Europe’s leading players will be aiming to extend a proud recent record in the US PGA Championship this week, following four victories since 2008, but to do so they will have to overcome a strong home challenge at Whistling Straits.
American players have held the advantage in the Majors so far in 2015, with Jordan Spieth winning the Masters Tournament and the US Open, and Zach Johnson claiming The Open Championship last month.
Those two players will be seeking to add to their growing legends this week, with Spieth looking to join Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000), as the only players to win three of the four Majors in the same season. Johnson, meanwhile, is aiming to follow Rory McIlroy’s example of 12 months ago by adding the US PGA Championship to the Claret Jug.
The pair are joined by Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson, both of whom came close to winning the title at Whistling Straits five years ago when Martin Kaymer lifted the Wanamaker Trophy, while 14-time Major Champion Tiger Woods, still searching for his form of old following back surgery, is hoping his game can click in the year’s final Major. And of course there is Rickie Fowler, twice a winner already in 2015 at The Players and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, who, like Dustin Johnson, is trying to clinch that breakthrough Major.
Here is what the leading American contenders had to say on the eve of the 97th US PGA Championship:
Jordan Spieth
"It's fantastic. I played Sunday and Monday of last week before going to Akron. We played in some heavy winds. I saw the teeth of the golf course.
"Coming back this week, it's playing soft, which is a little bit surprising, but it's unbelievably healthy, extremely well manicured. And tomorrow looks like the wind will be up again, so that will be the teeth of the course. If the wind's down I think there's certainly plenty of scorable holes and lower scores will be shot. But tomorrow may be a tougher day to get started. But the course is ready for it. It's a Major Championship ready, the greens are as healthy as I've seen in a long time and they putt extremely well. So, yeah, I think we're all very, very excited.
"The mental toughness comes with recognising you're going to have tough lies, you're going to get tough bounces on a course like this. If you hit it into a sand trap or even into the areas around the bunkers, it can be spotty. So, you have to be prepared for the worst. You've got to be prepared for the best, and everything in between."
Zach Johnson
"It's been a whirlwind, a great whirlwind. I feel more prepared this time than I did in '07. It is my second Major, you kind of know what goes along with that. If anything it gives me the appreciation that I've got the right ensemble of team-mates, coaches, that can help me navigate it, and certainly my wife. We kind of know how to attack things.
"But I think the comfort level is probably more there. The shock and awe of Augusta was pretty intense and I would say this year it's more just extreme awe. The shock isn't quite as significant. Like anything, you get a taste for one or two and you still want more. I'm motivated and excited for this week."
Dustin Johnson
“I've had a lot of good practice the last few days. The game feels like it is back to where it was at the U.S. Open where I was playing really well. I got a lot more confidence in my swing. I did a lot of good work with Butch and Claude Monday, Tuesday, today. And I feel like every part of my game's pretty good right now. I feel like I'm driving it well, I feel like I'm hitting good iron shots, and the putter is rolling pretty well. So, it just all depends. This could be the week. Any week could be the week though.”
Bubba Watson
“The week (in 2010) was good. Obviously only one person beat me, so I wish I could improve on that. What I remember is the tough golf course. I remember the golf course being tough and fairways are the key around here. If you don't hit the fairway, it's going to be very difficult to make pars and have a good finish. It's all about fairways around here, and that front nine seems like it gets tougher every time I see it. I'm looking forward to the week because I've played here before. I've got some good memories here, and hopefully I’m up to the challenge.”
Tiger Woods
"This was my second Major I ever won. So coming after the '97 Masters, and to win at Medinah, that's the reason why I changed my game and tried to become better, because I wanted to be able to win on all different types of venues, especially in Major Championships. With Augusta the only one that's at the same golf course each and every yearI needed to have my game a little more diverse and versatile.
"Hence, I changed and it worked out pretty good. To be able to make that putt at 17 at Medinah, and to go on and beat Sergio really propelled me into the 2000s and my early part of my career.
"The golf course is setting up great. It's a little soft with the rain we had yesterday. Obviously there's a lot of mosquitos out there. But I think it's playing great. The greens are absolutely perfect. They're such a great speed and so smooth. I know they'll probably get a little bit quicker come Thursday, but overall this golf course is in perfect shape right now."
Rickie Fowler
“I don’t feel concerned I haven’t won a Major yet. It's been great to get the two wins this year, getting the win at The PLAYERS, basically the best field that we play against all year and a great win, and then tetting the win on a links course at the Scottish Open. And to win the way I did, making birdies coming in, definitely made it that much better.
“So it’s just all building a process towards winning a Major. So this wouldn't be a bad week to start that!
“But there's some pretty spectacular views out here on the lake, kind of a natural setting of it. I've got to try and stay focused on my lines off the tees and not get caught up in daydreaming looking around and enjoying the views too much.”
