Here are the top 10 finishers in last week’s PGA Championship, along with amount earned:

• 1, Y.E. Yang, South Korea, 73-70-67-70-280 (-8), $1,350,000
• 2, Tiger Woods, Windermere, FL, 67-70-71-75-283 (-5), $810,000
• T3, Lee Westwood, England, 70-72-73-70-285 (-3), $435,000
• T3, Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland, 71-73-71-70-285 (-3), $435,000
• 5, Lucas Glover, Simpsonville, SC, 71-70-71-74-286 (-2), $300,000
• T6, Martin Kaymer, Germany, 73-70-71-73-287 (-1), $233,125
• T6, Ernie Els, South Africa, 75-68-70-74-287 (-1), $233,125
• T6, Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark, 70-73-70-74-287 (-1), $233,125
• T6, Henrik Stenson, Sweden, 73-71-68-75-287 (-1), $233,125
• T10, John Merrick, Long Beach, CA, 72-72-74-70-288 (E), $150,633
• T10, Dustin Johnson, Myrtle Beach, SC, 72-73-73-70-288 (E), $150,633
• T10, Zach Johnson, St. Simons Island, GA, 74-73-70-71-288 (E), $150,633
• T10, Francesco Molinari, Italy, 74-73-69-72-288 (E), $150,633
• T10, Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland, 70-75-71-72-288 (E), $150,633
• T10, Padraig Harrington, Ireland, 68-73-69-78-288 (E), $150,633

The 2010 PGA Championship will be held across the border on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. The event runs from August 9-15, 2009.

Thanks to the PGA of America, I was issued press credentials for last week’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. You can check out the stories I wrote and the photos I took at the Golfing in Minnesota web site.

The whole experience was wonderful, yet very tiring. I have new respect for professional beat writers who travel week after week covering events like this. I also see how athletes could get sick of the same questions and demands over and over. It’s nice to make a living by playing a game, but I can see the negatives too.

It’s always nice when Minnesota is the center of attention and makes a good impression. Everyone seems to like Hazeltine for events like this and the only complaint I heard (the grass on the greens) is being addressed (the club will rip out everything and plant a new variety next year).

The 2016 Ryder Cup will be the next major golf event at Hazeltine – I think I need to set a new goal of becoming a Hazeltine member by then. Go big or go home, right?

The last of our photos from the 91st PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club have now been uploaded to the 7MM Photo Gallery.

Despite the one incident, it was a blast covering this event and I again want to thank the PGA of America for their support of local publishers.

On to the the 2016 Ryder Cup!

So who is Y.E. Yang? The 37-year-old South Korean was the last player listed in the Players’ Guide distributed in the Media Center, but may be the best player no one really knows:

• Ranked 110 in the official world rankings
• Won the 2009 Honda Classic
• Before today, earned $1,870,940.66 in 18 PGA events in 2009
• Has 5 victories on the Japan PGA Tour, 1 victory on the PGA European Tour and 2 on the Korean Tour
• Played on the PGA Tour the last three years, but had to earn his card at Q-school in 2007 and 2008
• Beat Tiger Woods once before at the 2007 HSBC Champions tournament
• Voted Korean PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1999
• Played in two previous PGA Championships: 2005 (T-47) and 2007 (MC)
• Lowest score on tour in 2009: 65
• Birthdate: January 15, 1972 (Jeju-do, Korea)
• Height: 5′ 8″ Weight: 195 pounds
• Turned professional in 1996; joined PGA Tour in 2007

I listened to Yang’s interpreter get interviewed before the round on the practice range and he said Y.E. speaks very little English and is shy. I’m sure he will be happy to work on that after this week!

So who had Y.E. Yang in the office pool? Congratulations Mr. Yang!

The second day of the tournament is in the books and Tiger looks pretty comfortable with that four shot lead. Here are some random thoughts from today:

• A neighbor said he saw a convoy of golf equipment semis driving east on I-94 in Woodbury on Wednesday. I checked today and all of the trucks by the range were indeed gone. PGA rule or logistics issue? Next week is Greensboro…
• Moving up the fourteenth tee was a great idea – everyone seemed to be going for it (with mixed success). 299 yards, with the wind.
• Ran into a few friends around the grounds today, including the very talented golf photographer Peter Wong. You’ll find his photos all over the official guidebook and programs.
• I also talked to Pioneer Press golf reporter Tad Reeve, who is such a wonderful writer. Both metro papers have relatively large groups on site this week (although about half the size of 2002).
• The long third and twelfth holes both played into a strong headwind today. I stood behind both tees and couldn’t imagine how I’d ever reach those greens in anything remotely close to regulation.
• Friday pictures are now available in the photo gallery.

There are some very interesting pairings for Saturday, with the first tee time at 7:31AM and the Tiger/Vijay final group at 1:40PM (all off of the first tee). Should be fun!

Shortly after lunch, I decided to stop in the interview room. The space wasn’t very crowded, but it seemed like people were waiting for something to happen. I picked a seat in the second row and was treated to back-to-back press conferences with Thursday’s leaders, Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington.

Tiger has taken some flack for his on-course temper getting the best of him (which he admits), but I was really impressed with the way he spoke to the media. Harrington also mentioned that later – he loves playing with Tiger because he is such a gentleman. That really came across while I sat there listening. Funny and sharp, too.

As for Harrington, I could listen to him talk all day long. His stories made me think of Minnesota’s golfing Irishman, Gerald McCullagh. I wonder if those two have ever met – wouldn’t that be a fun conversation!