Aug. 22--Rob Moss fully understood the circumstances and the competition.
That made it easier for him to find perspective about assembling two rounds well above par and being saddled with one of the worst finishes in his career.
Moss, 41, a former Kent State standout, qualified for the 92nd PGA Championship played last weekend at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wis. In one of the four majors of the year, Moss missed the cut and finished in a tie for 141st place in the field of 156 with rounds of 78 and 77 for a 36-hole score of 11-over 155.
Still, Moss cherished the time to compete against the best players in the world on such a public stage.
"It was a great experience, very rewarding," said Moss, the head professional at Pepper Pike Club in suburban Cleveland. "It was great to have a front-row seat to watch players of that caliber. And the crowds were big, very welcoming and very supportive. I just wish my peers could have had a week like I just had."
Moss, one of nine players ever to have won three or more Ohio Open championships, qualified for the tournament by finishing in a tie for 11th place in the PGA Professional National Championships in June at French Lick (Ind.) Resort. He was one of 20 club pros to advance to Whistling Straits.
He made the nine-hour drive there with his wife, their three children and good friend and caddie Andy Dorman, among others. He walked the course with a local caddie Aug. 8, and played practice rounds Aug. 9 and 10 (the latter with former Kent State All-American and 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis).
His initial impression of Whistling Straits, with a taxing yardage of 7,514 and 1,200 bunkers, was one of amazement.
"I have never played a place like that. It's so intimidating off the tee," said Moss, a three-time All-Mid-American Conference honoree (1988-90) with the Golden Flashes of coach Herb Page. "And the bunkers are everywhere. Some were 3 feet by 3 feet and some had 15-foot faces.
"There are a lot of blind shots. You have to trust the lines you pick out. You have to do your homework in the practice rounds."
Moss also qualified for the PGA Championship in 2005 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., missing the cut with rounds of 74 and 72.
He was paired with club pros that year, but this time played both rounds with touring pros Charles Howell III and France's Gregory Bourdy.
Moss enjoyed their company and had an added bonus, because Howell's caddie is Henry Diana, an old friend and opponent of Moss when they were growing up in Cleveland.
"I have known him since we were 8 or 9. He is a great player in his own right. That was nice to have him there," Moss said. "And the two players were very supportive. It was a great experience to be paired with them."
The tournament itself became an exercise in frustration -- and not just because of the difficulty of the course.
The opening two rounds were delayed because of heavy fog off Lake Michigan. In the first round, he was scheduled to tee off at 8:50 a.m. and actually started at noon. In the second round, he was supposed to start at 2:05 p.m., but actually got going at 6:15 p.m. He only finished four holes before play was suspended and finished the final 14 holes on Aug. 14.
Moss birdied two of his first four holes in the first round but later had three double bogeys for the 78. Strong winds in the second round left him at 3 over in the four holes he finished. He played the final 14 holes in 2 over the next day for the 77.
"I putted extremely well. But the course is not set up for me. It's far too long," said Moss, who had a gallery of about 20 family members and friends. "There were three par-4s that I could not reach in 2."
Moss was on his way home during the final round when Martin Kaymer of Germany won it and American Dustin Johnson lost any chance to win when he received a 2-stroke penalty on the final hole for grounding his club in a bunker.
Johnson said he did not realize the area was considered a sand trap, because fans had been walking on it all week.
Moss, though, said players were reminded repeatedly that areas like that were considered bunkers.
"That was very clear to all the players. There were notices in the locker room and on the first and 10th tees," Moss said. "I feel terrible for Dustin Johnson, but, in fact, he grounded his club in a sandy area."
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