Chat Reel: Billy Kratzert and Ernie Johnson Jr.
TNT PGA commentators square off about championship
Posted: Thursday August 12, 1999 10:20 AM
TNT PGA commentators Billy Kratzert and Ernie Johnson Jr. stopped in to chat with CNNSI.com users on the eve of the 1999 PGA Championship. A transcript of the conversation follows:
CNNSI Host: Hello everyone... I'd like to welcome Billy Kratzert and Ernie Johnson Jr. to our PGA chat this evening.
CNNSI Host: First of all, in a year where the major course have been near impossible to break par on, talk about how Medinah Country Club ranks?
Billy Kratzert: I think Medinah will rank up there as difficult as the U.S. Open. In 1990 it was real difficult when Hale Irwin won. I think it will be difficult and 5 or 6 under will win. It won't be Carnoustie though, that was no fun to watch.
Ernie Johnson Jr.: Payne Stewart was just holding his press conference a little while ago and he said 5 under or so to win and that goes along with the thinking, get your par and go and get the birdies where they present themselves.
BK: This championship is played in August, the hottest part of the summer. Other majors are in a time when the course gets more water. PGA always is hotter and you have to keep the greens softer. You don't get the cool nights that you like. Yet the greens are receptive enough to get under par.
CNNSI Host: Is there a key hole the tournament is most likely to turn on?
EJ: No. 16 is a defining hole. Long par 4 dogleg left with a big valley where any approach left short will role back down. As we walked the practice round the other day, I was with Tom Kite. Kite said to himself, 'Now this is a golf hole." This is a hole that sticks out with him. There are others, but take a look at No. 16.
BK: I think you take a look at the par 5s and you have four par fives with long yardage...these players only have the opportunity to hit one par 5 in 2 (No. 5). You have taken away the guys who try to get there in two with the long pars.
CNNSI Host: Will Tiger Woods and David Duval finally play together in the final round of a major at Medinah?
BK: For that to happen you will have to be lucky. Tiger is playing well right now and David is not playing as well as he did prior to the Masters. He won four events prior to the Masters and he had some good tournaments since then, but he didn't play well at the British Open and a couple rounds at the US...but I don't think this fairs well four David. There aren't enough holes that favor his type of shot. I wouldn't be surprised to see Tiger in the final couple pairings, but David needs a good first or second round to gain confidence. David had a foot problem prior to burning his fingers and who knows if he is over that. He is very quiet about his injuries so who knows if he is 100 percent. Only he knows.
EJ: The only thing I would add to that is that the PGA Championship in the last few years had been the sight of a first major championship and perhaps David Duval would be the story. At the same time, as focused as you need to be with the Ryder Cup situation, if that is not having the affect on Duval I wonder? All the talk up here is about players being paid for Ryder Cup and should Duval be speaking up. He has talked about one of the factors of being No. 1 is that you have to talk about it and he and Tiger have discussed it. Whether it is wheat prices or the PGA.
CNNSI Host: What is the hardest thing about Medinah? Is it the length or the tough par 3s or is it the burnt greens?
EJ: The drive from the hotel. Seriously, length is being down played by the players. On paper it looks massive at 7,401...but much of that is the par 5s.
BK: That yardage is point A to point B...a lot of guys are using three woods off the tee. I agree with Ernie, lengh5t is not an issue here. Lou Graham in 1975 over John Mahaffey and they weren't long players...several examples of that. All the hoopla of being can be thrown out the door when looking at the past U.S. Opens held here.
EJ: I think the second part of that question about the greens is contingent on how the players react on Thursday. They don't look pretty but the players say they're rolling. The putts are staying true. The word is that the grass is growing there. Right now in the days preceding they're searching for a story and some of the players are speaking up but the greens are rolling fine. Keep in mind the temperature was over 100 here a couple weeks ago.
CNNSI Host: Of the best golfers never to win a major, who has the best shot this time around?
EJ: Having eavesdropped on a Bobby Clampett conversation. He likes Phil Mickelson.
BK: That's because EJ's left handed.
EJ: It is not, I like Steve Flesch...he's left handed too.
BK: What about Mike Weir...he's left too?
EJ: Any time this comes up, Phil Mickelson's name comes up. Now Duval obviously comes up too.
guest: BK: Obviously it is Duval and then there is Mickelson. Nothing to do with right handed or left handed. I was going alphabetically.
EJ: Clampett does like the way Mickelson plays the ball right to left and fade it...he's a lefty and hits it high.
CNNSI Host: Thanks for joining us, everyone! The transcript will be available soon.
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