Firestone delight for in-form Stenson

Firestone delight for in-form Stenson

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Mark Lamport-Stokes August 1, 2013

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Henrik Stenson of Sweden watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone …


By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AKRON, Ohio (Reuters) - Resurgent Swede Henrik Stenson could hardly be in a more different position at theWGC-Bridgestone Invitational since he most recently competed in the World Golf Championships (WGC) event three years ago.

In 2010, a dispirited Stenson finished stone last in an elite field of 80 at Firestone Country Club and he later regretted playing in the tournament that week as he had been battling a lingering viral infection.

On Thursday, however, he buried all those painful memories by firing a five-under-par 65 in the opening round, continuing the excellent form he has produced over the past month.

"Five-under and bogey-free around here is not something you do every day, I guess," a smiling Stenson told reporters after making an explosive birdie-eagle start before finishing a stroke behind pacesetting American Webb Simpson.

"My game's moving in the right direction for sure."

Stenson, who has endured two lengthy slumps in form during an otherwise successful career that has earned him seven European Tour titles, arrived at Firestone in upbeat mood after recording top-10 finishes in his last three events.

"The final round in Munich, I played really, really solid tee to green," the 37-year-old said, referring to the BMW International Open where he tied for 10th place.


"Scottish Open, I had a great scoring round the second day but more than anything the third round was really good there tee to green. And then at the British I hit a lot of good shots but I didn't feel like I played perfect there by any means.

"But I felt very comfortable being out there and the way I played in the final round (at the British Open). That's something I will take with me for future big events if I can put myself in that position again."

Stenson, who won the biggest title of his career at the PGA Tour's 2009 Players Championship, tied for third in last month's Scottish Open before finishing joint second in the British Open at Muirfield the following week.

It has been a long road back for the Swede who struggled for form for much of 2001 and 2002, and again during his 2011 campaign.

"We all go through ups and downs," said Stenson. "Back in '11 and for parts of last year, as well, I wasn't in the big ones (elite events). We all want to win major championships, and you've got to be in the tournaments to start with.

"So that was the first goal, to get back into the top 50 to be in for all the big events," said the Swede, who has climbed to 19th in the world rankings after plummeting to 230th early last year. It's been a lot of hard work and a couple of changes.

"I went back to my old sports psychologist last summer and put a more of a long-term plan in place for all the different areas of the game. It's been some good work there that's starting to pay off big time."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Julian Linden)

Golf-WGC-Bridgestone Invitational scores

Golf-WGC-Bridgestone Invitational scores

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August 1, 2013


Aug 1 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the par-70 course on Thursday in Akron, Ohio

