The Loop
Arron Oberholser: '[PGA's] Kerry Haigh is best setup guy in the business'
Kerry Haigh, the course setup man for the PGA of America, is pleased with he's seen of the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits this week, even the low scoring not usually associated with major championships.
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"It's wonderful," he said in an interview with Vince Cellini on TNT on Sunday. "What an exciting championship. It's great to see birdies, it's great to see eagles. There's a lot of trouble around every corner here on many of the holes. And today we've got a bit of breeze. I think the course usually plays really well in this breeze. And I can't wait to see the best players in the world play on this golf course."
Haigh, whose official title is chief championships officer, continues to get high marks for his course setups.
"I think Kerry Haigh is the best setup guy in the business," Golf Channel's Arron Oberholser said Sunday morning. "And I think Mike Davis [executive director of the USGA] has learned from him a little bit, watching Kerry Haigh over the years. We've seen the USGA go more toward PGA Championship-type setups in recent years. Chambers Bay was more of potentially a PGA Championship-type setup — wider fairways, drivable greens.
"Kerry Haigh I believe started all that with guys having chances to go for greens, giving guys more scoreable chances, wider fairways, little softer conditions. I think when you get those softer conditions and kinder golf courses it bunches the scores and makes for a more exciting finish and I think that's what we're getting this week."