It’s here, finally, the anticipation is over. The PGA Championship tees off at Southern Hills Country Club today, and wraps up with the final round on Sunday.

This is the first time since 2007, that the PGA Championship has been held in Tulsa, and I have been anxiously awaiting it’s return. We’re actually getting the tournament here a few years earlier than originally planned, but that’s just fine.

This will be the sixth major golf tournament I have had the pleasure of covering in my 33 years working in the Tulsa media. The others being; 1994 PGA Championship, 1995 Tour Championship, 1996 Tour Championship, 2001 US Open, 2007 PGA Championship.

Unfortunately, last year I scheduled a family vacation with my in-laws before looking at the sports calendar, and I was out of town when Southern Hills hosted the Senior PGA Championship. I wasn’t going to make that same mistake this year. We went on our annual vacation together two weeks ago.

Nick Price won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in 1994, and Tiger Woods won the event in 2007. Price will not be competing this time around, but it appears Woods will have a go at one of the most difficult courses in the U.S. The fact that Woods is even playing golf again is somewhat of a miracle, considering he fractured both legs in several places in a car accident a couple years ago. He walks with a slight limp and is still bothered by the injuries, but he is able to walk a golf course and play 18 holes. We’ll see if the hilly terrain at Southern Hills will prove to be too physically demanding for him this weekend.

One player missing from the field is the defending champ, Phil Mickelson. He withdrew last week, but has not given any specific reason.

Mickelson hasn’t played competitively since he commented in February about wanting to play in LIV pro golf events. He was trying to explain why he would want to join the tour being run by a group in Saudi Arabia, led by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who sanctioned the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018.

“They’re scary (expletive) to get involved with,” Mickelson said, according to author Alan Shipnuck. “We know they killed Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”

I guess a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity trumps standing up for what is right a moral.

Mickelson, along with Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, sought releases from the PGA Tour to play in LIV Golf events. This week, the PGA denied its members permission to play in the London LIV tournament. I suppose Mickelson has refused to play in the PGA Championship in Tulsa this week, in protest of the PGA’s decision.

Maybe the reason is he isn’t ready to face the media and his fellow golfers who will likely question his support of the Saudi backed LIV tour. Whatever the reason is, Mickelson’s absence will be evident, as it was at the Masters, in April.

Players To Watch

Tiger Woods – Of course, Woods will be a heavy favorite, since he knows the Southern Hills course very well, and won here in 2007, but it will all depend on his health this weekend. Can his legs hold up to walking up and down all the hills on the course? Woods did come to Tulsa a couple weeks ago to play a practice round at Southern Hills and apparently didn’t have too much trouble with the hike over 18 holes.

Scottie Scheffler – The top ranked player on the PGA Tour has been playing very well this season, and is my favorite to win the tournament. It could be his second major victory of the year, to go with his win at the Masters. He has four PGA Tour victories and two European Tour wins.

The Dallas native, came to Tulsa recently and played a practice round at Southern Hills, so he has an idea of what to expect. Scheffler finished at -19 and tied for 15th place at the AT&T Byron Nelson tournament this past weekend, in McKinney, Texas.

Jordan Spieth – Another Dallas native who has made his mark on the PGA Tour the past few years. Spieth joined Scheffler for that practice round recently. Spieth finished in second at -24 at the Byron Nelson.

Jon Rahm – The Spaniard finished first at the Mexico Championship earlier this month and has seven PGA Tour wins to his credit.

John Daly – Always a fan favorite and will draw a large gallery, Daly is very animated and colorful on the course. Arkansas Razorback jerseys and hats will be quite visible, in support of one of their own. He spends most of his time on the PGA Champions Tour these days, but he loves coming to Tulsa and playing Southern Hills.