Sponsored by:
It's a tradition in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship to group together the winners of the first three majors of the year. So this year's, ahem, stellar threesome is Zach Johnson (Masters), Angel Cabrera (US Open) and Padraig Harrington (British Open).
Not quite the media and fan frenzy that followed Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy last year. Yet the American, the Argentinian and the Irishman (sounds like the beginnings of a joke) have proved worthy first-time champions and a refreshing rage against the machine that is Tiger Woods. So what has life been like for the Virgin Class of 2007?
Harrington has bought 1,000 replica 18th hole flags from Carnoustie (that's $10,000, if you must know) and has also discovered that champions can buy up to three replica claret jugs for $36,000 each.
"As a first-time winner, I have no idea what I need," Harrington said. "I asked Zach what he did and someone told me that 500 flags was nowhere near enough for all the requests you get, so that's why I've ordered 1,000. And no, I don't have 1,00 friends," he laughed.
Harrington said he hasn't even had time to watch the highlights of his victory.
"It will probably be winter before I have time to do that," he said.
He has stopped sleeping with the claret jug at the bottom of his bed but the trophy now has a new place of honor at home.
"I just kept it on the breakfast table," he said. "Seeing it sitting there as you're having your tea and toast is very pleasing."
Life has pretty much stayed the same for the genial Cabrera since his victory at Oakmont in June.
"Golf has been growing in Argentina," he said, "but it is still ranked behind soccer, tennis, rugby and basketball."
Unlike Harrington, Cabrera hasn't bought any memorabilia but his sponsors obtained 750 flags for him to autograph, though he got tired after 150 and gave up.
Harrington admitted that he felt slightly disappointed not to be announced on the tee last week at Firestone as "the Open champion."
Johnson said that when he was introduced as Masters champion for the first time at Hilton Head, "I got goose bumps. I didn't know it was coming. It remains very cool, very special."
But Johnson said all the attention hasn't changed him as a person.
"I'm still in jeans and t-shirts and shorts," he said. "But the hardest thing that came along with that win was it was just overwhelming chaos at times. The amount of stuff we had to go through was mind-boggling. But I wouldn't want to change one second of it."
So is this year a fluke? Johnson believes too much has been made of the fact that they are all first-time major winners.
"Bottom line is that everybody's good," Johnson said. "It doesn't surprise me at all. You're going to hear more stories about guys that might be a little shocking, but when it comes down to it, anybody who has a good week can win. It's just a matter of executing when need be, and finishing it in the end."
