Why Sunday at the PGA could be a final round for the ages

MEDINAH, Ill. – 2015 was one of Jim Furyk’s best years. He captured the RBC Heritage on one of his favorite tracks, Hilton Head. That summer, he was ranked No. 3 in the world; it was his highest ranking in eight years. And with the 2016 Rio Olympics looming, he was one of the four top Americans and thus, went through the protocol required of all potential Olympic athletes. Pretty neat stuff. But his left wrist soon began to bothering him, and in the second FedExCup Playoffs event that year at TPC Boston, the pain sharpened. His next start was the BMW Championship – it was at Conway Farms, where two years earlier he had shot 59 – and Furyk teed off in the first round gritting his teeth and hoping to grind it out for four rounds. He lasted six holes before having to withdraw. It was the start of a lengthy downward spiral. Furyk was sidelined the rest of that year, forcing him to miss the Presidents Cup (he served as an assistant captain). He eventually needed surgery and didn’t return to action until May of 2016. By then, he was no longer a candidate for the U.S. Olympic team. It took him another year before he started finding his stride … only then to be hit with another injury, this time to the SC joint in his shoulder. “That set me back another year,â€� he said. Related: Leaderboard | Projected FedExCup standings | Tiger ready to resume FedExCup chase Thus, he went from peak form prior to the 2015 BMW to essentially losing three years. In his late 40s (he’s 49 now), it was a tough break. Plus, he spent a large part of 2018 with non-playing responsibilities as captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Juggling those duties can make it challenging to stay competitive as a player. But while his window of opportunity may be reduced, Furyk showed on Thursday it hasn’t closed yet. In his first BMW start since his WD four years ago, Furyk produced a bogey-free 66 that left him near the top of the leaderboard at Medinah. The highlights were many – two birdies to open his round, an eagle at the par-5 fifth when his 5-wood finished inside 10 feet, and a near-ace at the 17th, his 6-iron leaving him inside 1 foot. Given his FedExCup ranking – he started this week 48th – he’ll need to continue his good play the rest of the week to secure a top-30 spot and a trip to the TOUR Championship. “I’d much rather be in 20th place and know I’ve got a ticket stamped,â€� said Furyk, the 2010 FedExCup champ. “But I don’t have much to lose this week, to be honest with you … the only thing is upside.â€� Maybe it’s not a surprise that Furyk has good vibes this week. After all, he says, “Chicago has been good to me.â€� He has that 59 at Conway Farms. He won the 2005 BMW at Cog Hill. And his lone major victory came in the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields, which will host the BMW Championship next year. And he’s certainly shown flashes this season of his 2015 form. There was his runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy at THE PLAYERS Championship in March. Two months later, he was in the hunt through 54 holes at the Charles Schwab Championship at Colonial. Ranked 217th in the world in February, Furyk has worked his way back inside the top 50 (49th entering this week). Still … “This summer was a little lean,â€� Furyk said. “I didn’t play bad. It wasn’t like I missed a bunch of cuts. I’m really good at finishing 30th to 50th right now, which sucks. “But I’ve been working at it real hard and seeing some results. I feel like I still have a little left in me.â€� So, exactly how close is he to his pre-BMW 2015 form? Is he 90 percent back? 80 percent? Furyk took a few seconds to think about his answer … and then took a few more. It was difficult to put a number on it. “How close am I?â€� he responded. “I’m not there.â€� No worries. If he’s holding the trophy on Sunday, maybe he’ll adjust his answer.

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Quick 9: Anticipation, questions surround return

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