The 2013 US PGA Championship - Oak Hill CC, Rochester, NY

[Gabriel_Hurl]

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP from Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, NY

The 2013 PGA Championship

The PGA Championship of 2013 returns to Oak Hill CC in upstate New York, venue of the 2003 championship that saw surprise winner Shaun Micheel, one shot ahead on the 18th fairway, hit one of the great finishing shots in major championship history to defeat the equally unknown Chad Campbell. Last year, Rory McIlroy took charge of a wind-blown tournament at Kiawah Island and went on to win by 8 shots. A tournament that once seemed to be alien territory to Europeans has been transformed, with 3 Englishmen joining Rory in the top 5, and 3 other European-born players in the top 10. Martin Kaymer won in 2010 and Padraig Harrington in 2008, sandwiching thrilling wins for YE Yang, the first and so far only Asian to win a major, in 2009 (from 2:20), and Keegan Bradley's play-off win over Jason Dufner in 2011.

The format is 72 holes, with the top 70 making the 36 hole cut. Three hole play-off in the event of a tie.

Tournament website

Oak Hill Country Club

The golf course is about 4 miles from downtown Rochester in upstate New York. It is close to Lake Ontario and only a few miles from Canada, and 5 hours drive from New York City. The club was founded in 1901 and moved to its current site in 1926, with space for two courses designed by Donald Ross. The design soon won acclaim, and the East Course hosted the US Amateur in 1949, and then the US Open in 1956, which was won by Cary Middlecoff. In 1968, the US Open came back, and Lee Trevino won his first major, becoming the first man to break 70 in all 4 rounds of a major. Another 12 years later, Jack Nicklaus won the PGA here, and in 1989 the US Open came back with a win for Curtis Strange. The 2003 OGA winning score for Shaun Micheel was -4.

Oak Hill was the venue for the 1995 Ryder Cup. The US team included Phil Mickelson, making his debut, while the European team was Ballesteros, Faldo, Monty, Clark, James, Woosnam, Rocca, Gilford, Torrance, Langer, Walton, Johannson. Friday foursomes were 2-2, the US then sneaked into a 5-3 lead after the 4 balls, with Lefty winning his first match. Saturday morning foursomes went 3-1 to Europe, but the Americans again won the fourballs by the same scoreline, to leave it 9-7 going into the singles. Seve, in terrible form, went off first for Europe and hacked his way around. It was a miracle he was still all square at the turn, but he lost 4&3 to Tom Lehman. Clark and James won their matches, and Woosnam halved, to take the score to 9.5-10.5. Love bt Rocca to get the US to 11.5, but then Gilford, Monty, Faldo and Torrance all won on the 17th or 18th to turn the tide, and Europe led 13.5-11.5. Pavin bt Langer, and in the last match, Mickelson was well up on Johansson, so it came down to Philip Walton. 3 up with 3 to play, he lost 16 and 17, but a bogey on 18 was enough to defeat Jay Haas and Europe won in American for only the second time, having taken the singles 7.5 - 4.5.

The course will play 7,163 yards, par 70. There are only 2 par 5s, and' Nicklaus aside, past winners have not been long hitters. The club website boasts how few sub-par rounds have been recorded when big tournaments have come to town. Quite a few holes will not need the driver, but the finish is brutal with two 500 yard par 4s. /quote]

[Hound]

My strategy is usually to look at people in decent form and who have previous on the golf course. Not sure it'll work out so well this week given its 10 years since Oak Hill was used for the 2003 USPGA, but Ernie was 5th then, so at 90/1 is worth a couple of quid each way I think.

Mickelson was first round leader and Scott had a good 2nd round in '03. Both went backwards over the weekend, but I suppose they've both proven they can do well on this course and are now both hugely improved in putting 4 good rounds together consistently.

[laoislad]

My money is going on Henrik Stenson,Jason Day and Boo Weekley.

[Puckoon]

My Club pro qualified for this for the second year in a row - hopefully this year the nerves dont kill him and he makes the cut. That would be cool.

[heganboy]

Each ways on:
Woods
Stenson
Bradley
Day

Can't believe I made money on open...
Will not  happen again

Was told by an insider to expect Mr Mcilroy to do something interesting this weekend...
He has a chunk of change riding on him

[Gabriel_Hurl]

To win straight up

Henrik Stenson 25/1

Rest are each way bets

Hunter Mahan 35/1
Zach Johnson 50/1
Webb Simpson 66/1
Bill Haas 60/1
Martin Kaymer 60/1
Miguel Angel Jimenez 150/1
Graham DeLaet 235/1
John Merrick 250/1
David Lingmerth 260/1
Thorbjorn Olesen 330/1
Roberto Castro 410/1


Yes - I bet too much 

[Minder]

Each ways on:
Woods
Stenson
Bradley
Day

Can't believe I made money on open...
Will not  happen again

Was told by an insider to expect Mr Mcilroy to do something interesting this weekend...
He has a chunk of change riding on him

Make the cut?

[heganboy]

don't think any bookie is going to take that one...

[Oraisteach]

Rory is off to a good start. -2 after 3.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

getting rid of the woman is helping him it seems

[laoislad]

getting rid of the woman is helping him it seems

Huh? When that happen?

[sammymaguire]

Backed Day, Kaymer and Horschel and thought about 20 minutes ago things were going very well... Now the afternoon lads have birdies flying in everywhere, Westwood, Jiminez, Clark, McIlroy, Scott, Rose this is simmering along nicely already - 46 players under par 3/4 through the first day!

[Minder]

Rory not going so well now, back to -1

[Minder]

My Club pro qualified for this for the second year in a row - hopefully this year the nerves dont kill him and he makes the cut. That would be cool.

David Muttitt?

[Puckoon]

Unfortunatly not  After starting with a birdie on his second hole he went on a spectacular run of bogeys and is now languishing in a tie for second last place 153rd place.

He qualified for his first PGA championship last year, the senior PGA championship this year, and the PGA championship this year. It's a great thing for the club and him, but man he struggles once the horn goes on thursday.