TO THE YEAR’S second major, and a Kentucky holiday from the decadence and depravity of professional golf.
Valhalla is the stage for this week’s PGA Championship, and it is to where the world’s best players now scuttle from their various tours and parental leave to compete for the only currency about which the fans and the myth-makers actually care.
Gloriously, the biggest stars arrive in form.
Scottie Scheffler is threatening to put together a calendar year to rival Tiger Woods in 2000 – the 10-tournament, three-major run which he crowned at Valhalla – having won in four of his last five starts. Scheffler hasn’t played in three weeks, which cleared the PGA Tour field for Rory McIlroy, who won the Zurich Classic with Shane Lowry and then, more significantly, last week’s Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow. Brooks Koepka’s win at LIV Singapore means that Koepka, McIlroy, and Scheffler arrive at Valhalla having won in their most recent start.
Let’s start with Rory because, come on, we always start with Rory.
There is never a shortage of off-course saga and distraction ahead of a major nowadays, and this week has included the revelation that McIlroy filed for divorce in Florida on Monday morning, prior to flying to Valhalla. His right to privacy on this will likely be trampled over by his status and fame.
When McIlroy raced down the gloamy 18th fairway of this golf course to make the par he needed to win a decade ago, it was implausible to believe he wouldn’t win another major until now. Back then, McIlroy zoomed to the end of a weather-ruptured tournament to forestall a Monday finish. It wasn’t to avoid another nervy night sleeping on the leaderboard but simply because he was a man in a rush. He had won the Open a few weeks earlier and his first couple of majors across the previous three years, so it made sense: the quicker McIlroy moved, the more he would win.
And then the fickle fates yelled stop. A decade on McIlroy says he is a much better golfer, and while he has remained astonishingly consistent, he hasn’t got in done in the majors. He hasn’t put himself in contention often enough across the fallow decade, and has either led or shared the lead at the end of only two of the 100-plus major rounds he has played since his last Valhalla triumph.
But but but. McIlroy has been quietly consistent at the post-Covid majors and he has taken a couple of trips to the painful threshold of victory. The 2022 Open at St Andrews’s and last year’s US Open were agonising near-misses.
The week’s omens are good too. He has won on each of his previous two starts – as he did before the 2014 victory here – and his game is in a healthy place. His driving is sensational, his chipping is dialled in, his putter glowed hot at Quail Hollow last week, and his diminished iron play has greatly improved under Butch Harmon’s gaze.
Valhalla rewards driving distance, and the rain that is forecast will take the bounce from the fairways and accentuate McIlroy’s advantage off the tee. Softer greens might forgive any errant short irons, and the added length will mean players unsheathing longer irons more often than usual, another club with which McIlroy can separate himself from the field.
But but but. If you think we are singing a similar song here – Rory wins the event leading into a major at a course on which he was previously won – it’s because we are. His Scottish Open win last year led into the Open’s return to Hoylake, where McIlroy putted himself out of contention.
And then there’s the slight complication of the competition. When McIlroy won here in 2014, his closest rivals in the bookies’ odds were Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, and Justin Rose.
Elite players for sure, but nothing on Scheffler, Koepka, and Jon Rahm. Any of that trio can out-run McIlroy this week, and defending champion Koepka is talking with low menace about righting the wrongs of an “embarrassing” T45 finish at the Masters.
Rahm’s move to LIV and pitiful Masters defence has left him chafing in the shadows, but he hasn’t finished outside the top 10 on LIV this year, which suggests he has a floor of form from which he can vault back into the limelight.
Scheffler, though, is the man to beat. He was dominating the game before the birth of his first child, so God knows what he might now go on to do with all this added perspective on life. Keith Elliot coined the Nappy Factor phrase back in the ’90s to describe the phenomenon of new fathers winning on Tour, so maybe Scheffler has just got another boost that he did not need this week.
Shane Lowry, meanwhile, is a putter away from contending this week. While his ball-striking has been good this year, he has struggled on the greens, a fact borne starkly out by his stats at the Masters. Of the 60 players to make the cut, Lowry led the field in strokes gained approach but was dead last in putting. He changed his putter prior to his Zurich win alongside McIlroy, but he didn’t break par during an underwhelming outing at Quail Hollow.
Seamus Power isn’t in the field as he has dropped outside the world’s top 100, but 2008 champ Padraig Harrington will tee it up, coming off a T8 at last week’s Regions Tradition, a major on the champions tour.
