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PGA Tour: First Look at Zurich Classic

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Welcome to PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the Zurich Classic

The 2020 Zurich Classic of New Orleans was one of 11 events canceled in the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19. The Zurich Classic (which was first played in 1938), has utilized the two-man team format since 2017. It remains the only official FedExCup team event on the PGA TOUR schedule.

Two-player team event, with each team comprised of two professionals, featuring Four-ball (best ball) during the first and third rounds and Foursomes (alternate shot) during the second and fourth rounds.

The starting field will consist of 80 teams (160 players) with the 36-hole cut to the low 33 teams and ties at the 33rd position.

The field consists of 12 past Zurich Classic of New Orleans winners: K.J. Choi (2002), Nick Watney (2007), Andres Romero (2008), Bubba Watson(2011), Jason Dufner (2012), Billy Horschel (2013, 2018), Justin Rose(2015), Brian Stuard (2016), Cameron Smith (2017), Scott Piercy (2018), Jon Rahm (2019), Ryan Palmer (2019)

Zurich Ambassadors: Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, and Collin Morikawa.

The Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 7:00am (EDT) through 2:10pm (EDT).

Weather: Thursday’s Forecast calls mild, sunny skies and a temperature of 64-degrees with 49% humidity and 13 mph winds. Zero chance of rain. Friday (70% chance of rain) could bring PM showers and thunderstorms which will hold over until Saturday (90% chance of rain). Sunday will be mostly sunny and 71-degrees.

PGA Tour: Cink Goes Wire-to-Wire

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PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

Stewart Cink became the fourth player – the fifth occasion – age 47 or older to win multiple times in a season on the PGA Tour since 1960. Cink joins Davis Love III (5) and Hale Irwin (3) with three or more victories at the RBC Heritage. Cink won 21 years, two days after his 2000 RBC Heritage title and 16 years, 11 months, 30 days after winning at the Heritage in 2004.

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Harold Varner III (T-2 at (-15) closed with a 5-under (66) to claim his career-best finish on Tour. His previous best, a T-3/2019 THE NORTHERN TRUST. Varner’s T-2 came after three straight missed cuts at previous RBC Heritage events.

A week after his T-8 finish at the Masters Tournament, Canada’s Corey Conners finished T-4 at 13-under (271).

First-round leader Cameron Smith (T-9 at (-11) bookended his week with bogey-free rounds (R-1 a (62), and R-4 a (66).

In his bid to join Payne Stewart (1989-90), Davis Love III (1991-92) and Boo Weekley (2007-08) as back-to-back winners at the RBC Heritage, defending champion Webb Simpson finished T-9.

RBC Heritage Final Leaderboard

Stewart Cink 63-63-69-70—265 (-19)

Harold Varner III 66-68-69-66—269 (-15)

Emiliano Grillo 68-64-69-68—269 (-15)

Maverick McNealy 71-67-66-67—271 (-13)

Corey Conners 67-64-72-68—271 (-13)

Matt Fitzpatrick 71-64-68-68—271 (-13)

Cink Sets RBC Heritage Record (Again)

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PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD – PGA Tour vet Stewart Cink leads RBC Heritage and now holds the 54-hole scoring record by two strokes. Today, Cink will attempt to join Davis Love III (5) and Hale Irwin (3) with three or more victories at the RBC.

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Cink holds largest 54-hole lead on the Tour since Dustin Johnson held the same margin (five strokes) at the 2020 TOUR Championship

That said, the RBC Heritage has had a come-from-behind winner seven out of the last eight years.

Collin Morikawa has three Top-10s in his 12 prior starts this season but finished T-64 in his only other RBC Heritage start (2020).

Following a third-round 6-under (65), Matt Wallace (T-4) now has four rounds of 65 or better in 125 rounds on Tour. Two of those came this week (rounds one and three). He is seeking his first win in 39 PGA Tour starts, with a third place finish at the 2021 Valero Texas Open and T-3 at the 2019 PGA Championship his best outings to date.

RBC Heritage Leaderboard After Three Rounds:

Stewart Cink 63-63-69—195 (-18)

Collin Morikawa 65-68-67—200 (-13)

Emiliano Grillo 68-64-69—201 (-12)

Matt Wallace 65-72-65—202 (-11)

Sungjae Im 68-65-69—202 (-11)

Four players at (-10) and a total of nine players under par with double-digits

 

Cink Sets Record at RBC Heritage

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PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD – PGA Tour vet Stewart Cink broke the previous RBC Heritage 36-hole record by three strokes with his pair of (63s). At 47 years old, Cink became the oldest player to hold the 36-hole lead at RBC.

