CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The PGA Championship returns this week, bringing the strongest field in men’s golf to Quail Hollow Club — one of the longest and most challenging courses on the PGA Tour — for the season’s second major.
Fresh off his historic Masters win that completed his career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy heads into familiar territory at Quail Hollow, where he’s already claimed four victories. He now aims to become the first golfer since Jack Nicklaus in 1975 to win both the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same year.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler arrives with momentum after securing his first win of the season, while Bryson DeChambeau, now a LIV Golf standout, looks to bounce back from a disappointing final round at the Masters and chase his third career major title.
Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion, has battled a rib injury this season but remains a consistent threat. He’s the only player to finish in the top 10 in each of the last five majors. With two majors already under his belt in 2024, he could make history by winning three majors in a five-start span — a feat unmatched in the past 60 years. Quail Hollow golf & Country Club
Here’s a full breakdown of the 156-player field — from the favorites and potential winners to past champions and the 20 PGA of America club professionals competing this week.
Tier I: The Clear Favorites
Scottie Scheffler may still hold a slight edge with oddsmakers, but the spotlight is firmly on Rory McIlroy heading into the PGA Championship. After finally capturing the green jacket at the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam, McIlroy returns to Quail Hollow Club — a course he’s dominated four times and calls one of his favorites. With history on the line, he aims to become just the sixth player in the last 70 years to win the first two majors of the season. Only legends Ben Hogan (1953), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tiger Woods (2002), and Jordan Spieth (2015) have done it.
Tier II: The Contenders Who Can Win
These players have the skill, mental toughness, and recent form to make a serious run at the Wanamaker Trophy. While they may not be the outright favorites, don’t be surprised if one of them lifts the trophy on Sunday.
Xander Schauffele
The defending PGA Champion has come close at Quail Hollow before, finishing runner-up in his last two starts there — four shots behind Wyndham Clark in 2023 and five behind Rory McIlroy the year before. After recovering from a rib injury, Schauffele is steadily rounding into form. He posted solid results in recent starts, including T-12 at the Valspar Championship. Eighth at the Masters, 18th at the RBC Heritage, and 11th at the Truist Championship. With elite distance off the tee and precision with his long irons, he built for major championship golf.
Bryson DeChambeau
A proven force in major tournaments, DeChambeau has a strong history at Quail Hollow, with a solo fourth at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship and a T-9 finish in 2021. He narrowly missed out on the PGA title last year, finishing one stroke behind Schauffele at Valhalla. Now leading the LIV Golf League in driving distance (333.3-yard average), and coming off a T-5 at the Masters plus a recent win in Korea, Bryson has both the form and firepower to contend once again on a big stage.
Jordan Spieth
Like McIlroy, Jordan Spieth has a shot at completing the career Grand Slam — all he’s missing is a PGA Championship title. He already owns wins at the Masters and U.S. Open (both in 2015) and The Open (2017). After McIlroy’s historic win at Augusta, Spieth offered his congratulations at last week’s Truist Championship. McIlroy reportedly told him, “You’re next,” to which Spieth quipped, “Yeah, at Rory McIlroy Country Club,” referencing McIlroy’s dominance at Quail Hollow. Spieth has reason to be optimistic — he went a perfect 5-0-0 at the 2022 Presidents Cup held on the same course.
Tier III: If Everything Goes Right
This group includes the dark horses — players who may not be top favorites but have the talent and momentum to surprise the field. From recent tour winners to resurgent major performers, these are the names to watch if the stars align.
Sungjae Im
While Im has struggled in past PGA Championships — missing the cut in four of his last five appearances — he’s recently shown flashes of brilliance on golf’s biggest stages. He tied for seventh at the 2024 Open Championship and followed it up with a fifth-place finish at the Masters. Even more promising, he recorded top-10 finishes in his last two starts at Quail Hollow, making him a legitimate sleeper pick if he can carry that course comfort into the weekend.
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