While this event is traditionally the most volatile of the majors – the average world ranking of the winners of the PGA since 2009 is 34, with the Open the next highest at 26.4 – it is emerging as golf’s strongest field in this fissured era. To that end, the PGA of America have held their nose and invited the wealthy middle classes of LIV to compete. This includes the absurd figure of Talor Gooch, who said a hypothetical McIlroy win at Augusta would have an asterisk as Talor Gooch wasn’t in the field. Talor Gooch hasn’t won on LIV all year.
Tiger Woods has also been given a special exemption to play, and this week he is repeating his new pre-tournament creeds. Yes my body is compromised but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel I could win. Those who truly believe Woods can win another major are currently an audience of one.
The field is littered with more realistic contenders. Bryson Dechambeau played well for most of the Masters and his length will be an asset at Valhalla; Ludvig Aberg’s maiden major win is an inevitability and there’s no reason why it can’t come this week; Max Homa has the game and is showing the temperament to win one of these; all of Cam Smith, Jason Day, Wyndham Clark, and Collin Morikawa have majors on their CVs and are showing sparks of good form.
But perhaps Valhalla’s gates will open again for Rory McIlroy. This is another week in which he has turned up with the keys.
His problem is he isn’t the only golfer holding them.
Picks
- Winner: Scottie Scheffler to win at 7/2
- Make your money back: Max Homa e/w at 25/1
- Long shot: Jake Knapp e/w at 125/1
Selected tee times (Rounds 1 and 2; All times Irish)
- Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley (1:04 p.m. Thursday, No. 10 / 6:29 p.m. Friday, No. 1)
- Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose (1:15 p.m. Thursday, No. 10 / 6:40 p.m. Friday, No. 1)
- Brooks Koepka, Max Homa, Jordan Spieth (1:37 p.m. Thursday, No. 10 / 7:02 p.m. Friday, No. 1)
- Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm, Cameron Young (7:02 p.m. Thursday, No. 1 / 1:37 p.m. Friday, No. 10).
- Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Scottie Scheffler (7:13 p.m. Thursday, No. 1 / 1:48 p.m. Friday, No. 10)
- Shane Lowry, Jason Day, Nicolai Hojgaard (6:18p.m. Thursday, No. 1 / 12:53 p.m. Friday, No. 10)
- Padraig Harrington, Patrick Reed, Sam Burns (7:35 p.m. Thursday, No. 1 / 2:10 p.m. Friday, No. 10)
On TV: Sky Sports Golf, Live from 1pm on Thursday and Friday; From 2pm on Saturday and Sunday
Good news – I think Nash would have been a very able replacement for Hansen but we need Bealham. Orherwise with both Furlong and O’Toole out, we’re essentially down to fourth and fifth choice TH in our match day squad which is not a good place to be as Scotland are no mugs in this area.
@Michael Corkery: I mean it says a lot of what they think of Nash when he was fit all of November and didn’t get a single minute. Would much rather getting Osborne in there if Hansen was to drop out, but Tbf Hansen didn’t do bad last week.
@Eoin H: that’s rubbish, Nash is very unlucky not to be starting ahead of Hansen. Osbourne is a centre or fullback he’s just not a winger.
@chris mcdonnell: perhaps he doesn’t do the things the coaches value. Mack appears all over the place, provides links, and hits gaps off his wing. Only the coaches know 100% why they value him so highly. They can’t even be accused of Leinster bias unless his mum is part of some shadowy Leinster elite????
@chris mcdonnell: can’t read what Eoin said as I’ve muted him for spouting rubbish. In any case, when Hansen hasn’t been available, Nash has been next man in on a hat wing and has more than done his job. Playing ringrose st wing has only been considered as part of strategy in case of injury.
@Michael Corkery: injury during game and having cover
@Michael Corkery: I think Nash offers a good alternative to Hansen or Lowe. Whereas J Osborne is either centre or fullback. His brother would be better on the wings but he’s not there yet. Big fan of Nash (and Daly), Munster play much better when both are on the field.
Get them right for France, will need the extra beef
@adizlack93: I’ll predict now that Furlong in particular won’t reappear until the latter stages of the 6Ns if that.
It’s the same every season with the ‘in the mix’ followed up with ‘not available’.
@Stanley Marsh: Unfortunately I think we need to start planning for life after Furlong as it’s been an ongoing issue for some time now. A similar problem ended Jerry Flannery’s career after a number of attempts to come back. Huge loss as at his best there was none better and not just in Ireland.
