Xander Schauffele has noticed one significant change to Quail Hollow ahead of the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
A stacked field, including Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, has descended on Charlotte for the signature event in a bid to fine-tune their game ahead of the PGA Championship at Valhalla.
One noticeable absentee from the Wells Fargo is world number one Scottie Scheffler, who is still waiting on the birth of his first child.
With the 27-year-old absent, the Quail Hollow event remains relatively open. McIlroy, after his win at the Zurich Classic, stands a good chance. But, the likes of Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Max Homa could also contend.
Xander Schauffele says there’s something very different about Quail Hollow this year
Seven-time PGA Tour event winner Schauffele has been in good form since the turn of the year, with a second-place finish at The Players Championship particularly eye-catching.
A top-ten finish at Augusta also provides reason to be optimistic heading into the second major of the year at Valhalla. Another impressive finish at the Wells Fargo could stand him in good stead next week.
Ahead of the signature PGA Tour event, Schauffele sat down with the media and highlighted one big difference he’s noticed at Quail Hollow compared to previous years.
He explained: “It’s a big boy golf course, Championship style. I’ve played it with Overseed and Bermuda, and it plays very differently both times. This week, with the rain, the fairways seem to be a lot softer than they normally are.
“Usually, your ball is bounding out into the bunkers and into the right rough, and then you’d have to gauge it into the greens that are typically firm. It’s a fun course to play, and you have to execute shots throughout the entirety of the tournament.”
Wells Fargo Championship should highlight who is in-form ahead of the PGA
This week’s event is important. Someone other than Scheffler will take the title, which could underline who’s going to compete with the 2024 Masters winner at Valhalla.
A positive week from McIlroy will raise excitement levels. The Northern Irishman seemed to enjoy his Zurich Classic win alongside Shane Lowry. If the 34-year-old can return to peak performance, he’s more than capable of giving Scheffler something to think about.
Schauffele’s form also needs to be considered. The American has been incredibly solid this season and nearly landed The Players Championship.
As for the LIV Golf contingent, looking past Brooks Koepka would be foolish. The big-hitting American secured his first win of the season in Singapore, and the five-time major champion looks in ominous form.
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