PGA Tour: PGA Championship; Fourth Among Equals? Or First??: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).It is fashionable to refer to the PGA Championship as the Fourth Major, but in terms of quality of the field, and sometimes course played, it could equally be described as the Best Major. This year's edition, at Oak Hill's East Course, designed by Donald Ross, lengthened by Robert Trent Jones and tweaked (disfigured?) by the Fazios, should be no exception.

2).Oak Hill, in the leafy suburbs of Rochester, NY, should play to a par of 70, and to a length of about 7,200 yards with just two Par-5's. Only Augusta National, Oakmont, Oakland Hills and Baltusrol have staged more Major Championships, and this is the only course to also host the US Amateur, Ryder Cup, US Senior Open and Senior PGA Championship. Can you say "history"?  

3).Several of the pundits, and even some of the golfers, referred to Firestone ("the monstrous repetition of Firestone, which might be the most boring championship golf course known to man" according to Sports Illustrated's Senior Writer), as an ideal warm-up for Oak Hill, but that is a lazy comparison.
Oak Hill offers far more elevation changes and requires the golfer to shape his shots off the tee - it yields birdies reluctantly and eagles will be few and far between. An exception might be the Par-3(!) sixth hole, where Jerry Pate, Doug Weaver, Nick Price and Mark Wiebe all famously holed in one within little more than an hour at the 1989 US Open - and where Costantino Rocca also made a hole-in-one at the '95 Ryder Cup.
I was close by all five of them, missed the lot. But DID see Jack Nicklaus make a hole-in-one at #15 during a practice round for the 1980 PGA, which he went on to win. First I'd ever seen. Thrilled!

4).Not many (excepting Shaun Micheel of course) of this week's field have enjoyed much success at Oak Hill.
~Tom Watson has been playing here since 1980 where he finished 10th behind Nicklaus. Since then he's finished 46th in the 1989 US Open, but missed the cut at the 2003 PGA and finished 16th at the 2008 Senior PGA.
~Davis Love finished 33rd at the 1989 US Open and enjoyed a decent (3-2) Ryder Cup in 1995, but missed the cut at the '03 PGA.
~Phil Mickelson enjoyed a fine Ryder Cup in 1995 as a rookie, winning all three of his matches and then finishing 23rd at the 2003 PGA.
Other action includes:
~1998 US Amateur: Sergio Garcia beat Matt Kuchar in the quarter final but then lost to Hank Kuehne. Adam Scott , CHowellIII and first alternate JJ Henry were among also-rans that year.
~2003 PGA: Those who made the cut included:
Tim Clark: 3rd
Els: 5th - the leading long-hitter.
Howell: 10th
Furyk: 18th
Donald, Phil, Scott: 23rd
Ogilvy: 27th
Harrington, Toms: 29th
Singh: 34th
Woods: 39th (with only 6 birdies, believed to be the career fewest in a 72-hole effort)
Cabrera: 45th
Gay: 51st
Poulter: 61st
Casey: 66th
Choi: 69th.
Those who missed the cut included Beem, Bjorn, Brooks, Cink, Clarke, Garcia, Jacobson, McGinley, Pettersson, Rose (hope he's driving better than during his accident yesterday) and Westwood.

5).Seldom has there been a weekend where it's been as easy to see the wood from the trees:
Woods wins by 7
Woodland wins by 9 (points in modded Stableford)
Wood earns his best ever US finish (7th): (Also 100% from the sand, 3rd in fairways hit, 7th in gir and 8th in putting. Impressive.)

6).Between Firestone and Reno some golfers made big moves towards securing the place in the FedEx Play-Offs, starting of course with Gary Woodland. Andres Romero clinched his place, while Martin Kaymer helped himself and should be OK with a made cut this week.
But some names still with it all to do include:
Appleby
Crane
Colsaerts
Harrington
Cauley
Hanson
Singh
Immelman
etc, etc.

