We know all about the big names who are expected to do well at the PGA Championship, led by Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, but what about some players who could struggle this week? Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina is not an easy golf course and there are some players who figure to have trouble. Let’s take a look at the Top 5 Players to Fade at the PGA Championship that begins on Thursday.
Top 5 Players to Fade
Si Woo Kim
How in the world did Kim win the PLAYERS? That result was a complete shock, as he has been awful all season except for that one tournament. He has missed the cut 11 times this season and he withdrew another three times. His stats are simply awful, as he is 128th in driving distance, 158th in accuracy, 196th in greens in regulation, etc., etc. He didn’t make the cut last year at the Wells Fargo, so he has no affinity for Quail Hollow. He is a definitely go-against this week, as he is unlikely to make the cut.
Jason Day
I don’t know what has happened to Day who was ranked No. 1 in the world last year. He simply is not the same player. He has only one really good finish since mid-February. In his last four tournaments, he missed the cut at the U.S. Open, missed the cut at the Travelers, tied for 27th at the Open and tied for 24th at the Bridgestone. There is nothing in his recent form to indicate he is going to turn things around this week.
Kevin Chappell
You never know what you are going to get with Chappell, as he is capable of winning or just as capable of missing the cut. He has two top 10 finishes and two missed cuts in his last four events. I don’t think his stats line up well for Quail Hollow, as he is 122nd in driving percentage and 95th in greens in regulation. I think he is a go-against this week.
Jimmy Walker
I know that Walker is the defending PGA champion but last year’s tournament was at Baltusrol and this year it is at Quail Hollow. In his last six tournaments, the best finish for Walker is a tie for 18th and he has missed two cuts. His overall stats are poor, as he ranked outside of the Top 100 in driving accuracy, greens in regulation, eagles, birdie average and scoring average. He isn’t anything special in driving distance either at 52nd. He also has to face the added distraction of being the defending champion. I am not even sure he will make the cut based on the way he has played in recent weeks.
Ernie Els
The “Big Easy” played much better than expected at the Open but he figures to struggle at Quail Hollow where distance is critical. Els is 166th in driving distance, 168th in driving accuracy, 201st in greens in regulation and 200th in birdie average. Ernie simply doesn’t have the game any longer to do well at a long difficult course like Quail Hollow and he should struggle this week.
Handicapping Notes
Quail Hollow has been changed to a par 71 that is extremely long, as it measures 7,600 yards. The first hole is now a beast at 524 yards and it is a par 4. The course was also changed from Bentgrass to Bermuda after the 2013 Wells Fargo.
With a course this long, length is going to be critical. We can go also go back and look at last year’s Wells Fargo Championship to see who did well and who struggled. Of the top 10 on the leaderboard, nine ranked in the top 25 in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
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