Thursdayshots_001
The lights of the shop were the only things illuminating the early-morning sky Thursday.
The lights of the shop were the only things illuminating the early-morning sky Thursday.
Limited light made shooting in-focus photos this early in the morning a chore, but another, better-lit shot of the shop and the equipment before it is rolled out for the day.
Jason Grode, the first assistant superintendent on the Lower Course, works on the assignment board for Thursday morning's duties.
Mark Kuhns, CGCS chats with members of the maintenance team before the start of Thursday's morning meeting.
Kuhns has been equal parts team leader and team cheerleader this week, taking time to compliment and encourage staff members, whether at the maintenance facility or on the course.
The full golf course management team gathers just prior to the start of Thursday morning's meeting.
Upper Course head superintendent Scott Bosetti and Kuhns prepare for Thursday morning's meeting.
Bosetti began Thursday morning's meeting with a simple declaration -- "It's game day."
The golf course management team swarms the first hole. That is Kuhns in the center of the photo in the red shirt. I climbed one of the TV towers to get this shot.
With the sun beginning to peak its head over the horizon, Kuhns checks on the progress of work on the fifth green.
One of my favorite photos of the day -- this is a greensmower at work on the fifth green.
With the sun in the background, Kuhns goes over the details with two crew members at No. 5.
The fine art of pin placement is displayed here, as this worker carefully works to repair yesterday's hole location at No. 14 with the plug from today's.
Placing pins at a major championship is a far more exacting task than normal. Note all of the tools used by this staff member as he places the pin at No. 14.
Permanent proof of the longest hole in major championship history -- the tee marker on the championship tee box at No. 17.
If you didn't believe the permanent tee marker, this temporary one for the PGA backs it up.
This is the tee shot players will be facing at No. 17. The bunker on the left side of this photo, far in the background, is 280 yards from this spot.
Just minutes after the first groups of the day had teed off Nos. 1 and 10, Bosetti checks out the rough off No. 16 green.
Kuhns made an appearance on the "Sprint Pre-Game Show" on The Golf Channel Thursday afternoon.
Lights, camera, action! Kuhns appeared along with (from right to left) Frank Nobilo, Mark Lye and Steve Sands.
