PGA Championship: 5 storylines to watch at Bethpage Black

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Moving the PGA Championship to May for the first time in 70 years hasn't gone well so far at Bethpage Black on Long Island.

On Sunday, more than a half-inch of rain fell from the skies. Monday, the high didn't reach 50, and afternoon rains took a toll on practice rounds. Tuesday, the high is expected to be 50. And that comes after overnight rains dump more water on the drenched brute.

But a dry spell is on its way - at least that's what the forecast says - and the atmosphere for the second major of the year should certainly warm up the place. After Justin Thomas' withdrawal Monday, 99 of the top 100 players in the world are in the field. And one of those players is Tiger Woods, who comes off his electrifying Masters victory.

Oh, and the rabid New Yorkers will be filling the galleries.

The Black, playing to a par of 70 and stretching out north of 7,400 yards, will greet the players each day like a jab to the face. It's held two previous majors - the 2002 U.S. Open, won by Woods, who was the only player to break par for 72 holes; and the 2009 U.S. Open, won by Lucas Glover at 4 under as only five broke par.

It's gloomy now at Bethpage Black, but this major should have a lively end.

Here are a few of the storylines to watch.

What will Tiger do?
If he plays like he has in the last three majors, he'll be right there come Sunday. He finished in a tie for sixth in the British Open after taking the lead to the back nine on Sunday, was second in the PGA Championship and won the Masters. Combined, he was 32-under par in the three majors - three shots better than any other player.

If his iron play holds, he'll be right there come Sunday. This season, he's hit 75.6 percent of his greens in regulation. His best GIR in his career came in 2000 at 75.2 percent. That year, he won nine times, including the year's last three majors.

Eighteen - Jack Nicklaus' record haul in majors - is in play as Woods won his 15th in April at Augusta National. Woods is in good spirits, is fresh after a four-week break, and is still riding a high after winning a green jacket and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump.

Koepka ready for defense
Brooks Koepka will defend titles in two consecutive majors - this week at Bethpage Black and next month in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He comes to Long Island off a fourth-place finish in the AT&T Byron Nelson. He finished in a tie for second to Woods in the last major. He's won three of the last seven majors he's played. He's long, he's strong and he sure looks ready to give a stout title defense.

Easy finish?
The par-4, 411-yard 18th - a downhill shot to a flat fairway up to an elevated green - hasn't exactly struck fear in the players in two previous majors and two FedExCup events played on the Black. It just hasn't stood in line with the previous 17 holes, which basically beat the best golfers in the world to a pulp.

"With the 18th there, it's like, 'All right, we've put you through enough trouble today. Thanks for coming,'" Rickie Fowler said.

An iron off the tee and a short iron into the green? That's not how major championships are supposed to end. But this year may be different. Two new fairway bunkers are in play and the fairway has been re-contoured in hopes of forcing more players to hit driver off the tee.
Forecast warms up after soggy start
Biting cold and more rain formed a miserable Monday as many of the players arrived for the 101 st edition of the PGA Championship. Biting cold is expected on Tuesday. And then? A warming trend will dry things up as temps are expected to reach highs in the mid-60s the rest of the week with little precipitation in the offing. The course will still play extremely long. It just won't play as wet. But then again, the forecast can change.

Three brutes and one beauty
The longer holes get most of the attention - the par-4 seventh, the par-4 15 th, the par-4 16 th, for instance - but the shortest holes will surely get the attention of the players. Only the 14 th, at 161 yards, will likely play shorter than 200 yards and offers one of the few scoring opportunities coming home. No. 3 could be stretched to 230 yards, No. 8 201 yards, and the uphill 17 th 207 yards. The only water hazard rests in front of the green at the eighth hole. A serious collection of short holes.