I’m interested to see how the Ocean Course is set up when the US PGA Championship returns to Kiawah Island for the first time in nine years this weekend.
I have never played the course before, but I have watched plenty events there – my uncle Bernard was the Ryder Cup captain there in 1991.
There are mixed memories, with Berhard Langer missing the putt on the last to retain the cup for Europe.
I’m interested to see how the USGA set it up, because these things are just down to course set up.
It has been mooted that they can play 7,850 yards. I know it’s not to be that windy this week, but I think it would be a bit of a slug-fest if they were to do that.
They don’t need to make it that long to make it a test. If the greens are quite firm, and they tuck the pins a wee bit, I don’t think they need to go to the lengths of making it as long as that.
I think 7,300 or even 7,400 would be ample.
Once you get up towards 7,800, it gives the long hitters a definite advantage. You don’t want that, you want a fair playing field on a true, fair course. Hopefully they’ve got that and there will be a worthy champion. It’s down to the USGA’s discretion.
It was 13 under that won it for Rory McIlroy the last time it was held there in 2012, and he won it by eight shots ahead of David Lynn. That’s reasonable for a major.
When he gets on his game, he’s unbelievable. He won his last time out at the Wells Fargo, and he’s going back to a course where he blew the field away.
If he’s putting well and going into his game with such high confidence, I fancy him to do well. You always fancy people who have done well on certain courses, and especially coming off a win.
The usual suspects are there, with the likes of Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson.
With the Ryder Cup looming, I would love to see some of the Europeans up there though.
Robert MacIntyre and Martin Laird are there and they have both won recently as well, so hopefully they can keep the Saltire flying.
It could be a stage for first-time major – could Lee Westwood become the oldest major winner? Even Tyrrell Hatton has been knocking on the door.
I have played in a few PGA Championships myself and I think this is the major which is the most open. The US Open, when they tighten it up, is tough.
The Open is a hard one if you get the opposite side of the draw, while the Masters suits certain people.
I think the US PGA is normally the fairest. The signs are there, there have been some great winners recently and people coming back to form.
I think it’s going to be a great spectacle.
Bland’s long-awaited victory at age of 48 an inspiration to us all
Richard Bland’s victory at the British Masters just shows how great a sport golf is.
For that to happen, you can’t get that in too many other sports. Golf just produces the odd fairytale here and there.
When you can have 478 attempts and then finally win, and to do it in the style he won in was brilliant as well. The putt he holed at the last, and the way he played the play-off, I was so happy for him.
He only had one bogey the whole week. He is not the longest hitter, but he just played one hole at a time. If he couldn’t get a birdie, he would just take the par and get to the next hole.
It was interesting listening to his strategy. It just showed there are more ways to play the game than the modern, Bryson DeChambeau-type style of hitting it 380 yards.
Richard carries it 260 or 265 yards, and the Belfry is a tough track. He was hitting drivers down certain holes, and taking chances that way, which was great to see.
I actually partnered him in the GB&I youths – it must have been in 1993 when he was playing for England and I was playing for Scotland.
We played over in Holland and he was my partner for two or three days. I have known him all the way since our amateur days. I was chuffed to bits for him and his coach Tim Barter, who have worked together for 20 years.
He has just kept plugging away. He took the gutsy move to go to the Challenge Tour a couple of years ago after he lost his card.
At 46 years old, I wouldn’t say it was a gamble, but it just shows the confidence of him to say “I think I can still do it out here”.
He got his card back through the Challenge Tour, and he has got his win. There is nobody happier for him than me.
Completely overwhelmed by the messages I’ve received. From friends & from people I’ve never met that watched & have followed my career. Way to many to reply to individually. So please all of you accept this as my reply & the biggest thank you ever from the bottom of my heart ❤️
— Richard Bland (@blandy73) May 17, 2021
I won when I was 44, and we have seen Lee Westwood, who is a year older than me, have a couple of unbelievable years.
Darren Clarke won the Open when he was 46, and Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Open de Espana at 50.
It is out there, if you can stay long enough and keep the appetite. I’ll be playing my 600th event, so I would love to emulate Richard and try and get another win.
We all strive to be in contention on the Sunday coming down the stretch – that’s what we all prepare for.
Howie can go on to make big impact on European Tour in future
I can only see Craig Howie go from strength to strength after claiming his first Challenge Tour victory in Sweden last weekend.
I remember watching Craig play in one of my Foundation events I put on down at Cadrona five or six years ago, which he won. He was a talent back then.
What an emphatic win this was for him at the Range Servant Challenge – he just put the gas in the pedal and kept it going to win by seven shots.
I have watched him on the tour and spoken to him. Any time I see him on the main tour, he looks as though he belongs there.
He just needs to bide his time and get through the Challenge Tour. He’s got Paul Lawrie’s management looking after him, which will be giving him brilliant advice.
He’s just got to play as much as he can on the Challenge Tour and get his card through that. If he dedicates himself to that he will get on the main tour, and I’m sure once he gets on that will be him for a while.
He just has to look at Calum Hill, who is in contention most weeks, and came through the Challenge Tour.
I did it myself in 1998. You just learn your trade and everything about it – you know you are not playing for a lot of money, so you graft it out.
If you can make it on that, you come on to the main tour so much better prepared in dealing with the travelling and things like knowing when to rest.
It’s a great breeding ground for the young kids. It’s a great stepping stone to longevity on the main tour.