Preview - PGA Championship 2006

The last major of 2006 will be a big test for the world's top golfers as the PGA Championship returns on Thursday to a revamped Medinah Country Club that is the longest course ever to host a major.

World number one Tiger Woods, who won the 1999 PGA at Medinah, and defending PGA champion Phil Mickelson lead the 156-player field in the assault on the sprawling 7,561-yard, hilly, tree-lined course in a leafy suburb of Chicago.

The traditional parkland course, designed by Scot Tom Bendelow in 1928, has recently been renovated by Rees Jones, who rebuilt seven greens, redesigned 13 tee complexes and added 160 yards to the layout.

Despite the length, Woods does not expect to wear out his driver.

"I'm not going to hit that many drivers because it won't really allow me to," said Woods, who used his driver just once in winning last month's British Open at Royal Liverpool.

"Most of the holes are doglegged. Obviously I'd have to take driver up over the top of these tall trees and it doesn't make any sense."

Woods said he expects to use his driver on par fives and on a couple of long par fours when conditions permit.

Chris DiMarco, runner-up to Woods at the British Open, said the length of the layout was not daunting.

"Even though it says it's 7,561 yards, it's not playing that long, and you're actually able to hit some three woods off the tees and some iron shots," he said.

The waters of Lake Kadijah thread through many holes on the course, whose clubhouse building is patterned after a mosque.

Briton Luke Donald, who went to college nearby and has a home that is a 40-minute drive from the club, praised one of Medinah's shortest holes.

"Seventeen right now I think is a great hole," Donald said about the 197-yard hole played from an elevated tee. "It's a great par three.

"The green is very thin and runs from the front left to the back right. With the elevation change it's hard to judge the distance. You get a little bit of swirling wind out there and it can make that five-yard difference and you might come up short in the water."

Water is in play on three of the four par threes, including the massive 244-yard 13th.

World number two Mickelson, grouped with Woods and U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia for the first two days, said he was looking forward to playing the longer holes.

"I think the par fives work best because they are marginally reachable," he said about the four holes that range from the 537-yard fifth to the 605-yard 14th.

"They're reachable if you hit some really big tee shots. I like being able to go after the par fives and try to attack them and get on or near the putting surface and go after birdies."

South Africa's Ernie Els said you have to pick your spots to attack.

"It's got some length in it, obviously, but it's also got some scoring holes where you can try and be aggressive and try and make some birdies," the three-times major winner said.

The classic course, which also hosted three U.S. Opens including Hale Irwin's playoff victory in 1990, is not set up as harshly as the U.S. championship, offering more generous fairways and shorter rough.

"I think it's very straightforward. It's a bit like Winged Foot. Hit it in the fairway, middle of the greens," said Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who finished fifth at this year's U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

"The greens are quite small. It's very traditional and just a very fair and tough golf course."