Davis Love III Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Golfers are immortalised and defined by their record in major championships. Yes, sustained success on the professional tours over years can often be the indication of a consistent and satisfying career, but we crucially judge players firstly on what they accomplished during four key weeks each season. Winning a major completes. That’s what separates the great from the good. When Sergio Garcia – one of the finest talents of his generation – finally crossed that line in April at Augusta National, it was the crowning moment that validated all that had come before. Rightly or wrongly, expectations are built around this quartet of events that have become the ultimately barometer of achievement. Major champions stand on a higher pedestal for life, even the ones that didn’t record much else in their time. That doesn’t matter. For one week, they had overcome their peers and the weight of history to enshrine their name within the annals of golf. Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods are the only players who have won all four of the game’s most important events. It forever sets them apart, the most elite of golf clubs, albeit the first two were essentially unaware of the significance of their title accumulating at a time when the game hadn’t yet designated which tournaments mattered most. Jordan Spieth, however, is fully conscious of the precipice that he now finds himself on. Rory McIlroy is just a Green Jacket away from submitting his application to the league of Grand Slam golfers. The U.S. Open remains tantalisingly on the fingertips of Phil Mickelson’s grasp, just as it did for the legendary Sam Snead. The formidable Raymond Floyd was just a Claret Jug away. For both Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, two icons of American sport, it was the PGA Championship that prevented them from the most fulfilled of resumes. Having already won the Masters, U.S. Open, and Open Championships before the age of 24, the young Texan has remarkably placed himself on the verge of history at an accelerated rate. Coming into the 99th edition of the PGA – admittedly the least glamorous and prestigious of the majors – he will step onto the first tee of North Carolina’s Quail Hollow Golf Club with the first attempt at ticking off the last barrier that separates him from sporting immortality. “Expectations, I really don't feel any,” he said of the week. “This is a chance to complete the career Grand Slam; I'm here, so I'm going to go ahead and try. But I believe I'm going to have plenty of chances, and I'm young enough to believe in my abilities that it will happen at some point. “Do I have to be the youngest? No, I don't feel that kind of pressure. Would it be really cool? Absolutely. And I don't come to a tournament unless I plan on giving it my all-in preparation to have a chance and to ultimately close a tournament out.” Woods fittingly completed his ascent to greatness on the grandest stage of them all – the Old Course at St. Andrews – and Spieth has been presented here with one opportunity to supersede the legendary Californian with a triumph in Charlotte. However, that solitary chance isn’t something that is necessarily a motivating factor within the 24-year-old’s mind over the coming days. “There will be pressure. This is a major championship,” he added. “I mean, this is one of the four pivotal weeks of the year that we focus on. So, there will certainly be pressure. I'm simply stating, there won't be added expectations or pressure. “I just don't feel it. I just -- it's not a burning desire to have to be the youngest to do something, and that would be the only reason there would be added expectations. The more years you go on playing PGAs, and if I don't win one in the next ten years, then maybe there's added pressure then, and hopefully we don't have to have this conversation in ten years. But if we do, then it might be a different.” Whatever happens, Spieth has already joined the greats in winning three different major championships. Despite only playing in 19, he has additionally finished runner-up on three occasions – twice in the Masters and once at the PGA two years ago in Wisconsin. That doesn’t even include narrowly missing out on the playoff at St. Andrews in 2015 by a shot. Experiencing both the high of success and the bitter taste of defeat, the world number two can look back on a complete education on the contrasting emotions of situations. Jack Nicklaus was a 19-time major runner-up. “He has got that knack. I call it resilience,” McIlroy said of his fellow Grand Slam chaser on Tuesday. “I don't know if there's a better word to describe what it is that he has. But he has got this resilience where he gets himself in positions in tournaments where you don't think he can come back from, and he does. It's awfully impressive.” The Northern Irishman’s name has been etched twice on the striking Wanamaker Trophy, and we already have the pre-written narratives at both the PGA and Masters for the coming years until one or both seal that final leg on the journey to absolute greatness. We can only dream of the two battling together on the back-nine this Sunday, or in future. The game demands it. “If you're matched up on Sunday, and you get to choose somebody, you know, you obviously want to be able to play against somebody like Rory who has four major championships and is one of the top couple most accomplished players in this field,” Spieth remarked. “But he is one to fear in that position because of what he's capable of doing and how he's going to do it.” Rory, the prodigious driver with the towering ball flight that can submit any golf course to a humbling. Jordan, the precise tactician with a brilliant touch and gift for timing. Two special players who have embarked on a trajectory towards that most exclusive of groups with different strengths. Both are effective and fittingly Grand. It’s just going to be fun to see which of them gets there first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Top work as ever, would give it more than one greenie if I could.Not a lot of value on offer at the bookies for Rory or Speith, gone for Fowler, Pieters and Justin Thomas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Top work as ever, would give it more than one greenie if I could.Not a lot of value on offer at the bookies for Rory or Speith, gone for Fowler, Pieters and Justin Thomas. Agree with first and second paragraphSome decent performances at Bridgestone by knox and fleetwood. Perhaps an each way bet there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distant Doonhamer Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Outstanding work as always DL 111 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Hoffman and Matsuyama for me.Whats the script with the beebs coverage???Is it on the red button?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Hoffman and Matsuyama for me.Whats the script with the beebs coverage???Is it on the red button?? Red button and website from 6 pm and BBC2 later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 7 minutes ago, peasy23 said: Red button and website from 6 pm and BBC2 later on. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Agree with first and second paragraphSome decent performances at Bridgestone by knox and fleetwood. Perhaps an each way bet there? Possibly, as usual at a major though I have to rein myself in, could make a case for backing about half the field. [emoji23] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Completely forgot this was starting today, the Beeb haven't exactly advertised it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Its on pga live if you can find a stream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dundeefc1783 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Is this not on Sky sports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 No, Sky lost the rights because the PGA wanted more free to air coverage. It's on BBC but coverage doesn't start til 6 on the red button and BBC website. It's on BBC Two from the following times: 2315 today 2305 tmrw 2230 Sat 2200 Sun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 So we only getting the late starters. At least sky would have all day coverage behind the red button. Bit disappointing really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Makes no odds to me as I was working today and will be same tomorrow and then by the weekend you're only interested in the later starters anyway. Plus no adverts and no Monty. Also no Monty. Colin Montgomerie isn't commentating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 1 hour ago, Fuctifano said: Makes no odds to me as I was working today and will be same tomorrow and then by the weekend you're only interested in the later starters anyway. Plus no adverts and no Monty. Also no Monty. Colin Montgomerie isn't commentating. Offset by no Butch though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distant Doonhamer Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 10 minutes ago, doulikefish said: Offset by no Butch though and the inane drivel of Peter Alliss. Ken Brown is good value though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Iv not watched much so far, only around 30 minutes. It's been terrible in my opinion. Sounds petty but one of my major gripes is it not being in HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 4 minutes ago, lichtie23 said: Iv not watched much so far, only around 30 minutes. It's been terrible in my opinion. Sounds petty but one of my major gripes is it not being in HD i was watching it earlier on a stream on TNT and pga live both in hd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Or watch it on BBC website and chromecast it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 and the inane drivel of Peter Alliss.[emoji20] Ken Brown is good value though. I like all the BBC comms folk except Alliss. Another one missing this weekend is Andrew Cotter as he is in London covering the athletics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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