TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The PGA Championship began at Southern Hills with a stacked field that included Tiger Woods in one of the morning’s featured pairings but no defending champion after Phil Mickelson withdrew amid scrutiny last week.
Woods was due to go off with Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy in a grouping that is sure to have massive crowds packed into every corner of the compact, recently restored Perry Maxwell layout near downtown Tulsa.
That trio has combined to win 22 major championships.
As for Mickelson, the defending PGA champion chose to extend his hiatus from competitive golf after incendiary comments that he made about a Saudi-funded rival league that is due to hold its first event next month in London.
Bryson DeChambeau also is missing after he withdrew Wednesday to give more time for his injured wrist to heal.
