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PGA Tour: 121st U.S. Open – 1st Look

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COURSE: Torrey Pines Golf Course (South), San Diego, CA

ARCHITECT: William Bell/1957, Rees Jones/2002/2019

YARDS/PAR: 7,685 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $12,500,000 /$2,250,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Bryson DeChambeau (2020)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points Winner: 600

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @USOpenGolf

OFFICIAL SITE: (U.S. Open Championship) – PGA Tour site (link)

TV COVERAGE: Thursday, June 17: 9:45am to 12:30pm (EDT) on Peacock Network. 12:30pm to 7pm (EDT) on Golf Channel and 7:00pm to 10pm (EDT) on NBC. Round 2 coverage, Friday, June 18: 9:45am to 12:30pm (EDT) on Peacock Network, 12:30pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel, and 6:00pm to 9pm (EDT) on NBC.

On Saturday, June 19, Round 3 coverage 11:00am to 9pm (EDT) on NBC. For Sunday, June 20th’s final round, Golf Channel’s coverage runs from 10:00am to 12:00pm Noon (EDT) and NBC takes over from 12:00pm Noon to 9:00pm (EDT) (or conclusion).

STREAMING: Streaming coverage primarily will be provided by Peacock, USOpen.com and the U.S. Open app. Fans can catch exclusive early coverage of Rounds 1 and 2 on Peacock, as well as the final hour of coverage up to the last putt for the two opening days of play. Featured Group and Featured Hole coverage of holes 11-13 can also be found on Peacock, USOpen.com and the U.S. Open.

Round 3 on Saturday: Featured Groups: All day (Peacock, USOpen.com, U.S. Open App); Featured Holes (11, 12 and 13): All day (Peacock, USOpen.com, U.S. Open App).

Final Round on Sunday: Featured Groups: All day (Peacock, USOpen.com, U.S. Open App)’; Featured Holes (11, 12 and 13): All day (Peacock, USOpen.com, U.S. Open App)

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM announced its schedule as the exclusive national radio broadcaster for the 121st U.S. Open Championship, played June 17-20 at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Coverage on Thursday and Friday begins at 6:45am local/9:45am (EDT) and continues through the completion of play. On the weekend, SiriusXM’s on-course coverage will begin at 10:00am (EDT) and will run through the completion of play both Saturday and Sunday, including possible two-hole aggregate playoff. The U.S. Open Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on USOpen.com, the app and a link through from PGATour.com

How to Watch: In case of changes, see: (PGATourCom)

U.S. Open at Torrey Pines: Notebook

This week the PGA Tour stops in San Diego, California for the 121st United States Open Golf Champion ship. This year marks the second time that Torrey Pines GC will host the U.S. Open. The previous Open was in 2008 and it was Tiger Woods who took the honors in a playoff victory over Rocco Mediate. Torrey Pines regularly plays host on the PGA Tour to the Farmers Insurance Open. Patrick Reed is the defending champ at that tournament which was last held this past January 28-31st.

The 2008 U.S. Open and Woods’ victory over Mediate is one of the most memorable events in history, many comparing it to the 1986 Masters win by Jack Nicklaus. “That U.S. Open was three full days of incredible scenes. It topped ’86, absolutely,” said the esteemed Tommy Roy, longtime Executive Producer and a man on-site for all the big time and weekly tournaments with his role for NBC Sports and The Golf Channel.

The layout for Torrey Pines this week reads 7,685 yards on the Par-71 (35-36) making the “South” course play as one of the longest US Open history. There are some 82 bunkers in play off the tee and on approach, but only one hole – the signature 18th – has water in play.

The U.S. Open returns to its traditional month of June after being played in September 2020 due to the pandemic. The U.S. Open marks the third and final tournament to be contested twice in the 2020-21 PGA Tour Season (Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, Masters) and the second-to-last opportunity for a winner to earn 600 FedExCup points before the start of the FedExCup playoffs.

Jon Rahm of Spain is cleared to play in the U.S. Open after a quarantine because of his COVID-19+ test while he was six strokes ahead at the recent Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio. Rahm was forced to withdraw.

Phil Mickelson, coming off a stunning and improbable victory at the PGA Championship last month, needs to win the U.S. Open to complete his career Grand Slam.

All 30 of the Top 30 FedExCup points leaders are in the field this weekend at Torrey Pines.

Second Time’s a Charm for Higgo

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RIDGELAND SC – South Africa’s Garrick Higgo, 22, won the Palmetto Championship at Congaree by one stroke, earning his first PGA Tour title in his second career start. Higgo, a three-time winner on the European Tour, is immediately eligible for PGA Tour membership through the 2022-23 season and the 2021 FedExCup Playoffs.

