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Wind could be the key says Slam director

While the PGA Grand Slam is billed as an exhibition of exciting golf, that doesn't mean the players are going to be allowed to have it easy this week.

The only thing Kerry Haigh, the PGA's Managing Director of Tournaments and the man responsible for setting up the course for the two days of this week's event at Port Royal Golf Course, is concerned about is making it fair.

Other than that Angel Cabrera, Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink, and Y.E. Yang, will have to take their chances with the course, and the elements, just like anyone else.

And if the wind that has been howling around the Island for the last couple of days continues, it could be an interesting two days in the West End.

"Right now we're very pleased with the progress we've made and how the golf course is setting up to be played," said Haigh. "Certainly the last two or three days have been extremely windy, so we are keeping an eye on what we need to do there to make sure it's playable, and fair, which is a challenge when it's 30mph-plus winds.

"As for balance, I think the golf course and the weather will dictate that. We'll try and set it up so the players enjoy the challenge of the golf course, but it's set up fairly. If there is something you can do to make it a little exciting, then certainly we'll look to do that, but so much is going to depend on each morning on the wind, the strength and the direction.

"But there is no score that you have in mind when you set a course. You leave it up to the golf course and the weather, and if you can set it up so it's a nice, exciting, fair challenge then it is what it is."

According to forecasts the wind is likely to die down to a more managable 12-14 mph over the next couple of days, although still strong enough to give the players a few problems on certain holes.

Haigh has walked around the course on numerous occasions working out how conditions will effect where he puts tees and flags, but it is likely to be left until tomorrow morning before a final decision is made. There had been suggestions that the PGA would move certain tees to give players the chance to drive the green on some holes, but that too will all depend on the weather.

"The forecast right now is for it (the wind direction) to switch completely around from where it has been the last three days, so we'll wait and see how it is Tuesday morning," he said.

"It depends on the wind direction, if it turns 180 degrees, then the holes we were looking at could be different. I think that's why you have to adapt on the morning of the event. In your mind you have some ideas of what you need to do, but until you see what the weather is like that morning, is really when you can make that decision."

For Haigh though the one thing he can control is pin placement, and from the very first hole there is a variety about the course that he likes. While the difficult pin position is back left where the second shot is over water, front right is no easy shot either.

"There is a lot of options and variety, and looking at the holes I'm going to use there is a lot of variety," he said. "The front right one (on the first) is probably the more difficult, although it doesn't look it, because it is such a narrow area, and if you miss left you're in the water, and if you miss right you're in the bunker. And we'll probably use that location one of the days."