Rookie of the Year voters face interesting dilemma

TULSA, Okla. – Count Rory McIlroy among the interested consumers of the copious preview content that precedes every major championship. McIlroy had never played Southern Hills before this week, not that a previous appearance would have helped much. The course underwent a dramatic renovation by Gil Hanse since it last hosted a professional tournament. To get ready for this week, McIlroy watched flyover videos from online outlets like Golf Digest and The Fried Egg to get a feel for the course. He went so far as seeking highlights from last year’s Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills. “Just did a little bit of digging online, and it sort of seemed pretty apparent that this is an approach shot and short game — like iron play and chipping is going to be really important this week,” said McIlroy, who also shared the videos with his caddie, Harry Diamond. What once was a traditional major test, with thick Bermudagrass rough lining narrow fairways and greens, has been reimagined. The fairways have been widened and short grass is more prevalent around the greens. The new design fits modern trends while also harkening back to the Golden Age of course architecture. After playing practice rounds, McIlroy did say that the course seems wider than it appeared on video and that, despite the plethora of short grass around the greens, putting from off the green is often not an option, requiring players to execute touchy chip shots from tight lies to a putting surface that sits above them. “I think he’s done a wonderful job with it,” McIlroy said about Hanse. “Love the green complexes. I love that he gives you options off the tee. “I think you’re going to see a lot of different strategies this week, guys hitting driver where maybe other guys aren’t and vice versa. It’s a really good track. I really enjoyed playing it yesterday, and I think it’s going to be a wonderful test this week.”

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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is encouraged by recent developments with the coronavirus vaccine, but he said that he did not believe it was his right to mandate players taking it.

