SportsLine's proven model simulated the 2025 PGA Championship 10,000 times and revealed its surprising PGA Tour golf picks and PGA Championship favorite to win

CHARLOTTE—The PGA of America made a bold statement Wednesday evening that will delight golf purists: despite days of drenching rain at Quail Hollow, Thursday's opening round of the 107th PGA Championship will proceed without preferred lies.

The Wanamaker Trophy, which includes the engraved names of every PGA Championship winner, measures 29 1/2 inches high, 27 inches from handle to handle and weighs 27 pounds.

Everyone is excited to see if Rory McIlroy can follow up his memorable and historic Masters victory, which gave him the career Grand Slam. Now, the Northern Irishman looks to capture the PGA Championship title for the first time since 2014.

Don’t forget about the LIV players, too. While Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are the favorites to win the 107th PGA Championship, they have plenty of challengers. That includes defending champion Xander Schauffele, who is fifth among the early betting favorites, and the 2017 PGA winner at Quail Hollow, Justin Thomas.

Beem is still at Quail Hollow this week handling his duties as an on-course reporter for Sky Sports. And in a late chance to play the course ahead of the tournament, Beem took to Instagram to show why he didn't take a Thursday tee time.

The PGA Championship has long been the major that has struggled to find an identity outside of getting the top 100 players in the world.