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When a Charlotte radio show host asked listeners in 2004 whether the three finishing holes at Quail Hollow Club deserved a nickname, a caller suggested the name Green Mile. It was named after the prison movie. The Truist Championship, the sixth signature event of the PGA Tour season carryig a total purse of $20 million, just ended with Kristoffer Reitan earning his maiden PGA Tour win with a 15-under on the board.

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He walked away with $3,600,000, which works out to be the 18% of the total prize pool. After finishing in second place, Rickie Fowler earned after hitting 6-under in the final 18 holes earned $1,780,000, and so did Nicolai Hojgaard. Fourth-place finisher Alex Fitzpatrick earned $980,000. Below is how much every player in the field earned:

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Pos.PlayerScoreEarnings
1Kristoffer Reitan−15$3,600,000
T2Rickie Fowler−13$1,780,000
T2Nicolai Hojgaard−13$1,780,000
4Alex Fitzpatrick−12$980,000
T5Tommy Fleetwood−11$740,000
T5Sungjae Im−11$740,000
T5J.J. Spaun−11$740,000
T8Ludvig Aberg−10$605,000
T8Harry Hall−10$605,000
T10Patrick Cantlay−9$505,000
T10Matt McCarty−9$505,000
T10Cameron Young−9$505,000
13Justin Thomas−8$425,000
T14Min Woo Lee−7$365,000
T14Chris Gotterup−7$365,000
T14Nick Taylor−7$365,000
T17Alex Smalley−6$315,000
T17Gary Woodland−6$315,000
T19Austin Smotherman−5$245,800
T19Rory McIlroy−5$245,800
T19Keegan Bradley−5$245,800
T19Sudarshan Yellamaraju−5$245,800
T19Kurt Kitayama−5$245,800
T24Patrick Rodgers−4$159,286
T24Pierceson Coody−4$159,286
T24Adam Scott−4$159,286
T24Andrew Novak−4$159,286
T24Harris English−4$159,286
T24J.T. Poston−4$159,286
T24David Lipsky−4$159,286
T31Brian Harman−3$117,000
T31Viktor Hovland−3$117,000
T31Alex Noren−3$117,000
T31Tony Finau−3$117,000
T31Nico Echavarria−3$117,000
T31Corey Conners−3$117,000
T37Sam Burns−2$85,000
T37Maverick McNealy−2$85,000
T37Akshay Bhatia−2$85,000
T37Taylor Pendrith−2$85,000
T37Matt Wallace−2$85,000
T37Andrew Putnam−2$85,000
T37Bud Cauley−2$85,000
T37Lucas Glover−2$85,000
T45Justin Rose−1$63,000
T45Daniel Berger−1$63,000
T45Ryo Hisatsune−1$63,000
T48Denny McCarthyE$52,600
T48Aldrich PotgieterE$52,600
T48Webb SimpsonE$52,600
T48Michael KimE$52,600
T52Mackenzie Hughes1$46,950
T52Max Homa1$46,950
T52Brian Campbell1$46,950
T52Jhonattan Vegas1$46,950
T52Matt Fitzpatrick1$46,950
T52Chandler Blanchet1$46,950
T52Jordan Spieth1$46,950
T52Jacob Bridgeman1$46,950
T60Xander Schauffele2$44,600
T60Robert MacIntyre2$44,600
T60Ricky Castillo2$44,600
T63Ben Griffin3$43,600
T63Sepp Straka3$43,600
T65Ryan Gerard4$42,800
T65Si Woo Kim4$42,800
67Ryan Fox6$42,200
68Jason Day7$41,800
69Sahith Theegala8$41,400
70Sam Stevens9$41,000
71Hideki Matsuyama11$40,600
72Tom Hoge13$40,200

Beyond the check, Reitan also collected 700 FedEx Cup points and 61 Official Golf Ranking points. The victory also carries a two-year PGA Tour exemption and automatic invitations to the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the remaining 2026 Signature Event.

The Tour has been a fixture at Quail Hollow since 2003, when it debuted as the Wachovia Championship. It has changed title sponsors twice since, becoming the Wells Fargo Championship in 2011 and then the Truist Championship in 2025 after Charlotte-based bank Truist took over the naming rights. The event has moved venues only when Quail Hollow was occupied by a major. This marks the 20th time the tournament has been held on the Charlotte course.

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When the event was first elevated to signature status in 2022, the total purse stood at $9 million, with the winner’s stakes of $1.62 million. By 2024 and 2025, that figure had more than doubled to $20 million, which is a 122% increase in three years.

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What Makes Quail Hollow Unlike Anywhere Else on Tour

The Green Mile did not always have water. Under the course’s original design by George Cobb, the par-3 17th sat up a hill and away from any hazard. Arnold Palmer, a Quail Hollow member, brought the green to the water’s edge in 1985.

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Tom Fazio added the creek on the 18th when he reworked the course in 1997. Together, those two changes turned the closing stretch into what ShotLink data now confirms as the toughest three-hole finishing sequence on the PGA Tour. Since 2003, the first 15 holes at Quail Hollow have played a combined 1,290-under par. The Green Mile has played 7,683 over par in the same period.

The tournament has a well-established history of launching and confirming major careers. Rory McIlroy earned his first PGA Tour victory here in 2010 and has since won four times at Quail Hollow in total, more than at any other venue. Rickie Fowler also claimed his maiden title here. Six players in total have won for the first time on the PGA Tour at this event.

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The course is definitely punishing, and it ranks as one of the most difficult stretches. Many tournaments have been decided on the final three holes. The 2026 field includes the best champion, but who comes out on top remains to be seen.

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Written by

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Roshni Dhawan

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Roshni Dhawan is a writer and researcher covering golf at EssentiallySports. With a background in brand strategy and research, she brings a process-driven approach to her coverage, prioritizing accuracy, structure, and depth in every story. Her work is rooted in making the sport accessible to a wide audience, from long-time followers to those newly engaging with the game. Her coverage focuses on narrative-driven features, player journeys, and the evolving dynamics shaping the sport. By going beyond surface-level reporting, Roshni highlights the human stories that define golf, placing developments within a broader context that resonates with readers while maintaining clarity and relevance. Before transitioning into sports media, she built experience across research and content roles, developing a strong foundation in data analysis, academic writing, and structured storytelling. This background informs her ability to approach golf with both analytical discipline and creative perspective, ensuring her reporting remains both insightful and engaging.

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Riya Singhal

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