Day: January 19, 2021

Dillon lands Daytona 500 ride with rebuilding Gaunt BrothersDillon lands Daytona 500 ride with rebuilding Gaunt Brothers

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021| 17:11

Ty Dillon landed a Daytona 500 ride with Gaunt Brothers Racing, a pairing of a driver and team both trying to rebuild in 2021. Gaunt Brothers last year ran its first full Cup season but struggled in part because COVID-19 protocols wiped out almost all practice, qualifying and testing. Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee Company will sponsor the No. 96 Toyota as Dillon attempts to qualify for NASCAR’s Feb. 14 opener at Daytona International Speedway.

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Brooks Koepka: ‘There should be no excuses now'Brooks Koepka: ‘There should be no excuses now'

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021| 17:00

Brooks Koepka, who battled injuries and fell to 104th in the FedExCup last season, underwent his final treatment on his left knee two weeks ago and pronounced himself 100 percent healthy. "It's basically fully healed," he said from The American Express in Palm Desert, California. His left hip, which pained him during the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park before he pulled out of the FedExCup Playoffs, is also healthy, he added. "The hip was because of the knee," he said. "It’s all a chain, so it goes up or down, I was going to have ankle issues or hip issues, just adjusting for the knee, and it was the hip. "So everything’s fine," he continued. "I feel good, there should be no excuses now." A seven-time PGA TOUR winner, Koepka spent the holidays at home in South Florida before heading to California early for a last platelet-rich-plasma treatment on his knee. Doctors found almost no signs of a tear, he said from The American Express, his first start of 2021. "They did an ultrasound on it," said Koepka, who goes into The American Express at 63rd in the FedExCup after finishing T5 at the Vivint Houston Open and T7 at the Masters. "Said there’s barely any tear on it, so there’s a lot of progress, came a long way, a lot of hard work, but just excited where it’s probably the best I felt maybe since 2018." For two months, he added, he has been pain-free from the time he gets up in the morning. He can work out pain-free, practice pain-free, and play pain-free. All of which went into his decision to tee it up at not just The American Express but also next week's Farmers Insurance Open. "Just want to see where I’m at in the beginning part of this year," Koepka said. "Because I feel good - my game, I’m starting to see better results in practicing, can practice longer, can practice a little bit harder, everything’s starting to come around back to where it’s what I’m used to." He said his confidence has not taken a hit despite just two top-10 finishes in 13 starts last season, and his 2021 goals remain as lofty as ever. "A couple wins and a couple majors," he said.

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Jake Owen, Landon Donovan join The American Express ‘Charity Challenge’ with Mickelson, Finau and CaseyJake Owen, Landon Donovan join The American Express ‘Charity Challenge’ with Mickelson, Finau and Casey

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021| 15:00

• Phil Mickelson will emcee as Finau and Donovan team up against Casey and Owen in $1 million match benefitting local charities • 2021 The American Express field features Brooks Koepka, Patrick Cantlay, Patrick Reed and Matthew Wolff LA QUINTA, Calif. -The American Express announced today that country music star Jake Owen and Landon Donovan, retired U.S. men's professional soccer star, will be teaming up with PGA TOUR professionals Tony Finau and Paul Casey in The American Express Charity Challenge to raise $1 million to support local charities. The Charity Challenge, which was announced in early January, will be hosted by 44-time PGA TOUR winner and World Golf Hall of Fame member Phil Mickelson and be broadcast live by Golf Channel, PGA TOUR LIVE, GOLFTV and on social platforms on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. PT. The exhibition event will pair Finau and Donovan against Casey and Owen for a 9-hole match play event with a modified alternate shot format. Each team will be representing a charitable initiative with winnings donated via The Mickelson Foundation, the tournament's host foundation. Finau and Donovan will play for ‘Youth Development and Education' charities while Casey and Owen will play for ‘Health and Wellness' charities. In addition to serving as host and emcee, Mickelson will participate in the match through "Phil's Challenges." Mickelson will challenge Finau and Casey throughout the match at his discretion and can include long drives, closest to the pin or even trick shots. If the challenged player beats Mickelson, money will be donated to their charity initiative, but if they lose the challenge the money will go to the other team's charity initiative. When the match reaches the second to last hole - the par-3 17th hole known as Alcatraz - each player, including Mickelson, will get a shot at a one-million-dollar hole-in-one for charity. For any player that makes a hole-in-one, an additional one-million-dollars will go to Coachella Valley charities. Since its introduction in 1960 as the Palm Springs Golf Classic, the tournament has generated more than $60 million for numerous nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting Coachella Valley residents. In December, the tournament announced that a $1 million donation had been distributed from the 2020 event to local Coachella Valley charities. Showcasing its best player field in recent history, The American Express includes seven of the top 20 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, a dozen major champions and 14 past tournament champions, including every winner dating back to 2012, and 12 of its most recent 13 champs. The tournament's roster of 156 professional golfers will play a round each at PGA WEST's Stadium Course and Nicklaus Tournament Course over the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday before playing the Stadium Course exclusively on the weekend after the 36-hole cut. Ranked No. 2 in the world, Jon Rahm will make his second start of the calendar year, coming off of a T7 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Rahm won twice on the PGA TOUR last season at The Memorial and The BMW Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs. He earned his second career PGA TOUR victory at The American Express in 2018, defeating current defending champion Andrew Landry on the fourth playoff hole. Other top-ranked players include Patrick Cantlay (No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking), Patrick Reed (No. 11), four-time major champion Brooks Koepka (No. 12), Matthew Wolff (No. 15), Sungjae Im (No. 18), and Finau (No. 20). This week marks Koepka's debut at The American Express. Five-time major champion and tournament host Mickelson and Koepka are among 12 major champions playing this week, alongside 2019 U.S. Open champ Gary Woodland, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, 2018 Open Championship winner Francesco Molinari, 2015 Open Championship winner and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, 2011 Masters champ Charl Schwartzel, PGA Championship winners Keegan Bradley (2011), Jason Dufner (2013) and Jimmy Walker (2016), and U.S. Open champions Lucas Glover (2009) and Steve Jones (1996). Including Rahm and Mickelson, the field boasts a plethora of previous The American Express champions: Landry (2020), Adam Long (2019), Hudson Swafford (2017), Dufner (2016), Bill Haas (2015, 2010), Reed (2014), Brian Gay (2013), Mark Wilson (2012), Pat Perez (2009), D.J. Trahan (2008), Charley Hoffman (2007) and Jones (1989). Southern California native and fan favorite Rickie Fowler, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, will kick off his PGA TOUR campaign in 2021 with his fourth appearance at The American Express. Fowler will try to improve on his T10 finish at PGA WEST last year. Further, The American Express field includes 14 players in the top 30 of the 2020-21 PGA TOUR FedExCup standings, and 10 players who competed in the 30-player field at the 2020 TOUR Championship

