Charlotte’s economy tees off with PGA Championship
Writer: Mirella Franzese
May 2025 — The PGA Championship returned to North Carolina for the first time since 2017, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators and providing a $100 million boost to the Charlotte economy, according to Gov. Josh Stein.
Hosted at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club, the four-day tournament brought excitement as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler secured the win.
“North Carolina is golf, and it’s an incredible part of our economy,” said Stein, who visited the tournament and spoke with local reporters.
As one of golf’s four majors tournaments — along with the Masters, U.S. Open, and Open Championship — the PGA Championship draws significant domestic and international attraction.
Tournament organizers told Axios that Charlotte hotel occupancy was expected to surpass 90%, with hotel room rates around 40-50% above average during the event weekend.
“If you go downtown, all the hotels are full. If you go out to the restaurants, all of them are full. These are people mainly from outside of Charlotte, coming here and spending their money,” Stein said.
The 2024 U.S. Open, hosted at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, delivered $242.5 million in economic impact for the state and supported 1,800 jobs, according to a report by the United States Golf Association. Visitor spending throughout the tournament surpassed $95.7 million, with attendees spending an average of $1,156.
Daily attendance at the PGA Championship reached an estimated 50,000, generating millions in revenue to the state and local government — a percentage of which will be reinvested into bringing more sports events to North Carolina, according to Stein.
North Carolina ranks among the Top 10 states with the most golf courses, according to Links magazine. The Tar Heel State is home to more than 500 golf courses, with games played totaling $2.3 billion in direct spending, $4.2 billion in economic impact, and 53,000 jobs created, according to a report commissioned by the North Carolina Alliance for Golf.
Charlotte’s mix of world-class golf courses, robust retail and dining options, and growing hospitality sector, all continue to draw in some of the best golf players in the world to compete, which will be key to building momentum in the long-term, according to Stein.
“I’m so excited that we have the PGA this year. We’re going to have the U.S. Open four times over the next 22 years,” said Stein about golf’s growing popularity and the state’s role as an international sports hub. “There’s no other state that can tout that record,” he added.
For more information, please visit:
