Well hello there… pour yourself three fingers of the good stuff and sit on down. The 2023 PGA Championship is taking place in Rochester, NY. So much history to this place. This course prides itself on being the only course to have hosted the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, the US Open, the US Amateur, the Senior US Open, and the Senior PGA Championship. Whew, that’s a lot of bragging, but the course deserves it.
Jack Nicklaus won here in 1980, Lee Trevino won in 1968 and Jason Dufner introduced us to Dufnering after winning here in 2013. This is a course where ball striking is important. The rough is very rough here this week and the course is hard. It’s going to be great for a major. No hit it far and dig it out. They did remove some trees and have changed the character of the course a bit to the chagrin of many. Please don’t let this be a trend. Fairways deserve respect so make stray tee shots penal. I want to see these rich fellas suffer.
Sahith Theegala wore a hoodie and I didn’t like it. I will keep saying it looks amateurish because it does. Find a sweater of a quarter zip for good ness sakes or better yet be a man and just wear a polo, its 60 degrees out. Cam Smith is wearing one as well and it doesn’t go with a mullet any better.
Watching Justin Thomas back off because a chipmunk farts 50 yards away makes me remember how much of a douche he is. He has done it twice and coverage has been on for 15 minutes.
Marty Smith just asked Scottie Scheffler who shot a 67 what adjustments he was going to make tomorrow? Marty, I’m a big fan, but be better. He’s the current leader, why would you assume he wants to make any adjustments? Asking a question like that is going to get a crappy cliché answer. If we are going to have to tolerate these interviews, please respect my time. I miss LIV golf already while all the players are playing already. These commercials are kidding me as well and I am watching a recording so I can fast forward through them. LIV golf for life, but I digress.
Bryson DeChambeau is now in the lead at 4 under, LIV representing early at the top of the leaderboard but not who we expected.
Marty interviews Bryson- so much better Marty. Well done. He asked about Bryson’s challenges and got some nice little insight, Bravo!
So the PGA used be held in September, but because the PGA tour is trying their playoff thing vs football in the fall it got moved to May. May can be a tricky time for golf. There was a frost delay and this course in northern New York is barely playable in bad weather years. The course looks great, but they are cutting it close on whether or not some northern courses can be allowed in this rotation.
Best stat of the day so far 17 players under par 121 over par. That is a major.
So they got an in- round interview with Michael Block who is a PGA professional that qualified to get in and not a regular that is trying to win the tournament. I am sure he is trying to win I’m sure, but realistically no. This is a good decision and probably something we will see after Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy giving Masters interviews and both missing the cut. We discussed how stupid that was so we will see if that continues. He had a bunker shot and popped it out but was not a great shot. Let these guys concentrate please.
DJ is in New York and now one back of the leaders along with Corey Conners, who must be really nice since he is a Canadian, Scottie Scheffler who seems really nice, and Adam Scott who is also really nice. Thomas Pieters has just joined the group and don’t know if he is nice but I assume so. A Range Goat he is so full of confidence.
Tony Finau is on the microphone during a competition, cross him off the list, he ain’t winning. What is going on? He is talking LA Laker basketball while preparing to hit a bunker shot. He hasn’t won a major yet…
What kind of horseshit do we have here. Tom Kim was off looking for his ball and he fell in the mud. Like pants shoes and even shirt covered in mud. He then hops back in and does a quick Andy Dufresne in Shawshank and then comes out looking much better but soaked. That’s not something you see everyday…
Day two or Friday morning as I call it just a little early to have three fingers of the good stuff so let’s pour a little in our coffee and see what is happening out on the course. Flags are whipping so it will be interesting to see how the course changed from yesterday. Rain is coming tomorrow so the course will change again.
Justin Rose had catapulted all the way up to 4 under and tie for the lead through 7. Cut line is projected to be at 4 over…Top 70 and ties at the PGA Championship.
The PGA pro we discussed yesterday Michael Block has it going to -1 and he is wearing a hoodie. Miked up and now wearing a hoodie? Let’s shake our heads while we watch this guy. Update- he made the cut at even par and is promising to have the over on 1.5 IPAs by 3pm while watching the tournament. He is also confident he can finish in the top ten. Think about where he would be with no interviews and no hoodies.
This course is hard and now there is some wind blowing around 10-15 with some gusts. Anyone under par at the end of the day will be in serious contention because the course is really difficult.
