In Springfield, New Jersey, at Baltursol Golf Club, the year’s final major takes off. Although ‘1-iron’ has had a great time this year with the first three majors, 2005 predicts a very interesting finale. This year’s edition of the PGA shows a red hot competing field when ninety seven of the globe’s best one hundred players are assured a place. The ‘who’s who’ of professionals in golf will formulate the leader-board and by Friday afternoon and Sunday we could well have a traditional slobber-knocker to deal with among the best in the globe.

Regarding the eighty seventh PGA Championship, the main story is the disappearing of Ernie Els as a result of an injury to his knee caused on a sailing holiday – gee whiz! Although this is terrible for Els, the news is wonderful for the others in the field who undoubtedly would have had to compete with an American US Open-type golf course which would dominate in his traditional style.

The golf course itself will be another interesting story. At 7,392 yards will be the extent of the par-70 course for this championship. They’ll be two par fours beyond five hundred yards, and it will have the par five, seventeenth to be played at a six hundred and fifty yards course. Thirty four will be the par on the front, and thirty six on the back to be highlighted by a par five finish of back to back. You’ll have to have a long week to win this time.

Another point worth mentioning is as follows. I feel sad that the USGA will possibly look askance at Baltusrol when they host the championship of PGA. It might be that they’ll never return to Springfield the US Open. While the USGA takes place regularly at Bethpage, Pebble and Pinehurst annually, it’s a shame that many of the finest courses of this country are not given the opportunity to welcome another US Open just because the USGA demonstrates to the PGA Championship derision. Next year Medinah will host the PGA, and you can be sure that the 2015 US Open won’t take place in Chicago, unless Olympia Fields sees its return.            

Odds and Picks: 18 Shots – PGA Championship

1. Vijay Singh 13 to 2: Whistling Straits defending champ looks this year to the PGA Championship number three. He’s directly starting with a win at the Buick Open and he has attained thirteen top tens with four amazing wins at his 2005 campaign. He’s certainly long sufficiently and ‘1-iron’ anticipates that on Sunday he’ll be grasping the Wanamaker.
2. Michael Campbell 60 to 1: This United States champion is enjoying dearly the delightful levels of professional golf at the moment. Winning the Open Pinehurst at Pinehurst, the Kiwi now takes the lead in the Order of Merit - European Tour Money List. This American Open Champ is really indulging at the moment in the chief stages of professional golf. At St. Andrews, three weeks ago, at the British Open Campbell won the Open at Pinehurst. It’s to be seen how he’ll get on with the Big Fijian now that he’s kept Tiger at bay on the principle stage.
3.  Tiger Woods 2 to 1: This week, it may be a stretch as ‘1-iron’ calls him number three. Lately he’s slogging the ball terrifically. By taking his third major this year he would prefer nothing greater than making a fool of his critics.  However, he hasn’t made a win since the 1999 back to back PGA win at Medinah and the 2000 win at Valahlla.  
4. Phil Mickelson 12 to 1: He’s a difficult one to evaluate. Since the British Open he has not been into a lot of golf competitions although this week he’s participating in the International. Phil errs quite a lot, and in a major it would be awful. His game is incredibly short and he’s definitely got enough length. On a big platform he has displayed his worth and it would be just stupid not to take him into account as a competitor.
5. Chris Dimarco  40 to 1: The Wanamaker Trophy is getting back the man who intends to maintain a career in winning second in Major Championships for another round. In April Dimarco displayed a superb fight with Tiger Woods at Augusta, and in the PGA in the previous year at Whistling Straits he was runner up to Vijay. Making a lot of attempts will also be ‘The Claw’, but they will have a hard time probably at Baltusrol. And on Sunday we’ll see if his good start will continue with the good play.
6. Tim Clark 60 to 1: About to do great at Bethpage as number twenty three on the monkey list. Johnny Miller calls him ‘Little Timmy’ and he’s managed a finish at T39, T3 and T23 in the first three majors this year, and on the US Tour he’s ten tops 25’s. On the European Tour he’s also got two wins with all the touches for the PGA win.
   
