Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy are the big favorites of the last major of the season, the Pga Championship, underway from today to Sunday in North Carolina and precisely at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. The Texan and Northern Irish are the most talented players on the tour. The first, 24 years old, has an unstoppable putt, especially in the decisive moments. The second, 28 years old, has the most beautiful, powerful and natural swing on the circuit. Jordan, at the box office, is paid the least of all and outclasses, albeit slightly, his rival. His game is often flawed, but his determination is impressive and we saw it about a month ago, with a victory in the Open Championship, formerly known as the British Open. If he manages to win this race as well, the Texan would complete the grand slam, a feat the Northern Irishman, an orphan of the Masters, has not yet achieved.
Rory, after a period of distraction (he also got married) finally seems more focused, as he demonstrated last week in the WGC and then on the Charlotte track he has already won two tournaments. dnot to underestimate also Hideki Matsuyama, number three in the world, in light of the overflowing form he showed in Akron last Sunday, where he won. The Japanese could play the third wheel and finally get his hands on a major. As always, the list of candidates for the title is long, with 49 of the top 50 players in the world making up this stellar field. Skip the appointment Brandt Snedeker, while it is mandatory to mention, among others, the number one Dustin Johnson.
The only Italian on the track is our heroic Francesco Molinari who, quietly, quietly, is number 21 in the world. Bettors underestimate him and pay him more than any other player, but his fans, who have seen him win four tournaments in his career, know that the Turinese is not just a chorister, but a soloist capable of unexpected high notes. Jimmy Walker title defends, who, however, hasn't won anything for a year now.
Among the topics on the agenda is the proposal to bring the tournament forward to May, in order to have a major a month starting in April. Very favorable Rory: “I think – he says – that it is a fantastic idea for the golf calendar: anticipate all the majors and then leave room for the FedEx Cup, Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. I have been a big supporter of this change ever since I heard about it and now practically all the players agree with me.
A few words about the course: the course, opened in 1959 and designed by architect George W. Cobb, was revisited in 1986 by Arnold Palmer. Subsequently there were two interventions by Jim Fazio (1997 and 2003) and then important works were carried out in the last fifteen months with the total reconstruction of the first two holes, with the fifth shortened from par 5 to par 4, with the 11th hole to which bunkers have been added and with other minor modifications. The prize pool is $10,5 million.
