The 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, the second major of the season, proved to be somewhat less dramatic that Rory McIlroy’s win in the Masters, with Scottie Sheffler winning his third major title without any last round drama.

It proved to be a challenging tournament for the five Irish golfers in the field with more headlines about behaviour and equipment than about their golf.

Rory McIlroy, fresh off completing a career Grand Slam with his Masters victory, entered the tournament with high expectations, and as the pre-tournament favourite but he never got going.

His preferred TaylorMade driver was deemed non-conforming during a USGA test, before the tournament, forcing him to switch to a backup club and the change appeared to affect his driving accuracy, as he hit only 10 fairways over the first two rounds.

He made the cut, despite bouncing off a fairway hospitality centre roof coming up the 18th on day two, but finished the tournament at three-over-par, his worst PGA Championship result since 2016.

Shane Lowry missed the cut by a single shot after a second-round 71. His frustration was evident when he was denied relief for an embedded ball on the eighth hole, leading to a bogey.

There was a slamming of a club and a few expletives thrown around after what has been a tougher ten days than might have been expected after breaking into the World Top 10 for the first time.

Tom McKibbin, making his PGA Championship debut, showed promise by making the cut and finishing tied for 50th at four-over-par.

The 22-year-old, who joined LIV Golf earlier this year, carded rounds of 70, 71, 74, and 73.

Seamus Power led the Irish contingent after the first round with a score of 73, while Pádraig Harrington matched Lowry’s opening round but also failed to make the cut.

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SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

If every major tournament was as thrilling as the US Masters then it would not be as special.  This is one that will enter the record but without much to remember it by for the Irish contingent

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