Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy Headline Field For Wells Fargo Championship

Phil Mickelson, making his first tournament appearance since missing the cut at the Masters, and Rory McIlroy will be the star attractions at next week’s Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte.

10 of the top 30 players in the World Rankings will appear and try to wrangle the title from defending champion Derek Ernst, who picked up his first career win last year after outlasting David Lynn in a playoff.

Reigning U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and 2012 U.S Open champion Webb Simpson–who calls the Quail Hollow development his home, are also in the field, as is Ernie Els, who is making his first trip to the event since 2007.

Simpson’s former teammate at Wake Forest, Bill Haas, is also in the field.

The tournament has served as a launching pad for several players who have picked up their first career PGA Tour wins at the event, including McIlroy (2010), Anthony Kim (2008), and Rickie Fowler (2012).

Mickelson, who held a one-shot lead with three holes to play last year before fading along “The Green Mile”, has yet to win at Quail Hollow. He has recorded seven top-10’s there during his career and was the runner-up to McIlroy in 2010.

Four players who live in Charlotte will also be in the field: Brendon de Jonge, Robert Karlsson, Martin Laird, and Johnson Wagner.

This will be the 11th year of the event, and four players in the field–Stuart Appleby, J.J. Henry, Charles Howell III, and Rory Sabbatini– have played each year.