Tune in at 1:00 PM ET on Friday for second round coverage of the PGA Championship. Gino Bottero will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
Welcome everyone! I'll be live blogging the second round of the 94th playing of the PGA Championship.
The event is being held at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
The Ocean Course | Par: 72 | Yardage: 7676
The PGA of America's philanthropic mission is to enhance the lives of deserving individuals by using the game of golf to support organizations that focus on youth health, wellness, sports, and education initiatives.
Purse: $8,000,000
Winning Share: $1,445,000
FedExCup Points: 600
Past Champions:
2011: Keegan Bradley
2010: Martin Kaymer
2009: Y.E. Yang
2008: Padraig Harrington
2007: Tiger Woods
Pete Dye certainly knows how to test golfers. The Ocean Course features no fewer than 10 holes that are directly on the Atlantic Ocean with the other eight running parallel and few courses are affected as much by the wind, as the players will be tested by the shifting winds that have been known to change direction with little warning. Add onto that the fact that the 7,676 yard layout is the longest in major championship history. Golf Digest rated The Ocean Course as America's most difficult golf course.
The PGA of America announced that as per course rules, there are no bunkers on the course this week. Instead, the many areas with sand are designated as sandy areas which allows the players to move loose impediments, ground their clubs, and take practice swings. There are 15 acres of sandy area on The Ocean Course.
Round 1 Recap: A surprisingly calm day at Kiawah Island saw the players have less trouble than expected in navigating the rarely tame Ocean Course. 44 players finished below par and 25 broke 70 in the opening round. Carl Pettersson had not broken 70 in his previous 20 rounds at the PGA Championship. On Thursday the Swede made three birdies on his opening four holes and would go on to shoot a bogey-free round of 66 to claim the 18-hole lead. The group of four men who shot 67 included Rory McIlroy and Gary Woodland. McIlroy carded his first bogey-free round in a major tournament since the opening round of last year's U.S. Open. Tiger Woods broke 60 at the PGA Championship for the first time since the opening round in 2009. Tiger finished with 6 birdies and 3 bogeys for a round of 69, 3-strokes off the pace. Playing alongside Tiger, defending PGA champion Keegan Bradley opened birdie-eagle and went on to shoot a 68. 21 years after winning the PGA Championship John Daly put together a solid opening round, playing the four Par 5s at 4-under par, with an eagle on the Par 5 11th to card a 68. Phil Mickelson took an adventurous route around Kiawah Island but his scrambling was unbelievable and he was able to get in at just 1-over par. Among the group that featured all three 2012 major champions Ernie Els was the low man with a round of 72, besting Bubba Watson's 73 and Webb Simpson's 79. Joost Luiten was atop the leaderboard at 8-under through 14 holes but bogeyed his final four holes for a 68.
Notable groups that have yet to tee off:
1:20 PM ET: D. Johnson - R. McIlroy - J. Furyk
1:30 PM ET: J. Dufner - P. Casey - G. Ogilvy
1:40 PM ET: K. Bradley - M. Kaymer - T. Woods
1:50 PM ET: L. Oosthuizen - I. Poulter - S. Stricker
2:00 PM ET*: T. Gainey - J. Day - C. Pettersson
A storm passed over the course overnight, dropping 0.85 inches of rain and leaving the course softer than it was yesterday. Length off the tee is even more important now and the advantage shifts even further towards the bombers.
Another quick shower passed over the course just moments ago. There was no lightning so the players on the course continued their rounds, but the players on the range ran for cover. The rain has stopped, but it appears the players are in for a long day in these very windy conditions.
PGA Championship Leaderboard:
1. C. Pettersson -6
T2. R. McIlroy -5
T2. G. Woodland -5
T4. G. Ogilvy -4
T4. K. Bradley -4
T4. J. Daly -4
T4. J. Luiten -4
Vijay Singh is making some noise today, one of just a few players who have been able to play well through the wind. He's 2-under on the day through 15 holes and that has him within 3-strokes of the lead.
