‘Life-changing moment’ for Valero Texas Open winner Corey Conners

AVONDALE, La. – Among the key storylines at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans is the building of the International Team that will attempt to end the Americans’ dominance at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia. Captain Ernie Els is using this week not only as a bonding experience, but also to evaluate some of the players he’ll consider for his 12-man roster. Not including Els and his partner, fellow South African and assistant captain Trevor Immelman, there are 13 teams out of the 80 in the field in which both players are from countries representing the International Team (13 other International players are playing with non-International partners). Below is a quick look at how those 13 teams fared after the first round was completed Friday at TPC Louisiana, with each player’s International Team points ranking in parentheses. The top eight in points after the TOUR Championship will automatically qualify for the Presidents Cup, with Els making four Captain’s Picks at a date closer to the December event. JASON DAY (6)/ADAM SCOTT (11) – They were passionate earlier this week about wanting to play together in December, and this Aussie Superduo showed why with a solid 7-under 65. Day had five of the seven birdies while Scott is still getting accustomed to TPC Louisiana in his first start here. LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN (2)/CHARL SCHWARTZEL (72) – Among the two veterans from South Africa, Oosthuizen has been playing well lately, while Schwartzel has struggled to find his form. No shock who was most productive in the first round, with Oosthuizen notching an eagle and five birdies to Schwartzel’s two birdies in their 8-under 64. JUSTIN HARDING (7)/BRANDEN GRACE (15) – The Grace-Oosthuizen duo is 5-2-1 in the last two Presidents Cups, but will Grace-Harding get a look in December? Harding had four of the seven birdies as the South Africans shot 65. ABRAHAM ANCER (9)/JHONATTAN VEGAS (23) – Ancer (Mexico) was the better performer in the first round with four birdies, while Vegas (Venezuela) struggled most of the round in their 67. Vegas has some ground to make up if he hopes to earn a second straight Presidents Cup spot. SI WOO KIM (10)/SANGMOON BAE (73) – Kim, winner of the 2017 THE PLAYERS Championship, recorded four of the team’s six birdies as the two South Koreans shot 66. Both have made prior Presidents Cup appearances – Bae in 2015 (before his two-year military commitment), and Kim in 2017. COREY CONNERS (12)/MACKENZIE HUGHES (79) – Conners, the Valero Texas Open winner earlier this month, birdied two of the first three holes and four overall, but the Canadians could birdie only one of the four par 5s in shooting 67. SUNGJAE IM (13)/WHEE KIM (245) – Im, who has four top-10s on the PGA TOUR since the start of February, was the primary producer for the South Korean duo in the first round, posting seven of the team’s eight birdies in shooting an 8-under 64. DANNY LEE (25)/SUNG KANG (35) – Kang had five birdies to Lee’s two, but the team failed to post any birdies between holes 13-18 in shooting 65. Lee, representing New Zealand, played on the 2015 Presidents Cup team. DYLAN FRITTELLI (43)/JOAQUIN NIEMANN (117) – Both could be future Presidents Cup players, so it’s good they’re getting some experience together now. Fritelli (South Africa) had three birdies, while Niemann (Chile) had two in their 67. CARLOS ORTIZ (71)/SEBASTIAN MUNOZ (146) – Not a great day after a shaky start that included bogeys on two of the first four holes. Ortiz (Mexico) failed to record a birdie, leaving Munoz (Colombia) to carry the team with three birdies in their 71. SHUBHANKAR SHARMA (T-80)/ANIRBAN LAHIRI (172) – The up-and-coming Sharma has European Tour wins in each of the previous two years and could learn a lot from his veteran countryman from India, who has played on the last two Presidents Cups. Sharma had three of the team’s five birdies in their 67, but Lahiri was more consistent on the back nine. JULIAN ETULAIN (128)/ANDRES ROMERO (288) – Neither is close to competing for a 2019 Presidents Cup spot, but Els also has long-range goals in mind. Romero had four of the Argentines’ five birdies in shooting 67. JOHN SENDEN (T-255)/ROD PAMPLING (T-440) – The veterans from Australia obviously aren’t in consideration for Presidents Cup spots, but no doubt they had fun telling war stories en route to a 67.

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SAN FRANCISCO – Tiger Woods looks set to begin the PGA Championship without the putter he has relied on for 14 of his 15 major championship victories. Woods appears likely to make a switch from his old faithful Scotty Cameron Newport II putter to a newer Newport that has added length and the ability to shift weight from heel and toe after he practiced with the new model for the second straight day on Wednesday. Woods first started using his trusty Newport in 1999 and kept it in the bag for 11 years during which he won 13 majors. While he moved to a Nike putter in 2010 and tried a few TaylorMade putters in 2018 after returning from back fusion surgery, it was a move back to the Newport that coincided with success. Woods claimed his 80th (2018 TOUR Championship), 81st (2019 Masters) and record tying 82nd (2020 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP) PGA TOUR wins with it back in the bag, but if the pre-tournament practice is any guide he will start Round 1 at TPC Harding Park with the new flat stick. “It’s basically the same putter with a little bit more flexibility. He’s able to change the weights around a little bit, but the length is the difference. He’s got a little more length on there, and that’s just so he can practice a little bit more without back pain,” friend and fellow competitor Steve Stricker said after finishing Wednesday’s practice round with Woods. “That’s what excites him the most is that he was able to put in a lot of time with this putter, and watching him putt, it looked exactly the same to me. He rolled the ball great. His game is in great shape. He’s obviously always been a great iron player, and he hit some great irons today. He’s still got some length.” Stricker has been the putting whisperer for many TOUR players over the years, including Woods. He usually deals with set up issues but he’s not been one to change equipment right before a major championship. Still the former Presidents Cup captain and current Ryder Cup captain expects Woods can make it work if he does indeed commit to the switch. Woods practiced similarly prior to the 2019 Open Championship but then failed to make the change on game day before missing the cut. “I’ve maybe changed putters in my whole career a handful of times let alone the week before a major; I’ve never done that. But he’s Tiger Woods. He’ll be just fine. He’s got a lot of talent when it comes to that short stick and he’ll do just fine,” Stricker said. “I expect good things from him if he can keep his body playable. With this weather, it’s a challenge. It’s cool, it’s damp, and so I imagine that will be probably the biggest challenge for him this week is to be able to feel like his body is 100 percent and give it a rip.”

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