Despite finishing tied 64th, I wasn’t too unhappy with my outing at last week’s World Golf Championship-Bridgestone Invitational. However, it will be a completely different matter at the PGA Championship, the fourth and final Major of the season, which is being played at the Hazeltine National in Minnesota this week.

At Akron, where Tiger Woods won a superb battle with Padraig Harrington to win his second title in as many weeks, I was playing after a long break as I recuperated from the inter-costal muscle injury. I wasn’t expecting too much from my game. I knew the rust of not touching a club for almost two weeks was bound to show.

However, I thought I did pretty well, at least in the first three rounds. And then I had a terrible round of six-over 76 on the final day. But I am not too bothered by the scores and I think I am playing well enough to do a repeat of my top-10 finish in the PGA Championship last year.

One of the reasons this year’s PGA Championship assumes even more significance for me is because I am currently 11th on the International team standing for next month’s Presidents Cup. A good result would secure a top-10 place and an automatic qualification. I have already stated my intense desire to be a part of this great event and experience the biennial team championship – our version of the Ryder Cup. Hopefully, I will seal issue and not have to depend on a call from captain Greg Norman.

At 7,674 yards, Hazeltine National will have the longest course in history of Major championships. There are three par-5 holes in excess of 600 yards, so it does not take a genius to deduce that your long game, especially drives off the tee, needs to be in great shape this week. And obviously, one needs to be prepared to face a few long putts here and there.

Even though defending champion Harrington showed welcome return to form by virtue of finishing second at Bridgestone, Tiger will start as the overwhelming favourite. It is a tough task to win three tournaments in a row, but if there is one golfer who can do it, it is Tiger.

Apart from the PGA Championship, the other big thing this week in the world of golf is a possible step closer to becoming an Olympic sport if we are short-listed by the IOC. I am hoping they do agree on golf and that we also get the votes in the next phase. For most Asian countries including India, golf becoming an Olympic sport will be a huge boost.

Here’s hoping for the best – both for golf, and for me personally.