Peter Finch has suggested the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla didn’t feel like a major venue after Xander Schauffele lifted the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday afternoon.
The American finished on 21-under-par, one shot clear of Bryson DeChambeau, who produced a brilliant final round, only to witness Schauffele produce a nerveless putt on the 18th to seal victory.
Valhalla was quickly dismantled by the world’s best, leading to many fans criticising the Louisville venue’s difficulty.
It’s also a sentiment shared by Finch.
Peter Finch makes major admission about Valhalla after PGA Championship
Speaking on his Rough Cut Podcast, Finch suggested Valhalla didn’t have a major championship feel at any point.
He explained: “It wasn’t a major venue. No way. It produced a very good leaderboard and some excitement because of the birdies that were going in, but it had almost zero jeopardy. These guys were struggling to have a bogey.
“There was no point where I thought one of them could make a double or have a really bad hole and drop shots.”
Finch went on to suggest the course was far too one-dimensional and that there was no jeopardy challenging the world’s best.
He added: “If you were going to win, it had to be birdie, birdie, birdie and just keep plugging away, which is good, but also makes it one-dimensional. It doesn’t make the challenge major-like for me.
“It didn’t feel like there was enough jeopardy or danger, but, that being said, it did produce a leaderboard that was pretty stacked, but for me, it didn’t feel like a major at any point.”
Much sterner test to come at Pinehurst No.2 in the U.S. Open
- READ MORE: Three players who proved they can win at Pinehurst No.2 after their performances at Valhalla
What’s to come at Pinehurst No.2 couldn’t be further from what the golfing world witnessed at the PGA Championship.
The North Carolina U.S. Open venue is 7500 yards of undulating waste area that will punish shots that are just off line.
Those with elite short games could have success in the year’s third major – and it’s a skill set that needs to be tested more often.
Ultimately, Finch is correct in his assessment. Major championships shouldn’t be won by making birdie after birdie. The most challenging tests in golf should have players walking off the course knowing they’ve had to battle for every single shot.
Unfortunately, Valhalla wasn’t a test in the slightest.
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