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According to the PGA Tour Communications department and Elias Sports(h/t), Garrick Higgo’s win at the Palmetto Championship in just his second career PGA Tour start allows him to join Jim Benepe as the only golfers since 1970 to win one of their first two career PGA Tour events.

Chesson Hadley bogeyed the final three holes and finished (in a six-way) T-2, becoming the first player to fail to convert a 54-hole lead of four strokes or more on the Tour since Justin Thomas at the 2019 Genesis Invitational.

With his T-2, Bo Van Pelt earned his best result on Tour since a solo-second at the 2012 Quicken Loans National.

Final Leaderboard at The Palmetto

Garrick Higgo 68-69-68-68—273 (-11)

Hudson Swafford 68-70-70-66—274 (-10)

Doc Redman 65-72-70-67—274 (-10)

Jhonattan Vegas 66-72-69-67—274 (-10)

Tyrrell Hatton 71-68-67-68—274 (-10)

Bo Van Pelt 69-71-66-68—274 (-10)

Chesson Hadley 65-66-68-75—274 (-10)

PGA Tour: Final Round at Palmetto

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PGA Tour Brunch: Sunday at The Palmetto

*Play was suspended at 8:00pm EDT with only two groups who completed their 17th hole. Round 3 will resume at 7:30am (EDT) today and final round tee times will range from 8:05am – 1:50pm (EDT) off the first tee..

Chesson Hadley is closing in on second title on the PGA Tour but has to wait to complete his third round as play was suspended with the final two groups on the 18th hole at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree.

Hadley (-14) was (-3) through 17 holes, four shots ahead of playing partner Harris English (-4 through 17) with a partial score of (-10 – 136). Hadley had missed nine cuts in his last 11 outings.

Bo Van Pelt shot a third round five under (66) to move into a tie for fifth place with Tyrrell Hatton who carded four under (67).

*Palmetto Partial Leaderboard:

Chesson Hadley 65-66-xx (-3/17) – (131) (-14)

Harris English 67-69-xx (-4/17) – (136) (-10)

Two tied at (-8)

Two tied at (-7)

Seven tied at (-6)

PGA Tour: Moving Day at Palmetto

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RIDGELAND, SC – Chesson Hadley with an 11-under (131), holds the first 36-hole lead/co-lead of his PGA Tour career. He tied his career-best 36-hole total at (131): 2013 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (finished T-5), 2016 The RSM Classic (finished T-45).

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Dustin Johnson was tied for the lead on the 18th hole but closed with a double-bogey.

Monday qualifier Tain Lee opened with a 4-under (67) and followed that with a (68), good for third place on the leaderboard. This is Lee’s third start on Tour this season as a Monday qualifier and he made the cut in both prior events (T-69 at the Farmers Insurance Open, and T-59 at the Valero Texas Open.

Brooks Koepka missed his sixth cut of the 2020-21 season, marking the most missed cuts in one season of his career.

Palmetto Leaderboard:

Chesson Hadley 65-66—131 (-11)

Dustin Johnson 65-68—133 (-9)

Tain Lee 67-68—135 (-7)

Six players 136 (-6)

PGA Tour: 2nd Round at The Palmetto

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RIDGELAND, SOUTH CAROLINA – Wes Roach opened with 7-under (64), and holds his first career lead/co-lead after any round on the PGA Tour. Roach leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting, setting his career-best in that category (4.775).

Dustin Johnson played to a bogey-free (65), his lowest first-round score since winning the 2020 Masters Tournament with the same first-round (65) score.

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Former Clemson University (SC) standout Doc Redman (T-2 at (-6) opened with a 65, his fourth career first-round score of 65 or better and second in his last four starts (64/AT&T Byron Nelson); Redman has three top-10s in 20 prior starts this season.

Erik van Rooyen (T-2 at (-6) entered the week with missed cuts in each of his last four starts on Tour, most recently carding 72-81 at the PGA Championship. Van Rooyen is a first-year member on Tour, earning status through the non-member FedExCup points list in 2019-20.

Monday qualifier Tain Lee opened with a 4-under (67). This is Lee’s third start on Tour this season as a Monday qualifier and he made the cut in both prior events (T-69 at the Farmers Insurance Open, and T-59 at the Valero Texas Open.

Palmetto Leaderboard After 18 Holes:

Wes Roach 64 (-7)

Doc Redman 65 (-6)

Dustin Johnson 65 (-6)

Chesson Hadley 65 (-6)

Erik van Rooyen 65 (-6)

Jhonattan Vegas 66 (-5)

Tee-Off at The Palmetto Championship

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PGA Tour Brunch: Opening Round at The Palmetto

The 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree runs from June 7-13, 2021 and is the 37th of 50 FedExCup events on the PGA Tour. The Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina will host the new event.

