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The 2022 PGA Championship is set to tee off on Thursday morning at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The championship goes until Sunday.
https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1526611767568261120
Notably, 2021 champion Phil Mickelson is absent from the field. Additionally, a grouping of Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy headline the groupings.
Woods continues to recover
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2007@TigerWoods recaps his four career @PGAChampionship wins. pic.twitter.com/PExBlvL9e4— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 17, 2022
After a tough performance at the Masters., Woods said he feels better heading into the PGA Championship after a car crash in February of 2021 nearly ended his career. At the 2022 Masters, Woods finished 47th scoring six-over-par after many thought he would not participate.
Heading into Thursday’s start, Woods said he continues to improve physically and mentally after Augusta, which he compared to climbing Mount Everest.
As far as training goes, Woods said he is prepared for the course even though there is still some pain.
Woods, a four-time PGA Championship winner, last won the PGA Championship in 2007 and reminisced over the win 15 years ago.
Mickelson’s absence from PGA Championship felt
Phil's first (1993 at Inverness) and latest (2021 at @KiawahResort) PGA Championship appearance.
That's 29 straight appearances, 2 Major wins & 10 top-10 finishes.@PhilMickelson | #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/0jrZdZjYOH
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) December 2, 2021
2021 PGA Champion and three-time Masters winner Mickelson will not be defending his title as a result of comments made about the PGA Tour and his affiliation with the Saudi International.
McIlroy, who won the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014, is disappointed that Mickelson isn’t participating considering Mickelson’s age and achievements. Mickelson won last year’s PGA Championship at 50 years old, making him the oldest major champion in history.
McIlroy has not won a major championship since 2014 when he won the PGA Championship and the Open Championship. Since then, his closest finish was a runner-up finish at the 2022 Masters to Scottie Scheffler.
Similarly, Woods explained that despite the different opinions over the PGA Tour, the participants miss Mickelson being out there.
McIlroy, Woods and Spieth tee off at 9:11 a.m.
Additionally, Jon Rahm, who won the Mexico Open in his most recent appearance, echoed McIlroy’s statement saying he would have liked to see Mickelson compete.
Rahm will tee off at approximately 2:36 p.m. with Scheffler and Colin Morikawa.
Horschel aims for first championship
https://twitter.com/BillyHo_Golf/status/1526707104844853249
Former Florida Gator Billy Horschel will be playing in his 10th PGA Championship. He will look to improve upon his top-23 finish in 2021. This matched his best finish overall set in 2018. Additionally, Horschel is the only former Gator competing.
In the 2021-2022 PGA Tour, Horschel finished in the top-10 twice. He finished runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after going four-under-par.
At the RBC Heritage, his most recent appearance, Horschel finished tied for 21st with a score of eight-under-par.
Horschel tees off in Tulsa at approximately 2:58 p.m. along with fellow Kevin Kisner and Tommy Fleetwood.
DeChambeau withdraws from PGA Championship
Bryson DeChambeau has withdrawn from the PGA Championship due to a hand injury. pic.twitter.com/TB09t4IqQh
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 18, 2022
Bryson DeChambeau made last-minute headlines after withdrawing from competition due to a hand injury, announced by the PGA Tour Wednesday afternoon. DeChambeau was set to tee-off at 2:14 p.m. Additionally, he has not competed in over a month since recovering from wrist surgery.
