Power Rankings: KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship

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POWER RANKINGS

Power Rankings: KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
- May 24, 2022
  By Mike Glasscott , PGATOUR.COM Follow @MikeGlasscott
Steve Alker has four straight top-3 finishes heading into the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Editor's note: Steve Stricker posted on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID and will miss the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

The season of majors is in full swing on PGA TOUR Champions as the second of five marquee events tees off this week at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan. With a week off between the first and second big events of the season, the pros should be rested and ready to go.

The 82nd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, the oldest major championship on PGA TOUR Champions, will make its fifth appearance at the 2010 Jack Nicklaus design and its first since 2018.

Defending event champion Alex Cejka picked up the 2021 trophy at Southern Hills. Yet it was Paul Broadhurst who was the last man to win on the shores of Lake Michigan as the Englishman posted 19-under 265 for his second major championship.

The full field event of 156 will be cut to the top 70 and ties after 36 holes. On the line is a purse of $3.5 million (2021) with $585,000 (2021) plus the Alfred S Bourne trophy going to the champion.

Read more about the challenges presented by this Nicklaus design constructed on multi-diverse terrain after the featured players.

POWER RANKINGS

RANK

PLAYER

COMMENT

10		Tim Petrovic	Checks in at No. 10 on the Charles Schwab Cup Money List and Scoring Average; T1 Putting and should get more chances to hit GIR with the large landing areas. Played in the final group here in 2018 before cashing solo second.
Checks in at No. 10 on the Charles Schwab Cup Money List and Scoring Average; T1 Putting and should get more chances to hit GIR with the large landing areas. Played in the final group here in 2018 before cashing solo second.

9		Padraig Harrington	Six starts, three T2 or second place finishes suggests he's a quick learner! T2 on a very difficult TPC Sugarloaf was backed up with solo second at the Regions Tradition. Super short game and leads the TOUR in driving distance.
Six starts, three T2 or second place finishes suggests he's a quick learner! T2 on a very difficult TPC Sugarloaf was backed up with solo second at the Regions Tradition. Super short game and leads the TOUR in driving distance.

8		David Toms	Rolls in on three straight T9 or better including T2 at TPC Sugarloaf. Of his eight finishes, seven are T13 or better and six are in the top 10. Sits third in scoring average.
Rolls in on three straight T9 or better including T2 at TPC Sugarloaf. Of his eight finishes, seven are T13 or better and six are in the top 10. Sits third in scoring average.

7		Retief Goosen	Another that should enjoy more freedom off the tee this week. Top six G (6th) and putting (5th) plus scoring average (4th). Owns six top 10s from nine starts.
Another that should enjoy more freedom off the tee this week. Top six G (6th) and putting (5th) plus scoring average (4th). Owns six top 10s from nine starts.

6		Bernhard Langer	Rested and ready to go after T39 at TPC Sugarloaf in his last event on May 8. Played Harbor Shores three times and his worst payday is T4. DNS 2018.
Rested and ready to go after T39 at TPC Sugarloaf in his last event on May 8. Played Harbor Shores three times and his worst payday is T4. DNS 2018.

5		Miguel Angel Jiménez	T22 in all eight events with six top 10s. Found the podium at the first major (T3). Leads the TOUR in Putting and is second in Scoring Average.
T22 in all eight events with six top 10s. Found the podium at the first major (T3). Leads the TOUR in Putting and is second in Scoring Average.

4		Ernie Els	Trending nicely (T3-5th-T25-T30) as he arrives fresh off a podium at Regions Tradition. T16 here last year included a final round 68, his best of the bunch. Makes plenty of birdies because he kills it off the tee and paints GIR.
Trending nicely (T3-5th-T25-T30) as he arrives fresh off a podium at Regions Tradition. T16 here last year included a final round 68, his best of the bunch. Makes plenty of birdies because he kills it off the tee and paints GIR.

3		Paul Broadhurst	Played his final 54 holes 20-under including 64-63 in 2018 so plenty of good vibes this week! T18 or better in eight of nine starts. Sits fifth in Ball-Striking and All Around.
Played his final 54 holes 20-under including 64-63 in 2018 so plenty of good vibes this week! T18 or better in eight of nine starts. Sits fifth in Ball-Striking and All Around.

