Course Record and Past Success Give Northern Irishman an Edge

Rory McIlroy is the favorite to win the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, a venue that holds many happy memories for the Northern Irishman. With four wins and the course record, McIlroy’s remarkable record at Quail Hollow suggests that he is the player to beat.

McIlroy’s success at Quail Hollow is not a coincidence. The 7,626-yard par-71 layout, designed by George Cobb and recently updated by Tom Fazio, plays to McIlroy’s strengths as a powerful driver.

“The way he drives the ball gives him a bigger advantage there,” says DP World Tour stalwart Oliver Wilson, who lives close to the North Carolina course. “Some holes become far easier when you can take the bunkers out of play with your length off the tee.”

McIlroy’s prowess with the big stick provides the bedrock for his success at Quail Hollow. He has won four times at the course, including a course-record 61 in 2015. Last year, he beat the in-form Xander Schauffele by five shots to triumph for the fourth time.

Despite hitting only 29 of 56 fairways, McIlroy’s driving distance proved to be the key to his victory.

The course record and past success are not the only reasons why McIlroy is favored to win. The weather forecast is also in his favor, with a stormy build-up expected, which will make the course softer and more forgiving.

This will put a premium on length off the tee, which suits McIlroy’s game perfectly.

As McIlroy prepares to defend his title, he is confident that he has the tools to succeed. “I feel like there’s not a place on this golf course where I haven’t hit it from and don’t have some sort of memory of what to do,” he said.

With his booming driver and a course that suits his game, McIlroy is the player to watch at the US PGA Championship.