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    To the Hall of the Slain ...

    ...in the Gateway to the South.

    No, it's not an episode of Game of Thrones, it's the USPGA Championship at the Valhalla Club in Louisville, home of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Superb course, a Jack Nicklaus layout, and one that has produced two thriling finishes - both playoffs - in the two majors it has hosted to date, so fingers crossed for similar drama next weekend.

    Predictions.

    1. Dustin Johnson won't win.

    2. Form horses - McIlroy, Garcia and Fowler all seem to have carried their Open form over from England, given last night's scoring at the WGC Bridgestone event. If Fowler finishes top ten here he will be the first player to finish in the top ten of all 4 majors in a season since 2005, and I've got a feeling that both he and Garcia will be more desperate to win their first one than McIlroy will be to win another. Each, in their own way, is overdue, Garcia by a decade or so. As always I shall be rooting for Sergio right through his final-day collapse.

    3. Past form - Thomas Bjorn was 3rd here 14 years ago, and was in winning form earlier in the year, but doesn't seem to be doing much at the moment. At the 2008 Ryder Cup held here, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose seemed to enjoy the course, and so too did Jim Furyk, and all of them could be worth a small amount each-way. The last winner here (almost inevitably) was Tiger Woods, but if Tiger was in any sort of form he'd be ripping up the Firestone course this weekend (where he's won eight times) and he isn't, so for once I'm discounting him.

    4. Others to look for - Japan still hasn't produced a major champion, and Hideki Matsuyama won around the Memorial Course in May (a similar Jack Nicklaus layout at Muirfield Village). Could be a pointer there. Both the previous PGAs at Valhalla have thrown unknown players onto the top of the final-day leaderboards - Kenny Perry, Bob May - so don't be surprised if this week again pulls someone unknown out of the pack. Russell Henley and Brian Harman are from Georgia, so I guess could be better suited to Kentucky conditions in August.

    #2
    To the Hall of the Slain ...

    I once spent a couple of days in Louisville. Somehow I failed to see a single branch of KFC whilst there.

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      #3
      To the Hall of the Slain ...

      It occurred to me after I posted the OP and I've checked and think it's right, that if one of the Europeans does win this one it will be the first time ever we've won 3 of the 4 majors in a year.

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        #4
        To the Hall of the Slain ...

        One final quirky stat that could come out of this week - all three majors so far this year have been by three different former major champions. It has NEVER happened, in the 80 years there have been 4 majors, that all four have been won by four - different - previous major winners. Every year, we either get at least one new champion, or years where all 4 are won by former champions but not 4 different ones (because a Hogan, or Nicklaus, or Woods wins two or three of the 4).

        So if a former major winner other than Watson, McIlroy or Kaymer wins the PGA - Furyk, or Rose, or even Woods - it'll be a first.

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          #5
          To the Hall of the Slain ...

          Woods walked off the course at Bridgestone today after his back flared up, so the chances of him playing at the PGA have to be miniscule, while those of him making the Ryder Cup are falling by the day.

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            #6
            To the Hall of the Slain ...

            Tom Watson's captain's picks choice (which he makes at the end of the PGA) certainly looks a more difficult one now. With Dustin Johnson out, Patrick Reed is into the 9th automatic place, which means the team could already include three rookies (Reed, Jordan Spieth and Jimmy Walker). Phil Mickelson's in 10th place (and is certain to be picked), but the next two on the list are Brendon Todd and Chris Kirk, and I think it's unlikely Watson will turn to either of them. Problem for Watson is that the only other major winners he has in the top 40 are Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley. I think Steve Stricker might get a surprise call-up, just on the basis of previous experience.

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              #7
              To the Hall of the Slain ...

              Steve Stricker got a call-up, for sure, but as one of Tom Watson's vice-captains. I think their playing staff could have benefitted more by having him with them.

              Tiger Woods has declared himself fit for the PGA. I'd say he's an even money chance to not be playing come Sunday. The last five days haven't been good preparation for a tournament, even if his back problem doesn't flare-up he's unlikely to find the necessary shots to contend.

