Players Face Tough Course at PGA

The key is hitting more fairways and greens. The course is tough. Players will face the same challenge at the 85th U.S. PGA Championship when the tournament begins at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York on August 14.

Only a day before this year`s last major event, 156 players are working hard during practice rounds. Courses hosting four PGA majors are, in fact, notorious for being tough. This year`s PGA Championship has also prepared long roughs, which will serve as a major stumbling block to players` ambition to win the title.

Fairways are narrow, and when rain comes it becomes even harder to get out the rough. Grass around the greens are about 20 cm long, making it difficult to find a ball if a player ever gets lost.

`Golf Emperor` Tiger Woods said after his second practice round, ˝Hitting a lot of fairways is the best way. When you lose the driver shot in the rough, you will find it very hard to get it back on greens.˝ Woods, known for precise tee shots, has been hitting more fairways since he switched his clubs from Nike to Title List drivers 18 months ago. He looked accustomed to using the new weapon, in fact, at the Viewic Open, missing only one fairway on the final round.

Masters Champion Mike Wier also pointed out, ˝They have really long roughs here. If I miss a fairway, that will mean I lose one stroke.˝ Phil Mickelson said, ˝This is the most challenging course I have ever seen. What you need is a careful tee shots.˝

Woods sees the 17th and the 18th hole as crucial. Both are 4 pars, but they reach as far as 495 and 482 yard respectively. With roughs and bunkers everywhere, they will be the last gateway to the championship. Woods, who won the PGA title in 1999 and 2000, will tee off at 10 p.m. on August 14 with David Thompson and Rich Beam.

Meantime, British betting company Red Brooks set the chance of Woods` winning the PGA title at 3 to 1. It also named Ernie Els (9 to 1) and Davis Love III (12 to 1) strong candidates. SBS Golf Channel will live broadcast the tournament - the first and the second round at 3:00 a.m. on August 15 and 16, and the third and the fourth round at 3:30 a.m. on August 17 and 18.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com