POTOMAC, Md. — Despite this year’s event being held at a different venue than usual, let alone one he’s never seen before, defending champion Rory McIlroy is still feeling the good vibes this week at the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship.
“Yeah, anytime you can defend a title, it’s a nice thing to do. Obviously my success at this tournament’s been at Quail Hollow and not here,” said McIlroy of TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms, the substitute host course as Quail Hollow prepares to host the Presidents Cup in September. “Never played here before, never seen the venue. So I played 18 holes yesterday and just played another nine today, so I guess as a replacement for Quail Hollow, it’s a pretty nice one.”
The Northern Irishman has won the Wells Fargo three times (2010, 2015, 2021) at its usual home back in Charlotte, North Carolina, and earned his first PGA Tour victory there with a four-shot win over Phil Mickelson when it was known as the Quail Hollow Championship. While he doesn’t have any experience outside of this week at TPC Potomac, McIlroy has some history across the street, where he won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, for his first major title in record-setting fashion with the lowest 72-hole score (268) in the championship’s history.
