No one was happier than the University of Louisville’s Kenny Klein when Rory McIlroy finally tapped in that three-foot putt at 8:43 p.m. as darkness engulfed the course.
Klein, UofL’s sports information director, was serving as local media coordinator for the PGA Championship at Valhalla. Had a playoff been required or the last round was shut down early because of darkness, he had a schedule conflict on his hands.
Additional play on Monday at Valhalla would have put a serious cramp in the annual Press Box Classic, scheduled six miles down the road at the University of Louisville Golf Course in Simpsonville.
The event is an invitational scramble for local media members and bloggers, as well as Tom Jurich and numerous UofL coaches and personalities — with a tee off time of 10:15 a.m. A chance to eat, greet and mingle in a fun event.
A large percentage of the participants in the Press Box Classic, including Klein, would have been at Valhalla interviewing or videotaping PGA players, making it virtually impossible for many media members to have participated.
This year’s Press Box Classic allows UofL to showcase the many improvements that have made at the University’s newest athletic facility acquired from a private group in 2013. Monday’s event was the first time that all 18 holes had re-opened after extensive renovations this summer.
Kenny Klein wouldn’t want to miss that opportunity.