2015 PGA Championship Staff Preview

Whistling Straits has hosted two previous PGA Championships. 2004’s edition was won by Vijay Singh in a very exciting three-man playoff, and in 2010 Martin Kaymer nipped then-majorless Bubba Watson in a playoff after Dustin Johnson failed to recognize a bunch of sand as a bunker. Knowing the course offers very exciting finishes we should probably expect to have just as many fireworks as in past events. Rory is claiming he is healthy and has raised expectations he is ready to defend his title. Tiger is coming off his best finish in 2015 and also his swing is looking better as well. Jason Day has recently won, and don’t forget about the guy who won the season’s first two majors and then missed the playoff for the third by a single shot – Jordan Spieth.

It seems that anybody who is anybody in golf is playing well and ready to tackle the event. So lets see who the TST staff thinks has the hot hand, and what other expectations they have for the event.

1. Who are you picking to win the 2015 PGA Championship? At what score? Why?

Scott Curry
I am picking Dustin Johnson at -11 for the PGA Championship. He has played well at this course before and played well in the last two majors. This will give him enough confidence to push through for victory.

Michael C. Hepp
I am picking Bubba Watson at -8. Long hitters tend to do very well here plus last week at the Bridgestone he had a very strong showing. Add to the fact that he has played well here in the past and you have a sure fire recipe for success.

George Promenschenkel
So many good choices in this one, since Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy, both D and Z Johnson, and Jason Day were all in the top 10 here in 2010. So, I’ll go with chalk. Jordan Spieth to get his third major of 2015 at -13. He’s just been so consistent this year it’s hard to pick against him.

Jamieson Weiss
Jordan Spieth, -7. I’m going for the Spieth Sweep.

Bill Chao
I keep going to this well and coming up dry, but I still like Dustin Johnson’s chances to win his first major. Whistling Straits is a long links-style golf course which will favor his game… I feel like a broken record. He’s having a good year and he’s played well here before. Plus, his infamous bunker isn’t in play this year, so he can’t mess that one up again. I’ll take him at -9

Mike McLoughlin
I’m picking Jason Day to win at -9. He always seems to play great in majors, his vertigo under control and he recently won the Canadian Open with an exciting finish. He’s a solid ballstriker and hits it long, that with the boost of confidence from the win in Canada will help him break through at Whistling Straits.

Tristan Hilton
I’m going to pick Jordan Spieth. I was right picking him to win the Masters and then went away from that for the last two majors… Winning 3 of 4 would be a huge accomplishment and I think he’s got it in him. I’ll say he wins it at -11.

Erik J. Barzeski
Brooks Koepka is going to surprise everyone. He’s been playing well, and is coming in under the radar. It may take him a playoff to do it, but I think he surprises people and gets the job done, particularly if the course stays a bit soft.

2. All signs are that Rory McIlroy will play in the event, what do you expect from the defending champion returning from his injury?

Scott Curry
I expect Rory to do well for 2 or 3 rounds, but lack of competition will keep him out of contention

Michael C. Hepp
The question for Rory has always been how much does he care. When he is not distracted by romance or just other stuff he will often play his best. I think the ankle injury focused him. However, the lack of reps will cause him to make a few too many mistakes and miss out on the win. Top 25 but not much better.

George Promenschenkel
I look for McIlroy to be right there on Sunday, probably another top 10. The ankle might actually be a help McIlroy by forcing him to throttle it back just a tad, which in turn might help him keep it in the fairway and out of the 1,000 bunkers that dot Whistling Straits.

Jamieson Weiss
Coming off the injury, I don’t expect a whole lot. But you never really know with Rory. Maybe the last month was that down month he’s due to have every so often, and he just happened to time the injury well. Or maybe he can’t quite turn like he wants and his swing falls apart. No one really knows when it comes to Rory. If I had to make a pick, I’d have him making the cut but not really doing much.

