April 30, 2008 -- In a relatively short amount of time, the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C., has become a favorite of PGA Tour fans and players. Boasting a star-studded field, the players and fans rave about the atmosphere, the course and the tournament. So how do they do it? PGA.com's Coordinating Producer John Kim talked with PGA Head Professional Scott Davenport to talk about why his course puts Carolina on so many golf fans' minds.

PGA.com: Again, your course defies all convention. You are a relatively new event and you come up right before one of the most hyped and anticipated events on the PGA TOUR, yet you have a star-studded field that could rival any tournament. What gives?

The Wachovia Championship has established itself as one of the most popular tournaments for players and fans alike. (WireImage.com)

Davenport: Well obviously I'm a bit biased, but I have to think that one of the major reasons is, we have a great place. The players really enjoy this course, the atmosphere, the people; it's a challenging but fun week for them. For the players, this is a course that can offer a great test, but if they are hitting the ball well, the birdies can come in bunches. The city of Charlotte is such a great town and offers so much support as fans and volunteers. I can't put it any better than that, it's just a fun time for everyone.

PGA.com: How would you describe your course to an avid golfer who has never visited or maybe even never seen your course on television?

Davenport: Ours is an old-style course, it's not planned around any real estate projects or anything like that. It's a long course for the Tour players, almost 7500 yards for them. There's plenty of trouble on the course, but not the type that you can't find ways to hit out of. The rough will be a little lower than it was in year's past so it won't be as penal, but there are still plenty of trees that line the fairways and some native areas that can pose problems if you find them. So you may not lose a lot of balls here, but you might have to prepare to hit them more than you want if you aren't striking it well. If you keep the ball straight off the tee, and can control your distance to stay on the right side of the undulating greens we have, you can score here.

PGA.com: Charlotte is a sports crazy area. With the Panthers, the Bobcats, ACC basketball, NASCAR, etc., is it tough to get the community's attention?

Davenport: We've been very fortunate in our incredible fan and community support. From our corporate partners to the volunteers, the fans always show up in droves and sell the week out, it's really a great even for the city and for North Carolina. And, we offer a very fan-friendly experience, the course is very easy to get around, the routing means you're never more than a hole or so away from the clubhouse. From a fan perspective, we offer so much, great players inside the ropes and a lot of great services outside the ropes. And I think that has made a great impact for fans and helps explain why they are so enthusiastic about the tournament.

PGA.com: Many courses on the PGA TOUR claim to have the three toughest finishing holes in golf. You guys have to be in that argument. Tell me why your course can make a legitimate stake to that claim.

Davenport: Yes, we do have some tough ones. Hole no. 16 is a par 4 that is just under 500 yards. The players have to avoid a fairway bunker and trees on both sides from the tee, and then hit a narrow green. And if you don't find the fairway off the tee, if you hit your approach from the trees or the rough, it's almost impossible to hold the green. No. 17 is a 220 yard par 3 to a green that is partially surrounded by water. There is a bailout area, but saving par from that bailout is a really tall order. And no. 18, our closing hole, is just a killer. 490 yard par 4 with water that runs all the way down the left side and with a fairway bunker and trees on the right. There's just no real place to miss on this hole. And one final note, holes no. 16 and 18 run in opposite directions. So when there's a wind, you have to play one of those holes into the wind. So yes, we have to be in the mix as one of, if not the, toughest finishing stretch on Tour.

PGA.com: You're going to have a new champion with Tiger Woods out due to knee surgery. Last year, you predicted Luke Donald for us. He missed the cut. Care to try again?

Davenport: [laughter] Alright, let's go with Jim Furyk this time, he has won here before. And I'm also going to watch out for Trevor Immelman and Vijay Singh (another past champion). That should cover me pretty well.