Live leaderboard: Moving day at DEAN & DELUCA

POTOMAC, Md. — Max Homa played solid, steady golf during a week of cold, wet conditions and a back-and-forth Sunday duel with Keegan Bradley, closing with a 2-under 68 for a two-shot victory in the Wells Fargo Championship. RELATED: Leaderboard | Wells Fargo comeback not to be for Rory McIlroy An emerging star on the PGA TOUR whose only missing achievement is contention in a major, the 31-year-old Homa finished at 8-under 272 at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm to move into sixth in the FedExCup standings. He won for the fourth time overall, third in 15 months and second since he gave up his popular podcast. “I just feel like I’m coming into my own. I’m starting to believe in myself a lot and that’s all I can ask for,” said Homa, whose next start will be in two weeks at the PGA Championship. With his win last September in Napa, California, Homa joins Scottie Scheffler (four), Hideki Matsuyama (two), Sam Burns (two) and Cameron Smith (two) as multiple winners on TOUR this season. He also moves to sixth in the Presidents Cup standings, meaning he’s in position to earn a return visit this September to the Wells Fargo’s usual home, Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina. Homa got his first career win in 2019 at Quail Hollow, which took the year off as Wells Fargo host while it prepares for the U.S.-versus-International team competition. TPC Potomac, which last hosted the TOUR in 2018, filled in ably despite torrential rain on Friday and Saturday and unseasonably cold temperatures most of the week. Bradley started the day with a two-shot lead, gave it away on the par-5 second hole and took it back on the par-4 eighth before Homa finally took command for good on the back nine. A bogey on the closing hole gave Bradley a 2-over 72 and a tie for second with Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick. Homa played conservatively Saturday, the toughest scoring day of the week, but was aggressive right away Sunday while keeping his umbrella stowed in his golf bag for the first time since the opening round. He twirled his 7-iron as he watched his approach on the par-4 first hole settle 8 feet from the hole. A lob wedge to 8 feet on the par-4 fifth was good for another birdie, and a 7-iron inside 10 feet on the par-3 ninth allowed him to turn in 34, 2 under for the day and tied with Bradley, who steadied himself after a nervy start. Seeking to move high enough in the world ranking to secure a spot in the U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, the 35-year-old New England native hit a poor shot from a greenside bunker on the par-5 second hole, leading to double bogey. Bradley rallied with a 21-foot birdie and a firm fist pump on the par-4 fifth, a par save from a difficult lie on the sixth, a 14-footer that he walked in for birdie on the seventh and an 8-iron to 4 feet on No. 8 for another birdie. The next two of five two-shot swings between the final pairing belonged to Homa. Bradley found a penalty area right of the green on the 11th hole, the toughest on the course this week, and made double bogey while Homa saved par. When Homa converted another birdie on the par-4 15th, he had a three-shot lead with three to play. Homa had to make a 5-footer for bogey on the par-4 16th as Bradley made birdie to move within one. The pair traded pars on 17 and when Homa lagged his birdie putt to tap-in range on 18, it was finally over. Young made six birdies ranging in length from 8 feet to 6 inches in his closing 66 for his third runner-up finish in the 24-year-old’s rookie season on TOUR. Fitzpatrick birdied the 18th to conclude a bogey-free 67. The largest galleries of the day belonged to Rory McIlroy, who began the day six shots off the lead and was 3 under through 10 holes. But he stalled from there and closed with a bogey for a 68 to finish alone in fifth, four shots back. Jason Day, the first- and second-round leader, closed with a 70 to finish at 1 under. Stewart Cink had the low round on Sunday, a 65 that moved him into a share of ninth place at 2 under