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Cink joined Loren Roberts as the only players with multiple 63s or better in tournament history. Cink leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green (6.556) and Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (9.626).

RBC Ambassador Corey Conners (67-64 -11) is seeking to become the first Canadian to win the RBC Heritage. He could be the sixth international winner at Harbour Town since 2012.

Emiliano Grillo (68-64 -10) is the only player bogey-free through 36 holes.

After posting a career-low and bogey-free 9-under (62), first-round leader Cameron Smith (T-4 at (-9), followed with an even par (71) in R-2..

Defending champion Webb Simpson enters the weekend T-40.

Leaderboard After Second Round

Stewart Cink 63-63—126 (-16)

Corey Conners 67-64—131 (-11)

Emiliano Grillo 68-64—132 (-10)

Four players tied at (-9)

Tournament Tee Times begin today at 8:45am (EDT) through 2:10pm (EDT) when Stewart Cink and Corey Connors tee it up.

Weather: Forecast calls for showers and a 70% chance of rain as a weak low-pressure system developed along the stalled front pushing showers northward into region. Temperatures in the 59-68-degree range with winds 5-10 mph. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with chance of AM showers (50%).

See PGA Tour Brunch online for more information

PGA Tour: Smith Fires RBC Record, 62

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PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD –With a career-low and bogey-free 9-under (62), Cameron Smith tied lowest opening-round score in tournament history. Smith’s round included a holed bunker shot at the par-3 17th among birdies on final two holes.

Through 27 stroke-play events this season, only five first-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win, the most recent was Matt Jones (The Honda Classic).

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Since 2010, the 18-hole leader/co-leader of the RBC Heritage has won only twice; Matt Kuchar/2014, Branden Grace/2016.

At 47 years old, 2000 and 2004 champion Stewart Cink opened his 22nd consecutive RBC Heritage with his lowest score in 75 rounds at Harbour Town Golf Links, shooting an eight-under, (63).

World No. 4 Collin Morikawa sinks a 20’ 11” putt for birdie at his last hole to cap off 111’ 0” of made putts

Two weeks after a solo-third at the Valero Texas Open, England’s Matt Wallace opened with a bogey-free (65) and is only three strokes off the lead.

World No. 1 and South Carolina native Dustin Johnson opened with 1-under (70) in his sixth RBC Heritage.

Leaderboard After Opening Round

1. Cameron Smith 62 (-9)

2. Stewart Cink 63 (-8)

T3. Matt Wallace 65 (-6)

T3. Collin Morikawa 65 (-6)

PGA Tour Brunch Previews RBC Heritage

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HILTON HEAD – The RBCHeritage returns today to its traditional date after its mid-summer (June) scheduling last year. The RBC was the second tournament played following the PGA Tour’s COVID-19 shutdown from March to June 2020.

Webb Simpson is defending his title after setting the RBC Heritage 72-hole tournament record last June. In that tournament, Simpson outperformed the field by +1.65 strokes per round on the greens en route to victory, marking the seventh player to gain over 1.5 strokes per round in Strokes Gained: Putting to win at Harbour Town since 2004.

There are 42 players in the field who played last week at the Masters Tournament, including 13 with top-25s at Augusta National (led by Will Zalatoris/2nd, Corey Conners/T-8, Cameron Smith/T-10).

Tournament Tee Times begin today at 7:00am (EDT) through 1:51pm (EDT).

Weather: Forecast calls for a cold front in the area today, bringing a chance for showers before the front moves to the southeast and stalls across Florida later in the weekend. There’s a 40% chance of rain today with 10-15 mph winds and gusts up to 20 mph. Drier and cooler conditions return Friday with highs around 70 degrees. Unsettled weather may return this weekend as a weak low-pressure system may develop along the stalled front pushing showers northward into region.

PGATourBrunch will be posting before 7am (EDT) early tee times from Friday through Sunday.

