Live leaderboard: Final round from Pebble Beach

The Honda Classic concludes the first third of the 2017-18 season. If you hadn’t already thought about that, then it’ll feel either like a lot of golf has been played already or like we’ve barely started. Certainly, there’s more than enough room for PGA TOUR members to spread their wings and map out the requisite 15 starts to retain fully exempt status for next season, but it also means that the likes of Sergio Garcia and Louis Oosthuizen, both of whom are making their season debuts this week, will be competing in nearly half of the remaining 32 events just to keep their cards. And with no guarantee for a deep run into the FedExCup Playoffs, expect both to range north of a dozen before THE NORTHERN TRUST. This is to say that in the best of ways, it feels like the season starts now. With the Florida Swing upon us, the second of four World Golf Championships on deck and all four majors and THE PLAYERS on the horizon, we’ll be treated to one feast after another. Be sure to stretch your legs and plan accordingly as well. Success in all season-long games like PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO occurs in moderation. The annual cross-country shift east introduces more frequent opportunities on bermudagrass greens. While fields are usually stronger, there’s almost always turnover atop leaderboards because of the comfort level so many Southeastern natives possess on these putting surfaces. When stuck and interested in a flier, consider veterans who have demonstrated proficiency on it. In a tournament like the Honda at which it’s known in advance that the wind is going to blow consistently throughout the day, I’m often asked who that favors. A default reply includes groupings of Australians, Texans and those who have solved it before on the host course. However, one of the most statistically relevant components is ball flight, specifically apex height. As it self-defines, it reflects the average measurement of tee balls (on par 4s and par 5s) from the ground to its highest point on the arc. Before reviewing the data, you can close your eyes and visualize who keeps it lowest to the turf most often. Brandt Snedeker, Jason Dufner and Matt Kuchar probably rush to mind. (Of the trio, only Kuchar isn’t in the field at PGA National.) But you don’t need to guess. For the data, click here for apex height. Conveniently, it’s sorted with the highest at the top. If you don’t think that there’s enough of a sample size this season, select any year from 2007-2017 in the upper-right corner of the page for archived numbers. As you scroll, there’s no doubt that you’ll be both pleasantly surprised and shocked at what you discover. Then, as a learning exercise, monitor golfers in whom you’re investing and avoiding in the wind this week. And just like that, you’re on your way to logging knowledge for the next time that wind presents as a challenge. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for The Honda Classic (in alphabetical order): Rickie Fowler Sergio Garcia Tyrrell Hatton Rory McIlroy Justin Thomas Gary Woodland You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Jason Dufner; Chesson Hadley; Brian Harman; Patton Kizzire; Alex Noren; Ryan Palmer Driving: Russell Knox; Alex Noren; Ryan Palmer; Brandt Snedeker Approach: Rafa Cabrera Bello; Jason Dufner; Chesson Hadley; Patton Kizzire; Ryan Palmer Short: Luke Donald; Jason Dufner; Brian Harman; Patton Kizzire; Brandt Snedeker Power Rankings Wild Card Adam Scott … This is his second consecutive week in this position but it makes sense until he gets a grip of his putting. The Aussie finished second-to-last in strokes gained: putting at Riviera, and that’s despite holing the longest putt of the week from outside 76 feet. He prevailed at PGA National just two years during what was a blistering stretch, and he’s recorded a top-15 finish in his last three trips overall, but expectations are lower this week. Draws Martin Kaymer … This is all about your philosophy. He’ll polarize us as a community given the likelihood that he’ll make the cut, but his price tag in DFS might convince you into other pieces. Finished T4 in the wind at PGA National last year during what a measurably stronger run of form than his current. Now coming off a T53 at Riviera where he didn’t do anything to impress. My advice is to double down on his potential here. He re-upped his PGA TOUR membership for a reason and his success in Florida is