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CARNOUSTIE, Scotland – Brooks Koepka has played 18 majors and won two of them. He’s behind schedule. Despite his back-to-back victories at the U.S. Open, the 28-year-old Koepka believes he should have won at least one more by this stage of his career. He’s had opportunities, including The Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2015 when he was in contention until a lost ball at the relatively easy 12th hole led to a triple bogey. “We were playing behind Tiger and nobody could find the golf ball,� said Koepka, who eventually finished T-10, five shots behind Zach Johnson. “… You make par there, you never know.� At the 2016 PGA Championship, Koepka entered the final round just two shots off the lead held by Jimmy Walker but was hampered by an ankle injury and shot 70 to finish T-4. “I was just dead,� he said. “I couldn’t even push off it.� Looking back now, Koepka said, “I thought I should have probably squeaked one of those away. … I’ve got some work to do.� Koepka also had a T-5 finish the previous year at Whistling Straits, but there was no catching Jason Day that week. Still, that performance in Wisconsin foreshadowed his winning effort in last year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills on a bomber’s course. Last month, Koepka showed his versatility by winning on a much different – and more difficult – U.S. Open layout at Shinnecock Hills. It may have been a surprising result to some, who pigeonhole Koepka because of his length off the tee. He currently ranks 24th on the PGA TOUR in driving distance and second in putting average; his strokes gained averages off the tee and on the green are relatively similar. Asked about his reputation as a one-trick pony, Koepka replied: “They get infatuated with distance, and they only see that. Yeah, we do hit it long, but there’s quite a few guys who do hit it much further than I do. “I’m a good putter. My short game’s come a long way in the last few years. Maybe the last five years it’s gotten tremendously better from where it was. And I always stroke it well. I’m always a good iron player.� That kind of balance in his game has allowed him to rise to world No. 4, and he’s currently 13th in FedExCup points despite just being limited to seven starts due to injury since the calendar flipped to 2018. Certainly he’s a threat this week to win his second consecutive major, and no one should be surprised now if he does. Koepka started his pro career playing in Europe, and he’s already recorded one pro win in Scotland, at the Scottish Hydro Challenge five years ago in Aviemore. His comfort level on links courses is quite high. “It’s so much fun to play because of the creativity you can use,� he said. “I think I step over a shot, and I could see seven to 10 different ways to play the shot. To me, that’s fun.� THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER Tiger Woods Hasn’t won The Open since 2006, hasn’t won a major since 2008, hasn’t won any event since 2015. But his stinger shots should serve him well this week. Patrick Reed “Captain America� said he feels the love whenever he comes overseas because of his passion. “I think they really enjoy that,� the Masters champ explained. Jordan Spieth Will the nice, long break since his last start help solve his putting woes? If so, you’ve got to like his chances to defend. THE FLYOVER When Tom Watson won at Carnoustie in 1975 in his first Open start, he played the par-3 16th five times (once in a playoff against Jack Newton). He never made par. In 2007 when Carnoustie last hosted The Open, just 19 birdies were made, second fewest on any hole that week. At 248 yards, often into the wind, the hole will have many players just hoping to successfully get up-and-down. In a BBC Scotland poll of players about the scariest hole in The Open rota, both Darren Clarke and Martin Kaymer pointed to the 16th. “Just brutal. No other word for it,� said Clarke, the 2011 Open champ. WEATHER CHECK The Open forecast for Thursday calls for “dry with sunny spells for the remainder of play. Clouding over during the late evening and into the night with outbreaks of rain developing during the early hours of Friday. Winds SW 12-18 mph, gusting 20 mph at times, slowly moderating during Thursday evening. Max temp 21C (69.8 degrees F). “Friday: A much cloudier day than Thursday. Outbreaks of rain during the morning, mainly light but some heavier bursts possible. Turning drier and perhaps brighter during the afternoon and evening. Rainfall totals in the order of 3-6mm look likely to build up during Thursday night and Friday. Winds varying between S and SW 8-12 mph, occasionally 15 mph. Max temp 19C (66.2 degrees F). “Saturday: Rather cloudy but mainly dry and some warm sunny spells are possible. Winds probably starting light and variable in direction but should settle at S or SW 8-12 mph during the afternoon. Max temp 21C. “Sunday: A similar day to Saturday; often cloudy but with a good chance of some sunny spells. A breezier day with winds picking up to SW 12-18 mph with a chance of gusts 20-25 mph. Feeling warm, especially in any sunshine with a max temp of 22C (71.6 degrees F)� For the latest weather news from Carnoustie, Scotland, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I’m still not sure if this is going to be the toughest Open ever or the easiest Open.Who is the main attraction this year?There’s 5,000 different ways for me to play these holes out here, but for me, it was pretty clear-cut on how to play each hole. BY THE NUMBERS 26 – Years since the last Englishman won The Open (Nick Faldo in 1992) 24 – Worldwide starts without a win made by Jordan Spieth since winning The Open last year at Royal Birkdale. He did have two runner-up finishes in last year’s FedExCup Playoffs. 7 – Rounds in the 60s shot by the seven winners in 28 combined rounds at Carnoustie in The Open. Padraig Harrington had three of them in 2007. Tom Watson two in 1975. Paul Lawrie (1999) and Ben Hogan (1953) one each. SCATTERSHOTS Much has been made of the streak of five majors won by American players in their 20s (Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed and Brooks Koepka twice). Spieth said it’s not just physical ability, but the mental strength of believing there are no age limits to winning. “A natural transition into kind of fearless golf at the highest level,� Spieth said. Justin Thomas respects the potential jinx about touching a trophy before you win it, but there’s nothing he can do about it now. After Zach Johnson won The Open Championship in 2015, Thomas drank some wine out of the Claret Jug. Perhaps it doesn’t matter. Thomas was 9-years-old when he held the Wanamaker Trophy that David Toms won at the 2001 PGA Championship. Thomas, of course, ended up winning the same trophy last year. “I was holding his Wanamaker trophy and that panned out OK,� Thomas said. “So I’m hoping there’s no jinx.� After winning Olympic gold in men’s golf in 2016, Justin Rose took the medal with him to several events after that, allowing his peers and fans to see the game’s first Olympic gold since 1904. He no longer does that. “It was fun for a bit,� he said. “I got a sense the boys were getting irritated after two or three months of doing it, and I thought, that’s enough. But yes, when you win a tournament like that, you have four years of bragging rights.�

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