Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC, home of this past weekend’s PGA Championship. Heavy weather was responsible for a delay of almost three-and-a-half hours on Saturday – a rare scheduling misstep. The disruption made things difficult enough that officials had to completely readapt the round’s format. In addition, they accommodated players starting from the first and tenth tees to guarantee they could finish that day.
At the halfway point in the tournament, Jhonattan Vegas was making a move. With his tee shot on the par-four first hole as his starting point, he was two shots clear of compatriot Matthieu Pavon and Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick at the top. Back on the first, Rory McIlroy started the day tied for second nine shots back. Spoiler alert: Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm put down record-setting performances. While Rahm was climbing up the leaderboard towards Vegas, DeChambeau made birdie on his opening hole and then Rahm went birdie-birdie-birdie on his second, third and fourth holes.
McIlroy’s History at Quail Hollow
It’s not just his past success at Quail Hollow where he’s come back from incredible deficits in this event that makes Rory dangerous. In 2010, he was up against a pretty intimidating challenge. He was down nine strokes heading into the weekend, but persisted and clawed his way to make the cut on the number. Despite that misstep, McIlroy roared back over the next few rounds, winning his first PGA Tour event in the process at this same place.
When McIlroy teed off to start his round on Saturday, that was the gap he needed to close. He competed in the same group as Xander Schauffele and Chris Kirk. He hoped to summon the same grit that had gotten him this far in past tournaments at Quail Hollow. The changes forced by inclement weather were a test for everyone on the field. For McIlroy, it was an opportunity to prove his mettle yet again.
Adjustments Due to Weather
Because of the weather delay, the original starting format shifted. It served to ratchet up the complexity even further on the remarkably cutthroat atmosphere of the PGA Championship. Players had to learn pretty fast to adjust to the new altered schedule and be able to keep the focus on their game. DeChambeau and Rahm took advantage of their morning tee times. They cut their deficits and became legit threats to Vegas.
Although the uncertainty brought serious concerns, players viewed the time gained by the delay as a moment to re-think strategies to their advantage. The decision to split tee times enabled competitors like McIlroy to assess their approach while waiting for conditions to improve. With a significant history at Quail Hollow, fans and analysts alike watched closely to see if McIlroy could replicate his past successes.
The Race for the Championship
Then, as Jhonattan Vegas held onto his lead and Kim Si-woo came within two shots of him, it got a little more exciting. As each player adjusted to the new facts on the ground, the pressure mounted. The spirited format combined to produce an exciting day of golf. Players went all out as they battled for the immensely sought-after championship trophy.
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