PGA Tour Expert Picks: Wells Fargo Championship

Rory McIlroy has owned this tournament in the past. There's no reason to think he won't do so again this season.

By Kyle Porter

May 13, 2015 at 6:24 am ET • 2 min read

I don't know about you guys, but I'm still trying to come down off that Players Championship high. I'm not sure this week at Quail Hollow (site of the 2017 PGA Championship) can match last week's fireworks, but at least it's rife with star power.

Let's take a look at this tournament.

What: Wells Fargo Championship
Where: Charlotte, North Carolina
When: May 14-17 (Thursday-Sunday)
How to watch (all times Eastern): For more information click here

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Participants and odds

Rory McIlroy: 7-2
Henrik Stenson: 18-1
Jim Furyk: 18-1
Phil Mickelson: 20-1
Hideki Matsuyama: 22-1
Bill Haas: 25-1
J.B. Holmes: 28-1
Adam Scott: 30-1
Kevin Kisner: 30-1
Patrick Reed: 30-1
Ben Martin: 40-1
Justin Thomas: 40-1
Louis Oosthuizen: 40-1
Ryan Moore: 40-1

Field strength: B+

McIlroy really raises the level of a relatively strong field, improved because of names like Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama. This is a sneaky good group on a really cool track. I'm stoked.

Story to watch: I'm fascinated to see if any of the relatively new guys who have been showing out lately can close the deal.

Quail Hollow is a baller's track (see list of winners below) but Derek Ernst won here only two years ago so it's not like it's Augusta National or anything.

Can Kevin Kisner or Ben Martin ride that Players Championship tidal wave northward and hoist hardware in Charlotte? I think one of them (or others) could. But "could" and "will" are wildly different things in golf.

Can Ben Martin get his second win this week? (Getty Images)

Past winners

2014: J.B. Holmes
2013: Derek Ernst
2012: Rickie Fowler
2011: Lucas Glover
2010: Rory McIlroy

Big names. Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Anthony Kim have also won here.

Wish there was a champions dinner for the Wells Fargo tourney this week. Tiger, Rory, Rickie, Vijay, Furyk, AK (!)... that'd be special.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) May 13, 2015

Let's pick this tournament.

Expert picks

Player	Pick	Analysis
	Winner	Kevin Kisner didn't seem too emotionally drained after falling to Rickie Fowler in a playoff last week. I like this cat, too. He's lost in a playoff in two of his last three outings and finished T-6 here last season. Odds: 30-1
	Top 10	It's probably dumb of me to not pick Rory McIlroy to win this thing, especially considering how he hit it at TPC Sawgrass last week. If he finishes outside the top 10, I would be flabbergasted. Odds: 7-2
	Sleeper	Martin Flores finished third here last season and played really well at the Players until a closing 74 left him way out of contention. Well worth the 150-1 flyer. Odds: 150-1