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Horses for Courses: The American ExpressHorses for Courses: The American Express

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021| 15:00

The TOUR’s return to mainland after two weeks in Hawaii suggests everything is “normal” and back on schedule for 2021. Kinda. The 62nd edition of The American Express in Palm Springs is anchored in its usual spot on the calendar, but will look markedly difference this time around. Gone is the first pro-am field of the season and the three course rotation that has provided the road map in the Coachella Valley since 2016. The amateur partners, crowds and La Quinta Country Club will all hopefully return in 2022, but will be sitting this edition out because of safety concerns. RELATED: Power Rankings | Expert Picks | The First Look The good news is the show must and will go on. The Stadium Course at PGA West will resume host duties as it has since being reintroduced for the 2016 edition. The Nicklaus Tournament course also holds its place and will serve as the second track used before the 36-hole cut after Round 2. The top 65 and ties return to Pete Dye’s Stadium Course for the final 36 holes to determine the 62nd champion of the event. The 2021 edition will be different as the Nicklaus Tournament track has returned to the original green sizes after a renovation. The larger targets, now pushing almost 8,000 square feet on average, will be able to have new pin placements on brand-new TifEagle Bermuda. The Stadium Course, with greens averaging only 5,000 square feet, has added 34 yards to bulk up but neither Par-72 will touch 7,200 yards. Rob Bolton has also suggested a hint of weekend weather could muck things up. It’s no secret that the featured courses in this event annually rank as some of the easiest on TOUR. The Nicklaus Tournament track was only surpassed in under-par scoring the last three years by La Quinta. Each year since 2016 the Stadium Course has also moved in this direction as it dropped from No. 16, to No. 10 and to the sixth-easiest course on TOUR after last year. These resort courses have generous fairways, minimal rough and perfect putting surfaces and that’s the formula for going low. Toss in weather that is non-existent minus sunshine and blue skies and it shouldn’t be a surprise why the winning score the last five years has been almost 24-under par. The pros know it is birdies-or-better-or-bust this week and that should free up all the shots in the bag. The first full-field event of 2021 will feature 156 players chasing down a purse of $6.7 million with $1.26 million plus 500 FedExCup points going to the winner. Andrew Landry will look to join Johnny Miller as the only players to defend the championship. Phi Mickelson will serve again as the official host. Recent Event Winners Stats Recent Winners and Notables 2020: Andrew Landry (-26, 262) Fired 67 from the final pairing to win for the second time on TOUR. … Defeated Abraham Ancer by two shots. … Roller coaster final round as he led by six at one point and was tied (Ancer) with three holes left. … Tied the tournament record in the new rotation. … Avenged his 2018 playoff defeat to Jon Rahm (not entered). … Only needed 99 putts. … Missed seven of his previous eight cuts on TOUR entering the week. … Won on fourth attempt. Notables: Ancer (2nd) closed furiously with a course-record tying 63 after 65 in Round 3 on the same track; circled 26 birdies for the week. … Scottie Scheffler (3rd) posted 70 from the final group and was three back on debut; posted 64 at NT with a double! … Sepp Straka (T4) signed for 66-65 on the South Course for the week. … Sam Burns (T6) matched Ancer’s 63 in the final round. … Sebastian Cappelen (T6) would have been 11-under if LaQuinta wasn’t in the rotation. … Tom Hoge (T6) played the courses being used this year in 17-under. … Ryan Moore (T6) was T2 GIR. … Rickie Fowler (T10) co-led after 36 but 70-71 on the weekend stuck him in reverse. … Sungjae Im (T10) racked up 24 birdies and an eagle after T12 2019. … Only Ancer posted better rounds on the SC than Grayson Murray (T10) and his 66-64. … Andrew Putnam (T10) was T4 in putts per GIR. … Tony Finau (T14) posted the low round of the week at NT with 62. … Charley Hoffman (T63) and Max Homa (T48) posted 63 at NT. … Scheffler and Carlos Ortiz (T48) each carded three eagles. … Ancer led the field with only two bogeys. … Cut was 9-under after 54 holes. 