inspiring. Rafa Cabrera Bello … Not unlike his fellow European above, the Spaniard checks so many boxes to relieve us of stress and keeps the door swung open for a chance come Sunday. Similarly, RCB has experience at PGA National having finished T37 last year. Since the 2017 Playoffs, he’s strung together 12 paydays, seven of which for a top 25. Patrick Reed … Because his short game has been reliable amid recent inconsistency in scoring, and because he’s 3-for-4 at PGA National with a (front-loaded) T7 in 2015, I’m willing to let the slack all the way out this week. He’s too potent to out-and-out ignore in any given week, so it’s strange that he slides into contrarian position. Capitalize on it. Daniel Berger … Gotta stick with him at home, on bermuda and while he’s flashed form strong enough that it can’t be dismissed. Seeks to even the score at PGA National where he’s missed two cuts since losing in a playoff in his debut in 2015. Russell Knox … He was one of my Sleepers for the Waste Management Phoenix Open where he’d missed the cut for his only MC of the season. Now rested since a T15 at Pebble Beach, the 32-year-old has to be giddy to connect his resurgence with PGA National where he lost in a playoff in 2014 and placed T3 the following year. We should be as well. Luke Donald … Not unlike his glistening record at Harbour Town, he’s an automatic at PGA National. Perfect in seven appearances with four top 10s and 16 red numbers. Dylan Frittelli … The University of Texas product and former teammate of PGA TOUR winners Jordan Spieth and Cody Gribble has been on some kind of heater since November. It includes a win, a T2, a T4 and six more top 20s! The 27-year-old South African is worth the love on form alone even though he’s making his tournament debut. We’ll see quite a bit of him as he crashes onto most if not all of the biggest stages the rest of the way. Emiliano Grillo (DFS) Chesson Hadley (all) Kevin Kisner (DFS) Ryan Palmer (all) Ian Poulter (DFS) Peter Uihlein (DFS) Jimmy Walker (DFS) Nick Watney (DFS) Fades Tiger Woods … He’s never made it easy on himself, that’s for sure. Torrey Pines and Riviera challenges everyone and few expect to find their games on those tough tracks no matter how familiar. After a respective T23 and MC on the West Coast, he now attempts to tackle PGA National in his backyard. It’s been four years since his last appearance and the wind could exacerbate the issues he’s been having off the tee. We saw him navigate Albany to a point in December, but those fairways are more accommodating. Worst case, this is a bonus start given his last-minute decision to commit, but we can sit this one out. Webb Simpson … Missed the cut in his last start at TPC Scottsdale, site of multiple successes, and now returns to PGA National for the first time in seven years. So, he presents as a reach despite rather solid form for months. What’s worth monitoring is if he tilts back toward elevated long-term value versus the spot start motivated by course history. Louis Oosthuizen … We never learned why he opted out of the WGC-HSBC Champions after tweeting that he was preparing to travel. That wouldn’t normally remain relevant three months after the fact, but he’s making his season debut at The Honda Classic. In the interim, the South African recorded top 10s at home and in Mauritius. He then suffered a freak injury when two of his fingers got jammed in between luggage carts at an airport. After a month off, he returned to a T49 in Singapore, and then missed the cut in Dubai. He doesn’t slump, but he still needs to prove that he’s connecting with reliable form. He’s also just 1-for-4 at PGA National with a T21 last year. Jhonattan Vegas … Solid history at PGA National with a T12 (2014) and T4 (2017) among four cuts made in five tries, but he strides in on a mini-slump of two straight missed cuts. Since we already accept him as a hot-and-cold option, gamers are going to do what feels best, but he doesn’t possess a horse-for-a-course profile. Byeong Hun An Keegan Bradley J.B. Holmes Ryan Moore Thomas Pieters Bernd Wiesberger Returning to Competition Nicholas Lindheim … Withdrew during his opening round of last week’s stop at Riviera due to an illness. It extended a rough patch during which he’s failed to cash in four straight starts. Has two top 15s on the season and ranks 15th in strokes gained: putting, so perhaps the return to bermudagrass greens presents the elixir he needs. Given his propensity to surprise, he’s