Leaderboard: Leishman could go wire to wire

(PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.) — Youth on Course the non-profit organization dedicated to opening doors, supporting dreams and transforming the lives of young people through opportunities on and off the golf course – has named PGA TOUR player Harold Varner III as its first national ambassador. To date, Varner III has contributed to YOC Carolinas through the HV3 Foundation and will be expanding support by substantially funding the Carolinas region’s programming in 2021. In his new role, Varner III serves as an official spokesperson for Youth on Course (YOC) and will advocate for the organization’s mission of providing affordable access to golf and bringing life-changing opportunities to young golfers across the country and in turn, help create a more inclusive and diverse future for the game. “Harold has been a vocal champion of our organization for years, not to mention his significant financial contributions which made a huge difference for young golfers in the Carolinas,” says Adam Heieck, CEO of Youth on Course. “With his community support through the HV3 Foundation and shared goal to grow the game, Harold is the perfect role model to represent Youth on Course on a national scale. We are so proud to have him join our team in an official role.” Varner III created the HV3 Foundation in 2019 to help bring awareness to the rising cost of entry and access in sports and provide kids with affordable opportunities to help negate those challenges. Through personal funding, fundraising, donations and sponsorships, the Foundation has been able to provide financial assistance for equipment, after-school programs, instruction and camps to cultivate young people’s passions. The HV3 Foundation also hosts an annual HV3 Invitational for junior golfers and is the tournament title sponsor for an American Junior Golf Association Junior All-Star event. “Youth on Course is a life-changing program for the golf industry. Allowing kids of all backgrounds to play the game without placing financial burdens on families is a game changer,” says Varner III. “I’m so appreciative of the support I had as a junior golfer and have been fortunate to be able to give back to the next generation of young golfers. I’ve always been passionate about making the game more open and accessible and YOC has shown they share my goals. I’m so excited to be a part of the team and help make a difference for these kids.” Committed to making the game more appealing, inclusive and accessible to nurture the next generation of lifelong players and lovers of the game, Youth on Course provides more than 100,000 members with affordable access to play rounds of golf for $5 or less at more than 1,400 courses across the country and in parts of Canada. Members also benefit from career opportunities through Youth on Course’s caddie and internship programs and can utilize support for continuing education through their college scholarships. To date, more than $2 million has been awarded through the scholarship program. In 2020, Youth on Course saw a significant rise in play with membership increasing by 56% and eclipsing one million rounds of golf played. Fueling the golf industry, 400,000 rounds of golf were subsidized, an increase of 100% from the previous year, and generated a total of $2.8 million back to golf courses from unused tee times. Juniors nationwide ages 6-18 may sign up for a Youth on Course membership at www.youthoncourse.org/join.

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The United States entered Saturday with a big lead — then made it even bigger. For Europe to keep the Ryder Cup it will need an epic comeback on Sunday.

