INSIDER
Abraham Ancer beats Cameron Smith, Paul Casey in playoff to win LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong
Read full article: Abraham Ancer beats Cameron Smith, Paul Casey in playoff to win LIV Golf tournament in Hong KongAbraham Ancer regained just enough of the composure that helped him pull out to a five-stroke lead after two rounds to beat Cameron Smith and Paul Casey in a playoff and win the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Johnson, DeChambeau share lead at LIV Golf Las Vegas, with Rahm 2 strokes back with day left
Read full article: Johnson, DeChambeau share lead at LIV Golf Las Vegas, with Rahm 2 strokes back with day leftDustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau each shot 8-under 62 on Friday to share the lead at LIV Golf Las Vegas, with fellow major champion Jon Rahm two strokes back with a day left in his second event on the Saudi-funded tour.
PGA Tour says players knew consequences of joining LIV Golf
Read full article: PGA Tour says players knew consequences of joining LIV GolfThe PGA Tour is asking a federal judge not to allow three suspended players from LIV Golf to take part in the FedEx Cup playoffs, the tourโs lucrative postseason.
Westwood leads at Sawgrass, gets another shot at DeChambeau
Read full article: Westwood leads at Sawgrass, gets another shot at DeChambeauThat's how it was last week at Bay Hill, when DeChambeau came from one shot behind to beat Westwood with a par on the final hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Westwood, who turns 48 next month, no longer has to go up a few classes to face DeChambeau, golf's fearsome heavyweight. Also four shots behind was Brian Harman, who began his day by holing a wedge for eagle and shot 69. DeChambeau can't blast away at Sawgrass because of the bending tree-lined fairways and water hazards. He also knows from recent experience โ seven days ago โ that it might not be easy the way Westwood is playing.
Conners builds 1-shot lead at Bay Hill as McIlroy lurks
Read full article: Conners builds 1-shot lead at Bay Hill as McIlroy lurksConners surged into the lead with a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th hole โ his second eagle on that hole in two days โ for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot advantage over former Bay Hill winner Martin Laird (67). He was two shots behind, along with Viktor Hovland and Lanto Griffin, who each had a 68. The forecast featured plenty of rain Saturday, which figures to make Bay Hill play longer and tougher, while also keeping the greens from getting as crusty as they were last year when Tyrrell Hatton won with a closing 74. He won at Bay Hill in 2011 on a final round so tough a 75 was enough to get the job done. He played in the morning, had a pair of birdies and came to the 16th, the easiest at Bay Hill.
Late eagle from the fairway stakes Spieth to lead at Pebble
Read full article: Late eagle from the fairway stakes Spieth to lead at PebbleHe shot 1-under 71 as he goes for a second victory at Pebble Beach in the last five years. A pedestrian round that included bogeys on two of the par 5s left Spieth two shots out of the lead with three holes to play. Spieth didnโt have to contend with what he predicted to be a โmeanโ day at Pebble Beach. The raging wind was more of a stiff breeze along the ocean holes that Pebble gets all the time. He made bogey on the easiest hole at Pebble Beach from the middle of the fairway on the par-5 second hole, coming up well short of the green, pitching short of the putting surface and missing a par putt from 5 feet.
Johnson, Thomas part of 4-way share atop Masters leaderboard
Read full article: Johnson, Thomas part of 4-way share atop Masters leaderboardIt wasn't from any of the patrons because they're not allowed in this most usual Masters in November. That gave Thomas a share of the lead with Dustin Johnson (65-70), Cameron Smith (67-68) and Abraham Ancer (68-67), a Masters rookie who doesn't know this course any other way. What two days have shown is that Masters experience only goes so far on a soft course with rye grass that isn't grown in quite the way it usually is in April. โBalls are making pitch marks with chip shots and pitch shots.โWoods left the course Thursday with only three players ahead of him. The two-time Masters champion shot 68 in the morning on a long, soft course.
Johnson joins Masters lead after round of record scoring
Read full article: Johnson joins Masters lead after round of record scoringThe opening round was delayed nearly three hours at the start by heavy rain, and with limited daylight in November, there was no way to complete the round. Greg Norman still holds the record for lowest opening round, a 63 in 1996, the year he lost a six-shot lead to Nick Faldo in the final round. There were 53 rounds under par in the 92-man field and 24 rounds in the 60s, both Masters records for any round. The previous mark was 47 rounds under par in the second round of 1992 (83-man field). This is his fifth Masters, and not only his lowest score, but the first time he has shot par or better in the opening round.
