by Larry Hall
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – The Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Club may offer the best fan value in professional golf. Tickets are generally easy to find, many of the game’s biggest stars make the annual trip to Charlotte, and the course itself ranks among the most demanding and visually stunning venues on the PGA TOUR.
Nearly every hole is framed by towering oak trees, with glimpses of sprawling estate homes tucked beyond the fairways. The rolling terrain evokes memories of Augusta National Golf Club, where elevation changes force players to think carefully about club selection from both the tee and the fairway. Holes 1 and 10, in particular, tumble downhill and bend subtly toward the green, creating a challenge reminiscent of Augusta National’s famed 10th hole.
And if there were any doubt about Quail Hollow’s difficulty, Rory McIlroy erased it during his Wednesday pre-tournament press conference. Asked whether any tee shots at Quail Hollow make him uncomfortable, McIlroy immediately answered, “The 18th hole can be a pretty uncomfortable tee shot at times.”
Pressed on whether there were others, he did not hesitate.
“Yeah, there’s a lot of holes,” McIlroy said. “There’s a lot of tee shots. Tee shot on 3. Tee shot on 7. Even like a tee shot on 12, trying to hit that little cut down there, down the hill. Fourteen, 17. I mean, yeah, there’s a reason that this is one of the toughest golf courses on TOUR.”
When the reigning Masters champion and world No. 2 openly admits that six different tee shots make him uneasy, the course hardly needs additional promotion.
The tournament itself began slowly on Thursday after heavy rain delayed play until noon. Tournament officials adapted quickly, sending threesomes off both the first and 10th tees in an effort to recover lost daylight.
By the time the opening round concluded Friday morning, Matt McCarty sat atop the leaderboard after firing an 8-under-par 63. Close behind was Sungjae Im, who posted a 64 and remained within striking distance throughout the day. McCarty’s rise has been rapid. The TOUR newcomer earned his PGA TOUR card in 2024 after winning three times on the Korn Ferry Tour.
At the end of the second round, McCarty slipped back while Im continued his steady climb, carding a 69 to take the outright lead at 9 under par. His performance was even more impressive considering he only returned to competition in March after missing five months following wrist surgery. Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas, and rookie Alex Fitzpatrick all remained firmly in contention.
Asked about his strong play, Im credited both experience and health.
“I know this course pretty well from the Presidents Cup,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of experience here and finished with good results.”
Later, he added that he was “feeling 100 percent” after recovering from the wrist injury.
Saturday delivered the tournament’s first major surprise.
By day’s end, Alex Fitzpatrick stood alone atop the leaderboard at 14 under par. The rookie had only secured his PGA TOUR card the previous month after teaming with his brother, Matt Fitzpatrick, to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
During his post-round interview, Fitzpatrick was asked how he had adjusted so quickly to life on TOUR.
“I think having my brother around has been super helpful,” he said. “I feel like I got a really good sense of what it takes and what the atmosphere is like.”
When asked what a Truist Championship victory would mean, Fitzpatrick responded with humility beyond his years.
“I would love to win,” he said. “If winning doesn’t happen tomorrow, I would hope it would happen at some point. As long as I can go out and enjoy it, that’s all I can do.”
Another rookie quietly climbing the leaderboard was Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, who sat just one shot behind Fitzpatrick entering Sunday’s final round.
Asked what had fueled his strong play throughout the week, Reitan pointed to steady improvement across every aspect of his game.
“Well, I think there is a few things,” he said. “Ball striking has definitely improved. I feel like I have an idea what the ball is going to do when it leaves the clubface. It’s nice to be holing some putts. I’ve improved little by little in every area.”
Reitan also revealed just how close he came to missing the tournament entirely. He did not secure a spot in the field until another player bogeyed the 18th hole during the previous week’s event. Asked what excited him most about playing in Sunday’s final group, Reitan smiled.
“Just the opportunity to be near the leaderboard on a Sunday at a PGA TOUR event, you know, rookie season,” he said. “I’m just over the moon about that.”
Early in Sunday’s final round, it appeared the tournament might indeed belong to Reitan after he grabbed a two-shot lead through four holes. Fitzpatrick had fallen three shots back, and after nine holes Reitan found himself tied with Im and Højgaard at 13 under par.
Rickie Fowler then made a spirited charge on the back nine, briefly taking the lead and remaining in contention until a costly bogey at the 18th. After Reitan completed the 14th hole, four players were tied at 14 under par, and the tournament seemed destined for a playoff.
Instead, Reitan delivered the decisive moment himself.
A birdie on the 15th hole gave the Norwegian the lead for good. One by one, the challengers faded behind him. Reitan closed out a two-shot victory at 15 under par, while Fowler and Højgaard shared second place at 13 under.
The victory made Reitan the fourth first-time winner on the PGA TOUR this season and vaulted him to No. 13 in the FedExCup standings. Prior to this week, his best finish in a stroke-play event had been a tie for 10th at the Valero Texas Open.
The win also came with a $3.6 million payday, a life-changing sum for most TOUR rookies.
Reitan’s background, however, makes his story somewhat unique. His family reportedly owns Norway’s largest chain of grocery and convenience stores, with an estimated value of $9 billion.
Still, none of that diminished the emotion of the moment.
“Absolutely over the moon,” Reitan said after securing the victory. “Happened way sooner than I would have imagined. Yeah, just absolutely thrilled. Awesome, awesome experience. Very, very grateful.”
https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard
(Larry Hall, a Jacksonville, Florida-based golf writer, is a member of Golf Heritage Society, Golf Writers Association of America, Historical Writers of America, International Network of Golf and Golf Travel Writers of America. He can be reached at: bgtriptips@gmail.com)
