Phil Mickelson confirms $10 million match with Tiger Woods

The beginning of the 2022-23 PGA TOUR season marks the end of an era. RELATED: Play Pick ‘Em Live | The First Look | Five Things to Know about the new season This week’s Fortinet Championship opens the last of 10 consecutive wraparound seasons. After the next FedExCup champion is crowned at the TOUR Championship in late August of 2023, there will be break of FedExCup action until January of 2024 when the following season launches. When considering only wraparound seasons, Silverado Resort and Spa’s North Course in Napa, California, has hosted in all but the first. The stock par 72 presents as a warm greeting for the latest Korn Ferry Tour graduating class as well as for returning members. For a brief review of the backdrop and more, continue reading beneath the ranking of those projected to contend. POWER RANKINGS: FORTINET CHAMPIONSHIP Draws and Fades will include reviews of 2020 champion Stewart Cink, Hideki Matsuyama, Webb Simpson, Davis Riley and other notables. Not unlike how East Lake Golf Club is the familiar setting for the TOUR Championship where last season concluded two weeks ago, Silverado sets up customarily for the in-crowd where the new season starts. Because they aren’t neutral sites, there are no surprises to everyone who’s been to either recently, but also there are no tricks for debutants. Silverado is the same as it ever was. Fairways are not overseeded, primary rough stands at three inches and the mostly Poa greens are prepped to measure 11½ on the Stimpmeter. This means that ball-striking among first-timers and hitting greens in regulation for all sets the stage for a chance to go into the books as the first winner of the season. Turning scoring opportunities into par breakers also is required. It’s a simple formula for which execution never is delivered by all 156 commits. Incidentally, because this is the last official stop of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s also the last maximum-strength field on a singular course for almost eight months. As they are every season, all four of the 156-man competitions in the interim will be contested on multiple courses. Last year’s scoring average of 71.04 at Silverado is essentially average with cooperating conditions. Scores may be higher this week but only marginally. Sustained moderate breezes will yield a few grimaces and wrinkled brows at times, but the weather will be ideal otherwise. Daytime highs in the 70s will accompany a mostly sunny sky throughout. In other words, in the context of the elements, none of the participants will be prevented from putting his best self on display. 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 TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Draws & Fades WEDNESDAY: Pick ’Em Preview SUNDAY: Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.

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ATLANTA – In recognition of his supreme level of character and sportsmanship, his professionalism and the distinguished manner in which he embraces the values of golf, Bernhard Langer has been named the recipient of the PGA TOUR’s 2018 Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company. Langer will be honored on Tuesday, September 18, at the Payne Stewart Award Ceremony in conjunction with the TOUR Championship. The ceremony will be televised live on Golf Channel as part of a “Golf Centralâ€� special from 7-8 p.m. ET. The Payne Stewart Award is presented annually by the PGA TOUR to a professional golfer who best exemplifies Stewart’s steadfast values of character, charity and sportsmanship. Stewart, an 11-time winner on the PGA TOUR and World Golf Hall of Fame member, died tragically the week of the TOUR Championship in 1999. Southern Company, the “Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions,â€� was the TOUR Championship sponsor the year of Stewart’s passing. A year later, the PGA TOUR created the Payne Stewart Award in his honor, and Southern Company has supported the annual presentation since its inception. The past winners have all distinguished themselves through their respect for the game, the TOUR’s tradition of charity and their ability to make a positive impact in the lives of others. “We all are so proud of Payne Stewart and the husband and father he was, the player he was and the character he had,â€� said Langer.  “I was very close with Payne for a number of years. Toward the end of his career, he became a believer in Jesus Christ and a Christian, and that was very touching to me because the same thing happened to me a few years earlier, so we had even more in common at that point. To now be receiving the Payne Stewart Award, I feel extremely honored. I know there are many, many other guys that deserve it as much if not more than me, and I’m thrilled to receive it.