worth a peek in DFS in his Honda debut. Notable WDs Austin Cook … Taking a break after playing in six of the seven events to start 2018. Will miss out on qualifying for next week’s World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship into which the top 10 in the FedExCup standings at the conclusion of The Honda Classic will gain entry. The rookie is currently 12th. Bryson DeChambeau … Can’t complain about a T5 in his debut at TPC Scottsdale, but he’s backpedaled from the surging form with which he concluded the fall. Currently 37th in the FedExCup standings. Si Woo Kim … Taking at least two weeks off now, although that wasn’t the plan until the conclusion of the Genesis Open where he missed the cut. He fell to 51st in the Official World Golf Ranking, which is also the first spot on the outside looking into qualifying for the WGC-Mexico Championship. The top 50 through the Genesis earned berths. Sangmoon Bae … After placing T15 at Pebble Beach, settled for a T75 at Riviera. Currently 150th in the FedExCup standings despite missing seven of 10 cuts in his return to the PGA TOUR. Has 17 starts remaining on his medical extension. D.A. Points … Cited “neck issues” on Twitter. He’s scheduled to participate in next week’s Puerto Rico Open Charity Day. It’s an unofficial event benefiting the island in the wake of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria. That means that the 2017 PRO champ would defend his title when the tournament resumes its official spot on the schedule in 2019. John Peterson … He’ll stay put on five starts remaining on his medical extension. Just 104.335 FedExCup points shy of securing conditional status as a secondary objective. He’s 3-for-3 this season but without a top-45 finish. Vijay Singh … He finished T6 at PGA National just two years ago, so this decision will disappoint gamers angling at that. His T73 at the Genesis Open extended his streak of surviving at least one cut to 26 straight seasons. Power Rankings Recap – Genesis Open Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Dustin Johnson  T16 2  Jordan Spieth  T9 3  Paul Casey  T49 4  Phil Mickelson  T6 5  Rory McIlroy  T20 6  Chez Reavie  T73 7  Marc Leishman  MC 8  Thomas Pieters  T68 9  Ollie Schniederjans  MC 10  Tommy Fleetwood  T37 11  Justin Thomas  T9 12  Bubba Watson  Win 13  Kevin Chappell  T20 14  Daniel Berger  MC 15  Alex Noren  T16 Wild Card  Adam Scott  T53 Sleepers – Genesis Open Golfer  Result K.J. Choi  MC Brian Gay  MC Adam Hadwin  T6 Brandon Harkins  T41 J.B. Holmes  T60 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR February 20 … none February 21 … Steve Wheatcroft (40) February 22 … Vijay Singh (55); Whee Kim (26) February 23 … Steve Stricker (51) February 24 … Zach Johnson (42) February 25 … Hideki Matsuyama (26) February 26 … none

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Martin Piller … Among the handful in the field able to sleep in their own beds in the Metroplex during this fortnight, he’s coming off a front-loaded T21 at Trinity Forest where he crafted a career-low 63 in the second round. It was his fourth top 25 of the season, the last two of which in his native Texas. The bigger news, however, is that he’s now making his third start as a first-time father who has all but sewn up his TOUR card for next season. With all kinds of positive mojo flowing, the 32-year-old can further lean on the vibes of a T6 in his debut at Colonial in 2016. Nick Watney … He locked up his card for next season with a co-runner-up performance at the Wells Fargo Championship three weeks ago, but he was already piecing together a respectful season, albeit sans the spike. Owns a consecutive cuts made streak of 12 as he prepares for his seventh appearance at Colonial. Seeking his first top 25 in the tournament, his approach game and putting are poised to produce like they did at Quail Hollow en route to leading the field in greens in regulation while ranking T4 in proximity to the hole and seventh in strokes gained: putting. Currently a respective T61, T3 and 47th in those three stats for the season. Danny Lee … Casual fans would have missed his runs at the Houston Open, RBC Heritage and Valero Texas Open because of massive Sunday fades, but devotees of consuming earlier action were not surprised to see him put all four rounds together at THE PLAYERS for a season-best-tying T7. The turnaround in general over his last six starts was due almost entirely to improved putting. He’s