PGA Championship fearless Predictions

[GolfingAsia]

My top and bottom performers for the 89th PGA Championship

The 89th PGA Championship will be underway in Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa Oklahoma this week. Southern Hills Country club presents another challenging layout as a par 70 7,131 yard course. You can check out the pictures of this beautiful course hole by hole at www.pga.com. Looks like the pictures were taken around sunset, and came out great. Although the rough doesn't look too challenging compared to say last week's Bridgestone setup, the greens are guarded well by numerous bunkers and a few water hazards. Players will be forced to negotiate several doglegs which will put a premium on course management. This course hosted the 70, 82, and 94 U.S. Opens and should be a great stage for the pros to battle it out this weekend. Now to my picks.

Top Performers

1. Tiger Woods - If you saw Tiger Wood's performance on hole #9, rd 4 at Bridgestone, you are witnessing a focused and borderline angry man. Hmm. I wonder what he's pissed off about....maybe two 2nd place finishes? Look for 4 very solid rounds from the new daddy.

2. Kenny Perry - One of them most underrated golfers today. He has the iron game to avoid the greenside trouble at Southern Hills. Look for him to be very competitive

3. Phil Mickelson - Phil is either going to win this tourney or finish 50th. Look for him to be very aggressive, especially with his short game. With his improved driving, Phil will look to go for the pin and finish strong in what is considered a very mediocre season for him.

4. Vijay Singh – The boring yet steady Fijin should always be considered one of the favorites in this type of course set up. He’ll be in contention but his putting will eventually let him down again.

5.Davis Love III – One of my favorite players, Davis showed he’s back from injury with a solid showing at Bridgestone. Look for him to hover around the leader board on Sunday with his great long iron game.

Dark horses

1. K.J. Choi, Andres Romero, J.J. Henry

Bottom Performers

1. Rory Sabbatini – Tiger is also the new Daddy of Rory Sabbatini. He won’t be able to recover from the spanking he took in round 4 and will miss the cut and display strange behavioral outbursts on the greens.

2. Corey Pavin – You just can’t contend by hitting driver then 7 wood on every hole.

3. Aaron Baddeley – I’m not a big fan of the Stack and Tilt. It’s ugly, and I don’t think I’d look appropriate with that forward thrusting follow through.

4. Sergio Garcia – His outfits will be as disastrous as his scores. I don’t think he looks very comfortable over the ball with his belly putter.

5. John Daly – I love the guy, but I thinking winning the PGA is not very high on his priority list. This is what I think John Daly’s priorities will be this week

a. Monitor tracking device on wife’s ankle
b. Look for food
c. Look for cigarettes
d. Look for slots
e. Don’t be late for T-Time at Southern Hills.

[divot46]

I think the winner will be the weather. Whoever can handle the heat and high dewpoints and heat indices will come out on top. It's supposed to be in the mid to upper 90's with it feeling like it's around 110. Then if you get a good southern, blast-furnace wind blowing, only the one's in top shape will survive. I look for Tiger to take it.

[capt.murphy]

i was there for 7 hours today. tiger was hitting the ball well. divot is right, weather is a huge factor here in oklahoma in august. this high humidity heat just saps your strength.

[nkubes12]

If being in shape is a huge factor, you can count Phil "Man t****" Mickelson as a long shot to win this week...

[Blackanvil58]

I think Rory Sabbatini will win the title, he is only human and he has been so close so many times. I think it is time he wins a major.

[handmadeaddicted]

Man that is funny

[tbowles411]

I look for Tiger all day long and for 4 rounds. This is where intelligence, and being in shape will come into play in a HUGE way. As long as he stays hydrated out there, he should be the Tiger we know. He just came from ultra firm and fast in Ohio and he's going to have more of that in Oklahoma, but only turn the temperature dial up 15 more degrees.

 

Those of you who never played in heat like that, you just don't know what tired is until you've finished walking (or just playing) in 100 degree temps with humidity. It's like playing with your head in an oven for 4 hours. Endurance will be paramount and Tiger is your man.

 

And Rory, he may make the cut, but the spanking he took will be on his mind, plus the fans may not let him forget the "comment." He can't throw them all out!

[Swingtheclub]

First off I agree with all that mentioned the heat.

