The Wachovia Championship, which is still in its infancy, is arguably the best tournament on the schedule outside of the majors. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about shedding the “outside of the majors” part. Despite playing through heavy rains without the grieving Woods, it still held up as the premiere Charlotte event. Ten of the top 11 players in the world made their way to play in the rainy Queen City. Judging by the attendance, it’s obvious we’ve got some of the best golf fans in the country right here.

Quail Hollow’s closing holes of 16, 17 and 18 make up one of the toughest finishing tracks out on the tour circuit. They’re called “The Green Mile” and they’re much more terrifying than the movie. Seventeen and 18 specifically placed in the top 15 hardest holes on tour in 2005. They consistently play spoiler to the final day leader and this year was no different. Needing a two putt on the 18th from 50 feet, Immelman ran it 10 feet past and then missed the comeback putt. Furyk pounced with an up-and-down par forcing a playoff. On that same hole, Immelman pushed his drive into the thick wet rough forcing a punch to 80 yards out. Furyk hit a beauty from the trap and another up-and-down par to steal the victory.

Seeing the story lines consistently develop on Charlotte’s Green Mile, I can’t help but long for a day when Charlotte could play host to a major championship. With so many pros referencing Quail Hollow as a possible major site, I can’t help but wonder if 10 years down the road, “The Green Mile” at Quail could carry the same stature as “The Road Hole” or 17 at Sawgrass.

This year, there were rumors that the players were grumbling that 17 was over the top and playing even tougher than last year. Who can forget 17 robbing any chance of Mickelson being a factor last year when he played the hole at +7 for the weekend? Sergio’s collapse last year was punctuated with him leaning furiously trying to will his ball out of the drink to no avail.

We’ve had three playoffs in four years, usually on the heels of a Green Mile collapse. Considering the most boring outcome in four years involved a quadruple bogey eight on 18 by leader David Toms, who still managed to win by two. That’s telling you something about the character of its finishing holes. It still hurts to think that if Singh hadn’t doubled 17 that year, Tom’s implosion on 18 would have actually meant yet another playoff.

With the NASCAR Hall en route and the hole in the earth formerly known as Saks Fifth Avenue seemingly resolved, Charlotte continues to take leaps and bounds in growth and exposure. It’s been said that with Pinehurst nearby, anytime a major comes to the Carolinas that it’s a no-brainer to head east. Maybe the next step in the expansion of the Queen City is to dispel that notion. The back nine at Quail seems like the perfect place to decide a Grand Slam event. If a major were ever to select Charlotte, a major back nine storyline would surely follow. And it only takes one to become famous. One triple on 17, one quad on 18 or one Van De Velde type stretch run and Quail could cement itself as one the most entertaining courses on tour.

Only time will tell if a major is in our future. After another compelling weekend, I sure hope that time is soon.