2016 Masters champion Danny Willett answers a question during a news conference for the PGA Championship golf tournament at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., Tuesday, July 26, 2016.
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As a result of his maiden major at the US Open, Johnson has now been catapulted into a “big four” – but Sheffield-born Willett believes this year’s results prove there is a wide spectrum of players who can compete with the elite. Golfers will play for a piece of a $10 million purse; the victor will receive $1.89 million and 600 FedExCup points.
“When you hear the words that Jack (Nicklaus) and Tom (Watson) and a lot of the best players that have ever played the game are giving us credit for how we played, that’s obviously very pleasing and very humbling”. Each day this week, we’re asking them what advice they give their students that they’re going to use themselves while taking on the best in the world. “But then he’s seen himself on the other side of things where no one is running away with it and he wins in a close battle or he wins by a lot, whether it’s in a major or regular tour event”. Berberian almost let the championship slip from his grasp with a triple bogey on the final nine, but he capped the victory with a 33-foot birdie putt to win on the final hole. “But the fields are deeper and so many guys have chances to win tournaments”. The course finishes with back-to-back par-5’s which are the only two par-5’s on the layout this week since the other two long holes (first and seventh) play as par-4’s for professional tournaments changing the course from par-72 to par-70.
To any observers who has been seduced by his boom-or-bust tedencies, it is obvious why he revels in the PGA of America’s set-ups, especially when they are as rain-softened as this 7,400-yarder “There’s no real hidden secrets to it [USPGA courses]”, he said. McIlroy asked. “Going blow for blow down the stretch, that can only give you motivation and get the juices flowing”.
“That’s the benchmark. That’s what you’re trying to get to”. “I think it’s a great concept”. “If you’re that good, you can do that”. “And someone in the stands shouted, ‘Does your husband play golf?’ Shows you’re not up there on that pedestal for very long”.
What McIlroy said he really appreciates is the overall feel of Quail Hollow has been preserved.
McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington have won the British Open and PGA crowns in the same year in the past decade. The Travelers trumps most events in Watson’s mind because he won the event in 2010, dedicated the victory to his father, Gerry, a Vietnam veteran, and then watched his father die later that year.
Nine days ago, Mickelson entered the final round of the 145th Open trailing by a single stroke.
“Now I feel pretty comfortable and relaxed and I have myself in the mindset from the start of the year where there is no effect – just go and play”. He said the finish was deflating but at the same time he found strength in how well he played.
“It’s either Jordan or Rory that surprised me”, said CBS Sports lead analyst Sir Nick Faldo, “because Jordan hasn’t put his finger on the swing, and he still hits it left or right when he doesn’t want to”.
It’s a laugh by a guy who is having more fun and playing stress free at the level he expects to perform.
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“It was important for me to validate my Masters win in 2004, because I had said going in that when I win one, that I’m going to win multiple – it wasn’t going to be just a one-and-done”, Mickelson said.
