Gathering on the greens

Shaun Micheel, who returns to defend his US PGA title at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, was one of the major surprises of 2003. If Ben Curtis stunned the golf world with his British Open win, Micheel did the same by winning a Major at Oak Hill last year.

Since that win, life has changed for Micheel. He has been invited to all the major events around the world and has a five-year exemption to the Majors. He no longer needs to sweat over whether he will be able to keep the card at the end of the year like he used to earlier.

Before his win, he had to send in his Qualifying School application every year and played at the Q-School, which many believe is a far tougher tournament than the Majors.

Micheel was ranked 169th the week before he won the Major title but then went on to become the seventh player to clinch the PGA Championships on the first attempt. He struck a brilliant seven-iron on the final hole and tapped in for a birdie to win by two shots over Chad Campbell. It was only the third start in a Major for Micheel.

It was a hugely emotional moment for Micheel as he walked across the green to embrace his pregnant wife. A few months later in November, another major milestone occurred in his life "" he became a father.

Things have changed now. Micheel is the defending champion and all eyes will be on him, which he understands perfectly. In June this year, he made a special trip to the 7,597-yard Whistling Straits course and began preparing himself for the challenge on what becomes the longest course ever to stage a Major championship.

Micheel, with his PGA Tour victory, also became the fifth successive first-time Major winner; a number that, now on the eve of PGA Championships, stands at seven in eight "" the sole exception being Retief Goosen, winner of the 2004 US Open.

This year, even as Micheel is enjoying the status of a defending champion of one of the Majors, it has also been a modest year with just over $790,000 in earnings and a 61st place on the Money List. His best finish has been ninth at the Players Championships.

Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, missed the cut as he attempted to defend his title, and Micheel would certainly not want to follow Curtis' footsteps. Yet, he would be the first to admit that a successive win is a tough proposition.

What about the other Major contenders at the PGA Championships? Tiger Woods, a perennial favourite, would naturally head the list even though he has not won any of the last nine Majors.

While Phil Mickelson is having his greatest year with one win (Masters) and one second (US Open) and one third (British Open) in three Majors. Ernie Els, who has been close to winning at each of the three Majors but slipped in the final stages, is continuing to narrow the gap between him and Woods in the World Golf Rankings.

Vijay Singh, after dethroning Tiger from the Money List, threatened to do something similar but has failed at the Majors. But Singh seems to be back in the reckoning with the Buick Open win at a star-studded field that included Tiger last week.

Meanwhile, the US Open Champion Retief Goosen had to withdraw from this week's $5 million International at Castle Pines following a jet-ski accident.

There is a possibility that the hip injury might force him to miss out the PGA Championships, which will be a pity at a time when he's emerging from the shadows of his better-known South African counterpart, Ernie Els.

Australian legend Greg Norman has also been invited for the PGA Championships. The winner of British Open in 1986 and 1993 has also been a runner-up in the other three Majors. At 49, it just may be his last appearance in a Major. In his 22 previous appearances at the PGA, Norman has twice finished second.

In 1986, he was edged out when Bob Tway holed out from a bunker on the 72nd hole. In 1993, he narrowly missed a winning putt and Paul Azinger beat him in a playoff.

Is there any challenge from Asia? Korean K J Choi was third at the Masters this year and fellow Korean Hur Suk-ho has won twice in Japan this year. They will together lead the Asian challenge along with Asian Tour No 1 Thongchai Jaidee, who has also got an invite.

Besides, Asians may consider defending champion Micheel as one of their own. Micheel played on the Asian circuit in the 1990s and even won the Singapore Open once.

Sadly for Indian fans, there will be no Indian element at the PGA. But maybe things will change in the near future.

So, will the last Major of the year once again toss up a first-time Major winner? Watch and find out.