The city of Louisville will be in the national sports spotlight for the second time in three weeks.
Following the exciting finish at the Kentucky Derby, there could be more thrills ahead. The PGA Championship returns to Valhalla Golf Club for the first time since 2014. The storylines will include a homegrown hero hoping to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy.
We recently caught up with Kent Spencer, a longtime local sports anchor for WHAS11 to break it all down. He covered the PGA Championship the last time it was in Kentucky.
Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Awful Announcing: What’s the big story for the PGA Championship?
Kent Spencer: “Can anybody beat Scottie Scheffler? He has been on an absolute tear. Think about it. He wins the Masters and then the very next week at Harbour Town, he admits, ‘Hey, I’m exhausted.’ And still, he wins the tournament going away. I think the big storyline overall is maybe twofold. Can anybody beat Scottie Scheffler? But, at the same time: What can Justin Thomas do in his hometown in this major?”
What kind of reception has Thomas, a Louisville native and two-time PGA Championship winner, received?
“Last Monday when he got his hometown hero banner, he was very emotional. When he got behind the podium, he could barely talk. I think for everybody when you come back to your hometown, you love it so much. But you always kind of wonder, do they love you back the same? So, I think he found out on Monday that as much as he loves this place—he lives now in Jupiter, Florida—this place really cares about him. I think that was overwhelming for him to experience. It’s something that he appreciated greatly.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa0JgncYkHA&ab_channel=ESPN
How much experience does Thomas have at Valhalla?
“The last time the PGA Championship was here, Justin didn’t play in that tournament. So this will be the first time he has teed it up in the pro ranks at Valhalla. People may think that because he’s from here, he’s played it a ton. But he hasn’t played it a lot. He came into town earlier in the week and played a couple of practice rounds. It’s very similar to what he remembers. But it’s not like it’s a course ingrained in his mind where he knows every blade of grass or where every putt is going to break. It’s still going to be kind of a new experience for him.”
What are your thoughts on defending champ Brooks Koepka?
“He was very disappointed by his showing in the Masters. He says that he took that as an embarrassment and went back to the lab and started working on his game. When it comes to the PGA Championship, you don’t count that guy out because he always finds a way. He’s a five-time major winner. If you’re sleeping on Brooks Koepka, you’re doing it at your own peril. Three of his major championships are in PGA Championships.”
Is there someone who might be a surprise winner?
“I would watch out for Collin Morikawa. He’s kind of found his golf swing again in the last six months. He plays a predominant fade, and he’s started to trust the fade again. He can hit it a ton. He’s already won a PGA Championship (in 2020). I feel like he’s trending in the right direction. He’s not a guy where the moment gets too big for him. He can manage the nerves and believes that he belongs on any stage.”
Tiger Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla. How is he looking these days?
“With Tiger Woods, I think he knows these courses. Let me say this. Augusta National is a hard walk for everything he’s gone through, whether that’s the leg, the ankle, or the back. He has to do so much to get ready to play. If he makes it to the weekend, there’s just not a whole lot left. I remember back in 2014, nobody knew whether he was going to play until the very last second. The next thing you know, he appears on Wednesday. But that was before he had his back fused. I’m interested to see what he looks like because Valhalla is not the easiest walk. But it is a much easier walk than Augusta National.”
“I’m speechless” @JustinThomas34 had to take a few moments to hold back tears before addressing the crowd honoring him with a Louisville Hometown Hero banner.
— Alyssa Newton 📸 (@AlyssaKNewton) May 6, 2024
“There’s a reason when I tee off I’m announced from Louisville, Kentucky”@WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/Rkrg2ml1YR
How is the course looking?
“The course looks spectacular, but there’s one major change from the last time the PGA Championship was here. They’ve changed grasses. That’s a huge thing, especially the fairways. Valhalla used to be bentgrass, and then now it’s Zeon zoysia. It is a completely different playing surface. On the fairways, it’s going to allow a few more runouts. So if it’s playing firm, they can hit it farther down, but also you’ve got potential for the runouts through the fairway and into the rough. I know the rough is always extremely healthy there. They’ve changed some of the tees throughout the course. So, for a lot of these guys, it will play a little different than it did in 2014.”
Of all the golf events you’ve covered, do you have a funny memory?
“Nick Faldo played at the Senior PGA Championship at The Pete Dye Course at French Lick. He didn’t play well. And so, we talked to him after his second round. I said, “What do you think of the place?’ He said in his British accent ‘This isn’t a golf course. This is a cruel joke.'”
Usually, there is a break after the Derby, but not this May. How exhausted are you?
“It just wasn’t getting ready for the Kentucky Derby. Louisville (basketball) made a (coaching) change. John Calipari leaves for Arkansas. Kentucky does a coaching search and they made that announcement on a Sunday. It has been pedal to the metal around here for the last couple of months. Let’s just say the Sunday night after the PGA Championship, I’m really looking forward to that.”
