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The Atlantic oceanside layout can be stretched
to a monster 7,876-yards -- and the back nine to more than 4,000
-- though officials are likely to set it up somewhat shorter
each day by moving forward some of the tees on holes playing
into the wind.
The PGA of America will try to get threesomes around in four
hours, 47 minutes in the first two rounds, though former Masters
champion Adam Scott thinks that is an unrealistic expectation.
Kerry Haigh, the man in charge of course set-up for the PGA,
hopes that allowing distance-measuring devices to be used by
caddies for the first time will help speed up play.
But he is fully aware of the challenges in preventing rounds
from slowing to a snail's pace, especially if the wind blows as
strongly as forecast and causes players to spend more time than
usual trying to gauge club and shot selection.
"The length of the course itself on its own I don't think is
that big of an issue as if the wind blows," Haigh said.
"Obviously then it takes a little more time to determine clubs,
etcetera, but the distance-measuring devices will certainly help
that potentially.
"We'll be out monitoring the pace of play as we do every PGA
Championship and very hopeful that the pace will be reasonable."
The final tee time on Thursday and Friday is 2.42 p.m. local
(1842 GMT) while sunset is at 8.15 p.m., which suggests the late
starters won't have much daylight left by the time they finish.
"I think that's wishful thinking, as tricky as it's going to
be," said Australia's former world number one Scott when told
officials hoped for sub-five-hour rounds.
Weekend rounds will be played in twosomes and should be
considerably quicker.
(Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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