Woods absence keenly felt

The absence of Tiger Woods is going to be far more noticeable at the final major of the year than it was at the Open. Not since the death of Payne Stewart in an air tragedy in 1999 has a major been staged without its defending champion – although Royal Birkdale came close, of course, when Padraig Harrington was doubtful with a wrist injury. However, for his knee surgery Woods would have been going for a third successive US PGA victory at Oakland Hills on August 7-10, something not achieved in the event since Walter Hagen won four in a row back in the 1920s. And when the first round gets under way the world number one’s no-show will stick out like a sore thumb because the PGA’s tradition is to group the winners of the first three majors of the season together. Miraculously given the fact that he had only one good leg,... [read full story]