Detroit Free Press golf writer Carols Monarrez lists his favorites for the PGA Championship in Oakland Hills, Michigan

Monarrez’ picks: Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jiminez, Robert Karlsson, Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Rocco Mediate, Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Brandt Snedeker and Lee Westwood.

John Huggan of the Scotsman thinks that the PGA Championship is the weakest of the four majors, lacking any real identity:

Let’s face it; the US PGA is lucky to be a major in the 21st century. Were the four quarters of what was once called the “Impregnable Quadrilateral” chosen again tomorrow, surely only two of today’s constituent parts would make the cut. Joining the two Opens, the PGA Tour’s flagship Players Championship and a travelling World Match Play Championship would better reflect the modern golfing world. A brace of majors in the United States, one in Great Britain and the fourth moving between the likes of Australia, South Africa and, the way things are going, China, is at least less biased than the status quo, three of the four majors played in the same country.

The PGA Championship at Oakland Hills next week will feature 97 of the top 100 players, making it the deepest field of the year.

Who needs that guy with the bum leg?

From a PGA Championship press release:

The 90th PGA Championship has received commitments from 97 of the world’s top 100 ranked players, the most for any major this year, continuing a tradition since 1994 of featuring golf’s strongest field in the Season’s Final Major.

The PGA Championship marks its third return to Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich., Aug. 4-10, with 69 international players representing 19 countries, the most of any U.S. major.

The Championship field features 10 past PGA Champions: Bob Tway (1986), John Daly (1991), Paul Azinger (1993), Steve Elkington (1995), Mark Brooks (1996), Davis Love III (1997), Vijay Singh (1998, 2004), David Toms (2001), Rich Beem (2002) and Phil Mickelson (2005).

Overall, 27 major Champions who have combined to win 36 majors will be part of the 156-player field: Azinger, Beem, Brooks, Angel Cabrera, Mark Calcavecchia, Michael Campbell, Fred Couples, Ben Curtis, Daly, Elkington, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Todd Hamilton, Padraig Harrington, Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard, Love, Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Corey Pavin, Singh, Toms, Tway and Mike Weir.

The international contingent is headed by Ireland’s Harrington, winner of the past two British Open Championships, and also features 10 of the 12 members of the 2004 European Ryder Cup Team that was triumphant at Oakland Hills Country Club. Eight members of the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup Team return, as well.

If you’re going to be at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills next week (I’ll be there), you might want to stop by the American Express pavilion. They’ve got a variety of activities, such as a mobile PGA Learning Center and complementary golf lessons. For American Express members, there are other perks. Read more after the jump:

Hopes in Michigan were high for the appearance of Greg Norman at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills. It would have gone a long way to filling the hole left by Tiger Woods.

It won’t happen, though. Norman has officially said “no thanks.”

“While I truly appreciate the PGA extending me an exemption for this year’s PGA Championship, I have elected to decline in favor of adhering to the professional and personal commitments I made prior to the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale,” Norman said on his Web site, http://www.shark.com. “I wish the PGA and Oakland Hills all the very best for what I’m sure will be a great week for golf.”