|
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) -- The winds were fierce, the fairways treacherous
and No. 17 proved as difficult for the Champions Tour last spring at the
Senior PGA Championship as it did for the world's best at the Ryder Cup 16
years earlier.
About the only thing that may need to be changed at The Ocean Course before
the PGA Championship in 2012 is the soft, inviting sand in dunes and bunkers
that led to a few plugged balls, unplayable lies and shattered nerves.
"I'm concerned about some of the ways the ball has plugged in bunkers," said
Roger Warren, president of Kiawah Island Golf Resort. "I do think it's
important that on a shot like that, the penalty they're incurring right now,
I think, doesn't reflect what Pete Dye had designed for. So we're going to
look at what we can do to make sure those balls at least become playable."
One of the most critical plugs came in the final round of the Senior PGA
Championship when leader Eduardo Romero's tee shot to the par-3 14th sank
deep into the sand. Romero lifted out and made a double bogey that cost him
the tournament.
"I really felt bad for Eduardo," champion Denis Watson said.
Hale Irwin had a similar problem on the 16th hole Thursday, leading to a
triple-bogey 8. And on Saturday, Brad Bryant and Jay Haas both had to lift
out a bunker on par-5 second hole. Bryant made double bogey and Haas bogey.
Warren admitted it's an item on the to-do list in the 1,700 days or so
before 2012's final major is played. Warren expects the change to make the
ball hittable from where it rests, or at least the balls roll to the bottom
of the trap for a shot there.
Other than that, Warren was pleased. So was the PGA of America, according to
Chief Executive Joe Steranka.
"When we look at a place where we're going to site out championships, we
look for a place that going to challenge the great players," he said.
Steranka, too, had concerns about the lies in bunkers, but is satisfied that
won't happen again in five years. "There's not much you need to do to this
golf course," he said.
Warren said the fairways might be converted to the paspalum grass that is on
the greens. Organizers used the grass on the practice range and the first
fairway.
Such a conversion would close the course, which averages about 20,000 rounds
a year at $320 or so each, to complete. Warren thinks it's worth it to get
ready for the PGA Championship.
Crowds for the Senior PGA Championship were as expected and certainly "good
enough for a major," Steranka said. He figured on about 5,000 spectators the
first two rounds with about double that on the weekends.
There won't be a shortage of interest come 2012 when Steranka and Warren
expect in excess of 40,000 people a day for the PGA Championship, nearly 60
percent more than the crowd at the 1991 Ryder Cup matches here.
Steranka has met with state leaders, including Gov. Mark Sanford, about
improving roadways -- possibly extending an interstate so it comes closer to
Kiawah Island.
Warren said Kiawah Island could clear as much as 300 acres of land outside
the gates to park about 30,000 vehicles.
A series of buses shuttled fans the five miles or so from the parking lots
to the course during the Senior PGA Championship and bottlenecks and traffic
jams were scarce, Warren said.
Expect more viewing towers like the one behind the 17th hole, which Steranka
said provided spectacular views of the course and ocean. Also expect more
grandstands.
The course's length could be another variable.
Senior PGA officials adjusted yardage based on conditions. But it seems
unlikely they'd let Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson hit into No. 17 from 158
yards -- the hole's distance during Saturday's third round.
"They're going to have to be very careful as to how they set it up," said
Nick Price, who finished third at 5 under behind Watson and Romero. "Because
if you have a day where the wind blew like it did off some of those tees, I
mean, there's just no bail-out. That's the thing that's hard on this golf
course."
With driving distances seemingly always increasing, who knows how far PGA
TOUR players will be hitting it in 2012? Could The Ocean Course crack 8,000
yards?
"We play very long golf courses for PGA Championships," Steranka said.
|
My
Scribe