 

Most of these guys are in pretty good shape even Phil is working out these days. But the heat and humidity effect different people different ways.

 

The heat is just something that has to be controled proper hydration and even a bit of pacing yourself looking for shade etc.

 

The favorite has to be Tiger going into this week.

 

Phil needs to fire up the putter, it could happen but honestly I think he needs to start preparing for next year. You just do not make swing changes and coach changes and then injure your wrist and have a great season. I hope I am wrong.

 

 

I have four what I would call Dark Horses

 

Davis Love Zach Johnson Chris Dimarco Jim Furyk

 

All this is great then if we really knew why would they play .

[the dragon]

This is my list:

 

1. Tiger Woods

2. Sergio Garcia

3. Justin Rose

4. Adam Scott

5. Ernie Els

 

You can bet your bottom dollar one of them is going to be the winner.

[dispatch096]

I've said it many times before, picking Tiger is almost cheating. I pick my winner by closing my eyes and picturing someone holding the trophy, then i think of the headlines, then i come up with what the golf channel is going to say about his win. i.e. (1 major after what everybody thought to be his best chance, Sergio gets it done and silences the critics at southern hills. or. now we have two spanish speaking major winners in a row, lorena ochoa last week, now sergio garcia this week.) thats how I come up with them. im weird, i know.

 

1. Sergio Garcia

2. K.J. Choi

3. Adam Scott

[GolfingAsia]

yeah you are weird. btw....K.J. Choi speaks spanish too

[19th_Hole]

Justin Rose - hes playing great, in the top 10-15 or so every week..

[hosslefade]

That American guy, he just had a kid , he's sponsored by nike and wears a red shirt at least once a week but i can't remember his name?? :tongue: I think he'll win going away!! K.J Choi and Andreas Romeo will be tough to beat!

[Konklifer]

Vijay will be right in the mix. But if Tiger swings like he did on Sunday, everyone's playing for second already.

[ghost121591]

We all know that tiger will be in contention. He wants to win a major more than he wants to win the next 5 fedex cups. his showing at firestone was impressive and hopefully, he can carry his dominating performance at the bridgestone invitational into the pga championship.

 

as for some of the names mentioned above, i think adam scott isn't ready to win a major, his game is just not there yet. Despite the fact that his best finish at a major came at last year's pga, he hasn't played well lately and he has struggled to make a difference at this year's majors.

 

As for romero, although he can go on incredible birdie streaks, his game isn't consistent enough to win a major. However, i still believe he will remain in the hunt into the weekend.

 

The guys that i believe will challenge tiger will be els, furyk (if he's healthy), choi, and rose. And also, lets not forget the last winner at southern hills at the pga; goosen.

[johnj]

5. John Daly – I love the guy, but I thinking winning the PGA is not very high on his priority list. This is what I think John Daly's priorities will be this week

 

a. Monitor tracking device on wife's ankle

b. Look for food

c. Look for cigarettes

d. Look for slots

e. Don't be late for T-Time at Southern Hills.

 

You only forgot

 

f. Find Diet Coke delivery truck and drink it dry.

 

That boy can drink some diet coke...always seems to have one in his hand...lol...J

 

 

I also agree with this:

 

Those of you who never played in heat like that, you just don't know what tired is until you've finished walking (or just playing) in 100 degree temps with humidity. It's like playing with your head in an oven for 4 hours.

 

However, having a caddy and being a premier tournament stop, the players are somewhat more taken care of than at your average Muni course in Florida in the summer...but the heat will def be a factor...J

[woodsnewport]

I'm saying Zach Johnson gets bookend majors, or maybe K.J. Choi.

 

I live in Houston and can attest to playing in 95+ temps with 60%-80% humidity, it is not Arizona heat.

 

I know Tiger played well last week but let me throw out a "Rory" comment for all the Tiger pickers.

 

Tiger cannot play in extreme heat and has never won a tournament that I recall when it has been in these type temps or even just a little cooler.

 

Sundays round where he made up the most slack in the tournament was a high of 74 that day at FSCC.

[braincramp]

Keep an eye open for Steve Stricker.

[desniche]

Keep an eye open for Steve Stricker.

Yeah until about the 13th hole on sunday.

