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It's time for the last Major golf tournament of the year, the PGA Championship. While this tournament may not have the history and prestige of The Masters or The (British) Open, it still an important event for the top golfers to round out their Major season, while many young up-and-comers will look to make their mark. This year's Championship will take place at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is the club's first hosted Major and the quality of the course has been questioned privately by some golfers and caddies, as is often the case with many first time venues. Of course, part of the challenge of golf is adapting to the challenges and vagaries of each specific course. All eyes at this year's tournament will be on British Open winner Jordan Spieth. Spieth is perhaps the most popular young golfer in the world, and his win at the Open may have quelled any doubts about his ability to bounce back after the adversity he experienced last season. The PGA Championship represents the chance for Spieth to complete the career Grand Slam (winning all four Major tournaments) at only 24 years old. If successful, he would complete the Slam at a younger age than Jack Nicklaus as well as Tiger Woods, too. Could Rory McIlroy be the one standing in his way Many of the betting crowd are predicting a collision course between the two bright young stars. McIlroy is in an interesting place; still good and respected, but not quite as dominant as some in the golf community think he is capable of being. Could the PGA Championship have a rejuvenating effect on him, the way the Open seemingly did for Spieth It will be fascinating to find out. While Spieth and McIlroy may be the main draws, there is always plenty of intrigue at any Major - one merely has to go back through the history of golf to find instances where the favorites falter and someone surprising or unexpected rises to take the place. Could that happen this year The only way to find out is to watch! Pump Products application engineers are standing by to help you find the right pump, as well as to provide price quotes, availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800.

It’s time for golf’s British Open! Held at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, this major tournament is steeped in history and tradition. In addition to being the oldest of the Majors, it is also the only one of the major championships to be held outside of the United States. The British Open is also often called the Open Championship. So, who will win  This Open is typically known for producing windy conditions. High rise dunes at the Birkdale course will also be challenging. The conditions suggest that aggressive golfers who can take advantage of the high winds and slow greens can actually benefit. Historically, older golfers have had much success and outperformed expectations at the Open. For now, however, the odds makers are favoring two youngsters, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy. They are two of the most dominant golfers of the past few years, however both are coming off of U.S. Open disappointments when they (and others) made headlines for missing the cut. It will be interesting to see how they respond to the adversity.  In golf, the mental setbacks are often more challenging than the physical ones. Burgeoning superstar Jordan Spieth has also emerged from his recent struggles and is the third favorite to take the Open. Spieth is one of the most popular younger players on the tour and comes armed with a boatload of endorsements to boot. It will be interesting to contrast his performance with those of Johnson and McIlroy. As mentioned above, older players generally find some success at this particular tournament, so it won’t just be the young guns making noise. Sergio Garcia is still riding the emotional wave from his breakthrough Masters win. Rickie Fowler, Jason Day and Adam Scott are... still around. And after missing out on the past few Majors, fan favorite Phil Mickelson is back to compete. All in all, it should be a wild and fun tournament. Pump Products application engineers are standing by to help you find the right pump, as well as to provide price quotes, availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800.

“A tradition unlike any other…” The Masters Tournament at Augusta National (Augusta, GA) starts today. Played at one of the toughest courses in the world, the Masters - with its resplendently dressed crowds, subdued atmosphere and the famous green jacket awarded to the winners - is arguably the most prestigious golf tournament in the world. Here’s the Inspector’s preview of the major players: Dustin Johnson The No. 1 ranked player in the world, Johnson was the heavy favorite heading into the tournament… until the recent news that he had injured his back falling down some stairs. It’s not the most bizarre injury in the history of sports, but as far as bad timing it’s up there. As of this writing, Johnson’s status for The Masters is unknown, which is a shame considering that he’s been the hottest golfer on the planet up until now. He has won the last three PGA Tour events and a win at Augusta would have made him the only other golfer besides Tiger Woods to win four straight tournaments. Jordan Spieth Spieth returns a year after his heartbreaking collapse at last year’s Masters. If you follow golf, you probably know the story by now: Spieth had a five stroke lead entering the back nine, but shot a quadruple-bogey 7 (including two shots into a nearby creek) on the 12th hole. Spieth, who won the event in 2015 had to put the green jacket on Danny Willett after his agonizing collapse. The defeat still reverberates and it will surely be on Spieth’s - and everyone’s - mind, but it is also worth remembering that he is still one of the most talented all around golfers in the world. In his three Masters tournaments, he’s never finished lower than second. Don’t be surprised if he turns Augusta into his own personal redemption tour. Rory McIlroy Another great young player, McIlroy brings his own unique baggage to Augusta. He’s never won the Masters. No one disputes his talent and pedigree; if he wins, he will have completed the career grand slam at 27 and join exalted company. Will he let the pressure get to him Phil Mickelson The longtime fan favorite and all-time great is not really considered a serious threat to win it all, but who knows He is no doubt the emotional rooting choice of many fans and his galleries will probably end up being the most fun. Mickelson is 46, the same age as Jack NIcklaus when he won his sixth Masters at the now-legendary 1986 tournament. Whither Tiger Arguably still the most famous name in golf, Tiger Woods will not be participating. His injuries and physical state make it likely that he will never reach the heights he once did, but it’s worth remembering the 20th anniversary of his masterful 1997 Masters, when he beat the field by 12 shots. We may never see anything like it again. Pump Products application engineers are standing by to provide technical assistance, price quotes or to answer any questions you may have regarding pumps. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800.