shaved 0.887 strokes per round on the greens and climbed 104 spots in strokes gained: putting to his current position of T89. Now the local resident gets another opportunity to sink his teeth into Colonial where he’s 5-for-5 with a T10, T22 and solo sixth in the last three editions. David Lingmerth … This endorsement likely hinges on him securing a tee time in the final round, and that’s not intended to be humorous. In four previous appearances at Colonial, he’s scored 65, 66, 65 and 67 to finish a respective T18, T5, T33 and T12. Contrarily, in nine final rounds in 15 starts this season, he’s manufactured only three red numbers and hasn’t logged a top 25 in over six months. As one of the most accurate off the tee, the 30-year-old will need to lean on his comfort level over current form. David Hearn … As the third alternate at the commitment deadline, this is a bonus start in a 121-man invitational. So, even though he’s 148th in the FedExCup standings, he might feel like he’s playing on house points. Even better, Colonial is the kind of place where he projects to collect, too. A regular here since 2011, he’s scattered three top 25s among six cuts made. His record also includes a career-low-tying 64 in the opening round of 2013 (the only edition in which he’s missed a cut). Lined up similarly well as a course horse at TPC Louisiana a month ago and tied for 10th with partner Seamus Power. The 38-year-old Canadian also fits the profile in Fort Worth, slotting 12th on TOUR in fairways hit and second in proximity to the hole.

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JACKSON, Miss. – Patrick Armour celebrated his ninth birthday Saturday in Jupiter, Florida, and his father Ryan wasn’t there to hand him a present. Maybe Armour will bring him a trophy and a $774,000 first-place check instead. Armour took a big step in securing that special prize on Saturday, overcoming chilly weather and a string of bogeys to fire a 5-under 67 in the third round of the Sanderson Farms Championship to take a five-shot lead into Sunday’s final round at the Country Club of Jackson. Armour sits at 15 under par. Chesson Hadley (68) and Vaughn Taylor (70) are tied for second at 10 under. Scott Strohmeyer (68), Beau Hossler (69), Ben Silverman (69), and Seamus Power (71) are tied for fourth at 9 under. Armour, 41, is seeking his first PGA TOUR title in his 105th TOUR event. The journeyman who has been on and off the TOUR since 2007 – he didn’t make a start on the PGA TOUR from 2011-14 – credits his home life for his recent resurgence away from home. Wife Erin and sons Patrick and Nicholas, 6, have added order to his life and helped him focus on his goals. “The kids have helped me become more disciplined,â€� said Armour. “Back coming out of college, you thought you could do everything. But now with kids who get up early, wanting to be part of their life, I want to have energy. I get to bed early and up early, and that’s discipline that’s helping me on the golf course. “I’m happy where I’m at with my family, my caddy, my instructor. My parents are healthy finally, everything is falling into place.” Thursday’s first round and most of Friday’s second round were played in near ideal conditions, breezy with temperatures near 80. When the third round started Saturday, it was in the 40s, and the highs never climbed out of the 50s. Biting, swirling winds added to the chill factor – and the uncertainty on judging shots. An Ohio native who now calls Florida home, Armour fought through those conditions to post the day’s low round – despite making bogeys on holes No. 5, 6, 7. Four straight birdies on the back nine, capped by a 57-foot putt on the most difficult hole on the course, the par-4 16th, helped him regain control. Armour took just 26 putts and made eight birdies Saturday. He followed his bogey string by stuffing an 8-iron to 4 feet for birdie on No. 8, made a 21-footer from the fringe for birdie on No. 10, and then got on a roll – again – on Nos. 13-16. That birdie binge marked the second straight round he parred each of those holes. Asked how he’ll handle being in the final group on Sunday, the even-natured Armour said he’ll do what he’s done each day. “Kind of stick with what you’re doing,â€� he said. “You’re not always going to be able to, but my strength is – obviously, I have figured this out, finally – driving it in the fairway, hitting it on the green, and trying to make putts. I don’t overpower a golf course.