PGA Championship 2015 Schedule: Thursday Tee Times, TV Coverage and Predictions
While it might not get as much hype as the other majors, the 2015 PGA Championship is certain to be an exciting event from start to finish.
Jordan Spieth will try to continue his historic season with a third major title. Rory McIlroy returns to action after missing time with an ankle injury, looking to defend his championship from last season. Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson both have a chance to make up for closes losses on this course five years ago.
Dozens of other golfers come in with unique storylines and a chance to take home the Wanamaker Trophy. While it will be difficult to watch everyone, here is a look at the most important viewing info to help you follow as much as possible.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Tournament Info
Location: Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin
Dates: Thursday, Aug. 13 - Sunday, Aug. 16
Purse: $10,000,000
Live Stream: PGA.com
| Aug. 13 | 1 | 2 - 8 p.m. | TNT |
| Aug. 14 | 2 | 2 - 8 p.m. | TNT |
| Aug. 15 | 3 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | TNT |
| Aug. 15 | 3 | 2 - 7 p.m. | CBS |
| Aug. 16 | 4 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | TNT |
| Aug. 16 | 4 | 2 - 7 p.m. | CBS |
| 8:15 a.m. | 10 | Victor Dubuisson | Matt Kuchar | Charl Schwartzel |
| 8:25 a.m. | 10 | Sergio Garcia | Bill Haas | Louis Oosthuizen |
| 8:35 a.m. | 10 | Justin Rose | Brandt Snedeker | Geoff Ogilvy |
| 8:45 a.m. | 10 | Bubba Watson | Paul Casey | Jim Furyk |
| 8:55 a.m. | 10 | Hunter Mahan | Lee Westwood | Ernie Els |
| 9:05 a.m. | 10 | Jason Day | Dustin Johnson | Rickie Fowler |
| 9:15 a.m. | 10 | Tiger Woods | Martin Kaymer | Keegan Bradley |
| 2 p.m. | 1 | Luke Donald | Graeme McDowell | Patrick Reed |
| 2:10 p.m. | 1 | Adam Scott | Henrik Stenson | Brooks Koepka |
| 2:20 p.m. | 1 | Rory McIlroy | Jordan Spieth | Zach Johnson |
| 2:30 p.m. | 1 | Jason Dufner | Phil Mickelson | Padraig Harrington |
Full list of tee times available courtesy of PGATour.com.
Top Pairings to Watch
Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson
There might be a few people on the course following this group during the first two days.
The main story will be the showdown between McIlroy and Spieth. A stroke-play tournament doesn't usually come down to one-on-one battles, but it's hard to avoid when the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world are paired together.
Kelly Tilghman of Golf Channel seems to speak for most fans looking forward to this matchup:
Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News hopes this helps start a real long-term rivalry:
Amazingly, no one seems to be talking about two-time major winner Zach Johnson, who is coming off a win at The Open Championship after surviving a three-way playoff. In fact, these three men represent the winners of the last five major titles.
It will be must-see television for those watching at home and a challenge to even get a viewing spot for those on the course.
Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler
The last time the PGA Championship was at Whistling Straits, the biggest story wasn't Martin Kaymer's victory but instead Dustin Johnson's struggles with the rules. He received a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club in an area he didn't know was a bunker, and the transgression cost him a shot at his first major title.
Instead of dwelling on the past, however, Johnson is focused on the tournament ahead and will use his positive experiences with the course to help him, per Steve DiMeglio of USA Today:
"It’s a golf course that I feel suits my game, especially if I’m driving it well and I feel like I am. There are spots you can cut off the corner a little bit. It’s a long course and you still have to hit good shots, no matter what. It’s just a golf course I like. It’s beautiful, it’s fun and it’s tough. If you play well, it rewards you.
"
Hopefully he will have a better understanding of the rules this time around and will be able to put himself in position to win.
That said, there are those in his own group who could pose a serious challenge. Jason Day also hasn't won a major but always seems to be in the hunt with six top-10 finishes in his last 11 major events.
He is also playing so well that four of the 10 experts on PGATour.com predicted Day as the eventual winner of this event.
Add in the always-popular Rickie Fowler, and this is certainly one of the top groups to follow in the first couple of rounds.
Predicted Winner: Justin Rose
Spieth is the obvious favorite and difficult to bet against after the way he has played in these events this season. He was one stroke away from making the playoff at The Open Championship, which could have given him three majors in three chances this year.
Despite this fact, don't sleep on Justin Rose outperforming Spieth and everyone else at Whistling Straits this week.
The Wisconsin course is known for its length and its sand patches, which count as bunkers. This is good for the 2013 U.S. Open winner, who currently ranks fifth in the world in sand save percentage and seventh in strokes gained from tee-to-green.
Including the British Open, Rose has finished no worse than sixth in his three most recent starts. After earning third place at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, he discussed how his length will help him in the PGA Championship.
"I'm playing better than anyone in the world right now tee-to-green. So hopefully, it's a big-boy golf course next week and the long game really helps me out," Rose said, per the Associated Press (via WorldGolfChampionships.com).
This confidence and ball-striking ability should help him immensely at the upcoming tournament.
Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