â€� Langer turned professional in 1972 at the age of 15 and joined the European Tour shortly thereafter, in 1976. He became a PGA TOUR member for four seasons beginning in 1985 and rejoined the TOUR in 2001. Originally from Munich, Germany, Langer and his wife Vikki currently reside in Boca Raton, Florida, and have four children: Jackie, Stefan, Christina and Jason. “Bernhard Langer epitomizes the ideals around which the Payne Stewart Award is built – character, charity and sportsmanship,â€� said PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan. “Fueled by his strong faith and steadfast humility, Bernhard has become one of the great ambassadors for this game and continues to set an admirable example every time he tees it up on the PGA TOUR Champions. “On the course, there has been no one more consistent or resilient over a longer period of time than Bernhard. He’s won all over the world and continues to lift trophies on a regular basis on PGA TOUR Champions. I’m still not so sure Father Time will ever catch him.â€� Charitable Commitment In addition to a sculpture by Bob Pack presented to the recipient, the Payne Stewart Award is accompanied by an annual Payne Stewart Award Grant made possible by Southern Company. The $500,000 grant supports several initiatives in Stewart’s name and is distributed as follows: $100,000 to Payne and Tracey Stewart’s primary charity, The Stewart Family Foundation; $100,000 in Stewart’s honor to The First Tee of the Ozarks located in Missouri at Kids Across America, which is affiliated with Kanakuk Kamps; and $300,000 to a charity designated by the winner. Langer has chosen to designate the Bernhard Langer Foundation, which will distribute funds to several charitable organizations that focus on providing aid to children, orphans and widows in South Florida. His charitable impact also stretches beyond the borders of the United States to his native Germany, where donations help needy families and children. A devout Christian, Langer organizes an annual charity event called “Youth for Christâ€� that raises money to help introduce Christianity to children. Other charitable organizations that Langer supports include National House of Hope Inc., Search Ministries Inc., Sheridan House Family Ministries and 4 Kids of South Florida. In addition, Langer frequently speaks at Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) functions in PGA TOUR Champions host cities and was one of the original founders and the guiding force behind the European Tour’s weekly Bible study class. During his day-to-day life on PGA TOUR Champions, Langer is a model for what the Tour strives to accomplish in providing fans with accessibility and personal interactions with the legends of the game. Langer was honored for his contributions to the game in 2006 with his appointment as honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which was originally created by King George V during World War I to reward services to the war effort by civilians, but is now given to those who make significant contributions in their own areas of activity. “The Payne Stewart Award celebrates the attributes that make our communities great – charity, sportsmanship and character,â€� said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Tom Fanning. “Southern Company is proud to recognize Bernhard, a fierce competitor, teacher and advocate for children who personifies these worthy aspirations. We extend our sincere congratulations to Bernhard, one of the most successful and revered golfers in the world.â€� A Legendary Career Langer has enjoyed nothing short of a legendary career on the golf course ever since he was first introduced to the game at 8 years old, following in his brother’s footsteps to become a caddie at the Augsburg Golf Club in Germany. Since turning professional in 1972, Langer has collected over 100 worldwide wins and is one of five players to win tournaments on six continents, joining Gary Player, David Graham, Hale Irwin and Justin Rose. Langer was the inaugural No. 1-ranked player in the world when the Official World Golf Ranking was first introduced in 1986 and spent three weeks atop the rankings. He was a 10-time European Ryder Cup team member and captained the victorious 2004 team. A two-time Masters champion (1985, 1993), Langer was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002 as the first German to be honored. When he officially joined PGA TOUR Champions after turning 50 in 2007, Langer quickly became a dominant force, winning four times over his first two seasons. Now in his 12th season, Langer owns 37 PGA TOUR Champions titles, which lists him second all time. He’s earned seven Player of the Year Awards and a record four Charles Schwab Cups as the season-long champion, including three in a row from 2014-16. Langer has also received several honors in his native Germany, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Silver Laurel Leaf, which is their highest sport award. He was also inducted into the Germany Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. Langer is the 21st recipient of the Payne Stewart Award, joining a distinguished group of respected golfers including Stewart Cink, who was recognized in 2017, and the inaugural recipients Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer (2000). Other recipients include Jim Furyk (2016), Ernie Els (2015), Sir Nick Faldo (2014), Peter Jacobsen (2013), Steve Stricker (2012), David Toms (2011), Tom Lehman (2010), Kenny Perry (2009), Davis Love III (2008), Hal Sutton (2007), Gary Player (2006), Brad Faxon (2005), Jay Haas (2004), Tom Watson (2003), Nick Price (2002) and Ben Crenshaw (2001).

