Southern Hills Diary:With temperatures soaring into the high 90s - and expected to top 100 degrees Fahrenheit for each of the four tournament days in Southern Hills - the US national weather service has issued an excessive heat warning for all of Tulsa through to Sunday afternoon.
The medical services got a foretaste of what to expect on Monday's first day of practice when 18 spectators were treated at the golf course and five were admitted to local hospitals.
It isn't always so hot in Tulsa, though. Indeed, in the past seven months, the unpredictable weather has seen the course under a sheet of ice for 30 days, soaked by more than 26 inches of rain in June and into July and, now, baked by near-100 degree temperatures.
While spectators have been warned to drink plenty of water, players are also taking on board medical advice. "The heat could be dangerous for spectators, but not player-wise," said Padraig Harrington. "I see the heat as a factor to be looked at, but not something that in any away should be worried about. You've just got to do the right thing and take the right precautions."
Stuart Appleby has played in hotter conditions. "I remember one tournament where the coolest day was about 100 (degrees) and the other three days were between 115-120. You couldn't wipe your face quickly enough to get the sweat off before you hit a putt. You grip your club and sweat starts dripping down your nose. Players were drinking an average of 12-16 bottles of water a day, it was that hot . . . and we were wearing shorts, not (long) pants like this week."
So, what do you do? "Well, just drinking water all the time is not always ideal. And drinking sugary drinks isn't ideal. You've got to make sure you're eating while you're out there. If you're playing on a hot day in the afternoon, you make sure you really get hydrated in the mid-part of the morning. You don't start drinking just at the first tee, because by that stage it is too late," said Appleby.
Major men in 2007
Zach Johnson:
US Masters 1st
US Open Tied-45th
British Open Tied-20th
Angel Cabrera
US Masters Tied-37th
US Open 1st
British Open 34th
Padraig Harrington
US Masters Tied-7th
US Open Missed Cut
British Open 1st
Beware of the world number two
Beware the injured golfer? Jim Furyk is hoping the old adage applies to him, but has admitted that he wouldn't be playing this week if it wasn't the US PGA.
Furyk, who won the Canadian Open just over a week ago, pulled out of last week's Bridgestone Invitational after injuring his back in pre-tournament practice.
"I'm stiff. I hope to keep improving and to keep getting better step by step and a little bit every day," said the world's number two.
Crew's dad makes the cut
Bo Van Pelt must believe there was a touch of fate in how he secured his place in the field this week. The Oklahoma State graduate - a regular on the PGA Tour - was forced to withdraw from last year's USPGA championship because his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Crew, the week before the tournament. This time, Van Pelt was first reserve and waiting for a call-up . . . which duly arrived when Sweden's Carl Pettersson pulled out. The reason? Pettersson's wife gave birth to a baby boy, Chase, last week. "It's kind of ironic. I guess it all evened out in the end," said Van Pelt.
Irish at the US PGA
Padraig Harrington
1997 - Missed Cut 2000 - Tied-58th 2001 - Missed Cut 2002 - Tied-17th 2003 - Tied-29th 2004 - Tied-45th 2005 - Missed Cut 2006 - Missed Cut
Darren Clarke1997 - Missed Cut 1999 - Missed Cut 2000 - Tied-9th 2001 - Missed Cut 2002 - Missed Cut 2003 - Missed Cut 2004 - Tied-13th 2005 - Missed Cut
Paul McGinley2000 - Missed Cut 2001 - Tied-22nd 2002 - Missed Cut 2003 - Missed Cut 2004 - Tied-6th 2005 - Tied-23rd
On Television
Sky Sports 1 - from 7pm Thursday-Sunday
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