The wind has caused the stroke average to rise by about 3-strokes today, and that number will likely climb as conditions worsen.
In addition to affecting balls in flight, the wind has been blowing a lot of sand around the course, and players have to be weary about getting sand in their eyes. There are 15 acres of sandy areas on The Ocean Course.
Let's pick up play on 6 with Phil Mickelson.
479 yard Par 4 6th: Phil Mickelson's tee shot skipped off the right side of the fairway. He's not happy with his second shot as it came up short of the green.
Par 5 16th: Vijay Singh looks to chip up onto the green with his third shot but he put too much heat on it and his ball rolled right across, and off the green.
Par 4 9th: Adam Scott's second shot comes from the right rough and he came up short of the green.
Par 5 16th: Vijay Singh holes his shot from just off the back of the green and that was for birdie. He's now at 4-under.
Par 4 9th: A misread by Adam Scott on his closing hole as his putt slid well left. He tapped in for bogey and a round of 75. He'll enter the weekend at 1-under.
ALERT: Tee times on No. 1 have been delayed by 20 minutes. No delay for players with tee times starting on No. 10.
Par 4 6th: Phil Mickelson rolls in his tricky par putt.
Par 4 9th: Ernie Els sneaks his second shot just inside the right side of the green. Webb Simpson chips up onto the putting surface with his third shot and leaves himself a longer par putt than he would have liked. Bubba Watson doesn't make the same mistake as he chips his way to within 2 feet for his par putt.
ALERT: Kevin Na has withdrawn with a shoulder injury.
217 yard Par 3 17th: Vijay Singh kept his tee shot just inside the left side of the green. With water off to the right, he played that one safe.
Par 4 9th: Webb Simpson's par attempt missed to the left of the hole and he's likely done for the week. He's at 7-over after a round of 72.
Par 4 9th: Bubba Watson still has some hope of making the weekend after saving par on his closing hole. He's at 4-over.
Lol. Add that to an 83 yesterday and it's unlikely we'll be seeing Doug Wade on the weekend.
Par 5 7th: Phil Mickelson with a decent look for birdie and it missed just to the left of the hole. He remains 2-under on the day, 1-under overall.
The group with the 1:20 PM ET start time is about to get underway on the 1st tee. Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, and Jim Furyk are in that group.
Par 4 1st: Each member of that group finds the fairway with their tee shots.
186 yard Par 3 8th: Phil Mickelson missed short and to the right of the green off the tee.
The wind looks crazy at the #PGAChampby DanielGoethals via twitter 8/10/2012 5:04:50 PM
I've got 99 problems and wind is one. #PGAChampby johnraser via twitter 8/10/2012 5:06:04 PM
This wind is crazy. #PGAChampby gashe42 via twitter 8/10/2012 5:12:58 PM
#PGAChamp staff needs to relax and stop worrying about the weather. Rain comes and goes in SC so deal with it like the rest of us amateursby TheEarlOfDuke via twitter 8/10/2012 5:13:07 PM
Adam Scott plunked a guy in the head on 7th hole. Wind-blown balls producing bogeys and bruises. #PGAchampby warrenjpeper via twitter edited by Gino Bottero 8/10/2012 5:13:23 PM
Vijay's short game is incredible. #PGAChampby TheNickCaputo via twitter 8/10/2012 5:13:43 PM
Ready for Tiger to make his move today! #PGAChampby Chandler1213 via twitter 8/10/2012 5:17:57 PM
Wishing @mcilroyrory good luck at #PGAChamp.by barryworth74 via twitter 8/10/2012 5:30:23 PM
Is this the #PGAChamp, or the #USOpen? #brutalby MidwestGolfBlog via twitter 8/10/2012 5:30:29 PM
Dang this wind...poor guys. #PGACHAMPby RealityRebel13 via twitter 8/10/2012 5:30:32 PM
Good luck to @TigerWoods, teeing it up for #15thMajor and chasing #No1Player status #PGAChampby No1BenOnMyLevel via twitter 8/10/2012 5:37:49 PM