The Latest: Langer will be oldest player to make Masters cut
Read full article: The Latest: Langer will be oldest player to make Masters cutWhile the second round wonโt be completed until Saturday morning, Langer is assured of getting through. In 2014, Langer tied for eighth at the age of 56. The 33-year-old Englishman turned in his best round at the Masters since winning in 2016, shooting a 6-under 66 in the second round. ___10:40 a.m.Two-time champion Bernhard Langer is making a bid to be the oldest player ever to make the cut at the Masters. The second round is underway at the Masters, and the first round hasn't quite finished up yet.
Round 1: Casey leads, Woods in hunt as field plays catch-up
Read full article: Round 1: Casey leads, Woods in hunt as field plays catch-upFive-time and defending champion Tiger Woods dropped a turn-back-the-clock round of his own, relying more on experience than current form to post a 68. โThere is a sense of ease when I come here, just because I understand how to prepare for this golf course,โ Woods said after hitting 10 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens. Small wonder, then, that Woods flashed a wide grin when asked what was most encouraging about the round. โThis golf course, as much as Iโm trying to attack it, it can bite back,โ he said. Still to be determined is how much firmer the greens and the rest of the golf course will get.
Fast start: Tiger bucks his Masters history with opening 68
Read full article: Fast start: Tiger bucks his Masters history with opening 68Defying his lackluster form not to mention a history of slow starts at these hallowed grounds, Woods shot a bogey-free 4-under 68 on Thursday in the opening round of the Masters, a tantalizing display by the defending champion in his quest for a record-tying sixth green jacket. Woods hasn't played much this year, returning warily from a five-month layoff to play a half-dozen tournaments leading up to the Masters. It was only the second time he's broken 70 in the opening round at Augusta, matching the 68 he shot to begin the 2010 Masters. More telling, it was his first bogey-free round in a major championship since the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. โI got off to a fast start today, which is good, but I think everyone is,โ Woods said.
DeChambeau shoots 70 in 1st round of Masters; 'I got greedy'
Read full article: DeChambeau shoots 70 in 1st round of Masters; 'I got greedy'But DeChambeau wasnโt able to back that up Thursday in the opening round, shooting a 2-under 70 to end the day five strokes behind leader Paul Casey. Itโs still Augusta National, and itโs the Masters. DeChambeau hit his drive 313 yards into the pine straw behind a tree. Not a 5, the score to shoot for for everyone else at Augusta National, from Bobby Jones to President Dwight Eisenhower to Tiger Woods. โSometimes I can get a little greedy, and I like taking risks,โ DeChambeau said.
Casey rides the buzz of Masters history to 65 and early lead
Read full article: Casey rides the buzz of Masters history to 65 and early leadPaul Casey matched his lowest score at the Masters with a 7-under 65, giving him a two-shot lead among half the field fortunate to play in perfect scoring conditions. It was the fifth hole, which he bogeyed all four rounds last year when he won the Masters. He was joined by Xander Schauffele, a runner-up to Woods last year, who had seven birdies in his round of 67. The delay was the last thing the Masters needed with limited daylight hours leading to the two-tee start. The loudest cheer โ applause, certainly not a roar โ came for Nicklaus and Player hitting tee shots so early that they couldn't see where they landed.
The Latest: Woods off to bogey-free start in Masters defense
Read full article: The Latest: Woods off to bogey-free start in Masters defenseAlso, itโs the first bogey-free round for Woods in a major since the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. The 43-year-old Englishman is leading the Masters after shooting a 7-under 65 in the opening round. But he turned things around in his return to Augusta National, which was delayed for seven months by the coronavirus pandemic. ___2:05 p.m.Tiger Woods is off to a strong start in defense of his Masters championship. He has six top-10 finishes at Augusta National, including a second-place finish in 2010 and a tie for second in 2016.
