A tougher test awaits on Friday at Kiawah: Local Knowledge: Golf Digest

A tougher test awaits on Friday at Kiawah

Friday, August 10, 2012

By Ryan Herrington
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KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- Red numbers were in great supply Thursday at the Ocean Course: the 44 sub-par rounds shot was the most for the first day of play at the PGA Championship since 2006. Don¹t expect the same docile conditions today, however, as the one thing lacking at Kiawah Island in the opening round of play -- wind -- appears to be back on the job along the South Carolina coast.

Before Bryce Molder, Matt Every and Bob Sowards even had a chance to begin the second round off the first hole this morning at 7:20, breezes of 15 miles per hour with gusts of 20 to 25 whipped through the course, winds stronger than almost at any point of Thursday's first round.

Related: Kiawah ranks as America's Toughest Course

"I had to laugh hearing all these people say how easy the pros made the course look yesterday," said Jim Archer, a Charleston-area resident volunteering this week. "No way that was going to happen again. It's like they were daring the weather gods to make the wind blow."

The second round started on time despite overnight storms that soaked the Ocean Course with another half-inch of rain. The forecast calls for winds to increase to the 15-20 mph range with gust up to 30 mph. More ominously, though, there is a 60 percent chance of rain for the afternoon (as well as Saturday), with scattered showers and thunderstorms expected.