Hole 6 is playing at 4.8 which is the hardest hole on the course. It is brutal. Max Homa had a double and made a lengthy putt to do so. Mickelson drove it in the water/Tom Kim mud right off the tee, then almost hit it in the water to the left of the green and then made double bogey. It will definitely make or break some weekend travel plans.
Keith Mitchell said that 5-9 might be the toughest 5 hole stretch he has ever played on Matty and the Caddie. That is quite a statement.
Rickie Fowler has had at least 3 lip outs, and is one shot above the current line. Golf is brutal.
I just talked to C Thomas and Austerity and they both commented on the $19 beers and large crowds and they both said inflation and the economy show no sigh of being overheated in the sporting world. I said good bye nerds.
So I love watching the great short game players. Phil Mickelson is magnificent and has been for 30 years. New magicians are emerging as players that could have that same long term magic. Jordan Spieth and Cam Smith come to mind when it comes to wedges and in. Jordan makes more shots from around or off the green than anyone I have ever seen, including Phil and Tiger in his prime. I’m not sure if they have records on that, but he makes a bunch of them. A couple of sneaky guys with great short games that are big hitters- Brooks Koepka led the tour in 2021 in sand saves and Scottie Scheffler for a big man has an incredible soft pair of hands. These fringes are difficult so it could be the person that uses a short game to steal a shot or save a shot that might prove victorious.
Scott Stallings is doing the interview called the walk and talk today. He doesn’t know where his ball is and he is not above the cut line. I’m sure having to do a live interview is exactly what he wants right now. Annoying…. Now the sound is breaking up during the interview…what a great moment. The broadcast crew praising him for a taking a moment to talk to them, how about you not ask? They are playing golf!! This infuriates me…as you can tell.
The 6th hole is playing the hardest hole at a major in 20 years. The members play this as a par 5 for a reason.
The weather has been a curveball but frankly is playing so much more benign than expected. It was supposed to be very windy and instead calm and there was a little moisture this morning so the greens which are perfect are very receptive. Huge advantage over playing this morning.
Jordan Spieth drove the ball in the greenside bunker and then from a stance with the ball way upove his feet hit it OB. That’s right OB. He then had to place the ball back and then almost holes it for par. But, he made the putt for bogey. He is so fun to watch and I have missed watching him regularly after deciding to go with LIV.
Scottie Scheffler is your leader and he has a great short game and drives it a mile. But, I think one of the most underappreciated parts of his game is his ability to hit his wedges close. That used to be Tiger’s greatest strength was that he just hit it closer than everyone else. Colin Morrikawa also seems to have that ability when he is on. Scottie seems to have that ability as well with the wedge. Scottie also is a very good medium length par putt maker. That is a great strength. I can see why he is the leader, the guy has a lot of game.
John Rahm makes three birdies in a row and then hits a drive almost out of the course left and drops a very loud F-bomb. I’m glad they don’t allow kids to attend the PGA Championship… oh wait… Now imagine what the media would say if that was Patrick Reed or Bryson. I’m guessing the media gives him a pass despite a history of being a petulant child on the course. The hypocrisy. He got lucky to not go OB as the ball bounced back toward the fairway but he went rough to rough with his approach shot.
Brooks Koepka shoots a 66 and is 2 under and here comes the big fella.
I haven’t talked about Viktor Hovland yet, and I would be remiss without doing so. He is a great ball striker and hits it a long ways. The knock on him has been his short game and the stats backed that up. However, he had two wonderful sand saves this week and it looks like he has been working on that part of his game. He has hung around major leaderboards for a while now and maybe this is his week.
Oh my, Justin Thomas is 4 over at 18. He is hitting his second out of the fairway bunker and hits the lip, not even close to clearing it just right in the middle and it bounces back into the bunker. He will have to get up and down to make the weekend with the projected cut at plus 5. After his meltdown at the Master’s let’s hope the media points out what a terrible defending champion he has been. Justin Thomas has to make a 7 footer to make the weekend. Let’s see what happens here- make percent is 51%… he knocks it in and people responded like Easter Sunday… Excuse me while I go puke.
The commentators are slurping up Rory as if he hasn’t been a factor in a major in a decade. Let’s talk bout the guys that are much closer to the lead shall we? Oh he now birdied 18 and Scott Van Pelt is trying to take him home tonight. Rory must be chafed at this point from all the dry humping.
