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PGA Tour: Next Up -> The PLAYERS

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The 2024 PGA Tour season gets serious this week as the Tournament Players Club hosts the annual PLAYERS Championship, otherwise known as “The Fifth Major.”

LAST TOURNAMENT: Arnold Palmer Invitational (Scottie Scheffler); Puerto Rico Open (Brice Garnett)

THIS WEEK: The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, March 14-17
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Par 72, 7,275 yards)
Purse: $25M (Winner: $4.5M)
Defending Champion: Scheffler
FedEx Cup Leader: Scheffler

HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2-7 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ET; Saturday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 7:30 a.m.- 6 p.m.
X: @ThePlayers

NOTES: This is the 50th playing of the event, which began in 1974, and the 42nd edition at TPC Sawgrass, which became the venue in 1982. … Scottie Scheffler is the first defending champion to arrive at The Players ranked No. 1 in the world since Rory McIlroy in 2020. McIlroy won in 2019 and the event was ultimately cancelled the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. … There are 22 players in the field making their event debuts this week, including Sweden’s 10th-ranked Ludvig Aberg and Nick Dunlap, who turned pro after winning the American Express in January. … Tiger Woods, the 2001 and 2013 champion, is not in the field. … Each of the past four winners of The Players entered the week ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking. … The three hole-in-ones at the signature 17th hole last year marked the first time there were multiple aces on that hole. … LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman holds the tournament scoring record of 24-under 264 set in 1994.

BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+650 at BetMGM) is coming off a five-shot victory at Bay Hill, and also won The Players by five shots last year. His seven PGA Tour wins since 2021-22 are the most of anyone during that span. … Rory McIlroy (+1500) missed the cut last year and has an average finish of 34th over his past four appearances. However, he did win in 2019 and was in contention last week until a 76 on Sunday. … Justin Thomas (+2300) finished T12 at Bay Hill after going 72-73 over the weekend. The 2021 Players champion has only one finish worse than T12 in his past nine worldwide starts. … Wyndham Clark (+3400) is a career-best fifth in the world rankings following his runner-up last week. The defending U.S. Open champion also won at Pebble Beach last month. … Shane Lowry (+3400) has finished T4 and third the past two weeks. … Tom Hoge (+7100) set the course record with a third-round 62 en route to finishing T3 last year.

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Valspar Championship, Palm Harbor, Fla., March 21-24

Scheffler, Lowry Lead at Bay Hill

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ORLANDO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Scottie Scheffler of the USA and Shane Lowry of Ireland survived a breezy afternoon to each shoot 2-under-par 70 and claim a share of the lead Saturday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational played at Bay Hill CC..

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Wyndham Clark fired a 1-under 71 to sit third, with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (72), Will Zalatoris (71) and Russell Henley (72) in a three-way tie for fourth.

Scheffler, who won this event in 2022, struggled on the front, going out in 38, but birdied five of his first seven holes on the back nine to surge toward the front.

Zalatoris briefly held a five-shot lead with his four birdies from Nos. 3-8 on the front, but stumbled with a bogey at No. 14 and double-bogeys at Nos. 15 and 18.

Harris English, who enters Sunday in seventh place, and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tied for the day’s low round, shooting 68.

McIlroy, in a tie for eighth at 5-under, moved quickly up the board with a blazing, bogey-free 30 on the back nine that included six birdies.

-Field Level Media

PGA Tour: This Week

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ORLANDO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The PGA Tour tees up its fourth signature event of 2024 this week, while tournaments will also be played in Puerto Rico, China and Hong Kong. Be sure to visit www.pgatourbrunch.com

