A Masters victory is all that separates the Northern Irishman from joining an exclusive club of five all-time greats. Take a look at how McIlroy’s feat would rate if he conquers Augusta this weekend.
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You wouldn’t think so to look at it as a whole, but there’re more flexibility in the PGA TOUR schedule than meets the eye. RELATED: The First Look While stretching 47 tournaments across essentially as many weeks – when setting aside the annual holiday break – prioritizes the fit of the jigsaw pieces over the process of moving them around for organizational purposes, there’s always been room for creativity and situational awareness. Without a World Golf Championship slotted adjacent to or during the Florida Swing this year, the Puerto Rico Open slides into an unprecedented position opposite the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. That’s where PRO defending champion Branden Grace will be competing. Both tournaments host 120-man fields, but the annual stop at Bay Hill is an invitational that takes precedence. Yet, just as it always has since it debuted in 2008, the PRO remains an official event contributing to the FedExCup. For a breakdown of what’s up for grabs at Grand Reserve County Club east of San Juan, how it tests and more, scroll or swipe past the projected contenders and others to consider. OTHERS TO CONSIDER • Bo Van Pelt … Greg Kraft, Michael Bradley (twice), Alex Cejka, D.A. Points. All are former winners of the Puerto Rico Open and all were touring professionals of a certain age at the time of their triumphs. BVP is 46 but he’s made a few ripples in recent memory since returning from extended time away to heal from multiple injuries and surgery. That includes a T15 here last year to go 5-for-5 at Grand Reserve. • Chase Seiffert … It’s always a heavier lift for non-winners with conditional status than it is for winners who often receive more sponsor exemptions, but the 30-year-old is hanging tough with a pair of top 25s this season, including a T25 at The Honda Classic where he was lurking at the midpoint. He’s 2-for-2 at Grand Reserve with a T15 last year when he averaged 14 greens in regulation per round to rank T5. • Chan Kim … The 31-year-old continues to struggle finding success on PGA TOUR tracks. In 18 career starts spanning the last six seasons, he’s made 10 cuts but connected for only three top 25s. He’s just 1-for-3 with a T65 at Pebble Beach in 2022, but as the earnings leader on the 2020-21 Japan Golf Tour where he won twice last fall, expectations remain elevated to him to pop over here. • Ted Potter, Jr. … The Wizard has been precisely that at Grand Reserve. He’s 4-for-4 with a T6 and a T7 in the last two editions, respectively. They’re also his most recent top-15 finishes in PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition. He scored 14-under 274 in both. • Rafael Campos … This preview would be incomplete without him. The Puerto Rico native has teed it up in every edition of this tournament but one. In what was his debut season as a PGA TOUR member in 2020, he sat out that edition with a sore left elbow, but he returned with gusto for a personal-best T3 last year. It’s one of three top 10s in his last four appearances. A record purse of $3.7 million will be distributed to the low 65 and ties who survive the 36-hole cut this week. The winner will pocket $666,000, 300 FedExCup points and secure PGA TOUR membership through at least 2023-24. He’ll score exemptions into the PGA Championship in May and the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions, among other invitationals. He’ll also punch a ticket into THE PLAYERS Championship next week. Joseph Bramlett, Brice Garnett, Chesson Hadley, Kyle Stanley, Brian Stuard and Richy Werenski are the only commits at Grand Reserve who are already eligible for the PGA TOUR’s flagship event. Although ShotLink technology isn’t used on the stock par 72 measuring 7,506 yards, there are no analytical advantages per se. Paspalum greens average just 6,000 square feet, so the premium is on hitting them in regulation as persistent breezes push in from a prevailing easterly direction. They’re governed to just 11 feet on the Stimpmeter, so they’ll hold approaches even from primary rough that’s just three-quarters-of-an-inch high and also primarily paspalum. The threat of rain and thunderstorms – the latter of which a term we haven’t heard in a while on TOUR – will be as omnipresent as the flapping trousers along the northeastern shore of the island. There’s always a reasonable chance for rain in these parts at this time of the year, but the smaller field makes it easier to stay on time in case of a delay. