Golf Glance: Elite field chases $20M purse at Quail Hollow

Field Level Media's Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.

PGA TOUR

LAST TOURNAMENT: The CJ Cup Byron Nelson (Taylor Pendrith)

THIS WEEK: Wells Fargo Championship, Charlotte, N.C., May 9-12

Course: Quail Hollow Club (Par 71, 7,558 Yards)

Purse: $20M (Winners: $3.6M)

Defending Champion: Wyndham Clark

FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m.

X: @WellsFargoGolf

NOTES: This is the sixth of eight signature events this season, featuring a $20 million prize pool and 700 FedEx Cup points to the winner. ... World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is not in the field as he and wife Meredith await the birth of their first child. The 69-player field does include seven of the top 10 players in the world rankings and eight of the top 10 in the FedEx Cup rankings. ... Quail Hollow resident Webb Simpson is in the field on a sponsor's exemption along with Gary Woodland, Adam Scott and Matt Kuchar. ... Quail Hollow, known as the "Green Mile," underwent a renovation after last year's tournament that included redoing all of the tees and greens and installing a new drainage system.

BEST BETS: Rory McIlroy (+750 at BetMGM) is coming off a victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry and has three career victories at Quail Hollow. ... Xander Schauffele (+900) has four consecutive top-20s, including a T2 at The Players. He finished second here last year. ... Clark (+1400) is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the Wells Fargo. He set the tournament scoring record of 265 last year. ... Max Homa (+2200) has won two of the previous four editions of the event and finished T8 last year. He also went 4-0-0 at Quail Hollow in the 2022 Presidents Cup. ... Tommy Fleetwood (+2500) had a T7 at the Valero Texas Open and T3 at the Masters before settling for a T49 at the RBC Heritage in his past three starts.

THIS WEEK: Myrtle Beach Classic, Myrtle Beach, S.C., May 9-12

Course: The Dunes Golf and Beach Club (Par 71, 7,347 Yards)

Purse: $4M (Winner: $720,000)

Defending Champion: Inaugural event

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 9:30-11:30 a.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 3-5 p.m. (GC)

NOTES: The first-year event was added as a new annual tournament on the tour schedule. It's also the first of three tournaments where players can earn points to qualify for the next signature event at the Memorial Tournament. ... The winner will receive 300 FedEx Cup points, a two-year exemption on tour and spots in next week's PGA Championship (if not otherwise qualified) as well as the final two signature events of the season. ... World No. 61 Ryan Fox is the highest ranked player in the field. ... Blades Brown, 16, will make his tour debut.

NEXT TOURNAMENT: PGA Championship, Louisville, Ky., May 16-19

LPGA Tour

LAST TOURNAMENT: JM Eagle LA Championship (Hannah Green)

THIS WEEK: Cognizant Founders Cup, Clifton, N.J., May 9-12

Course: Upper Montclair Country Club (Par 71, 6,656 Yards)

Purse: $3M (Winner: $450,000)

Defending Champion: Jin Young Ko

Race to the CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV/Streaming: Thursday-Saturday, 3-6 p.m. (Peacock); Sunday, 1-5 p.m. (Peacock), 3-5 p.m. (CNBC)

ESPN+ Featured Groups: Thursday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET; Sunday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

X: @LPGAFounders

NOTES: Korda is seeking to become the first player to win six consecutive starts on the LPGA Tour. She has tied the record of five previously set by Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez. She missed the cut in her event debut here year. ... Ko defeated Minjee Lee on the first playoff hole last year to win the event for the third time (2019, 2021). With the tournament not contested in 2020, she is attempting to win it for the fourth time in the past five editions. ... Lydia Ko needs one victory to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Mizuho Americas Open, Jersey City, N.J., May 16-19

PGA Tour Champions

LAST TOURNAMENT: Insperity Invitational (Scott Dunlap)

THIS WEEK: Regions Tradition, Birmingham, Ala., May 9-12

Course: Greystone Golf & Country Club (Par 72, 7,249 yards)

Purse: $2.6M (Winner: $390,000)

Defending Champion: Steve Stricker

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 5-7 p.m. (All times Golf Channel)

X: @ChampionsTour

NOTES: This is the first of five senior major championships and will be contested at Greystone for the eighth consecutive year. ... Stricker is the two-time defending champion and has won the event three times overall, each time by six strokes. He set the tournament scoring record of 23-under 265 last year, breaking his own previous record of 267 the previous year.

NEXT TOURNAMENT: KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, Benton Harbor, Mich., May 23-26

LIV Golf League

LAST TOURNAMENT: Singapore (Individual: Brooks Koepka; Team: Ripper GC)

THIS WEEK: OFF

2024 Leaders: Players, Joaquin Niemann; Team, Crushers GC

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Houston, June 7-9