KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Everyone has noticed. Some before others.
But every player who’s competing in the PGA Championship, …
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Everyone has noticed. Some before others. But every player who’s competing in the PGA Championship, which begins with Thursday’s opening round on Kiawah Island’s daunting Ocean Course, is well aware that this layout ( measuring more than 7,800 yards from the tips) is the longest in major championship history. Add in the wind off the Atlantic Ocean, and what you are guaranteed to have this week are a lot of headaches and scores high enough that you may think they’re misprints for professional golfers. “I noticed it last week when someone sent me a scorecard and I saw that the back nine was 4,000 yards,’’ Justin Thomas said. “I think I actually laughed out loud when I saw it because I was looking at the numbers, [thinking,] ‘They can’t possibly play it that long unless they get a day where there’s absolutely no wind.’ ’’ That’s not going to happen. While there are not outlandish, batten-down-the-hatches winds in the forecast, there will be enough to affect a lot of golf shots. For most of the practice rounds, the wind has made the final five holes borderline treacherous. Those holes have made players dust off their mid to long irons that haven’t been used a lot in recent years as the players all get longer and eat up most golf courses.
