PGA Championship: Oakland Hills Is One Tough Golf Couse

The 'Green Monster', as Ben Hogan famously referred to Oakland Hills after his win at the 1951 U.S. Open, gave the world's best some bumps and bruises on the first day of the PGA Championship.

On a day which saw near perfect playing conditions, the leaders are in the clubhouse at 2-under par.

Only seven players in total managed to break par in round one.

Ben Hogan's depiction of Oakland Hills was indeed accurate.

We watched as the top golfers on the planet scratched and clawed their way around an extremely difficult golf course in playing conditions that they will be unlikely to see again before tournament's end.

Round one provided us with our first clues as to how this tournament might be won and how this beast of a golf course might at least be tamed.

Just about every player near the top of the leaderboard started quick out of the gate.

 Most carded a plethora of birdies on the first eight holes, but were then extremely lucky to play the next ten holes at even par.

Of the seven players that were able to break par during round-one, as a whole, they compiled 17 birdies on the first eight holes, compared to only 10 birdies on next ten holes.

Holes 9 through 14 at Oakland Hills make up what is considered one of the toughest stretches ever seen in a major.

If a player makes it to the 15^th tee having played holes 9-14 at even par, they should sit back and take a deep breath. But, their relief will last a mere two holes, as they are then faced with the 240 yard par-three 17th, which requires most to hit either a wood or hybrid into a green perched within a nest of large bunkers.

It is not ofter you see professional golfers hitting a wood off the tee on a par three nowadays, but you will see the majority of them doing just that off the 17^th tee.

So what has the first day of the PGA Championship shown us?

Well, it has become fairly clear that there is really only one way to attack Oakland Hills.

Come Sunday, the winner of the 2008 PGA Championship will have amassed a large number of birdies on the first eight holes while clawing their way through the next 11 holes somewhere around the even par mark.

Conquering the back-nine at Oakland Hills appears out of the question.

Whoever is able to best contain the back nine while racking up the birdies on the first eight holes will be our 2008 PGA Champion.

Having had my first look at Oakland Hills today, I highly doubt if anyone will follow in Ben Hogan's footsteps and “bring this monster to its knees”.

'Containment', not 'Conquering' will be the buzzword of the week at Oakland Hills.