PGA Tour Brunch

PGA Tour Brunch: Final at The Honda

February 26, 2023 by PGA Tour Brunch

PALM BEACH GARDENS – In search of his fifth career PGA Tour title and first since 2015, Chris Kirk birdied final two holes of the day to claim his sixth 54-hole lead/co-lead on Tour. He is two-for-five in converting to a title.

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Florida resident and PGA Tour rookie Eric Cole posted a second straight 4-under (66) and sits solo-second at 11-under (199) while 36-hole leader, Justin Suh, seeks to become the fourth player in the last five years to make The Honda Classic a maiden Tour title.

The 2022 Honda Classic runner-up, Shane Lowry, seeks his third career Tour title and first since the 2019 Open Championship. He is playing despite the unexpected death of his Uncle back in Ireland.

The Honda Classic has served as the first career Tour title for three of the last four winners (Keith Mitchell/2019, Sungjae Im/2020, Sepp Straka/2022).

Ryan Gerard sits (T-8) at (-7). He birded No. 18 to post a 1-over (71) in his second PGA Tour start (2022 U.S. Open/MC). The last Open Qualifier to finish in the Top 10 was Aaron Baddeley, 2022 Butterfield Bermuda Championship (T6), while the last Open Qualifier to finish in the Top Five was Doc Redman, 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic (2nd).

The last Open Qualifier to win was Corey Conners, at the 2019 Valero Texas Open.

Defending champion Sepp Straka sits (T-8) at (-7). He birdied his first four holes en route to a 4-under (66) in his bid to become the first to successfully defend a Honda Classic title since Jack Nicklaus in 1978.

*This final round will most likely be the final round of Honda’s association and sponsorship of the event. Honda has partnered with the PGA Tour for 42 years.

Honda Classic | Third Round Leaderboard

Chris Kirk 69-62-66—197 (-13)

Eric Cole 67-66-66—199 (-11)

Justin Suh 66-64-70—200 (-10)

Shane Lowry 68-68-65—201 (-9)

Ben Taylor 67-65-69—201 (-9)

PGA Tour: Honda Shaping Up

February 25, 2023 by PGA Tour Brunch

Note: Play was suspended due to darkness at 6:27pm (ET) Friday evening with only two players yet to complete their round. Those players will be back in position at 6:50am with the third round consisting of threesomes off one tee from approximately 7:30am – 12:30pm (ET) today.

The Cut: 78 players are currently guaranteed to make the cut, which came at 1-over (141). The two players who did not finish their round, Brett Drewitt and Pierceson Coody, are at 1-over and need a par or better on their final hole to make the cut.

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By TERRY LYONS

PALM BEACH GARDENS – Following his best-ever round (64) and best opening 36-hole score (130) on the PGA Tour, Justin Suh holds a one-stroke lead over Chris Kirk at The Honda Classic as moving day begins today with two golfers still to complete their second round.

Suh is the first player with seven straight (3s) on his scorecard since the event moved to PGA National in 2007. Suh played Nos. 5-11 in 5-under. He holds a second-round lead/co-lead for the second time on the PGA Tour. The other was the 2021 Corales Puntacana Championship when he finished (T-28).

As darkness fell on Friday, Kirk equalled his career-low round on the Tour, shooting a blazing (62) while Ryan Gerard trails by two shots in bid to become the first Open Qualifier to win on Tour since 2019.

First round leaders struggled as the PGA National course toughed up Friday. Current positions of the three first-round co-leaders: Carson Young (T-10, second-round 70), Joseph Bramlett (T-28, 73), Billy Horschel (T-28, 73).

Defending champion Sepp Straka (T-22) at (-3) trails by seven strokes in bid to become the first repeat winner of The Honda Classic since Jack Nicklaus in 1977-78.

Partial Second Round Leaderboard

Justin Suh 66-64—130 (-10)

Chris Kirk 69-62—131 (-9)

Ryan Gerard 69-63—132 (-8)

Ben Taylor 67-65—132 (-8)

PGA Tour: WM Phoenix Open Preview

February 8, 2023 by PGA Tour Brunch

SCOTTSDALE – The WM Phoenix Open is the 15th event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season and second designated event, featuring 22 of the Top 25 players in the Official World Golf Ranking (37 of top 50), nine of the Top 10 players in the FedEx Cup standings (all but Justin Rose) and 11 of the 12 players that have won on Tour this season (all but Rose).