Next Week: The Zurich Classic at New Orleans

Field Updates:

Glen Day (OUT)

Charl Schwartzel (OUT)

Steve Stricker (OUT)

Bryson DeChambeau (OUT)

Tyler McCumber (OUT)

Note: Alternates are not added until the field falls below 132 players

The Field (link)

Power Rankings (PGATourCom)

THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: RBC Heritage

COURSE: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, SC

ARCHITECT: Pete Dye

YARDS/PAR: 7,121 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,100,000/$1,278,000

DEFENDING Champion (June 2020) – Webb Simpson – (Leaderboard link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

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

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @RBC_Heritage

OFFICIAL SITE: (RBC Heritage)

TV COVERAGE: Today, April 15 and Friday, April 16: 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf channel. Free Twitter Live coverage (and Golf Channel) on Thursday from 11:00am to 3:00pm (EDT). Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18- Golf Channel’s TV coverage 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 on Today and Friday from 7:00am to 6:00pm (EDT). On Saturday and Sunday, PGA Tour Live offers Featured Groups streaming from 8:00am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Streaming Radio coverage on Today – Friday – 12:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT); then Saturday and Sunday, 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)

Odds & Predictions:

A L👀K at the O👀S and A PREDICTION OR TWO:

(Odds via William Hill)

