The most minor Major

Alasdair Reid

Rugby reporter

Sunday 5 August 2012

Ready for the Snore by the Shore?

Matt Kuchar is among the unheralded Americans expected to do well Photograph: Getty

Custom byline text:

Alasdair Reid

The upmarket hoteliers of Charleston, South Carolina, might be enthused by the return of Major championship golf to the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island – scene of the notorious War on the Shore Ryder Cup match of 1991 – but it would be pushing it to say that the event's broadcasters are in a froth of excitement over what this week's event might bring.

Their reservations have been fuelled by a global golf scene in which the sport's big beasts have failed to produce much of a roar these past few months. Ernie Els took the Open Championship title a couple of weeks ago, but the South African's win must rank among the most subdued triumphs ever, relying as it did on Adam Scott's meltdown over the last four holes.Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson seems to be struggling to break par, while Tiger Woods' return to the big time has been a decidedly fitful process. Woods did a lot of prowling at Royal Lytham and St Annes, but he lacked a pounce at the critical point in the tournament. Golf junkies might declare this a time of plenty as the past 16 Majors have been won by 16 different players, but the fact that six of the top 10 players in the world rankings have never won a Major championship could just as easily suggest that we have entered the age of the grinder. There is no great rivalry, no Mickelson vs Woods nor Nicklaus vs Watson, to whet the appetite for drama.Perversely, then, you might even say that the stage is set for this week's PGA Championship at Kiawah. The event's organisers have boasted, as they always do, that the PGA has the strongest field of any of the year's Majors – this year's line-up includes the top 108 players on the world rankings, 32 major champions and players from 21 different countries – but the tone always seems to be set by 20-strong cast of unheard-of US club professionals who are also given places. The fact is that the PGA lacks the charisma of the other three Majors. Back up a win at the PGA with one of the other biggies and you might enter golf Pantheon, but if it's the only Major on your cv you will be ranked alongside such other worthy-but- forgettables as Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel and Mark Brooks. It is undeniably, a place where British players have a habit of remaining in the wings. The last Briton to win the thing was Scotland's Tommy Armour in 1930. Which is not to dismiss entirely the prospects of Luke Donald or Lee Westwood finally entering the winner's circle at a Major event, simply to point out that history isn't exactly on their side.Fast-improving US players like Jason Dufner, beaten by Keegan Bradely in a play-off last year, Hunter Mahan and Bill Haas would all be worth a modest punt. Matt Kuchar, with top-10 finishes at both the Masters and The Open this year, might be worth a rather larger punt.And what of the venue? Kiawah's Ocean Course is a Pete Dye design and it has his fingerprints all over it in terms of being a ferociously difficult place to play golf. "If we had to play this place with a pencil and scorecard we might never finish," said Nick Faldo during the 1991 Ryder Cup. The front nine winds through a saltmarsh, while the back nine is through – or rather over – dunes, where the strong Atlantic winds could be a huge factor.Thankfully, the PGA have exercised common sense by declaring that 'sandy areas' will not be deemed hazards, thereby avoiding any chance of a repeat of the ludicrous scenes of two years ago when Dustin Johnson was penalised two shots for illegally grounding his club in something that didn't look anything like a bunker.

Contextual targeting label:

Sport

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

The most minor Major

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED