Best (And Worst) Quotes from the 2025 PGA Championship

Players and golf industry executives have begun stepping to the mic ahead of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. With many questions surrounding the future of the PGA Tour & PIF, the proposed rollback, technology, and the host venue, here are the the most notable quotes that we've heard so far this week.

PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague on the proposed golf ball rollback

"There's no change in our stance. We're certainly vehemently against the ball rollback. We've had great conversations with the governing bodies since that point. We've had several constructive and collaborative meetings probably a number of times, three, four times.I feel really good about where we are with them, and we're going to continue to collaborate on the proposed rollbacks."

Jordan Spieth on Driver Technology

"The improvement Titleist has made in their drivers, like the mis-hits being just as fast and just as straight, I think the technology has a lot to do with it....I didn't try to become a better driver by any means. It just kind of happened." - Jordan Spieth

Players on 2025 host venue Quail Hollow

“I guess I would say Quail Hollow is like a Kardashian. It’s very modern, beautiful and well-kept. But it lacks a soul or character.” - Hunter Mahan

“The golf course is very challenging, but it’s not tricked up…Guys love being challenged in the right way. Not tricked up, but real tough golf holes and Quail has a great variety of them.” - Webb Simpson

‍"I feel like a place like this, where it doesn't necessarily require a lot of thought or strategy off the tee, it's generally pulling out driver and just I need to hit this as far and straight as possible..." - Justin Thomas

"When Augusta National tried to 'Tiger Proof' their golf course, all they did was make it more of an advantage for that player. When you look at the changes we've made to Quail Hollow it only benefits Rory." - Johnson Wagner on the Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Jon Rahm when asked about the identity of the PGA Championship

Q: So in a way, the fact that this major doesn't really have an identity is its identity?

"Yeah, you get different things every time you come. It's very difficult to say that two of them are the same."

Captain Keegan Bradley on the U.S. Ryder Cup team makeup

"No one cares about what's going on in this side PGA Tour-LIV. We're trying to put the best team together. It could mean there's one LIV guy, two LIV guys, it doesn't matter. We'll see how this year shakes out."

PGA of America President Don Rea on bifurcation

"There is no personal opinion. I'm the president of the PGA of America, right? I've got 31,000 members that are listening to my every word, and I'm proud to represent them. You know what I think? It's all part of -- I know where you're going, but these conversations we're having, bifurcation was taken off the table. So I'm not talking about that now."

PGA of America Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh on course setup

Q: "What exactly -- when you come to a PGA Championship site, what are you trying to accomplish when you set up the course?"

Haigh: "Every PGA Championship, we challenge all of our staff to make this one the greatest championship we've ever held."

Q. By doing what?

Haigh: "Making it so that you, the media, enjoy it, the players enjoy it, the caddies enjoy it, spectators enjoy it, and the TV viewers enjoy it."

Q. I need to be more clear. I wasn't talking about our parking. I was thinking more about the golf course. Exactly what kind of test are you trying to present, and how do you go about it?

Haigh: We look at each golf course. Obviously each has a different architect. So two or three years prior, we look at the golf course and see how it is we would like it to play and test the best players in the world. In this case, there has been some history with the number of events in 2017 when we played. So we do know what took place then, but now we're playing it in May versus August. So the overseed has sort of changed a little bit of how it will play...Set it up, the tees, and there's some wonderful short par-4s that you have opportunity, some long par-3s, and that is what setting up a golf course is. There's so many aspects to it. Let's try and bring out the very best in all of those ona magnificent golf course."

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This post will be updated throughout the 2025 PGA Championship.

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