The First Look: A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier

Bubba Watson, fresh off a PGA TOUR-best third victory this season, will try to keep the momentum going at his adopted second home as he joins fellow Greenbrier property owner Phil Mickelson atop the marquee at the famed West Virginia resort next week at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. Outgoing champion Xander Schauffele also faces a title defense against such threats as THE PLAYERS Championship titleholder Webb Simpson and Kevin Kisner, who lost a Greenbrier playoff to Danny Lee two years ago. FIELD WATCH With Mickelson, Simpson and Kisner among the late additions, the field features five of the top 12 in the FedExCup points chase, and seven of the top 35 in the current world rankings. Chase Seiffert, who parlayed a Monday qualifying berth into a share of ninth at the Travelers Championship, gets a second bite by virtue of his top-10 finish. He was a Florida State teammate of U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. All seven former winners are in the lineup, seeking to become the first to stamp his name a second time. Former Oregon standout Norman Xiong, winner of the Haskins Award for college excellence, tees it up in his first TOUR event as a pro. Sam O’Dell, fresh off his fourth West Virginia Amateur title, is in on an exemption along with former Marshall golfer Davey Jude. FEDEXCUP Winner receives 500 points. STORYLINES Watson, whose Travelers Championship title came from six shots off the pace, hopes to carry the momentum into the West Virginia mountains. Though 14 of his 16 rounds at The Old White TPC have been in the 60s, he’s still seeking his first top-10 finish. Mickelson tees it up for the fifth time at The Greenbrier, though last year was the first time he got to play the weekend. Robert Streb tries again after runner-up finishes in each of the past two editions. He was one shot behind Schauffele last year and part of the four-man playoff won by Lee in 2016. No 54-hole leader at The Greenbrier has managed to close out the final day. Three of the seven winners have come from at least four shots back – Jonas Blixt (2013), Ted Potter Jr. (2012) and Stuart Appleby (2010). Up to four berths to the Open Championship are available for players among the top 12 not already booked for Carnoustie. After Sunday, just one berth will be left for the John Deere Classic’s top non-qualified finisher among the top 5. COURSE The Old White TPC, 7,286 yards, par 70. Now in its second century of use, Charles Blair Macdonald’s 1914 design lives on after a restoration that followed West Virginia’s massive floods two years ago. Several holes were inspired by renowned layouts in Macdonald’s native Scotland, particularly No.8’s sloped “redan� green that resembles the 15th at North Berwick. Also, No. 13 recalls Prestwick’s “Alps� hole and the 15th imitates “Eden� at St. Andrews. The Old White’s 18th was the setting for Sam Snead’s final hole-in-one in 1995. The PGA TOUR arrived in 2011, promptly making noise as Appleby’s closing 59 propelled him to the first Greenbrier Classic title. The course is one of five layouts at the resort, named for the Old White Hotel that stood on the property for more than six decades. 72-HOLE RECORD 258, Stuart Appleby (2010). 18-HOLE RECORD 59, Stuart Appleby (4th round, 2010). LAST YEAR Schauffele emerged from a daylong battle with Streb and Sebastian Munoz to notch his first career victory, striping a wedge to 3 feet at The Old White’s par-3 finisher for the deciding birdie. Three weeks after gaining notice with a tie for fifth at the U.S. Open, the California rookie used a closing 67 to wipe out a three-shot deficit. Playing one pair ahead of his rivals, Schauffele’s tee shot at No. 18 drew a roar noticeable on the 17th green, where both Streb and Munoz missed birdie attempts. The duo also failed to birdie the 18th, leaving Schauffele one shot clear of Streb (69) and two ahead of Munoz (72) and Jamie Lovemark (69). Not only did Schauffele become the seventh come-from-behind winner at The Greenbrier in as many editions, it was the fourth time the tournament had been captured by a rookie. HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-6:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE:Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (featured groups), 3:30-6:30 p.m. (featured holes). RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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