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PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Cognizant Classic (Austin Eckroat)
THIS WEEK: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Orlando, Fla., March 7-10
Course: Bay Hill Club & Lodge (Par 72, 7,466 yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $4M)
Defending Champion: Kurt Kitayama
FedEx Cup Leader: Matthieu Pavon
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @APInv
NOTES: This is the second of three player-hosted invitationals along with Tiger Woods’ at the Genesis and Jack Nicklaus’ at the Memorial. It’s also the fourth of eight signature events, featuring a $20 million purse and 700 FedEx Cup points. Player-hosted signature events are the only ones to feature a 36-hole cut, with the low 50 and ties advancing to the weekend. … Tony Finau is the only eligible player among 70 who is not competing this week. … Kitayama seeks to become the first player to successfully defend at Bay Hill since Matt Every in 2015. … The API has three qualifying spots available for The Open Championship to those not already qualified. … European Ryder Cup players Nicolai Hojgaard and Shane Lowry are in the field on sponsors exemptions, and will be joined by 2018 Players champion Webb Simpson. … North Carolina junior David Ford will make his first start on tour after winning a vote of his peers at the 2023 Palmer Cup. … Payne Stewart holds the tournament scoring record of 264 set in 1987.
BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+650 at BetMGM) has gone T4-1-T15 in his past three starts at Bay Hill. He hasn’t finished worse than T17 in his past five starts on tour, but Scheffler is seeking his first official tour win since The Players last March. … Rory McIlroy (+900) won the API in 2018 and was the runner-up last year. He has six top-10s at Bay Hill since 2015. … Viktor Hovland (+1400) makes his first start since a T19 at the Genesis. … Min Woo Lee’s (+4500) late charge for a T2 at PGA National helped earn a spot in the field. He enters the week a career-best 31st in the world rankings.

THIS WEEK: Puerto Rico Open, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, March 7-10
Course: Grand Reserve Golf Club (Par 72, 7,506 Yards)
Purse: $4M (Winner: $720,000)
Defending Champion: Nico Echavarria

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HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m. (All times Golf Channel)
X: @PGATour
NOTES: This is the 16th playing of the event, and the winner will earn a spot in next week’s Players Championship if not already qualified. … Echavarria is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend in Puerto Rico. He tied the tournament scoring record of 267 first set by Chesson Hadley in 2014. … Aaron Wise, who withdrew from the Masters last year to focus on his mental health, is making his first start since last year’s U.S. Open. … Daniel Berger has made three of four cuts since returning from an 18-month absence due to a back injury. … Puerto Rican Rafa Campos is making his 15th event start, with his best previous finish a third place in 2020.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., March 14-17

PGA Tour: Cantlay vs Schauffele

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The Genesis Invitational | Final Round Preview

PACIFIC PALISADES – Patrick Cantlay holds his fifth career 54-hole lead/co-lead in individual stroke-play events on TOUR (not including FedExCup Starting Strokes) and first since 2022 Shriners Children’s Open where he finished T2. He is 2-for-4 converting to a victory to date (2021 and 2022 BMW Championship).

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Cantlay held a two-stroke lead after the third round of the 2021 TOUR Championship and went on to win by one stroke (entered the tournament with a two-stroke lead at 10-under due to FedExCup Starting Strokes). He held a five-stroke lead through 54 holes with partner Xander Schauffele at the 2022 Zurich Classic of New Orleans (went on to win by two strokes)

Today, Cantlay will battle vs. Schauffele rather than play with him as a partner. Schauffele shot a 6-under (65), his career-low score in 27 career rounds at The Riviera Country Club. A win today would be his eighth on the PGA TOUR and first since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

Luke List (4th/-11) seeks his third TOUR victory in as many seasons (2022 Farmers Insurance Open, 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship).

Genesis Leaderboard | After Round 3

1 Patrick Cantlay 64 65 70 199 (-14)

T2 Xander Schauffele 70 66 65 201 (-12)

T2 Will Zalatoris 66 70 65 201 (-12)

4 Luke List 65 69 68 202 (-11)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Pirates and Johnnies Lead the League

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NEWARK – (Staff report from Official News Release – A typical Saturday in the BIG EAST, filled with drama and a surprise or two, left the league standings with a four-way tie for first place at 3-1 among Seton Hall, St. John’s, Villanova and Connecticut.

