outstanding. As mentioned, he has won the PGA Tour event at the course on four occasions – including his first ever win on the tour back in 2010. It is no surprise that others expect McIlroy to win the PGA Championship this year.
He has played the event now known as the Truist Championship 13 times, only missing the cut back in 2011. Two of the events he did not win came when the event was played away from Quail Hollow. So that is four victories in 11 appearances at the course.
| Year Rory McIlroy won at Quail Hollow | Winning margin |
| 2010 | Four shots |
| 2015 | Seven shots |
| 2021 | One shot |
| 2024 | Five shots |
He did finish tied for 22nd when the PGA Championship was played at Quail Hollow in 2017. But McIlroy has played so well in the majors since without winning, so it really feels like he may indeed not have a better opportunity.
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