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Lavish praise from Tiger Woods isn't enough to make Jason Day satisfied with his lone major championship victory.

It's been three years since the Australian star broke through at the 2015 US PGA Championship, but Day admits he demands more from his rare talent.

"I do," Day told AAP on Tuesday.

"You always do, that's human nature.

"If you win two majors, it tells you the first one wasn't a fluke; even though the way I won the PGA definitely wasn't a fluke."

At Wisconsin's Whistling Straits course, Day became the first major winner to finish with a 72-hole total of 20-under-par.

Close friend and mentor Woods, a 14-time major champion, says winning one of golf's four big trophies is a remarkable accomplishment given Day's cruel upbringing.

The Queenslander was being physically beaten by father Alvin before he died of cancer during Day's youth.

"Well, it's not easy to win major championships," Woods said.

"He should be very proud that he was able to win a major after having a family.

"Plus, the struggles and things he had to endure during his upbringing, he has fought tooth and nail to get to where he's at."

Yet 30-year-old Day refuses to rest on his laurels, despite a career boasting 12 US PGA Tour titles, including two this year, as well as a long stint at world No.1.

Day's closest calls have come at the PGA Championship, finishing second by a shot to Jimmy Walker during his title defence in 2016, before sharing ninth behind winner Justin Thomas last year.

But they aren't the reason Day is desperate to hoist the trophy at Missouri's Bellerive Country Club this week.

"It's not so much the close calls driving me, it's more so the recent stuff that's happened and that I'm trying to win my second major," Day said, in reference to missed opportunities to win last week's WGC-Bridgestone and the Players Championship in May.

"It's great to win one and be classed as a major champion, but I want to do it multiple times in my career.

"I want to try and win the grand slam in my career (all four majors), but mind you I would take 10 PGA Championships if that's what it had to be.

"I've played very poorly over the past two years in majors, so I'm hungry to get back on top of that and try to get a win."

WHO TO WATCH AT THE 2018 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

JASON DAY (AUS) Age: 30 World ranking: 10 US PGA Tour wins: 12 Best in a major: Win (2015 PGA Championship) US PGA Championships played: 8 (6 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: 1 (2015) Odds: $21

Why he can win: He's in hot form this year with two US PGA Tour victories. Since his 2015 PGA Championship victory he's finished second and tied ninth in the major.

Why he might not: Uncharacteristic lack of confidence with the putter. Statistically the best on tour, Day endured a poor display on the greens at last week's WGC event.

MARC LEISHMAN (AUS) Age: 34 World ranking: 18 US PGA Tour wins: 3 Best in a major: T2 (2015 British Open) US PGA Championships played: 7 (6 cuts made). Best PGA Championship: T12 (2013) Odds: $56

Why he can win: Hunger. Leishman has had several close calls on the PGA Tour this year without winning and not got the job done after a multiple-win 2017 season.

Why he might not: His driver. PGA Championships are typically won by great drivers of the ball and Leishman will need to be red-hot from the tee.

CAMERON SMITH (AUS) Age: 24 World ranking: 49 US PGA Tour wins: 1 Best in a major: T4 (2015 US Open) US PGA Championships played: 2 (1 cut made) Best PGA Championship: T25 (2015) Odds: $176

Why he can win: Growing credentials at the majors. Smith stormed home for a T5 at this year's Masters.

Why he might not: Length. Smith is only above average for driving distance on the PGA Tour and could be outdone by the bombers at Bellerive Country Club.

ADAM SCOTT (AUS) Age: 38 World ranking: 76 US PGA Tour wins: 13 Best in a major: Win (2013 Masters) US PGA Championships played: 17 (13 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: Tied third (2006) Odds: $91

Why he can win: Ball striking. Scott is one of the best in the world at the long game and PGA Championships tend to favour the bigger hitters.

Why he might not: Form and sharpness in contention - it's been more than two years since Scott last lifted a trophy.

CRAIG HOCKNULL (AUS) Age: 43 World ranking: 2,042 US PGA Tour wins: 0 Best in a major: 2018 debut at PGA Championship US PGA Championships played: 0 Best PGA Championship: 2018 debut Odds: $2,501

Why he can win: There is absolutely no pressure on any of the 20 club pros who qualified through the PGA Professionals Championship.

