This Thursday sees the start of the final major golf tournament of the year as the 97th PGA Championship gets underway at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.
Last years tournament saw Northern Ireland’s Rory Mcllroy shoot 16 under to win his second PGA Title, and his fourth major title overall as he edged out American Phil Mickelson by one shot at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
This event hasn’t been too kind to the UK competitors over the years mind you, with Mcllroy’s first win in 2012 being the first time in 82 years that a player from over here has won it (although Padraig Harrington from the Republic of Ireland did win in 2008).
Mcllroy has confirmed his intention to play in the tournament, with doubts originally cast due to an ankle injury he picked up which caused him to miss The Open. The Open winner Zach Johnson also competes as does Jordan Spieth who is the current Masters and US Open champion, and only finished 1 shot off the lead in last month’s Open.
There will be a 156 strong field of competitors taking to the fairways and greens with the winner of the tournament picking up the Wanamaker Trophy and a cool $1.8 million, which is in stark contrast to the first ever tournament in 1916 when Englishman Jim Barnes took home $500, and a gold studded medal. In fact it wasn’t until 1931 that the prize money changed again to the lofty sum of $1000.
The course itself replicates the ancient seaside links courses of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Nestled along a two-mile (3 km) stretch of Lake Michigan, the course has eight holes hugging the lake, a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep, elevation changes of approximately 80 feet (24 m), and three stone bridges. It has vast rolling greens, deep pot bunkers, grass-topped dunes and winds that sweep in off the lake determining that only the very best in the world win the Championship.
The Holes of the Course
Out
Hole 1 Outward Bound 408 yards Par 4
Hole 2 Cross Country 593 yards Par 5
Hole 3 O’Man 181 yards Par 3
Hole 4 Glory 493 yards Par 4
Hole 5 Snake 598 yards Par 5
Hole 6 Gremlin’s Ear 355 yards Par 4
Hole 7 Shipwreck 221 yards Par 3
Hole 8 On The Rocks 507 yards Par 4
Hole 9 Down And Dirty 449 yards Par 4
In
Hole 10 Voyageur 361 yards Par 4
Hole 11 Sand Box 618 yards Par 5
Hole 12 Pop Up 143 yards Par 3
Hole 13 Cliff Hanger 404 yards Par 4
Hole 14 Widow’s Watch 373 yards Par 4
Hole 15 Grand Stand 518 yards Par 4
Hole 16 Endless Bite 569 yards Par 5
Hole 17 Pinched Nerve 223 yards Par 3
Hole 18 Dyeabolical 500 yards Par 4
Total yards - 7514 – Par 72
For more information or up-to-date scores please head on over to The Open's website here.