CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Scottie Scheffler stood over his drive in the fairway of the 16th, the tee 322 yards behind him. He was in perfect position to conquer the first leg of Quail Hollow’s fearsome Green Mile, the three-hole scorecard-swallowing closing stretch.

Alex Smalley was the fifth alternate in the PGA Championship when the field was announced last week. He was first alternate when the week began.

The hands-down, number-one best thing about being a kid is that you genuinely don’t know any better. There’s a simple innocence (and sometimes brutal honesty) in being young and carefree, and many adults long for those days as they grow older and more aware of the barriers,

For the first time in major championship history, the PGA Championship is offering free concessions to fans holding Championship+ daily grounds tickets this week. Under the all-inclusive food and beverage program, fans can grab an entrée, snack, and non-alcoholic drink as many times as they like at on-course concession venues at no extra charge.

After a rainy start to the week in Charlotte, the weather is supposed to improve considerably Thursday when the 156 players in the field begin the first round of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.

Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-80s with winds blowing up to 15 mph — and no rain at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. There will also be no preferred lies. PGA officials said Wednesday that the field will play the ball as it lies in the fairway. Quail Hollow is equipped with a SubAir system.