@Stanley Marsh: Furlong is finished. Has been for few years now.
@TL55: wouldn’t the plan involve Tom O’Toole and Tom Clarkson? Jaeger perhaps? Any other options? Finlay has a couple of years left in him. Furlong himself is only 32, a year away on a farm might do him good
@TL55: The Medical side of things are way more advanced now then back then, plus there’s an argument Leinster have the best medical team in the world in terms of getting players back fit and maintaining their fitness.
@Ray Ridge: Everyone said the same about Murray when he had the serious neck/back injury but he came back to be a very important player for club and country. Expect Furlong to do the same
@adizlack93: Big difference between the 2 positions. Furlong is 32.
@Ray Ridge: There are many examples of props going well into their late 30s. Takes them far longer to develop that size & strength and losing pace isnt a worry. So, once again your argument makes no sense. Back to clown college Ray..
@adizlack93: and there are more examples of props in their 30s who are finished and done for. Unfortunately this is one of them, whether we like it or not.
@Ray Ridge: nothing you say has any credibility, its just negative speculation which is why everyone here takes the p1ss out of you
@adizlack93: and healy was wrote off too. The best thing would be for farrell not to bring him on the lions tour
@chris mcdonnell: I agree but if hes fit and firing by then, he goes I reckon
@jajosullivan@aol.com: That would look like the plan, however I don’t think any of them are really top class. Scott Wilson at Ulster has a higher ceiling imo. If he stays fit and gets enough game time he could be ready by 2027 WC.
@TL55: perhaps a bit early to be writing off 24 year-old, 13 caps at U-20 inc Grand Slam winner Clarkson, already 40+ Leinster caps and 3 Senior caps in his senior career?
I thought Tom O’Toole always played well for Ireland on the tight head. Jaeger might push on as Finlay has.
Didn’t know about Wilson, don’t watch much of Ulster. Good to have another young option who has also come through the U-20 system.
@Ray Ridge: quiet, bozo.
Are Scotland actually going to show up for once? We’ve been hearing the same thing from them for the last decade..
@Dave Moran: you can be a bit repetitive yourself Dave, in fairness.
@brian o’leary: ahahahahaha…I wonder if he realises he’s an eejit
Furlong was never coming back until France, shame about JMcC. I’d start the same pack but have Izzy on the bench (we don’t need Henderson’s bulk like we did vs Eng). Sheehan, Conan and Izzy (on for Ryan Baird to 2nd row) bring mega impact again at the 45/50 min mark. Also would like Baird to get a full 80
@Andrew Slazenger: Agreed, would love to see Izzy coming on in that super sub role.
Maybe now the pressure is off Easterby after that win he’ll go a bit more ambitious on the bench with Boyle and Izuchukwu over Healy and Henderson. Don’t expect any changes in the starting team.
It is the right decision. Even if both of them are fit, no harm to take two extra weeks, 30 minutes v Wales and full bore v France.
Cummings and Tuipolutu are much bigger losses for Scotland. This will be tight also. Scots to edge it.
@Ray Ridge: Hi Ray, once again I’m offering you the chance to put your money where your mouth is and prove all your doubters here wrong. Any amount of money you want and I’ll go against that prediction.
And don’t respond with some nonsense like “Already have the bet on” because everyone here knows that’s not true and you e used that excuse before. Time to put up or shut up.
@Ray Ridge: embarrassing
@Patrick Kennedy: Again, don’t worry about that pat. I’ve gone big on the handicap. Scotland with 6 point head start. I’m playing it safer with the handicap due to the absence of Cummings and Tuipuluto.
@Ray Ridge: Wow you’re incredibly full of it Ray. You’ll be telling us you backed Ireland after they win on Sunday. Embarrassing.
@Patrick Kennedy: No, certainly won’t be backing Ireland at those odds. Away from home against a dangerous Scotland. We will lose to Scotland sooner rather than later.
@Ray Ridge: You haven’t backed anyone because you’re full of s h one t, just like all your comments on this. Thankfully you’ll be shown up to be the clown you are by Sunday evening.
@Ray Ridge: How about something nice and simple, Ireland win and you don’t post for the rest of the six nations?
Let’s see if you can earn some respect for once.
@Barry Moran: The selective memory brigade are out in force today.