7).And 2 golfers shot 9-hole 28's this past weekend:
Steele on the back-nine at Reno.
Sluman on the Champions Tour on Sunday, birdies on nine of his first ten holes.
Sluman of course grew up in Rochester, learning the game at Oak Hill with Craig Harmon, and it is somewhat surprising not to see him in this week's field.
Walter Hagen was also a Rochester man with PGA Championship victories (five) and who's to say Oak Hill's Gavin Hall won't be the next Rochester native to have his name engraved on the Wanamaker Trophy?

8).The US media is agog with the prospect of a Woods / Mickelson showdown at Oak Hill, but each will have to use his driver more often than they seemingly prefer.
Hank Haney made interesting comments earlier this summer about Tiger's preparation for Majors, suggesting that he doesn't spend as much time practicing and charting the greens and green complexes as he would expect, especially those on courses he knows less well. One thing is for sure: with only 2 x Par-5's (one, the 13th which may be unreachable), he will have to be on Firestone form to contend. (Ominous sign though, that Woods and Stricker played a practice round together Monday afternoon - more putting tips from "Stricks"?)
With Phil, it's more to do with What will Phil do next? As of Monday he still wasn't sure what his 14th club (driver or 64-degree wedge) was to be.  

9).With Phil breaking the run (by Els, Rory, Scott and Rose) of international Major winners, who are the likely lads among Americans this week? I'd say Snedeker must have a great chance, Zach Johnson also - and wouldn't be surprised to see Dufner on the leaderboard if he can hole some of the tiddler putts he missed at Firestone.

Conventional wisdom suggests a great driver will do well this week, an Adam Scott perhaps, Justin Rose or even a Sergio. All will have to putt better than we've seen recently, but Stenson has been doing everything well and great to see Martin Kaymer finding some form.

10).Woods described Oak Hill as "the hardest, fairest golf course the players have ever played" and Els considered it "the best, fairest and toughest championship golf course I've ever played". That was in 2003 when Shaun Micheel outlasted Chad Campbell with his tap-in birdie at the 72nd hole.
It's been a miserably wet summer in the U.S. North-East but the last three weeks have been perfect for golf course preparation and the players will enjoy mild, mostly dry, conditions this week. There has been criticism of the greens and the 8th green was damaged by a tree falling earlier this year, but hopefully all will be well come Thursday.
I still expect the "navigator" to prevail over the "bomber" this week, not Shaun Micheel of course, but possibly Snedeker (30/1, really?) or Zach Johnson (50/1) both of whom look excellent each way value.

PS: I'll be at the action on Thursday and Friday, off the air from Wednesday p.m. through Saturday. Some fantastic groupings to follow and hope you all enjoy a great tournament.

ralphjohn69 wrote:

Sand wrote:No interviews given from Tiger.....

PHud with a capital PH, just hasn't got it in majors anymore; wgc's & regular tour events are fairly meaningless in the grand scheme of things..

He reminds me of the snooty guys who think they are mustard at certain clubs. Shoots a good score and the course is awesome, shoots a bad one and the clubs are in the car and he's off in a cream puff.

LW starting off well again.

I feel like i am in a ground hog scenario

Someone please shut Monty and Roey up

Davie wrote:Someone please shut Monty and Roey up

Definitely with you there, especially Monty! Why did anyone think he'd make someone good to listen to in a studio???

Rose.. LW..Casey all 3 under -

Scott powering through at 5 under!!

Bendy Boo Furyk has had a blinder 5 under



The good guys are up there- Its looking good for another top major..

Mysti, Davie, for me if a song sums up Westy its "dont stop believing".

Kohki Idoki? Surely someone's taking the urine?

Phil ... If you could hit an iron through a windowpane from 100 plus yards out you would probably not be that deep in the rough to begin with.

Be_the_ball wrote:Mysti, Davie, for me if a song sums up Westy its "dont stop believing".

 

What an absolutely fantastic looking course!

Saw a Westwood post-round interview yesterday. What a refreshing point of view. Would like to him win this thing.

Anyone know of any radio stations where I can listen to coverage? Anything would be greatly appreciated.

