Notebook: Conditions should be tough
Associated Press
Wednesday, March 22
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The Players Championship had the highest winning score of any PGA Tour event last year (3-under 285 by David Duval) and trailed only the British Open at Carnoustie in terms of highest scoring average (74.62).
What should players expect this year from the Stadium Course on the TPC at Sawgrass?
"The goal for the setup is the same," superintendent Fred Klauk said.
The rough will be 3½ inches around the green and up to 4 inches around the fairways. The greens ideally will run between 11½ and 12 on the Stimpmeter.
Out of Klauk's control is the weather -- and the forecast. A year ago, the wind blew harder than anticipated and turned the greens into concrete. Duval and Scott Gump were the only players under par.
Thinking about Augusta
Once a player is invited to The Masters, he can make an early trip to Augusta National to play practice rounds with members well in advance of the second week in April.
Greg Norman, who will be playing his 20th consecutive Masters, says he may sneak down to look at the changes made to some of the greens.
Duval doesn't think it will be worth the trip. He doesn't plan to get to Augusta until Sunday night of tournament week.
"It's fun to go up there and play golf," he said. "They treat you well. But it doesn't play anything like the golf tournament. Monday to Thursday is not the same, even Wednesday to Thursday. Certainly, several weeks prior is not going to be anything similar."
Woods unsure about Hilton Head
Tiger Woods officially won't decide until two weeks whether he will return to the MCI Classic, where the NAACP has urged a boycott because the Confederate flag flies over South Carolina's state Capitol. But he says that won't be a factor in
his decision.
Asked whether he separates political issues from golf, Woods smiled.
"I grew up with it," he said. "All you have to do is look at me."
Major review
Colin Montgomerie believes the major championships last year were collectively as tough as he has ever seen.
"I have never putted on greens quicker than Augusta," he said. "I have never putted off greens as quickly as Pinehurst. And I have never played a course as tough as Carnoustie."
So where does that leave the PGA Championship?
"I have never putted on greens as bad as Medinah," he said of putting surfaces that were spongy, spiked up and discolored.
Divots
Davis Love III has been using John Burke as a caddie most of the year while his brother tends to a new baby and the family business. Mark Love is working this week, and probably will do only the majors, a few World Golf Championship events and a couple of others.
One area where Woods and Sergio Garcia are different is their diet. Garcia said he likes McDonald's, but "I try not to eat many burgers." When Woods was asked about his special diet, he replied, "Cheeseburgers, fries, shakes. That's about it."
The only player in the top 50 not in the field is Jumbo Ozaki, who rarely leaves Japan.
