FOCUS ON Former champ Rich wants US PGA to get some Major respect
THE dust has barely settled on Jordan Spieth’s thrilling victory at The Open a fortnight ago.
But the golf world will this week reconvene at Quail Hollow for the fourth and final Major of the season at the US PGA Championship.
There has been talk about this event moving its place in a crowded calendar – possibly to as early as May.
But one man set against that is former winner Rich Beem.
In 2002, he held off Tiger Woods to claim his sole Major title, and he’s rightly proud of that feat.
Beem will tee it up on Thursday as a past Champion and has launched a passionate defence of the event.
“I’m not in favour of the event moving, and I’ve expressed my views to the PGA of America,” he states.
“This is the last opportunity to win a Major for eight months. To have this final chance of glory, you need to bring your A-game.
“The players know it’s the last shot or you have eight months to stew on it before The Masters comes around.
“Plus, if it was moved to May, you would take away classic venues in the Northern states. Places like Oak Hill and Hazeltine wouldn’t be ready at that time of year.
“The US PGA maybe doesn’t have the same identity as the other three Majors. Augusta is Augusta, the US Open is known for difficult golf and The Open is the oldest tournament in the world.
“But look at the Wanamaker Trophy and it’s got everything you need right there. Apart from Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, all the biggest names have won it. “That shows me it’s worthy of its status. “I believe it’s also the hardest one of the four to win. There are usually 95 to 100 of the world’s top 100 playing, and that is the most challenging field of the year.
“Everything about the event is phenomenal and it’s where it belongs in golf.
“My father was a past member of the PGA and I’m proud to have won it.
“The PGA pros run the game more than anyone, because they’re out there at the clubs every day making the game the best it can possibly be.”
Now 46, Beem’s career reached its peak in that magic week at Hazeltine 15 years ago, when he beat Woods by one stroke.
Going out in the final game alongside Justin Leonard, Beem controlled his nerves and even four birdies in a row to finish from Tiger couldn’t stop him.
His main role now is as part of the Sky Sports team, but he’s happy to reflect on how everything came together to produce the performance of his life.
“I had won The International two weeks before, so I knew my game was in good shape,” he recalls.
“It was only my fourth Major and I didn’t quite have the feel of how they should be played.
“But everything felt really good as the week progressed and I hit the ball brilliantly on the final day.
“No-one had paid any attention to me. I was an after-thought until the back nine on Sunday.
“Thankfully, I wasn’t in the same group as Tiger, otherwise the outcome probably would have been different.
“I wasn’t staring at leaderboards too much, so I wasn’t sure Tiger was making a charge until I got to the last hole.
“But whether I had five shots to play with or one, I would still have been nervous going down the last.
“Tiger was the World No.1 and had won the first two Majors that year. That makes my win even more memorable.”
The main headline going into this year’s US PGA is Spieth’s quest to complete his career Grand Slam at the age of 24.
Beem followed him at close hand for the first three days of his victory at Birkdale last month and he’ll be rooting for his fellow Texan at Quail Hollow.
“It’s great for Jordan to have this chance to make history,” he says. “I would be shocked if he doesn’t produce some of his best golf.
“There will be a lot of pressure on him. But I would love to be stood behind the 18th green on Sunday with him having a chance to do it.”