Defending Champion storms ahead in New York
Tiger simply missed too many fairways on Friday to make the halfway cut in the 101st edition of the US PGA Championship at Bethpage State Park GC, Farmingdale, New York (16-19 May 2019). The Masters Champion missed the cut by one which means that Woods will not be getting the chance to follow his impressive victory at Augusta with a 16th Major title in New York this week. Instead there could be another American, Brooks Koepka adding to his growing collection of Major titles.
The lengthy, 7465-yard Bethpage State Park, Black Course near New York only boasts a par of 70 but with its narrow fairways, lush rough and small greens it’s proving a tough cookie for the world’s best golfers during the second Major of the year.
Defending Champion Brooks Koepka certainly looks to be continuing where left off in the PGA Championship last August where he bagged his third Major victory at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis. A change in the scheduling of the tournament to May means that the PGA has now become the second Major of the year leaving The Open at Royal Portrush GC in Northern Ireland (18-21 July) as the fourth and final Major Championship this season.
Koepka is in tremendous form. The 29-year old from Florida is looking unbeatable on the Black Course, one of five courses at Bethpage. Whilst on Friday, Australian Adam Scott and Open Champion, Francesco Molinari were among his biggest contenders, day three saw a different bunch of guys leading the chasing pack. For much of the third round Koepka kept his cool managing to sustain a six-stroke lead over the rest of the field. There were a few surprise names in the mix. Let me introduce you to Jazz Janewattananond. Now that’s certainly a name to remember! And I can tell you that the young talent from Thailand played some awesomely memorable golf on Saturday too. So much so, that he tees-off on Sunday in a share of third spot after shooting rounds of 70, 68, 67.
Thirty-four year old American Luke List chose to play dressed all in black on Saturday, the same as overnight leader Koepka. It was a good move as he produced some exemplary golf. Or at least until the 16th. Alas, a bogey-bogey finish saw him drop back to 5-under par but that’s still good enough to take a share of third place with young Jazz and fellow American Harold Varner III after 54 holes.
Koepka revealed a tinge of tarnish in his shiny suit of armour down the closing holes. He carded a bogey at the 490-yard, par 4 16th to go back to 12-under par where he finished at the end of the day’s play – six ahead of his nearest rival World Number One, Dustin Johnson (USA). An unfortunate bogey for Johnson, after he found the sand near the green at 18, saw Koepka increase his lead to seven strokes. With 18 holes to go, there is still a glimmer of hope for Johnson and the likes of Brandt Snedeker (USA), Matt Wallace (England), and Mike Lorenzo-Vera (France) to perhaps close the gap during Sunday’s final day of play. Jordan Spieth is also creeping up the leaderboard and when he is on a roll truly amazing things can happen. You have been warned!
The best European so far? Well, that honour goes to Englishman Matt Wallace who is currently in a tie for 6th place at 4-under par with rounds of 69, 67, 70.
Enjoy the Sunday showdown!
Wendy Hoad
PICTURED: Tiger Woods battling to survive the cut in the PGA Championship.