64 Webb Simpson (U.S.) 64

65 Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 65

66 Ryan Moore (U.S.) 66

Chris Wood (Britain) 66

Tiger Woods (U.S.) 66

Keegan Bradley (U.S.) 66

67 Jason Dufner (U.S.) 67

Bubba Watson (U.S.) 67

Rickie Fowler (U.S.) 67

Bill Haas (U.S.) 67

Jim Furyk (U.S.) 67

Luke Donald (Britain) 67

68 Scott Piercy (U.S.) 68

69 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 69

Ian Poulter (Britain) 69

Paul Lawrie (Britain) 69

Zach Johnson (U.S.) 69

Justin Rose (Britain) 69

70 Harris English (U.S.) 70

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 70

Jonas Blixt (Sweden) 70

Ken Duke (U.S.) 70

Peter Hanson (Sweden) 70

Richard Sterne (South Africa) 70

Satoshi Kodaira (Japan) 70

Francesco Molinari (Italy) 70

Jamie Donaldson (Britain) 70

Rory McIlroy (Britain) 70

Paul Casey (Britain) 70

Branden Grace (South Africa) 70

71 Matteo Manassero (Italy) 71

Nick Watney (U.S.) 71

Bo Van Pelt (U.S.) 71

Graeme McDowell (Britain) 71

Lee Westwood (Britain) 71

Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 71


Steve Stricker (U.S.) 71

Sergio Garcia (Spain) 71

Ernie Els (South Africa) 71

David Lynn (Britain) 71

72 Brian Gay (U.S.) 72

Michael Thompson (U.S.) 72

Shane Lowry (Ireland) 72

Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) 72

Dustin Johnson (U.S.) 72

Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 72

Russell Henley (U.S.) 72

John Merrick (U.S.) 72

Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 72

Brandt Snedeker (U.S.) 72

Phil Mickelson (U.S.) 72

Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 72

Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 72

73 Jaco Van Zyl (South Africa) 73

Boo Weekley (U.S.) 73

Adam Scott (Australia) 73

Mikko Ilonen (Finland) 73

Derek Ernst (U.S.) 73

Richie Ramsay (Britain) 73

Bae Sang-Moon (South Korea) 73

Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 73

D.A. Points (U.S.) 73

74 Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 74

Tommy Gainey (U.S.) 74

Billy Horschel (U.S.) 74

Martin Kaymer (Germany) 74

Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 74

Jason Day (Australia) 74

75 Toru Taniguchi (Japan) 75

76 Kevin Streelman (U.S.) 76

Brett Rumford (Australia) 76

77 Martin Laird (Britain) 77

79 Daniel Popovic (Australia) 79

DNS Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)

Golf-Simpson in charge at Firestone, Tiger lurks

Golf-Simpson in charge at Firestone, Tiger lurks

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August 1, 2013


* First-timer Simpson takes control with a 64

* Woods in hot pursuit after shooting a 66

* McIlroy cards a roller-coaster 70 (Updates at end of round)

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AKRON, Ohio, August 1 (Reuters) - It was case of love at first sight for Webb Simpson on his debut at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as he spectacularly charged into a one-shot lead in Thursday's opening round.

While seven-times winner Tiger Woods also made a strong start, firing a four-under-par 66, Simpson seized control of the elite World Golf Championships(WGC) event with an eight-birdie 64.

On a breezy day of sunshine and sporadic cloud cover at Firestone Country Club, former U.S. Open champion Simpson was in sizzling form on the greens, totalling only 22 putts to end the round a stroke in front of Swede Henrik Stenson.

Woods, who has triumphed a season-high four times on the 2013 PGA Tour, mixed six birdies with two bogeys to sit a further shot back, level with fellow Americans Ryan Moore and defending champion Keegan Bradley, and Englishman Chris Wood.

Former world number one Luke Donald of England bogeyed his final hole, the par-four 18th, to card a 67 and end the round alongside Americans Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Rickie Fowler, Bill Haas and Jim Furyk.

Simpson was elated to be the tournament's front-runner after taking full advantage of advice from his experienced caddie on how to play the heavily tree-lined Firestone layout.

"It was a great start," the 27-year-old American told reporters after setting the tone for a low round on a rain-softened layout with four birdies in his first nine holes.

"My caddie has been here so many years and I had to listen to him. He basically showed me where to go yesterday and told me where to hit it, where the lines were, what clubs to hit.

"Today was one of those days where I just saw the lines well, and my speed was really good. You've got to have great speed because there's so much slope in the greens.


"And the better the speed, the bigger the hole," said Simpson, who missed out on making his debut at Firestone last year due to the birth of his daughter Willow.

IMPROVING FORM

Simpson has not triumphed on the PGA Tour since he clinched his maiden major victory at the 2012 U.S. Open but he has been happy with his improving form on the circuit this season.

"It's encouraging and frustrating because I haven't won and yet I'm 17th in FedExCup (standings)," he said. "I feel like I've let a couple of tournaments go that maybe I should have closed out or at least I should have contended more."

Simpson has recorded four top-10s in 18 starts on the 2013 PGA Tour, his best finish a playoff loss to Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at the RBC Heritage in April.

"If I'm getting better, I'm happy," said Simpson. "And I do feel like I'm getting better, I just don't have the results this year to show it."

Woods has certainly had the results with four PGA Tour wins this season and he swiftly moved into familiar territory at Firestone, covering his back nine in four-under 31 to rocket up the leaderboard.

"I felt pretty good today," said the 14-times major champion. "I feel very good about what I'm doing with basically my whole swing. I hit a lot of good shots. I had a really good feel for the distance today. I thought I putted well."

