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| Few will ever know the glory of winning a PGA Major Title, and even fewer will know the rush of joy that comes with winning two. Padraig Harrington won his second major title earlier this season at the Open Championship, and today he solidified his place as one of the elite golfers in the world by winning his second consecutive major, taking the '08 PGA Championship. Harrington completed the task in grand fashion, posting consecutive rounds of 66 (-4) on the weekend to move up the leaderboard and earn the victory. He finished as one of just three players to post an overall score under par (-3 for the tourney) and got the job done on Sunday with some of the best clutch putting we have seen in recent memory. |
Our View: This is the first time a European player has won the PGA Championship since the tournament began using stroke play in 1958, and the first win overall by a European since the Silver Scot, Tommy Armour, won in 1930 by beating Gene Sarazen 1-up. It's also the first time since 1995 that the PGA winner has not played in the final group.
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| The 2008 PGA Championship ended in another frustrating failure to affirm greatness for Sergio Garcia, commonly known as the best player on the Tour without a major win. Garcia battled to get in the mix for a win and faced a short 6-foot putt on the 18th green to score birdie and force a playoff with Padraig Harrington (coming off a strong 10-foot birdie putt of his own). However, Garcia's putt scooted just a hair right of the hole, barely missing the mark and leaving Garcia one stroke shy of the overall score needed to push to extra holes, giving Harrington the win. |
Our View: He's been so close so many times, but Sergio struggles to make good on those final putts. The short stick has failed him so often this season, but to see it go just two hairs right of the mark on the final hole was nothing short of painful. We hope it serves as motivation moving forward, but the missed opportunity to get the elusive major win may be as strong an image as any we will take from the '08 PGA season.
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| Boo Weekley turned Sunday into a positive experience, finding his best work of the week in the final round of this week's PGA Championship. After shooting a troublesome 79 (+9) on Saturday, falling to T56 on the leaderboard entering Sunday, Weekley posted one of the best rounds of the day, finishing at -4 on the final round (66) to bring his overall score to +8, pushing him to T20 on the final leaderboard. |
Our View: This was a crucial major for Weekley, not only looking to work his way into the group of golf's elite, but also looking to solidify his spot as an automatic-bid member of this year's US Ryder Cup team. Weekley entered the tourney ranked 9th on the Ryder Cup standings, but he needed a good finish to insure other top golfers would not catch him. The big day on Sunday should seal the deal.
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| With the weather halting play before the leader after two rounds could get started with his third round at this week's PGA Championship, John B. Holmes was forced to wait and play 36 holes of golf on Sunday, and it failed to yield the results he desired. Entering Sunday as the leader in the clubhouse, Holmes suffered a drastic fall, posting a score of even par (70) for his third round but falling to +11 (81) for the fourth and final round, falling to T29 on the final leaderboards with an overall score of +10. |
Our View: Holmes has struggled with similar frustrations all season long, and that has hampered his efforts to join the ranks of the elite. Today he seemed to be on pace to at least challenge for a major title, but he completely fell off in the final round and must wait for next season to get another shot.
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| Serving as the most promising young golfer on the Tour, Anthony Kim was hoping to add a major win to an '08 resume that is already as impressive as any. However, the final round of the PGA Championship brought one of the few slips Kim has experienced this season, posting a score of +7 (77) to finish at +16 for the final major of the season, good for T55 on the final leaderboard. |
Our View: Kim has been the most reliable fantasy commodity available for hire this season, but he fell well short of expectations this week and topped it off with one of the worst rounds of the day. Next season, few will be surprised as more fans jump on the Kim bandwagon, and Tiger will be back in the mix as well, setting up a battle many will be dying to watch.
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| Justin Leonard entered Sunday with hopes of pushing towards the top ten, enjoying three consistent rounds of golf at Oakland Hills to stay in the mix (T31 entering Sunday). However, the PGA Championship claimed another victim as Leonard found struggles on the links, posting a score of +10 (80) on the day to fall to +17 for the tourney, finishing at T58. |
Our View: Leonard has been one of the more consistent set of clubs on the Tour this season, but he failed to make much noise at any of the majors and may have missed a golden opportunity to log a major win with Tiger hampered by injury.
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| The 2008 PGA Championship ended in frustrating fashion for fan-favorite Rocco Mediate, posting a horrendous 85 (+15) on Sunday, the worst round of the day, to fall to the bottom of the final leaderboard, finishing at +24 for the tourney. |
Our View: The battle with Tiger was the top moment of the season and will serve as a memory of joy for millions of golf fans as they recount the '08 season, and while today's finish puts a negative note on what has been an otherwise outstanding season for Mediate, the fans of the PGA will not forget the entertainment he has provided this season.
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| Phil Mickelson ended up with a seventh place finish in the PGA Championship, shooting a 70 (E) in the final round. |
Our View: Mickelson was done in by a 73 in the second round, and with no Tiger Woods in the field, blew an opportunity to bag another major championship.
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| Sergio Garcia got close, but could not win the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club. He wound up placing second, shooting one-under-par for the tournament. |
Our View: Garcia simply can't get over the hump, and he was just beaten by a better player today. Padraig Harrington shot a 66 to Garcia's 68 in the final round to seal the win.
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| Padraig Harrington shot consecutive scores of 66 (-4) in the third and fourth round to take home the PGA Championship, his second consecutive major victory. |
Our View: Many were worried that Harrington was going to pull out of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July with an injured wrist. Of course, he went on to win that tournament, and now has another major. He is obviously among the best players in the world today.
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