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Archives for May 9, 2021

McIlroy Ends Drought on PGA Tour

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PGA Tour Brunch’s Wrap-Up of Wells Fargo Championship

CHARLOTTE – Rory McIlroy won his 19th career title and first in more than a year (1 year, 6 months, 6 days) while taking the Wells Fargo Championship for the third time (2010, 2015, 2021).

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Third-round leader Keith Mitchell finished T-3 after holding a 54-hole lead/co-lead for the first time. He closed with a (72) and (-8), two strokes off the lead.

In search of his first-ever PGA Tour title, Abraham Ancer recorded his fourth career runner-up in his 115th start of his career. Ancer shot as (66) in the final round and finished only one back of McIlroy.

After losing the FedExCup points lead to Justin Thomas following last week’s Valspar Championship, Bryson DeChambeau returned to the No. 1 spot in the FedExCup standings with a T-9 finish. DeChambeau thought he had missed the cut on Friday and returned to Dallas before refueling his charter and returning to Dallas for Saturday’s third round.

First-round leader Phil Mickelson followed an opening (64) with rounds of (75-76-76) to finish 69th and has yet to finish inside the Top 10 in 14 starts this season.

PGATourBrunch will be posting at 12:00 Noon (EDT) Wednesday with a look at the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic.

This Week: The AT&T Byron Nelson Classic (McKinney, Texas) – (First Look)

2021 Wells Fargo – Final Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy 72-66-68-68—274 (-10)

Abraham Ancer 69-70-70-66—275 (-9)

Viktor Hovland 69-72-68-67—276 (-8)

Keith Mitchell 67-71-66-72—276 (-8)

Gary Woodland 67-69-70-71—277 (-7)

Final Leaderboard: (link)

Third-round leader Keith Mitchell finished T-3 after holding a 54-hole lead/co-lead for the first time. He closed with a (72) and (-8), two strokes off the lead.

In search of his first-ever PGA Tour title, Abraham Ancer recorded his fourth career runner-up in his 115th start of his career. Ancer shot as (66) in the final round and finished only one back of McIlroy.

After losing the FedExCup points lead to Justin Thomas following last week’s Valspar Championship, Bryson DeChambeau returned to the No. 1 spot in the FedExCup standings with a T-9 finish. DeChambeau thought he had missed the cut on Friday and returned to Dallas before refueling his charter and returning to Dallas for Saturday’s third round.

First-round leader Phil Mickelson followed an opening (64) with rounds of (75-76-76) to finish 69th and has yet to finish inside the Top 10 in 14 starts this season.

PGATourBrunch will be posting at 12:00 Noon (EDT) Wednesday with a look at the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic.

This Week: The AT&T Byron Nelson Classic (McKinney, Texas)

 

2021 Wells Fargo – Final Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy 72-66-68-68—274 (-10)

Abraham Ancer 69-70-70-66—275 (-9)

Viktor Hovland 69-72-68-67—276 (-8)

Keith Mitchell 67-71-66-72—276 (-8)

Gary Woodland 67-69-70-71—277 (-7)

Final Leaderboard: (link)

While We’re Young (Ideas) – Our Sunday Sports Notebook on the IVY League

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The IVY League led the way back in March 2020. Hopefully, the Presidents of the IVY League schools knew something back then and know something once again. Something more than the rest of us because the IVY League is coming back for Fall Football.

“Given the current steady decline of Covid-19 infections in this country, and the broad availability and uptake of vaccinations, we are optimistic that our campuses will be back to something close to normal by this fall, including in-person learning with students in residence,” the Council of presidents said in their statement. “And this includes our expectation for the resumption of regular competitive schedules for Ivy League athletics across all sports beginning in fall 2021.

 

Here in the Greater Boston area, Harvard announced its plans in March to have invite all undergraduates back to campus to live and attend in-person classes for the 2021 fall semester. University President Lawrence S. Bacowalso wrote to affiliates this week that Harvard will require all undergraduates living on campus in the fall to get inoculated against the coronavirus.

While most major football conferences returned to some on-field activity last fall, the schools in the IVY League sat on the sidelines. As time passed, most Division I conferences permitted conference play for the Winter 2020-21 and Spring 2021 seasons. A handful of Ivy League schools permitted teams to hold local scrimmages this spring, but Ivy League teams were unable to compete against one another.

Specifics for various school graduations and other large gatherings are being scrutinized at campuses all across America, and pro sports are gradually increasing the percentage of capacity allowing fans to watch their favorite teams. The Ivy League decision, for some reason or another, forecasts better times ahead.

Here’s hoping Harvard visits Yale for “The Game,” this coming November and a significant crowd assembles at the 64,000+ capacity Yale Bowl. One thing is for sure, whatever the percentage of capacity is allowed to watch the football game inside, there will be an equal or larger number of alum assembled in the parking lots, tailgating away and reminiscing about “Glory Days” of the past.

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PGA Tour: Final Round Preview from Wells Fargo

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THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: Wells Fargo Championship

COURSE: Quail Hollow Country Club (Charlotte, NC)

FEDEx CUP Points Available/Winner: 2,989/500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @WellsFargoGolf

OFFICIAL SITE: (Wells Fargo Championship) – (Official Tournament Site)

TV COVERAGE: Today, May 9 – Golf Channel’s TV coverage will air from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT), then CBS takes over coverage from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

STREAMING: PGA Tour Live will offer streaming coverage of Featured Groups today from 8:00am to 3:00pm (EDT) with Featured Holes streaming from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Streaming Radio coverage today, 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.

How to Watch: (PGATourCom)

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Wells Fargo Championship Notes:

Keith Mitchell holds a two-stroke lead in search of only his second PGA Tour title and a win today would mark 798 days since his first Tour title at the 2019 Honda Classic.

Mitchell leads the field by in birdies with (18) through 54 holes trailed by Jason Dufner and Harris English (15).

Rory McIlroy is seeking his third win at the Wells Fargo Championship (others were 2010, 2015).

Gary Woodland is back atop the leaderboard and seeks his fifth career PGA Tour victory and first since the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Luke List is seeking his first PGA Tour win in his 188th start as this tournament marks his sixth start at the Wells Fargo Championship. List’s best finish was T-9 (2018).

After opening rounds of (69-67), 36-hole co-leader Matt Wallace fell to T-7 after posting a third-round 2-over (73).

Since 2003, only five players have earned their first PGA Tour win at the Wells Fargo Championship.

After making the cut by one stroke, Bryson DeChambeau (T-23) made a six-stroke improvement in round three with a 3-under 68, capped by a double bogey on the par-4 18th hole. On Friday evening, figuring he had missed the cut, DeChambeau headed back to Dallas but was informed mid-flight that the wind had kicked-up at Quail Hollow and the cut-line was changing. Needing to re-fuel anyways, DeChambeau’s charter landed in Dallas, took on jet fuel and took a few hours break, and returned to Charlotte.

Wells Fargo Championship Leaderboard After 54-Holes

Keith Mitchell 67-71-66 —204 (-9)

Rory McIlroy 72-66-68 —206 (-7)

Gary Woodland 67-69-70—206 (-7)

Luke List 67-72-68 —207 (-6)