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Power Rankings (API) TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (PRO), Sleepers (API), Draws and Fades WEDNESDAY: Pick ’Em Preview SUNDAY: Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Rookie Ranking * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Tiger Woods’ major campaign this season began with an incredible high, one of the biggest moments in his legendary career. But since then, it’s been mostly frustration and free weekends, with Woods facing the cruel realities of an older golfer struggling for consistency. Woods shot a 1-under 70 in Friday’s second round of The Open Championship, but his 6-over total for the first two days at Royal Portrush left him well outside the cutline. It’s his second missed cut in the three majors since winning the Masters in April, and the seventh missed cut in his last 13 major starts dating back to the 2014 PGA Championship. Prior to that, he had missed the cut just three times in his first 61 major starts as a pro. That was then. This is now. The new normal for Woods? He still has the game to compete; after all, he’s won twice in the last 12 months, including the 2018 TOUR Championship. But at age 43 and after four back surgeries, he no longer can contend on a weekly basis. “One of the hardest things to accept as an older athlete is that you’re not going to be as consistent as you were at 23,â€� Woods said. “Things are different. “I’m going to have my hot weeks. I’m going to be there in contention with a chance to win, and I will win tournaments. But there are times when I’m just not going to be there. And that wasn’t the case 20-some-old years ago. I had a different body and I was able to be a little bit more consistent.â€� Woods had warned prior to the start of his play that his game wasn’t where it needed to be, and his opening 78 was the proof. He played better Friday, but just like the day before, he failed to take advantage of Portrush’s three par 5s. Through the two rounds, he was 2 over on those holes. “If I handled those par 5s well, I would be right there,â€� Woods said. But he’s not, and as a result, he’ll go home for more rest. He had a month off coming into The Open, having taken a two-week vacation to Thailand, and now he’ll take the final two weeks off in the PGA TOUR’s Regular season in order to concentrate on next month’s FedExCup Playoffs. The two-time FedExCup champ entered this week ranked 23rd in points. “Last year I almost stole the whole FedExCup at the very end,â€� said Woods, whose TOUR Championship win moved him to second behind eventual FedExCup champ Justin Rose. “If it wasn’t for Rosie’s little break there at the bunker, it could have been interesting.â€� Woods said his current situation shouldn’t be compared to earlier this decade when his playing schedule consisted of multiple starts and stops as he dealt with the physical problems that threatened to end his career. “Those were some of the lowest times of my life,â€� Woods said. “This is not. This is just me not playing well and not scoring well. “It’s more frustrating than anything else because this is a major championship and I love playing in these events. I love the atmosphere. I love just the stress of playing in a major. And unfortunately, I’ve only had a chance to win one of them – and was able to do it. But the other three, I didn’t do very well.â€� RELATED: Leaderboard | Tee times | Tough day for Tiger in Round 1 ROUND 2: TIGER HOLE-BY-HOLE No. 18, par 4 (474 yards): On his final tee shot of the day, Tiger isn’t particularly happy as he watches his ball head toward the thick rough. But he manages to avoid the heavy stuff, giving himself a shot at the green. With 196 yards to the pin, his approach comes up 20 feet short of the green. He decides to use putter and his ball comes up well short of the pin. His lengthy par attempt is nicely measured but finishes just right of the pin, and he taps in for bogey before doffing his cap to the appreciative crowd. Score: Bogey (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall). No. 17, par 4 (408 yards): The rain is coming in harder now as Tiger tees off with driver at 17. He misses the fairway left, his ball in some of the thick grass above his feet. Tiger’s approach flies into the thick greenside fescue near the grandstands, and a frustrated Tiger – knowing his Open Championship will soon end – lashes out with an angry swipe of his club and a few choice words. He does well to chip out onto the green, giving himself a reasonable chance to save par. But his attempt from 15 feet fades at the end, and he taps in for his second bogey of the day. Score: Bogey (hole); -2 (round); +5 (overall). No. 16, par 3 (236 yards): Using 4-iron off the tee, Tiger successfully stays away from serious trouble at Calamity Corner, as his shot ends up pin-high left, about 30 feet away. But he can’t convert the birdie chance. Unless the cut line moves – or unless he produces something special in the last two holes – Tiger won’t make the weekend. Score: Par (hole); -3 (round); +4 (overall). No. 15, par 4 (426 yards): A big drive with his 3-wood puts him in the fairway, just 125 yards to the pin. But with his 56-degree wedge downwind, he appears to mis-hit it, the ball coming up short of the green. He opts for putter, and rolls it nicely toward the pin, leaving him 4 feet for his par. Score: Par (hole); -3 (round); +4 (overall). No. 14, par 4 (473 yards): Excellent drive off the tee, smack in the middle of the fairway. His approach from 187 yards ends up pin-high, 25 feet right of the pin. His birdie putt has a right-to-left break, but the ball stays right. His third straight par. Score: Par (hole); -3 (round); +4 (overall). No. 13, par 3 (194 yards): A solid iron off the tee leaves him 25 feet from the pin. But his birdie attempt stays right of the hole, and he taps in for par. With a projected cut at 1 over, he’s starting to run out of holes. Score: Par (hole); -3 (round); +4 (overall). No. 12, par 5 (532 yards): With the par 5, Tiger has a great chance to keep the momentum going. Unfortunately, his tee shot finds the long grass – he mutters “no, no, no, no, no, no, noâ€� as he