Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

PGA TOUR

PGA Tour: Grillo Wins in Texas

by

DALLAS/FORT WORTH – Emiliano Grillo won his second PGA Tour title almost eight years after winning his first, with both victories in playoffs.

Adam Schenk is now 0-4 when holding the 54-hole lead/co-lead in 171 starts.

YouTube player

Scottie Scheffler joins Harris English (second round) with an ace on the eighth hole this week and posts hisTour-leading 11th top-10 this season.

PGA Tour rookie Harry Hall held 18-, 36- and 54-hole leads/co-leads before posting a career-best T3 result.

Dallas native Paul Haley II sat T-96 after the opening round en route to a fifth-place finish.

Defending champion Sam Burns finishes T-6 at 5-under.

Charles Schwab Challenge | Final Leaderboard

*Emiliano Grillo 67-65-72-68—272 (-8)

Adam Schenk 66-67-67-72—272 (-8)

Scottie Scheffler 67-67-72-67—273 (-7)

Harry Hall 62-66-72-73—273 (-7)

Paul Haley II 73-68-66-67—274 (-6)

*Won playoff with a birdie-2 at the second extra hole (No. 16)

Full Leaderboard (Link)

PGA Tour: Rookie Hall Holds Lead

by

DALLAS/FORT WORTH – PGA Tour rookie Harry Hall seeks his first win in his 26th start on Tour after shooting 62-66 to lead the tournament by three strokes.

Harris English aced No. 8, his third hole-in-one on Tour, and the first ace at the 8th hole since 2011. English remains in sole position of second and is three back.

Emiliano Grillo seeks his second PGA TOUR title, almost eight years after winning his first. He shot an impressive 67-65 over first two rounds.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (T-7) has finished T-12 or better in each of his last 13 starts on Tour while defending champion Sam Burns sits T-19 at 3-under in bid to join Ben Hogan as only players to successfully defend the tournament’s title.

Jordan Spieth missed the cut for the first time in 11 appearances at this event after posting back-to-back over-par rounds for the first time at Colonial Country Club (42 rounds) while last week’s phenom Michael Block – playing on a sponsor exemption -followed his first-round (81) with 4-over (74) to miss the cut.

Among the players missing the cut by a stroke were Tour winners Cam Davis, Tony Finau, Sungjae Im, Adam Long, Ryan Palmer and Nate Lashley.

Leaderboard | After 36 Holes at The Colonial

Harry Hall 62-66—128 (-12)

Harris English 65-66—131 (-9)

Emiliano Grillo 67-65—132 (-8)

Adam Schenk 66-67—133 (-7)

Robby Shelton 66-67—133 (-7)

Byeong Hun An 67-66—133 (-7)

Full Leaderboard (Link)

Koepka Wins His Third PGA Championship, Fifth Major

by

ROCHESTER NY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – American Brooks Koepka dialed up seven birdies and slammed the door on playing partner Viktor Hovland to win the PGA Championship on Sunday at Oak Hill Country Club, securing his fifth career major title and the first by an active member of LIV Golf.

YouTube player

Koepka stuck his approach at the last hole pin-high and received an ovation as he ascended to the green. He pumped his fist and embraced his caddie after a final-round, 3-under 67, finishing at 9-under 271 for the week.

Koepka won the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Opens and the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championships and battled knee and hip injuries for some time after that. With his fifth major, he surpassed names such as Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els and tied the likes of Byron Nelson and Seve Ballesteros.

Hovland, the 25-year-old Norwegian, made a long birdie at No. 18 to tie Scottie Scheffler for second at 7-under 273. It was his best finish at a major and his third straight top-10 finish.

Trailing by one at the 16th hole, Hovland attempted to get out of a fairway bunker and his ball embedded in the face of the bunker in front of him — the same misfortune that befell Corey Conners of Canada when he led the championship Saturday evening. Hovland was given free relief but had to punch out.

 

Koepka Leads by One at PGA Champ

by

105th PGA Championship | Final Round

ROCHESTER, NY – Brooks Koepka became the first player to have multiple rounds of (66) or better in an event at Oak Hill Country Club when he posted his second straight (66), his 17th round of 66 or better in a major.

Embed from Getty Images

The 2018 and 2019 PGA Champion Koepka seeks his fifth major title and third PGA Championship holds the 54-hole lead by one stroke heading into the final round today.

Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners each seek their first major title and history is in their favor as the last two winners at Oak Hill were first-time major winners (2013 PGA Championship/Jason Dufner, 2003/Shaun Micheel).

