Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Wednesday, August 06, 2008

We Say: Bob Lamb, Tribune golf writer, on the PGA Championship

In case you missed it, The PGA Championship begins on Thursday.

The PGA Championship is the last of the year’s four majors and promises to be a great one, even without Tiger Woods.

The par-70, 7,395-yard South Course at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit, Mich., is called “The Monster” and rightfully soul.

The ninth and 17th holes, a pair of par-3’s, are classic examples. The ninth plays to a maximum distance of 257 yards, while the 17th can be stretched to 238 yards.

Bart Bryant crushed a 3-wood to No. 9 during a practice round and came up short of the green. He used a driver on the 17th.

Lefty Mike Weir tried a 5-wood on the ninth. It landed 15 yards short of the green. Then he grabbed a 3-wood from his bag.

David Toms used a 3-wood on No. 9. It rolled to the front fringe. However, the 17th was a different story. His 5-wood tee shot was too short, while his 3-wood was too long.

Every PGA Championship is exciting, but this year’s event, even without Tiger, will be even more interesting considering the length of the course.

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