Bill Chao
I don’t expect him to contend. He has a pretty aggressive swing and I think he will favor that ankle a bit, which will hurt his game. Injuries have a tendency to stick in one’s mind, even after they’re physically healed. He says he’s 100% for golf, but we won’t know for sure until the tournament starts.

Mike McLoughlin
Even with coming back from the ankle injury I think Rory will contend and finish in the top 10. In 2010 he was one shot shy of the playoff and says he likes the course. Predicting how Rory will play is a crap shoot. He could shoot 80-78 or win by 6. I’m hoping he has a good week and adds some excitement to the mix.

Tristan Hilton
Not much. Coming back from an injury is tough. To shake off the rust at a major is going to be hard to do. I don’t expect him to be playing on the weekend.

Erik J. Barzeski
I think he’ll be rusty. I think he’ll make the cut, but not seriously contend. I don’t even think he was able to putt much during his rehab/recovery time. Walking on that ankle probably wasn’t possible for a week or two…

3. The Whistling Straits course has had outstanding finishes, with two playoffs in the two majors held there. Considering this do you like watching the event at this course?

Scott Curry
It is an interesting course and has flavors of several types of courses. The course has over 1000 sandy areas that will all be considered bunkers. This makes it quite challenging. I’m sure Dustin will remember this time.

Michael C. Hepp
I did not enjoy either tournament, in 2004 or 2010. The course is just a bit too odd for me to get a feel of how it is playing. Whether it is the camera views or just how it is covered I have not enjoyed the tournaments there. I cannot deny though, that it has produced excitement. 2004 was a very wild affair with DiMarco and Singh really a case of opposites both playing well enough to get into the playoff with Justin Leonard. Singh always seemed the winner but it was an epic wrestling match with the course the entire last day for everybody. It is also a very tough place to play with a lead, just ask Nick Watney in 2010 who lead by three. Whoever the leader is, they should be extra careful as no lead is safe there.

George Promenschenkel
What’s not to like? It’s a beautiful lakeside setting with a very demanding layout. It provides a thin line between success and disaster, which can be very entertaining for those of us not watching our ball miss #17 left and plug in a bunker 30 feet below the green.

Jamieson Weiss
I do like it, thought I can only say “I like it because it’s different” so many times before these “different” sort of courses become the norm.

Bill Chao
I like it. Closely contested majors are much more interesting to watch and I like the layout of the course. I prefer the look of a links-style course to a tree-lined course; I just find the scenery more dramatic.

Mike McLoughlin
I think it’s a good course for a professional event and looks cool on TV. I’m typically not a fan of Pete Dye courses but heck I’m not playing so I’ll enjoy watching these guy duke it out on this unique venue. Maybe we’ll get another playoff.

Tristan Hilton
It’s a unique course for sure and makes for good TV. Playoffs always make things more exciting so it has that going for it as well. I will definitely enjoy myself watching the action unfold at Whistling Straights this weekend.

Erik J. Barzeski
I think it’s a good course (and time of year) for the course to be on TV. There are lovely browns and greens.

That said, Pete Dye courses are quirky. The fairways narrow at a distance where longer hitters get punished unless they’re also driving the ball a bunch straighter than shorter hitters. Fairways that narrow at 300 yards are just plain dumb, particularly when that occurs on more than a few holes. Length is an advantage, and yes, the bombers can hit 280-yard 3-woods or something, but I’ve seen enough Pete Dye by the time we leave Harbour Town and TPC Sawgrass.

4. Tiger is coming in fresh off a very good eighteenth place finish at his tournament. What are your expectations for this years event?

Scott Curry
Tiger will continue to progress but I don’t think he will make it to the top ten.

Michael C. Hepp
In 2010 Tiger had just announced he was going to work with Sean Foley and he was a complete disaster at this course. From watching some of his practice swings this year on the range I am encouraged. There is room for some optimism. The challenge now is getting the rest of his game back particularly his putting. I don’t think his complete game is where it needs to be to compete so he finishes in the top 25, somewhere near Rory.

