Rory McIlroy, Scheffler or DeChambeau: Best Chance at PGA Championship Glory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Although most of the world's top players are in Philadelphia for the Truist Championship, the golf world is already looking ahead to the PGA Championship. The second major of the season will be played May 15-18 at the iconic Quail Hollow course.
Several players stand out for their chances to do well at the PGA Championship, but there are three names that are not missing in any of the predictions.
Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Scottie Scheffler have been by far the best in men's professional golf this season. Let's see how they look a week before Quail Hollow:
Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau of LIV Golf and Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy of the PGA Tour pose for a photograph after The Showdown: McIlroy and Scheffler v DeChambeau and Koepka at Shadow Creek...
Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau of LIV Golf and Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy of the PGA Tour pose for a photograph after The Showdown: McIlroy and Scheffler v DeChambeau and Koepka at Shadow Creek Golf Course on December 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. More
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler
The World No. 1 had a late start to the season due to a hand injury he suffered on Christmas Day 2024 that required a trip to the operating room. This led to a different start to his exceptional 2024 season.
Despite this, Scheffler has not finished outside the top 25 in any of the nine tournaments he has played. His results have become increasingly solid, and he just won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, breaking or tying several records in the process.
This indicates that Scheffler is on an upward trajectory and should be a concern for all of his competitors. The only unknown for him is that he has only played once at Quail Hollow.
That was during the 2022 Presidents Cup where he earned just 0.5 points for his team with three losses and a draw in four matches.
Bryson DeChambeau
The LIV Golf star had an extraordinary performance in the majors last season, and he has started the current one with the same tone with a top 5 finish in the Masters Tournament.
His start to the LIV Golf season was marked by inconsistency in the final rounds, but he seems to have put that problem behind him.
Bryson DeChambeau entered three straight Sundays in no worse than second place, arriving with title hopes. He broke through his difficulties on his fourth try, winning wire-to-wire at LIV Golf Korea, his final start before the PGA Championship.
DeChambeau's record at Quail Hollow includes four starts, three of them at the Wells Fargo Championship (now the Truist Championship) with two top 10s.
He also played there in the 2017 PGA Championship, where he tied for 33rd.
Scottie Scheffler has passed Rory McIlroy as the favorite to win the PGA Championship 👀 pic.twitter.com/8HA4BCkrQM — ESPN BET (@ESPNBET) May 5, 2025
Rory McIlroy
The Northern Irishman has been the best player in all of professional golf this season with three victories, including the Masters Tournament and the Players Championship. As if that were not enough, his triumph at Augusta National made him the sixth player to win the career Grand Slam.
It is hard to overlook such a season resume when he is mentioned as one of the favorites to win the PGA Championship. Neither can the morale boost of finally winning the Masters after so many close calls.
On top of that, Rory McIlroy is arguably the most accomplished active player at Quail Hollow. The 5-time major winner has played there in 12 editions of the Wells Fargo Championship (now the Truist Championship) with four wins and five top 10s. In fact, he is the current defending champion.
McIlroy also played Quail Hollow in the 2017 PGA Championship, where he tied for 22nd.
Considering his pedigree on this course, along with the state of his game, it is hard to favor anyone over the veteran.
More Golf: Phil Mickelson Trolled for Egregious Scottie Scheffler Prediction
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