Dustin Johnson 10-1

Webb Simpson 12-1

Patrick Cantlay 16-1

Collin Morikawa 20-1

Daniel Berger 22-1

Cameron Smith 25-1

Will Zalatoris 25-1

Tyrrell Hatton 25-1

Paul Casey 28-1

Corey Conners 28-1

Sungjae Im 30-1

Sergio Garcia 30-1

Abraham Ancer 30-1

Matthew Fitzpatrick 30-1

Tommy Fleetwood 30-1

Brian Harman 33-1

Si-Woo Kim 40-1

Kevin Na 40-1

Lee Westwood 40-1

Shane Lowry 40-1

Matt Kuchar 50-1

Christiaan Bezuidenhout 50-1

Harris English 50-1

Billy Horschel 50-1

Robert MacIntyre 50-1

Charley Hoffman 50-1

Kevin Kisner 66-1

Russell Henley 66-1

Matt Wallace 66-1

Branden Grace 66-1

Chris Kirk 66-1

Ian Poulter 66-1

Cameron Davis 75-1

Emiliano Grillo 75-1

Dylan Frittelli 80-1

Sebastian Munoz 80-1

Carlos Ortiz 80-1

Sam Burns 80-1

J.T. Poston 90-1

Kevin Streelman 90-1

Alex Noren 100-1

Adam Hadwin 100-1

Brendon Todd 100-1

Lucas Glover 100-1

C.T. Pan 100-1

Zach Johnson 100-1

Harold Varner 125-1

Michael Thompson 125-1

Charles Howell 125-1

Stewart Cink 125-1

Andrew Putnam 125-1

Doug Ghim 125-1

Aaron Wise 125-1

Adam Long 150-1

Sepp Straka 150-1

Matthew NeSmith 150-1

Harry Higgs 150-1

Luke List 150-1

Richy Werenski 150-1

Ryan Moore 150-1

Patton Kizzire 150-1

Russell Knox 150-1

Danny Willett 150-1

Byeong Hun An 150-1

Denny McCarthy 150-1

Chase Seiffert 150-1

Brandt Snedeker 150-1

Mackenzie Hughes 150-1

Doc Redman 150-1

Jim Furyk 150-1

Wyndham Clark 150-1

Rory Sabbatini 150-1

Brandon Hagy 175-1

Graeme McDowell 175-1

Nick Taylor 200-1

Patrick Rodgers 200-1

Hudson Swafford 200-1

Tom Hoge 200-1

Chez Reavie 200-1

Ben Martin 200-1

Maverick McNealy 200-1

Brice Garnett 200-1

Kyoung-Hoon Lee 200-1

Will Gordon 250-1

Scott Piercy 250-1

Kyle Stanley 250-1

Scott Stallings 250-1

Camilo Villegas 250-1

Henrik Norlander 250-1

Chesson Hadley 250-1

Tom Lewis 250-1

Anirban Lahiri 300-1

Mark Hubbard 300-1

Satoshi Kodaira 300-1

Adam Schenk 300-1

Pat Perez 300-1

Brian Gay 300-1

Jason Dufner 300-1

Scott Brown 300-1

Robert Streb 300-1

Bo Hoag 300-1

Rafael Campos 300-1

Robby Shelton 300-1

Peter Malnati 300-1

Andrew Landry 300-1

Brian Stuard 300-1

Vaughn Taylor 400-1

Tyler Duncan 400-1

Wesley Bryan 400-1

Troy Merritt 400-1

Danny Lee 400-1

Bill Haas 400-1

Davis Love 500-1

Scott Harrington 500-1

Ryan Armour 500-1

Luke Donald 500-1

Sung-Hoon Kang 500-1

Austin Cook 500-1

Ted Potter 500-1

Xinjun Zhang 500-1

Bryson Nimmer 500-1

Jim Herman 500-1

William McGirt 500-1

John Augenstein 500-1

Nick Watney 500-1

Beau Hossler 500-1

Michael Gligic 500-1

Kevin Tway 500-1

Michael Kim 750-1

Bo Van Pelt 750-1

K.J. Choi 750-1

Hunter Mahan 1000-1

Martin Trainer 1000-1

PGA Tour: First Look at RBC Heritage

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Welcome to PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

The RBC Heritage returns to its traditional date after being the second tournament played following the PGA Tour’s COVID-19 shutdown in 2020. Webb Simpson is returning for title defense after setting RBC Heritage 72-hole tournament record in 2020.

The RBC Heritage is the 29th of 50 events in the 2020-21 PGA Tour season.

This is the 53rd RBC Heritage, regarded as one of the TOUR’s most popular stops. One of Pete Dye’s signature designs is annually ranked among the country’s top courses and has produced a winner’s roster including inaugural winner Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Hale Irwin, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Davis Love III, Greg Norman and Nick Price.

A strong field will consist of 15 of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings, led by No. 4 Patrick Cantlay and No. 8 Dustin Johnson and 28 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including five of the top 10 (No. 1 Dustin Johnson, No. 4 Collin Morikawa, No. 8 Tyrrell Hatton, No. 9 Webb Simpson, No. 10 Patrick Cantlay.

Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 7:00am (EDT) through 1:51pm (EDT).

Weather: Forecast calls for a cold front to move through the area during the early afternoon Wednesday to Thursday, bringing a chance for showers before the front moves to the southeast and stalls across Florida for late in the week. Thursday has a 40% chance of rain and 10-15 mph winds with gusts up to 20 mph. Drier and cooler conditions return Friday with highs around 70 degrees. Unsettled weather may return this weekend as a weak low-pressure system may develop along the stalled front pushing showers northward into region.

PGATourBrunch will be posting before 7am (EDT) early tee times from Thursday through Sunday.

Next Week: The Zurich Classic at New Orleans

Field Updates:

Glen Day (OUT)

Charl Schwartzel (OUT)

Steve Stricker (OUT)

Bryson DeChambeau (OUT)

Note: Alternates are not added until the field falls below 132 players

Japan’s Matsuyama Wins His First Major and It’s Historic at The Masters

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AUGUSTA – Hideki Matsuyama won the 2021 Masters Tournament to become the first male pro tour major championship winner from Japan. Matsuyama claimed his first major championship title and sixth win overall on the PGA Tour. He became just the eighth champion (nine instances) with an over-par final-round score.

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Special temporary member/PGA Tour rookie Will Zalatoris finished a career-best runner-up and has six Top 10s and 11 Top 25 finishes in 15 starts this season.

Jordan Spieth, the first player in Masters history to birdie No. 10 all four rounds, finished inside the top three for the fifth time in eight appearances at the Masters.

Xander Schauffele’s triple bogey on No. 16 was his first in 1,042 holes in a major championship. Despite the major set-back, he registered his second Top 3 finish at the Masters.

With a bogey-free 6-under (66), (the second bogey-free round of the week), Jon Rahm picked up his fourth consecutive Top 10 finish at the Masters (4/2018, T9/2019, T7/2020, T5/2021). Rahm now has 15 consecutive par-or-better rounds at the Masters.

Final Leaderboard from the 2021 Masters

Hideki Matsuyama 69-71-65-73—278 (-10)

Will Zalatoris 70-68-71-70—279 (-9)

Jordan Spieth 71-68-72-70—281 (-7)

Xander Schauffele 72-69-68-72—281 (-7)

Jon Rahm 72-72-72-66—282 (-6)

Marc Leishman 72-67-70-73—282 (-6)

 

Rose Holds Slim Lead After 36 Holes at The Masters

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PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the Weekend at The Masters

By TERRY LYONS

AUGUSTA – England’s Justin Rose will attempt to become the first wire-to-wire winner at the Masters since Jordan Spieth (2015). Rose followed up his opening round (65) with a hard-fought par (72) on Friday. Rose has nine birdies on the back nine through two rounds, tied for the most at the Masters in the last 30 years.