Woods has won a record seven times at Firestone, and has piled up a staggering 11 top-10 finishes in 13 appearances at the elite event.

"For some reason this golf course, I just see it," said the world number one. "It's just one of those venues. Luckily over the years I've taken advantage of it. I have played well and I've scored well, and I've won my share of tournaments here."

Northern Irish world number three Rory McIlroy returned a roller-coaster 70 while newly crowned British Open champion Phil Mickelson opened with a 72 to sit joint 41st in the 73-man field.

"Some good, some bad," McIlroy said after carding five birdies, three bogeys and a double at the par-four 10th. "I felt like I hit a lot of good shots out there.

"I drove the ball well for the most part, gave myself a lot of chances for birdies, and I just threw a few shots away around the greens, made double at 10 from nowhere. Felt more comfortable with my putting, which was a good sign." (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Julian Linden)

A Golden Anniversary for the Golden Bear

A Golden Anniversary for the Golden Bear

PGA.COM August 5, 2013







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The temperatures were so hot at Dallas Athletic Clubin 1963, Jack Nicklaus had to use a towel to hold …


By T.J. Auclair, PGA.com

A Golden Anniversary will take place for the Golden Bear when the 95th PGA Championship tees off Thursday at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.

When Jack Nicklaus won the 1963 PGA Championship at Dallas Athletic Club 50 years ago, it was the third of the Golden Bear's record 18 major titles. And -- for the purposes of this Golden Anniversary -- it was the first of five PGA Championship victories for arguably the greatest golfer in history.

With the victory, Nicklaus at age 23 joined fellow legends Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, and Ben Hogan as the only winners of all three American majors -- the Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship. Nicklaus would go on to complete the first of his three career grand slams three years later at Muirfield in the 1966 Open Championship.

Coincidentally, Oak Hill was also the host venue for the 1980 PGA Championship, where Nicklaus won the last of those five PGA Championships to tie Walter Hagen, a Rochester native, for most all time.

For several years in the 1960s, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship were played in the month of July in consecutive weeks. Imagine that -- not only back-to-back major championships, but also both contested on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Travel then for top players certainly wasn't what it is today.

"In those days you didn't have the jets to get back," Nicklaus said. "So we got right back and went right straight to Dallas so I went from a 55-degree temperature to a 110-degree temperature. Big change ... a lot of the guys had a hard time with it. I didn't seem to have a hard time with it except that I knew that I absolutely soaked my clothes everyday and I remember when I picked up the trophy I couldn't pick it up. I had to take a towel. I mean you could've cooked your breakfast on the trophy sitting out there it was so hot."

That 1963 Open Championship was contested at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Nicklaus finished third, one shot out of the 36-hole playoff won by New Zealand's Bob Charles. Though it was five decades ago, Nicklaus remembers quite well what it was like to come so close in England before the start of the PGA.

"We had just finished and I felt like gave away the British Open the week before," he said. "At the British Open I bogeyed the last two holes to lose my shot. That was a great learning experience for me ... it was just like stupidity. You know, I didn't have to do that. I just bogeyed them. I just played them dumb."


The learning experience from that bitter end at Royal Lytham & St. Annes would serve Nicklaus well at Dallas Athletic Club.

"I think that the experience I had at the British Open helped me a lot in the PGA Championship because I knew how dumb I had been," Nicklaus said. "And so I played far more intelligently coming down the stretch and I remember the 17th hole I hit it in the rough off the tee. It was a hole that went down a hill, across water, to an elevated green and I hit it in the rough.

"And instead of being stupid, I did just pitch it out. I took my medicine. I think Dave Ragan was on my tail at the time, and then I hit it up there on the green and I can't remember whether I made the putt or not but I won the tournament. Whereas, had I been there the week before, I probably would've tried to hit it out of the rough over the water, probably put it in the water and I would've lost the PGA Championship.

"But you learn from your mistakes -- that's how you learn to play golf," Nicklaus added. "You learn from your successes but you also learn from your failures. And I put the two together."

The win at Dallas Athletic Club was, of course, special. But along with the victory, Nicklaus picked up a memento that he's carried with him throughout his career from a long-drive competition he won at the PGA Championship that same week.