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Emergency 9 Here are nine tidbits from the final round of the Valero Texas Open that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. The AT&T Oaks Course in San Antonio has been the host since 2010 and plays 7,435 yards to a Par-72. Just Like He Drew it Up Andrew Landry fired a final-round 68 to post a tournament record 17-under-par 271 and win for the first time on the PGA TOUR. Posting all four rounds in the 60’s he becomes the first native Texan to win this event since Justin Leonard in 2007. If he had any nerves on Sunday, he rarely displayed them. Opening with birdies on his first three holes, he opened up a two-shot lead that he would never relinquish. Trey Mullinax, also playing in the final group, cut that lead to one on No. 10 but Landry held his nerve and wouldn’t be denied. He had a few fortunate breaks that all winners need but he was excellent all week long. He led the field in SG: approach the green, tee to green and GIR. He was second in scrambling and T2 with 21 birdies. On a big, bad course he was only T46 in driving distance but he only squared four bogeys, tied for the least on the week. The 30-year-old should have thrown up a few red flags last year on the Web.com Tour as he won the second of event of the season and then added six more top-five finishes. Gamers will point out that the Texan has been incredibly efficient this year when he makes the cut. This was his fourth top-10 finish in six weekends from 13 starts. He also had a great learning experience leading the U.S. Open at Oakmont after Thursday in 2016 and fighting with Jon Rahm in a playoff at the CareerBuilder Challenge. Landry already had the biggest win of his life on March 23 as he and his wife welcomed their first child, Brooks, to the world. I guess #NappyFactor needed a week to knock the rust off as he closed with 75 last week to collect T42. Plenty of diaper money, sure, but this week will buy A LOT more! As gamers know, winning for the first time on TOUR changes everything and doesn’t ensure immediate (Kizzire) or continued success (Potter, Jr.). I’m going to rely on the total body of work here as I move forward. He obviously didn’t “fake it” through an entire season last year. His stats don’t jump off the page but his results do. There’s something to be said for that. Figuring out when he’s going to fire is going to be something completely different. Stay tuned! Gamers’ Choices — PGA TOUR Fantasy Game presented by SERVPRO This is the most brutal top 10 we’ve seen in some time. Landry’s first top 10 on TOUR was at the John Deere Classic, an event where Johnson and Moore have done quite well in recent years. Interesting. Gamers’ Choices — PGA TOUR One & Done presented by SERVPRO The Billy Horschel Fan Club (acting president: ME) was hoping for one more on one of the last two holes but it wasn’t to be. It will be a nice gain this week, but not the big prize gamers were looking for to move up the leaderboard. Close Encounters Trey Mullinax picked up his third top-25 finish in a row and his second top 10 in three starts. The big bomber who set the course record Saturday didn’t look out of place on Sunday playing in the final group. His final two holes cost him plenty of cash. He threw the sod over it on No. 17 and made a bogey and his errant tee shot on the last took out possibility of eagle. It also took all of the pressure off of Landry to make birdie. Although he KILLS IT off the tee, I’ll point out that he also led the field in SG: putting. His only top 10 in 28 events last year was at Erin Hills and he’s already doubled that output. Quail Hollow should set up perfectly for his game! Rally Cap Sean O’Hair was the only guy on the course who didn’t want this event to end. After his blazing 65 on Saturday he roared back with 66 more on Sunday for the low round of the day. He matched Landry with 21 birdies, was second in GIR and third in SG: tee to green. His birdies on the final two holes saw him share second with Mullinax. Similarly to Mullinax, O’Hair also had a solid Valspar (T12) followed by T7 at Bay Hill. His T64 at the Houston Open and MC last week at Harbour Town threw gamers off the scent. His four rounds at par-or-better were his first ever in 12 rounds at this event. That didn’t help either! Streel Wheels Kevin Streelman (T8) backed up his top 10 last week at the RBC Heritage (T7) with another one this week. As he’s known to do, he heated up faster than the weather in Hill Country, which never happened this week, as he closed round three with five consecutive birdies. He added six more on Sunday to sign for 67 for his fourth top-10 finish this season and his best finish in five tries at the VTO. #Play72 Jimmy Walker continued his very solid form he flashed at the Masters (T20) to cash solo fourth this week. This was the first time all year that he put all four rounds in red figures and remarked after Round 3 that he was feeling stronger. It should also be pointed out he bogeyed the easiest hole on the course both days of the weekend while shooting 67-67 while leading the event with 24 birdies. He also made a double on Thursday on the Par-5 No. 18. Arrows way up. … First-round leader Grayson Murray might have had the second-most impressive round of the week behind Mullinax’s course record on Saturday. He played the weekend in 1 over but still cashed T16, his third T16 or better in his last four events. He went close at Quail Hollow last year in the PGA Championship before fading late. … Sunday Silence Zach Johnson should have had the upper hand entering Sunday. The two-time major champion was playing in the final group, tied for the lead, with two guys who had never won on TOUR. Looking for his first win since St. Andrew’s in 2015, Johnson could never get dialed in Sunday. He turned in even-par 36 and his bogey at the last knocked him out of T4 but it was his best result since the Valero Texas Open moved to TPC San Antonio. Before the week started, all gamers who invested would have taken this result no questions asked. He’s now rattled off 14 cuts in a row and this was his best finish since solo second last summer at Firestone. … Charley Hoffman backed up his T40 last year with T64 this year and had nothing better than T71 on the week. … Matt Kuchar, a week-in and week-out savings bond for gamers, has shown again that this week might be a pass moving forward. He added T51 this year to T40 last year and T42 in 2016. There’s not many, if any, places I’ll fade Kuchar but this would qualify. Study Hall The final round scoring average ticked just over par at 72.125 and there were no bogey-free rounds. The scoring average for the week was 72.367 and was helped by a friendly course set-up on Friday plus a storm system that never materialized on Saturday. … Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly played together for T5 at Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge. They are paired at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as well. … 44-year old lefty Eric Axley was declared the winner after 54 holes at the North Mississippi Classic on the Web.com Tour after rain washed out the final round. Ole Miss senior Braden Thornberry (a) was T22. Write his name down and thank me later.

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