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After playing host to the PGA Championship a year ago, Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, resumes its role as the venue for the Wells Fargo Championship in 2018–and with it comes a stacked field with a bevy of big names.
Television coverage for the tournament is as follows: Thursday and Friday on Golf Channel (2-6 p.m. ET), Saturday and Sunday on Golf Channel (1-2:45 p.m. ET) and CBS (3-6 p.m. ET). If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch a live stream of Golf Channel or CBS on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live television channels, including both Golf Channel and CBS (live in select markets). You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of either channel on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
DirecTV Now: While CBS (live in select markets) is included in all four channel packages, Golf Channel is in the “Go Big” and “Gotta Have It” bundles. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, and you can then watch either channel live on your computer via the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
Amazon Prime: This is an option for the CBS broadcasts only. If you have Amazon Prime or want to start a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, you can watch a live stream of your local CBS channel via the CBS All-Access Amazon Channel, which comes with a 7-day free trial. Once you’re signed up for both Amazon Prime and the CBS channel, you can watch CBS live on your computer via the Amazon website, or on your phone, tablet or other streaming device via the the Amazon Video app.
PGA Tour Live: You can also watch early Thursday and Friday action (featured groups and featured holes) via PGA Tour Live, which costs $5.99 per month or $39.99 per year. After signing up, you can then watch on your computer via PGATourLive.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the PGA Tour Live app.
Preview
Justin Thomas shot eight-under at Quail Hollow to capture his first major victory last August–and he’s only continued to rise since that moment, capturing three more wins and eight more Top-10 finishes (including four in his last five tournaments) to vault himself to No. 2 in the world.
Yet despite all of that, he’s not the tournament favorite.
That honor has been bestowed to Rory McIlroy, who has a thorough history of utter domination at Quail Hollow. Though he finished “only” 22nd at last year’s PGA Championship, he owns the course and tournament records, and he’s the all-time tournament earnings leader with a pair of wins and six Top-10’s. Coming off a drought-ending win at the Arnold Palmer in March and a T5 at Augusta, Rory is the favorite at +750, while Thomas is second on the odds list at +900.
Beyond that, there’s no shortage of top-level contenders. Patrick Reed is fresh off a Masters win, sure, but he also finished tied for second at Quail Hollow last year and has tallied four consecutive Top-10’s overall. Rickie Fowler, up to sixth in the world after an excellent Masters performance, won this tournament in 2012 and tallied a T5 at the 2017 PGA Championship. Jason Day, Louis Oosthuizen and Hideki Matsuyama also finished in the Top 10 here a year ago. Phil Mickelson has made all 13 cuts with seven Top-5’s at Quail Hollow. It’s the home course of Webb Simpson, who comes in with four Top-20’s in his last six events. Oh yeah, and there’s that Tiger Woods guy, who won here in 2007 and despite a so-so Masters performance has shown signs of nearing a win over the last couple of months.
Throw in guys like Tony Finau, Ryan Moore, Kevin Kisner, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott and Alex Noren, and this sets up as the perfect warm-up for next week’s Players Championship.