Unsweet 16: World's top 3 golfers make mess of 16th hole at PGA Championship, taking double bogey
- During the opening day of the PGA Championship on May 15, 2025, at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Xander Schauffele each recorded double bogeys on the 535-yard, par-4 16th hole.
- Wet ground conditions caused muddy golf balls and difficult lies, leading Scheffler and Schauffele to miss their approach shots into water while McIlroy slipped in deep rough attempting a sidehill shot near the water hazard.
- Both Scheffler and Schauffele hit strong drives down the middle but faced severe uphill lies and sent their wedge shots past the hole, requiring two putts, with Scheffler saving double bogey by making a 7-foot putt.
- Scheffler expressed his frustration over hitting a shot from the center of the fairway only to have mud on the ball, which made its direction unpredictable, and mentioned that this issue may have cost him two strokes on that hole.
- The world’s top three golfers, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Xander Schauffele, all struggled on a challenging par-4 hole and left the green separately, clearly frustrated but determined to move forward; this marked the first occasion in several years that the PGA Championship began with the top three players grouped together.
17 Articles
17 Articles
‘It’s kind of stupid:’ World’s top golfers sling some mud at PGA Championship
Try this one on, the three best golfers in the world all walk into the tee box at the 16th hole at Quail Hollow … and walk off the green a few minutes later with matching double bogeys and frustrated glares.

Unsweet 16: World's top 3 golfers make mess of 16th hole at PGA Championship, taking double bogey
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele were supposed to be the marquis group to watch during the first round at the PGA Championship.
‘Pig’s ear’ - Commentator scolds McIlroy and Scheffler after terrible hole
The 16th at Quail Hollow could well decide the PGA Championship come Sunday evening. A daunting 535-yard par four, it is playing as the hardest hole on the course and has already claimed some major scalps. GettyMcIlroy started slowly on a low-scoring course[/caption] Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Xander Schauffele were paired together Thursday’s opening round and completed the 16th a combined six-over. Masters champion McIlroy fell victim…
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