There's a Clear Favorite at Quail Hollow's Truist Championship. Here's Why We Like Him.

There's a Clear Favorite at Quail Hollow's Truist Championship. Here's Why We Like Him.

McIlroy has won nearly 30% of his starts at Quail Hollow and is gaining 2.58 strokes per round at the venue. That is, by far, the best of anyone who has played at least five times in Charlotte.

The friendly confines of Quail Hollow will once again host the Truist Championship. Remember, this event was played at Philadelphia Cricket Club last year because Quail Hollow hosted the PGA Championship. So despite the swap in tournaments, we still have an excellent history at Quail Hollow, with an event being played there every year in recent memory.

This is a big-boy golf course that rewards distance, and it rewards it differently than what we saw last week in Miami. There are a handful of spots at Quail Hollow where carrying the ball about 315 yards in the air is a massive advantage. It’ll allow players to completely remove the trouble off the tee, and fairways widen for the longest of hitters. That’s also why the course history here is rather “sticky,” meaning players have consistent results year over year.

Winner: Rory McIlroy (+600)

Expect anything different? McIlroy has won nearly 30% of his starts at Quail Hollow and is gaining 2.58 strokes per round at the venue. That is, by far, the best of anyone who has played at least five times in Charlotte. It’s also the TOUR venue where McIlroy has the best record, making him an elite course horse for this week.

It also helps that he will enter the week off his Masters victory, where he was elite in every facet of the game. The Northern Irishman is getting warmed up for a summer run, and this is the best place for him to stretch his legs.

Winner: Xander Schauffele (+1250)

It’s been a frustrating time as an outright backer of Schauffele because he’s been on the verge of breaking through seemingly all season. He’ll enter this week with four straight top-12 finishes, all in the game’s biggest events. He often looks on top of his game before making one or two silly mistakes and playing himself out of the tournament.

If there was a place for everything to click, it just might be Quail Hollow, where Schauffele has gained 1.55 strokes per round in his 22 career rounds. That includes two runner-up finishes, and it’s a venue that should reward his elite ball-striking ability.