"Evolving" Woods "Exciting Start with Spieth and McIlroy"... What About 'AT&T Champ' Lee Kyung-hoon?

On the Night of the 19th, the Second Major PGA Championship Opens: Tee Off at 10th Hole at 22:11, Lee Kyung-hoon at 02:36 on the 20th

‘The Returned Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods is practicing a round ahead of the PGA Championship. Tulsa, USA = Getty Images / Photo by Multibits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Performance will be better than at the Masters."

The "Returned Golf Emperor" Tiger Woods was grouped in the "star group" along with Jordan Spieth (USA) and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) on the first day of the second major of the PGA Tour, the PGA Championship, which opens on the night of the 19th (Korean time) at Southern Hills Golf Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma (par 70, 7,365 yards). He will start at 10th hole (par 4) at 22:11. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) aims for his second consecutive major win following the Masters, while Spieth challenges to become the sixth "Career Grand Slammer" in global golf history.

After finishing 47th at the Masters last month, Woods focused on practice rounds while weighing his participation in this tournament. He suffered serious injuries including broken legs in a car accident in Los Angeles, California, last February, spending three months bedridden and going through several stages of recovery with a wheelchair and crutches before returning. In fact, completing the Masters was big news. He said, "I only had one day off after the Masters," and introduced, "My legs are getting stronger day by day."

It is interesting that Woods won this tournament consecutively twice, in 1999-2000 and 2006-2007. Especially in 2007, the venue was Southern Hills. On the final day, he added one under par to defeat Woody Austin (USA) by two strokes. He expressed confidence, saying, "Compared to the severe ups and downs of Augusta National, Southern Hills is relatively easier," and "I can win." He also fired up his fighting spirit, saying, "Most importantly, it's the mindset," and "I remember winning the 2008 US Open despite a serious knee injury."

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is executing a chip shot on the 7th hole during a practice round ahead of the PGA Championship. Tulsa, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

World rankings No. 1 to 3, including Scheffler, Jon Rahm (Spain), and Collin Morikawa (USA), will compete for the championship in the same group. Korea's Lee Kyung-hoon (31, CJ Logistics), who successfully defended his title at the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship on the 16th, will play the first and second rounds with Anirban Lahiri (India) and Tim Finster (USA). Their tee time is 2:36 AM on the 20th. 2009 champion Yang Yong-eun (50) will be paired with past champions such as Sean Mikil and John Daly (both USA).