Why he might not: He is not a tour player and is making his major debut.

DUSTIN JOHNSON (USA) Age: 34 World ranking: 1 US PGA Tour wins: 19 Best in a major: Win (2016 US Open) US PGA Championships played: 8 (6 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: T5 (2010) Odds: $9 (favourite)

Why he can win: The long-hitting American is seemingly back to his lethal best form, having won three times this year.

Why he might not: Burn out. Johnson won the Canadian Open two weeks ago and finished tied third at the WGC-Bridgestone.

JUSTIN THOMAS (USA) Age: 25 World ranking: 2 US PGA Tour wins: 9 Best in a Major: Win (2017 US PGA Championship) US PGA Championships played: 3 (3 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: Win (2017) Odds: $15

Why he can win: The defending champion is fresh off a dominant, four-shot win at the WGC-Bridgestone.

Why he might not: The come down from his emotional WGC win with his grandparents in the gallery may be an obstacle.

BROOKS KOEPKA Age: 28 World ranking: 4 US PGA Tour wins: 3 Best in a major: 2 wins (2017 and 2018 US Open) US PGA Championships played: 5 (5 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: T4 (2016) Odds: $21

Why he can win: Comfortable winning at golf's major level, successfully defending his US Open title this year.

Why he might not: Nobody has won multiple majors in the same year since Jordan Spieth in 2015.

RORY McILROY (NIR) Age: 29 World ranking: 5 US PGA Tour wins: 14 Best in a major: 4 wins (2011 US Open; 2012, 2014 PGA Championship; 2014 British Open) US PGA Championships played: 9 (8 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: Win (2012, 2014) Odds: $13

Why he can win: He is a two-time PGA Champ and a phenomenal driver of the ball.

Why he might not: Putting. McIlroy is a streaky putter, which doesn't bode well for a course he hasn't previously competed on.

FRANCESCO MOLINARI Age: 35 World ranking: 6 US PGA Tour wins: 2 Best in a Major: Win (2018 British Open) US PGA Championships played: 9 (9 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: T2 (2017) Odds: $31

Why he can win: Has won twice on the PGA Tour this year, including a breakthrough major at Carnoustie last month.

Why he might not: Molinari is a shorter hitter and may be outdone by big hitters like Johnson and Thomas.

JORDAN SPIETH (USA) Age: 25 World ranking: 8 US PGA Tour wins: 11 Best in a major: 3 wins (2015 Masters; 2015 US Open, 2017 British Open) US PGA Championships played: 5 (3 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: Second (2015) Odds: $21

Why he can win: Desire. Spieth will be driven by the chance to complete the career grand slam with a maiden PGA Championship title.

Why he might not: Confidence. Spieth hasn't won a tournament since the British Open last year.

TIGER WOODS (USA) Age: 42 World ranking: 51 US PGA Tour wins: 79 Best in a major: 14 Wins (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005 Masters; 2000, 2002, 2008 US Open; 2000, 2005, 2006 British Open; 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007 US PGA Championship) US PGA Championships played: 18 (15 cuts made) Best PGA Championship: Win (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007) Odds: $26

Why he can win: He is a four-time PGA Champ who has been contending this year, including a tie for sixth at the British Open.

Why he might not: Rust under the pump. In his injury comeback, Woods has stumbled on the home stretch when in contention.

Jason Day believes his high-profile US PGA Championship grouping with Phil Mickelson can boost his quest for a second major title this week.

Former world No.1 Day is well used to marquee pairings and the enormous crowds the game's biggest drawcards attract.

Last week played his way into weekend contention at the WGC-Bridgestone while alongside Tiger Woods in the opening rounds before fading to tie for 10th on Sunday.

This week Day, the 2015 US PGA Championship winner, will be beside five-times major champion Mickelson and 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley at Missouri's Bellerive Country Club.

During his title defence in 2016, Day was paired with Mickelson for the first two days at Baltusrol and eventually finished runner-up to Jimmy Walker by one shot.