The Latest: Matsuyama still in contention at U.S. Open
Read full article: The Latest: Matsuyama still in contention at U.S. OpenLee completed an 8-over 78 at Winged Foot, but decided after the round he couldn't continue. ___3:20 p.m.Paul Casey had the second score under par Saturday at Winged Foot, which told only half the story. โIn all honesty, I kind of wanted to walk in after the first five, six, seven holes,โ Casey said. ___2:05 p.m.Alex Noren showed the leaders that low scores can be had at Winged Foot in the third round of the U.S. Open. Typical for a U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
Woods faces a new, stern test to get to FedEx Cup finale
Read full article: Woods faces a new, stern test to get to FedEx Cup finaleWoods, Charles Howell III, Adam Scott and Paul Casey are the only players who competed in that 2003 U.S. Open (Woods tied for 20th). Amateur at Olympia Fields, which featured five other players in the BMW Championship field, including PGA champion Collin Morikawa. For some, this week is about improving their position going to the Tour Championship, which features a staggered start to par. Woods said he looked at few videos of Olympia Fields before he arrived. This golf course is set up more toward an Open than it is anything else.___More AP golf: https://apnews.com/apf-Golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Hoge in four-way tie for Wyndham lead after two rounds
Read full article: Hoge in four-way tie for Wyndham lead after two roundsTom Hoge watches his drive on the ninth hole during the second round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament at Sedgefield Country Club on Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Hoge in four-way tie for Wyndham lead after two rounds
Read full article: Hoge in four-way tie for Wyndham lead after two roundsHoge, tied for the first-round lead with Harold Varner III and Roger Sloan, kept in front with a steady 2-under 68 to get to 10-under par. Hoge, whose best-ever tour finish was a second at The Greenbrier this season, was asked what it would take for his first PGA Tour win. Like Kim, Gooch shot 65 to get into the foursome on top. He had six birdies, including two of his final three holes, to move up. Kokrak was in a group of seven one shot further back along with past Wyndham champ Webb Simpson, who shot his second straight 66.
Morikawa quickly goes from college grad to major champion
Read full article: Morikawa quickly goes from college grad to major championCollin Morikawa poses with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in San Francisco. Since then, he has played 28 tournaments around the world and already has three victories on the PGA Tour, one of them a major championship. That alone puts him among the elite, except that Morikawa didn't need to win the PGA Championship to feel that way. When I woke up today, I was like, This is meant to be. This is where I feel very comfortable, Morikawa said. Rare is Sunday at a major with so many possibilities at the beginning, at the turn and down the stretch.
New PGA champion Morikawa's toughest moment came after round
Read full article: New PGA champion Morikawa's toughest moment came after roundThe 23-year-old Californian delivered a 6-under 64 in the final round, including a signature shot that fans will be talking about for decades. He hit more fairways and greens, and picked up more strokes with the putter over four days than anyone else in the field. Two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka talked a good game, but crashed in his effort to three-peat with an uncharacteristic closing 74. Asked whether he expected to win his first major this soon, he looked puzzled for the first time all day. So once it bounced, I was like OK, I will take it anywhere.I peeked around right and looked around the tree, and it looked really, really good.It was.
"What a shot:" Casey can only watch as PGA hopes vanish
Read full article: "What a shot:" Casey can only watch as PGA hopes vanishHe looked behind him and realized his hopes of winning the PGA Championship had suddenly, startlingly vanished. Collin Morikawa's on-a-rope drive had stopped 7 feet away, just behind Casey, on the 16th green. What a shot, Casey said when asked what went through his mind when he saw Morikawa's ball come to rest. The 43-year-old Casey shot 4-under 66 to finish at 11 under, tied for second with Dustin Johnson and two shots behind the champion. And watching Collin come down ... and what a shot he hit on 16, he deserves it.Oh, there were places to nitpick Casey's game.
Li at his best and builds early lead at PGA Championship
Read full article: Li at his best and builds early lead at PGA ChampionshipLi Haotong of China, hits from the fairway on the 10th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in San Francisco. He also played a World Golf Championship last week with middling results, but he found his form in San Francisco. Brendon Todd, who shared the 18-hole lead with Day, settled for a 70 and joined them at 135. Li, who primarily plays the European Tour, went back to China in March when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf. If the lead holds, Li would be the first player from China to hold the lead after any round of a major.
Michael Thompson wins 3M Open by 2 strokes in Minnesota
Read full article: Michael Thompson wins 3M Open by 2 strokes in MinnesotaBLAINE, Minn. Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes Sunday for a 4-under 67 and a two-stroke victory in the 3M Open, finishing off his second PGA Tour win seven years after his first. Thompson finished at 19-under 265 at TPC Twin Cities. With Long in the clubhouse, having played five groups ahead, Thompson had two putts to win. Finau was the only one in contention this weekend who'd already secured his U.S. Open spot, thanks to his seventh-place finish in the FedEx Cup standings last year and No. His tee shot was well wide of the fairway, and his fourth try from the rough did not reach the green.
