Preview: Quail Hollow Championship

The PGA Tour heads to Charlotte, North Carolina this week for the Quail Hollow Championship. Anthony Kim secured his first win in last year’s tournament, but he’ll have to get past some of the world’s best if he’s to defend the title.

Anthony Kim
Fergus Bisset
By Fergus Bisset
published

Lowdown: An impressive field has gathered to contest the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. World Number 1 Tiger Woods won this tournament back in 2007 but was unable to defend his title last season due to injury. He’s back this year and will be trying to notch up his 67th PGA Tour victory. In fact, seven of the top-10 players on the Official World Ranking will tee it up at Quail Hollow. Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington will be flying the flag for Europe though Robert Karlsson and Ian Poulter are also on the start sheet. Founded by James J. Harris in 1959, Quail Hollow is a private member’s club, but it has been host to this tournament since 2003. There’s been an illustrious line of winners in the event, formerly known as the Wachovia Championships. David Toms came out on top in 2003 and, since then, Joey Sindelar, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods and Anthony Kim have been victorious.

Venue: Quail Hollow Club, North Carolina Date: April 29 – May 3 Course stats: par 72, 7,442 yards Purse: $6,400,000 Winner: $1,152,000 Defending champion: Anthony Kim (-16) TV coverage: Thursday 30th – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Friday 1st – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Saturday 2nd - Live on Setanta Golf from 6pm Sunday 3rd - Live on Setanta Golf from 6pm

Player watch: Tiger Woods – He’s finished inside the top-10 in every strokeplay event he’s contested since returning from injury, including a victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He knows how to win round this course and will be aiming for nothing less. Phil Mickelson – He thoroughly enjoyed coming out on top in his tussle with Tiger at Augusta. He’ll be hoping to do the same again here and close the gap at the top of the World Ranking. Geoff Ogilvy – The Australian always seems to raise his game when the top players gather for a tournament. He clearly enjoys beating the best.

Key hole: 17th. A par-3 of 217 yards where the ball must be carried all the way to the green over water. When the pressure is on, this hole is bound to produce some drama. Skills required: Playing the par-5s. It’s imperative here to make the most of the four par-5s on the course. It’s a tough layout and there are few “gimme” birdies out there. The winner will play the long holes well and pick up some shots.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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