The field was expanded from the original size of 132 players to 134 to include the entire Top 125 category of the priority ranking. The last man in the field is Kelly Kraft, who finished No. 125 in the 2021-22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler earned his first career PGA Tour victory at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open and went on to win the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour Player of the Year. Scheffler is the reigning champion of four PGA Tour events over the next nine weeks (WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Masters Tournament) and won those titles in a span of six starts during the 2021-22 season. Scheffler’s scoring average at the WM Phoenix Open is 67.80, tied with Xander Schauffele for the second-lowest among any player (minimum of 10 rounds) since the event moved to TPC Scottsdale in 1987.

Rory McIlroy is making his second start of the season and first since winning THE CJ Cup in South Carolina. The last player to win each of his first two starts of the season was Tiger Woods in 2008.

McIlroy has won in each of his last two starts on the PGA Tour (2022 Tour Championship, 2022 CJ Cup in South Carolina). The last player to win in three consecutive starts was the LIV’s Dustin Johnson in 2016-17. McIlroy accomplished the feat during the 2013-14 season.

Waste Management Phoenix Open | Tournament Facts

COURSE: TPC Scottsdale, Arizona (Stadium Course)

YARDS/PAR: 7,261 yards/Par 71

ARCHITECTS: Tom Weiskopf \ Jay Morrish

PRIZE Money – Purse: $20,000,000/$3,600,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Scottie Scheffler

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

A Sunday Without Pro Golf?

January 29, 2023 by PGA Tour Brunch

La JOLLA – It’s certainly a bit strange not having a golf tournament to watch on a winter Sunday afternoon, especially when it brings the pristine weather of San Diego, California. That is the case today as the Farmer’s Insurance Open is in the books and Max Homa enjoys the spoils after he came from five strokes back to win his sixth PGA Tour title and fourth in his native state California. Homa’s last five wins have been in come-from-behind fashion.

Keegan Bradley (2nd) became the first player on Tour this season to record a win and runner-up.

After holding at least a share of the lead each of the first three rounds, Sam Ryder faded and finished T-4 while FedEx Cup leader Jon Rahm (T-7) earned his fourth Top-10 in four starts to begin the 2023 portion of the PGA Tour season.

Defending champion Luke List finished T-25. The last player to win consecutive Farmers Insurance Open tournaments was Tiger Woods (2005-08).

Farmer’s Insurance Open | Final Leaderboard

Max Homa 68-70-71-66—275 (-13) NC-SC

Keegan Bradley 70-73-68-66—277 (-11) SC-NC

Collin Morikawa 67-72-70-69—278 (-10) NC-SC

Sahith Theegala 66-72-71-70—279 (-9) NC-SC

Sungjae Im 68-74-67-70—279 (-9) SC-NC

Sam Ryder 64-68-72-75—279 (-9) NC-SC

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Ryder Holds Narrow Lead Over Rahm

January 28, 2023 by PGA Tour Brunch

By TERRY LYONS

La JOLLA – In search of his first PGA TOUR title, Sam Ryder made par on his final 12 holes and holds the 54-hole lead/co-lead for the first time in his career, in his 147th PGA Tour start.

McIlroy, Rahm in Familiar Places

October 23, 2022 by PGA Tour Brunch

RIDGEWOOD (SC) – Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy made two eagles and carded his second consecutive (67) to take the 17th career 54-hole lead/co-lead of his career. In today’s final round, McIlroy will attempt to reclaim World No. 1 and earn the second successful title defense of his career.

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Rahm Shoots (62), Shares Lead at CJ

October 22, 2022 by PGA Tour Brunch

RIDGEWOOD (SC) – Jon Rahm of Spain set the course-record (62) at Congaree Golf Club and holds 36-hole lead/co-lead for seventh time in his career. Making first start of 2022-23 season, Rahm shot a 9-under and holed 10 birdies before making bogey at No. 18.

Kurt Kitayama earned his first career 36-hole lead/co-lead on Tour and now seeks his maiden PGA Tour victory.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is two shots back in search of the second successful title defense of his career. Following a 1-over (37) on the front nine, McIlroy (5th/-9) closed with a 5-under 30 for 67. He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (3.614) after 36 holes. The other title defense in his career was at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.

Australian Cam Davis (T3/-10) recorded six birdies in R-2, including four in his last seven holes, for his second consecutive (66). He owns 10 Top-10 finishes in 104 career Tour starts including one victory coming at the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Leaderboard After 36 Holes

Kurt Kitayama 66-65–131 (-11)

Jon Rahm 69-62–131 (-11)

Cam Davis 66-66–132 (-10)

Aaron Wise 66-66–132 (-10)

Rory McIlroy 66-67–133 (-9)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Mullinex, Woodland Lead at CJ Cup

October 21, 2022 by PGA Tour Brunch

RIDGEWOOD (SC) – In first-round action at The CJ Cup, Trey Mullinax earned his third career 18-hole lead/co-lead on Tour with an opening 6-under (65) while Gary Woodland birdied his final two holes to share the lead in search of his first Top-10 since the 2022 U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy opened his 2022-23 season with a bogey-free (66) and is seeking the second successful title defense of his career. Playing together for the first time on Tour, McIlroy and Tom Kim combined to shoot 10-under and sit T-3.