Since 2000, 10 players have won the PGA Championship for their first major title: 2020/Collin Morikawa, 2017/Justin Thomas, 2016/Jimmy Walker, 2015/Jason Day, 2013/Jason Dufner, 2011/Keegan Bradley, 2010/Martin Kaymer, 2009/Y.E. Yang, 2003/Shaun Micheel, 2002/Rich Beem, 2001/David Toms).

Four players have three rounds of even-par or better: Viktor Hovland, Corey Conners, Justin Rose, and PGA Tour pro Michael Block

Block has second-most birdies by field with 13 (most: 14, Justin Rose)

PGA Championship | Leaderboard After 54 Holes

1 Brooks Koepka 72 66 66 204 (-6)

T-2 Viktor Hovland 68 67 70 205 (-5)

T-2 Corey Conners 67 68 70 205 (-5)

4 Bryson DeChambeau 66 71 70 207 (-3)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

PGA Championship | Preview

by

ROCHESTER, NY – (Staff Report from PGA Tour Brunch) – The 2023 PGA Championship is the 31st event of the FedEx Cup regular season and second major championship of the year. Just 14 events played over the next 12 weeks remain before the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course in Rochester, New York, is hosting its seventh major championship and first since the 2013 PGA Championship.

The 2015 PGA Championship winner – Jason Day – is coming off a win at last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson, his 13th career PGA Tour title and first since the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship (5 years, 8 days prior). Day has won in back-to- back starts twice in his Tour career: 2015 PGA Championship-2015 FedEx St. Jude Championship (then The Barclays) and 2016 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard-2016 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

The last player to win on Tour and win a major the following week was Rory McIlroy, who won the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational followed by the PGA Championship.

Two PGA Tour members are making their major championship debuts: Tour rookies Nico Echavarria and Ben Griffin. Echavarria, who won the Puerto Rico Open, is the only rookie to win on Tour this season, while Griffin played in the final group on Saturday at THE PLAYERS Championship with eventual champion Scottie Scheffler (finished T35). Among the other 14 players making their major debuts is David Micheluzzi, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2023 who made his PGA Tour debut on a sponsor exemption at last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson (T-67).

At No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Patrick Cantlay is the highest-ranked player that has not won a major championship. Cantlay, the 2021 FedExCup Champion, has seven wins over the last five seasons, the third-most of any player in that span and most of any player that has not won a major (McIlroy/9, Rahm/9). Cantlay has three Top-10s in 24 prior starts in majors (T-3/2019 PGA Championship, T-8/2022 Open Championship, T9/2019 Masters Tournament).

Wyndham Clark is making his first start since winning the Wells Fargo Championship, his first career PGA Tour title. Clark is one of eight first-time winners on the tour this season and enters the week No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking (first start as a top-50 player in the OWGR). He is making his sixth career major start.

Rickie Fowler has five consecutive Top-20 finishes on Tour and following a T-14 at the Wells Fargo Championship in his most recent start, Fowler moved into the Top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time since the ranking published November 29, 2020.

PGA Tour: All Day Long

by

MCKINNEY, TEXAS – Jason Day won the AT&T Byron Nelson, earning his 13th career PGA TOUR title and first since the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship. It was a slump-breaker, for sure, as the victory came in Day’s 106th start since the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship (5 years, 8 days ago).

Day, who also won the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2010, became the seventh player in tournament history with multiple titles. Day’s final-round 62 is the low finish by a winner on Tour since Tom Kim at the 2022 Wyndham Championship (61).

World No. 2 and Dallas resident Scottie Scheffler finished T-5, his 12th consecutive result of T-12 or better.

Two-time defending champion K.H. Lee finished T-50.

AT&T Byron Nelson Final Leaderboard

Jason Day 64 69 66 62 261 (-23)

Si Woo Kim 65 66 68 63 262 (-22)

Austin Eckroat 69 65 63 65 262 (-22)

C.T. Pan 67 66 68 62 263 (-21)

Scottie Scheffler 64 64 71 65 264 (-20)

Tyrrell Hatton 68 67 65 64 264 (-20)

Zecheng Dou 63 70 64 67 264 (-20)

Full Leaderboard (link)

PGA Tour: Byron Nelson Classic Final Round Preview

by

AT&T Byron Nelson | Final Round

MCKINNEY, TEXAS – In the 30th of 44 events in the 2022-23 PGA Tour regular season, Austin Eckroat, Zecheng Dou and Texan Ryan Palmershare the 54-hole lead at the AT&T Byron Nelson. Three players tied for the 54-hole lead is the most on Tour since the 2022 Valero Texas Open (four).

