THE HUNGRY WOLF RUNS FASTER - PLAYERS EYEING DOWN A FIRST CAREER MAJOR WIN AT THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Mario Russo

In recent years, golf’s middle major (The PGA Championship) has quickly become a launching pad for the professional players of the sport. Three of the previous six winners of the prestigious PGA Championship sought out the initial major victory of their careers, and have evolved into potential grand-slam canadities shortly after.

From Justin Thomas’ triumph at Quail Hollow in 2017, to the victory that propelled Collin Morikawa to fame in 2020, the PGA Championship is no outsider to first-time major winners.

Although it may not be the leading expectation at this week’s tournament - given the promising form of Jon Rahm and Scottie Sheffler so far this season, a strong contingent of players eagerly await their second chance in as many months to wave the alluding first major victory of their careers.

Among the star-studded list of players in search of rewriting their hard-beaten, nullified narratives, 34 year-old Rickie Fowler looks to be in a much dire need for success than most.

Since turning pro in 2009, Fowler has been unable to land the crucial career dagger despite finishing in the top five of the major leaderboards eight times. His recent return to the top fifty of the Overall World Golf Rankings has been a testament to his rise in form over the last several months, finishing within the top twenty of the field in five consecutive tournaments leading up to the PGA Championship.

He may not even sniff that type of finish with the amount of talent Oak Hill will have to offer later this weekend, but it is fair to say that very few on the PGA Tour can match the level of famine Fowler possesses.

On the other end of the spectrum lies the promising Norwegian star of Victor Hovland. Gearing up for his twelfth career major - and fourth PGA Championship - Hovland is one of the few initial major hunters worthy of a position alongside the field’s best.

The 25-year old found himself in that same spot during the first round of the Masters last month, trailing only the tournament’s eventual winner Jon Rahm and runner-up Brooks Koepka after firing a 7-under 65 to open up play.

Hovland would go on to finish in a tie for seventh at Augusta despite shooting two additional rounds over par. He currently ranks sixth on the Tour in strokes gained off the tee as well as first in putts per opening rounds.

Hovland’s blitzing ball-striking ability and knack for first round success can comfortably set the youngster up for a commanding shot at dismantling his major narrative.

Unlike Hovland however, being patient is becoming less of an option for Xander Schauffele with every passing major. No matter the occasion, the California native is consistently in the mix and putting up a fight against the game’s best.

But aside from his seven career PGA Tour wins, a fight is all it’s ever really been for the 29-year old.

In 21 major appearances, Schauffele has finished on the front page of the leaderboards eight times and has been wedged in a tie for second place just twice. Among those looking to hoist their first major trophy, Schauffele possesses the most amount of skill from the bunch, making his continuous shortcomings more and more difficult to decipher.

Since posting consecutive wins at the Travelers Championship and the Genesis Scottish Open last summer, Schauffele has yet to fall off his high horse during non-major events. He has finished within the top five in six events so far this season and carries a runner-up finish last week heading into Oak Hill.

Heating up at the right times has been Scauffele’s struggle all throughout his career, but as it currently stands, very few swingers have been in the same realm of weekly consistency than the former Aztec.

Among the contestants bidding for the initial memorable moment of their careers, no name has been highlighted more than Tony Finau.

With already a pair of wins on Tour this season - as well as consecutive triumphs last July at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic - Finau has finally found his winning ways and already rewritten some of the narratives held against him throughout his career.

His most recent success at the Mexican Open saw the late-blooming Finau route the rest of the field and take victory with three holes left to play. The 33-year old has swiftly changed his identity from being a leading figure within a feeble field, to being an elite closer that fails to provide opponents with any sort of wiggle room.

His new identity and skillset will be heavily pushed and in constant demand at Oak Hill later this weekend, however, the sole focus for Finau revolves around the identity that he wishes to become on the game’s biggest stage.

The hungry wolf indeed runs faster at the PGA Championship.