Seton Hall’s 3-1 mark shows all three wins coming against ranked opponents. The Pirates (10-4) knocked off No. 7 Marquette 78-75 at Prudential Center behind the offensive punch of Al-Amir Dawes (23 points) and Kadary Richmond (21). The Hall led 76-66 with 2:25 left and withstood a frantic rally by the Golden Eagles that cut the lead to one point. Oso Ighodaro led Marquette (11-4) with 22 points, eight rebounds and three steals.

St. John’s got to 3-1 with its wire-to-wire 81-71 win over Villanova at Finneran Pavilion. Joel Soriano led the Johnnies (11-4) with 20 points and eight rebounds. Daniss Jenkins added 18 points and five assists. In his first start, freshman Brady Dunlap netted 15 points. St. John’s is 3-1 for the first time since 2010-11. TJ Bama was outstanding for Villanova (10-5) with a game-high 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Georgetown got its first league win when it held off DePaul 68-65. The Hoyas (8-7, 1-3) led 62-61 with 4:11 left, but kept their lead against the Blue Demons (3-11, 0-3). A potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer by DePaul missed the mark. Supreme Cook led four Hoyas in double figures with 14 points. Ismael Massoud added 13 points and seven rebounds. Da’Sean Nelson paced DePaul with a game-high 19 points.

Creighton saw an 18-point second-half lead reduced to one, but the Bluejays recovered to post a 69-60 victory against visiting No. 23 Providence. Ryan Kalkbrenner led Creighton (11-4, 2-2) with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Trey Alexander had 21 points, five boards and five assists. The Friars (11-4, 2-2), playing their first game without the injured Bryce Hopkins, got a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds from Devin Carter. The Bluejays made a 3-pointer for the 1,000th straight game.

BIG EAST play resumes Tuesday with Seton Hall at Georgetown and Creighton at DePaul.

PGA Tour: Theegala Leads in Maui

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KAPALUA, HAWAII – Collin Morikawa posted a clubhouse-leading, eight-under (65) and looked great doing it until Sahith Theegala came along and bested Morikawa and four others with a first-round leading (64) at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui. Theegala, making his second start at The Sentry (33rd/2023), opened with a career-best (10) birdies. (His previous-high was nine during the third round of the 2022 ZOZO Championship). Theegala also posted a career-best birdie streak with six in a row on Nos. 10-15.

The Sentry is the first event of the 2024 PGA TOUR Season and is serving as the season-opening event on the PGA TOUR schedule for the first time since 2013. Since 2013, the PGA Tour went with 10 “wrap-around” seasons.

In 2024, the TOUR returns to a calendar year schedule, with 36 FedEx Cup Regular Season events followed by the FedExCup Playoffs and FedEx Cup Fall season.

The Sentry is the first of eight Signature Events in 2024, which offer increased purse sizes ($20 million) and FedEx Cup points to the winner (700).

Making his first start since winning the BMW Championship and TOUR Championship in back-to-back starts, reigning FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland (T2/-8) opened with a (65), just one stroke off the lead.

Camilo Villegas (T2/-8) also posted a (65), his 16th consecutive under-par round on the PGA TOUR. He has the most rounds of 65 or better in the last four events (13 rounds) on the TOUR.

Sentry: First Round Leaderboard

1 Sahith Theegala 64 (-9)

T2 Collin Morikawa 65 (-8)

T2 Camilo Villegas 65 (-8)

T2 Sungjae Im 65 (-8)

T2 Jason Day 65 (-8)

T2 Viktor Hovland 65 (-8)

Sentry Tournament of Champions | Tournament Facts

COURSE: Plantation Course at Kapalua

YARDS/PAR: 7,596 yards/Par 73

ARCHITECT(S): Bill Coore / Ben Crenshaw

PRIZE Money – Purse: $20,000,000; Winner: $3.6 million.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jon Rahm

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 700

PGA Tour: Greg Norman Thanks Rory McIlroy

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“For Falling on his Sword”

ORLANDO – Golf legend Greg Norman, the CEO of LIV Golf, said he is grateful to Rory McIlroy for taking a step toward acceptance of the fledgling tour.

