5 storylines as PGA makes long-awaited return to Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course

Almost nine years later, the PGA of America and the world’s best golfers are back. No way they could stay away from Kiawah Island for too long.

Breath-taking beauty and the genius of architect Pete Dye make the Ocean Course the perfect stage for a major golf championship — the PGA Championship, in this case.

A different time of year and a mostly different cast of competitors interject an aura of mystery in the 2021 competition that begins Thursday. This venture into the unknown creates an air of anticipation, offering questions that must await answers.

The guy who left the field in the dust in the 2012 PGA, Rory McIlroy, returns. And he won a tournament his last time out after 18 months of wandering in golf’s wilderness. Most of the big names will be seeing this treasure by the sea for the first time this week. And the course plays differently this time of year compared to 2012’s August sizzle.

And all that means ... what?

Potential story lines abound. Here are a handful to ponder in looking toward the quest for the Wanamaker Trophy.

Is Rory McIlroy really back?

In the days prior to the stoppage of play caused by the coronavirus outbreak, Rory McIlroy looked like the young Rory who ran away with the 2012 PGA at Kiawah. “Poetry in motion,” CBS announcer Jim Nantz said of McIlroy’s 2012 swing in a pre-tournament interview.

But McIlroy struggled after play resumed in June. For one thing, he fell prey to searching for more speed in his swing after Bryson DeChambeau’s clinic in the U.S. Open. He missed the cut in both the Players and the Masters.

He snapped his victory drought in Charlotte earlier in May, suggesting he could be set for another “Rory Run.” Is he?

What about Dustin Johnson?

This will be a “home” tournament for South Carolina native Dustin Johnson, but which version of the world’s top-ranked player will show up? He fashioned one of those unbelievable streaks on his way to a record-smashing victory in the 2020 Masters, moved to November by the pandemic.

Since? He won in Saudia Arabia, but his PGA Tour performances have been rather pedestrian — or worse. His last six starts look like this: T54, T48, 28, missed cut (in the Masters), T13 and T48. He withdrew from the just-completed Byron Nelson tourney, citing knee discomfort.

Is there precedent? Maybe. Last summer after winning the Travelers, he shot 80-80 in the Memorial and withdrew from the 3M after an opening 78. Back pain, he said. Then, he began a T12, T2, 1, 2, 1 streak in winning the Tour Championship — and later the Masters.

Wither this week?

Another career grand slam?

On Feb. 1, this would have been too far-fetched to consider. Jordan Spieth completing the career grand slam with a PGA win? Perish the thought.

Yes, his career had fallen that far. Since finishing second in the FedEx Cup standings in 2017, he had dropped to 31, 44 and 107 in the season-long performance chart.

And then, he began to look more like the player who has a Masters, U.S. Open and Open championship on his resume. Beginning with the Phoenix tournament, he has a win — his first since the 2017 Open — and seven top-10s in his last nine starts.

Can he join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen on the list of players to have victories in the four major professional championships?

Which way will the wind blow?

The Ocean Course’s defense comes from the wind, which can come from any direction, and that creates “different” golf courses.

In the 1991 Ryder Cup, the wind blew from the southeast in practice rounds and turned around to come from the northwest in competition. Players used 7 or 8 irons on the par-3 No. 14 in practice rounds and needed 2 and 3 irons a day later.

Assuming the wind comes off the Atlantic Ocean, players will face left-to-right wind from holes 6 through 13, and “that’s the hardest wind for a right-handed player,” former U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange said. “It’s hard to aim left and trust the ball to come back onto the fairway. ... Then you turn around at 14 and you have to adjust for the wind from another direction.”

Added Andy North, another former U.S. Open winner who will join Strange on the ESPN television coverage: “In that left-to-right wind, you do that four, five, six holes in a row and your golf swing can get really messed up. If it’s blowing 15, 20 miles an hour, it’s hard to execute shots. It’s hard to keep your balance.”

Will the players encounter a different course every day?

What’s Bryson DeChambeau’s plan?

Bryson DeChambeau used power and strength to dominate in the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, and his driving distances set records practically every week. What’s his plan for the Ocean Course? Dial back for the sake of accuracy and play bombs away?

“It will be fun to see how he attacks the golf course,” North said.

If he plays bombs away, he gives up accuracy, and trouble lurks for the wayward driver.

Fans might want to see the DeChambeau who attempted to drive a par-5 green at the Arnold Palmer tournaments. At the Ocean Course? “When you’re launching it up there and it stays I the air for eight, nine seconds, the wind is going to affect it at some point in time,” North said. “Judging that is going to be difficult.”

Will he change this week?

2021 PGA championship TV and streaming info

▪ Where: The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort at Kiawah Island, South Carolina

▪ TV: 1-7 pm Thursday-Friday (ESPN), then 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ESPN) and 1-7 pm Saturday-Sunday (CBS)

▪ Streaming: ESPN.com, CBSSports.com and the ESPN app