Thompson, Werenski share lead at 3M Open at 12 under
Read full article: Thompson, Werenski share lead at 3M Open at 12 underRichy Werenski celebrates after a birdie on the 18th hole to give him the lead of the during the first round of the 3M Open golf tournament in Blaine, Minn., Thursday, July 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton- King)
Thompson, Werenski share lead at 3M Open at 12 under
Read full article: Thompson, Werenski share lead at 3M Open at 12 underRichy Werenski celebrates after a birdie on the 18th hole to give him the lead of the during the first round of the 3M Open golf tournament in Blaine, Minn., Thursday, July 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton- King)BLAINE, Minn. โ Michael Thompson and Richy Werenski maintained their momentum at the 3M Open. Thompson and Werenski topped the leaderboard at 12 under, Finau and Talor Gooch climbed within a stroke and stars Brooks Koepka and Tommy Fleetwood struggled again Friday at the TPC Twin Cities. Thompson, who played in the first group of the day with a 6:50 a.m., moved even with Werenski on the 194-yard 17th hole. โThe big thing is just try not to overpower the golf course, stay within myself, make good, comfortable swings,โ Thompson said.
Paul Casey tuned in for more than golf in PGA Tour's return
Read full article: Paul Casey tuned in for more than golf in PGA Tour's returnCasey watched plenty on TV, and he was watching more than the golf. PAIRINGS WITH A PURPOSEThe PGA Tour has four groups of featured pairings for its PGA Tour Live," and then the rest of the field is supposed to be relatively random depending on a player's category. Oak Hill last hosted the PGA Championship in 2013 won by Jason Dufner, while Tiger Woods won his fourth PGA Championship at Southern Hills in 2007. DIVOTSHilton Head has some of the smallest greens on the PGA Tour, and Abraham Ancer hit 65 out of 72 of them in his runner-up finish. FINAL REBUTTALFascinating stuff. CBS analyst Nick Faldo, watching Koepka tee off on the 18th hole and telling viewers he would listen to what Koepka had to say.
Changes to Hall of Fame and a quick entry for Tiger Woods
Read full article: Changes to Hall of Fame and a quick entry for Tiger Woods(AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)SAN DIEGO, Calif. โ Tiger Woods won't have to wait until he's 50 to enter the World Golf Hall of Fame. Woods has 82 victories on the PGA Tour, along with five on the European Tour and victories on the Japan Golf Tour, Asian Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. Meanwhile, Cisco Systems announced partnerships with six players, divided evenly among the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour. On the PGA Tour, it signed Keith Mitchell, Viktor Hovland and Chez Reavie. He wroked primarily for Golf Magazine, and contributed to Golf Digest, Golf World and PARGolf.
Koepka ready to get back to work after nearly 3 months off
Read full article: Koepka ready to get back to work after nearly 3 months offDuring his short offseason, Koepka had stem cell treatment on his left knee because the patella tendon was partially torn. As Li Haotong of China was making his debut at the Presidents Cup, Guan Tianlang was preparing to qualify for the PGA Tour Series-China. Ishikawa showed signs of getting back to form last year when he won three times on the Japan Golf Tour, his first titles since 2016 and his biggest year in Japan since 2010. Otherwise, the Japan Golf Tour season doesn't start until a week after the Masters. The last seven rounds on the PGA Tour in Hawaii were played under lift, clean and place rules.
Schauffele takes 1-shot lead at Kapalua in title defense
Read full article: Schauffele takes 1-shot lead at Kapalua in title defense(AP Photo/Matt York)KAPALUA, HI โ The only thing that resembled paradise to Xander Schauffele at Kapalua was his name atop the leaderboard Friday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Schauffele is trying to become the first repeat champion of this winners-only event in 10 years. Schauffele finished with a birdie, a two-putt par from just under 100 feet, and a 7-foot birdie on the final hole. That gave him the lead at 9-under 137, the highest 36-hole score to lead at Kapalua since 2008. It was a sign that Kapalua would play longer than ever, and that much was evident throughout the day.