watches it drift into trouble — and he stays in the rough on his next shot. On his third, he chips out on the green, leaving himself 20 feet for a birdie. But he can’t hole the putt, as it never threatened the hole. Through two rounds, he’s played the three par 5s at Royal Portrush in 2 over. Score: Par (hole); -3 (round); +4 (overall). No. 11, par 4 (474 yards): His driver doesn’t quite find the fairway, as it misses left. But it’s in the short rough with a good lie – and Tiger follows with a nice approach shot that gives him another great birdie opportunity, inside 10 feet above the hole. He converts the putt. Looks like he’s making his move to reach the weekend. Score: Birdie (hole); -3 (round); +4 (overall) No. 10, par 4 (447 yards): His driver splits the fairway, leaving him 164 yards to the pin. It’s another nice approach shot, leaving him inside 15 feet, but with a big left-to-right break. Unlike the previous birdie attempt, this one is read perfectly. It’s a great way to start the back nine. Score: Birdie (hole); -2 (round); +5 (overall) No. 9, par 4 (432 yards): With iron off the tee, he finds the fairway, then follows with a terrific 8-iron from 170 yards that finishes 8 feet from the pin. But he fails to convert the opportunity and settles for par. He might’ve misread the putt. Score: Par (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 8, par 4 (434 yards): Driver off the tee, as Tiger’s ball lands just left of the bunker and feeds back into the fairway. But his 7-iron is off, and Tiger looks away with the ball still in the air. It hits the far left edge of the fringe and dribbles down into the fescue. He follows with a nicely executed chip that gives him a short par putt that he converts. Score: Par (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 7, par 5 (592 yards): Tiger follows that long birdie putt with his best swing off the tee thus far, a tee shot that travels 335 yards as he outdrives both of his playing partners. But in perfect position in the middle of the fairway, 260 yards from the pin, Tiger’s 5-wood is poorly struck, as he pulls it into the gallery left of the hole. He has a decent lie, just in front of some tall fescue, but can’t produce solid contact and the ball travels just a few yards away, failing to reach the green and finishing at the bottom of a slope. He uses putter for his fourth shot but his ball comes up well short of the pin. His 10-foot par putt skips the left edge. It’s a bogey on the hole playing as the easiest in the second round. Score: Bogey (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 6, par 3 (194 yards): Tiger’s tee shot finds the green, but he’s not nearly as close as his playing partners Patrick Reed and Matthew Wallace, as they each have birdie attempts inside 15 feet. No worries – Tiger rolls in the 30-footer for his second long birdie make of the round. Score: Birdie (hole); -2 (round); +5 (overall) No. 5, par 4 (374 yards): Tiger goes with driver on this drivable par 4. It’s a solid drive, but drifts a little right and finishes just short and right of the hole. It’s a tricky tee shot to the pin on the back half of the green, the Portrush beach just behind it. His wedge didn’t sound right, and the ball drifts left of the pin about 18 feet away. His line on the birdie putt is correct, but the speed is not, needing a couple of additional rotations. He taps in for par. Score: Par (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 4, par 4 (482 yards): With a helping wind off the tee, Tiger again opts for 3-wood … and hits another 298-yard drive perfectly placed in the fairway. His approach from 176 yards is well-played, bouncing pin-high and finishing above the hole. His 18-foot birdie attempt has plenty of speed as it runs by the left side of the pin. An aggressive putt. He makes the 3-foot comebacker for par. Score: Par (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 3, par 3 (175 yards): A nice tee shot from Tiger, as he finds the green short and left of the pin. From outside 35 feet, he two-putts for par. Score: Par (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 2, par 5 (574 yards): Good opportunity to start with back-to-back birdies, as this hole was the easiest in the opening round. Tiger again keeps driver in his bag, going with a 3-wood that stays in the fairway down the left side, a 298-yard drive. With 250 yards to the pin, he goes with a fairway wood, his ball finishing left of the green, settling below a ridge. He opts for putter, but it’s a poor shot, as his ball barely creeps up the slope and is fortunate not roll back. That leaves him with a 15-foot birdie putt that he runs 5 feet past the hole. He rolls in the par save but it was an opportunity lost after the nice drive. Score: Par (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall) No. 1, par 4 (421 yards): Unlike the first round when he used iron off the first tee, Tiger goes with 3-wood this time to start his round. But the result is the same – missing the fairway left, his ball ending up in the rough after a 260-yard drive. He’s only a few steps from the out-of-bounds stakes. Fortunately, his lie is a decent one. From 159 yards to the pin, Tiger’s approach is nicely struck, and his ball hits right of the pin and finishes above the hole. From about 30 feet, he reads the break perfectly, and rolls in the birdie putt, getting a big cheer from the gallery. Score: Birdie (hole); -1 (round); +6 (overall)
