What golf was talking about last time major was at Valhalla
LOUISVILLE, KY. • A look back at the trending topics in golf the last time the PGA Championship was held at Valhalla in 2014:
TIGER NEARLY A NO-SHOW
Tiger Woods had the first of what would be four back surgeries early that year and had played only three times since April. The week before in the World Golf Championship at Firestone, he withdrew after eight holes after landing awkwardly in a bunker after trying to play a shot. Photographers gathered around his empty parking spot at Valhalla until he arrived Wednesday afternoon. Woods said his sacrum had to be put back in place. A large number of media spent the rest of the afternoon Googling “sacrum.”
MCILROY WAS ON A ROLL
Rory Mcilroy had won the BMW PGA Championship when he captured his third major at the British Open at Hoylake, and then won the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone to return to No. 1 in the world for the first time in more than a year. He was hopeful of turning 2014 into a special year (it was).
THE WORLD RANKING
Going into the PGA Championship, Mcilroy was No. 1 in the world. He was followed by Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose. Two of them (Garcia and Stenson) now are with LIV Golf. Mcilroy (No. 2) is the only player left in the top 50.
THOMAS EYEING PGA TOUR
Justin Thomas grew up in Louisville and his goal was to try to get his world ranking high enough to be considered for the PGA Championship. His father, Mike, was an officer for the PGA of America. Alas, Thomas spent that week playing a Web.com Tour event in Wichita, Kansas. He would win his first PGA Championship three years later.
JOHNSON WAS ON ‘LEAVE’
Dustin Johnson was No. 16 in the world and No. 5 in the Ryder Cup standings when he announced he was taking a leave of absence to seek professional help for personal challenges. He asked for privacy “as I embark upon this mission of self-improvement.” Golf.com reported he had failed three drug tests and was suspended. The PGA Tour said he had not been suspended. He didn’t play again for six months.