2025 PGA Championship - Quail Hollow

So the players travel to Charlotte this week, to Quail Hollow, but not for the Wells Fargo, but for a re-run of the 2017 PGA Championship, and the 2nd Major of the year. Quail would be an iconic Major championship venue, if it wasn't for the fact we see it every year on tour, so like Pebble Beach, the mystique isn't quite the same. This will not be the Quail many of these young guns are accustomed to though, as biblical rough of up to 5 inches, will protect the ridiculously tight fairways, but the 156 competitors will be relieved (many of them anyway) that Thunderstorms and rain showers will take some of the predicted fire out of the elevated greens, if they got this place fiery we could see only 4 or 5 players under par at the finish. A stern test it still will be though, and a range of dog legs, run offs, driveable par 4s and reachable 5s will yield eagles, birdies, pars bogeys, doubles and others, the scoring range will be off the charts, but the par 4s are absolutely brutal. In 2017 not many were able to put 4 solid rounds together, and let's hope it isn't so soft, so that it becomes a survival of the fittest. It's long, it's narrow, it requires shot shaping, high ball flights and great driving for 4 days and at the top of the market the 3 main protagonists in Scheffler, Mcilroy and DeChambeau are a cut above on all known form. They all hit it high and handsome and far less wide than most. Niemann is coming in here with a shit ton of form from LIV but he doesn't hit it high enough, Xander has great form here but is he quite there yet after the wrist injury? Rahm has the game but at 20s the bookies can rahm him where the sun don't shine and JT is the 2017 PGA champ from the last visit here, with form, but at 16s he's just no value. As usual, and especially with the top 3 being so hard to displace, we are looking in the middle of the market, and some true shithouse thievery is up for the taking.

Quail measures 7626 yards and at a par 71 some of the qualifying tour pros are going to be hitting a lot of fairway woods this week, and some players will not be able to reach some of the par 4s. It's a young man's course these days and we go 7 strong into the week, with all players under 40 and all able to move that rock far and high.

First up we are taking a punt on a guy who would traditionally have been 33s and under for an event like this, but putting woes have blunted his last 18 months. TONY FINAU has the game, the ball flight, the imagination and the talent to win any tournament and whilst others flail here, he may not find his putter is leaving him too far behind. Nothing suits a poor putter than seeing his playing partners make very few birdies, and if he can be in the top 50 in putting until Sunday I love his place chances. The price is crazy but as mentioned his putting does come with a hazardous goods sign, At 110/1 with Bet365 8 places though he is worth anyone's dollar and we go 2pts e/w on big Tone.

Next up, another HUGE price, and would you believe a 2 time winner at Quail. MAX HOMA is also in the doldrums, or at least he has been. I love Max, he has a great personality, and I'm sure his wife is a great person.......HOWEVER, since she went onto his bag caddying his performances have been rancid. He has stunk the tour out now for almost 2 years, but after 5 missed cuts in a row he finished 12th at Augusta, a place he was not known for playing well (yes I know he finished 3rd the year before). The real reason for his upturn in form only he knows, but as a blog writer and someone who likes to just talk shit, the fact his Mrs is up stick with child no2, and therefore not carrying his bag has to be the reason. Why a man would want his wife caddying for him I do not know, and why when you're knocking a fucking mortgage out and a couple of Ferrari's god only knows! A decent week last week, Max will again feel some comfort that 100 of the field will not be good enough to play here, and not needing to make a host of birdies will mean he can remain patient and play his way into the week. Course form and all the above I love his price, and we are 2pts at 110/1 but with Paddy Power who are 10 places.

Next up we are into the more tangible winners list, and another player who has been out of form, but has shown obvious returns, is a course specialist, PGA Champs specialist and ball striker extraordinaire VIKTOR HOVLAND. 3rd last year, 2nd the year before, Vik is the profile of a PGA tour winner, The too good not to win one tag is often shaken at this event, and after winning the Valspar in March from absolutely nowhere, Vik and that pull fade is back baby. Luke Donald must be creaming his knickers at the thought of Vik being on form again. He followed that win with a 21st at the Masters, 13 at the RBC Heritage and despite an off week last week, on a course he wasn't familiar with, he comes to Quail in a good head space. A 3rd place finish on debut here in 2021, he is superb value at 40/1 with Bet365 and we go 6pts e/w 8 places.

It's a LIV player next and although their current form lines do have some meaning, and he has quite a few top 10s (in their shit events nobody watches) to date in 2025, PATRICK REED will play well here. He doesn't hit it high, he isn't long, but he probably has the best short game in golf, he hits lots of fairways and he knows how to play majors. The real worry, is that he is so unpopular (and with good reason) that you may not see him hit a shot this week. That is quite off putting but at 66/1 with Bet365 I can't not back him and we are 4pts ew on him.

Now 2 of our last 3 players to be picked are both regulars on this blog. One is insane and could easily withdraw, and the other is an arsehole. Close your eyes and picture the one golfer in world golf who I would pay to kick in the bollocks. That one golfer who has been on the blog so often and mugged me off I lay awake at night wondering if I can sue him. That one golfer who managed to lose to Peter fucking Malnati in a shoot out in Florida. If you haven't guessed it by now, you are new to the blog, but that arsehole CAMERON YOUNG has done me a kipper again. He somehow decided he was shit at golf because he was fat, so decided to lose way too much weight, thus change his swing plane and then contend in absolutely nothing all year. Then, on the eve of a return to Quail, a place that is just perfect for him, he plays well. This shithead hits the ball off a tee peg as well as anyone in golf barring Rory. Quail just fits his eye, he's a huge price and I'm actually putting him up for a major, and at 110/1 with paddy power I'm 2pts ew on him, sorry, not sorry.

We move onto the last leg of our selections, with that vile taste in our throats. WYNDHAM CLARK is hardly the best palette cleanser imaginable, but he has won here, he hits it long, high and miles, and if his psychiatrist is travelling with him this week he could win. If she doesn't we're fucked and I just hope he's gonna be ok. I joke about his mental health, but in gallows humour only, he does struggle bless him, and wise cracking aside I hope he is in a great place for him, and if he is, then he is an astronomical price here. 100/1 with Bet365 is ludicrous. We'll know by friday night if it's a sound investment but we go 3pts ew.

One final hail mary, well I say that, but our last point ew goes on a wild pick and a huge outsider. This event can often make a star out of someone. 2 years ago it was Michael Block, but sometimes it can be the making of a superstar. Well in MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN a star will rise sometime and it will be soon. Whether it is this week or not remains to be seen, but he is 5th on tour driving distance, 35th in strokes gained off the tee and maybe the time is now. At 300/1 with Bet365 I'm willing to invest and our final 1pt ew on him, 8 places sees us complete the line up, this lad was a superstar in college, let's hope he isn't the next Patrick Rogers.

Enjoy the week and the weekend, and let's hope they can fire the place up and let us watch them suffer.

TEWT