Watson ends drought with third win at Riviera

Here are the teams for Valspar Championship as of 4/23/2021. Check here for updates. Winner – PGA/U.S. Open Championship Dustin Johnson Justin Thomas Jimmy Walker Gary Woodland Winner – Masters Tournament Patrick Reed Danny Willett Winner – The Open Championship Zach Johnson Henrik Stenson Winner – World Golf Championship Event Kevin Kisner Phil Mickelson Justin Rose Bubba Watson Winners of the Arnold Palmer, Memorial, Genesis (Last 3 Years) Jason Dufner Tyrrell Hatton Max Homa Tournament Winner in Past Two Seasons Ryan Armour Keegan Bradley Paul Casey Cameron Champ Corey Conners Austin Cook Tyler Duncan Brice Garnett Brian Gay Branden Grace Lanto Griffin Jim Herman J.B. Holmes Viktor Hovland Charles Howell III Sungjae Im Sung Kang Michael Kim Patton Kizzire Russell Knox Satoshi Kodaira Jason Kokrak Martin Laird Andrew Landry Nate Lashley Adam Long Graeme McDowell Troy Merritt Keith Mitchell Kevin Na Joaquin Niemann Carlos Ortiz Ryan Palmer Pat Perez Scott Piercy J.T. Poston Ted Potter, Jr. Ian Poulter Andrew Putnam Chez Reavie Brandt Snedeker Hudson Swafford Nick Taylor Martin Trainer Kevin Tway Richy Werenski Career Money Exemption K.J. Choi Luke Donald Hunter Mahan Steve Stricker Bo Van Pelt Sponsor Exemptions: 2018-19 FEC / 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Category Nick Watney Sponsors Exemptions – Members not otherwise exempt Rafa Cabrera Bello Camilo Villegas Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted John Augenstein Rasmus Hojgaard Sam Horsfield Chase Koepka PGA Section Champion\Player of the Year Rod Perry Past Champion of Respective Event Adam Hadwin Charl Schwartzel Top 125 on Prior Season’s FedExCup Points List Scottie Scheffler Mackenzie Hughes Abraham Ancer Kevin Streelman Byeong Hun An Mark Hubbard Danny Lee Alex Noren Russell Henley Talor Gooch Louis Oosthuizen Robby Shelton Doc Redman Denny McCarthy Henrik Norlander Charley Hoffman Xinjun Zhang Sepp Straka Cameron Tringale Cameron Davis Vaughn Taylor Patrick Rodgers Brian Stuard Emiliano Grillo Kyoung-Hoon Lee Scott Harrington Matthew NeSmith Ryan Moore Sam Ryder Adam Schenk Wyndham Clark Sam Burns Scott Brown Beau Hossler Lucas Glover Luke List Scott Stallings Rory Sabbatini Tom Lewis Bo Hoag Top 125 (Prior Season Nonmember) William Gordon Erik van Rooyen Major Medical Extension Chris Kirk James Hahn Kevin Chappell Kevin Stadler William McGirt Sean O’Hair Jamie Lovemark Wesley Bryan John Huh Kelly Kraft Jonas Blixt D.A. Points 2018-19 Top 125 FEC/2019 Top Finishers Korn Ferry Tour (reordered) Peter Malnati Brandon Hagy Doug Ghim Chase Seiffert Anirban Lahiri Kyle Stanley Jhonattan Vegas Cameron Percy Rafael Campos Michael Gligic Kristoffer Ventura Chesson Hadley Kramer Hickok Roger Sloan Vincent Whaley David Hearn Joseph Bramlett Rob Oppenheim Hank Lebioda Bronson Burgoon Grayson Murray