The Queenslander hopes it can help him go one better this time.

"I'm looking forward to playing with Phil," Day told AAP.

"I remember playing with him at Baltusrol (in 2016); he always brings a big crowd.

"But when you have a big crowd, it forces you to focus in a lot more, so I'm happy about that."

Fellow Australian Adam Scott has also been assigned a marquee group, joining fellow two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson and world No.1 Dustin Johnson.

Former world No.1 Scott hopes playing 36 holes with two of the best drivers of the golf ball - who each have three US Tour titles this year - rubs off on him after a poor display from the tee at the WGC-Bridgestone.

"I need to hit fairways; I had 20-footers for par for more of last week than I'd like because I was constantly playing out of the rough," Scott said.

"I was hoping for a better result at Firestone because my game was looking good at the (British) Open.

"I've got a big stretch of golf coming up, starting at the PGA.

"But I'm putting good, so I just need to get the ball in play and then I'll be fine."

Fellow Queenslander Cameron Smith will play alongside Peter Uihlein and Ryan Armour, while Marc Leishman will join Tommy Fleetwood and Japan's Satoshi Kodaira.

Australian Craig Hocknull, a US-based club pro who was one of 20 to qualify through the PGA Professionals Championship, will play with Austin Cook and Alexander Bjork.

Three-times major champion Jordan Spieth can achieve the 'Career Grand Slam' at this week's PGA Championship, the final major of the year, but the American is just as likely to deliver his latest memorable near miss.

Spieth arrives at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis needing a victory to become only the sixth player to win all four modern majors - joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

The 25-year-old Spieth has made a habit of etching his name next to the giants of the game, and his path to golf's elite club has been all kinds of spectacular.

Last month's Open Championship at Carnoustie provided the latest glimpse into Spieth's brilliance and flaws.

He charged to the top and held a share of the lead entering the final round, only to disintegrate into the Scottish links with a five-over-par 76 that dropped him well out of contention.

Somehow, though, the experience left Spieth more inspired than discouraged.

"I believe that my best golf has yet to come, absolutely," he said.

"Even better than (2015), all that, yeah. It's all there, and it's moving in the right direction. So I'm actually very pleased coming out of this week."

To anyone other than Spieth himself, he seems a great distance from his hallmark 2015 form when he captured the Masters and US Open, finished tied for fourth at the Open Championship and was runner-up at the PGA.

Last week's outing at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational saw Spieth finish tied for 60th and added to a season of inconsistency.

It has now been more than a year since he recorded a PGA Tour victory.

The 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale was Spieth's last triumph and a keen reminder of his mercurial golf, after he squandered a three-shot lead in four holes only to channel his most sublime play to seize the Claret Jug.

The 2016 Masters is the flipside for Spieth - he let slip a five-shot lead on the back nine during a collapse that echoed far beyond the reach of Augusta National.

Dustin Johnson is the favourite to win the PGA Championship this week at Bellerive Country Club where the long hitters will be at home in the final major of the year.

A course stretching to 7547 yards, wide fairways and soft greens will give the big bombers the advantage they did not always enjoy at last month's Open Championship on the parched fairways at Carnoustie.

Johnson, fellow Americans Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka, Englishmen Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy and Australian Jason Day loom as the main contenders.

Less likely to triumph but sure to attract plenty of attention all the same, are Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth, who can achieve the 'Career Grand Slam'.

Woods did not play well in Akron last week and Bellerive is not really up his alley.

A decade removed from his 14th, and most recent, major victory, he is better suited these days to courses that demand subtlety and shot making.

Spieth also played poorly in Akron and he too does not appear to be a good match for Bellerive.

Johnson is not No.1 in the world by accident but he is not quite the closer in majors that he is in regular tournaments.

Another near-miss at the US Open in June, where he finished third after a pedestrian final round, resurrected nagging doubts about his ability to seal the deal.

The 2016 US Open remains his only major victory.

McIlroy, meanwhile, needs to win a major on a firm and difficult track to shed the tag of being a flat track bully.

His four major titles have all come on rain-softened courses where he could bomb away his driver and attack with his irons.

He should be at home this week.