Note the 54-hole leads in individual stroke-play events on Tour: Eckroat (participating in first), Dou (participating in first) and Palmer (1-for-5 to date)

All three 54-hole leaders currently stand outside No. 135 in the FedExCup standings

Three players T-4 or better seek their first PGA Tour victory (Eckroat, Dou, Vincent Norrman).

Texas native Palmer seeks his fifth Tour victory and first since the 2019 Zurich Classic of New Orleans (with partner Jon Rahm).

Following an even-par 71, second-round leader and Dallas resident Scottie Scheffler trails by two. With a win, Scheffler would return to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Happy Mothers Day

AT&T Byron Nelson Leaderboard | After 54 Holes

Austin Eckroat 69 65 63 197 (-16)

Zecheng Dou 63 70 64 197 (-16)

Ryan Palmer 64 65 68 197 (-16)

Vincent Norrman 68 66 65 199 (-14)

Jason Day 64 69 66 199 (-14)

Si Woo Kim 65 66 68 199 (-14)

Scottie Scheffler 64 64 71 199 (-14)

Full Leaderboard (link)

PGA Tour: Byron Nelson After 36 Holes

by

MCKINNEY, TEXAS – World No. 2 and Dallas resident Scottie Schefflerholds a one-stroke lead after the second round of the AT&T Byron Nelson. Scheffler, who has two wins this season, can return to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking with a victory.

Embed from Getty Images

For the second consecutive year at the AT&T Byron Nelson, Ryan Palmer tied his career-low opening 36-hole score (129)

Three of the top four players on the leaderboard have won this season (Scheffler, Mackenzie Hughes, Si Woo Kim).

Two-time defending champion K.H. Lee and 2018 champion Aaron Wise just made the cut on the number (-4). The 36-hole cut made for a weekend of 84 professionals at 4-under (138) from a field of 154 professionals and two amateurs.

AT&T Byron Nelson Leaderboard | After 36 Holes

Scottie Scheffler 64 64 128 (-14)

Ryan Palmer 64 65 129 (-13)

Mackenzie Hughes 65 64 129 (-13)

Si Woo Kim 65 66 131 (-11)

Richy Werenski 64 68 132 (-10)

Full Leaderboard (link)

PGA Tour: S.Y. Noh Leads After 18

by

MCKINNEY, TEXAS – S.Y. Noh tied the AT&T Byron Nelson 18-hole scoring record with a personal-best 11-under (60). Noh tied Patrick Cantlay (Shriners Children’s Open/R3) for low round of the 2023 season.

World No. 2 and Dallas resident Scottie Scheffler sits T4 following a 7-under (64).

Seeking to join Tom Watson as the only players to win the AT&T Byron Nelson three straight times, defending champion K.H. Lee opened with a 1-under (70), ten back going into Round 2.

Since 2000, there have only been three opening round leaders/co-leaders to go on to win the AT&T Byron Nelson, the last being Sergio Garcia in 2016.

AT&T Byron Nelson Leaderboard | After 18 Holes

S.Y. Noh 60 (-11)

Adam Scott 63 (-8)

Zecheng Dou 63 (-8)

Luke List 64 (-7)

Richy Werenski 64 (-7)

Scott Piercy 64 (-7)

Ryan Palmer 64 (-7)

Scottie Scheffler 64 (-7)

Jason Day 64 (-7)

Full Leaderboard (link)

Wells Fargo Championship | Recap

by

By TERRY LYONS

CHARLOTTE – Wyndham Clark picked-up his first PGA Tour victory in his 134th start at the age of 29 years, 4 months, 28 days. He won with the lowest 72-hole score (265) in Wells Fargo Championship history. Clark became the sixth player to record his first Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship and the eighth first-time winner of the season.

Seven-time PGA Tour winner Xander Schauffele finished runner-up for the 11th time in 152 starts on the Tour while Aussie Adam Scott (T-5) picked-up his first Top-10 finish since the 2022 BMW Championship (T-5).

As the top three players not already exempt, Wyndham Clark, Michael Kim and Denny McCarthy qualified for The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Wells Fargo Championship | Final Leaderboard

1 Wyndham Clark 67 67 63 68 265 (-19)

2 Xander Schauffele 66 69 64 70 269 (-15)

T-3 Harris English 71 66 66 69 272 (-12)

T-3 Tyrrell Hatton 69 65 68 70 272 (-12)

T-5 Tommy Fleetwood 65 71 67 70 273 (-11)

T-5 Adam Scott 67 68 67 71 273 (-11)

Full Leaderboard: (link)