It is the last major of the year, the last call for the champions of golf who want to be crowned champions: it is the Pga Championiship, a tournament that traditionally takes place in mid-August and which, this year, closes the great ride of the tour in July, to make room for the Olympics next month.
There are 156 players on the track, 97 of the first hundred in the ranking and the top five in full force. It starts with number one Jason Day, reigning champion, who boasts 22 weeks on the world podium to his credit; Dustin Johnson, number two and big favorite; Jordan Spieth, number three; Rory McIlroy, number four; Henrik Stenson, number five and winner, just over ten days ago, of the Open Championship, the third major of the season, the only one held in Europe.
The course is one of the most prestigious in America: the centenary Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield. in New Jersey, considered one of the most beautiful in the United States, a difficult par 70 of about 6700 meters. The only player on the field who has won on this track (in 2005) is Phil Mickelson, the Californian left-handed who, at 46, is still not satisfied with 5 majors won in his career and a fortune inferior only to that of Tiger Woods .
Among the candidates for the title we can mention Danny Willett, winner of the Masters, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia. At the starting tees also Francesco Molinari, the only qualified Italian, who today and tomorrow will play with Jim Furyk.
The most interesting backhoes to follow, during the first 36 holes, are composed by Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson and Ernie Els; Jason Day, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy; Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson; Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett.
The prize pool is ten million dollars; 1,8 million for the former. Up for grabs is one hundred ranking points which, in 2015, brought Jason Day to the top of the world order of merit. The tournament is broadcast live on Sky Sport 2, starting at 19pm, today and tomorrow; from 20pm on weekends.
