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Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy playing golf with Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall at the Truist Championship pro-am.

Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth shared the spotlight Wednesday at Quail Hollow Club during the pro-am ahead of the PGA Tour’s Truist Championship. The two major champions teamed up with Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall, whose performance on the course quickly became a talking point among players and local media.

McIlroy returns to competition for the first time since winning his second consecutive Masters title at Augusta National. The Northern Irishman enters the Truist Championship at one of the most successful venues of his PGA Tour career, having won four times at Quail Hollow.

Spieth, meanwhile, continues searching for his first PGA Tour victory in more than four years. The three-time major champion has shown signs of progress during the 2026 season, even though he has yet to record a top-10 finish this year.

Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth Praise Charlotte Hornets Owner Rick Schnall

GettyCharlotte Hornets owner Rick Schnall

Schnall, president of private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and co-owner of the Charlotte Hornets, impressed both McIlroy and Spieth during the nine-hole pro-am round. According to those on site, Schnall carded six birdies while playing alongside the two PGA Tour stars.

Spieth interrupted Schnall’s interview with local reporters to compliment his play at Quail Hollow.

“Amazing. He was so good,” Spieth said. “He said he wasn’t on the first or second hole, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know about that.’ I’d be hard-pressed to find somebody on his basketball team who could beat him, that’s for sure.”

The pro-am field also included several notable figures from other sports. NASCAR drivers Kyle Larson and William Byron participated, while New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye also played during the event.

For McIlroy, the week marks an important return ahead of next week’s PGA Championship. Speaking earlier this week, he said his Master’s victory increased his motivation for the rest of the season.

“I still have a lot of my career left and I want to keep playing and keep competing,” McIlroy said before the tournament. “I feel like if anything I’m more motivated after what happened at Augusta this year than I’ve ever been.”

McIlroy has a long history at Quail Hollow. He won his first PGA Tour event there in 2010 and has twice posted course-record rounds, including a 61 during his 2015 victory.

“This is 16 years I’ve been coming here,” McIlroy said. “It’s been a fun place, I’ve had success and it’s somewhere I always love coming back to.”

Jordan Spieth Discusses Form Ahead of PGA Tour Stretch

GettyJordan Spieth

Spieth enters the Truist Championship still searching for consistency after several injury-interrupted seasons. He told SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio that his recent focus has been on understanding which parts of his game work best naturally, rather than trying to imitate other players.

“I like to call it kind of my DNA, like, what do I do really well that’s just unique to me?” Spieth said. “Because you can’t try to swing it like somebody else.”

Spieth explained that he has spent time evaluating differences in his swing and ball-striking compared to earlier successful seasons.

“So what makes them unique, and how do we tap into that, and where am I at now?” Spieth said. “And what’s the path forward has been kind of the goal.”

The former Masters champion said a healthy offseason helped him continue making gradual progress as he enters this part of the PGA Tour calendar.

“This year’s just felt like I’ve progressed a little bit each way,” Spieth said. “I mean, I’ve pretty much led in each category at different times, and I just haven’t quite put it all together to win a golf tournament.”

Reports from Quail Hollow also noted Spieth experimenting with a new driver setup during practice rounds. According to PGA Tour coverage from the event, Spieth tested a longer 46-inch driver designed to add distance off the tee.

McIlroy remains one of the favorites entering the Truist Championship after his Masters victory, while Spieth hopes this week can become another step toward ending his lengthy winless stretch.

The Truist Championship also serves as a key preparation event before next week’s PGA Championship, with many of the PGA Tour’s top players using Quail Hollow to sharpen their games ahead of another major test.