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Notebook Club pro still hanging around in PGA
Updated: Saturday August 18, 2001 8:23 PM
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) -- Things just keep getting better at the PGA Championship for club pro Rick Schuller. Schuller, playing out of Willow Oaks Country Club in Richmond, Va., achieved his goal by making the cut in his first PGA. He was the only club pro to do so. Then in Saturday's third round, Schuller brought the crowd to its feet when he sank a 70-foot birdie putt on No. 18. "That's a lifetime dream right there, the 18th hole, on the weekend, in a major championship, making a bomb," Schuller said. "You just dream about that and it happened." Schuller got off to a shaky start, carding a bogey on his first hole and a double bogey on No. 3 after hitting a good drive, but rebounded with four straight 3s over the most difficult stretch of Atlanta Athletic Club. It didn't look like Schuller would finish 54 holes at even par after a bogey at No. 10, but he turned things around in a hurry. "My caddie said, `Let's do what Tiger does, he grinds it all the way in, no matter how he's hitting it,'" Schuller said. "I would have never guessed I would have had to birdie [16 and 18] to do it." Schuller's three-round total of 210 tied for the fourth-lowest by a club pro in PGA Championship history. "I've had some rules officials and club professional make a point to walk out and introduce who they are and how proud they are of me," Schuller said. Schuller said it's hard not to think of a possible big pay day Sunday. "After struggling as much as I did last year, without any sponsors, this will only help pay off the bills," he said.
Faldo firstNick Faldo had never registered an ace in a major championship. That was until Saturday's third round of the PGA Championship.Faldo's 4-iron on the 204-yard fourth hole rolled into the cup for the 29th hole-in-one in the PGA Championship since 1970. The last player to get one in the PGA was Mark Brooks in '99. "At least I had one enjoyable hole," said Faldo, who shot a 1-over 71. "It was a peach. I aimed it out right and was trying to draw it in and I hit a really perfect shot. It's funny when you get that feeling that it's just going to go in," Faldo added. But even an ace couldn't kick-start Faldo's round. He is at 2-over after 54 holes. "I'm still struggling with my swing," said Faldo, who has won six majors. "I'm not getting enough confidence out of it. As soon as you start hitting balls short, you panic a bit. You start seeing these danger holes." In addition, his poor showing this week all but ends his hopes of a 12th Ryder Cup appearance for the Europeans next month. Faldo wasn't even in the top 25 in the points standings coming into this week's event. "I'm in the ditch, aren't I?" he said. When asked what his plans were for the final round, Faldo laughed and said: "59, no problem."
May dayBob May had quite a final-round showdown with Tiger Woods in last year's PGA Championship before finishing second.May won't get much TV time in 2001. He made the cut, but shot a 6-over-par 76 Saturday and is at 7-over after 54 holes. After teeing off in the final group at Valhalla Golf Club in 2000 with Woods. May will hit the Atlanta Athletic Club course first Sunday morning. "Yeah, I'll be leading the pack off instead of bringing the pack in," May said. Most of May's problems occurred on the back nine, where he hit his drive on No. 12 into the sand, then hit a shot into the water for a double bogey. He added another double bogey two holes later. "Hey, you have times like this. At least I'm here on the weekend. Just a couple of holes tripped me up." May said last year's TV exposure changed his life. "It's nice to come out here and have a lot of people rooting for you," he said.
Stretch runFirm greens and some wind for the first time in three rounds claimed its share of victims over the final four holes at Atlanta Athletic Club.Jonathan Kaye, Scott McCarron, John Huston and Chris DiMarco lost the most ground of those who were in contention. Kaye had rounds of 67 and 68 before going 7-over-par over the last four holes en route to a 78. Meanwhile, McCarron was climbing up the leaderboard before going 6-over during that difficult closing stretch and shot a 73. Huston had a six and seven on Nos. 16 and 17, while DiMarco, battling for Ryder Cup position, bogeyed three of the last four holes to fall to 4-under for the tournament. "I putted really well the first 14 holes," DiMarco said. "I made a bunch of 4- and 5-footers for par and it just kind of caught up with me."
Tom-TomPGA Championship leader David Toms has been having fun in Atlanta on and off the golf course.For one of the few times in his career, Toms and his wife Sonya came to a tournament and left the couple's 4-year-old son Carter at home with a sitter. Toms said the decision -- and everything that has surrounded it -- has relaxed him. "We're going to dinner and watching movies and not worrying about having to go to bed at 7 p.m. when he goes to bed," Toms said. "Not to say that we don't enjoy having him around, but it hasn't been a normal week as far as golf goes."
Fire awayThere's a funny story surrounding David Toms' hole-in-one when he was playing in a Nike Tour event in Mexico.Toms was at odds with his caddie most of the day and the two argued on the 15th tee. Toms wanted to hit a 5-iron while the caddie was urging him to hit a 6-iron. Toms went with his gut and got a hole-in-one. "I turned around and looked at him and I fired him three holes later," Toms said. Toms' ace in the PGA Championship was his third in competition and sixth of his career.
DivotsMickelson had six 3's on his scorecard. ... The last time there were two holes-in-one in the PGA Championship was in 1996, when there were three. ... Retief Goosen moved into position to pick up another nice paycheck in a major. He shot a 66 Saturday and is at 5-under par. He missed the cut at The Masters, but won the U.S. Open in June and finished in a tie for 13th at the British Open. ... Tom Watson had set himself up for a nice finish in his 29th PGA Championship, but he bogeyed five of his last six holes Saturday for a 76.
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