"I have a money clip that's in my pocket right now and it's been in my pocket for 50 years," Nicklaus explained. "It says, 'Driving Distance Winner' -- that's what it says across the PGA Championship [money clip]. That drive was 341 yards, 17 inches. I do remember that, too. That was an 11-degree wood driver, 42¾-inch shaft, Dynamic S shaft, and nobody had a preference on what golf ball was hit."

Seventeen years later in the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, Nicklaus put on a dominating performance. He was the only player to break par at the PGA Championship that year, finishing at 6-under-par 274 to win by seven shots over Andy Bean. That was a record margin of victory and it stood for just over 30 years until Rory McIlroy's eight-shot romp a year ago at Kiawah Island.

For some perspective on just how difficult a course Oak Hill is, consider this: In the previous two PGA Championships held there in 1980 and 2003, only four players finished with a 72-hole total score under par.

"I remember that was the year that I came to Oak Hill having won the U.S. Open at Baltusrol and I remember following that, I had a letdown and I had a hard time getting myself back up from a ball striking standpoint," said Nicklaus, who also finished second at Oak Hill to Lee Trevino in the 1968 U.S. Open, where they were the only two players with an under-par total.

"I was up there playing the weekend before with my son, Jack. We were playing, and I was hitting the ball fair, but I was just putting awful. And Jackie gave me a putting lesson on taking the heel of my putter through the line and breaking it off; I was breaking off my stroke. And anyway, that week, I never did hit the ball very well, but I absolutely ran the tables with my putter. Everything I drew back went in the hole. It was one of those weeks that I just turned around and I make a mistake, and all of a sudden I hole a 30 footer and I just started chuckling and I'd think, 'OK, here we go, let's keep on going.' But it was fun. I love Oak Hill."

Adams making best of time away after surgery

Adams making best of time away after surgery

PGA.COM August 5, 2013







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Blake Adams finished in the top 10 at Kiawah, but will watch on TV this year.(Getty Images)


By Stan Awtrey, PGA.com Contributor

A year ago Blake Adams fought through the difficult conditions at Kiawah Island, as well as the nerves that come along with playing in the PGA Championship, and posted his first career top-10 in a major tournament.

Adams didn't get flustered by the winds that rattled many of the more experienced players and wound up tied for seventh. That was good enough to earn him an automatic exemption into the 2013 PGA Championship.

But as the field assembles this week at Oak Hill, Adams isn't among them. He's back home in Swainsboro, Ga., impatiently recovering from hip surgery that ended his 2013 season after only four competitive rounds. Instead of teeing it up at Oak Hill, he'll be watching on his big screen.

Adams, 37, learned in 2008 that he needed hip replacement surgery, but he played through the pain thanks to a series of semiannual shots that eased the discomfort and helped with mobility. He was also told that the shots would eventually stop working, a reality that hit him this year at the Humana Challenge in Palm Springs, Calif. He tried to play the next week at Torrey Pines, but withdrew and flew to Colorado for surgery.

Dr. Marc Philippon of Vail., Colo., who operated on 2012 Tour Championship winner Brandt Snedeker, removed three bone spurs and a large cyst, and shaved and reshaped Adams' femur. He then drilled holes in the femur and filled them with stem cells that are expected to grow and replace the damage.

One doctor was amazed that Adams dealt with the pain for so long, but walking away isn't easy when you've made $3.3 million over the last three seasons and started to establish yourself as a player.

It took Adams a decade to become an overnight sensation. He played three years at Georgia before transferring to Georgia Southern, where he graduated, and turned pro in 2001. After scuffling around on the mini-tours, Adams earned a spot on the Web.com Tour.


He got his PGA Tour card in 2010 and has made steady progress. He made his first appearance in a major last year and tied for 21st at the U.S. Open. He followed that with that tie for seventh at the PGA Championship.

So just when Adams seemed poised for a breakthrough season - and possibly earn a spot in the Masters that he craves so badly - he found himself immobile. He spent eight weeks on crutches during the rehab process, learning how to do rudimentary tasks while hobbling around the house.

"It was a very humbling experience," he said. "To be playing on the PGA Tour one day and the next you can't climb stairs or carry a bowl of cereal to the table."

