The Green Mile lives up to billing at Quail Hollow
The Green Mile lives up to billing at Quail Hollow
At a combined 1,246 yards – 514 yards short of its popular moniker – the Green Mile at Quail Hollow Club might not live up it to its name in distance. But the three closing holes in this year's PGA Championship still strike fear with plenty of length and even more water.
As calculated by average score over the past three Truist Championships (formerly the Wells Fargo Championship, among other names) at Quail Hollow, the closing three holes are the most difficult on the course. Come Sunday, no lead will be safe on the Green Mile.
No. 16 is a 529-yard dogleg par 4 that was rerouted by architect Tom Fazio in recent years. The hole tees off toward a lake before bending right around a menacing bunker, playing to a green perched above the water's edge. In Thursday's first round of the PGA Championship, No. 16 played to a 4.41 average with only four birdies, 50 bogeys and nine doubles or worse. It ranked as the hardest hole on the course in that round. In Thursday's marquee grouping of Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler, each player made double bogey on No. 16.
No. 17 intimidates at every angle. The 223-yard par 3 crosses the lake to a firm green with water at the front, left and back. The safe miss is to the right, but a subtle mound at the green's edge forces players who bail out to play up and over to a green that slopes away to the water. No. 17 played to a 3.37 average Thursday with 10 birdies, 52 bogeys and seven doubles or worse, making it the second-toughest hole of the round.
At 494 yards long, No. 18 features a narrow creek that ambles up the left side all the way to the green. Players must challenge the water to set up the best angle into the green – for a creek that many players could leap over, it gobbles up plenty of golf balls. And most dramatically, it plays with the mind on the tee shot and the approach. No. 18 gave up 15 birdies in Thursday's first round against 42 bogeys and 11 doubles, adding up to a 4.31 average and a relatively gentle ranking of fourth hardest hole on the course for the day.
To see everything the contenders are up against, check out this video of the Green Mile at Quail Hollow.
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