Compleat Golfer outlines the key facts of the South African challenge at the year’s final Major – the PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.
PREDICT THE SAFFAS FINISHING ORDER AND WIN WITH ST FRANCIS LINKS
Betting odds: Top 10 at the PGA Championship
Louis Oosthuizen
First round tee time: 8:59pm (Thomas Pieters and Bill Haas)
T2 last year for his best result (and the unwanted accomplishment of finishing second in all four of golf’s Majors) and always a contender at the biggest events. Seven top 25s in his last 10 starts and was inside the top 10 before Sunday’s final round at the WGC-Bridgestone, so there’s plenty to suggest he could run deep this week.
Branden Grace
First round tee time: 3:45pm (Stewart Cink and Ryan Moore)
A little dip in form after the best season of SA’s top-ranked players. Hasn’t played much since the US Open – missed cut at The Open and T63 last week. Two top-five finishes in the past three years and another player who often performs best on the biggest stage.
Charl Schwartzel
First round tee time: 8:32pm (Thorbjorn Olesen and Patrick Cantlay)
Heads into this week after a slow showing at Firestone before his final round 63. That, together with his steady record (nine cuts in his last 10 showings), means he could be one to watch from the outside. Schwartzel did finish inside the top 10 two weeks at the Porsche European Open.
Dylan Frittelli
First round tee time: 3:29pm (Paul Dunne and JB Holmes)
Suffering from a bit of ‘second season syndrome’ after trying to play his way on to the PGA TOUR. Made the cut here last time out and retains the steady, thought-out game that could see him set a good platform ahead of the weekend.
Justin Harding
First round tee time: 9:21pm (Omar Uresti and Andrew Landry)
No player in the world has made a bigger stride than Harding in the world rankings after the 32-year-old took his Sunshine Tour form to Asia and won twice… in a row. A dream debut looms at Bellerive and with outsiders not expecting much, the fierce competitor will be out to write his own story.
Brandon Stone
First round tee time: 7:20pm (Johan Kok and Kim Whee)
Looking for some stability after his Scottish Open heroics, Stone has accumulated enough experience at Majors to go into the week in a good frame of mind.
Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
