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The PGA Championship provided golf fans with yet another thrilling finish. Everyone should have seen this coming, though, because the season’s final major simply keeps generating more drama each year and fighting the unfounded notion that it is the least among the four major championships.
In what can only be seen as an attempt to lower the expectations so that he wouldn’t be too disappointed—reverse psychology?—Beem had all week long wondered aloud if he had what it takes to win a major championship. Despite his self-deprecation, a course record-tying 66 on Friday followed by solid 72 on the most difficult scoring day in the PGA Championship history put Beem in the Sunday’s final pairing with Justin Leonard, whose 69 on Saturday was the only sub-par round of the day and catapulted him to the lead at nine under. In the group ahead were Tiger Woods (–4) and his good friend Fred Funk (–5). Woods had never won a major when trailing after three rounds, while Funk, with his display of sheer joy on the course, had become an adopted son among Minnesotan golf fans. Overall, the final round looked promising on paper, and the golfers did not disappoint. Sunday began auspiciously for Beem, who drilled his first tee shot to the middle of the fairway and never abandoned his aggressive approach. His birdies on fourth and fifth hole put him tied with Leonard, who bogeyed the second hole in what would be a disastrous round for him. Beem kept pounding the ball on his way to a 34 on the front nine, and he led the championship at eight under. In an unexpected contrast, it was Woods who played conservatively, as if trying to protect a lead when he actually started the day five strokes off the lead. Yet his methodical style led to three birdies and 33 total in the first nine. Leonard bogeyed two of the first four holes and his double bogey on treacherous par-3 eighth killed any chances of his second career major title, while effervescent Funk put together an indifferent 36 to remain three back of the lead. It was thus up to Beem and Woods to stage another indelible duel at the PGA Championship.
The copyright of the article The most exciting major of the year... Again! in PGA Tour is owned by Jeeho Yoo. Permission to republish The most exciting major of the year... Again! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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