BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- It was first forged from the dirt by one of the game's most renowned designers, whereupon it carved a steely reputation in golf lore, and finally it was re-galvanized by bulldozer and backhoes.
Rees Jones, whose firm handled the latter task three years ago, has been wearing a golf cap around Oakland Hills all week that reads "Monster," the nickname bestowed on the course by Ben Hogan a half-century ago.
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| Sergio Garcia says even good shots might miss some greens this weekend. (AP) |
Three years ago, Jones beefed up a decorated layout originally designed by famed Donald Ross, turning a daunting course once known primarily for its tough greens into a brutish all-around threat that could make this week's 90th PGA Championship the toughest of the game's four majors this season.
Former PGA winner Paul Azinger took, oh, about two seconds to assess the course's position among the major sites he has visited over his two decades on tour.
"Hardest course I've ever seen," he said Wednesday. "The rough has neutralized everybody. There's no shot-making out of that rough. I've never seen greens like this. It's tough."
In fact, a course that has hosted six U.S. Opens is dialed in more closely akin to the U.S. Golf Association setups at past Opens, with high rough that offers little hope to those spraying it around off the tee. It's as though the two organizations have swapped brains on the conditions, since the PGA was usually considered the voice of temperance and moderation and the USGA served as the set-up hard guys.
Ernie Els began a detailed description of what it will take to win the season's final major, then laughed when he realized he has included about every club in his bag in his dissertation.
"I think this week is very similar to a U.S. Open, although the greens won't be as firm, hopefully," he said. "But the rough is up, so if you're going to be hitting it into the rough at a pretty constant pace, you're not going to be shooting a good number. You want to hit at least 60 to 65 percent of your fairways.
"You're going to be scrambling because you're not going to hit all of these greens and you're going to miss them in some awkward places. You're going to have to hole out from eight to 10 feet, because even if you hit greens in regulation, you get them on the wrong side."
He paused for the punchline.
"Basically, bring your whole game," he laughed.
Jones added about 300 yards to the course since it hosted the 2004 Ryder Cup matches, the last big-league venture staged at Oakland Hills, which has also hosted two previous PGA Championships. One thing the architect didn't do was monkey around with the greens.
