2017 PGA Championship

[Don Wassall]

The big news this week is that beginning in 2019 the PGA Championship will be played in May. The Players will move to March, where it was played for most of its history. So now there'll be the Players, a near-major, in March, The Masters in April, the PGA in May, the U.S. Open in June, and the British Open in July. The FedEx Cup playoffs will also be moved up so that they end before football season gets in high gear. It will also make the Olympics less disruptive, as last year the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup had to be squeezed around them.

I think it's a great move. The PGA has become the poor brother to the other three majors; making it the second major will give it a real boost in interest. For five straight months there will be a great tournament, followed by the FedEx Cup playoffs. I've tried to become interested in the FedEx Cup playoffs, but just haven't due to when they take place and I'm sure that's true of many other golf fans. Although there will still be tournaments from September through December, for the most part that will become golf's offseason, which is another good idea.

Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els are both playing in their 100th major championship this week, only the 13th and 14th players to reach that mark. Between them they've won nine of them, not too shabby at all, and were right in the hunt in many others.

Would like to see Jordan finish off his career grand slam and be the youngest ever to accomplish that very rare feat, if not wouldn't mind if Rory wins his third PGA and fifth major. There's a whole lot of other contenders in what should be a great tournament on the Quail Hollow course in Carmel, NC outside Charlotte.

 

[Carolina Speed]

I agree. Rescheduling these tournaments is a great move. It looks a though we won't see Spieth win the Grand Slam and become the youngest to do so. I was hoping he would. He's mired in a tie for 33rd at +3. Rory at +2. If Spieth can't make a charge, I guess I'd like to see Kisner or Justin Thomas, Fowler get their first Major. Stroud or Casey would be a good story also. However, should Fowler win, he would be boosted into the stratosphere of golf's greats for some reason. Matsuyama, who won last week, should he win, would be the first Japanese to win a Major.
Scores after round 2:
T1. Kisner ,-8
T1. Matsuyama, -8
T3. Stroud, -6
T3. Day. -6
T5. Molinari, -5
T5. Oothuizen, -5
T7. Fowler, -3
T7. Thomas, -3
T7. Casey, -3

 

[Don Wassall]

Jason Day made an all-time bonehead decision with his second shot at 18 and ended up with a quadruple bogey, ending his chances tomorrow. Kevin Kisner has a one shot lead over super dark horse Chris Stroud and Hideki Matsuyama. Justin Thomas and Louis Oosthuizen are two back at -5. The winner will almost undoubtedly be one of those five. Kisner isn't well known but has been in contention in a number of tournaments the past two years. He's from South Carolina and would be a popular winner. Stroud was the last qualifier for the tournament and if he wins it would be a huge upset, almost as big as when John Daly won this event in 1991. I'll pull for Thomas tomorrow, followed by Oosthuizen.

 

[icsept]

Jason Day's decision on 18 was unfathomably bad. The day's action was quite boring until the final 3 holes where most of the leaders fell apart. I prefer a final day setup where the players can go low. Makes for an exciting finish. Only pulling for Matsuyama because I have him in a pool.

 

[Carolina Speed]

Look out for Patrick Reed. He is now at -5, only two back!
Justin Thomas, -6, one back!

 

[Don Wassall]

Reed only one back now. Very tight leaderboard, should be a great finish.

 

[Don Wassall]

Great playing by 24 year old Justin Thomas, who had already won three times this year, to join his good friend Jordan Spieth as a major winner!

 

[Shadowlight]

"The Man in Pink" pulls through helped along with a tantalizing putt that hung around on the lip for over ten seconds before plopping in for a key birdie. Justin Thomas has played well this year but know one knew who the hell he was (except for the golf purists) until he shot a spectacular 63 in the third round of the US Open. Almost glowing in the dark with his pink pants and shirt and skinny as a rail, suddenly people were talking. He faded on the final round at the US Open and didn't make a dent at the British Open but at the PGA he displayed all of his considerable talents. A wiry true athlete he can really clobber the ball off the tee and his superlative short game was on full display on the back nine yesterday. In contrast to the jungle gym body of US Open champ Brooks Koepka Thomas and old timer Sergio finally bagging a Major, Thomas looks to many like the next star. The last two Majors have put the future of golf in focus and we could be entering a golden age with 24 year olds Thomas and Spieth leading the way. Koepka is also sighted along with Rickie Fowler but we will have to wait and see what transpires over the next few years. I'll put my money on Thomas and Spieth.
One very minor complaint. I like competition with sweat, blood and tears and a lot of these young players are buddies but once they tee off that in my mind goes out the window.