As the 107th PGA Championship gets underway at Quail Hollow, the Elias Sports Bureau has assembled an extensive list of compelling facts that shed light on the tournament’s past, present, and potential results. From historical milestones to little-known records, these insights offer a deeper look at one of golf’s premier events. Here are nine interesting facts ahead of the PGA Championship, opening with a four-pack on the newest career grand slam champion, Rory McIlroy.
- Rory McIlroy has three wins in eight starts this season (since January 1st). That is a higher winning percentage (.375) than the White Sox, Pirates and Rockies in Major League Baseball (as of Monday 5/11)
- McIlroy will attempt to start 2025 by winning the first two major championships of the year. Over the last 70 years, only five golfers have been able to pull that off: Ben Hogan (1953), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tiger Woods (2002) and Jordan Spieth (2015). Spieth winning the 2015 Masters and U.S. Open also marks the last time that a player won consecutive majors, regardless of time of year.
- Rory McIlroy has won the Truist Championship (previously known as Wells Fargo Championship and the Quail Hollow Championship) four times at Quail Hollow Club (2010, 2015, 2021 and 2024). That is the highest win total at any PGA TOUR venue since 2010, ahead of Bubba Watson (three wins at Riviera CC and three wins at River Highlands GC); and McIlroy, himself, at East Lake GC (three wins).
- Here are the players in this week’s field with the best career scoring averages at the Wells Fargo Championship in the years it was played at Quail Hollow Club (2003-2024, except for 2017 and 2022): Rory McIlroy (69.33, 46 rounds), Xander Schauffele (69.63, 16 rounds), Jason Day (70.08, 24 rounds), Keith Mitchell (70.19, 16 rounds) and Max Homa (70.29, 17 rounds). Minimum: 10 rounds
READ MORE: Golf's Newest Lionized Legend Rory McIlroy Stands Alone at Quail Hollow
Two facts on two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas, who won the lone previous PGA Championship held at Quail Hollow in 2017.
- Justin Thomas is in pursuit of this third Wannamaker Trophy, and the second such at Quail Hollow Club. Excluding Augusta National GC, only three players have ever won multiple major championships at one American venue: Willie Anderson (1901 and 1905 U.S. Opens at Myopia Hunt Club), Jack Nicklaus (1967 and 1980 U.S. Opens at Baltusrol GC) and Tiger Woods (1999 and 2006 PGA Championships at Medinah CC).
- Justin Thomas won the 2017 PGA Championship despite shooting 73 (+2) in the first round. It is one of only two instances since 1990 in which the eventual PGA Championship winner shot two-over-par or worse in the first round. Brooks Koepka shot 72 (+2) in the first round at Oak Hill in 2023.
Trying to guess a winner for PGA Championship fantasy? These two trends stand out.
- Each of the last nine PGA Championships were won by Americans, starting in 2016 (Jimmy Walker, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka (back to back), Collin Morikawa, Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Brooks Keopka and Xander Schauffele). It is the longest such streak at this championship since a 10-year run from 1980 through 1989. The last non-American to win this title was Australian Jason Day in 2015 at Whistling Straits.
- Each of the last eight PGA Championships was won by a player who today has multiple major championships on his resume: Justin Thomas (2017, two majors), Brooks Koepka (2018, 2019, five majors), Collin Morikawa (two majors), Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, and Xander Schauffele (two majors).
READ MORE: An Inside Look at Xander Schauffele's PGA Championship Win With Caddie Austin Kaiser
And a closing fact involving the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
- Earlier this season, Justin Thomas shot 62 in the second round of THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP and 61 in the first round of the RBC Heritage. The only other player with more than one round of 62 or better this season is Scottie Scheffler (62 in the second round of the Houston Open and 61 in the first round of the CJ Cup – Byron Nelson, which he went on to win).