@Ray Ridge: If Finn is playing like he did against Italy the Scots will be in for a long afternoon, and that’s coming from someone who is a big fan
@J M: True, he needs to reign it in a wee bit.
@Ray Ridge: I remember you saying there was no doubt Ireland would lose to Scotland a few days ago. The closer we get to the game the more you’re hedging your bets it seems. Now you’re saying it’s going to be close
@Petter Sellberg: Yes, with Scotlands best 2nd row and best centre out, it’s a much closer game than I predicted earlier. Hence why I’m on Scotland plus 6. Still think Scotland will edge it.
@Ray Ridge: Hahahahahahahaha so you’re saying if Tuipulutou and Cummings were playing Scotland would beat us easily?! I’ve heard some absolute guff in my time but that’s up there!
@Ray Ridge: what country are you from pal?
@Ray Ridge: ireland have lost 4 times (NZ, SA, Eng, NZ) in nearly three years and in old money thats 4 times in 30 test matches. In that time you’ve been banging on about “changes needed”, an “overall of the squad”, “ireland on a downward trajectory”, and so on and so on, while also predicting ireland lose all these 30 games including (and I remember it well), ireland losing to scotland at the world cup, ( think that finished 32 – 12 or something like that ). Time to move on to another handle or app, nobody takes you serious around here.
Well let’s hope that POM or Izzy (preferred) are on the bench this time out.
@Con Cussed: As a confirmed Munsterman I hope it’s Izzy. We need to plan for the future. For both Henderson and POM their best days are behind them.
@TL55: again Baird, Prendergast, Izuchukwu, Ahern. How much planning do you want
@Con Cussed: Conan made a massive impact off the bench. Hope he stays there or takes 6 jersey
@Con Cussed: instead of Henderson? And have no lock cover? I think despite all the giving out, Henderson actually gave a good account of himself?
@TL55: people went mental when I said this about POM last week and that I was glad he wasnt picked, because it meant we were looking forward which is necessary 2.5 years from RWC
@TL55: How do you become a confirmed Munster Man? Is there a ceremony in Thomand Cathedral? ;)
@Paul Ennis: You marry your 2nd cousin
@Patrick Breen: Not sure what value he brought last week. Izzy is the better player/replacement on the bench. He can cover 4-6 too!
@jajosullivan@aol.com: Baird was the only one of those involved. We need to be looking at the others in the test arena not just around the training camp.
@Paul Ennis: Several pints in the bar on multiple occasions while giving at least one rendition of SUAF!?
@Paul Ennis: you’re born in South Africa
@TL55:
Ireland have established 25 yr old Casey, Crowley & Baird, Doris & Sheehan 26, Joe Mc is 23, Kelleher 27.
You can’t make too many changes and still compete at the highest level
The only member of the pack currently reaching the end of the line is PO’M. Baird can regularly play 6.
If any of the others need to play they’ve had caps, played U-20′s & Emerging Ireland been in camps. If you only have to slot one in they’ll manage. It would be different if the established players were injury prone but most are not so they are nearly always available.
This year Eng, Scot & France require established teams. With potentially 3 back-to-back wins in a France & England at home year, it would be a shame to experiment and slip up against Wales and Italy. Their time will come
@TL55: I do think that after this 6N with 3 back-to-back on offer with England and France at home we should go for it and play to win.
After that a break from summer tours to NZ, SA even Aus required, not starting the Autumn Internationals against any of the strongest teams.
The core of the squad is now established, we know exactly what they can do. Bring in the youngsters, pair them with the guys coming to the end of their careers. Give the guys test experience with a direct message to the public (who have a tendency to find fault) that this is about developing players not winning. Then bring the core back up to speed in the run up to the RWC.
Perhaps slightly cheaper tickets?
Expect the same 23 as last week. The same starting lineup. The team will be rotated for the Wales game, with, I expect Conan, Sheehan, He shaw, Osbourne and Crowley starting. Who starts at 10 against France will be determined by Crowley’s performance at that match. Nash deserves some game time. They should consider giving Izzy a game against Wales also.
No need to risk furlong or Mccarthy v a Scot’s pack. The scrum was good against eng despite a 35kg deficit in pack weight apparently. Try to get them fit for fr in 4 weeks. Ire need to keep that lineout functioning nicely on Sunday.
Why do I not have faith in our coaches about injuries any more will wait and see and hope I am proven wrong and Bealham and Hansen are fit .So looking forward to Sunday and a win come on Ireland