Like, Shane Lowry, an Open Champion from that Irish rainstorm week. He had a great stretch on the back nine before bogeying 17. and finished at -1, four back of Conners and Scheffler after bogeying 17 and 18. Bryson is now one back of the leaders with back to back birdies 13 and 14.
There is a guy named Tarren at -3 and I don’t know a god damned thing about him. Please tell me television people…They are busy showing every shot of John Rahm who is one shot above the cut line.
If Marty Smith isn’t going to ask a good question I’d like to see someone cuter than him ask the question, so how was your day? Just a complete waste of everyone’s time. This golf coverage after LIV is just abominable…
Brooks signing autographs for the kids. Good for you fella. He had a great quote afterward. “I hate winning more than I like winning.” Marty with a good question with him at least about the pop up shower than was a really strong rain when Brooks finished. I wonder if Marty doesn’t know Scottie but knows Brooks. The chumminess was completely different as was the questioning. I really like Marty but his performance so far is really up and down. Brooks is 3 back and wondered if Van Pelt was a weatherman now.
Jordan Spieth has to get up and down front the greenside bunker and he makes a 7 footer just like Thomas. I was cheering for Spieth yet they are good friends.
Viktor Hovland tied for the lead after birdie on 18.
I’m still waiting on my Tarren information but I will get you some if I don’t get informed by the commentators shortly. He’s an Englishman and finished at -2, 3 shots back. If I was his family and friends I would be like are you showing a tournament or a love fest of the PGA Tour? People that are in contention should be shown instead of people trying to make the cut.
Rahm the Master’s champ makes the cut at 4 over. Matt Fitzpatrick, the US Open Champion at Brookline, the young feller with the braces, has a lengthy putt to make the cut. He putts with the flag in and he misses it and will miss the weekend. In the same group Cam Smith makes par on 18 and will see the weekend at 4 over.
Ok, I was on this youtube thing and it showed me a highlight from yesterday that I missed. Gary woodland was stuck under the lip of a bunker and he took a 5 wood and chipped it away from the hole but left it in the bunker so he hit it like 5-6 feet maybe. He then chips it out of the bunker and in. You can’t make this stuff up sometimes. Great play and very smart Gary. Make the best decision every shot.
It’s moving day at the PGA and it is a soggy doggy oh boy. It’s wet, miserable, and scores will be interesting and by interesting, I mean high. May golf in New York….
It is wet and tough as I said. Thomas Pieters tried to hit a fairway wood out of the rough and it went about 6 feet. He says “That didn’t go very far.” The commentator said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.” He would see it plenty if he played with me and saw me trying to hit out of that stuff. The guy is kind of an amateur broadcaster in my opinion, his name is Curtis Strange. Jordan Spieth trying to hit a bunker shot didn’t get it out as the top of the bunks are crusting up but it is still soft underneath. It’s a disaster area out there.
Today’s douchebags are yelling lemonade. I heard them after a Jordan Spieth tee shot. I despise these clowns and they should fine them for being a fungus on my ears, I’d rather breathe cigarette smoke.
Watching Justin Thomas miss a putt on 14 and then him start having a cussing spell was the least surprising thing ever. Fortunately, they don’t allow kids to attend the PGA Championship…oh wait. It seems like he did learn something from Tiger after all. Update- later on he has a backward hat while putting. He must be the only one playing in the rain or petulant enough to do so…
Anyone under par going in to tomorrow will think that they have a chance. There is not a lot of good scores out there although the weather is supposed to improve. The leaders are about to go out as some of the early starters have just finished up.
Rory now has his hat on backward. This is embarrassing. Deal with the rain. I haven’t seen any other players yet, but its not shocking that Justin and Rory are the two that I’ve seen so far. I know they are showing these two whippersnappers. . This is why the Master’s is so much better than a PGA.
New York is booing Bryson and Brooks, never forget that New Yorkers are boors. That’s assholes if you are unfamiliar with the term. He stripes it afterward… good for you. Both of them have won majors in the state of New York and left for greener pastures at LIV. Just like every successful New Yorker leaves for Florida. I’m sure they love Justin and Rory.
Justin Suh is quietly sitting at -3 and no one is talking about him.
