Corey Conners says he’s ‘prepared for anything’ at this week’s PGA Championship

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This article was published 19/05/2021 (1912 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Corey Conners had never played the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island before arriving Sunday. A few weeks ago, he watched a special on the Golf Channel that broke down Rory McIlroy’s 2012 PGA Championship victory at the same course to try to glean some knowledge. But started too late at night for Conners to get through the whole thing.

“I didn’t stay up past like, hole 12,” Conners said, with a laugh. “But I did watch it, and I got pumped about the golf course.”

Conners has not-so-quietly become one of the most consistent golfers on the PGA Tour. He is one of three Canadians in the field at this week’s PGA Championship, which begins Thursday morning, and is comfortable enough to say he feels like a legitimate threat this week.

“I definitely have belief in myself that I can do it,” said Conners, when asked about the chance he may have to win a major. “There’s nothing urgent to work on my game. I’m just continuing to polish it up and I feel good about everything.”

The native of Listowel, Ont. has seven top-10 finishes this season, second on the PGA Tour, and is ranked 37th in the world. He frequents the Dye Preserve, a private layout near in South Florida designed by the same husband-and-wife duo, Pete and Alice Dye, who set up the Ocean Course. His knowledge of Dye-designed courses and his confidence has him excited for this week’s major, even with conditions set to be blustery.

“As a kid growing up in Canada, I used to embrace the difficult elements whether it was wind or rain or cold and try and work on my game during those conditions,” Conners said. “I feel like I’m definitely prepared for anything.”

This week’s PGA will be played at the South Carolinian resort that claims to have the most seaside holes in the Northern Hemisphere. Measuring more 7,800 yards, the Ocean Course will be the longest in major championship history. But the length, and the potential for linksy carnage thanks to unpredictable winds, doesn’t seem to bother any of the Canadian contingent. Mackenzie Hughes, of Dundas, Ont., and Adam Hadwin, of Abbotsford, B.C., joined Conners for a practice round Monday afternoon.

“I want the course to play as hard as it possibly can,” Hughes said. “From what I hear, it’s going to be very difficult, but that’s right up my alley.”

Hughes, Conners, and Hadwin are Canada’s top-three ranked male golfers, although Conners and Hughes are going in a different direction than Hadwin right now.

Hadwin, a PGA Tour winner and who shot golf’s magic number, 59, a few years ago, is coming into the PGA Championship having missed his last three cuts. Heis going through some swing adjustments and admitted he is trying to “find something.”

When asked about the length of the Ocean Course, Hadwin was clear. “I’m more focused, these days, on trying to keep the ball in play and hit greens. The length of the golf course is the furthest thing from what I’m thinking about right now.”

Hadwin strung together three solid results earlier in the season, including a tie for eighth at the Honda Classic on the tough PGA National, while going through a swing tweak with his new coach, Mark Blackburn.

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A bright spot for this week? Hadwin has made his last two cuts at the PGA, and he knows what he needs to do and how he needs to do it.

“It doesn’t quite feel right, but I did play those weeks in Florida with it not feeling right, and it worked, so I just have to be a little more consistent and diligent and let things take hold,” he said.

Hughes has a lot of self-belief for this week’s major. Although he is coming into the PGA having missed his last two cuts, Hughes said playing hard golf courses brings out the best in his game. Hughes was in 15th place late in the third round at the Masters despite not having what he considers his “A game.”

“Stuff like that gives me confidence going into more majors. I know I don’t have to be perfect, but if I can put it all together there’s no reason why I can’t (win). Mike Weir has shown us those things are possible, same with Brooke (Henderson),” Hughes said. “When I get to majors, I like my chances if I take care of my business.”

Adam Stanley is a freelance golf writer based in Ottawa