Click here to read the full article…

NORTON, Mass. – The first time Justin Rose played a competitive round at TPC Boston, he shot 63. That was 15 years ago and he was not yet a TOUR member. He was playing on a sponsor’s exemption extended by then-tournament director Jay Monahan, now the PGA TOUR Commissioner. Rose, then 23-years old, eventually finished solo third and earned his TOUR card without having to go through Q-school. Since then, he’s played more than 300 TOUR events, won nine times – including a major and two WGC events – and also won an Olympic gold medal. It’s been a stellar career. But he’s never been able to match that 63 – although he came close Friday with a bogey-free 6-under 65 to take the first-round lead at the Dell Technologies Championship. “This golf course has been changed and manipulated a lot through the years,â€� said Rose after his 45th career round at TPC Boston. “I think the first couple of years I played really well and enjoyed it. Then obviously significant changes through the years. I guess the last few years things have settled a little bit again. “So I played better when it was pre-redesign. I probably had more success.â€� Indeed. Besides his solo third in 2003, he tied for fourth in 2006. But since the debut of the FedExCup Playoffs the following year and the course’s redesign by Gil Hanse, Rose’s only top-10 finish came last year with a tie for 10th. Perhaps he’s finally starting to solve it. He certainly solved the tricky wind conditions better than anybody else, and his bogey-free round was one of just two on the day (Abraham Ancer had the other in shooting 66). Of course, it helps that he’s an established world-class golfer, ranked sixth in FedExCup points and fourth in the world. Even so, TPC Boston – at least the latest version — may always seem liked a mystery to him. “I’ve had some mixed results here,â€� said Rose, who turned his first missed cut of the season at last week’s FedExCup Playoffs opener into a six-day visit back home. “I’ve had some great weeks and I’ve had some poor weeks here. It’s a course I never really know exactly what to expect. “But it’s a fun golf course.â€� It was fun 15 years ago when he first saw it. Maybe it will be even more fun for him the rest of this week. KEEGAN HANDLING HOMETOWN PRESSURE Keegan Bradley desperately wants to give his New England fans a winning performance. Unfortunately, he’s never really come close at TPC Boston. In six previous appearances at the Dell Technologies Championship, his best finish is a tie for 13th in 2012. That was the year he shot 63 in the third round. Alas, that only moved him within 13 shots of the leader. Two years later, he opened with a 65, leaving him in solo second … and then he gradually dropped down the leaderboard to finish tied for 16th. Yes, the Vermont native – who’s also an unabashed Boston sports fan — gets tons of support here. That also comes with tons of pressure. Now, though, he thinks he can properly channel that pressure. An opening 4-under 67, which leaves him just two shots behind leader Justin Rose, suggests this might be the year. “I’ve learned to love coming here,â€� Bradley said. “It used to be a very tough week for me. I put so much pressure on myself. But I’ve learned to go with it.â€� He’s also learning how to let go of disappointment. A week ago, his third-round 62 at THE NORTHERN TRUST moved him into solo second after 54 holes. A day later, in the final group with eventual winner Bryson DeChambeau, he suffered a free-fall, his 7-over 78 leaving him tied for 34th. Considering he hasn’t won a PGA TOUR event in six years and has just one top-3 finish in his last 119 starts, it was a bitter finish. But by the middle of this week, he was over it. “It was tough, because I felt like that was my day to kind of tell everybody that maybe I was back here and I was here to stay,â€� Bradley said. “I may have put too much pressure on myself. But it’s nice to come right back out and play quickly.â€� Will he keep riding the momentum – and successfully manage the expectations – for the final three rounds this week? Bradley certainly hopes so, but it’ll be difficult not to let his mind wander. “I would love to give the fans and my family who don’t get to come to a lot of tournaments see me compete and do well, maybe win,â€� he said. “That would be incredible. So always in the back of my mind, I think how amazing that would be. How cool that would be. “And that’s something that I’ll have to be aware of this week.â€� NOTABLES DJ’S GUARANTEE … In eight career starts at TPC Boston, Dustin Johnson has three top-10 finishes. He’s only held the lead once in 32 rounds here, and has only been inside the top-5 once entering the final round. His promise: That all changes this year. “I don’t understand why I haven’t had more success here because I like the golf course,â€� he said after an opening 68. “I feel like it sets up well for me. And I’m going to have success this year.â€� OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOE … Marc Leishman’s approach into the par-4 sixth was sailing long right and heading into trouble – until it bounced off the bottom of the shoe of a fan who had stumbled and fallen backwards while trying to get out of the way. The ball ricocheted onto the green, and Leishman capitalized on the break by rolling in the birdie putt from 56 feet, 11 inches. “First time that’s ever happened to me,â€� said Leishman, who shot a 68. “It’s nice when it does happen … Hopefully I don’t need those kind of breaks later in the week.â€� Click here for the video of the shoe shot. TURF TALK … A week ago, Chris Kirk tied for last among all players who made the cut at THE NORTHERN TRUST. This week, he’s off to a great start with a 4-under 67. The difference, he said, is his ability to read the greens at TPC Boston after struggling last week at Ridgewood. And why is that? “I suck on poa annua,â€� Kirk said. He said other than a solo second in the 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his track record is horrible on poa annua greens. “I wish I somehow had any clue what I did that week,â€� he said. “I’m still using the same putter right now that I used that week.â€� Bentgrass greens, like at TPC Boston, and bermudagrass greens are no problem. “At least I feel good on two out of the three surfaces we play,â€� Kirk said. FEELING FRESH … Beau Hossler played six straight weeks earlier this season. He had another stretch of five straight weeks. But this week is just his third start in the last six weeks. “I feel really fresh, where a lot of players probably don’t right now,â€� Hossler said after his 67. “I would say my game isn’t exactly where I want it to be. But as far as mentally, I feel totally rested and prepared to compete.â€� Hossler’s fast start is no surprise – the rookie is fifth on TOUR in first-round scoring average. BANG-BANG FINISHES … Russell Knox was plodding along and coming off an unfortunate bogey on the 12th hole after finding the middle of the fairway. After that? Three birdies and an eagle hole-out at the par-4 15th to shoot 66 and share second place. “The round was just good in four holes,â€� Knox said. “It was nice. I haven’t hd one of those bang-bang runs in a while.â€� … Abraham Ancer also had one of those runs to finish his bogey-free 66, making four birdies in his last six holes. “Some putts didn’t go in on the front nine and I just stayed patient and made some coming in,â€� Ancer said. QUOTABLES They might be taking an early weekend. Should be in school studying.I’ve learned more about my game this year than any other season, no doubt. SHOT OF THE DAY