Oh boy, now Scheffler has joined the frat bros and turned the cap around backwards, and he misses the putt to start two over. In fairness, he did turn it back around as he left the green.
Suh has a very wide putter stance. He bogeyed the first but bounced back with a birdie at 3. He is right there and two back.
Lemonade Larry switched it up and is yelling mashed potatoes now. Please someone get a marshal or his mom.
The rough was hard but after an all day drenching rain, it is very thick today.
Ok, Justin Suh just hit a flop shot from the short stuff and managed to get to come out perfect. Good little shotmaker play. Makes the putt and saves par. Good for him, the research department found out that his parents own a Hawaiian restaurant in San Jose. They must have discovered that while taking a break googling words that rhyme with Rory.
Brooks has just gone birdie birdie and is one back. Remember, he is the one that said half the field will be mentally soft and fold. I assume he means the ones with their hats on backwards.
Haha, Justin Suh putted with his hat on backwards and when he turned it around someone made a comment about the hat on backwards that I didn’t hear the end of on the audio but Suh turned around with a less than pleased glance or so it seemed. Positive peer pressure possibly?
Hovland has went bogey bogey and now it is Conners alone by one over the LIV besties Brooks and Bryson.
Yet another bogey by hat backward Rory. Bryson is in trouble on the tough 6th which isn’t quite playing as murderous as yesterday. It’s a picnic by comparison but one with ants just not fireants…. Bryson made double and so did the PGA professional Michael Block who is plus 2 today.
Oh no, Justin Rose with the hat on backwards, and he made it from 15-20 feet it looked like.
A stodgy Englishman doing this nonsense, I miss Ben Hogan and decorum. Speaking of Ben Hogan, the driving accuracy is really standing out today. The bombers that go in the rough are struggling. Fairways are super important. Majors are supposed to be a complete test of your golf game. I would have to say that Corey Conners looks good right now. Lag putting, some tough par 6 footers, hitting fairways and in control of his golf swing. He doesn’t seem too overwhelmed right now. He is sitting in the fairway on 6 right now and that is going to make that hole a lot easier.
Rose with his hat on forwards makes a 50 footer on the next hole. That’s better and he is now T2 at 3 under tied with Hovland, Koepka and Suh. Scheffler is now back at 2 under. He is trying to hold on as he drove it right off the tee again and his second skips out of the creek. He needs to settle down. Overspins the wedge and misses a long par putt from the front and drops another one.
Rose lips out a birdie putt on 9 but he birdied 8,9 and 11 and he is to 4 under. Hovland birdies 8 and is one back again. AND Conners hits a wedge on 8 to 2 feet and will extend his lead. The rain has stopped, and there is wind. People have started making a few more birdies in the last few minutes. Rory with back to back birdies on 12 and13 to get it to -1. He made them with his hat facing forwards.
And just like that the weather changed, the rain is pouring and the wind is up, but the weather map shows it should be short lived but it is dumping buckets like Kobe right now.
The tenth hole is like a Mormon high schooler, not giving it up. Rose and Hovland both had lip outs for birdie. Both are two back instead of one with Cory Conners wide left on his drive on 10.
Rose took two swipes out of the cabbage right of the green and dropped a shot to fall to 3 under. He is three back of Conners because he did make his par, and Hovland made birdie to get to 5 under now.
Michael Block is back on the miked up golfing. He is ready to play a shot and they are still asking him questions…This is fucking ridiculous. Trevor Immelmann look at him at his golf ball before you ask another question.
McIlroy with another birdie to get to 2 under and Koepka makes a birdie of his own to get to 4 under. Michael block lands it in the rough and it hops and spins back to the fringe for an uphill putt. At least he won’t make bogey again here. Rose is waiting to play a very difficult approach shot and Michael had to pause the interview because there is golf going on. Now they are talking to him while he is lining up his putt!!! I am going to take a break before I lose my cool any further… Block makes birdie so what the hell do I know… Block follows it up with a shot on the par three in close and under the hole and he makes it to go back to even… This is a terrible outcome to what seems like a nice guy.
Hovland makes another birdie and has it to 6 under and we have co-leaders again. Dechambeau makes bogey on the par 5 13 because he was in the rough the entire hole. Koepka gets a read off Bryson’s putt and moves to 5 under one shot back with a birdie on the par 5. Bryson gets a birdie back on the short 14th by driving it to 12 feet and chipping it to a foot.
