PGA Championship 2013: Notable Names with No Chance to Finish in the Top 10

The 2013 PGA Championship from Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course is the 95th edition of the event, and several marquee names will underperform in the final major of the season.

Huge stars like Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald have all struggled mightily at points this year, and with the quick turnaround from the British Open, the chance for each to recover is minimal.

Each of the following players will falter and fail at the PGA Championship and will finish outside the top 10.

Lee Westwood

English star Lee Westwood is one of the better veterans in the field this weekend and one of the most consistent performers, so the expectations surrounding him are through the roof, especially after he finished third at this year’s British Open.

Unfortunately for Westwood and the fans who support him, he will struggle at Oak Hill.

Westwood is coming off a mediocre performance at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (finished 40th at five over par), and that lack of momentum will stifle the success he had at Muirfield in July.

Add in the fact that Westwood has never performed well at the PGA Championship—one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes over 15 starts and nine cuts made—and there is little doubt the veteran will disappoint once again.

Rory McIlroy

While Tiger Woods grabs most of the headlines, Rory McIlroy is the main focus of many fans coming into this week’s PGA Championship.

McIlroy has a great history at the event (one win and three top-10 finishes in his four starts in the final major of the year), but he has been playing the worst golf of his short career coming into the August tournament.

Not only did the Irish star miss the cut at the British Open, but McIlroy also failed to contend in both the U.S. Open and the Masters, finishing 25th or worse in both majors.

That’s the wrong kind of momentum.

The previous victory in this tournament should be a confidence builder for the young star, but the need for players to enter this tournament on a roll will ruin any chance McIlroy has of walking away with a solid finish.

Luke Donald

English star Luke Donald is still looking for the first major victory of his career, but there is little doubt it will not come at this week’s PGA Championship.

Donald has just one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes in the fourth and final major of the season, and he is coming off a 32nd-place finish in the 2012 edition of the event. Add in the fact that he missed the cut at the British Open, and the fan favorite will struggle once again.

While the Oak Hill Country Club is set up to play into the favor of the performers like Donald—an eclectic mix of power and precision is needed to succeed—the tough field and Donald's lack of overall success in 2013 will result in a finish outside the top 10.

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