Apart from the usual suspects, another player worth keeping tabs on is American Tony Finau, who has finished in the top 10 in all three majors this year and is statistically the third longest driver on the PGA Tour in 2018.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 100TH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE PLAYED AT BELLERIVE COUNTRY CLUB FROM AUGUST 9-12:

- The PGA Championship is organised by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is the last of the four major championships, preceded by the US Masters, the US Open and the British Open.

- This year's event will be the last PGA Championship played in August with the tournament moving to May in 2019.

- Defending champion is Justin Thomas, who won at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2017.

- A maximum field of 156 will include past PGA champions plus the last five US Masters, US Open and British Open winners.

THE COURSE:

- Nicknamed the Green Monster of Ladue, Bellerive is a long course built around a creek that comes into play on nine of the holes. There are water hazards on 11 holes and players will find large and undulating greens.

- Six of the 12 par-four holes measure over 450 yards, the longest being the 521-yard fourth. There are four par threes and two par fives with the eighth hole playing to 610 yards.

THE NUMBERS:

Par: 72

Yardage: 7,547

Before he hits a single shot at the PGA Championship, Zach Johnson already has made a name for himself.

And the other Zach Johnson, too.

Golf fans are not seeing double - there are two of them roaming the grounds at Bellerive Country Club this week.

One needs no introduction. That would be the two-time major winner, Zach Johnson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour who has racked up more than $44 million in winnings.

The other is not quite a household name. He's Zach Johnson of Farmington, Utah, who works as the assistant pro at Davis Park Golf Course in the suburbs of Salt Lake City.

He's one of 20 club pros who qualified into the 156-man field and will be for at least two days on the same playing field with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson.

Tournament organisers called the club pro recently and asked him if it was OK for him to go by "Zach J Johnson" for the week to eliminate confusion.

"I don't think they called and asked him first," Zach J. said of his namesake. "It was more like: 'Here's what you're going by. Hopefully you'll like it."'

The J, by the way, stands for J. When Johnson was born, his parents wanted to pick out a J name for his middle name. Unable to decide, they put J on the birth certificate and left the choice for later. Turns out, "J" sounded pretty good, so they stuck with that.

Imagine Zach J. Johnson's surprise back in 2009 when a package arrived at the golf shop in Utah, addressed to Zach Johnson. Return address: PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Florida.

"I thought, 'Why would I be getting something from the PGA Tour?"' he said. "I tore it open with a box cutter. Nicked the plaque cutting it open."

The plaque was made using four of Iowa Zach Johnson's scorecards. The package included a letter from then-commissioner Tim Finchem congratulating him on his great play in winning the Sony Open the week before.

Pictures were taken. The guys at the club had a few laughs. Back in the mail it went.

Nearly a decade later, the 35-year-old Johnson will come face to face with his better-known namesake.

"I'm not an early riser," said Zach J. Johnson, whose tee time Thursday is set for a sleep-as-late-as-you-like 2:05 pm.

Zach J. Johnson is part of a special tradition: The Masters lets its past champions tee it up; the US and British Opens are open to qualifiers; the PGA Championship reserves spots for the men who sell the shirts and give the lessons as golf club pros.

This week, Zach J.Johnson will undoubtedly get a chance to meet his favourite PGA Tour pros: Woods and Sergio Garcia.

And, of course, plans are in the works for a photo op with the other Zach Johnson.

Andrew Putnam won the Barracuda Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, holding off Chad Campbell by four points in the modified Stableford scoring event.

Putnam closed with a 22-foot birdie putt from off the front of the green on the par-5 18th when a bogey would have been enough for the breakthrough victory at Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Putnam earned $612,000, a two-year tour exemption and a spot next week in the PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. The 29-year-old from Tacoma, Washington, also jumped from 55th to 31st in the FedEx Cup standings.

The winner had nine points in the round and 47 overall under the format that awards eight points for albatross, five for eagle, two for birdie and zero for par, and subtracts a point for bogey and three for double bogey or worse.

