There are no Canadians in the field this week at this new and improved (tougher) Atlanta Athletic Club. It's been 10 years since short but straight hitting David Toms won here, with that by now trademark 3 wood hole in one on the long par 3 15th, and while the course is 270 yards longer and narrower with firmer fairways due to a complete over seeding with new more compatible (to the summer heat in the south) Bermuda strain of grass, the main changes the field will see are on the greens.
Now the club has Champion Bermuda grass on the greens, (instead of bent grass) which means that in February the putting surfaces won’t be very good. But this week in the middle of August, they will be fast and firm.
“You can dry out Bermuda grass in the heat without stressing it,” course super Ken Mangum said. “This year our greens will be faster and considerably firmer. Players won’t have as much control when the ball lands, which should make (the course) play tougher. It’s considerably more difficult to play for roll.”
Members play this to a par of 72, but for the pros it is par 70, the 2nd is now a 515yd par 4,... 15 this year is a 260yd par 3 and 18 is a ridiculous but exciting 507yd par 4, the approach anywhere from 280- 220 yards all over water, which is going to put a lot of pressure on third shot wedge play and clutch putting..
This 4th major was the least important and often the least exciting until 20 years ago when a last minute replacement for Nick Price called John Daly showed up at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Indiana and beat Bruce Lietzke by 3 shots with an amazing display of power golf that has been his trademark ever since.
Since then we had Mike Weir in contention at Medinah in 1999 until he blew up on Sunday playing with Tiger, who ended up beating a leaping Sergio by a shot, then the next year at Valhalla he broke journeyman Bob May's heart with that remarkable tying putt at the 72nd, then again in the playoff.
Toms as I mentioned in 2001, then Rich Beem is still dining out on his smoked 5 wood at Hazeltine in 2002 when he beat Tiger by 3, then 2009 when YE Yang became a household name and a national hero in South Korea when he beat Tiger again at Hazeltine, and who will forget last year and Dustin Johnson with the so called fairway bunker broohaha at Whistling Straits opening the door for Bubba to catch Martin Kaymer before losing to the German sensation in a playoff.. the PGA Championship has really become one to look forward to.
Here are the tee times for Thursday and Friday.
http: //www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2011/upload/2011-PGA-Championship-Groupings-Starting-Times-Rds1-2.PDF
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles
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