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TULSA, Okla. – This could be a problem.
That’s what Tiger Woods said as he looked over a corner of Southern Hills Country Club. On Sunday. When only one other golfer was in sight and just a small gathering of fans was in step with him.
Woods was eyeing his crystal ball and seeing traffic jams at what is sure to be a crowded section of Southern Hills during the 104th PGA Championship.
Crowded? Think the 405 in Los Angeles, Times Square during tourist season.
That’s because all of the following are within a big pitching wedge of each other – the green at the par-4 second, the tee box at the par-4 third, the green of the par-5 fifth, the tee box and green of the par-3 sixth, and the tee box of the par-4 seventh.
Now add a large chunk of the expected 30,000 fans attending each day.
And the 156 players who have to pass through the congestion.
PGA: Thursday tee times | Best bets | ESPN+ streaming
In other words, expect backups. And just imagine what it’s going to be like when the group of Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth gradually rolls through it during the first two rounds.
World No. 6 Viktor Hovland said he expects play “to be really slow” in that region of the course. That’s because players will have to wait before hitting shots for other shots to land or be struck. For instance, the tee box of the third hole is between the tee box and green of the sixth hole. So, Player A is ready to hit his drive on the third but he has to make sure no one is hitting a tee shot on the sixth and no balls are landing on the second or fifth greens.
Got all that? Pace of play, which is already on the pedestrian side, could slow to a crawl in this region. And that’s not taking into account Mother Nature, who is expected to deliver 20-25 mph gusts in the first two rounds. That certainly won’t speed up matters.
“I was very surprised to see the tee box on 3 moved all the way back there,” Hovland said. “Depending on where you put the tee on 6, it doesn’t really…
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Source : yahoo