McIlroy has been one of LIV’s harshest critics, but on the “Stick to Football” podcast on Tuesday, McIlroy conceded to being overly “judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start”.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, I’m very appreciative of what Rory said,” Norman said on the LIV Golf Podcast. “It’s been a painful couple of years.

“The reason I say I appreciate Rory to fall on his sword to some degree is the fact that he did judge us by not knowing the facts. He judged us on other people’s thoughts and opinions. I say, ‘Hey, thank you Rory’. This is a significant turning point for everybody.”

Phil Mickelson, one of the early defectors to LIV Golf, also acknowledged McIlroy’s new stance, saying on social media this week: “It’s time for me and others to let go of our hostilities and work towards a positive future.”

McIlroy, a four-time major champion, blasted PGA Tour members who jumped ship for the financially greener pastures of LIV for “betrayal” and accusing them of “tearing the game apart.”

“I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realize that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods’ position,” McIlroy said on the podcast.

“We all turn professional to make a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that’s what I realized over the last two years. I can’t judge people for making that decision,” he added.

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour is continuing negotiations to finalize an alliance with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV. The deadline was Dec. 31 before it was extended.

The PGA Tour revealed a so-called framework agreement to merge interests with the PIF, which finances LIV Golf, in a surprise announcement on June 6.

A news release posted to the PGA Tour’s website over the weekend said the tour’s goal was to bring on the PIF, Strategic Sports Group and the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) as minority co-investors in PGA Tour Enterprises — the tour’s new for-profit organization — in 2024.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: 2024 PGA Tour Brunch

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KAPALUA, HAWAII – Happy New Year 2024 and Welcome Home to PGA Tour Brunch and six-times-a-week coverage of the PGA Tour and other assorted news from the world of golf. From today through the Tournament of Champions (conclusion of the FedEx Cup Playoffs), you’ll receive a mobile friendly, e-news drop to your inbox. In most cases it will be around Noon with the following schedule:

  • Wednesday – Tournament Preview with Odds; Field, Tee Times
  • Thursday – Look at 1st Round; News; Field Update(s)
  • Friday – Recap of 1st Round; Leaders; Look at R-2
  • Saturday – Recap of 2nd Round; Notable MTCs; Weekend Preview
  • Sunday – Recap of 3rd Round; Leaderboard; News
  • Monday – Tournament Recap; First Look at Next Tournament
  • Tuesday – Off Day

As the Tour heads east to Eastern Standard, and then Eastern Daylight Time, PGA Tour Brunch will post earlier to be ahead of tee-off times. The general idea is for PGA Tour Brunch to provide a little light reading at breakfast or lunch – thus “brunch.”

Here we go for 2024. Enjoy the season and don’t let the negotiations between the Tour, LIV Golf and all the other distractions get you down.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions is the first of eight Signature Events on the 2024 PGA Tour schedule. The Signature Events will bring together the game’s top players, competing on historic courses while playing for elevated purses and increased FedExCup points.

This year, the Sentry field is comprised of all tournament winners from 2023, along with the Top 50 in last season’s FedExCup standings. FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will highlight the 59-man field. Reigning Sentry champion, Jon Rahm will not compete after signing a $600 million deal with LIV Golf. Rahm will await the completion of PGA Tour-LIV Golf negotiations now expected to be finalized before The Masters. Rory McIlroy (load management) will not compete this week but 21 of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Ranking will play. The 59-player field is the largest field in tournament history (breaking the mark of 42 set in 2021).

In 2022, Cameron Smith posted a pair of (64s) book-ended by a pair of (65s) to post an amazing 258 (-34) to take T of C honors and the $1,476,000 prize. In 2021, Harris English won in Maui despite not winning a tournament the previous year.

The Plantation Course at Kapalua was the easiest course on Tour relative to par during the 2022-23 season with an average of 4.078 strokes under par, its third consecutive season with the lowest scoring average on the schedule.

