Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesJordan Spieth looks on from the 18th green during the second round of the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational.The modern career Grand Slam in men's golf is something that has only been achieved by five golfers: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. If you didn’t know this by now, you certainly will have it memorized within 30 minutes of watching this year’s PGA Championship. That’s because most all of the attention will be on Jordan Spieth as he attempts to become the youngest player to join this elite group. How does Spieth’s pursuit of history compare with those who came before him? Here’s a look back at the five who did it — and the five others who came close, but never (“haven’t” in the case of one) quite got there.
THE “BIG” FIVE
Gene Sarazen
Major titles: 7 — PGA Championship (3), U.S. Open (2), Masters (1), British Open (1)
Attempts needed to complete Grand Slam: 2
The Squire’s “shot heard ‘round the..

Jamie SchwaberowIt’s tricky business playing with a large lead, or at least trickier than one might think. Norman Xiong now knows this from experience. The rising sophomore at the University of Oregon can happily say he won the 115th Western Amateur title on Saturday at Skokie (Ill.) Country Club in 22 holes over Clemson’s Doc Redman. But only after watching a 4-up lead through nine holes and 3-up edge with four holes to play disappear.
Safely becoming the first 72-hole stroke-play medalist in the championship to earn the match-play title since Chris Williams in 2012, Xiong claimed he never once believed he actually had the victory over Redman locked away. On the contrary, the 18-year-old from Canyon Lake, Calif., admitted to becoming more nervous.
“After 16, I started to feel it,” said Xiong, who was named the national freshman of the year in 2017 after enrolling in Eugene only in January. “I got a little more nervous, a little more tense. Before that, I was loose. Doc and I had fun o..

Sam GreenwoodAKRON, OH – AUGUST 05: Zach Johnson reacts on the 18th green during the third round of the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club South Course on August 5, 2017 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)Firestone Country Club's South Course is a bomber's paradise, one that has generally rewarded long hitters during its time as host site of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. It's produced winners like Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who has won the event eight times. Yet it is Zach Johnson, ranked 141st on tour in driving distance, who found himself at the top of the leader board alongside Belgium's Thomas Pieters on Saturday. They're tied for the 54-hole lead at nine-under 201.
Johnson, 41, rode a hot putter throughout his round of five-under 65, beginning on the par-4 first hole, where he rolled in a 17-footer for birdie. The two-time major champ holed seven more birdie putts, includin..

FacebookPinterestKenny Smith – PA ImagesKorea's I.K. Kim plays her approach to the 17th hole during the third round of the 2017 Ricoh Women's British Open at Kingsbarns Golf Links. (Photo by Kenny Smith/PA Images via Getty Images)

So much for that theory. With the wind rising, the rain falling and the temperature dropping just as overnight leader I.K. Kim stepped onto the first tee for the third round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open, it looked as if the early rounds shot by past-champions Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis would catapult the pair back into contention.
Park’s 64 had taken her to ten-under par, with Lewis one back after her 65. Kim’s lead – and her 11-under par total – looked vulnerable, especially if conditions continued to worsen.
As it turned out, they didn’t. In fact, the weather mostly improved. But that break from above takes nothing away from Kim’s performance. The 29-year old South Korean shot a bogey-free 66, converting a string of birdie putts. With one ro..