PGA Championship: Big hitters can prosper down the Straits
Of course these are early days, tournament-wise and the broadcasters are trying to fill time but rather than looking at Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth hitting hundreds of practice shots, why not analyse in detail the course set-up, or the key holes that the players faced in yesterday afternoon’s more testing conditions for the viewers?
Rant aside; yesterday morning’s ideal weather conditions proved the soft course conditions and a relatively easy set-up meant the course, more particularly the back nine, were there to be plundered by the big hitters.
Mr Teflon, Dustin Johnson impressed once more, 66 being a great effort by the big man, but we know his pedigree over three rounds. His true challenge will come later, most probably deep into the last round but given he will not be allowed a head or more importantly a brain transplant, right now he is probably hoping to put enough distance between himself and the rest of the field to give him the best possible chance of falling over the line.
Sad commentary I know but if this man had McIlroy’s or even Spieth’s head he would seriously challenge their domination in the game. He is constant box-office material. Hopefully this week’s show will have a happy ending.
Already there is good pedigree on the leaderboard in Day, Kuchar and defending champion Kaymer but perhaps a couple of names not too familiar to many are JB Holmes, the hero of the USA Ryder Cup victory in Valhalla in 2008, a man destined for great things before losing form because he had to deal with vertigo symptoms caused by a brain illness.
Today, on his window sill at home, still sits a chunk of bone, which had to be removed from his brain, allowing him to resume a golfing career that promised so much. Gradually he has found form, going from 236th in the PGA Tour rankings in 2013 to 15th in this year’s and with two wins under his belt in the past two years, his trials and tribulations will guarantee he will have no fear of winning should he find himself in the position to do so Sunday.
The same too might be said for New Zealander Danny Lee, the former US Amateur champion who is quickly establishing himself as a very accomplished golfer on the PGA Tour despite his early struggles in the professional ranks. He has already won this year at the Greenbrier Classic and with a current ranking of 10th on the PGA Tour Order of Merit, his form suggests he too may just stay around long enough this week to have a say in matters.
Finally, although this article had to be submitted, as the marquee grouping of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Zach Johnson were about to take to the tee yesterday, I have some observations. I am a huge Zach Johnson fan in that here is a small guy with a big heart, someone who has learned how to compete against power hitters like McIlroy who will regularly hit the ball 60 yards past him. His game plan will vary hugely to McIlroy’s this week so it will make for interesting viewing. But, as we saw at the Open Championship, he is a winner who has form on this course and given a sniff at this title, he will not be found wanting.
How will Jordan Spieth handle McIlroy’s company this week, given the last time they were paired together at the TPC at Sawgrass McIlroy dominated while Spieth missed the cut? This time the tables are turned in terms of competitive form. Spieth will still be nervous but I have learned to respect his game all the more for the Open Championship. He is a class act who needs to hole putts to be competitive.
McIlroy, on the other hand, is determined but competitively stale this week and watching him on the range earlier this week, I thought he was sliding his left foot much more than we regularly see him do. Perhaps that was to protect his ankle but it is a concern as normally he is so strong on his left side. If there is one fault in his swing it is sometimes he takes the club away too much outside the path on the way back which means he can be prone to dropping it too far on the inside on the way down.
Perhaps it was the angle but looking at him on the range I am concerned this bad habit may be resurfacing.
