Straits run towards US team

Of all the subplots developing going into the 86th Ryder Cup, the one regarding the final make-up of teams for the Ryder Cup in Detroit next month is the most intriguing. While the European team won't be finalised until after the BMW International in Munich in three weeks' time, the 10 automatic places on the US team will be decided at the conclusion of the PGA on Sunday.

As things stand, the automatic places would go to Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry, David Toms, Chad Campbell, Fred Funk, Steve Flesch and Jay Haas . . . and, obviously, the most vulnerable players are Funk (8th), Flesch (9th) and Haas (10th).

So, what do those in pursuit need to do at Whistling Straits to play their way onto the team? Well, Jerry Kelly, in 11th, requires a minimum finish of an eighth-way tie for 10th, Stewart Cink, in 12th, needs a minimum finish of a solo 10th place, Jeff Maggert, in 13th, is not playing in the major because his wife is expecting twins any day and Scott Verplank, in 14th, needs a minimum finish of a two-way tie for ninth.

Technically, a player as low as 46th-ranked Joey Sindelar could play his way into the American team by winning the PGA this week.

If they fail to meet their minimum requirements, and most will, then it is a matter of waiting for the call from team captain Hal Sutton who will nominate his two wild card choices for the match in Oakland Hills at his media conference on Monday next, the day after the PGA ends.

Luck not quite with the Irish

If the four Irish players competing at Whistling Straits this week are looking to past performances in the US PGA for inspiration, they'll have a hard job finding any.

Although Graeme McDowell is making his debut in the championship, the other three players have a combined total of 15 appearances in this, traditionally, final major of the season. But the statistics don't make particularly pretty reading.

Darren Clarke's best finish was tied-ninth in 2000 but he has missed the cut in five other appearances; Padraig Harrington's best finish was tied-17th in 2002, but he has missed the cut twice; and Paul McGinley's best finish was tied-22nd in 2001, but he has missed the cut the other three times he has played.

Hazard warning

What's in a number? The course here at Whistling Straits measures 7,514 for the championship, making it the longest course ever to play host to a major championship. There are three par fours measuring 500 yards or more: the 507 yards eighth hole, the 518 yards 15th, and the 500 yards 18th.

There are also in excess of 1,400 bunkers and pre-tournament suggestions that many would be played as waste areas have been dispelled by the PGA of America, which ruled: "All areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers will be played as bunkers (hazards) whether or not they have been raked."

This will mean that many bunkers positioned outside the ropes, as well as some areas of bunkers inside the ropes, close to the rope line, will likely feature numerous footprints, heel prints and tyre tracks during play of the championship.

"Such irregularities of surface are part of the game and no free relief will be available from these conditions."