Damien Kayat previews the Wells Fargo Championship which takes place at Quail Hollow between 3 May and 6 May.
The PGA Tour returns to Quail Hollow following last year’s PGA Championship, which saw the event moved temporarily to Wilmington. The Wells Fargo debuted in 2003 as the Wachovia Championship, and was called the Quail Hollow Championship in 2009 and 2010.
Quail Hollow is one of the most respected courses on tour and welcomes the return of Tiger Woods, post-Masters. Designed by George Cobb, this course was opened 57 years ago, and played hosts to PGA Tour events as early as 1969 with the Kemper Open.
Wells Fargo Championship | 3 May – 6 May | Quail Hollow, North Carolina
The tree-lined, parkland course has undergone various changes over the course of the years. It underwent a particularly exacting renovation under the guise of Tom Fazio recently, which perhaps mitigated some of the tighter fairways. It still is a challenging driving course, with a plethora of bunkers and few water hazards. At over 7,500 yards long it will clearly favour those with some strength from the tee- just look at recent winners such as Rory and J.B Homes. The 2014 renewal also saw a switch from Bentgrass to Bermuda greens.
Two-time former champion Rory McIlroy leads a field that includes 12 of the world’s top 20 ranked players. Justin Thomas and Ricky Fowler have also won at this golf course, while the lingering presence of Tiger Woods cannot be discounted. Masters champion Patrick Reed is in attendance, as are the likes of Jason Day and Phil Mickelson. Some top players are playing it cautious ahead of next week’s Players Championship, but this should still be a stellar event with many of the world’s top players in attendance.
To Win Outright
Rory McIlroy 8/1 | Justin Thomas 10/1 | Rickie Fowler 10/1 | Jason Day 18/1 | Phil Mickelson 18/1 | Patrick Reed 20/1
Past Winners
2017: Brian Harman (-10)
2016: James Hahn (-9)*playoff
2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)
2014: J.B Holmes (-14)
2013: Derek Ernst (-8)*playoff
Louis Oosthuizen- To Win 28/1, To Place 6/1
Quail Hollow is a course that seems to reward Major Champions- even the less fancied ones. Both David Toms and Lucas Glover have won here following surprise Major Championships. Louis Oosthuizen may not quite win enough to be a steady backer, but his form in Major Championships is commendable. The 2010 Open Champion completed his Grand Slam of second place finishes at Quail Hollow last year, despite issues with his arm. He finished third alongside Charl Schwartzel in New Orleans, which was hot off the heels of a T12th at Augusta. He also sits seventh on tour in strokes gained tee to green, which bodes well for this driving heavy course.
Webb Simpson- To Win 33/1, To Place 7/1
Speaking of surprise Major Champions, Webb Simpson comes into this event in perhaps the best form of his life. The North Carolina native has three top five finishes this season, which included a T5 at the Heritage in his last outing. He also boasts strong course form, with a fourth place in 2012 followed by a second in 2015. He struggled over the last few years in the wake of the long putter ban, but he seems to have finally found some traction with his short game.
Tony Finau- To Win 50/1, To Place 11/1
The long hitting Finau has fast become one of the more consistent players on tour, without breaking through for that second win that would shorten his prices considerably in a week such as this. 50/1 looks very attractive for a man who has twice finished runner-up on the Tour this year. He finished in a very respectable 10th at Augusta, and finishes here before of 16th and 28th show potential. His driving distance and ability to decimate Par 5 scoring could make him a very strong contender this week.
The Man to Beat- Rory McIlroy- To Win 8/1, To Place 7/4
Rory McIlroy is the man to beat in the upper reaches of the betting markets. He will be doubly determined to add to his tally of two Quail Hollow victories after so memorably fluffing his lines in the Final Round at Augusta. His last two stroke-play events show figures of 1-5, with that victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational followed by the disappointment of Augusta. Not only has Rory won here in 2010 and 2015, he would have won a third time had Ricky Fowler not finished so memorably in 2012. He also has a fourth place post-redesign in 2016. He also managed a commendable 22nd in last year’s PGA Championship, though he was fighting his way through injury.
Written by Damien Kayat for @Hollywoodbets.net