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Dustin Johnson, 36, of Coastal Carolina has 24 career PGA Tour wins but none have come in his home state of South Carolina. DJ is in search of first Top-10 on Tour since The Genesis Invitational. He holds the No. 1 position in the Official World Golf Ranking for 42nd straight week.

Brooks Koepka, 31, from Florida State is making first start on Tour since the PGA Championship when he was T-2 to Phil Mickelson. Koepka enters the week No. 17 in the FedExCup standings and No. 8 in the World. He has five Top-10s in 12 starts this season. Best: A win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Sungjae Im, 23, of South Korea current ranks No. 30 in the FedExCup, No. 25 in the Official World Golf Ranking after earning his first Tour title at The Honda Classic in 2020. He has missed the cut in each of his last two starts (first time since 2019).

The Palmetto Championship at Congaree fills the date on the PGA Tour previously held by the RBC Canadian Open (canceled due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions) and will be the third tournament of the season held in the state of South Carolina.

California (8) hosts the most PGA Tour events this season, while Florida and Texas each host (5). Georgia hosts (4).

COURSE: Congeree GC (Ridgeland, South Carolina)

ARCHITECT: Tom Fazio

YARDS/PAR: 7,655 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,300,000 /$1,314,000

PAST RESULTS: New Course on Tour

PAST CHAMPIONS: New Course for Tour

FEDEx CUP Points Available/Winner: 2,989/550

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup

OFFICIAL SITE: (Palmetto Championship)

TV COVERAGE: Today and Friday, June 10 and 11: 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. On Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13, Golf Channel’s coverage runs from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT) and CBS takes over from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) each weekend day.

STREAMING: PGA Tour Live offers streaming coverage of Featured Groups today and Friday from 7:05am to 6:00pm (EDT). On the weekend, PGA Tour Live expands coverage with Featured Groups and Holes. On Saturday, Featured Groups runs from 8:0am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes from 3:00-6:00pm (EDT). On Sunday, streaming coverage runs from 8:00am to 6:00pm (EDT) with Featured Groups, then finishes off with Featured Holes from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE:  Beginning today, June 10 and continuing Friday, June 11, PGA Tour Radio coverage airs 12:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT). On Saturday and Sunday, hear live hole-by-hole coverage from 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) (or until completion of play). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.

 

PGA Tour: First Look at Palmetto

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The Palmetto Championship at Congaree fills the date on the PGA Tour previously held by the RBC Canadian Open (canceled due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions) and will be the third tournament of the season held in the state of South Carolina, joining the RBC Heritage and PGA Championship. Just four other states have hosted or are scheduled to host more tournaments this season: California, Florida, Georgia and Texas.

COURSE: Congeree GC (Ridgeland, South Carolina)

ARCHITECT: Tom Fazio

YARDS/PAR: 7,655 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,300,000 /$1,314,000

PAST RESULTS: New Course on Tour

PAST CHAMPIONS: New Course for Tour

FEDEx CUP Points Available/Winner: 2,989/550

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup

OFFICIAL SITE: (Palmetto Championship)

TV COVERAGE: Thursday and Friday, June 10 and 11: 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. On Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13, Golf Channel’s coverage runs from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT) and CBS takes over from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) each weekend day.

STREAMING: PGA Tour Live offers streaming coverage of Featured Groups on both Thursday and Friday from 7:05am to 6:00pm (EDT). On the weekend, PGA Tour Live expands coverage with Featured Groups and Holes. On Saturday, Featured Groups runs from 8:0am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes from 3:00-6:00pm (EDT). On Sunday, streaming coverage runs from 8:00am to 6:00pm (EDT) with Featured Groups, then finishes off with Featured Holes from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE:  Beginning on Thursday, June 10 and continuing Friday, June 11, PGA Tour Radio coverage airs 12:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT). On Saturday and Sunday, hear live hole-by-hole coverage from 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) (or until completion of play). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.

How to Watch: In case of changes, see: (PGATourCom)

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Welcome to PGA Tour Brunch – 1st Look at The Palmetto

World No. 1 and reigning FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson will make his first start on Tour since missing the cut at the PGA Championship. Johnson, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, has won 24 times on Tour but is yet to win in his home state. The last time Johnson competed on the Tour on the week before a Major was in November (2020). He finished T-2 at the Vivint Houston Open and won the Masters Tournament the following week.

In his first start since finishing runner-up to Phil Mickelson at the PGA Championship, eight-time Tour-winner Brooks Koepka will seek his second victory of the season. His win at the 2021 Waste Management Phoenix Open is one of three top-two finishes in his last six starts on Tour.

Two of the top amateur players are making their professional debuts this week, with John Pak and Davis Thompson set to compete on sponsor exemptions. Pak and Thompson finished 1-2 in the inaugural PGA Tour University ranking and recently participated on the victorious United States team at the Walker Cup.

