Daily Log - Tuesday
8:20 AM
Arrive at the Renaissance Hotel with plenty of time to spare before the next shuttle. I learned my lesson yesterday.
9:02 AM
I wasn’t convinced the bus could take a more indirect route to the club, but here we are. I and 25 other media members disembark on a cool, overcast morning with a few raindrops. I’m discouraged – not by the rain, but by my experiences. Any good Oklahoman knows that rain on a mid-May morning typically begets a steamy afternoon.
9:20 AM
Breakfast. French toast, two boiled eggs with Crystal hot sauce, assorted berries and chocolate donut. Apple juice and black coffee to wash it down.
10:00 AM
Meet an RDGC supporter, Riley, in the shadow of the No. 1/10 grandstand. Chop it up.
10:10 AM
Meet an RDGC supporter, Cole, just outside the driving range. Continue chopping it up.
10:20 AM
Step inside the ropes at the driving range. I see a gaggle of local journalists huddling around one competitor. Dressed in a stark white shirt and light grey pants (complete with more belt loops than any man should have on one pair of slacks), Tiger suavely pipes one ball after another. There are others on the range – Rory McIlroy, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry and more – but every eyeball on the ground and in the stands remained fixed on Tiger.
Tiger Woods on the range at the 104th PGA Championship
11:30 AM
Head up to the interview tent where I slide in next to Sam Humphreys (The Sports Animal / Golf Oklahoma / 73rd Hole Podcast) and Cameron Jourdan (The Oklahoman) and listen to Brooks Koepka answer a bunch of questions that are clearly annoying him.
12:00 PM
Tiger takes the stage. For the next 30 minutes, he talks about Southern Hills, his physical recovery, the perils of Bermuda grass, thoughts on Phil Mickelson and whether he thinks he can win. It seems like every media member in Oklahoma and the rest of golf has squeezed into the tiny tent.
Tiger Woods at the 104th PGA Championship
12:30 PM
The tent clears out faster that you can find directions to the nearest Braum’s. Justin Thomas is up next, but only a handful of us actually stay. JT offers some good insight on his game, the “Saudi situation” and what it’ll take for him to win this week.
“For me, it’s going to be a big week for driving. If I drive the ball well, I’ll have a good chance to win.”
1:00 PM
Back to the Media Center for lunch with Humphreys, Jourdan and Colby Powell (also 73rd Hole Podcast). Roast beef sandwich, slices of steak, strawberry salad, baked mac-n-cheese and a banana.
1:20 PM
Sam and I head out on the course in search of Talor Gooch. Our pursuit came up fruitless, but I ended up walking the front nine with a really good dude. All is not lost. Along the way, we crossed paths with no less than a dozen people either he or I knew. Celebrity status at Southern Hills.
The third hole from the back tee box at Southern Hills Country Club.
4:30 PM
Sweating and aching, I return to the clubhouse. Time for a hearty afternoon snack. Rangoon wantons and strawberries with whipped cream.
5:30 PM
Shawn Martin (PGA TOUR) is chatting with Brendan Quinn (The Athletic) a few seats down from my workstation, discussing this thing they’re calling “Tulsa Rush Hour.”
“It’s not THAT bad,” I rudely interject.
Martin begins his rebuttal but then changes course. “You’re with Red Dirt? I’m enjoying your stuff.”
Quinn – “Yeah, I think I started following you the other day.”
Killed me with kindness. I am #DEAD.
Media Center at the 104th PGA Championship.
6:00 PM
Shuttle back to the Renaissance. Serve as the honorary Tulsa tour guide. As we drive by Tulsa Union High School other media members are shocked that a high school could invest in athletics facilities like that. Maybe today I’ll get the nerve to sneak into the hotel and partake in their Happy Hour hors d’oeuvres.
6:24 PM
Back home. I didn’t have the nerve.