Click here to read the full article…

Rickie Fowler has been running through putters at a furious pace, switching several times already this season. He’s been searching far and wide. In the last year alone, check out the selection of putters that GolfWRX has spotted in Fowler’s bag. At last month’s Travelers Championship, Fowler debuted a Cobra King Stingray 20 prototype putter with a custom soleplate in celebration of his daughter’s birthday. The putter was 3D-printed and made to his preferences, but it didn’t last very long. When in doubt, return to what’s worked in the past. And that’s exactly what Fowler has done. In his next start, at the Genesis Scottish Open, Fowler put a putter back in the bag that he’s used off-and-on for the last eight years, a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS (German Stainless Steel) prototype. Fowler is using it this week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, as well. “Just ran its course (with the previous putters) and ready to go back to the trusty,” Fowler told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday. “I mean, I’ve kind of done it through my whole career where I’ll have something for a bit, then go back to something different, change it up. “She might have needed a little timeout, but hopefully she’s gonna heat up.” Fowler sits 124th in the FedExCup standings with two events remaining until the Playoffs. According to PGATOUR.COM’s 2015 article, Fowler’s putterhead came from a box of GSS putters that were once reserved for Tiger Woods. The putter Fowler uses is slightly different than Woods’ putter, though, with subtle adjustments to the neck placement, bumper radius and face depth for a shallower profile. The putter doesn’t look as pristine as it did fresh out of Woods’ special box, but that’s to be expected after nearly a decade of use. The only white paint left is the dancing “R” in the back cavity, although that could absolutely be intentional. It also has a small wear mark directly on the sweet spot of the club face, which isn’t easy to do on high quality German Stainless Steel; it takes years of contact in the same location to achieve.

Click here to read the full article…

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Davis Love III can still get some solid work done in a PGA TOUR event. Heading into the World Golf Hall of Fame in September, the 53-year-old Love shot a 7-under 63 on Thursday in The Greenbrier Classic, leaving him two strokes behind first-round leader Sebastian Munoz. Love is looking for his first win since the 2015 Wyndham Championship, which made him the third-oldest winner in PGA TOUR history. He would be the oldest if he wins in West Virginia. Slowed this year by a bad back and a broken collarbone sustained in a January snowboarding accident in Sun Valley, Idaho, Love took advantage of a course softened by overnight rain for his best round of the season. He birdied four of his first five holes in the morning round on Old White, the course that was reconstructed after deadly floods forced the cancellation of last year’s tournament. His son, Davis Love IV, also is in the field, receiving a sponsor exemption. It’s the second time they are playing the same tournament; the other was the RSM Classic two years ago. The elder Love served as his son’s caddie in the U.S. Open last month. “I’ve been working real hard the last couple of weeks on trying to fix my swing to kind of swing around a stiff back and a stiff hip,” the elder Love said. “I’ve given up on hitting it a long way. I’m just saying I’ve got to hit it straight, and this is the perfect golf course for me to get it in the fairway. A lot of hard work is kind of starting to pay off.” Munoz, a 24-year-old Colombian, was boosted by five birdies on the back nine for a 61. Defending champion Danny Lee was at 64 along with David Lingmerth, Ben Martin, rookie Xander Schauffele, and Canadians Graham DeLaet and Nick Taylor. Players were allowed to lift and clean their golf balls in the fairway because of the wet conditions. It took a full year after the June 2016 floods that killed 23 statewide to get Old White back to playing conditions. “To get anything back in order out there would’ve been an incredible feat,” Love said. “But what they did with the renovation, to take really, really good golf course with a lot of history and make it even better, the redesign is incredible. The players are just raving about it.” Munoz is looking for his first top 10. His best finish is a tie for 27th at the Valero Texas Open. The PGA TOUR rookie was 6 under through 10 holes. He missed a short birdie putt on the par-5 12th and bogeyed the par-4 13th after his approach shot found the greenside rough. He then took charge with birdies on the next four holes. Phil Mickelson shot 67 in his first tournament since parting ways with his caddie of 25 years, Jim “Bones” Mackay. Mickelson’s brother, Tim Mickelson, is his caddie for the rest of the year. “I think any time you have a change of environment it brings about a new energy,” Phil Mickelson said. “But more than that, Tim is one my favorite people to be around. We really had a lot of fun together today.” Mickelson missed the cut in his three other Greenbrier Classic appearances and he hit some erratic shots Thursday, including striking a fan in the head on his approach to the par-4 11th. Lingmerth is looking to atone for a collapse last week in the Quicken Loans National. The Swede led after each of the first three rounds but shot 3 over in each round on the weekend to tie for fifth, along with Martin. “I’m not going to dwell on it too much,” Lingmerth said. “A nice little start today. I didn’t really have my best stuff. I never really got into trouble. I gave myself a couple of opportunities.”

Click here to read the full article…