Quotage From TNT’s Coverage of PGA Championship, 2nd Round

This came one minute. One mere minute after TNT signed off its coverage of the PGA Championship. That’s quite impressive. Thanks to the great people at Turner Sports PR for sending this. Makes my job easier. Here’s the quotage.

Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the PGA Championship from Whistling Straits in

Kohler, Wis. – Round Two – Friday, August 13, 2010

TNT’s Round Three coverage of the PGA Championship continues Saturday., Aug. 14 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET.

Announcers: Ernie Johnson, Ian Baker-Finch, Bill Kratzert and Jim Huber joined by Bill Macatee, Peter Kostis, Verne Lundquist, David Feherty, Peter Oosterhuis and Gary McCord

Baker-Finch on Matt Kuchar being an early leader in the tournament: “(Kuchar) is playing really nicely and smoothly.  He’s played well all season and he’s seventh on the Ryder Cup list.  He’s in the top ten in the FedEx Cup rankings and he’s jumping up in the world rankings as well.  He was a winner at the end of last season.  I really like what I’m seeing with Matt Kuchar.  He’s been working on a swing change and he’s really nestled in and feels comfortable with it.  I’m not surprised to see him (leading) and I expect to see him there on Sunday afternoon as well.”

Kostis on Ernie Els: “Tee to green, (Els) is impeccable right now.  He is operating on all eight cylinders.”

Kostis on the damp playing conditions during the second round: “Clearly evident are the soft conditions of the greens.  Players are able to take dead aim at very difficult hole locations and rely on the ball hitting, sitting and staying in place.  It looks like a links (course), smells like a links but it doesn’t play like a links.  If this golf course got fiery and fast and you had to bounce the ball around…boy, would it be fun.”

Feherty on the difficulty of the final two holes at Whistling Straits: “The finish of this golf course (holes 17 and 18)…what a vision of loveliness and brutality at the same time.”

Baker-Finch on Bryce Molder: “I love the way (Molder) holds the finish (of his swing).  He’s been playing well this season.  He’s been putting beautifully and he really holds the back of the left hand to the target on the way through.”

Baker-Finch on the ups-and-downs of playing at Whistling Straits: “This golf course can giveth and it can also taketh away.  You’ve got a little stretch in the middle of the round where you can make some birdies and there are some down-wind holes.  But then you’ve got that brute of a finish coming up at the end and pars are hard to make.”

Baker-Finch on the composure of Seung Yul Noh: “Notice (Noh’s) demeanor, it hasn’t changed at all.  Birdie or bogey…it stays the same.”

Feherty on if the course is playing differently in the second round compared to the first round: “I think (the course) is a good deal softer and we’re seeing maybe a little more wind than (in the first round).  It’s exacting its revenge in places.  It’s showing its link-side and there are places where you can’t hit it.”

Kratzert on Ernie Els’ putting during the second round: “(Els) has left some out here.”

Baker-Finch: “He hasn’t putted the same today, has he?”

Kratzert: “He’s kind of struggled (today) and you can see the frustration.”

TNT’s Jim Huber interviewed Matt Kuchar after finishing his second round at the top of the leaderboard.

Kuchar on finishing his round at the top of the leaderboard with -8: “I’m excited to be in this seat. I haven’t been in this situation, but I feel that my game has been really good this year and got me ready to be at this point. Hopefully, it will be a good weekend for me.”

Kuchar on the prospect of being paired with former Georgia Tech teammate Bryce Molder: “That will be exciting, I’m hoping it continues to work out that way. Bryce (Molder) is a great player, We played a couple of practice rounds this week so it would be a lot of fun if we could play together.”

Baker-Finch on how the remaining golfers should handle the challenging weather conditions: “You don’t wan to shoot yourself in the foot in these difficult conditions. If it does stay like this for the next two or two and a half hours, just take it steady, try and make a birdie on the fifth and sixth (holes) when you get an opportunity, but keep the double bogies off the card. Just keep it out of that long fescue and come back tomorrow and hopefully the conditions will be a little calmer.”

TNT’s Jim Huber interviewed Phil Mickelson after finishing his second round at -2.

Mickelson on his second round effort: “I fought hard today. I’m obviously not where I want to be, I want to be up on the leaderboard with all the other guys, but I’m within striking distance. I played a good back nine there to shoot three under for the day and get back in.”

Mickelson on the difficulty of the course and how you need to play it: “It is very penalizing, I missed a number of birdies the first two days. You can’t play for birdies, you can’t get up in the lead unless you get the ball in the fairway. But once you get in the fairway though, you can attack. The greens are soft, they hold shots. Once you’re on the greens you can make some putts.”

TNT’s Jim Huber interviewed Nick Watney after finishing his second round at -7, second on the leaderboard.

Watney on having to play his final six first round holes in addition to the entire second round on Friday: “It wasn’t too bad physically, but we always joke that if we’re playing well we wish we could just keep on going. Luckily today I was playing pretty well and I was able to keep going and it just worked out.”

Watney on the importance of his short game: “I played well, I made a lot of key saves which kept my momentum. This is obviously a very difficult golf course and a short game will save you. That’s what I’ll take away most from the day and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Feherty on Camilo Villegas’ physique: “(Villegas) is the best athlete on the (PGA) TOUR without question. He’s becoming an incredibly keen cyclist. That’s what he needs, less body fat.”

Nance: “Not a whole lot there, is there?”

Feherty: “Just muscle, sinew, fiber and heart.”

Baker-Finch: “What would he be? Six, seven percent body fat?”

Feherty: “Not even, no. Unfortunately, I’ve had to do commercials with him where I’ve seen him partially clothed. It’s very depressing for any man.”

Baker-Finch on the short game of Tiger Woods: “We have seen a short game clinic over the last five holes. (Woods) doesn’t need a coach there, that’s just hard work.”

Feherty on Rickie Fowler’s long hair: “All of these guys will be glad to get out of this wind. Rickie, I think, would probably take a severe beating from his hair if he had to play all 18 of this round.”

That’s the quotage for tonight.