PGA Championship

[Mark2010]

Lost amongst all the talk of baseball suspensions and NFL training camps, the PGA Championship tees off on Thursday at Oak Hill Golf Club near Rochester, New York.

Thus your one-stop site to discuss any and all things pertaining to the championship.

 

[Dick Whitman]

You'd have to think Tiger is the overwhelming favorite, right?

 

[Mark2010]

As usual, all the pre-tourney hype seems to surround Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. I don't think either of those will win.

There's no way any mortal dominates a course in two consecutive weeks the way Woods did at Firestone in winning last week's WGC Bridgestone Invitational. He's got to come down to earth at least a bit.

It's been five years since anyone (Padraig Harrington, 2008) won consecutive majors, so picking Mickelson to back up his Open Championship with a win here seems to be a long shot.

It's been 13 years since anyone won back-to-back PGAs (Woods, 1999-2000), so picking Rory McIlroy isn't in my line of thinking, either.

There's so much balance in golf right now it's nearly impossible to pick a winner. I'll take the field and, to further narrow it down, make it a first-time major winner. Of all the majors, the PGA has a track record of producing more first-time, lesser-known winners (see Shaun Micheel the last time it was played at Oak Hill in 2003). Maybe Hunter Mahan or Bill Haas or Dustin Johnson. Who knows?

 

[Dick Whitman]

There's so much balance in golf right now it's nearly impossible to pick a winner.

That's definitely the case. I actually think that the game has been very fortunate to have Els, McIlroy and Phil win majors in rapid order. Webb Simpson is a nice enough player, but I think that, at that point, there was serious danger that majors were losing some cachet.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The majors cannot lose cachet. They're the majors. Golfers far less well-known have won the U.S. Open than Webb Simpson. Doesn't change the fact they accomplished an historic feat.

 

[da man]

You'd have to think Tiger is the overwhelming favorite, right?

Tiger who?

 

[H.L. Mencken]

Want: Tiger

Predict: Jason Duffner

Would be happy with: Snedeker

Top 10: Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Hunter Mahan, Adam Scott

Sleeper: Bill Haas

Will disappoint: Mickelson, Rose

 

[Mark2010]

Dufner and Snedeker are on my short list, too. Dufner played quite well last week. Snedeker won the Canadian Open two weeks ago.

Woods is definitely the player of the year, having won at Torrey Pines, Bay Hill, Doral, Sawgrass TPC and Firestone. No one else comes close to that track record. But does that mean he's going to win a major this year? Far from guaranteed.

 

[H.L. Mencken]

I really don't see him winning this week. He once again didn't drive it that well on the weekend at Firestone, even as he dominated. He just scrambled like a boss. You can do that on a course where you know the greens better that Lindsay lower back tattoo.

 

[Mark2010]

Noticed that 63-year-old Tom Watson is in the field. Watson has been having a rocky year on the Champions Tour, but had a couple of good rounds at the Greenbrier last month, so will be interesting to see how he plays here.

 

[heyabbott]

“How my **** ta’te?” --Tiger Woods (GQ, 1997)

 

[Double J]

You'd have to think Tiger is the overwhelming favorite, right?

Sure, if you're a lazy reporter who can't be bothered to look for a compelling original angle.

Oh, here's one - the last time the PGA Championship was held at Oak Hill, Woods finished at +12, in a tie for 39th place, 16 shots behind winner Shaun Micheel.

 

[2underpar]

I like Snedeker. Not sure Dufner can get it done, though I think he'll be in the mix on Sunday. PGA always seems to have somebody who comes out of nowhere to contend. Not sure if Mahan's mind will be on it with the new baby and everything. Two guys who are due; Kuchar and Graeme McDowell.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Woods is definitely the player of the year,

Not if Mickelson, Rose or Scott win the PGA. Two majors trumps Tiger easily.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

You'd have to think Tiger is the overwhelming favorite, right?

Sure. Who's one player you take instead of him to win? Mickelson, is pretty much it.

That being said: Tiger v. the Field .. I'll take the field allllllllllllllllll day and double down Sunday afternoon.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The field is always the bet in golf. Zach Johnson is playing really well, but you have to be kind of long at Oak Hill.

 

[2underpar]

In Vegas, the field bet is not very good simply because they post odds on about half the field. Only time i consider the field bet is at the British Open. I actually won on a field bet there when Paul Lawrie won. Now, Tiger vs. the field, always take the field.

 

[MileHigh]

It *should* be Tiger. But the PGA almost always produces an out-of-the-blue winner.

Meanwhile, the USGA dicked the PGA with the announcement today of the new rights broadcaster in two years. Payback for the PGA's defiant stand in favor of the anchored putter?

Still ... Fox? Doing the U.S. Open? Seriously. It has joke written all over it. But on a happier note ... No more Berman on the U.S. Open.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

We trade Berman for Gus Johnson.

HA HAAAAAA

 

[H.L. Mencken]

"Is Hillary Clinton going to ban the sand wedge? Next up, we'll discuss why it could happen, and what right you have to keep and bear 14 clubs."