KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — If the world’s best player can’t handle The Ocean Course in strong wind, imagine the problems for a club pro. Doug Wade found out firsthand Friday, shooting a 21-over 93 to finish a shot shy of the record high score at the PGA Championship.
The 33-year-old Wade shot an 11-over 83 in his first major championship round Thursday. Hopes of improving were blown away by gusty conditions, and he started six over on his first six holes in the second round.
Wade, the club pro at Miami Valley Golf Club in Dayton, Ohio, dreamed of lasting the weekend on Kiawah Island. After making a par on the 13th, he decided to change his mindset and enjoy the walk. After all, not everyone gets to play in the PGA Championship.
He finished with a 45 on the front nine, and his struggles continued on the back with consecutive triple bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes. That’s when Wade wandered near record-setting territory and the record of 94, a distinction shared by Gary Campbell in 1977 and Tom Dolby in 2002.
