Mastering the PGA Championship: Tips for Contest Picks

The PGA Championship returns to Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, and with it comes one of the most demanding setups in major championship golf. If you’re building entries in Splash Sports Tiers or One & Done formats, now’s the time to fine-tune your contest strategy based on course fit, player usage, and format nuance—especially as the major season kicks into full gear.

Let’s break down what matters most this week.

Quail Hollow Rewards Power, Ball-Striking, and Patience

Originally redesigned by Tom Fazio for the 2017 PGA Championship, Quail Hollow stretches over 7,500 yards and plays as a long, punishing par-71. The routing is unique—players open with three par 4s, face back-to-back par 5s midway through the front nine, and then finish with the Green Mile: holes 16, 17, and 18, arguably one of the hardest closing stretches in major golf.

According to the PGA Tour’s course preview, the key to scoring at Quail Hollow is hitting greens in regulation, capitalizing on mid-length par 5s, and holding your nerve late. This course rewards long hitters who can avoid rough off the tee and hit towering approaches into firm greens. Golfers who gained strokes tee-to-green in recent events—or who’ve historically succeeded on long, tough layouts like Torrey Pines, Olympia Fields, or Muirfield Village—are strong fits.

Who Fits the Mold at Quail Hollow?

Among the elite, Rory McIlroy is the obvious course horse. He’s not only won at Quail Hollow four times, but he also has two PGA Championships to his name. He enters the week in peak form coming off a Masters victory and multiple elite performances since then. If you’ve somehow saved Rory for One & Done, this a great time to unleash him.

Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, has the kind of all-around game that travels to any course, and while he hasn’t won at Quail Hollow before, his elite tee-to-green profile gives him sky-high floor and ceiling here. For fantasy players who didn’t burn Scottie at The Masters or a Signature Event, this week presents another shot at a top-tier return.

On the LIV side, Bryson DeChambeau fits the course mold perfectly. His distance gives him an edge on Quail Hollow’s long par 4s, and he’s been trending in majors again after a strong showing at Augusta. Since LIV players can only be used during the four majors in Splash Sports One & Done contests, the PGA Championship is one of just four chances to capitalize on guys like Bryson, Brooks Koepka, or Joaquin Niemann. Bryson’s current form and skill set make him especially dangerous at a course like this.

Further down the board, players like Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, and Shane Lowry offer a balance of accuracy and patience—two keys to surviving Quail Hollow when the pressure tightens. In Tiers contests, these mid-tier names can provide a solid foundation without the volatility of longer hitters who may struggle with Quail Hollow’s penal rough and slick greens.

One & Done Strategy: Who Do You Have Left?

The PGA Championship often sneaks up on One & Done players. It’s still early in the golf season, but if you’ve already burned names like Scottie, Rory, or DeChambeau in Signature Events or The Masters, your options might be thinning. That opens the door for strategic pivots—either to top LIV players or to elite contenders still flying a bit under the radar.

This is also a week where knowing your pool matters. If you’re chasing in the standings, rolling out a less popular name like Joaquin Niemann, Hideki Matsuyama, or even Tommy Fleetwood could be the swing play you need.

And remember, this is one of the only times you can use LIV guys. If you want exposure to Koepka, Niemann, Bryson, or Cam Smith this season, this is one of just four shots to do it.

Tiers Contests: Build Around Ball-Striking and Resilience

In Splash Sports’ Tiers format, player groupings often force tough decisions. You might have to choose between a red-hot Rory, a consistent Scheffler, and a three-time PGA winner like Koepka. In these cases, use course fit and past PGA history as your tiebreakers. Koepka is built for majors but may not have the same edge at a Fazio layout that requires high fades and precise irons. Rory’s track record at Quail Hollow is unmatched. Scheffler rarely disappoints, even when he doesn’t win.

Lower-tier picks should reflect course demands, too. Avoid short hitters with streaky irons, and target those with proven performance on long par 4s and strong scrambling stats. Quail Hollow doesn’t offer many bailout spots—it punishes missed greens and tests patience on and around the putting surfaces.

🏆 Want to Win a Free Round of Golf with John Daly?

As if the PGA Championship wasn’t exciting enough, Splash Sports is adding even more juice to your entry.

Enter the $75K PGA Championship Tiers Contest for a shot at $25,000 to first place, plus a chance to win a free round of golf with John Daly and Rick Gehman.

Drawing prize includes:

⛳ One round of golf with John Daly & Rick Gehman (course & date TBD)

✈️ $1,000 cash toward travel & lodging

🎟️ Each contest entry = one chance to win (enter as many times as the limits allow)

🗓️ Drawing takes place after the U.S. Open (June 15–16)

Whether you’re chasing the cash or the golf story of a lifetime, this is the contest you don’t want to miss.