   Six Who are able:
   
   
7. Retief Goosen 15 to 1: What a charismatic character! Twice US Open champion and primary leader of the 2005 US Open appears to be on his way to the PGA Championship for his first win. Athough Goosen is sufficiently long in the Majors he has twice slowed down. On the final day at St. Andrews with 74 and prior to that at Pinehurst with that awful Sunday 81. In my opinion ‘1-iron’ is not the only worrier.  
8. Darren Clarke 40 to 1: This is a terrific year for him as he’s playing on both tours and has plenty of points with the column for in looking after his ill wife he had to skip the US Open. He is twelfth on the European Tour Order of Merit and T15 in the British and on the Masters is T17. Straight come Sunday his head needs to be oriented as all the components are in place.  
9. Stuart Appleby 75 to 1: ‘1-iron’ has not been too interested in him, but this week what’s coming out of Baltusrol is attractive. He’s sitting 56^th in Total driving and is a dormant choice for Baltusrol as he’s the Mercedes Champion of 2005. This year Appleby hasn’t put up a particularly good record at the majors, resulting in T41, Cut and T43. 
10. Mark Hensby 60 to 1: This year he is in the cash. Before you put down any wagers take in Mr. Hensby. This year in the Majors, this Aussie has been simply marvelous. T15 at St. Andrews, and T3 at Pinehurst and T5 at Augusta. And last week at the Scandinavian Masters he beat Henrik Stenson in a playoff.
11. Fredrik Jacobson 6 to 1 Field: At the start of 2005 his playing was terrible, but it has improved considerably and now appears to have some indications of his 2004 worth when at the Major Championships he stood ready to contend. At the Western Open this week he took tenth place in the finish facing a sound field which enabled ‘1-iron’ to get an understanding into placing high up. 
12. Nick Dougherty 6 to 1 Field: Don’t get uptight if you’ve not heard about him. That’s the reason why ‘1-iron’ is at your back. Another ‘Nicky’ together with O’Hearne, Faldo and Price and others to fit into the golf world. However this player might just yet be the finest of the lot when everything else has been said and don’t take that in a loose way. At 23 years he is 18^th on the European Order of Merit and this year he won the Caltex Masters. Be careful Luke Donald, as this young English guy is about to come out on top of the world.
    
    Six Who will not be able to:
    
    
13. Fred Funk 100 to 1: Although he is sufficiently straight, for the Chicken-Hawk this golf course will be playing too long for him. Although he’s had a good year, there’s a big difference between his precision and the tee’s distance. In precision he’s number three, but in distance he’s 185^th and in the PGA Championships accuracy is not of such significance, there unlike in the US Opens the rough isn’t so punishing. In a couple under par he might just get it around, but it’s back of the pack when attempting ten or eleven under to triumph.
14. Padraig Harrington  40 to 1: Due to the demise of his father and perhaps dropping his ongoing playing he didn’t play at the British Open. He remains an unknown entity at the coming Baltusrol although before all this hassle he was playing fine and was tenth on the US Money List. You can add him on your list if you like but I’m keeping my distance. 
15. Charles Howell III 125 to 1: Such young capability and such a frustrating season. Till now this year, he’s almost done the Damian – missing the cut in each major event – however he did do ok in the US Open making it with a T75. ‘1-iron’ will not view him as any threat nowadays until puts his act together.      
16. Craig Parry Field 6 to 1: It was assumed that he’s on his way this year with his T25 in the Masters. But after missing his last four US PGA Tour cuts as well as the British and US Opens. It would be a shaking if this short guy does well this week as he did win the Euro Heineken Classic.
17. Pat Perez Field 6 to 1: This guy is dynamite at any moment might go off. He has three fine Top tens although he missed six not very pretty cuts. Due to his shortage of experience in major championships I’m choosing him as a guy who won’t be able to. Although in driving in total he’s thirty fifth. Doing everything the wrong way up brings Costanza to mind.