Brooks with 5 feet for birdie and tie for the lead but misses it right. He will tap in for par.
CBS is breaking in with commercials and this split screen stuff way too much right now. Again, this is why the Masters is so good. I do think CBS’ coverage is better than NBC obviously but still. Rory concludes with a 69 and is at minus 1 under for the tournament. Shane Lowry chips in on 18 to shoot 71 and one over finish for the tournament. Koepka in short sleeves sending message perhaps? Scottie Scheffler is 4 over but still only 5 back. Bryson with back to back birdies and he make sit. He is in a tie for 4th with Rose at 3 under.
Justin Su has a long birdie putt on 15 to go to 3 under but the rain is back in buckets again. The rain is coming in spurts. Hovland missed a makeable putt on 14 and 15 to get to 7 under and then Conners also missed on 15 to get to 7. Koepka has another chance to get to 6 under with a nice approach on 16. 10 feet to tie and he just misses it left and remains one back. Scottie Scheffler has been largely ignored but he is still at 2 under and not out of it yet. He has not played well but he has limited the damage which is sometimes what you need to do.
Conners gets to 7 under first with a birdie on 15! Oh Canada! Conners is a Canadian.
Koepka rolls in a bomb on 17 for birdie to get to 6 under from 45 feet! Bryson makes a 12 footer for par at 17 to stay at 3 under. Conners hits the front lip of the bunker he was in we think… they can’t find it as they think it is plugged. How weird. They are on hands and knees looking for it…He will get embedded ball relief just outside of the bunker… This is going to be damage control mode now… He has dropped off a hill with a big hooker lie and he doesn’t get it back to the short grass. He probably should have just pitched out to the fairway and maybe he tried but just didn’t hit it well. Conners makes a great shot to get a shot at making bogey from maybe 10 feet or so.
Bryson closes at 3 under in solo fourth for now as Scheffler is still on the course and at 2 under. Koepka just misses another birdie as it is just left but he taps in for 66 and a share of the lead for now and the low round of the day 66. Meanwhile Conners misses his bogey putt and drops to 5 under over at 16.
Viktor Hovland drives it left and drops a hot mike beauty “God damn it!” haha! These kids these days and their language. He will have his work cut out for him to get in the clubhouse in a tie with Brooks from there. His second shot comes up short in the right greenside bunker and short sided. Conners bounced back on 17 with a nice drive.
Amanda Balionis Renner is back and the best interviewer. She asks Brooks a question and Brooks declines to answer it which means it was a good question. Trevor Immelman said earlier in the broadcast that he talked to Brooks and he said that Brooks told him that he played not to lose versus playing to win in the Master’s and he will never do it again. She is the best at what she does….
She does it again by making Bryson laugh by referring to what he is doing this week as keeping it simple which has never been used to describe Bryson. She’s fantastic.
Scheffler has kept it together and finishes at two under with a 73. Conners finishes at 5 under with an even par 70 but he looked very good today, but he had one bad hole with the double bogey on 16.
Brooks has the lead and we go to Sunday.
Well hello there… pour yourself three fingers of the good stuff and sit on down. Major Sunday and I hate to report that Phil is wearing a hoodie. I’m so disappointed. Not a great way to start the day. The sun is out and it looks like it is going to be a beautiful day.
We have a Callum Tarren sighting again.. He is 7 over and still English.
The first and 14th tee are shared and you tee off in different directions. Interesting layout design.
