GolfOak Hills Diary

Oak Hill Diary: Big hitters’ plans at sixes and sevens as PGA invokes local rule

Plus: ‘Scientist’ Bryson DeChambeau makes new appointment as he searches for winning formula

Players such as Rory McIlroy may have to rethink their approach to the sixth hole at Oak Hills following the organisers' decision to use a local out-of-bounds rule. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Players such as Rory McIlroy may have to rethink their approach to the sixth hole at Oak Hills following the organisers' decision to use a local out-of-bounds rule. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Philip Reid's picture
Philip Reid
Wed May 17 2023 - 05:00

Those big-hitters or clever thinkers who thought they could use the fairway on the seventh in their play of the sixth hole have been stymied before the off of this US PGA at Oak Hill.

The Par 4 sixth and seventh holes run parallel to each other and the removal of a large number of trees – in a project undertaken by architect Andrew Green in the renovation of the original Donald Ross-designed course – would have opened up the prospect of players hitting from the sixth tee to the seventh fairway to open up a more favourable approach to the green.

However, the PGA of America has implemented a local rule to make for an internal out-of-bounds to the right of the sixth so that any player hitting off the sixth tee and landing on the seventh will be penalised in what is seen as a move to retain the integrity of the course design, with pace of play and spectator safety cited as factors in the need to make the rule.

While internal out-of-bounds is a relatively rare rule at major venues, it was also in vogue on the first hole of the Open when it was staged at Royal Portrush in 2019.

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DeChambeau’s carry-on

Bryson DeChambeau – aka The Scientist – is still searching for the correct solution when it comes to his bagman.

Having had Tim Tucker as his caddie for much of his professional career, including for the 2020 US Open win, DeChambeau split with his old pal in favour of Brian Zeigler midway through the 2021 season.

But that partnership has now come to an end, and DeChambeau – who moved to the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf last year – has teamed-up with Greg Bodine in advance of this US PGA at Oak Hill.

Bodine is a well-respected bagman who worked with Tony Finau from 2014-2020 and first worked with DeChambeau at last week’s LIV event in Tulsa. After an amicable parting of the ways with Finau, Bodine spent a lot of his time working on an indoor business venture in Seattle which has the backing of American footballer Jermaine Kearse.

Quote-unquote

“It’s been a great year. It’s been an amazing year. I’m just hoping to keep adding more to it ... hopefully I can keep riding that wave” – world number one and Masters champion Jon Rahm on keeping the momentum going.

By the numbers

6: Of the 156 players in the field for the US PGA Championship, Phil Mickelson – with six – is the player with the most major wins competing. Next in the career list come Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka, who each have four career wins. Pádraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth each have three, with Spieth needed the PGA to complete the career Grand Slam.

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