â€� Maybe so, but so far he’s overpowered the field – his five-shot lead is the largest 54-hole lead in this event since 1986. OBSERVATIONS Strohmeyer is bidding to become perhaps the most unlikely PGA TOUR winner ever. Strohmeyer, who will be in Sunday’s final threesome with Armour and Hadley, shot 68 on Friday and is in a five-way tie for third at 9 under, six shots off the lead. Several factors make his position highly unusual. One, this is his first PGA TOUR event (he’s never even played in a Web.com Tour event). Two, he gained entry into the event through the Monday qualifier at nearby Deerfield Golf Club, holing out for eagle from a bunker on the third playoff hole. And three, he had to play to get through the pre-qualifier at Deerfield last week just to get into Monday’s four-spotter. “It’s been a rollercoaster,â€� said Strohmeyer, who was a teammate at Alabama with 2017 PGA TOUR Player of the Year Justin Thomas. “When I finished on Monday I thought I was going to miss it by one. I was kind of kicking myself because I left a lot of shots out there. I hung around, hoping for a playoff. And then I had to make like a 15-footer on the second hole just to go to the next one. So it’s been an awesome opportunity.â€� He said he’s leaned on Thomas for advice this week. “He’s got tons of experience with stuff like this,â€� Strohmeyer said. “This is my first PGA TOUR event. He said to take what’s given me but also be myself. I learned the hard way, I guess, three, four weeks ago at Q-School. I tried not to be myself and it didn’t work out.â€� The last Monday qualifier to win on the PGA TOUR was Arjun Atwal at the 2010 Wyndham Championship. There were no bogey-free rounds recorded in the third round. Hadley’s 68 included one bogey, on the par-4 12th, when his second shot from 125 yards out of the rough flew the green. “It came out pretty nuclear,â€� he said. “I was posing. I was looking right at it, and it just smoked the grandstand (behind the green) and then ricocheted off the ShotLink tower. It was not awesome back there, to be honest. If I can do something differently on that hole, I think I’m going to hit the green tomorrow and maybe one-putt for a birdie.â€� With his father Davis Love III following him for part of the round, Dru Love shot 72 and is T-16, nine shots off the lead. Davis Love III missed the 36-hole cut and spent part of Saturday morning bow-hunting for deer. Beau Hossler had one of the more unusual bogeys of the day on the par-4 9th hole, playing his third shot from behind the grandstands that are located behind the green. Hossler’s second shot from 127 yards flew the green, hit a sprinkler head, bounced over the grandstand, and across a cart path before coming to rest in a grassy area next to the CCJ clubhouse, some 52 yards from the hole. After much consultation with rules officials, it was decided his point of relief would have placed him in a flowerbed and bushes, so he played his third shot from the grass, flopping a lob wedge over the grandstand and onto the green. The ball trickled off the front, but he got up and down for bogey. “It was adventurous,â€� he said. “Very interesting.â€� QUOTABLE “The golf course is playing really tough with how cold and how windy it is, so if you start getting wrapped up in how other people are doing you’re going to get yourself in trouble. I’ve played three really solid rounds. I’m driving it well, putting it well. It’s felt really good thus far. I’m looking forward to the challenge of (Sunday) because I know it’s going to be another really tough day.â€� – Beau Hossler, who has shot 69 in each round “You don’t plan on making those. But as Vaughn (Taylor) said when we were walking to 17, ‘That was in from the minute you hit it.’ Hey, I’ll take it. You don’t plan on them, but definitely take them.â€� – leader Ryan Armour, on the 57-foot birdie putt he drained on No. 16 SUPERLATIVES Low Round – Ryan Armour, 5-under 67. He made eight birdies and three bogeys. Longest Drive – 341 yards, by Wyndham Clark, on hole No. 15. Longest Putt – 57 feet, 3 inches, by Armour, for birdie, on No. 16. Toughest Hole – The par-4 6th hole played to a 4.413 average, yielding just three birdies. There were 30 bogeys and two doubles made there. Easiest Hole – The par-5 14th played to a 4.64 average. There were 29 birdies made there, with only two bogeys and one double. CALL OF THE DAY SHOT OF THE DAY BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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