Campbell birdied the 18th, following his 22-point round Saturday with an 11-point day. The 44-year-old Texan won the last of his four PGA Tour titles in 2007. He went from 161st to 126th in the FedEx Cup race, with the top 125 after the Wyndham Championship in two weeks keeping their cards and earning playoff spots.

Monday qualifier John Oda, a former UNLV player, tied for third with J.J. Spaun with 38 points. Oda earned a spot in the Wyndham Championship with the top-10 finish.

First-round leader Ollie Schniederjans closed with an eagle to finish fifth with 36 points.

William McGirt was another point back after a 20-point round.

Sam Saunders, three points behind playing partner Putnam entering the day, lost a point Sunday to tie for seventh at 34. Saunders is Arnold Palmer's grandson.

Matt Jones was the leading Australian with 31 points, 16 behind Putnam, in a seven-way tie for 15th.

Jason Day and Marc Leishman have vowed to show up at the US PGA Championship in better shape after squandering back-nine chances to win the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio.

The top-ranked Australians came within striking distance of eventual winner Justin Thomas, only to fall victim to Firestone Country Club's brutal closing stretch.

Former world No.1 Day pulled within two shots of Thomas when he rattled off three straight birdies starting at the 10th hole.

But back-to-back bogeys from the 13th preceded a double-bogey at the par-5 16th as Day signed for a 73 to share 10th at seven under, eight shots back of Thomas.

Thomas carded a one-under-par 69 and at 15 under he earned a four-shot win from Kyle Stanley (68), while world No.1 Dustin Johnson and Thorbjorn Olesen (both 64) tied for third at 10 under.

Leishman also gave himself an outside chance at reeling in Thomas with two early birdies.

But four straight bogeys from the 13th hole cruelled Leishman's hopes at a maiden WGC title, carding a 73 to tie for 14th at six under.

"It was ugly, that's all you can say," Leishman told AAP.

"The course was a lot tougher today and I just completely lost it on the last six holes.

"You're playing against the best players in the world and you can't hit bad shots and miss easy par saves."

But Leishman says he will take positives from contending at the elite, 71-man WGC into the year's final major - which starts Thursday at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, Missouri.

"For sure, especially contending on a golf course like (Firestone)," Leishman said.

"I feel good about my game and I have a few things to work at the PGA."

Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner, is similarly confident of sharpening up in time for a bid at an anticipated second major title.

"I know I'm playing well and I'm hitting my iron shots great," Day said.

"I just have to work on my driver a little bit because it has been quite decent for most of the year, but this week it wasn't.

"If I hit more fairways I feel like I've got a good chance at winning the PGA Championship."

Meanwhile, Queenslander Cameron Smith's 67 earned him outright 23rd at four under, while countryman Wade Ormsby (73) shared 39th at one over.

Adam Scott's 74 left the 2011 winner at four over and tied for 57th.

Tiger Woods showed Firestone Country Club one final flash of brilliance when he drained an 11-foot birdie putt on his last hole at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.

Australian veteran Wade Orsmby got a front-row seat to Woods' last round at the course he dominated for so long.

"Seeing a putt like that, you realise he still has that magic," Ormsby told AAP.

Ormsby, 38, hadn't played a major championship until last year and a WGC until this year, so the South Australian only watched on TV as Woods won eight WGC-Bridgestone titles between 1999 and 2013.

The pair each shot 73, with Woods sharing 31st at even par while Ormsby tied for 39th at one over.

"Tiger is Tiger, isn't he? Whether you play with him at the start of his career, or now, it's still a buzz and especially at Firestone where he has such a history," Ormsby said.

"The crowds were massive; if he goes through that every week then hats off to him."

With the US PGA Tour moving the event to Memphis, Tennessee next year, Ormsby became the last golfer to play a WGC round with Woods at the famed Akron, Ohio course.

"That's pretty cool," Ormsby said.

"It was my first time playing with him and he made me feel comfortable out there, from the moment I shook his hand on the first tee."

Strangely, Woods played all four days with Australians - Jason Day in the opening two rounds before Marc Leishman on day three.

"How about that, huh? All four days," Woods said.

"Three good dudes and I enjoyed playing with all of them this week.

"Wade and I both struggled a little bit today; we didn't play our best."