Here’s a fun story about John Rahm and waving off cameramen. “Stop aiming at my face when I’m mad,” Rahm told the cameraman. “It’s all you guys do.” That is a quote from an ESPN article about Rahm waving off a cameraman and hitting a microphone with his wedge. I’m already pointed out his language and his struggles this week. He finished the tournament at 7 over, but his lack of class was revealed. Rahm is doing a final interview since he finished early and trying to recuperate his image after his week, I guess. So now they are having him call a hole but I will call him an a hole. Don’t forget his petulance CBS. Brooks hits in the fairway and Rahm calls him lucky. This guy is something else. Get him out of here…Let him go break a microphone instead of holding one, he is good at that. Kids are watching this guy and thinking that behavior is acceptable just like Rahm did with Tiger. Reward people who can control their emotions…there are plenty of them. I’m getting after Rahm because they are shoving him down our throats cause the PGA are desperate for a star. Everyone gets mad playing golf and lots of people cuss. He has a terrible history of it and the cursing and hitting microphones and waving off cameramen is just playing poorly and not being mature enough to handle it. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer built this sport on grace and the people that are carrying this torch today are not behaving similarly. His media team orchestrated this entire fiasco today after that article in ESPN was printed. I will attach the article at the bottom just so you know what really happened and not my opinion. But back to my opinion…
Rory and Michael Block are paired together. There will be lots of cheers following this group. McIlroy hits it to within a foot on 1 and a tap in birdie. He is in it and there are currently some -4 scores out there as the scoring is much lower today. Brooks starts at 6 under but I don’t think 6 under wins it today. Some people are going to go low today as a 65 might be out there somewhere. McIlroy follows up a beauty on 1 with a huge mistake on 2 by short siding himself to the right. He has 10 feet left for par now.
Scottie Scheffler’s opening birdie putt on 1 rolled all around the cup before staying out. Rose makes birdie on 1 to move to 3 under.
Brooks and Viktor are making their way to the first tee box. Brooks in the fairway, Hovland went right. Sunday in a major begins…
Rose didn’t get it out and up on the second when he got it in the bunker and bogey or worse is likely. But he holes it from the primary cut for birdie! What a delicate shot. Hovland hits his second over the green but can likely gte up and down. Brooks hits it to about 15 ft for birdie.
Victor Perez is 4 under through 5 holes and has moved into a tie for fourth. Scheffler misses a makeable birdie putt from two and is stuck in neutral. Two good approach shots from Scottie but nothing to show for it yet.
Connors was in the bunker off the tee on 2 and had to lay up out of the bunker. He was able to get it up and down for par. Big confidence boost for Cory there.
Jordan Spieth wearing athletic tape with a message on it, could be a future marketing opportunity like the boxers used to use. Connors follows it up by going in the bunker on 3. Hovland and Brooks both in close on 2 for birdie. Hovland misses and Brooks makes and the led is 2.
McIlroy makes bogey on the par 5 4th. He has fallen back to even. Conners makes bogey on the third and falls 3 back. Brooks knocks it stiff on 3 and makes birdie and the lead is 3 over Hovland. Koepka with another birdie on 4 and the lead is 4 but Hovland has a good look for birdie on 4 as well.
Connors drops another shot and drops to 4 under and 5 back tied with Bryson. This is going to be a two person race before long at this rate, only Hovland is the only person within 5 shots right now. Koepka burns the edge on another putt for birdie and now Hovland with a 20 footer to get a shot back and he makes it to get within two. Perfect speed by Viktor. Justin Rose birdies 6 and is tied for third now at -4 with Conners and Bryson.
Cam smith is now 6 under on the day and working on the round of the tournament. Another great showing for a LIV guy as he moves to red figures…
Brooks in trouble off the tee on 6 while Viktor is in the fairway. However, Viktor hits it in the greenside bunker and Brooks hits it from the cabbage to the back of the green leaving himself a lengthy putt to limit the damage.
Sepp Straka is also 6 under on the day and in red figures while Justin Rose bogeys and falls back to 3 under. Koepka cozies it down and makes a tap in bogey to limit the damage from the tee shot. Hovland has about 8 feet to save par, and he does and the lead is now 1.
Rose bounces back and hits it stiff on 8 and he will try and get that dropped shot back. Hovland in the rough on 7 off the tee. Brooks in the fairway this time. Scottie Scheffler makes birdie on 7 to get to 3 under and he also hits it in close on 8. Scottie makes and Rose misses. Scheffler has quietly put himself back in it.
Eagle 2 for Patrick Cantlay on the drivable 14. That will be a birdie hole or better.
Cam Smith finished with 65 to finish at -1.
Brooks hit it right on his approach and will be all the way across the green and he will hope in the bunker. That’s two shots on two holes that have leaked right for Brooks- one a tee shot and the other a long iron. Hovland has to lay up out of the rough and has 135 yards in to get up and down for his par. He hits it to about 20 feet. Average for Viktor with a wedge in his hand there. Koepka’s ball didn’t go in the bunker but instead is leaving him with a terrible shot and he can only advance it to the middle of the green leaving a very long par putt. Good lag putt but another shot dropped for Brooks and that’s back to back bogeys. His lead is gone, but Hovland could drop a shot if he doesn’t make this lengthy par putt. He misses and Koepka still has a lead of 1. Scheffler is now 3 back at 4 under.
