PGA Championship Second Round News & Notes

Golf Betting Lines

08/08/2008 - Bloomfield Hills Township, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When most comprise a list of "fluke" major winners in recent history, inevitably the same names always appear.

Todd Hamilton, Shaun Micheel and Rich Beem might make that list.

Unfortunately, 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis might as well.

"I know I can win another one. It's just a matter of taking care of the opportunities that I'm given," said Curtis, after a three-under 67 on Friday. "Because if you sit here and think about winning another major, I'll be thinking about it for the rest of my life."

Curtis is in great shape for another major title. His 67, which tied for lowest round of the PGA Championship, put him in a tie for second place, just one out of the lead.

"I think the big thing is I only hit seven fairways, but it seemed like a lot more than that because if I did miss the fairway, I was in the first cut or in the bunker on four, where it was a fairly easy shot," said Curtis. "So I think that was the key."

Back to Curtis' "fluke" win at Royal St. George's. He topped Thomas Bjorn and Vijay Singh by a stroke, and even though Bjorn could not get out of a bunker on Sunday afternoon, Curtis posted a two-under 69 in the final round. Only three players shot better rounds on that final round.

Fast-forward three years and Curtis collected two more PGA Tour wins. He couldn't defend either title the next year since both the Booz Allen Classic and 84 Lumber Classic left the tour's schedule.

"I think I've proven that I can play out here," said Curtis. "To me that's all that matters."

This is not the first time Curtis has threatened a leaderboard at a major since hoisting the claret jug five years ago. Earlier this year, Curtis tied for seventh at the British Open, but there are no comparisons he said, especially with the wind.

"Between here and the British, it's totally different," said Curtis. "Even with the wind blowing 15 to 20, it's like nothing compared to what we played in over there. If it blew 40 miles an hour here we would be sitting in the clubhouse because it would be unplayable; the ball would just run off the green."

Whatever the conditions, Curtis just seems to raise his game to the major level.

"I love majors. I think that I try to suit my game around that," said Curtis. "Obviously it's the four toughest tests we're going to have all year. And I just feel that I'm fairly straight driver of the golf ball, so if I can keep it in play, then it all comes down to putting."

RYDER WOES

The PGA Championship represents the last opportunity for American players to automatically for eight spots on the Ryder Cup team.

With Stewart Cink, Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk and Anthony Kim assured spots, and Justin Leonard just about a lock, that leaves two places up for grabs at Oakland Hills.

Boo Weekley and Steve Stricker occupy the final two spots, but there can be quite a bit of movement with so many points on the line due to the PGA being a major.

In theory, if an American club professional could have won the Wanamaker Trophy, he could have made the Ryder Cup team.

While the first eight will be finalized by Sunday afternoon, captain Paul Azinger has four picks to make. That won't happen until September 2nd so that gives three events for what becomes essentially a try-out for U.S. players.

"It doesn't matter to me when they play or where they play," said Azinger earlier in the week. "I'm going to look at who is hot."

Weekley and Stricker safely made the weekend at the PGA Championship.

It was not a great week for some of the gentlemen who headed into the PGA on the bubble.

Woody Austin in the ninth spot (actually 10th, but since Tiger Woods won't play the Ryder Cup, the automatic spots go to places two through nine) missed the cut at plus-18.

Hunter Mahan is next and he has the weekend off since he finished two rounds tied for the worst score by a non club professional at 20-over par. Zach Johnson in 14th position also missed the cut.

D.J. Trahan could get in there and take Stricker's spot. Trahan, 11th in the standings, is in at plus-three. Rocco Mediate is 12th and made the weekend, while Sean O'Hair is 13th in the adjusted Ryder Cup standings and is tied for seventh at two-over 142.

Nick Faldo has three weeks before his European team is finalized and with Sergio Garcia in position for at least a good finish, the Spaniard should play his way on.

One player who will most likely need one of Faldo's two picks is Darren Clarke. After being one of Ian Woosnam's picks two years ago after the death of his wife, Clarke is honest about whether he'd even tab himself.

"At the moment, probably not unless I do something pretty good in those last couple of tournaments," said Clarke. "That is a realistic view, at the moment I probably wouldn't."

Clarke said he won't play next week, but is scheduled to compete in the next two after that.

Colin Montgomerie is in serious jeopardy of missing his first Ryder Cup since 1989. He shot a 14-over 84 on Friday to come in at 20-over 160, matching Mahan for worst score by a non club professional.

The typically testy Montgomerie didn't enjoy a question that suggested most of the fans would love to see him in the biennial competition, even though he appears to be in danger of missing out.

"So I'm not on the team, am I?," Montgomerie said to the reporter. "Sorry, I didn't realize you looked like Nick Faldo, I apologize. I'm sorry."

* Vijay Singh could have had an outside shot at making the cut, but a disastrous run with the putter on the treacherous ninth took the chance away. He putted his birdie try off the green, then eventually three-putted from six feet for a five-putt and a triple-bogey six. Singh, who won last week's WGC- Bridgestone Invitational, shot his second straight, six-over 76 and finished at plus-12.

* Charl Schwartzel of South Africa was 11-over at the turn and appeared to be in serious danger of missing the cut. He birdied one and two, but bogeyed three to stand at plus-10. Schwartzel birdied his next four holes and bogeyed nine to safely make the cut thanks to his second-nine, four-under 31.

* Paul Goydos became the first player ever drug tested at a major championship on Thursday. He must not have minded. Goydos, who lost a playoff to Sergio Garcia at The Players Championship, shot a one-under 69 and is tied for 14th at plus-three.

* Despite inclement weather in the forecast, the second round was contested without a delay and no weather materialized.

* Jerry Kelly is the only player to miss the cut in all four majors this year. Charles Howell III did not get to the weekend in the first three, but a 76 on Friday was enough to get into the weekend on the number at plus-eight.

* The par-five second has been the easiest hole of the championship, playing to an average of 4.6913. The par-five 12th is the only other hole under par with an average of 4.8489.

* The hardest hole has been the 498-yard, par-four closing hole. It has played to an average of 4.6688.