Golf's biggest names will compete
for glory at the 100th PGA Championship, the final major of the
season, taking place August 9-12 at the Bellerive Country Club
in St. Louis, Missouri.
The PGA Championship - one of four tournaments in the Grand
Slam - will see golf champions from around the world vying for
first place, currently held by Dustin Johnson.
For the American players, this is the last chance to secure a
place at the Ryder Cup in Paris on September 28-30, without
being chosen as one of four wildcards in US Captain Jim Furyk's
possession.
After his success at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the
reigning PGA Championship winner, US golfer Justin Thomas, is
the favorite.
"I'm ready and eager to play," Thomas said.
"The WGC win gave me calm and conviction," he said.
Since 1980, only two players have won the PGA Championship's
famed Wanamaker Trophy: Tiger Woods in 2007 and Rory McIlroy in
2014.
"It will be fascinating to duel with Woods," Thomas said.
"Since I was a kid, he's always been my role model. He
motivated me to get this far," he said.
At the PGA Championship, all the world's golf greats will be
on the greens.
Francesco Molinari, whose British Open win made him the first
Italian golfer to win a major, is hoping for a historic double.
He wants to beat his second-place showing at the 2017 PGA
Championship, where a last-round rally by Thomas cost him the
trophy.
Expectations are also high for Tiger Woods, whose last time
at Bellerive was 17 years ago.
A win at this year's PGA Championship would be his 80th
career win and his first win since 2013, and would tie the PGA
Championship records set by Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen, who
both won the trophy five times.
"I'll try as hard as I can," Woods said.
"I'm taking advantage of this time to study the secrets of
the greens and all the pitfalls that it can cause," he said.
Johnson is also among those favored to win, after a victory
at the RBC Canadian Open (PGA Tour) and a bronze medal at
WGC-Bridgestone.
Jordan Spieth, one of the leaders struggling the most at the
moment, after wins at the Masters, the US Open and the Open
Championship, will try for a Grand Slam to join the list that
includes Woods, Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Ben
Hogan.
"I'll try to take advantage of every small possibility, even
though it won't be easy at all," Spieth said.
Pairings in the first two rounds are filled with big names,
with Woods facing McIllroy and Thomas, and Molinari facing off
against Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed.
Two other interesting pairings are that of Justin Rose, who
is coming back after a shoulder injury, with Spieth and Jon
Rahm; as well as Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley and Jason Day.
In the Americans' last chance to qualify for the Ryder Cup,
only Johnson, Koepka, Thomas and Reed are already assured a
place in Paris, with Bubba Watson and Spieth sure to make it.
The shakiest positions are those of Rickie Fowler and Webb
Simpson, currently in 7th and 8th, respectively, who will have
to keep watch for Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau behind them.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA