Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele -- the world's highest-ranked golfers -- tee off together Thursday morning in a showcase group certain to seize the spotlight at the PGA Championship.

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

One of these changes is Sahith Theegala withdrawing from the PGA Championship. It is not a major surprise as the promising golfer withdrew prior to the final round of the Truist Championship on Sunday.

The PGA Championship returns to Quail Hollow and there is no shortage of storylines. The anticipation is on par with the Masters with so many possibilities.

REX HOGGARD: Rory McIlroy. This is the most chalk of picks for nearly every reason. The Northern Irishman’s record at Quail Hollow is beyond impressive with four victories (at the Truist Championship) and he’s in the best form of anyone in golf with three marquee victories this year.

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.

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

This decision stands in stark contrast to the PGA Tour's regular season protocol, where "lift, clean and place" rules are routinely implemented after heavy rainfall. Under these conditions, players can pick up their ball in the fairway to remove mud and find a cleaner lie—a practice that significantly eases the challenge for competitors.