He's back to swinging a club again. Right now he's worked his way back up to a 5-iron and has set a goal to be playing on the Tour again in October. He's even considering a test run at a Web.com Tour event later this summer.

In the meantime, he's been busy helping start the Blake Adams Academy of Golf at the Lane Creek Golf Club outside Athens, Ga. Adams said he has dreamed of establishing a teaching center for about 10 years, and has seriously pursued it for the last two, while his career has been in full bloom.

Since his surgery in January, Adams has had a lot of time to help get the teaching center up to speed. His personal instructor, PGA Professional John Tillery, will run the academy. Tillery also works with PGA Tour winner Scott Brown. Adams has been spending a lot of time on-site. Last week he arrived every day at 7:00 a.m. and turned the lights off around 9:00 p.m.

"Having hip surgery gave me the time to dive into it," Adams said. "But I found out it is a time-consuming endeavor."

Adams has had a chance to watch some golf on television, an opportunity he rarely got when he was playing every week. He'd rather be competing, but admitted he has learned by being a spectator.

''To watch from the fan's point of view and see how guys go about their business and win a golf tournament has been really neat,'' he said. ''I've learned that golf is not a game of perfection. You're never going to be perfect all the time. You realize that the more you watch.''

LPGA: Lewis cuts into Park's lead atop rankings

LPGA: Lewis cuts into Park's lead atop rankings
The Sports Xchange August 5, 2013The SportsXchange









Stacy Lewis closed the gap a bit with her victory at the British Open on Sunday, but South Korea's Inbee Park still enjoys a comfortable lead as the No. 1 player in the Rolex World Rankings.

Park has 12.91 points, still well ahead of Lewis (9.74) despite finishing in a tie for 42nd at St. Andrews in Scotland.

Norway's Suzann Pettersen (8.26) and South Koreans Na Yeon Choi (7.94) and So Yeon Ryu (7.16) round out the top five. Choi finished in a tie for second, two shots behind Lewis, on Sunday, while Pettersen finished another shot back in a tie for fourth place. Ryu finished in a tie for 17th.

Yani Tseng, the world's top-ranked player entering the year who missed her fourth consecutive cut, remains No. 14.

Wednesday Notebook: Brooks out, Henry in

Wednesday Notebook: Brooks out, Henry in

PGA.COM August 7, 2013







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The Champions Dinner is always a highlight of PGA Championship Week.(Megan Blank/The PGA of America …


By T.J. Auclair, Stan Awtrey and The PGA of America

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- On the eve of the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, 1996 championMark Brooks withdrew due to an injury. J.J. Henry took his place.

Ironically, Brooks and Henry are great friends. Such great friends, in fact, that Brooks once took a little time off from playing on the Champions Tour to caddie for Henry on the PGA Tour.

FAMILY MEN: We recently heard the story of Hunter Mahanleaving - while leading - the RBC Canadian Open before the start of the third round to rush back to Dallas to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's first child.

Was it the right thing to do? Of course it was.

On Wednesday, 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Tom Watson relayed a similar, very special story of his own.

"I can only tell you a personal experience," Watson said. "In 1979, in September, at the Greenbrier, the Ryder Cup Team amassed there on Monday. My wife was very pregnant at the time and I advised the PGA that if my wife had the baby that I was going to retire and that there should be somebody else to take my place, and that happened on Thursday morning, 3:00 a.m. in the morning, and I did retire, and left there with mixed emotions of course. But the most important emotion was the birth of my baby."

FUN WITH BEEMER: Rich Beem, the 2002 PGA Champion, always seems to have fun with the fans. While walking to the 18th tee, Beem asked a man dressed in a bright pink shirt and fluorescent yellow shoes, "How much did you have to drink last night to wear that today?" The crowd laughed and Beem even invited the object of his derision to cross the ropes and have a photo taken.

HARRINGTON FOCUSES ON FINISH: If he's in contention on Sunday, Padraig Harrington should be ready for anything he sees on the final hole.

Harrington, the 2008 PGA Champion, spent about 30 minutes working on and around the 18th green. He hit long and short putts to every possible hole location. He dropped balls in the rough on the hill in front of the green and hit wedges. He worked on downhill shots from the collar behind the green.