[the dragon]

I would not normally pick Tiger myself but the event of recent weeks suggest there is little chance for any other player. Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh didn't break 72 the entire week of the WGC and par is 70! so their chances of winning is pretty bad. Furyk's injured and probably doesn't have enough time to recover sufficiently. Tiger had 3 rounds in the 60s including a final round 65! and he's lucky. Sabbatini and Romero's pretty good but they're too erratic for a major at the moment. KJ Choi and Zach Johnson could be strong also as is Justin Rose but they'll probably feature in a battle for second place with Sergio Garcia. Ok that's my 2 cents worth.

[Swingtheclub]

Reading this thread is a bit comical.

 

I mean Tiger made my favorite list people but I still think they should play the tournament.

 

I mean if you read this thread, most of you guys are ready to hand him the trophy now, I mean maybe they should have it pre engraved.

 

On just the opposite note. One guy said Tiger could not stand the heat , and another Phil could not.

 

People its always hot in August and they have both won PGA championships.

 

If Venturi did not succeed to the heat in the 64 Open I doubt any of these guys will. Besides Mischelle is not playing.

 

It should be a great tournament :tongue:

[conorgolf22]

Besides the obvious pick of Tiger, I'm going with Scott Verplank. Fairly straight hitter, good putter and he will have a lot of fan support in Oklahoma.

[dmboak]

You have Tiger, then you have the rest of the field.

 

I'll go ahead and pick the favorite to win. I'll also go with Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald to make a good showing as well. I also look for Phil to have a poor showing.

 

As for the heat, yeah it's hot in August just about everywhere the PGA is these days, BUT the heat in Oklahoma and Texas is much different than the heat in Chicago and Central New Jersey in August. It can get downright stifling in Tulsa. The heat WILL BE a factor this week.

[pepsigolfer]

I think Rory Sabbatini will win the title, he is only human and he has been so close so many times. I think it is time he wins a major.

I hope for Rory's sake that you are joking.

[SnapHooker_307]

Well, I think Tiger will probably come away victorious this week, but I really want Furyk to make a good showing. I don't think that his back was hurting that bad, he's just had a stretch where he's been playing a bunch of tournaments in a row, so he is probably wearing down a little and deserved a break. I think he was a little sore and skipped the Bridgestone as a caution, which is completely understandable. There wasn't any sense in risking turning a sore back into a nagging injury. He was making sure that he was going to be healthy for the PGA, so I really hope he has a good showing. A healthy Furyk could be a force this week.

[braincramp]

Tiger is 1 for 18 on par 70 courses.Don't know if it means anything but I threw it out there.

[DemolitionMan]

Everyone but TW is a "dark horse" pick except for Sergio, Rose, Romero and Choi. I give those guys a legitimate shot, everyone else has serious baggage. Sure, Sergio has baggage too, but he is one hell of a ball striker and just needs the streaky putter to be in the mix. Even TW needs the putter to do well to win.

 

Davis Love will be lucky to make the cut. Except for one magical year for Phil, he generally has already packed it in by this time of the year. Els who? Yea I know, he's on the 3 year plan to become #1. I just want to know, when do the three years start? Love....I am still cracking up over that pick. I would pick Jimmy Nez over Love any day of the week.

 

I suppose Romero fits the hot golfer peaking going into the PGA mold a la Rich Beem. So sure, put the $20 on him, betting on TW is boring although the way he is hitting it, all he needs is the putter to be on and it's game over.

[mepsteinjr]

Anybody think Justin Leonard is primed for return this week. If not a win a top 10 finish. He's started to turn it around a bit and had a good week at Bridgestone. I also like Elk and Pat Perez as my dark horses.

[blueshabit]

1. Hunter Mahan

2. Zack Johnson

3. Scott Verplank

4. Aaron Baddeley

 

I base this finish on three key observations: Tiger wore a yellow shirt today; K.J. Choi is way shorter than I thought he was, and the intense heat makes Furyk look even more like a chicken than Bernard Langer.

[whateverworks]

It will be hot and conditiong will be a factor.Driver use will be limited by top players and ball striking/putting huge factors..

 

My Top 5

 

Tiger

KJ

Stewart Cink

Boo Weekly

Ernie Els