              Speaking of Woods, I have absolutely no recollection of his victory last time this event was staged in Valhalla, back in 2000. It's Woods only major victory that I can't remember. I've great memories of watching the PGA back in the 1990's. John Daly's shock win in 1991; Nick Price's two wins; Paul Azinger pipping newly-crowned Open champion Greg Norman and preventing a brilliant back-to-back major double for the Great White Shark in 1993; Colin Montgomery losing out on his maiden major to Steve Elkington in 1995; the unknown Mark Brooks winning at Valhalla the following year. When you're a teenager, August's golf major is perfectly-timed. Haven't seen as much these last few years. Such is life.

              I fancy an Aussie win here. Until Padraig Harrington's win at Oakland Hills in 2008 finally registered a European victory in the event, it was only Southern Africans (Gary Player & Nick Price), Fijians (Vijay Singh) and Australians (David Graham, Wayne Grady & Steve Elkington) who broke the American stranglehold. I can see one of Adam Scott, Marc Leishman or John Senden being the fourth Aussie to lift that big cup on Sunday night.

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                #8
                To the Hall of the Slain ...

                Not Jason Day?

                To jog your memory about Woods's win in 2000, it was the one where complete unknown Bob May went toe-to-toe with him, Woods needed to hole an 8-foot putt on the last just to tie, then won a three-hole playoff only after an outrageous bit of luck on the last hole when his wild drive hit a spectator and ended up in a brilliant lie next to a cart path. May finished with 3 rounds of 66, lost the playoff by a shot and would never again come so close to winning on the US Tour, let alone in a major.

                Highlights here - check out that 18th green, it looks almost unplayable

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                  #9
                  To the Hall of the Slain ...

                  Lee Westwood! Well I never saw him coming. I doubt, to be fair, he did, either. No chance of him staying on top til Sunday but it's fun while it lasts. He might be playing himself back into Ryder Cup contention at least.

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                    #10
                    To the Hall of the Slain ...

                    Despite McIlroy heading the leader board as I type it's very tight.

                    I have small each way bets on Wiesberger (300-1) and Ilonen (175) so am being given an entertaining ride.

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                      #11
                      To the Hall of the Slain ...

                      Henrik Stenson & Jim Furyk are my punts who are still in the running. Furyk, however, was the only player in the top 40 to shoot over par today.

                      Before McIlroy opened up some daylight on the last three holes, we had five golfers tied for the lead. I was trying to think back to when we last saw such a tight leaderboard this late into a major. Then I recalled as recent as 2011 at Augusta, when McIlroy blew his four-shot lead, and in the ensuing scramble Scott, Day, Ogilvy, Choi & Cabrera all enjoyed the lead at some point, before Schwartzel won out.

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                        #12
                        To the Hall of the Slain ...

                        Rickie Fowler is the new leader. There'll be a number of changes at the top of the leaderboard before the day is out, I reckon. Top eight players are within two shots of the lead. Ernie Els has made a move, an excellent -6 so far.

                        Seroiously heavy downpour earlier had large swathes of the course underwater, so the drives won't run as much as they usually would, but the mid-irons to the green should stick.

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                          #13
                          To the Hall of the Slain ...

                          Great ending in store now. Mickleson & Fowler on -15, Stenson & McIlroy on -14. Looks to be a four-horse race now.

                          The US TV companies are taking every opportunity to get the big names as prominent on the leaderboard as is possible. Protocol has always been that players on the same score are ordered by the most holes played. So, three players tied on -10, for example would see the player who has played 16 holes ahead, followed by the players who has played 13, then the one who has played 11. But I notice that on the occasions when Fowler, McIlroy & Mickleson have been level with players like Illonen & Weisberger, they've been placed ahead of them, despite playing fewer holes.

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                            #14
                            To the Hall of the Slain ...

                            Sorry I missed the original thread. Re the scoring on the leaderboard, that's why I posted A.N. Other on the other thread.

                            All the same, apart from the time problem, this is developing into a perfect storm. No proper modern major is complete without Phil lolloping about with a goofy smile. Fowler deserves it really, and this is his moment, as could be said for Stenson, to some extent. If Rory wins it, with all the waiting, it would easily be his best major win to date.

                            Sadly, I think the clock will win today.

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