Harrington stopped only long enough to acknowledge the fans carrying a large Irish flag who were standing near the right bunker.

Harrington played his first nine holes with Englishman Danny Willett, but he headed for the clubhouse after checking a few spots on the green. Left alone and with no group close behind, Harrington was able to spend an unexpected amount of time at the finishing hole.

PROGRAMMING REMINDER: Beginning Thursday, PGA.com will provide several viewing options for the 95th PGA Championship.

During the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday (8:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. ET), you can enjoy our special, live video coverage of the day's marquee groups. On Thursday, the morning marquee group will feature Tiger Woods, Keegan Bradley and Davis Love III when the trio tees off at 8:35 a.m. ET.

On Thursday afternoon, you can follow along beginning at 1:45 p.m. ET, when our marquee group consists of Masters winner Adam Scott, U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson, who triumphed for the first time in the Open Championship just a few weeks ago at Muirfield.

On Friday, the Marquee groups will be flipped, with Mickelson, Rose and Scott in the morning, and Woods, Bradley and Love in the afternoon.

PGA.com will also offer marquee group coverage (with the players to be determined) from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to the coverage of our marquee groups, PGA Championship Live will also enable viewers to follow coverage of Oak Hill's par-3 holes - Nos. 3, 6, 11 and 15. Par-3 coverage will run from 8:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m.-7:00 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.

Finally, on Saturday and Sunday, you can watch live coverage of the PGA Championship on PGA.com thanks to a CBS simulcast of the live television broadcast from 2:00-7:00 p.m. ET.

LET'S GET IT STARTED: PGA Club Professional Rob Labritz of Pound Ridge, N.J., will hit the opening shot of the 95th PGA Championship, on the first tee at 7:10 a.m. Thursday. John Senden and Shane Lowry are in the group with Labritz.

Charley Hoffman hits the first shot off of the 10th tee, at 7:15 a.m. PGA Club Professional Bob Sowards and Matt Every complete that group.

A DINNER FIT FOR 18 CHAMPIONS: From Doug Ford, the oldest living PGA Champion, to Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, 18 PGA Champions in all gathered Tuesday night to continue a grand tradition at the Champions' Dinner, held in the Oak Hill clubhouse.

McIroy, as the host, selected Duet of "Irish" Beef Tenderloin as the Main Course, preceded by Goat Cheese and Beet Root Salad. The dessert was Oak Hill's Traditional Sticky Toffee Pudding.

As is also custom, McIlroy called on two PGA Champions to relate what the Championship, and the dinner, means to them. McIlroy selected Dave Stockton (1970 and 1976 PGA Champion) and 2011 PGA Champion Keegan Bradley.

"We had a great night last night at the dinner, getting to meet a lot of guys who have won the Wanamaker Trophy," McIlroy said. "I got to serve them some of my favorite food and it was just a great night. It was really entertaining. I got to spend time with some great people and it's a nice little perk about being a PGA Champion.

"Everyone definitely enjoyed the last two courses. I don't know how the appetizer went down."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DOUG: Ford, the 1955 PGA Champion, celebrated his 91st birthday yesterday by attending the Champions' Dinner.

RORY'S A PGA CHAMPIONSHIP KINDA GUY: Rory McIlroy begins defense of his 2012 PGA Championship title at 1:25 p.m. Thursday on the first tee. McIlroy has thrived in his first four PGA Championship appearances, finishing tied for third in consecutive years (2009 and 2010). His scoring average over 16 PGA Championship rounds is 70.56, with five rounds in the 60s.

STRAIGHT SHOOTERS: Putting the ball in play of the tee is a premium this week, according to the many contenders who joined us in the Media Center. Of the 25 players who rank highest in "Fairways Hit" this year on the PGA Tour, 10 are in the field this week:

Henrik Stenson (ranked second); Ken Duke (fourth); Jim Furyk (seventh); Graeme McDowell (11th); Zach Johnson (12th); Roberto Castro (16th); K.J. Choi (17th); Jordan Spieth (21st); Ryan Moore (24th); and Boo Weekley (25th).

