TULSA, OKLAHOMA | Asked to find two or three words that best describe the Perry Maxwell-designed golf course that he and partner Jim Wagner restored at Southern Hills Country Club, Gil Hanse took a moment.
“I want to focus on the routing, which is perfection in my mind,” Hanse said. “I think perfection is one thing. The routing just sits there so perfectly.
“The green contours are perfect for major championships …
“Thoughtful. I think it’s a very thoughtful golf course.”
So, it was more than two or three words, but the work Hanse and Wagner did in bringing Southern Hills back to its original glory while deftly modernizing the layout has given this PGA Championship a fresh look and feel at a place that has hosted seven previous major championships.
Even the time of year – mid-May rather than the sweltering heat of an Oklahoma summer – has transformed Southern Hills, which will play longer and wider than when Tiger Woods won the 2007 PGA Championship here.
“It's a major championship-worthy golf course. It's as simple as ...
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