Click here to read the full article…

OVERVIEW Potential New Year’s resolutions for Patrick Cantlay: Find a way to beat Bryson DeChambeau, and find a way to make it to the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne, Australia, where Cantlay would play for the U.S. in a major international team competition for the first time as a pro. The only surprise is that it hasn’t happened yet. His 60 at the 2011 Travelers Championship promised stardom, his career was nearly derailed by a back injury, and now he’s returned to the upper echelon in style. Cantlay finished a sporty runner-up to DeChambeau in his first PGA TOUR title defense at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in November. If the faces looked familiar in Las Vegas, they should have. Five months earlier, Cantlay led going into the back nine of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide  but suffered a late bogey to finish fourth. DeChambeau won in a playoff over Byeong Hun An and Kyle Stanley. When you list the top 20-somethings on TOUR, it’s easy to forget about the quiet Cantlay, 26. DeChambeau is quirkier and has more wins than Cantlay, as do Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele. But Cantlay belongs in the conversation. He made 21 cuts in 23 starts last season, reached the TOUR Championship for the second straight year, and was 20th in the FedExCup. After playing a reduced schedule in 2017, Cantlay is a regular threat to win and a relatively new resident of North Palm Beach, Florida, where during off-weeks you can find him at The Bear’s Club playing with peers like Thomas — good company to keep. – By Cameron Morfit Click here to see who else made the Top 30 list. BY THE NUMBERS FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: 10th Playoff appearances: 2 TOUR Championship appearances: 2 Best FedExCup result: 20th in 2018. SHOTLINK FUN FACT Patrick Cantlay has played his last eight consecutive second rounds in the 60s for a combined 31 under — best second-round stretch of any player on the PGA TOUR since the 2018 PGA Championship. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Patrick Cantlay in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: Cantlay is a supreme ball-striker who was 9th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green last season. Alas, he lost strokes to the field on the greens, finishing 153rd in Strokes Gained: Putting. Perhaps not coincidentally, he missed the cut at the Masters, one of his worst results of a season that saw him notch 15 top-25 finishes. Strong title defense at Shriners in November, when he bogeyed the 17 but birdied 16, 18 to make the winner earn it. – By Cameron Morfit FANTASY INSIDER: He lands in the same spot as last year’s Top 30, and that’s just fine for us. In fact, it’s the perfect representation for his consistency and reliability. Since returning to the PGA TOUR (just 22 months ago), he’s gone 37-for-39 with 13 top 10s and another 13 top 25s. His health and personal experiences outside the ropes have framed a perspective that introduced a fearlessness and calm to what was already a gifted skill set. As a result, the 26-year-old presents the fascinating blend of grinder and scorer. The next time I fade him might be the first, if it even happens. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: Ask any equipment fan about Cantlay, and they’ll probably bring up his custom putter. It’s a Scotty Cameron GSS prototype with dancing four-leaf clovers and “Putter Studioâ€� stamped into the back cavity, and his initials on the back bumper. He did switch into a Cameron Concept putter in 2018, but he’s currently back into his familiar Irish-stamped studio blade as of the Shriners Open. Cantlay is also relatively stubborn when switching into new equipment at the top-end of his bag. While he made the change into new 718 AP2 irons, he’s still gaming a Titleist 917D2 driver, a 915F fairway wood, an 816H2 hybrid, and Titleist SM5/SM6 wedges. It will be interesting to keep an eye on any equipment changes Cantlay makes in 2019. — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: If you think all the young guns on TOUR favor super sporty looks, guess again. Cantlay is part of a group of rising stars that still has time for classic kits. There is nothing fancy about Cantlay’s style, but he has a knack for cranking out simple and solid outfits round after round. He is in his comfort zone while wearing a neutral palette of black and grey, occasionally splashing a pop of color. — By Greg Monteforte

Click here to read the full article…