They showed the tournaments coming up and left out the LIV golf tour but showed the LPGA. There aren’t women playing this week but plenty of LIV golfers playing here today. Don’t forget the bias that is flowing through the screen against LIV and their players.
Dechambeau makes a birdie on 8 and gets to 4 under.
Rochester New York is known as the city of innovation with historic companies like Kodak having their roots here. The rough has deep roots here as well as Scottie Scheffler makes a bogey after driving it into the rough. Koepka and Hovland both have tapins to make their pars on 8 and the top the leaderboard is Koepka -7, Hovland -6, and now Bryson at -4. Rory is making his traditional charge to backdoor a top ten in a major as he has gotten it to minus 2. He has a tendency to finish strong when there is no pressure on him.
Hovland in the fairway and now Brooks has pulled one and he is in the left thick stuff. Advantage Norway. Brooks catches a break as it landed in the grass trampled by the gallery. He gets it on the green but Hovland has an opportunity to get closer here, but he hits it over the green and the ball settles down. Hovland with an interesting full swing that died perfectly around the hole. His short game is much improved and with his ball striking skills will be a force to reckon with and a likely future major winner, maybe today. Scheffler gets a birdie and the missed shot back at 10. He is back T3 with Bryson.
The chip of the old Block, Michael Block is playing with Rory and acquitting himself well.
And the back nine on Sunday begins now…
Kurt Kitayama is 5 under today and at 3 under for the tournament and this is after missing a putt on 16 just a ball outside left. Hovland burns the edges and lips out but still leaving himself an uncomfortable 4-5 coming back. Koepka in close for birdie and he makes it. Lead is two again if Hovland makes the comebacker and he does.
Cam Davis leaves a putt for 64 just short and he finishes at -3 and is the leader in the clubhouse. I say in the clubhouse because the wind is supposed to pick up and the course is still playing tough. Koepka hits a fried egg into the bunker on 11 and Hovland has a lengthy birdie putt so a big advantage Viktor. Rory makes a birdie to get to 3 under and a tie for fourth currently.
Koepka hits it way up in the air and has a chance to save par. Amazing shot. Brooks was the best bunker player on tour in 2021 and this would be a world class save. 12 feet to save par and it catches the lip and he drops a shot.
Kitayama finishes at 65 for the day and is in at -3 with Cam Davis.
Scheffler has about 5 feet left for birdie on 13 to get to 5 under.
Koepka makes birdie from the fringe to go back to 8 under. Hovland has a putt to stay within 1, and its about the same distance as Koepka’s but from the opposite side. He misses left and the lead is 2.
Weird thing about this tournament is that there are only two tournament par 5s and one of them was only reached once this week. That is very rare and it just limits birdies or better considering how these players usually eat up par 5s. It has been nice to see something different. It is no surprise that it is on an old school course like the Oak Hill east course.
Michael Block just hit it straight into the hole on 15 for a hole in one!!!!! Un-fucking believable. The dream ride continues. Don’t wake up Mr. Block, you can do no wrong this week. An uno and he is even for the tournament. He draws a 1 and makes a circle for the cameraman. Now they have to fix the hole because he smashed the side of the hole. “What a joy!” Jim Nantz says and he is right.
Scottie Scheffler flies his second, the long bunker shot on from the greenside bunker, into the flag and almost holes it. That would have been an eagle. He still has a birdie putt from close range to get to 6 under and a tie with Hovland. If that would have gone down that would have been huge. Hovland has a good chance for birdie on the par 5 12 and Koepka comes up short. The wind is starting to pick up and I wonder if the wind will play a part. Scheffler makes it to get to 6 under. Koepka putting it from the fairway and runs it just past. Hovland needs to make this putt to put pressure on Brooks and he does and he is 7 under. Koepka answers back from above the hole to keep the lead and we have drama. 8,7,6 is Koepka, Hovland, and Scheffler.
