Sports: A 490-yard par 4? Even pros are worried

A 490-yard par 4? Even pros are worried

By BOB HARIG

DULUTH, Ga. -- At 7,213 yards, the Atlantic Athletic Club is long. Very long. It has just two par 5s, and six of the par 4s measure 440 yards or longer.

One of them is the par-4 18th, which at 490 yards is the longest par 4 in PGA Championship history. Heading into today's opening round, the 18th is the talk of the tournament.

A dogleg left, it is guarded by bunkers to the left and water in front and to the right. Members of the club play it as a par 5.

"It's about 30 yards too long," Mark Calcavecchia said. "I hit a drive as hard as I humanly can, and I needed a 2-iron just to get over the water. It's just too long."

For some, the hole might even require a second-shot layup, especially if conditions stay soft.

"I hate to see it that way, where we try to see who has the longest par 4 in the world or in the major championships," Bernhard Langer said. "It is not all about length. It just doesn't seem right to hit a perfect tee shot and have to lay up with a 7-iron because you have 240 to get it over the water and you can't hit your 3-wood more than 235."

The hole plays 35 yards longer than it did for the 1976 U.S. Open, won by Jerry Pate, and the 1981 PGA, won by Larry Nelson. The hole plays as a 520-yard par 5 for members.

"I would think the big hitters would be licking their chops," Bob Tway said.

NEVER-NEVER LAND: With David Duval's victory at the British Open, Phil Mickelson moves to the top of the list of "best players never to have won a major championship." He has 19 PGA Tour titles and is ranked second in the world to Tiger Woods.

"I don't think it's unfair at all," Mickelson said of the label. "It would mean a lot to finally break through and win a major, just to prove to myself that it can be done and that all of the hard work that I have put into my game in trying to refine it ... is paying off. That's why it would be very important. But I don't think it's an unfair label. In fact, it's a very complimentary label, because not having won one, to be considered the best out of all those good players who have not, is a compliment."

THINKING POSITIVE: Scotland's Colin Montgomerie didn't win the British Open, but he did contend before finishing 13th. He rebounded to win the Scandinavian Masters on the European tour, his second victory in five weeks, all of which came after a poor summer, including a tie for 52nd at the U.S. Open. Montgomerie, who has 26 European tour victories, attributes a change of attitude for his recent success.

"It was based on the poor performance I had from March through June, really," Montgomerie said. "I wasn't really performing to anything near my ability, and I was getting quite down and talking myself into bad shots and bad putts before they actually had been hit. I felt that I had to become more positive in my outlook. It's working well. So, long may it continue."

STRANGE PICKS: U.S. Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange has several ideas about whom he might add to the team on Monday with his at-large selections. But he's not saying.

"Nobody knows but me," said Strange, smiling, when asked if he had ranked his potential picks. "It's a tough call because a lot of guys are playing well, and a lot of guys could really help the team."

The top 10 in the points standings through the conclusion of the PGA Championship automatically make the team, which takes on the Europeans next month.

Jim Furyk moved into eighth position on Sunday with a strong finish at the Buick Open, putting Tom Lehman at No. 10 and on the bubble. But Lehman is considered a strong captain's choice should he fall out of the top 10.

Should the points standings remain as is, Strange's decision won't be easy. At No. 13 is Brad Faxon, who has Ryder Cup experience. At No. 11 is Chris DiMarco, who has played well all year but has no Ryder Cup experience and just a single PGA Tour win. Joe Durant, who won twice earlier this year, has played poorly since April and has dropped to 12th.

"I'm going to make two people very happy and six or seven people sad," Strange said. "If somebody in 20th place jumps into the top 10, all my preconceived notions can change."

$$$ SIGNS: The purse for the 83rd PGA Championship was announced Wednesday and will be $5.2-million. The winner will receive $936,000, with $562,000 going to the runner-up. Those who finish 13th or higher are assured of $102,000.