In addition, 22-year-old South African Garrick Higgo will compete as an exempt international player designated by the PGA Tour Commissioner. Higgo has won twice in his last three starts on the European Tour (Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, Canary Islands Championship) and has moved to No. 54 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

The Basics:

Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 7:00am (EDT) through 2:27pm (EDT).

Weather: Thursday’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with temps in low 80s, but a 20% chance of rain with 68% humidity. Friday forecast is similar.

PGA Tour: Wrap-Up at The Memorial

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PGA Tour Brunch – The Memorial Notebook

DUBLIN (Ohio) – After matching 1-under( 71s), the 2019 Memorial Tournament champion, Patrick Cantlay, defeated Collin Morikawa in sudden death. Cantlay takes the lead in the FedExCup points standings. With the win, Cantlay became the seventh multiple winner of the Memorial Tournament

The sudden death playoff was the seventh playoff of the PGA Tour season and first since the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

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Morikawa’s playoff loss marked his sixth Top-10 finish of the season and third in his last five starts.

Scottie Scheffler narrowly missed first PGA Tour title and second professional victory in Columbus.

A week after missing the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge, Patrick Reed(5th/-8) closed with a 3-under 69 to mark his sixth Top-10 finish of the season and first since a T-6 at the Wells Fargo Championship

The Memorial Tournament is one of three tournaments on the PGA TOUR schedule with “elevated status” (others: The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard). The three elevated events offer a larger purse ($9.3 million), a three-year PGA TOUR exemption and, new in 2021, 550 FedExCup points to the winner.

With his win at this season’s Genesis Invitational, T-10 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T-6 at this week’s Memorial Tournament, Max Homa became the first player to earn Top-10 finishes in all three events since Bill Haas in 2013.

Final Leaderboard at The Memorial

*Patrick Cantlay 69-67-68-71—275 (-13)

Collin Morikawa 66-72-66-71—275 (-13)

Scottie Scheffler 67-71-69-70—277 (-11)

Branden Grace 68-72-67-71—278 (-10)

Patrick Reed 71-71-69-69—280 (-8)

*defeated Collin Morikawa with a par on the first hole of sudden death (par-4 18th)

PGA Tour: Sunny Skies for Saturday

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Due to darkness, Round 2 was suspended for the day at 8:44 pm (EDT)with 44 players yet to complete their round. Players will be back in position at 8 a.m. Saturday to complete their round.

DUBLIN (Ohio) – The Memorial’s 2019 winner and current leader, Patrick Cantlay birdied his last three holes in bid to become the event’s seventh multiple winner.

After completing 13 holes in Round 2, Jon Rahm (-8) looks to join Tiger Woods as players to successfully defend their Memorial titles.

Overnight with only partial scoring completed, the top two players on the leaderboard were the last two Memorial Tournament winners (Cantlay and Rahm).

First round leader Collin Morikawa teed-off at a late 5:29 pm Collin and was 1-under on the day through 11 holes but is now 2-over on the round through 12 holes after taking a triple bogey on the par-3 12th.

At the time of play suspension, Rickie Fowler was 2-under par on the day through 11 holes and 5-under overall.

Partial Leaderboard at The Memorial

Patrick Cantlay 69-67—136 (-8)

Jon Rahm (-8) – (through 13 holes)

Scottie Scheffler 67-71—138 (-6)

Morikawa Leads Rain-Soaked Memorial

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DUBLIN (OHIO) – Collin Morikawa posted a 6-under (66) in rain-soaked conditions Thursday morning at the Memorial and he holds a one-shot lead over Adam Long among early starters who completed their rounds before play was suspended for the day.

Morikawa is seeking a second win at Muirfield Village Golf Club, the first was the 2020 Workday Charity Open.

Columbus, Ohio resident and former Ohio State University golfer Bo Hoag posted a (68) before play was suspended, his second sub-70 score in seventh round at Muirfield Village (67) in R-2/2020.

Play was suspended at 12:46 p.m. ET due to thunderstorms and resumed at 2:45 p.m., a delay of one hour, 59 minutes. Play was suspended again at 4:17 p.m. and an attempt to resume was made at 6:30 p.m., but players were removed from the course when another weather-cell developed. Play was suspended for the day at 6:41 p.m. This is the 15th tournament delayed due to inclement weather this season.

Thirty of 46 tournaments, have been delayed, suspended or canceled by inclement weather at the Memorial.

The morning wave of 60 players completed their rounds. No player of the 60 in the afternoon wave completed the round. Round one is scheduled to resume at 7:30 a.m. today at Muirfield Village Golf Club

Jason Day withdrew from the tournament citing back pain and Matt Kuchar withdrew with a forearm injury.

Partial Leaderboard Mid-Opening Round

Collin Morikawa 66 (-6)

Adam Long 67 (-5)

Four players 68 (-4)