28 year old Brendan Steele, the winner of this years Valero Texas Open, is one of only two players to have shot every round in the 60s, and has the 54 hole lead going into the final round alongside the aptly named Jason Dufner. The 34 year old Dufner, born in Cleveland, Ohio, looked completely unflappable as he, in the words of Graeme McDowell, 'sauntered' around the course. Dufner, who has drawn attention for his pre shot 'waggle' is a solid swinger, and his round of 68 was a strong retort to those who suspected that he would collapse under the pressure of a Major Championship. The same can be said for the talented Keegan Bradley, who won the Byron Nelson at the end of May. After a double bogey start, many observers fancied that the 25 year old would fall away out of all relevancy in this Championship. However, he battled back strongly and completed a fantastic round of 69 to keep him right in the hunt. This group of apparently unherelded Americans are ahead of veterans Scott Verplank and Steve Stricker, with the likes of Adam Scott, Masters Champion, Charl Schwartzel, 2001 PGA Champion David Toms, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald all with an outside chance of lifting the Wanamaker Trophy this evening.
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| Brendan Steele could be on a walk to destiny |
You would have thought that this collection of interesting plotlines would have provided the mainstream golfing media with plenty of creative ammunition going into the final day of this PGA Championship. But apparently they disagree.
Golfing Journalists and commentators, European and American like, constantly belittled the 'quality' of Leaderboard yesterday. Declaring it the 'Worst Major leaderboard ever' and that this Championship was a 'snoozefest'. The television coverage from CBS was at best sluggish, and the attitude from almost everyone involved with the golfing media was disrespectful to the players at the summit of this leaderboard who have tackled this supremely difficult and controversial Atlanta Athletic Club setup in admirable fashion. Yes, this leaderboard may 'lack' the 'star power' that often helps to bring in higher television audiences, so the Producers at CBS can at least be excused for being slightly dissapointed. But the leaderboard is what it is, and the commentators and producers have to sell the quality of golf and the players that are involed in it. For certain journalists to comment that this leaderboard is the 'golf writers worst nightmare' is a completely pathetic and disrespectful attitude to take from indviduals paid to write about the professional game. Yes, the names at the top maybe aren't what the journalists want to write about, but it is up to them to use their creative talents to market the excellent product that these players have and will continue to offer us. Golf is as competitive as it has ever been, there are so many great young players these days not afraid to win, and the 'writers' should stop being lazy, do their research into new names and uncover the fascinating stories beyond these relatively unknown players.
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| Jason Dufner has earned a new legion of fans this week |
If they can't come up with anything interesting about these contenders then they are simply in the wrong line of work, because this leaderboard is packed with fantastic plotlines.
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| Keegan Bradley is living the dream |
The United States has its best chance in a while to end its Major drought. The players at the top aren't the big stars that were expected to end it, but represent an increasing new breed of talent. Brendan Steele, won his first PGA Tour event earlier this year in Texas, one of 10 rookies so far in 2011 to do so. At 28, he has taken a while to finally establish himself on the PGA Tour, but a win for Steele, a 2010 Nationwide Tour Graduate, would offer great encouragement to American Golf, which has been so unfairly betlittled in recent years by the media. A similar story for Keegan Bradley, who at 3 years Steele's junior, won his rookie title at the Byron Nelson. Bradley has a great personality, is highly likeable, and genuinely believes that he is living the dream out on Tour. The nephew of 6 time LPGA Tour Major winner, Pat Bradley, a win for Keegan would be a remarkable story for the Bradley family, and a new American star would be born. Jason Dufner is the senior of this trio, at 34 and so far without a win on the PGA Tour. Dufner has battled twice on the Nationwide in order to establish himself on the PGA Tour and has become a solid contender in recent times. He came close to a win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, only a playoff defeat to Mark Wilson prevented Dufner from claiming his first Tour title. The known friend of Vijay Singh, has a great swing and an apparently unflappable demeanour and will be hard to beat today in Atlanta. Further back you have stories of a completely different nature. Scott Verplank and Steve Stricker, two veterans looking to claim their first Major Championship. Verplank, one of the most decorated amateurs during the 1980s, famousely won on the PGA Tour at the Western Open as an amateur in 1985. Scott has almost had two different careers, having won a futher event in 1988 before a 12 year drought saw him win the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2000. Verplank, a twice Ryder Cup player, was certainly capable of winning more tournaments, but has been held back by his diabetes, for which he wears an insulin pump during play, and wrist problems. At 47, a win for Scott Verplank, one of the most liakable and inspirational players on the Tour would be a fairytale victory. The same can be said for Steve Stricker, who has battled back from the lowest reaches of the game to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award on two occasions. Steve has won 8 times in his 40s and a Major Championship victory would represent the pinacle of what has been a truly remarkable career for this popular and often emotional Wisconsin man who was favoured by many to contend this week.
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| Verplank looking at a fairytale win? |
Those are the Major stories, but do not discount David Toms, 10 years on after his PGA win here at Atlanta Athletic Club, has quite remarkably shown that the saying horses for courses is relevant in the modern game, and it would be another popular and historic achievement for the 45 year old, who has enjoyed a career renaissance in 2011. Adam Scott, with Stevie Williams on the bag, is looking to win a Major that his talents so merit and complete a Bridgestone-PGA double that only Tiger Woods has previously achieved. The Masters Champion, Charl Schwartzel will be looking to upstage the Americans for a second Major within the calender year, along with Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, the worlds two leading players, both 6 shots behind the lead going into the final round looking to stage a remarkable come from behind win.
Boring? Mundane? A Golf writers nightmare? Everything this 93rd PGA Championship is not, and shouldn't be, as it will be a truly fascinating climax. I just wish the blinkered media would accept that.
Enjoy the final round of the 2011 Major Championship season!
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