The Wells Fargo Championship

Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, NC (7,442 yards, Par 72)

Defending champion: Derek Ernst (-8 winning score last year)

Winner’s share:$1,206,000

Fed Ex Cup points: 500

Weather: Today: 30% showers, wind SW 14; Friday: Partly cloudy, high 70, 0% rain, wind WSW 8; Saturday Sunny, 76, wind W 4; Sunday: Sunny, 82, wind WNW 8.

TV: Today-Friday: Golf Channel: 3-7 PM ET/2-6 CT; Saturday-Sunday: Golf: 1-2:30 PM ET/12-1:30 CT; CBS: 3-6 PM ET/2-5 CT.

Featured groups:

7:50 AM ET/6:50 CT: Seung-yul Noh (last week’s champion at Zurich Classic), Jimmy Walker (leader of Fed Ex Cup),  Bill Haas

8 AM ET/7 CT: Jonas Blixt, Rory (2010 champion), Rickie Fowler (2012 champion in playoff over Rory and D.A. Points

1:15 PM ET/12:15 CT: Zach Johnson, Webb Simpson, Ernie

1:25 PM ET/12:25 CT: Phil, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood

Key Holes:

Without a doubt the Green Mile: 16, 17 and 18; considered the hardest three stretch hole in non-major golf since 2007.

No.16: 508 yards, Par 4

The hole was modified by Tom Fazio in 2013 and the green was moved 80 yards to  the left and sits on the edge of  the lake. What used to be a straightaway par 4 is now a dogleg right which demands an accurate drive and a tough mid iron shot into  the green. A good drive will leave the player about 200 in. If you drive it right there is a trap and a tree that blocks the green. Keeping it out of the water is critical when it comes down to cases on Sunday. Moving the green to the left has lessened the amount of balls in the water. There were 38 in 2010 and 19 last year, so it’s not as tough, but the hole is longer and very, very challenging. The players will be happy to get out of here with a par.

No.17: 221 yards, Par 3

This is the signature hole at Quail Hollow. It’s nearly an island hole like the players will see at TPC Sawgrass next week in the Players Championship on No.17. The player will have to carry it 195 yards, but it could be a much shorter carry if one of the forward tees is used. With all the different pin placements, this hole can be very dangerous and can lead to bogeys or worse can outnumber birdies. Should be some classic drama here on Sunday with the leader and challengers needing possibly a birdie to win this thing.

No.18: 493 yards, Par 4

The last hole of the “Green Mile” and consistently one of the toughest finishing holes in golf. On the tee shot, players must avoid a bunker on the right and a creek that runs down the entire left side of the narrow fairway. An uphill second shot must avoid the water hazard on the left of the green and bunkers on the right. If you hit it in one of the right bunkers, your sand shot will be very tricky because if you catch it thin out of the trap you’re probably going in the drink, which would be catastrophic to contenders on Sunday. The green is deep and sloped to the left. If a player needs a birdie to win here, he’ll really have to earn it. Fowler birdied the 18th two years ago on the first playoff hole to beat McIiroy and Points.

Greens:

Last year was pretty tragic for the greens at Quail Hollow. The bent grass greens were in  terrible shape and there were brown patches on many greens. They took out the bent and put in Mini Verde Bermuda which is more conducive to the climate. The players like it, they are championship greens, they roll well. They’ll probably be a little firm as they are knew, so players will have to be concerned where they land the ball on their approaches and when they are chipping.

Contenders:

J.B. Holmes:

J.B. is 12th on the tour in driving distance which helps on this long course. He’s playing well lately and finished T-11th last week at the Zurich. He’s a pretty clutch player. I see him in the hunt on Sunday.

Zach Johnson:

Very accurate off the tee though not real long. Excellent putter. If Zach has the putter going, he’ll be right there competing for the title.

Rory McIlroy:

 Won his first PGA event here in 2010. If he’s putting well and is accurate off the tee with his length off the tee he should be right there.

Kevin Na:

This guy will drive you crazy watching him with all his pre-shot shenanigans and his tiresome time he takes to get ready to hit a shot and putt. But he’s a good player and has been close many times. This week could be the week he breaks through.

The winner:

This guy is a very good player who won the Tampa Bay Championship in 2013, now the Valspar, and finished fifth here last year shooting five under. He’s got a good overall game and played at Duke. He’s got the brains and has played this course quite a bit. I’m going with this 35-year old who had two extra tickets to this year’s Masters when his parents couldn’t make it and gave them to a young high school player and his mother. Like that karma.

Kevin Streelman