PGA notes: Overton tweets his bitterness

PITTSFORD, N.Y. - Jeff Overton ended up being first alternate at the PGA Championship. It was the first time since 2008 that he did not play in the final major of the year, and based on a series of tweets early Saturday morning, he wasn't happy about it.

One tweet mentioned the PGA Championship had two sponsor's invitations. "Who did you give your invites to? Not the guy that helped make you 50 million in Wales," he tweeted.

He followed that with two more shots at the PGA of America.

• "@PGAChampionship I'm just saying. Ill play ur political picks whenever for wherever."
• "So. In other words u help make a corporation 50 to 100 million dollars. 3 years later they put u on a chair n treat u like a piece of ..."

Overton eventually deleted the series of tweets.

He played in the Ryder Cup in 2010 at Wales - he remains the only American to play in the Ryder Cup who has never won on the PGA Tour - and won two matches. Overton received recognition that week for holing out from the fairway and excitedly screaming, "Boom, Baby!"

But in lowering the boom on the PGA of America, Overton didn't seem to look at his own performance. Not only has he never won on tour, he has plunged to No. 151 in the world. He is outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings. He has one top-10 finish this year - a tie for seventh at the Texas Open - and has finished outside the top 25 in all the rest.

15th hole location

The people have spoken. They want to see the flag on the 181-yard 15th hole at Oak Hill next to the water.

The PGA Championship tried to get fans involved this year by allowing them to choose the hole location on the 15th hole for the final round. They were given four choices, with Jack Nicklaus providing input on the differences in strategy of the four choices.

The PGA of America said more than 92,000 votes were cast on its website, Facebook and Twitter over the last 19 days.

The winner was "Hole Location C," which will be 25 yards on and 4 yards from the water on the right.

Nicklaus, who won the PGA at Oak Hill in 1980, approved of the selection. In fact, he went online and voted for "C" himself.

"Now, if I was in the field, I would look at a hole location like Option C and think, ‘No, no, no.' I would likely stay away from going at that," Nicklaus said. "Because Option C is the closest to the water, it's probably the most dangerous of the hole locations, especially if a player is trying to get it close. But that hole also gives a player an option if he wants to play conservatively, because there is plenty of room short left."

Rory's chip

Rory McIlroy's chip-in for birdie on the final hole was reminiscent of another great shot on the 18th at Oak Hill. Corey Pavin chipped in for birdie in the final fourballs match Saturday afternoon in the 1995 Ryder Cup that gave him and Loren Roberts a 1-up win over Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer. More importantly, it gave the Americans a 9-7 lead going into Sunday singles.

McIlroy is a great student of golf history, though that's one Ryder Cup highlight the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland has never seen.

Someone recommended he should watch it, and McIlroy turned and smiled.

"Who won that Ryder Cup, anyway?" he said.

Europe won the singles session and rallied to win the Ryder Cup.

Weather Journal

3 hours ago

1. 41-vehicle wreck ties up traffic Sunday on I-81 in Rockbridge County 

2. Virginia Tech football roster has holes on picture day

3. Medicare penalties hit hospitals in Roanoke, New River Valleys

4. Microfestivus beer event gets downtown Roanoke hopping 

5. McFarling: 2 little numbers are a big hurdle for Virginia Tech football 

6. DAN CASEY: Copter cost still stirring up dust

7. Arrest made in case of missing Nelson County teen

8. Roanoke farmers markets making local foods more accessible

9. Virginia attorney general's office grows under Ken Cuccinelli 

10. Man's drowning is 5th in Lynchburg area