2nd of May, 2010. More than fourteen years have passed since a young, beardless Northern Irishman achieved the first of his 25 victories on the PGA Tour. That young man, barely in his twenties, was unaware of the profound mark he would leave on the world of golf. Greater or lesser, it is still too early to say, but an indelible mark, that’s for sure. That young man named McIlroy continues to dazzle the world of golf.
This week, Rory returns to the field where it all started, the place where on that second day of May he lifted his first trophy in the American elite: Quail Hollow, precisely the venue of the sixth designated tournament of the season, the Wells Fargo Championship.
In the careers of great players in any sport, there are always great gardens where they roam freely and which adapt to their conditions like a glove. Fields that change careers and define legends. Tiger Woods, for example, has several iconic places, but perhaps Bay Hill where he has won nine times is one of his favourites, not forgetting Torrey Pines, Firestone or Augusta National.
In other sports, these relationships between a place and an athlete are also iconic. If one thinks of Wimbledon, Roger Federer immediately comes to mind and if we talk about Roland Garros then there is no need to even mention the name of the athlete in the article.
Bridging the gap and in his own way, Rory also has his own gardens. Perhaps the most notable of all is the Emirates Golf Club where the Northern Irish player has won four times on the DP World Tour. However, very close behind and almost at the same level is Quail Hollow, the venue where this week, once again, the Wells Fargo Championship is being contested.
McIlroy has triumphed there three times, which would already be irrefutable data to award him the accolade of a course designed in Rory’s style. On the PGA Tour there is only one other course where he has won as many times, East Lake.
However, the Northern Irishman’s numbers at Quail Hollow go far beyond three victories. It may be a good opportunity to break down some of the Northern Irishman’s figures at the Charlotte course:
- As a preamble, let it be said that between 2010 and 2023, there have only been two years in which Rory has not played at Quail Hollow and in both cases, due to force majeure. In 2017 the Wells Fargo was not played, but the PGA Championship was, so Rory did not miss the appointment with the course, but in 2020 the tournament was not played due to COVID and in 2022 it was played on another course because the Presidents Cup was hosted there, which Rory as a European simply has no option to play.
- In twelve participations in the North Carolina course, he has been crowned champion three times, a second place and adds eight top tens. In addition, he was 16th in 2018 and top 25 in the 2017 PGA Championship.
- Between 2010 and 2016 he only left the top 10 in 2011, which was the only time he missed the cut at Quail Hollow.
- His last victory on this course was three years ago. Last season he achieved his worst result since he missed the cut in 2011, 46th position.
- He holds the lowest cumulative record in the history of the tournament: he won in 2015 with 21 strokes under par.
- His lowest round was signed in the third round of the 2015 edition when he handed in a card of 61 strokes. This is the course record. Although perhaps his most iconic round is that 62 that helped him win his first tournament on the circuit.
- In his participations in the Wells Fargo he accumulates a total of 85 under par in a total of 42 rounds.
- In these more than 40 rounds he has only given up to the course on eleven occasions. It should be noted that since 2017 the par of the course changed from 72 strokes to 71.
- From 2010 to 2016 (par 72) Rory played 26 rounds of golf at Quail Hollow with an average of 69.46 strokes.
- Since 2018 (par 71) and in the editions of the Wells Fargo that have been contested in Charlotte he has maintained that average of 69.5 strokes.
- Interestingly, no other European has won on this course.
Now in the midst of all the political mud that surrounds the entire golf universe and after announcing that he is not welcome back on the PGA Tour Board, it is the best time for his best version to surface again: the Quail Hollow version.
Rory lands at the Wells Fargo also at a time of doubts about his game. At the Heritage he even hinted that if things do not improve with his game he could consider major changes in his swing. Apparently his doubts were dispelled with his victory two weeks ago in New Orleans, but the format and the field mean that this result has to be put on ice pending what happens at Quail Hollow this week.
A week away from the second Major of the year, what a timely occasion for the joy and joviality of that young man who amazed the world almost three decades ago, to take over the now experienced player from Hollywood. It would be a perfect combination to see him triumph again in his gardens, and who knows, if the boost he needs to win another major more than ten years later.
This is the last edition of Wells Fargo’s sponsorship of the tournament after thirteen years of uninterrupted collaboration. Surely any tournament executive would dream of a closure in which the good Rory McIlroy won his fourth crown on this course. From tomorrow, Thursday, from 5:00 p.m. peninsular time, the outcome begins.
