PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: WHO WILL WIN IN VALHALLA? - Golf Information | Golf Journal

The US PGA Championship is being held at Vahalla Golf Membership in Kentucky for the primary time since Rory McIlroy’s victory in 2014. However can a return to pleased looking grounds present the substances for the Northern Irishman to get pleasure from an extended overdue return to the main winner’s circle or will the Scottie Scheffler trophy prepare rumble on?

With majors coming alongside like buses lately, no sooner has the mud settled on the Masters than all eyes are swiftly turning to the season’s subsequent main examination, the PGA Championship.

Lengthy considered the least important of the quartet of majors, the PGA is having fun with one thing of a renaissance lately, following the choice to maneuver it from its sleepy late summer time date in mid-August to its new mid-Could slot, when golf’s massive weapons are properly and actually motoring and ideas of lengthy lazy days and seaside holidays are furthest from our minds.

The 106th version of the PGA Championship returns to Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky from Could 16-19, and represents an more and more uncommon alternative to see the world’s greatest golfers come collectively for 4 days over one of many hardest programs on the match schedule.

Whereas the frankly tedious debate as as to whether LIV golfers are in a position to translate their 54-hole, no-cut kind to the white warmth of four-round main competitors will little question rumble on at Valhalla, nevertheless it received’t trigger Brooks Koepka, last year’s PGA champion, to lose a lot sleep as he goes in quest of a sixth main title, which might see him transfer alongside Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino within the pantheon of main winners.

If he had been to prevail, Koepka would additionally turn into solely the second participant to win back-to-back PGA Championships twice. A feat solely achieved by Mr T Woods, who did it in 1999-2000 and 2006-2007.

A return to the scene of his final main triumph in 2014 may also give Rory McIlroy’s legion of followers a glimmer of hope that pleased reminiscences of the Kentucky course’s will present the mandatory psychological enhance that’s wanted to pull the 34-year-old out of his main funk.

When the then 24-year-old lifted the Wanamaker Trophy all these years in the past, few would have predicted {that a} full decade would move and it will stay his most up-to-date main victory.

There have been half-a-dozen shut shaves and close to misses alongside the best way, however the massive ones, those that actually appear to matter, have remained elusive for one of the crucial naturally gifted gamers of his era.

And whereas all method of causes have been given for his failure so as to add to his main tally over time, from poor placing, lack of distance management together with his wedges, and now a contact of the lefts with the driving force, evidently it’s between the ears, that internal perception, that his powers appear to have drained away.

He has the expertise to have reached main double figures by now, however golf, in any respect ranges, is a merciless recreation, and is definitely no respecter of previous glories.

With distance being at a premium on this prolonged course, Scottie Scheffler’s lengthy, straight hitting can be a significant bonus for the two-time Masters champion, and he can be brief odds so as to add to proceed the place he left off at Augusta, though successful back-to-back main victories comes with its personal particular set of calls for that few are in a position to take care of. For all golf betting odds please see beneath

CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, and first opened in 1986, Valhalla – which interprets as ‘Corridor of the Slain’ from Norse mythology – has hosted three earlier PGA Championships (’96, ‘00) two Senior PGA Championships, and, in fact, the 2008 Ryder Cup, the place the European workforce lead by the hapless Nick Faldo got here unstuck in an enormous approach.

In preparation for this yr’s championship, quite a few updates have been made to the course to stiffen its defences towards a brand new era of bombers and gougers. It can play about 100 yards longer than it did in 2014, with the championship tees taking it to 7,540 yards, with a par of 71. The primary gap is 50 yards longer than a decade in the past, the par-3 14th could be stretched out to 250 yards if the PGA of America feels prefer it, which might be will, whereas the 18^th has been prolonged by 30 yards.

The better entrance 9 presents a extra open problem, with barely undulating links-style fairways that pitch and roll by a low-lying valley. Together with being harder and having extra imaginative holes, the again 9 is a way more conventional tree-lined format that additionally has loads of hazards and modifications in elevation.

With beneficiant fairways, Valhalla is a typical Nicklaus design in that it locations an enormous premium on exact second pictures. It’s additionally a shot makers course. Greens are agency and quick, whereas there are 60 bunkers to cope with, and half a dozen holes characteristic water.

Discussing the course’s calls for, Phil Mickelson, who completed second to Rory in 2014, mentioned: “The fairways are beneficiant, however the largest factor is coming into the greens, you want to hit your approaches excessive and land smooth. There are additionally lots of assortment areas and lots of bunkers to keep away from, so the upper and softer you hit the ball, the extra birdies at Valhalla.”

CURRENT ODDS FROM BETWAY.COM

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER 7/2

RORY MCILROY 11/1

JON RAHM 12/1

LUDVIG ABERG 14/1

BROOKS KOEPKA 16/1

SELECTED

CAM SMITH 25/1

TOMMY FLEETWOOD 40/1

JOHN DALY 1000/1

The whole course has just lately been re-turfed, switching from Bentgrass to Zoysia, a warmer-season grass which permits for simpler upkeep through the summer time, though fairly what its affect can be on enjoying situations is unclear.

VALHALLA CARD OF THE COURSE

7,540 yards, Par 71

Gap   Par      Yardage

1          4          495

2          5          530

3          3          210

4          4          375

5          4          460

6          4          495

7          5          600

8          3          190

9          4          415

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10       4          595

11       3          210

12       4          490

13       4          355

14       3          255

15       4          435

16       4          515

17       4          475

18       5          575

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