Of the 13 Korean players in the field, Tom Kim sits highest on the leaderboard after 18 holes.

Congaree Golf club has hosted one other PGA TOUR event, the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree, won by Garrick Higgo (not in the field this weekend). Of the 19 players in this week’s field who competed at Congaree in 2021, Tyrrell Hatton, Sungjae Im and Seamus Power all shot (67) and sit T-9. Hatton, Im and Power finished T-2, T-35 and T-19, respectively, at the 2021 Palmetto Championship.

Leaderboard After 18 Holes

Trey Mullinax 65 (-6)

Gary Woodland – 65 (-6)

Aaron Wise – 66 (-5)

Wyndham Clark – 66 (-5)

Tom Kim – 66 (-5)

Rory McIlroy – 66 (-5)

Cam Davis – 66 (-5)

Kurt Kitayama – 66 (-5)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

PGA Tour Sports Desk: CJ Cup

October 21, 2022 by PGA Tour Brunch

RIDGELAND, South Carolina – At 8:15am (ET) this morning, 21 of the top 30 golfers in the Official World Golf Rankings will tee-it-up at The CJ Cup in South Carolina. The venue, the Congaree Golf Club, will be the fourth golf course to host the event, the third in the United States. From 2017-to-2019, the event was played at Nine Bridges in South Korea. In the USA, the location was at Shadow Creek (2020) and Summit Club (2021) in Las Vegas.

There are 13 players (second most of tournament) from Korea playing this week, including Sungjae Im and Tom Kim, two frequent residents of the PGA Tour’s leaderboards. The USA has 45 players competing and England – third most this week – has four golfers.

Reigning FedEx Cup and 2021 CJ Cup champion Rory McIlroy is making his debut since winning at the TOUR Championship in August. Jon Rahm of Spain is making his season debut as well. Rahm finished T-5th in the 2021-22 FedEx Cup standings.

Rickie Fowler, who finished as runner-up last weekend at the ZOZO Championship in Japan, now has two Top 10s in three starts this Fall. Fowler finished T-3 in the 2021 CJ Cup as he makes his 300th start on Tour today. Keegan Bradley won the ZOZO last weekend.

The CJ Cup in South Carolina | Tournament Facts

COURSE: Congaree Golf Club, Ridgewood, South Carolina

YARDS/PAR: 7,655 yards/Par 71

ARCHITECT: Tom Fazio (2018)

PRIZE Money – Purse: $10,500,000/$1,890,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Rory McIlroy

PAST HISTORY: (link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup

PGA Tour Battling vs. LIV Golf

September 4, 2022 by PGA Tour Brunch

BOLTON – As the LIV Golf players teed-off in the third and final round shotgun start Sunday in the western suburbs of Boston, the PGA Tour tossed another major hurdle at the players, via a memo leaked to Sports Illustrated and reported by SI and FOX News.

“The Tour cannot enter into a membership agreement with a player when, as here, it reasonably anticipates the player will not perform the material obligations under that agreement,” said the letter to former PGA Tour pros now on the LIV Tour. “Accordingly, your PGA Tour membership cannot and will not be renewed for the 2022-2023 PGA Tour season.”

Taylor Gooch (-12), Joaquin Nieman (-11) and Dustin Johnson (-10) were busy competing for a $4 million/ $2.125 million or $1.5 million first through third prize at The International, a course set in the woods of Worcester County, Massachusetts – about 45 miles from where the PGA Tour used to play the DeutschBank Championship – a round of its FedEx Playoffs – every Labor Day weekend.

The LIV Golf venture joined an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour that was initially filed by select LIV golfers such as Pat Perez, Carlos Oritiz, Abraham Ancer and Jason Kokrak were among the players filing who dropped their lawsuits against the PGA Tour. Outspoken veteran PGA Tour pro Phil Mickelson was among those that first filed suit in August, claiming suspensions from the Tour were aimed at hurting their careers.

Others pro golfers filed temporary restraining orders to compete in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, claiming they qualified for the PGA Tour postseason playoffs prior to joining LIV Golf. A federal judge in California denied that injunction.

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