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Vegas, a 40-year-old from Venezuela, has one top 25 finish at a major championship in his career, nine years ago.

The unexpected was everywhere at soggy Quail Hollow Club on Thursday.

Less than a year ago, Sam Matton was in the depths of self-imposed recovery.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, called mud balls one of the most frustrating issues a professional golfer can experience.

"It's frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it's going to go."

Ahead of this year's PGA Championship, The Athletic has a big board of its top 30 contenders, as voted on by its golf staff.

Rory McIlroy is the man of the moment, Bryson DeChambeau is thriving, but Scheffler arrives at the PGA Championship as the man in black.

The 2025 PGA Championship runs Thursday through Sunday at Charlotte's Quail Hollow. Xander Schauffele won the event last year.

Three holes on Friday afternoon in 2010 as a young McIlroy just tried to make the cut might have altered the course of McIlroy's career.

Amos Morale III makes his PGA Championship pool picks ahead of the 2025 edition of the major.