The leaders are now on the short 14th. Hovland puts it in thick rough between the bunkers, but Brooks drives the 14th and has an eagle putt from the fringe. Viktor has 7 feet left for birdie after a nice chunk and run. Hovland for a share of lead at 8 under from 7 feet and he makes it. Koepka missed his eagle try but makes a 3 footer coming back for birdie and gets to 9 under alone.
Brooks lags it to a foot on 15 and Hovland has a chance to tie, but it was low all the way but he taps in for par. Three holes left and Koepka still has the lead by one but Hovland and Scheffler are not out of it as these last three holes are a stern test under Sunday major championship pressure. Hovland hits in the fairway bunker on 16 and Brooks goes into rough just over the bunker. Scheffler is in the fairway on 17, but pushes his approach well right and will have a very long putt for birdie.
Cheers of “Block! Block! Block!” are serenading Michael Block as he approaches the 18th.
Yesterday on 16 Cory Conners plugged a bunker shot into the lip of the bunker and Viktor Hovland just did the exact same thing. How weird. Conners made double if I remember correctly. While we wait Michael Block just tried to carve a sliced fairway wood into 18 and hit it into the gallery. Block needs to get up and down to get an automatic into next year’s PGA. This will be loud I have a feeling…He hits a gem to 8 feet or so and gives himself a chance. Rory can only smile at the chaos. Block drips it into the cup on the ball’s last roll and the crowd explodes. He tries to silence the crowd as Rory putts. But Michael Block will not be forgotten in western New York. What a week he had, and he leaves to thunderous applause.
Hovland chips out to the fairway and Koepka hits in to 3 feet and probably seals the deal for Rochester. Scheffler misses the long birdie putt but will make par on 17. Hovland misses his putt and drops two on 16 and falls back to 6 under. Koepka for birdie and a 4 shot lead. He makes it and strolls off.
Koepka flares one off to the right into the rough but has a window it looks like. Hovland’s drive lands in the rough just one yard from the fairway. Hovland goes rough to rough and Koepka is next to play and he and his caddie Ricky Elliott are talking about chipping out and leaving themselves a wedge in. With a 4 shot lead this takes a really big number out of play and is a very smart play. Scheffler has 15 feet for birdie and he makes it for a 65 and moves to 7 under and into solo second place. Koepka hits it to about 15 feet and a chance to save par.
Amanda Renner interviews Michael Block and the dream only gets better for Michael. She let him describe the hole in one and then she showed him a video of his home club back in Mission Viejo California going crazy. She asked Michael who he thought sent her the video and he didn’t know, but Amanda had reached out by text to his son to get a video for today’s coverage. His son told Amanda that “this is the most incredible moment of my life.” Michael was tears city after that. That, is why she is the best in the business, and the story was absolutely great.
Koepka misses a par putt but leads by two going into 18 over Scheffler. Hovland gets up and down from a tough spot to stay one back of Scottie.
So, the list of PGA champions goes 5 for Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus, 4 for Tiger Woods, 3 for Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead and with this one Brooks Koepka would join them in this exclusive club.
Koepka is in the fairway and he one shot closer to returning to Major Brooks, the man he was before his injuries, the world’s best major player. Second in the Master’s after saying himself that he choked and one more good swing and he will be a 5 time major champion. He hits it to 10 feet and closes in style. The best player in the world he is and this was earned one rehab session and grimace at a time. He will appreciate this one a little more than the first four I expect.
He gets a warm reception walking up the 18th fairway, a difference from his tee shot yesterday when he was booed by the New York contingent.
Hovland makes a great putt to tie Scheffler for second. His time will likely come. The difference is the double bogey 16th.
Brooks misses the birdie but taps in for the PGA Championship and bears hugs his caddie. LIV golf wins and fellow LIV player Bryson Dechambeau gave him a handshake on the walk off the course. Brooks congratulates Michael Block or the other way around and Brooks said to Michael “I hear you are buying drinks” referring to Michael making a hole in one and the tradition that the person who makes a hole in one buys drinks at the bar.
Tiger is the only player under 50 years old that has more majors than Brooks who is 33 years old.
It’s been well established that I am a Majesticks G Spot this year, but at the end of the year I will become a Smash GC fan as Brooks is the first LIV golfer to win a major. I will remain a Smash fan until another LIV golfer wins a major. So from a future Smash GC fan all I have to say is
Brooks Koepka, Smash GC, and LIV Golf are on top of the golfing world today. Get used to it….
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