2		Steve Stricker	*Editor's note: Steve Stricker posted on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID and will miss the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.* Blitzed the field at Regions Tradition to win by five. Three events have cashed T2-T10-WIN. First appearance at Harbor Shores but won at Jack's Memorial in 2011 on PGA TOUR.
*Editor's note: Steve Stricker posted on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID and will miss the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.* Blitzed the field at Regions Tradition to win by five. Three events have cashed T2-T10-WIN. First appearance at Harbor Shores but won at Jack's Memorial in 2011 on PGA TOUR.

1		Steven Alker	FOUR straight on the podium sounds like a misprint but it's not. Sat three back in the final group with Stricker at Greystone but limped in with 72 to cash T3. Nobody hits more GIR and nobody else has SIX top five finishes (2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, 1 fifth).
FOUR straight on the podium sounds like a misprint but it's not. Sat three back in the final group with Stricker at Greystone but limped in with 72 to cash T3. Nobody hits more GIR and nobody else has SIX top five finishes (2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, 1 fifth).

Just Missed: Jerry Kelly, Doug Barron, Darren Clark, Brandt Jobe

The Golf Club at Harbor Shores

Yards (per official scorecard):	6,852
Par:	71 (36-35)
Greens:	A1/A4 Bentgrass; 5,486 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	Tournament Speed.
Rough:	Kentucky Bluegrass/Fescue at 3 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards	72/16
Architects:	Jack Nicklaus (2010).
Defending Champion (event):	Alex Cejka
Defending Champion (course):	Paul Broadhurst (-19; 265).
Tournament Course Record (entered this week):	62; Rocco Mediate (2016).
Tournament Scoring Record (course):	265; Paul Broadhurst (2018); Rocco Mediate (2016).
Fact of the Week:	Full field of 156 includes top players from sanctioned world tours, and club professionals (35 pros).
Fact of the Week II:	The course has ranked no worse than eighth most difficult on TOUR in four previous editions.

Back-to-back major championships can lead to sore backs but a week between the Regions Tradition and this week's 82nd Senior PGA Championship should be helpful.

Course history will be in play this week as this will be the fifth edition since the debut event in 2012. Even numbered years have been the trend with the only exception being the 2020 COVID-19 cancellation. The event will return in 2024 as well.

Jack Nicklaus' design wanders and meanders through four different styles of terrain. The inland holes are followed by Nos. 7-9 navigating the dunes overlooking Lake Michigan. Tree-lined fairways from Nos. 10-13 will require full concentration off the tee before the Paw Paw River and St Joseph River valleys provide the final challenge.

And it's challenging.

Distance is usually the issue when determining the most difficult courses but not this week.

Course Rankings Year/TOUR rank	Yards	Scoring Average
2018: 6th hardest	6,852	71.76
2016: 8th hardest	6,852	71.546
2014: 3rd hardest	6,852	73.017
2012: 3rd hardest	6,822	73.034
2012: 3rd hardest	6,822	73.034

Only once in four previous championships have more than eight players reached 10-under par for the week. The cut has never been under par as the best 36 hole mark was Even in 2016.

With plenty of room to move it off the tee, finding GIR will be the order of the day. Those who don't will need to excel with the short game to keep up. The Bentgrass greens should run perfectly and the examination will get tougher the closer the pros get to the hole. Trademark Nicklaus!

Mother Nature suggests a rainy 36 holes before the field is cut. Prevailing winds on Thursday will shift to NNW in Round 2. The weekend dries out with warming temperatures and finally hitting 80 or better for the final round.

Previous Winners - The Golf Club at Harbor Shores

Year	Winner	Score	Comment
2018	Paul Broadhurst	-19	Came from two back on the weekend to win by four shots.
2016	Rocco Mediate	-19	Tied the course record with 62 in Round 1 and went on to set the tournament scoring record on this track; won by three.
2014	Colin Montgomerie	-13	Posted all four rounds in the 60s and was the only player to post double digits or better; won by four.
2012	Roger Chapman	-13	Leading by five after 54 holes, the Englishman shot 72 in the final round and still won by two.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me at mikeglasscott@gmail.com.