Golf: USPGA Championship 2008
by Bodog Sports | Aug 5 2008
The golfing year is building to an exciting climax, but before September’s Ryder Cup showdown there is the not-so-small matter of the final major of the season. The US PGA Championship tees off at Michigan’s Oakland Hills Country Club on Thursday, and, to continue the Ryder Cup theme a little longer, this is the same course on which Europe triumphed back in 2004.
Before the likes of
Paul Casey,
Lee Westwood,
Ian Poulter and
Sergio Garcia get carried away and begin dreaming of glory though, a timely reminder: this tournament has been a graveyard for European golfers. Never – that’s never as in never – has a European golfer won the US PGA. The odds, it’s fair to say, are stacked massively against Europe’s finest.
Then again, there’s a first time for everything, and some of the continent’s best are in fine form.
Padraig Harrington, of course, should be in confident mood after successfully defending the British Open at Royal Birkdale a few weeks ago, while Poulter had a pretty good tournament.
on Padraig Harrington to win the USPGA ChampionshipSergio Garcia didn’t fare so well, but his putting has been exemplary so far this season and it’s high time the Spaniard (there’s a tendency to call him ‘young’ but he’s now 28) stepped up at a major. He’s getting close; winning the Players Championship earlier this year was impressive, and he’s finished in the top ten in majors ten times. Garcia clearly has the stamina and the mentality required he just needs to go the extra yard.
on Sergio Garcia to win the USPGA ChampionshipAside from the European challenge, Australian
Adam Scott is highly-rated and has a good past record in this event, carding three top-12 finishes in the last five PGAs. But it will be the Americans who are expected to excel over four days of intense golf.
on Adam Scott to win the USPGA ChampionshipOther than wins for Fiji’s
Vijay Singh (1998 and 2004), a US golfer has won this tournament ten times in the past 12 years. On four of those occasions,
Tiger Woods triumphed and, of course, no-one needs telling that the world’s No.1 golfer will be absent because of a knee injury.
on Vijay Singh to win the USPGA ChampionshipPhil Mickelson, champion in 2005, will fancy his chances and is considered by many to be the outstanding favourite. He could be challenged by fellow countrymen
Jim Furyk,
Stewart Cink and
Geoff Ogilvy, while further down the pecking order, previous winners
David Toms and
Rich Beem lurk.
on Phil Mickelsen to win the USPGA ChampionshipIt wouldn’t be the first time an outsider has emerged from the pack to surprise all and win the US PGA – but after two out of three shock-less Majors so far the best bet would be sticking with the favourites.
on the USPGA Championship 2008
