This is the way it should have been all week at Whistling Straits.
The wind finally blew. Not howling, but enough to restore some of the teeth to the course. It added the element of danger that had been missing from Whistling Straits.
Sunday’s average score was 73.768, nearly two shots higher than Saturday’s 71.989. The leader’s score dropped four shots from Saturday to Sunday.
“Today was the first time we played the golf course firm,” Tiger Woods said. “If we had played all four days like this, it would have been different.”
Give the wind a bogey for showing up late. Also give the greens a bogey for not being firm enough throughout the week.
But overall, give Whistling Straits a birdie for providing a dramatic venue for a major championship.
Owner Herb Kohler is revved up. He envisions Whistling Straits holding a major tournament once every four years. The U.S. Senior Open already is booked for 2007. He also wants to bring a Ryder Cup and another PGA Championship to the course.
His biggest task will be firming up the greens. They were much too receptive for a major championship.
“They were soft,” Kohler said. “I’d like to get them like Royal Troon, where you never saw a ball mark on the green.”
Rest assured, those greens will be bouncing by the time the seniors arrive in 2007.
There’s some speculation that the Senior Open could be a prelude to Whistling Straits getting a U.S. Open in 2012.
But the players aren’t eager to see the U.S. Golf Association get its hands on the course.
“I would hate to see what the USGA would do to this golf course,” Woods said. “I think the PGA did a wonderful job of setting up the course.”
The PGA probably set up the course too easy on Thursday. But tournament officials seemed to get it right over the weekend. There is always a learning curve with a new venue.
Designer Pete Dye had no complaints with what the PGA did to his course.
“If they would have shot even par, it would have meant they had gimmicked up the course,” Dye said.
Whistling Straits doesn’t need gimmicks. It wasn’t perfect, but the course definitely passed the test. And its potential is unlimited.
Be assured, Whistling Straits will host many majors throughout the 21st Century.
Birdie: Vijay Singh. An ugly win still goes down as a win. Even if the rankings don’t reflect it, Singh can say he is the best player in the world.
Birdie: Justin Leonard. He stumbled at the finish, but you had to admire the way he hung in throughout the last two rounds. U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton should consider him for one of his wild-card picks.
Bogey: Ernie Els. This easily will go down as the most frustrating year in Els’ career. If he makes his par putt on 18, he gets into the playoff. Instead, Els was one shot back in the Masters, British Open and PGA.
Bogey: Woods. He’s got eight more months until the Masters to hear the what’s-wrong-with-your-game questions.
Birdie: Chris DiMarco and Chris Riley. They didn’t win, but making the U.S. Ryder Cup team was a nice consolation prize.
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KEEPING SCORE
9
Vijay Singh has won nine tournaments since turning 40 on Feb. 22, 2003. He now
has 10 victories since the beginning of 2003.
Vijay Singh’s numbers (including playoff)
FAIRWAYS HIT: 7 out of 16 holes
GREENS IN REG.: 16 out of 21 holes
PUTTS: 39. 5 in playoff
