Flipping the pages back in time, do you remember how the scary thunderstorms and rain hindered the third round of the PGA Championship in 2016? Baltusrol Golf Club was soaking wet, which led to a 41-minute delay. However, a couple of golfers had already started on both the front and back nines, and that led to quite a lot of frustration. “It was unplayable when they called it, I’ll say that,” Jim Furyk opined, but truth be told, it was doomed before that as well. Is a similar situation looming over the 2025 PGA Championship?

Today, the gloomy Charlotte kept golf fans away from engaging with the practice rounds at Quail Hollow Golf Club in person. The opening ceremony took place in the morning, but the rain continued throughout the day and ensured that players got in only limited practice rounds. That might not be a major issue, considering most would be familiar with the layout there. After all, the Tour visits Quali Hollow every year. But keeping an eye on the weather forecasts will be very important for this event to be a success.

A low-pressure system over Mississippi pushed the moisture towards Charlotte, and that resulted in strong, gusty winds and rain. Unfortunately, more showers and thunderstorms are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday if it gets hotter in the afternoon. Things don’t stop here. The thunderstorms could return Friday and continue on Saturday. But like Augusta National, Quail Hollow also has a SubAir system meant to pull moisture from fairways and greens, but its effectiveness under heavy rainfall remains to be seen. No wonder CBS reporter, Amanda Balionis, is worried. She shared a post on her stories that was originally put online by the Golf on CBS Instagram page. The post was a reel that showed Hideki Matsuyama practicing at Quail Hollow ahead of the PGA Championship in very heavy rain.

This compromised both ball control and visibility. Matsuyama was practicing his putts, with his caddie holding an umbrella over him, but the ball barely moved because of the friction it had with the water. Not the ideal atmosphere for a major! Balionis made a 7-word plea to the rain gods by putting the reel as a story and adding a note: “Some fix Charlotte weather before Thursday, tysm!”
If you’re wondering what the 2025 PGA Championship weather forecast looks like, take a look:

Tom McKibbin and his entourage were also on the driving range amid the rainfall. Six people shared two umbrellas and huddled together for cover, while simultaneously getting soaked. Owing to the situation, spectators who were unable to travel to the course on Monday due to the rains can ask for a refund, or they could use their ticket for Tuesday or Wednesday practice rounds.

However, there is some good precedent that can be referred to, and that too from this year. The Masters was also in similar deep trouble after the practice round on Monday, which was initially canceled due to inclement weather. However, they had decided to open the gates as the time approached, and the spectators got a chance to see a bit of the practice before the worsened weather forced the Augusta National Golf Course to usher the spectators out and close the gates for good again. Despite that, the tournament progressed ahead smoothly without any major hiccups, with the weather holding strong during the whole event.

The 2025 PGA Championship will witness:

• If Jordan Spieth can upset Xander Schauffele‘s title defense. Spieth is one PGA Championship title away from joining Rory McIlroy and five others as Career Grand Slam winners.
• Whether Scottie Scheffler can win a major outside the Masters.
• Or if McIlroy can get a calendar grand slam.

We definitely would not want the weather to form a powerful antagonist in these stories. We do not want a repeat of 2016, and we certainly do not want a replay of 2005!

2005: When bad weather conditions pushed the PGA to a Monday finish!

A decade ago at Baltusrol Golf Club, Phil Mickelson had a one-shot lead over Steve Elkington and Thomas Bjorn before the final round resumed on Monday. It was suspended for the second time at 6:35 p.m. on Sunday because of a heavy band of severe weather. The rains created puddles on the greens and fairways, and an overall tricky situation. “It’s a bit of a to-and-fro situation going on out there with about three or four players,” said Elkington back then.

Similarly, Mickelson shared the most difficult aspect of playing there. “The difficulty really is on the greens because they’re so fast that the wind is moving at about an inch or two per foot, so if you have a six-footer, I’m having to play six inches of break for the wind, depending on what it’s doing. That a big difference, especially on downhill putts.” The rain-softened fairways also made things difficult.

The winner wasn’t announced until Monday, a fifth day, which rarely happens. Mickelson walked away with a win at Baltusrol with a score of -4. It was his second major championship victory. Well, golf fans love stories like this, minus the wrath of nature.

We can only hope that the 2025 PGA Championship doesn’t witness another Monday finish! What do you think?