[PGA Championship] 'War with the Rough' at Southern Hills... "Protect the Fairway"

The iconic clock tower of Southern Hills Golf Club, the battleground of the PGA Championship.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Landing on the fairway is crucial."

The battleground for the second major of the 2022 PGA Tour season, held on the 20th (Korean time), is Southern Hills Golf Club (par 70, 7,365 yards) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Originally, Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey was selected, but it was changed in January last year following the Capitol riot incident involving ardent supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump. This was to prevent concerns that "Trump's visit could be politically exploited."

Designed by Perry Maxwell and opened in 1936, it was renovated by Gil Hanse in 1991 and restored once again in 2019 to the original "Maxwell version" by Hanse. It is interesting that it is a regular major course, having hosted the U.S. Open three times (1958, 1977, 2001) and the PGA Championship four times (1970, 1982, 1994, 2007). The 2007 event especially drew the spotlight as "the returning golf emperor" Tiger Woods (USA) successfully defended his title.

Woods has won the PGA Championship four times, including two consecutive wins from 1999-2000 and 2006-2007. It is noteworthy that he completed the Masters last April. After a car rollover accident in February last year, he spent three months bedridden and went through a phased rehabilitation process involving a wheelchair and crutches, ultimately making a successful comeback. It is welcome news that Southern Hills has relatively flat terrain. Compared to Augusta National, which has steep uphill and downhill slopes, it is easier to walk.

The final challenge at the 18th hole of Southern Hills Golf Club, the battleground of the PGA Championship. The area around the green is surrounded entirely by bunkers.

The course length is 7,365 yards, an increase of 234 yards compared to 7,131 yards during the 2007 tournament. Above all, the "ant waist" fairways, tough rough, and dense trees require "precise shots." Every time the PGA Tour selects the "Top 10 toughest holes," 3 to 4 holes from this course are included. If you stray from the fairway into the rough, you lose at least one stroke. Additionally, there are 80 bunkers. The organizers have also cut the grass around the bunkers short to make the ball roll toward the bunkers.

The greens are comparable to the "glass plate greens" of Augusta National, where the Masters is held. In the front nine, holes 2 (par 4, 488 yards) and 3 (par 4, 444 yards) require caution. A small stream flows in front of the greens. The 5th hole (par 5) is a challenging 656 yards, and the 9th hole (par 4, 395 yards) is surrounded entirely by bunkers. The final showdown starts at the 14th hole (par 3). The left side is all out-of-bounds (OB), which can unexpectedly deal a fatal blow. The last 18th hole (par 4) is 491 yards with a dogleg to the right, and traps are hidden everywhere, including a creek in the middle of the fairway.