Player reactions part 2: Bradley, Hahn, Finau

While the maintenance team was taking a well-deserved rest after the Monday morning maintenance, Golfdom took to the course to learn about what the PGA Tour professionals think of the new PGA Championship host, Quail Hollow. To read part 1, click here.

Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley attempts to chip out of the rough that he called “tough.”

“The course is in perfect condition. They should be really proud of what they have done.”

“The rough is tough. It sits down and it really jumps out of the rough. You could hit a pitching wedge 180 yards.”

“The greens are really fast, and you kind of expect that coming here. I played on Saturday, and the greens aren’t any slower today but they are softer. That’s probably a good thing because they were moving really quick.”

“I think they’re great. I really like the changes on the front 9. I think the course is very playable.”

James Hahn

“I thought the changes on the front nine were interesting. The course was perfectly fine before. I’m not sure if they were trying to make it tougher or just change the layout. The new greens being how firm they are, it’s nice to play on greens that firm.”

“With the rain the course is playing pretty long, but on the first hole they moved the tee box up and made it into a par-4. Interesting to say the least. We’re used to the old layout and they combined the first two holes to make a really long par 4. The greens really slope right-to-left. I think it’d be better as a par 5 that rewards someone that plays two really good shots.”

“It (the change in turf) is better. You get more penalized for a bad shot. With some of the run-offs on the side of the greens you can get a ball in the bermuda that sits up real nice or something that sits down and now you have to adjust what kind of shot you’re going to play.”

Tony Finau

Tony Finau putts on hole No. 9.

“Think they’re (the renovations on the front 9) are good. The undulations on hole 4 are quirky. I think they should probably play the tee up a little bit just because there is so much undulation on that green. It’s a weird green to try to hit a six or seven iron into. Outside of that I think it played good.”

“No. 1 really played into the teeth of that wind. If that’s the wind we’re going to have this week it’s going to be tough. It’s a great starting hole.”

“The whole course is going to play a lot tougher because the greens are going to be a lot faster downhill. If you’re putting down-grain on the grass and down a slope, the green is going to be ridiculously fast. No. 2, that green back to front is ridiculous. It gets you thinking for sure.”

Photos: Golfdom