2015 PGA Championship Round Two This And That

The temperature is rising and that was before fans headed to the exit built specially for events at this remote golf course arrived to find it...closed off by law enforcement. Only to be diverted to the next exit 7 miles up the road and in a different county!

Even cattle were coming up to the fences to look at the barely moving procession as if to say, nice traffic plan Buford T! With an extra 40 minutes to ponder the fumbling, it became understandable why this tragic event took place on site yesterday.

Meanwhile Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy took advantage of the calm round two morning conditions, but all eyes are on the ultimate redemption story at Whistlng Straits: Dustin Johnson. He opened with a pretty smooth 66 that might have been lower, noted Adam Schupak in his Golfweek.com story.

Johnson’s 66 looked effortless and if a few makable putts had dropped, a 63 or 64 was within reach.

“Today was pretty easy, I would have to say,” said Johnson, who hit 14 of 18 greens and made just one bogey, at the third hole. “Right now, today, I felt like I had my ball under control a lot like I did at the U.S. Open.”

Inexplicably, the DJ-Day-Fowler group did not live up to Marquee Group coverage status, and you missed some great action (plus a shocking quadruple bogey from Fowler). I noted this and an epic DJ quote in my account for The Loop.

“I would prefer to be in the lead, though, there’s less shots you’ve got to make up."

Even better, Johnson is now wallowing, but instead playing as if he believes this course owes him something, as Butch Harmon told Golf Channel's Steve Sands (Strege reports).

Here are you round two groupings and the leaderboard. The Johnson-Fowler-Day group goes at 1:20 pm local.

And remember telecast watchers on TNT from 2-8 pm ET: you can move a mountain, you can break rocks, you can be a master, Standing in the hall of fame. Because the world's gonna know your name.

Video: Nice Twist On The Old Trick Shot

Nice spot by Alex Myers of Dale Marmion's footwork twist to the golf trick shot.

I think some of us need to film ourselves trying to mimic this.

Sparse Turnout For PGA Champions Dinner; Tiger Appears Dressed As A Faux Wood Pillar**

If you look closely there between Y.E. Yang and Phil Mickelson, the ghost of Tiger Woods is there at the 2015 PGA Championship Champions Dinner. 

Love how John Daly was enlisted to act as a floral backdrop for the Wannamaker. Nice touch. Wait, maybe Dan Pino had it right, Tiger's the photographer!

The photo Tweeted by the PGA Championship account:

Update on 2015-08-12 13:00 by Geoff

**In Tiger's defense, my understanding is that the dinner table is joined by past PGA Presidents, PGA Board members, officers, spouses, partners and heaven knows who else. I still think he should show, but I certainly understand why he would pass.

As for his game, Woods went out early today at Whistling Straits to get ready. As I noted here at GolfDigest.com, his press conference revealed a player who is sounding more realistic about chipping away at his bad habits and hangups, which is both refreshing and encouraging.

Bob Harig had a similar take at ESPN.com.

Pelley's First Move: No Euro Tour Sanctioning Of WGC Bridgestone

New European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley is off and running at headquarters in a move somewhat expected but still refreshing to see in the swiftness of the decision/announcement: pulling European Tour sanctioning of the 2016 WGC Bridgestone because the Olympic-year edition conflicts with the Alstom Open de France (the French).

The event is one of the tour's oldest and most important, as it leads into The Open and is played at the 2018 Ryder Cup site, Le Golf National.

Here is the full release. From the text:

“The Alstom Open de France has been a staple on our Tour since 1972 and we are confident that next year’s event, with an increased prize fund alongside the current renovations to the golf course, will properly reflect the importance of the tournament alongside the 100th anniversary celebrations.”

The WGC Bridgestone moves to June 27-July 3rd in 2016 due to the Olympic Games in Rio's schedule-wreaking havoc.

Update on 2015-08-12 02:34 by Geoff

**The PGA Tour issued a statement, so the lack of a joint initial statement would seem to suggest this wasn't a pleasant negotiation.

From ESPN.co.uk:

"Several events were impacted and while we have had numerous conversations with the European Tour with respect to the scheduling of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, we were ultimately unable to find a solution that satisfied all parties. We look forward to staging a successful Bridgestone Invitational in 2016."

Covering Up The DJ Bunker, No Relief From Reading

On a showerly, sometimes rainy Monday here at Whistling Straits there wasn't much to do but take in the scene of the last 18th hole brouhaha here...wait, what? The Dustin Johnson bunker really as been covered by a corporate tent? And who is the company directly above the half-covered bunker?

I answer that with images on The Loop.

The players are also learning about the bunkers in all of the same places as last time.

That still may not clarify things either. I explain at The Loop.

And we talked about all of this and the remnants of 2010 on Morning Drive.

NY Times: SEC "Has Escalated" Walters Investigation

Initially it was game on between Billy Walters and Phil Mickelson and the SEC on the subject of an insider trading investigation, then the role of Phil Mickelson was said to be "overstated."

Now the New York Times' Alexandra Stevenson and Matthew Goldstein mention the case in their look at the Securities Exchange Commission feeling under fire for not having caught many white collar criminals.

But in their latest story, the Times reporters are suggesting the Walters case has "escalated," but they do not specify if much has changed as it relates to Mickelson.

Elsewhere, the S.E.C.’s investigation into whether Mr. Mickelson and Mr. Walters possessed inside information about the plan by Dean Foods to announce a spinoff in August 2012 has escalated. The authorities suspect the tip about the spinoff came from a board member at the company who knows Mr. Walters, who then shared the information with Mr. Mickelson, the people briefed on the investigations said.

Mr. Walters’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for Mr. Mickelson declined to comment. Representatives for Mr. Mickelson and Mr. Walters have previously said the men did nothing wrong.