Thomas won the PGA Championship back in 2017, which catapulted him into the limelight. His first major victory at a young age of 24 shielded him from broader pressures and left him lacking the “scar tissue” that shapes resilient champions.

About a month removed from his epic completion of the career grand slam, Rory McIlroy begins a new phase of his career this week. That its genesis comes at Quail Hollow is a perfect fit: it’s the site of his first PGA Tour victory in 2010,

Critics of this week's PGA Championship venue have found their perfect rallying cry, courtesy of Justin Thomas's unguarded moment of brutal honesty. Quail Hollow commands the spotlight as it hosts the PGA of America’s flagship event,