Top two still chase elusive big one
The US PGA may not the most glamorous of golf’s four biggest championships but it invariably commands the best field with invitations extended to the top 100 players in the world, 98 of whom are set to tee it up in Georgia.
The rankings are coming under increasing focus, especially in the United States, where they are accustomed to the number one player being the proud holder of at least one Major championship. The system was instituted 24 years ago and until the advent of Westwood in late 2010 and Donald earlier this year, were never headed by a non-Major champion. Donald has led for 12 weeks and was preceded by Westwood for 22. It may be argued their respective recent performances justify such exalted positions, with Donald finishing joint runner-up with Ricky Fowler behind Adam Scott in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the weekend and Westwood closing strongly for a share of ninth.
Prior to them, the number one spot was the property of Martin Kaymer (eight weeks), Tiger Woods (623), Vijay Singh (32), David Duval (15), Ernie Els (nine), Tom Lehman (one), Nick Price (44), Fred Couples (16), Ian Woosnam (50), Nick Faldo (97), Greg Norman (331), Seve Ballesteros (61) and Bernhard Langer (three).
Each has won at least one Major championship.
Donald and Westwood have their last chance of 2011 to join that club over the 7,400 yards revamped Atlanta Athletic course but the bookmakers remain unconvinced. Westwood is 14/1 with Donald on 16/1 along with the currently ailing US superstars, Phil Mickelson and Woods.
The massive crowds set to turn up in the broiling heat of Atlanta in mid-August will be desperate for a home winner to end the American wait for a Major since Mickelson’s Masters success of 2010. Since then, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel, McIlroy and Darren Clarke have claimed golf’s greatest prizes.
Donald’s consistency and accuracy from the tee should see him very prominent at the business end of the PGA. Westwood has also looked the part in most Major appearances but the failure of both to make the cut at the British Open is interpreted in some quarters as a sign of weakness on the big stage.
If the American drought is to be maintained, the man to maintain the trend could be Adam Scott, the 31-year-old Australian who has discovered a new lease of life thanks to a Scotty Cameron broomhandle putter and the sage advice of New Zealand caddie Steve Williams, who is intent on getting under the skin of his former employer Woods.
THE Wallaby-Kiwi alliance certainly hit it off to perfection in Akron with Scott’s PGA price reduced from 25s to 22/1, which could be good value.
Mickelson and Woods are poor bets. I much prefer Nick Watney and Steve Stricker, both 28/1, and for each-way value, Zach Johnson and Bubba Watson at 50/1.
McIlroy’s 10/1 tag is a result of his demolition of Congressional in June and his third place finish in each of the last two US PGA Championships.
The odds on McDowell (50/1), Pádraig Harrington (66/1) and Clarke (100/1) are reasonable given their from. Clarke’s lengthy spell away from the big events in the States is likely to tell against him, with little or no similarity between the courses and the conditions he encountered in winning the British Open at Royal St George’s and in finishing towards the end of the field in Akron. The form of McDowell and Harrington shows no signs of improvement after a very disappointing season.
