Charles Schwab Challenge preview: 5 storylines
5. Course renovation
The Colonial has hosted the PGA Tour event since 1946. However, this year will mark the first time its being played since the course underwent harried $25 million renovations, which commenced hours after Emiliano Grillo beat Adam Schenk in a playoff in 2023. (90-120 workers put in a 12-hours days, six days per week, per the Dallas News.)
The famed par-70 course, nicknamed, “Hogan’s Alley” was lengthened to about 7,300 yards. Overall, the new iteration is meant to have more approachable greens and, crucially, look a whole lot better. The essence of the course remains the same: Driving accuracy and strong iron play should prevail.
“It’s my 12th start here, but really the first start in the new Colonial era,” Dallas-native Jordan Spieth said Wednesday. “I saw the course yesterday … I imagine it’s tough for a course designer to bring a course back in time, but accommodating the modern game; making it maybe more playable for an average member 51 weeks of the year, but still a championship golf course making it as or more difficult for us. I guess time will tell over the next four days.”
4. Who can build off the PGA Championship?
Robert MacIntyre struggled with homesickness in his first season as a full-time PGA Tour player. But, the 2024 Ryder Cup winner posted an encouraging T8 at the PGA Championship following a comforting trip back to Scotland.
At Valhalla, Horschel — one of the more competitive, obsessive dudes on the PGA Tour who speaks candidly about his struggles — carded his first major top-10 since 2013.
Rose, who won at Colonial in 2018, came out of nowhere for a T6. His Full Swing co-star, and new Dallas resident Tom Kim had one of his more promising results (-9) of 2024 at the “gettable” Valhalla.
(Also: Keep an eye on Thomas Detry heading into the U.S. Open. The Belgian has quietly carded 3 top-4 finishes this year, including a T4 at the PGA. Feels like his first tour trophy is imminent.)
3. Home cooking for Jordan Spieth?
Spieth is a native of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He’s won the Charles Schwab once (2016) and has four top-10s.
After tempering expectations, he contended for three rounds at the PGA. Can the friendly confines of Colonial give him a pre-Pinehurst jolt?
“I feel good. It’s nice that I’m able to be in my own bed,” Spieth said Wednesday. “This tournament’s always actually felt like kind of an exhale … I did a lot of good things the last couple weeks and improving on some stuff I wanted to.”
Spieth’s only top-10 since February came at another non-signature event in his home state: A T9 at the Valero Texas Open.
2. Collin Morikawa, here to win or fine-tune?
Morikawa made his PGA Tour debut at the 2020 Charles Schwab, losing in a playoff. In the four years since, he’s racked up two majors and six PGA Tour wins — although none of that came within the last 19 months.
After a rocky 2023 and early 2024, Morikawa has sharpened his form. He has three top-10s since the Masters, including a T4 at the PGA. He’s been in the final group on Sunday in each of the last two majors (good!) producing underwhelming final rounds on both occasions (bad!).
Morikawa’s stock is back up, but his golf — particularly his putting — remains a work in progress. With a Signature Event (the Memorial) and the U.S. Open upcoming, will Morikawa — maybe the second-best iron play in the world, after you-know-who (below) — focus on contending on tinkering in Texas?
1. Scottie Scheffler, safe and sound
The fact that Scheffler shot a 65 on Sunday and finished T8 at a major despite being arrested (and missing his caddie for Moving Day) only reaffirms the gap between him and everybody else.
Scheffler has won four of his last six PGA Tour starts, including two signature events, the Players Championship, and the Masters. The two tourneys he didn’t win were the PGA and the Valero, in which his 5-footer to force a playoff lipped out.
Will Scheffler be hungry for vengeance back at home? Or fully hung over from a wild weekend in Louisville? I’m taking the former.
Enjoy the golf! It’s supposed be about 90 degrees in Texas.
