The PGA Tour moves from Texas to North Carolina for the 21st edition of the Wells Fargo Championship.
Contested at famed Quail Hollow Club, the elite field will be headlined by three-time Fargo champion Rory McIlroy, who enters off a team win at the Zurich Classic.
McIlroy will be joined by several former Wells Fargo winners such as Wyndham Clark (2023), Max Homa (2019, 2022), Jason Day (2018), Brian Harman (2017), Rickie Fowler (2012), and Lucas Glover (2011).
Other marquee names include Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, among others.
As we do each week, what follows is a round-up of information and historical data to get you prepped for a weekend of golf in Charlotte.
2023 Wells Fargo Championship
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PGA Tour: At-a-Glance
Name: Wells Fargo Championship
Title Sponsor: Wells Fargo
Tour Debut: 2003
Original Name: Wachovia Championship
Dates:Â May 9-12, 2024
Where: Charlotte, NC
Course:Â Quail Hollow Club
Architect: George Cobb
Distance: Par 71, 7558 yards
Format: 72-holes, Stroke play
Field: 70 Players (no cut)
Purse: $20,000,000
Winning Share: $3,600,000
FedExCup/OWGR Pts: 700/61
Defending Champion:Â Wyndham Clark
How to Follow the Wells Fargo Championship
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 2-6 p.m. (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 1-3 p.m. (GOLF), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
PGA TOUR LIVE: Thu-Fri: 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+); Sat-Sun: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Watch on ESPN+
PGA TOUR RADIO: Thu-Fri: 12-6 p.m.; Sat-Sun: 1-6 p.m.
(PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio)
LINKS: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Wells Fargo Championship History
The Wells Fargo Championship is a relatively young tournament, with the inaugural tournament (then called the Wachovia Championship) teeing off in 2003.
Traditionally held in early May as part of the Tour’s swing through the southeastern states that are contested between the Masters and the U.S. Open, the first event winner was David Toms, who at 10-under par, won by two shots. Each of the next three editions were decided in overtime.
Notable champions include Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day and Max Homa.
McIlroy is the only three-time winner – taking the 2010, 2015 and 2021 titles. In that 2010 victory, McIlroy made the cut on the number and then exploded on the weekend, shooting 66-62 to win by four strokes over Phil Mickelson (watch).
History: Tournament Names
- Wells Fargo Championship (2011-24)
- Quail Hollow Championship (2009-10)
- Wachovia Championship (2003-08)
History: Recent Winners
2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
2022: Max Homa (-8)
2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
2020: Canceled COVID (-19)
2019: Max Homa (-15)
2018: Jason Day (-12)
2017: Brian Harman (-10)
2016: James Hahn (-9)
2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)
2014: J.B. Holmes (-14)
2013: Derek Ernst (-8)
2012: Rickie Fowler (-14)
History: Tournament Records
Wins:
3 – Rory McIlroy (2021, 2015, 2010)
Scoring:
265 – Wyndham Clark (2023)
-21 – Rory McIlroy (2015)
Wells Fargo Championship Field
As an elevated event on the PGA Tour, the field at Quail Hollow includes all the tour’s top stars, headlined by three-time Fargo champion Rory McIlroy, who sits No. 2 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
The 35-year-old superstar enters in suspect form, though, with just one top-10 finish on the season (T3 at the Valero).
World No. 7 Viktor Hovland enters Charlotte in even more suspect form, still in search of his first top-10 of the year (it’s May!). The Norwegian star enters off three especially poor results: MC-Masters, T62-The Players, and T36-Arnold Palmer.
Onn the opposite end of the spectrum is Hideki Matsuyama, who is enjoying something of an under-the-radar stellar season, with six top-25 finishes, headlined by a win (at Riviera) and two additional top-10s – all three coming in his five most recent starts.
Wyndham Clark has been hot or mediocre all season. In 10 starts in 2024, the defending Wells Fargo champ has finished inside the top 3 four times, including a win and two runner-up finishes. The six other finishes were all outside the top 25.
Another player running hot and cold is Patrick Cantlay, who’s posted four top-12 finishes, alongside three other results outside the top 50.
Xander Schauffele, Cantlay’s partner in team events, enters in very strong form, though, with four top-10s in his six most recent starts, including three top-5s.
Brian Harman, who won here in 2017, is another player with a hot and cold resume in 2024. In his last five starts, Harman has gone T2, MC, T25, MC, T12.
Another top name teeing it up this week is Collin Morikawa. The 25-year-old Californian started the season with a T5 at Kapalua, but then posted seven-straight mediocre-to-poor finishes. He enters, though, off two consecutive top-10s, including a T3 at the Masters.
Jordan Spieth, who only needs a win at next week’s PGA to complete the career grand slam, is another superstar struggling in 2024. The 30-year-old Texan has four missed-cuts in his last six starts.
Two-time champion Max Homa is another marquee name who will tee it up on Thursday in shaky form. The 33-year-old California native has just two top-10s in his 10 starts of 2024.
World No. 29 (gulp!) Justin Thomas won the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow but is another of the PGA Tour’s marquee names in shaky form. The two-time PGA winner has missed the cut in three of his last six starts. Although, he does enter off a T5 at the Heritage.
This year’s field also includes 2012 Wells Fargo winner Rickie Fowler, who busted out of his career-changing slump in 2023 but has returned to suspect form in 2024. In 11 starts this year, Fowler owns just one top-25 result (T18 at the Heritage).
Other marquee names include Tommy Fleetwood, Sahith Theegala, Cameron Young, Will Zalatoris, Sam Burns, Jason Day and Tom Kim.
Top-10 Betting Favorites
1. Rory McIlroy (8-1)
2. Xander Schauffele (9-1)
3. Wyndham Clark (14-1)
4. Max Homa (18-1)
4. Patrick Cantlay (18-1)
6. Cam Young (25-1)
6. Collin Morikawa (25-1)
6. Justin Thomas (25-1)
6. Sahith Theegala (25-1)
10. Tommy Fleetwood (28-1)
Full Field & Odds
Carey Hoffman contributed to this report.
