Whistling Straits, the home of the 2004 PGA Championship is even more daunting and intimidating in person than on television. Watching a camera fly over holes surrounded by sand traps, inhospitable rough, and towering rises is one thing, but walking up and down, up and down, up and down will prove to scoffers that golf is truly an athletic sport.
Yesterday, was the last day of practice. It was the last chance to map out strategies, see how balls rolled across greens, and how the weather would affect play. Hopefully, today's weather wasn't a precursor for the tournament. The wind was coming out of the northwest. It added to the chill already in the air. Players and spectators both had to cope with a day in the mid-50s with rain showers and a wind that drove the precipitation sideways. I got tired not just from walking, but from nasty weather.
Yet the weather didn't stop me from seeing some of golf's biggest names. On a practice green together were John Daly and Greg Norman. I followed Jim Furyk through six holes and watched Mike Weir chip on the massive 18th green. Nick Faldo hit the straightest drive off a tee I ever saw. It was a laser beam. David Duval and Justin Leonard both walked past me to get to the next tee.
The closest I came to anyone was Tiger Woods. I was headed to the practice area to see of the world's number one player was there. At the clubhouse stewards blocked off a path signaling a player was approaching. It was none other than Mr. Woods. His walk was business-like, focused. Just a brief smile and a slight wave to his fans was all he gave. Tiger was at work.
[Cross posted to TAM]
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