by Jeff Skinner
The PGA Championship tees off today so you know what’s coming. No, I don’t mean having to watch everyone of Tiger’s shot’s, that’s a given. I am talking about the much anticipated Links Life Golf Picks. Here’s the LLG gang’s picks to win “Glory’s Last Shot”. Most of the time there is more gore than glory when we pick but we do it anyway.
Lil’ Skins likes Rory McIlroy to make it back to back majors and three in a row for Rory. He feels it just may be time for Sergio Garcia and like a true Phil Phanatic he takes Philly Mick. Man Crush Alert: Lil’ Skins wants his fav Miguel Angel Jimenez to come out of his slump, win here and make the European Ryder Cup Team.
Big Dick also loves Phil and wants The Thrill to capture his second PGA Championship. BD likes the chalk and also goes with number one, Rory McIlroy and wouldn’t mind if Martin Kaymer steals this one for his second major of ’14. With Dustin Johnson out, BD who truly loves his Johnsons, tabs Zach Johnson as his longshot.
The Greek thinks Rickie Fowler could break through for his first major win and likes Martin Kaymer to make it a great season with two majors and The PLAYERS Championship. And he is back on the Duf…Jason Dufner that is to make it back to back PGA Championships. And his longshot is Duf’s good pal, Keegan Bradley.
G. Rennie: After much cogitation, some constipation, and finally some TV induced inspiration the picks are:
Rory McIroy: How can you not pick Rory? Well, the naysayers say because it’s rare to get a string of three wins in a row, especially two being major championships. And back to back majors are a rare event, less likely to happen than an albatross at your local muni. Still Rory is in rare form, driving it better than anyone has in the game since Greg Norman was the man in the early nineties. This is one confident, focused kid with a hard won self awareness that allows him to speak with candor to the press. Valhalla then Augusta- it would be a great ride.
Adam Scott: Scott seems motivated to recapture the #1 ranking in the OWGR that he was just booted out from by Rory Mc. If would be great to have these two, Rory and Adam, make a real competition for that top spot and for major championships. The golf world has been bereft of true championship rivalries for the twenty years (if you count the Norman- Faldo period) even longer if you go back to the Nicklaus – Watson glory days. Go Aussie!
Rickie Fowler: I need one American to pull for and this 25 year old dirt biking, flat brim wearing orange Popsicle has been in superb form, especially in this year’s major campaign. He’s walking up the ladder from T5 to T2 to T2 again and this week he could get to the top. A smart kid with swagger and smarts who saw his game turn championship caliber under the wing of Butch Harmon, this could be his full coming of age week.
Longshot (only one this time): Jim Furyk. I have a love- hate relationship with Jim Furyk. I hate the pace of his game, with his hitching, conversing with Fluff, aligning, re-aligning ad nauseum. But have you ever seen a guy with more resilience, who continues to get up and fight after being flattened. Furyk has failed to close out the last 7 tournaments in which he has held the 54 hole lead. This might discourage lesser men but not the owner of the most ungainly swing on Tour, and I love the way he keeps on coming. He will be on the leader board this week and with any luck, good luck that is; he’ll hoist the Wanamaker Trophy.
Big Skins: I am going with the chalk big time here. I’m taking the top three golfers in the world and that may seem safe but the last player to win a major as the number one golfer in the world not named Tiger Woods was Fred Couples. So Rory may not be the lock we think he is. But the way he is playing he has to be everyone’s pick.
It seems with all the Tiger talk and the fact that Rory is peaking that world number two is flying under the radar. Adam Scott has the game and the motivation to get it done at Valhalla. Scott doesn’t mind not being the talk of the PGA on Wednesday as long as he holding the trophy on Sunday night.
I would like to pick Sergio Garcia as my longshot but how can the number three golfer in the world be a longshot? Here’s how: he’s played in 64 majors, zero wins. With his new attitude and all the love he is feeling lately Sergio may just finally get it done.
My longshot has had the best major season of all the non-major winners. Rickie Fowler, number 18 in the world has finished T5 in The Masters and a pair of T2’s at the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. It’s his turn to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy as Rory looks on.
Related Articles
