Quail Hollow comes alive: Charlotte’s golf tournament back home where it belongs

Around noon Tuesday, when the smell of burgers cooking was beginning to drift across the property, Tiger Woods walked onto the practice tee at Quail Hollow Club, back here for the first time since 2012.

And suddenly, the Wells Fargo Championship was alive, its pulse rising with not just the return of Woods but with the return of the tournament itself after a successful one-year visit to Eagle Point in Wilmington, a move made to accommodate the PGA Championship here last August.

The PGA was a smash hit, as everyone expected it would be, and there may be a time when it comes back to Quail Hollow (the year 2025 has a nice ring to it), but the Wells Fargo Championship has become more than an annual golf tournament.

It’s become a part of Charlotte, like the Panthers, the Hornets and rush-hour backups on 485.

It’s been said before but it bears repeating – it’s the right event at the right place at the right time. Though the current tournament contract will expire after the 2019 event, it seems a safe bet that the event will continue beyond next year with roughly the same spot on the reconfigured PGA Tour schedule, likely preceding the PGA Championship sometime in May.

Given springtime’s reluctant arrival this year, the timing this year could not be better. The forecast calls for a run of sunny days with temperatures in the 80s, suggesting an outbreak of shorts, sundresses and sunscreen at Quail Hollow.

Throw in Woods’ return plus Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas, Masters champion Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler and Jason Day among others, and it’s no wonder that tournament organizers believe this could be the most successful event in the tournament’s rich 15-year history.

The golf course is spectacular, seemingly untouched by the winter damage afflicting so many area courses, and except for the understandable complaints about the green at the par-3 fourth hole (the players didn’t like it last August and they still haven’t warmed up to it) it seems close to perfect. Tour players by nature will find something to complain about – it’s an occupational prerequisite – but it’s hard to find fault with Quail Hollow in all of its emerald greenery.

The best tournaments, and there are plenty of very good ones, are about more than the one week they occupy on the Tour schedule. They come to life long before the players arrive and remain relevant long after they’re gone. It’s been that way with the Wells Fargo Championship and with a new management team in place, there is a renewed energy being directed toward reaching beyond what happens over four tournament days at Quail Hollow.

It felt like there was bonus golf on Tuesday with Woods, Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau and Dru Love playing nine holes together in the afternoon. Davis Love III, Dru’s father, made it a fivesome on some greens, rolling a few putts between telling stories.

For Thomas, it was his first time back since winning the PGA Championship.

“It’s just awesome. A lot of good vibes. The fans here were so unbelievably supportive to me for some reason,” Thomas said while signing autographs for a group of youngsters walking with him.

“Definitely some good memories.”

Thomas played just the front nine Tuesday, so he still has a fresh rush of memories to look forward to when he plays the back side in Wednesday’s pro-am, recalling the shots he hit on his way to locking down his first major championship.

It has been six years since Woods played at Quail Hollow, the extended absence due to injuries and recoveries. He is a genuine admirer of the event and the golf course and his enthusiasm for being able to play a full schedule again is evident. He’s breaking out a new set of TaylorMade irons this week after months of working with engineers to get them how he wants them.

Golf tournaments gradually come to life, building through the week. All the stars will be at Quail Hollow on Wednesday for the pro-am, which also includes some Carolina Panthers and other familiar faces.

Then it gets serious on Thursday. It’s been nearly a month since Reed won the Masters and the Players Championship is next week. This is Charlotte’s week. Quail Hollow’s week.

Maybe it’s Mickelson’s week, too. Or Fowler’s or McIlroy’s or Paul Casey’s week.

It’s nice to have the Wells Fargo Championship back.

This story was originally published May 1, 2018 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Quail Hollow comes alive: Charlotte’s golf tournament back home where it belongs."