Charlotte (AFP) – Heavy rain soaked Quail Hollow for the second consecutive day on Monday, limiting what players could accomplish on the first official practice day for the 107th PGA Championship. Up to two inches of rain were expected with more showers due Tuesday and Wednesday, but forecasts clear for Thursday, when an elite field of 156 golfers tees off.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion coming off his first win of the year at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson two weeks ago, and second-ranked Rory McIlroy, a five-time major winner who completed a career Grand Slam by winning last month’s Masters, are most fancied by oddsmakers. Scheffler, who missed the start of the season with a right hand injury, matched a PGA 72-hole low scoring total in his Texas win and could continue a run of nine straight triumphs by US players at the PGA Championship.
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“I feel like my game is trending in a good direction,” Scheffler said. “I’m excited to start the rest of the season.” McIlroy, who hadn’t won a major title since 2014 until taking the green jacket, is a four-time winner at Quail Hollow and known for strong play on wet courses, famously dominating at softened Congressional Country Club in a 2011 US Open win.
“I think I’m in a good place,” McIlroy said. “A couple little improvements and little tweaks, especially going to a place I love like Quail Hollow, and I feel like I’m in a really good spot.” The Northern Ireland star, who has also won the Players and Pebble Beach titles this year, has tried to reset after his emotional Masters victory, sharing seventh last week in defending his PGA Truist Championship crown in his first solo event as Masters champion.
“Not that I’m leaving it in the rearview mirror, but I’ve got a lot of golf still left to play this year. I want to really try to focus on that,” McIlroy said. “If my challenge is to try to focus on the present and not think about a dream come true a few weeks ago, then that’s a pretty good challenge to have.” McIlroy credits his success this season to using all facets of his game when needed and not overly relying on a specific aspect such as sharp putting or booming tee shots.
“Even when I feel like I haven’t played my best, I find a way. That’s when I talk about being a more complete golfer,” McIlroy said. “If one part of my game isn’t on, then I can maybe lean into another part. I think that has been a big key to this consistent run.”
– ‘Very driven’ –
Ireland’s Shane Lowry says the Masters win will always lift his pal as he tries to boost his career major trophy haul. “I’m sure Rory has won enough times, enough big tournaments to reset his goals and move on,” Lowry said. “You try to put it behind you, but it’s such a big win. When you have tough days, it’s kind of there in the back of your head that you’ve achieved something great. I keep saying to him, no matter what he does now, it doesn’t matter, but he’s a very driven individual.”
Defending champion Xander Schauffele took last year’s crown at Valhalla and also lifted the Claret Jug at the British Open, but the world number three hasn’t won since his major double. “I feel like I’m putting nice building blocks together to get me back to a place where I feel like I can win every week,” Schauffele said.
Jordan Spieth, a three-time major winner, has four top-20 finishes in his past five PGA starts as he seeks a win to complete a career Grand Slam. There are 15 LIV Golf players in the field of 156, including reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, and two-time major winner Jon Rahm of Spain.
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