It may be on 5 Live Sports Extra, other than that just go through TuneIn

 Thanks Super

They must have teed off by now?

Why is the leaderboard so behind?

Can't find a radio broadcast of it anywhere. Again, British sports journalism being pretty useless. 4 majors a year, that's all I ask to be able to listen to.

Blues- I doubt it will be any different in any country- the official leaderboard isn't even updating..

It's all just a bit pathetic though isn't it mysti?

We should fly out next year and start our own international golf-centered pirate radio station. Game?

Yes!!

Ok its up dating.

LW even through 2

Day joins the lead at 5 under (2 under through 3!)

Jason Day is destined to win a major I think.

He certainly brings game to them..

LW 5 UNDER!!

i dont get Jason Day, doesnt have the same motivation/focus in a normal tour event as he seems to have in the majors.

LW moves to -6 for a share of the lead!

hend085 wrote:i dont get Jason Day, doesnt have the same motivation/focus in a normal tour event as he seems to have in the majors.

yeah is he ever in contention in regular tournaments?? Scott seems to be in the mix in most majors these days too, he could pick up quite a few over the next few years if the long putter ban doesn't ruin him!

Scott is flying high- 3 ahead of westy at the moment!

I think I will be backing Day in a year or so for majors.. But there is something about the English and Aussies. same type of bottler mentality!!

incontinentia wrote:

hend085 wrote:i dont get Jason Day, doesnt have the same motivation/focus in a normal tour event as he seems to have in the majors.

yeah is he ever in contention in regular tournaments?? Scott seems to be in the mix in most majors these days too, he could pick up quite a few over the next few years if the long putter ban doesn't ruin him!

Think he's could be the next generation incarnation of Cabrera- only really appears at the majors

The further ahead Scott and Westwood get the more difficult it will be for the baldy 9 chinned misery.

super_realist wrote:The further ahead Scott and Westwood get the more difficult it will be for the baldy 9 chinned misery.

Well Scotty has blown a big lead before and Lee doesn't win majors so I wouldn't hold your breath.
I like Adam Scott, I just cant actively want a cheat stick user to win a golf tournament.

Waaaay to early to call a winner, but Scott playing some inspired golf. What's happened to Lukey? Danger of missing cut.

Waaaay to early to call a winner, but Scott playing some inspired golf. What's happened to Lukey? Danger of missing cut.

rors has lost the plot as well.

Anyone know what happened to angel cabrera?

On one leaderboard it seems as if he is still going

http://www.majorschampionships.com/pga-championship/leaderboard.html


But on this one he has no score and "NC" next to his name

http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/scoring/leaderboard

So Webb Simpson is absolutely on fire. Started the day at +2 and is currently at -5 after 15 for joint second place. A round of -7 for him as it stands at the moment!

Must have been praying really hard. A-hole

Dufner!

And beware Kuchar.

Westwood derailed, but certainly not out of it.

Rose 6 under front(his back 9)!!!

Told you Tiger wouldn't win

Does the 10 shot rule apply this week?

not sure. top 70 and ties i think

Found it Mysti. You are right. ".....the field of 156 players will be reduced to the low 70 scorers and ties"
Thanks

Nice of Westwood to put us out of our misery early this time. Got my bets massively wrong this week - Rors, Luuke, Sneds and outsider Koepke

Agreed smithers..

I went for mahan, rose, donald, poults and duffers!

Duffers at 8 under!!

I thought I would give westy a break.

9 chins is really struggling, such a contrast from last week.

incontinentia wrote:9 chins is really struggling, such a contrast from last week.

Another year without a major
Seems he just can't cope with bad weather and/or courses with thick rough. 

Not sure about that. I just think he has a bottle issue

It defo does seem like it is now a mental block for him to win that major, it wouldn't surprise me if he shot a 64/65 and got himself closer to contending.

If his odds weren't 12/1 i would have had something on him benson!! I wouldnt be suprised if he didnt get back in it

12/1.......You can get him at 50/1 on BET 365.....I dunno how someone can offer 12's given he is 10 back!