Rory, Rickie and galvanised Garcia the men to beat

Valhalla is a stadium-style golf course, which offers its competitors a wonderful study in contrasting landscapes and colour from the open, lower-lying front nine holes to the markedly more elevated and densely-wooded back nine.

Built with Major championships specifically in mind, Valhalla is indelibly stamped with a collection of very strong and dangerous par-4 holes which could define this week’s US PGA — from the short and drivable fourth and 13th to the lengthy 500 yard-plus second, sixth and 16th — all with water in play.

On the whole, the course places a premium on long, accurate driving and the ability to hit greens in regulation from distance. But we can also expect the heat and humidity of Louisville to be a factor.