Other notable players and where they rank in Fairways Hit:

Justin Rose (50th) Tiger Woods (77th) Adam Scott (107th) Rory McIlroy (159th) Phil Mickelson (168th)

GREAT CONDITIONS: Kerry Haigh, the Chief Championships Officer of The PGA of America, has set up PGA Championship courses for more than two decades. He said Wednesday that GCSAA Superintendent Jeff Corcoran and his staff have the East Course at Oak Hill in superb shape.

"This is my fourth major championship that I've been involved with here at Oak Hill, and golf course-wise, I could not be happier with the overall conditioning of the golf course," Haigh said. "The overall playing conditions of the surfaces are second to none and the conditioning of this course is just unbelievable."

SPECIAL DAY FOR MICHEEL FAMILY: Shaun Micheel was back Wednesday at the exact location where he pulled off the incredible - a perfectly struck 7-iron that stopped just inches from the hole on the 18th green during the final round of the 2003 PGA Championship.

His family, including his wife and two children, joined him at the dedicated plaque on site at Oak Hill, which sits just in the first cut and under the famous tee on the 18th hole.


Micheel showed his children that plaque proudly, reliving what will go down as one of the greatest shots in PGA Championship history.

THE PETTERSSON FAMILY CONNECTION TO THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BUILD: Among the PGA Tour Wives Association volunteer force that teamed with PGA of America Spouses for the Habitat for Humanity Build project was DeAnna Pettersson, wife of PGA Tour Professional Carl Pettersson.

Carl is among the 37 returnees to the PGA Championship from the 2003 Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. This Friday, the couple will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary at the 95th PGA Championship.

"We met in school at North Carolina State," said Deanna. "We married in Hilton Head, N.C., then Carl and I went right to the PGA Championship in 2003 at Oak Hill. There really wasn't any time for a honeymoon. After two children, we finally did get in our honeymoon. Now, 10 years later, here we are again in Rochester and Oak Hill."

From 7:00 a.m. to noon Wednesday, DeAnna and the other volunteers associated with the Flower City Habitat for Humanity put the finishing touches of exterior paint and landscaping on the home at 170 Whitney Street in Rochester's JOSANA neighborhood. The home rests in a diverse community near Center City, where there is focused revitalization. The benefactors were the family of Nelson Galetti and Vanice Rosario, who have three children: Eva, 9, Elisha, 8, and Caleb, 1.

"It was such a great day of fulfillment for all of us associated with the Habitat for Humanity Build project," DeAnna said. "You come away feeling grounded, that you truly gave something of yourself when you leave. It's all about helping another family. It was the second build project that I've been involved with, and it was terrific."

Flower City Habitat for Humanity has built 210 homes in Rochester and has 4,000 volunteer applicants annually.

"It was hard to keep from tearing up when the family got up on the porch and gave their thanks," said DeAnna.

HE SAID IT: "Set my alarm for 10 o'clock and I'll have probably 12 hours kip. It's easy. For me, I love sleeping; I'm half man, half mattress." -- Ian Poulter, when asked about how he'll prepare for his 1:55 p.m. tee time.

YOU PICKED 'EM: The PGA of America asked credentialed media here at Oak Hill to let us know who they thought would win the Season's Final Major. Here's what we heard:

Pete McDaniel, African-American Golfer's Digest Pick: Tiger Woods "I'm picking Tiger to end his major championship drought here at Oak Hill primarily because his short game is finally approaching the consistency he displayed during the better part of his pro career. From his pitching to his chipping, the short game is spot-on and he'll need it to be sharp on this difficult track as everyone will miss some greens. If he putts anywhere near as well as he did last week at Firestone, it will be a wrap by sundown Saturday."

Neil McLeman, Daily Mirror Pick: Henrik Stenson "The hottest European player on the planet - and his winner's press conference would be hilarious."

Ronald Montesano, BuffaloGolfer.Com/Golfwrx.Com Pick: Hunter Mahan

Vartan Kupelian, InsideDetroit.com Pick: Bill Haas "This one is for you, Pop."