2019: Adam Long (-26, 262) Rookie won in just his sixth start with his TOUR card at age 31. … Sat three back after 54 holes before winning by a shot. … Birdie at the last wrapped up a bogey-free 65. … Only needed 98 putts. … Chipped in TWICE on the back nine Sunday. … Set the tournament scoring record after the addition of the SC in 2016. … Posted 63 on NT, low round of the week. … Only blemishes were a double and two bogeys. … Missed seven of eight cuts across KFT and PGATOUR entering the week. Notables: Phil Mickelson (T2) lipped out for 60 to open and led by two after 54 holes. … Adam Hadwin (T2) led the field in Par-5 scoring average and hit the top six in his fourth consecutive appearance (DNS 2020). … Talor Gooch (4th) closed with 64 on SC to add to his 65 on NT from 2018. … JT Poston (T7) signed for 64 on NT in Round 3. … Vaughn Taylor (T7) circled 25 birdies. … Patrick Cantlay (T7) was T2 GIR but closed with 71. … Sean O’Hair (T9) also had 25 circles on the card. … Michael Thompson (T9) joined Cantlay with 71 in the final round, the only two rounds in the 70s for players in the top 10 on the week. … Sungjae Im (T12) and Zach Johnson (T28) each posted 64 on SC. … Roger Sloan (T12) led the field with 29 birdies. … Cut was 9-under after 54 holes. 2018: Jon Rahm (-22, 266) Defeated Andrew Landry in a four-hole playoff for second win on TOUR. … Sat two back before final round 67 forced playoff. … At 23 years 2 months became second-youngest winner behind Jack Nicklaus (23 years 0 months). … Only fifth international winner. … Played Par-5 holes 13-under (T1). … Best round was 62 at LaQuinta. … Won in second visit. … Solo second at Sentry Tournament of Champions prior. Notables: Andrew Landry (P2) didn’t have a bogey in his first 59 holes. … Adam Hadwin (T3) picks up his third podium in three years. … John Huh (T3) circled 25 birdies and posted 66 on SC, second lowest round of the week. … Scott Piercy (T6) also had 25 birdies and a 66 on SC. … Austin Cook (T14), behind 63 at NT to open, led after 54 holes by one but carded 75 on Sunday. … Grayson Murray (T14) and Nick Watney (T50) shared the low round of the week on SC with 65. … Defending champion Hudson Swafford was T29. Key stat leaders Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. * – Top 10 finish here since 2016 ** – Previous Champion Par-5 Scoring Average Golfer 4 *Patrick Cantlay 6 Wyndham Clark 6 Matt Jones 10 Gary Woodland 10 Kevin Streelman 10 James Hahn 18 Alex Noren 21 Cameron Davis 21 Paul Casey 21 *Sam Burns 21 **Jhonattan Vegas 21 *Sungjae Im 21 *Scottie Scheffler 28 Mark Hubbard 28 Tony Finau 28 *Charley Hoffman 32 *Patrick Reed 32 Lanto Griffin 32 *Grayson Murray 32 Will Gordon Strokes-Gained: Approach Golfer 3 Russell Henley 8 Cameron Tringale 9 Paul Casey 10 Gary Woodland 11 Doc Redman 13 Emiliano Grillo 16 *Brendan Steele 18 *Patrick Cantlay 20 Branden Grace 21 Tony Finau 22 Cameron Percy 23 Matthew NeSmith 24 *Jason Dufner 26 Russell Knox 27 Jimmy Walker 29 Chez Reavie 30 Chesson Hadley 31 Nick Watney 33 *Scottie Scheffler 35 *Tom Hoge Putting: Birdie or Better Golfer 5 **Patrick Reed 11 Kristoffer Ventura 13 *Scottie Scheffler 14 Denny McCarthy 15 **Charley Hoffman 16 *Grayson Murray 17 Wyndham Clark 19 Chesson Hadley 20 Bronson Burgoon 21 Danny Lee 22 *Patrick Cantlay 25 *Rickie Fowler 28 *Sungjae Im 29 Tony Finau 30 Maverick McNealy Horses for Courses

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