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ERIN, Wis. – Jordan Spieth spent the afternoon following his first round at Erin Hills on the practice green. He expected to see defending champ Dustin Johnson there too. “We might have a pillow fight putting contest, just to see if we can spark anything,� Spieth joked. It was one of the rare times he was able to crack a smile Thursday about his putting. The two most recent U.S. Open winners failed to take advantage of the favorable morning scoring conditions at Erin Hills, each suffering from an uncooperative putter. Playing in the same group, Spieth shot a 1-over 73 while Johnson posted a 3-over 75. They combined for just two birdies; the third member, Martin Kaymer, had four birdies in shooting the group’s low round, an even-par 72. “I’m surprised Martin could make a couple of them given he was watching me and DJ the whole day,� said Spieth, who won in 2015 at Chambers Bay – which, like Erin Hills, was a first-time U.S. Open venue. Making the score even more frustrating for Spieth was that his tee-to-green play was spectacular. He hit 13 of 14 fairways on Erin Hills’ generous wide driving zones and hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation. “Best driving round that I’ve had maybe in my life,� Spieth said. But his putting has been an issue recently. He changed putters at his hometown event, the AT&T Byron Nelson, experimenting with a mallet-style putter. He went back to his old putter the next week and played well in his defense at the DEAN & DELUCA Invitational at Colonial. The tie for second was his best result since winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Numbers-wise, though, he’s not at the level he was two years ago. He entered this week ranked 40th in Strokes Gained: Putting. He was second the previous season and ninth in 2015 when he won five events and claimed the FedExCup title. On Thursday, he had 15 legitimate looks for birdies but could convert only one of those attempts. Spieth missed all eight of his attempts between 10-20 feet, and missed another two inside 10 feet. The hole shrunk as the misses piled up. “It just looked smaller, just looked like I was putting half-a-cup,� Spieth said “Sometimes it looks like I’m putting to two cups.� Johnson encountered a few more difficulties tee-to-green that Spieth (11 of 18 greens, 9 of 14 fairways), and he failed to birdie any of the par-5s on a course that played to a U.S. Open-record 7,845 yards on Thursday. He found trouble in the tall fescue at the par-5 14th, then compounded the problem with a 3-putt for a double bogey. It was one of three 3-putts he suffered in the round. Like Spieth, he failed to convert any of his putts from 10-20 feet and also missed three of six putts from 5-10 feet. “If I don’t three-putt, I shoot even,� Johnson said. “But if I just make one or two of the good looks I have, it’s a couple under. I didn’t hit it great, but I hit it good enough to shoot a good score. … “I didn’t play that bad. I just didn’t putt very good. It wasn’t that I was hitting bad putts. My speed was just a little off.� Johnson surely didn’t expect to end his first round 10 strokes off the lead and having to scramble on Friday to make the cut. Spieth didn’t expect to shoot over par on a great ball-striking day. But that’s where they are. The fix is fairly simple. “I can’t change anything that I was doing,� Spieth said. “If I get that many looks, I normally shoot 8-under par typically. So there’s nothing for me to change other than just dial things up on the greens.� Said Johnson: “I hit enough fairways to shoot a good score. But I’ve definitely got to roll it better. I’m swinging good, everything feels good – I just need to make more putts here.�

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