Grading the PGA Championship at the Halfway Point, From 'A' to Ouch
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Welcome to the Internet, where we no longer have the patience to wait for a tournament to end before casting final judgment and nobody can make us wait. We can do what we want, this is the wild, wild West.
So check out these report cards from the first two days of play in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill …
Bryson DeChambeau. Mr. Science, official first-round leader, makes a surprise return after a year of not beating anybody on 48-man LIV Golf circuit. Suddenly back in Winged Foot form as a lean, mean, swinging machine. A bunker glitch cost him a double on Friday, but he otherwise played well. Can he keep it up? If so, what theorem backs that up? Don’t forget to show your work, please. Grade: A-
Corey Conners: It’s been wet, windy and cold last three days at Oak Hill so why wouldn’t a Canadian be thriving? It’s not like he’s going to enjoy watching non-traditional teams such as Vegas, Florida, Carolina and Dallas duke it out for the Stanley Cup. Sacrilege in Ontario and Quebec. Grade: A
Michael Block: This 46-year-old club pro isn’t just the week’s Cinderella story, he’s the star of this PGA. Early birdies Friday got him within one shot of lead, inspired gallery to pull for him. Plus he shanked his tee ball at the par-3 5th, made double and later laughed it off. Rare confidence—“I’m playing well, I’ve got it”—and two impressive rounds of even are attention-getting. His lesson price might’ve just gone up. Grade: A++
Jon Rahm: The world No. 1 player got off to a terrible start—a birdie—that led to a Thursday 76. Not as bad as it sounds at a beast like Oak Hill but likely bad enough to end any grand slam talk this year … barring a pair of 65s. Grade: D+
Rory McIlroy: He was 3 over and on his way to the airport Thursday until he holed putt from off the green (and up a slope), then stacked a few birdies to salvage a 71. A bad start in a major is business as usual for Rors, part of why he's had no major titles since 2014. No more LIV talk, thank you. Grade: C+
Higa Kazuki: Kazuki introduced himself to America with four straight birdies in the first five holes Thursday morning, opened an early gaping PGA lead and was placed on 59 Watch. The runaway turned south at corner of Reality and Check with four bogeys and a double for 72, followed by a Friday 73. Nice to meet you, sir. Grade: C-minus
Scottie Scheffler. Show up at a tough Oak Hill course and make no bogeys in first round? Nice start but what’s happens if he actually gets hot? Even Higa Kazuki will say, “Wow.” In Japanese. Scheffler is still the guy to beat because he doesn’t make bogeys. Grade: A
Viktor Hovland: Norway’s Best-Ever Golfer is tied for lead with 68-67 start. He’s for real, as if you didnj’t know. If he manages to win this major, sponsor J. Lindeberg may actually move some of those Ugly Shirt Contest-winners they’re paying him to wear. Grade: A-
Mito Pereira: You’ve gotta admire a guy who suffers a Van de Velde moment at Southern Hills but comes back for more, on the verge of contending at 1 over. The only conclusion is, he’s got game. Grade: B+
Oak Hill Country Club. Removing trees and restoring four original Donald Ross holes makes this classic better than ever. Maybe even America’s best major site (not including Augusta)? How’d the USGA let this beauty of a beast drop out of the U.S. Open rotation? Grade: A+
Tom Kim. Young Tom took an accidental mud bath during an epic-fail first-round ball search; laughed when he saw the video replay later. That’s entertainment. Go ahead and sling your mud. And at least it wasn’t quicksand. Grade: A
Kenny Pigman: It’s hard for a club pro to get TV airtime during the PGA but Pigman got it the hard way when Bryson DeChambeau’s errant shot drilled him in shoulder. As a weak bonus, The Pig got a Bryson handshake. Grade: O (for Ouch)
The 15th hole: The big course reno replaced Oak Hill’s worst hole, a par-3 with a pond and awkward-shaped green, with a classic Ross par-3 and devilish green. It’s now a work of art. Grade: A+
Justin Rose: The Englishman got British media excited with three birdies early Friday to tie for the lead; Rose bogeyed two of last four to lose some steam but he’s still well-positioned—his only major title came 10 years ago in the U.S. Open at Merion. Grade: A-
Eric Cole. Played great, led at 5 under through 14 holes when darkness halted first round; first shot Friday when play resumed found water, turned into a double; no birdies Friday, just two doubles, two bogeys, too bad. Grade: B-
Brooks Koepka. Another major, another opp for Koepka who rallied with second-round 66. He nearly won a Masters. Now he’s at a course where premium is on iron play and driving, two things he excels at. The tougher the track, the better his chances. And Oak Hill is tough—maybe less so on the weekend if rain resumes, though. Grade B+
Phil Mickelson: The know-it-all shrewdly knew the PGA has no one-ball rule (the only major not to) and switched balls at least once in opening round. But he had to be schooled by rules officials on Friday, who saved him two shots when he tried to take the wrong drop from hazard. Rules are complicated. Grade: C-
Sam Burns: He gets + for having a Yahtzee-esque large-straight scorecard Friday featuring every number from 3 thru 8, including a double and two triples. Despite two birdies, it still added up to 80. Enjoy a weekend off, Sammy. Grade: F+
Rochester-area weather: Cold, a frost delay. Then windy. Then rainy. Then more rainy. Total suckage. It rates an "A" because this is exactly what Rochester-area weather is supposed to be in mid-May, like spring never happened. You want better weather, move this major to Butte, Mont. (Note sarcasm.) Grade: A