Will Zalatoris birdied his final three holes for a 4-under (68), which moved him within one stroke of Rose, the 36-hole leader. Zalatoris is seeking to become the first player to win in his debut Masters appearance since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

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Jordan Spieth (T-4) at five under (-5) leads the field with 30 greens hit in regulation, his most through two rounds at the Masters, including his 2015 tournament when he won the Green Jacket.

Bryson DeChambeau (T-17) followed his first round (76) with a 5-under (67) for a nine-stroke turnaround – his largest in a major championship between rounds one and two.

Brian Harman (T-2) at six under (138) is the only player in the field to shoot sub-70s with 69-69.

Matthew Wolff shot 76-79 (155) but was DQ’d. The Statement from Masters Tournament HQ: Following his second round, Matthew Wolff returned a scorecard with a hole score lower than he actually made on hole 17. He was subsequently disqualified under Rule 3.3b(3).

Early tournament leader Hudson Swafford at (-2 after four holes), MTC with 73-83 (156).

Defending Masters champion Dustin Johnson missed the cut after shooting 74-75. Other “big names” to MTC included: Georgia native Matt Kuchar, past Masters champion Sergio Garcia, Daniel Berger, Brooks Koepka, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Jason Day, and Sungjae Im.

Masters Leaderboard After Second Round:

Justin Rose 65-72—137 (-7)

Will Zalatoris 70-68—138 (-6)

Brian Harman 69-69—138 (-6)

Marc Leishman 72-67—139 (-5)

Jordan Spieth 71-68—139 (-5)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

36-hole cut: 54 professionals at 3-over (147) from a field of 85 professionals and three amateurs. An amateur failed to advance to the weekend for the first time at the Masters since 2015.

For complete access to PGA Tour Brunch (sent to your inbox six days a week), click HERE

Justin Rose Shot a 65 to Take Opening Round Lead at The Masters

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Rose Fires Six Under on Back 9

By TERRY LYONS

England’s Justin Rose burst onto the professional golf scene as an 18-year old with a (T-4) and low amateur honors at the 1998 Open Championship. He’s won the 2013 U.S. Open and the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. At the Masters, he’s had a (T-2 in 2015) and an outright runner-up at the 2017 event. In Thursday’s opening round of the 2021 Masters, he shot a blazing 7-under (65), including his six under, six birdies on the Back Nine.

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Rose tied Jack Nicklaus for the most first-round leads/co-leads in Masters Tournament history. (4 times).

Rose’s round began with a bogey on the Par 4 first and one other bogey on the Par 4 seventh hole, and then the magic began. Rose carded an eagle on the Par 5 eighth and proceeded to birdie seven of the next 10 holes to finish two off the Masters/Augusta National course record of (63) – shared by Nick Price (‘86) and Greg Norman (‘96).

Rose played his first 13 Masters without missing a cut, but that streak ended in 2019. Last November he finished (T-23) and was listed as a 70-1 shot by William Hill to win this event.

Brian Harman (USA) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama shot impressive opening round three-under (69) and stand four off the lead. Four professionals shot two-under (70) and are (T-4) after 18 holes.

Tournament favorite, Dustin Johnson shot a two-over (74) and other favorites were, at least five off the leader. Patrick Reed fared best (two-under, 70); Jordan Spieth, the winner at last week’s Valero Texas Open and the 2015 Masters champion, shot one-under (71). Spain’s Jon Rahm shot even par (72) and is T-13th after 18.

Justin Thomas is among 10 players (T-20th) after his +1, (73).

Johnson is among 22 players (T-30th) and is joined by former Masters champions Bernard Langer (1985, ‘93), Charl Schwartzel (2011), Bubba Watson (2012, ‘14), and Adam Scott (2013). Some of the PGA Tour’s highly-ranked players like Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are also (T-30).

Masters Leaderboard After Opening Round:

Justin Rose 65 (-7)

Brian Harman 69 (-3)

Hideki Matsuyama 69 (-3)

Will Zalatoris 70 (-2)

Webb Simpson 70 (-2)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout 70 (-2)

Patrick Reed 70 (-2)