The PGA Championship faces refunding thousands of fans who were hoping to see players prepare for this week’s tournament. Heavy rain meant spectators were banned from entering the Quail Hollow course on Monday and the weather could cause further issues when the second Major tournament of the year gets underway later in the week.
Those with tickets to watch players prepare for the tournament were not allowed on the course. A particularly heavy deluge around midday meant players were unable to play. Fans have been told that they can request a refund or use their ticket to gain access on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, a tournament weather report says the rain could continue over the next two days, putting players’ practice in jeopardy.
That could spell bad news for the likes of Rory McIlroy and his rivals. However, the Northern Irishman may not need to acclimatise himself to the Quail Hollow course.
The course was the venue for his first PGA Championship. McIlroy has won five times at Quail Hollow and the potentially damp conditions may suit his game.
Drier conditions are expected for the opening round on Thursday. Like the Masters, Quail Hollow has a SubAir system that is supposed to pull moisture from fairways and greens, although it will be tested to the extreme over the coming days.
McIlroy will hope to win his second Major of the year. The 36-year-old finished tied for seventh at the Truist Championship over the weekend.
He said afterwards: “I think I’m in a good place. I didn’t feel like I played all that well this week, I still finished seventh. Even my – what I feel is my bad golf, I’m still there or thereabouts. A couple little improvements and little tweaks, especially going to a place I love like Quail Hollow, and I feel like I’m in a really good spot.
“This week was a great indication of where my game is and what I need to think about and what I need to work on going into next week. I think I would have hit more fairways if it had been tree-lined.
“Overall, I felt like I got a little better as the week went on. … I wish I’d made a few more birdies. I’ve got a better gauge of where my game is standing here right now than I did at the start of the week. It was a good week for that.
“I wish I had gotten myself into contention a little bit more, but it was a good week, especially looking ahead to next week.”
