CHARLOTTE – Keep a close eye on the Quail Hollow Golf Club. You might be watching a major championship played here soon. It’s that good and that testing.
This venue, which has hosted the Wachovia Championship the last four years, has become a favorite for players as evidenced by the big-time fields that have flocked here.
That makes this week a great precursor to next month’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
Quail Hollow is a mixture of dog-legs with sloping fairways and undulating greens with U.S. Open type tough and plenty of trouble in the way of tree jail and some well-placed water hazards.
It, too, though allows for great play to be rewarded, like in yesterday’s third round of the Wachovia when Aussie Adam Scott went on a tear around the turn to take the lead for awhile with two eagles and three birdies from the seventh hole to the 11th.
Scott was 8-under-par through 11 holes in his third round before cooling to shoot 66 after bogeys on two of the final five holes.
Shortly after Scott’s run, the eight-player leaderboard featured five players who’ve won at least one major championship.
“When you come here you feel like you’re at a major,” Davis Love III, who’s also in contention entering today’s final round. “There are certain tournaments that feel a little more special, a little more difficult. The field here and the difficulty of the golf course makes you feel like you’re more at a major than other tournaments.” Tiger Woods, whose father Earl died Wednesday, had played here the past two years. Phil Mickelson plays here every year, as does Vijay Singh, who won this event last year.
This is a regular stop on Sergio Garcia’s schedule.
Ernie Els is playing here for the first time and raved about the course.
“There are some golf courses you can fake it on and some you can’t,” Billy Andrade said. “This is one you can’t fake it on. If you’re not driving well you’re going to struggle. If you’re not hitting your irons well you’re going to struggle. If you’re in the rough all the time it is going to be a very difficult test.” It’s a great test as players prepare themselves for torture ofWinged Foot.
“The rough is very thick and the greens are every bit as hard as a major championship in that they’re a little bit firm,” Jim Furyk said.
“They’re quick, but there’s just a lot of movement, a lot of undulation. You really have to think you’re way around with your iron shots, because the greens are about a severe as we play.” When Furyk was reminded that he just described Winged Foot, he said, “Yeah, if this were the week before Winged Foot it would be great preparation.
It’s just a great test of your game.”
