Bellerive Country Club will have the honour of hosting the 100th PGA Championship when it stages the fourth and final major of 2018 from August 9-12.
The Missouri course has hosted two majors before: the U.S. Open in 1965, won by Gary Player, and the PGA Championship in 1992, which saw Nick Price triumph.
Who will add their name to the Bellerive Country Club storybook after playing in this historic centenary of the PGA Championship? A par-70 7,329-yard test awaits the world’s best golfers; the course includes two monster par-5s. But where will the last of this year’s majors be won and lost?
We take a look at some of the key holes at Bellerive Country Club.
Hole 6 (Par 3—213 yards)
There are several early contenders in the round for key holes on the outward nine, but none play tougher than the par-3 6th. Avoiding a score here will be important as the two-tiered green—which slopes from back to front—makes it difficult to sink long birdie or par putts.
Hole 8 (Par 5— 610 yards)
A long par-5 that will play as a real risk/reward hole for those taking on the green in two. A bunker has been removed from the fairway to open up the possibility of reaching the hole in two, but the creek comes into play closer to the green, as do two deep bunkers protecting the putting surface. Birdie or eagle hunters could easily walk off with a bogey on the 8th if things go wrong and it could be a pivotal hole across the week.
Hole 10 (Par 4—508 yards)
The back nine starts with a long par-4, which plays as a par-5 for members. Walking off the 10th green with a par on the scorecard is more than acceptable given this hole is set to cause plenty of shots dropped across the week. The drive needs to find the fairway and avoid a bunker on the left and rough on the right to leave any chance of reaching the green in two.
Hole 17 (Par 5—597 yards)
Any number of holes on the closing stretch from hole 15 could have made this list, but the 17th at Bellerive Country Club will be key. How the hole is set up from the tee will determine the approach for many. It is playing long—then a layup short of the creek with the second shot is probable—but if the tees are forward then a cut at reaching the green in two will be likely. The 17th could witness some big swings on the leader board.
Hole 18 (Par 4—457 yards)
The closing hole is a toughie, firstly in terms of placement off the tee to leave a shot to the green on the dogleg. What’s more is the green offers little assistance for birdie hunters or the chasing pack with any pin position—particularly back right—tough to get to. A par on the final hole is no bad thing but this could be the scene of a very nervous leader on the Sunday.