As far as dark horses (everybody but Tiger and Phil are pretty much dark horses in terms of majors), judging by the trend of play so far in '08, Luke Donald looks like the best Int'l in terms of USPGA play. Sergio hasn't faired well in USPGA events with mediocre fields. Adam Scott hasn't done much either. Ernie is on the up-and-up, but still not super-sharp.
I don't know about anyone else, but I love to see the longer shots win the majors. Angel Cabrera's US Open, Geoff Ogilvy's US Open, Zach Johnson's Masters... those are the tourneys I enjoyed the most.
I used to be a huge Ernie fan, and the Masters where he lost out to Phil and the British that Todd Hamilton won were fun to watch for me... I just didn't like the outcomes.
I think the Masters is my favorite Major as far as watching on television. The same great course every year with television memories from years before and so many consecutive years of major heritage. The US and British are tied for 2nd... the PGA is my least favorite. I think the PGA should be the first of the season, personally... just a primer for the other 3. Usually by that point in the year, my interest in televised pro golf is on the decline.
Amen for the fellow Geek! I couldn't agree more.
I know the Masters Course has changed (and some people do not 'like' the changes), but almost every year we see exciting finishes, with birdies, eagles, and bogeys down the stretch.
I think the TPC is a better tourney than the PGA these days. It used to be close, but I think the TPC is far better now. The greens on sunday are rediculously fast. It's a great course with great drama on the back 9, especially on the final 3 holes. I don't think the TPC should be the 5th major, it should replace the 4th major.
I think the TPC is a better tourney than the PGA these days. It used to be close, but I think the TPC is far better now. The greens on sunday are rediculously fast. It's a great course with great drama on the back 9, especially on the final 3 holes. I don't think the TPC should be the 5th major, it should replace the 4th major.
100% agree with that. The Players' is a way better tourney to watch and at a better time of the golfing season. There just seems to be a buzz about it that the PGA doesn't have.
It's too bad that the PGA Championship gets such a bump rap. I think its unfair to call it just another tour event. The last nine years look like this...
2007 - Tiger Woods fends off Woody Austin and Ernie Els at Southern Hills, a course that has hosted the US Open. Woods shoots a remarkable 63 in the second round.
2006 - Woods wins at Medinah, another course that has hosted the US Open. Going into the final round, he is tied and paired with young gun Luke Donald, who makes the mistake of wearing a red shirt on Sunday. Woods beats Donald by six shots.
2005 - Phil Mickelson outlasts Steve Elkington, Thomas Bjorn, Woods, and Davis Love to win in a very tense finish at Baltusrol (another US Open course).
2004 - Vijay Singh wins in a three hole playoff over Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard at Whistling Straits, a new, exciting course getting it's first major. Ernie Els misses the playoff by one shot. Whistling Straits proves to be an excellent venue, and will host the 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships, as well as the 2020 Ryder Cup.
2003 - Shaun Micheel over Chad Campbell at Oak Hill, another US Open course. Great approach by Micheel on the 72nd hole, otherwise I don't remember anything else!
2002 - US Open course Hazeltine hosts this one, and a brash Rich Beem holds off Woods in a dramatic finish. Beem will probably never win another major, so it might be considered somewhat flukey, but he had to beat TIGER.
2001 - David Toms beats Phil Mickelson with a clutch par on the 72nd hole at Atlanta Athletic Club. Great drama, best lay-up of all time.
2000 - Woods over Bob May at Valhalla. Amazing back nine and and playoff.
2001 - Woods over Sergio Garcia at Medinah. Amazing drama and entertainment.
Summary... great courses are selected, and they are set-up tough, but not over the top tough like for the US Open. Granted, '03 and '04 did not produce legendary champions, but the other years all had a big name player winning or in the mix down the stretch.
I know I should like the PGA more than I do, it's just that I don't get that special excitement from it anymore. It's not that I've made a concious decision to dislike the PGA Championship.
2) He is now basically picking and choosing the tournaments he wants to play.
Tiger has been doing that for his entire career. He plays the Buick sponsored events. He plays the WGC events. He plays the majors. He plays the Tour Championship, the Players Championship and just a couple of other events on the USPGA Tour.