Leo Roth, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Pick: Tiger Woods ''Coming off his fifth with of the season, on this course that he's learned to respect and now knows how to play, on this giant stage he knows so well ... it's hard to pick against the world's No. 1 player who just seems closer and closer to ending his 0-for-17 streak in majors.''

Don Jozwiak, PGA Magazine Pick: Ian Poulter "He will build on his Ryder Cup heroics by claiming his first major."

Gene Battaglia, SportsRadio 950 ESPN (WROC-AM) Rochester Pick: Ian Poulter "He's been close in majors before. The key for him will be getting off to a better start.

Craig Potter, RochesterNyLive.com Pick: Phil Mickelson "I expect even to 1 or 2 under par to be the winning score, due to the toughness of the course, I think Phil has the best chance of achieving that score at Oak Hill."

Bernie McGuire, Irish Star/Scottish Herald Pick: John Senden "When it rains, it pours. Adam Scott's Masters triumph opened the floodgates for a number of Aussie success stories about the globe this year. Senden is a fellow Queenslander. He knows how to win and could very well continue riding the crest of that Adam Scott Augusta National winning wave."

Mike Johnson, Golf World/Golf Digest Pick: Henrik Stenson "With the high rough keeping the ball in the fairway and then getting it on the green is going to be a key to success and no one does it better than Stenson, who is T-6 on tour in driving accuracy and second in GIR. A pair of consecutive runner-up finishes at the British Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational show his game is on form, too."

Mallory Crosland, The PGA of America Pick: Brandt Snedeker "Not only has he had one of the best years on tour, I think this course sets up for his style of play like East Lake in 2012. He's finished in the top-20 in every major this year. He's a great putter, and his putting will shine this week. Plus, this would be a great course for Vanderbilt to have a major champion alum crowned on!"

Bob Denney, The PGA of America Pick: Adam Scott

Dan Reardon, KMOX Radio Pick: Matt Kuchar

Joe Juliano, Philadelphia Inquirer Pick: Zach Johnson

Ben Everill, Australian AP Pick: Adam Scott "He's in the zone, hitting the ball beautifully and believes this is his era of golf. There is no longer as much pressure on his shoulders after the Masters. This will be number two of at least six majors."

Dave Shedloski, Golf World Pick: Jason Dufner

Paul Gerrity, NEPA Sports Radio The GAME Pick: Angel Cabrera "He only cares about the majors, so it's hard to count him out even when he is playing poorly. Actually, I'm not sure if he cares about the majors, either, but he's a lot of fun to watch."

Steve Slocum, Golfweek Custom Media Pick: Steve Stricker "What a story that would be ... a great man winning a great championship would bring a tear to everyone's eye, especially Strick's."

Dennis Danheiser, Buffalo News Pick: Rory McIlroy "He's overdue, played well at Oak Hill back in May on Media Day and said he likes the course. He can hit it long and hopefully straight. Rory goes back-to-back in the PGA."

Mike Davis, ESPN 950 Pick: Steve Stricker

Jeff Neubarth, Golf Channel Pick: Joost Luiten

Luke Elvy, ElvisGolf Pick: Adam Scott

Jeff Babineau, Golfweek Pick: Hunter Mahan "Top ballstriker who has been gaining valuable experience on Sundays at the majors."

REES JONES BOOK SIGNING THURSDAY: Acclaimed golf course designer Rees Jones, author of GREEN Glory, a visual tribute to the courses of the major championships, will be signing copies of his book along with renowned photographer Patrick Drickey, Thursday, (Aug. 8) from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the Golf Shop here at Oak Hill.

95th PGA CHAMPIONSHIP ... BY THE NUMBERS

4: Players in the current field who finished inside the top 10 of the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (Shaun Micheel, Tim Clark, Ernie Els, and Charles Howell III) 9: Number of times a player has won the PGA Championship after finishing the first round as the leader 63: Low first-round score in PGA Championship history (Raymond Floyd, 1982; Michael Bradley, 1995; and Steve Stricker, 2011) 63: Low score in any round in any major championship 66: Low first-round score in the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (Phil Mickelson and Rod Pampling) 67: Low first-round score in the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (Craig Stadler) 2000: The last time a player who led after the first round won the PGA Championship (Tiger Woods at Valhalla)