Bethpage Black—a notoriously difficult municipal course that has hosted the U.S. Open twice in recent years, switches gears this week to host the PGA Championship, which is appearing in a new date, having moved from August to May. Bethpage, where golfers sleep in their car to get a round on weekends, is a New York legend designed by AW Tillinghast, and tweaked by Rees Jones. The course set up isn’t entirely clear yet—it surely won’t be as difficult as in 2002 when some players couldn’t reach the fairway on certain holes—but it won’t be a pushover either.
So who will rise to the occasion for the PGA Tour’s second major of the year? Here are some of our top picks.
Tiger Woods
Vegas oddsmakers have him at 9-1, and it is hard to discount Tiger, who won the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage, and finished in a tie for sixth the last time a major came to the course. Having won the Masters, and appearing healthy and armed with experience, one has to figure Woods will be a factor at Bethpage.
Big hitters: Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka
Johnson is the best in the world at the moment, has a win and nearly $4-million in winnings this year—and Johnson should contend at Bethpage. With massive length, but occasionally suspect putting, Johnson is one of several you’d expect to be near the top of the leaderboard this week, along with other big hitters like McIlroy, Thomas and Koepka. Of that lot, McIlroy seems poised to have a strong week. The Masters started badly for the Irishman, who never really got on track, but he’s having one of his best seasons on tour and he’s hard to discount. Speaking of discounting a golfer, how is it that Koepka, with three majors in the last two years, isn’t more of a favourite this year? He was a narrow second at the Masters and is the defending champ at the PGA Championship, but few have him in the mix this week. Hard to fathom he won’t be lurking.
Dark Horses: Eddie Pepperell and Matthew Fitzpatrick
Pepperell, the man with professional golf’s best Twitter game, has played well on the PGA Tour this year, and looks poised for a breakthrough on the PGA Tour. Fitzpatrick almost made that breakthrough at Bay Hill earlier this year, and has all the skills to excel at the PGA Championship. If either turn up at the top of the leaderboard, the TV commentators will have to explain who they are to most North American golf fans—but both are strong players in the Top 50 in the world. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if they play well this week.
Canadians: Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) and Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, BC)
Ranked 85 and 76 in the world respectively, Conners and Hadwin have both had solid years, with Conners’ win capping a breakout season, and Hadwin’s tie for second at the Desert Classic as the highlight of his year. Hadwin hasn’t had a lot of success at the PGA Championship, missing the cut in the past two years, while Conners is making his first appearance at the major. Both tend to play tough courses well, and Bethpage will certainly be difficult, so perhaps there’s a chance of a Canadian flag near the top of the leaderboard.