Much of the PGA Tour’s charitable efforts for this tournament are dedicated to helping the Maui Community recover from deadly and devastating fires that destroyed Lahaina. See the considerable and ongoing efforts HERE.

Sentry Tournament of Champions | Tournament Facts

COURSE: Plantation Course at Kapalua

YARDS/PAR: 7,596 yards/Par 73

ARCHITECT(S): Bill Coore / Ben Crenshaw

PRIZE Money – Purse: $20,000,000; Winner: $3.6 million.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jon Rahm

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 700

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @Sentry_TOC

Sentry Tournament of Champions | Basics

The Tee Times to begin the new year at the Sentry start Thursday at 12:45pm (ET) to 4:39pm (ET).

Weather: Thursday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and a 10% chance of rain. As per usual, the trade winds blow in Kapalua and they’re forecast to be at 8-14 mph with gusts to 20mph. Temperatures will range from 67-80 degrees. Chance of rain increases to 25% for Friday-Sunday.

Tournament Overview: (link)

FedEx Cup Info: (link)

PGA Tour, LIV Extend Negotiations

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH –  (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Claiming negotiations were “active and productive,” commissioner Jay Monahan told his PGA Tour members in a memo Sunday that the tour was working to extend the deadline to finalize a merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

The PGA Tour revealed a so-called framework agreement to merge interests with the PIF, which finances LIV Golf, in a surprise announcement on June 6. Sunday marked the deadline the two sides originally set for a final agreement.

Monahan previously called New Year’s Eve a “firm target” to complete the deal, but The Telegraph reported this week that the target had been moved to early April before the Masters is played.

A news release posted to the PGA Tour’s website said the tour’s goal was to bring on the PIF, Strategic Sports Group and the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) as minority co-investors in PGA Tour Enterprises — the tour’s new for-profit organization — in 2024.

“These partnerships will allow us to unify, innovate and invest in the game for the benefit of the players, fans and sponsors,” Monahan said in the memo.

Monahan told members that the tour had made “meaningful progress” in negotiating with Strategic Sports Group (SSG), a consortium of U.S.-based professional sports owners led by Fenway Sports Group and including figures like the New York Mets’ Steve Cohen and the Atlanta Falcons’ Arthur Blank.

“As we move forward in our discussions (with SSG), we are focused on the finalization of terms and drafts of necessary documents,” Monahan said in the memo, according to ESPN and the Associated Press, as both media outlets obtained a full copy.

–Field Level Media

McIlroy Resigns from PGA Tour Board

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Former PGA Tour FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy unexpectedly resigned as a player director on the PGA Tour’s policy board on Tuesday.

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McIlroy, a four-time major champion who is the No. 2 golfer in the world, was set to serve in the position until 2024 after joining last year. But he announced his resignation in a letter to the entire board, stating that “professional and personal commitments” caused him to step down.

“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory — and all of his fellow player directors — have invested in the tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a memo sent to players.

McIlroy’s decision came one day after the board met to mull over alternate investment options since the Tour has yet to finalize a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which finances LIV Golf.

As one of the golfers who is against a merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, McIlroy had stepped into a leadership role after the Tour’s decision on June 6 to create a framework agreement that would establish a partnership between the two sides.

After the news of a potential partnership, McIlroy voiced his frustration during a news conference on June 7 at the RBC Canadian Open. He was informed of the Tour’s plan to buddy up with Saudi Arabia’s PIF just hours before Monahan made an official announcement.

“It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb and feeling like I’ve put myself out there and this is what happens,” McIlroy said at the news conference on June 7.

Then on Tuesday, Norther Ireland’s McIlroy told reporters that he wasn’t pleased with his position on the board.

“Not what I signed for whenever I went on the board,” McIlroy said ahead of this week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. “But yeah, the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years. Again, the overall game I think is in really good shape. But everyone focuses on this top level because it is what it is, and it’s an entertainment product and it’s a show, but the faster that it gets rectified, I think the better for everyone.”

Per tournament regulations of the PGA Tour, the other player directors still on the board must elect a golfer to serve out the rest of McIlroy’s term.

–Field Level Media