George Promenschenkel
Here I go believing it’s getting better again, but Tiger’s play at RTJ was pretty impressive considering where he’s been (especially if you throw out the Saturday round). I think he’ll make the cut and post a respectable if not impressive middle-of-the-pack finish.

Jamieson Weiss
Ugh. Who the hell knows. Can that be my answer to every question? These last few seasons have been so strange that every prediction I make can be right just as easily as it could be wrong. I’ll say Tiger contends, CBS and TNT get their money’s worth, but he fades on the weekend. Typical Tiger.

Bill Chao
I think he’s going to miss the cut. I just flipped a coin that told me so. Seriously, with all his ups and downs, it’s hard to tell what he’s going to do out there. He’s going to need a good short game, though…

Mike McLoughlin
I think Tiger makes the cut but doesn’t seriously contend. The swing/pattern is getting better but the big miss can still pop up from time to time. Whistling Straits is a pretty unforgiving course and you have to be able to “miss it” well. Just don’t think he’s there yet.

Tristan Hilton
I really have no idea what to expect. Just when you think the guy is coming back into form he seems to completely lose it again. I think we’ll see Tiger’s Sunday Red this weekend, but it won’t be in one of the final groups.

Erik J. Barzeski
Who freaking cares? I think next year is the year Tiger’s stuff cements, and we’ll finally see whether he can make a final push to win more majors or if he’s truly on the rapid downhill side of his career. He’s been working on his changes for less than a year at this point, and while signs are promising (he had three pretty solid rounds at his tournament), they’re just signs at this point, not fulfilled promises.

5. With the Presidents Cup coming up soon, which player (American and International) not already on the list has a great showing an potentially makes the team with his great play?

Scott Curry
The current top 10 have a pretty good lead on the players below. No one really stands out to me though. A player like Kevin Na could sneak in with a good performance at the PGA Championship.

Michael C. Hepp
For the Americans there are two guys that I am keeping my eye on. Phil Mickelson and JB Holmes. If Phil doesn’t make the team, he is a likely Captain’s pick because of the experience he brings. Given that, as the Captain I would like to see him play well this week to make me feel better about the pick. For JB, because Whistling Straits is a bombers course he can have a great week and either improve his 13th position or put himself in poll position as a Captains pick. For the Internationals it is John Senden. Danny Lee just slipped past him but a good showing solidifies him either way as a pick or gives him back the ten spot.

George Promenschenkel
I look for Brandt Snedeker to get in there somehow. He’s 16th now, but just a few hundred points back. A few good showings, or maybe just a top 10 this week, could move him onto the team proper or at least put him high on Jay Haas’ favorites list.

Jamieson Weiss
I don’t think there’s any more obvious answer than Tiger. It would take a Herculean effort for him to get in the points race, but a win or a near-miss would certainly give him a spot on the team.

Bill Chao
On the American side, I’m going with Bill Haas. He’s got a lot of motivation to come out and play his way onto the team to avoid being one of his father’s picks and he’s proven that he can get it done when it counts.

On the International side, I’m going with Kiradech Aphibarnrat. I just like his game. I was originally going to pick Danny Lee, but his T6 at the WGC-Bridgestone puts him in the 10th position, so he’s in as of now.

Mike McLoughlin
Billy Horschel is currently 15th and has been quiet for most of the year but a strong finish combined with his play last year could go a long ways to getting him on the team. Horschel is a “fiery” player like Spieth or Reed, could be good addition for Team USA.

Tristan Hilton
I think that if Tiger can manage to have a big weekend and come away with a Top 5 or so, he’ll get a spot. That’s a big if, but it could happen.

Erik J. Barzeski
Can I pick Tiger Woods for this, right after talking about how he’s still just showing signs but no promise? Match play lets you hide an occasional miss, especially in four-ball (though having two balls in play is a BIG help), and if Tiger has four solid rounds, he still has the pedigree and the history.

Then again, he may simply not want to travel to Korea, and may have already informed the captain that he doesn’t really want to play.

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