PGA Championship 2019: The best looks from Bethpage Black

Click here to read the full article…

THE OVERVIEW He hasn’t won a PGA TOUR event in five years and hasn’t won a major in nearly 10 years. In the last 28 months, he’s made just four starts worldwide, as back injuries have kept him sidelined while conjecture about his future reached a crescendo. We haven’t seen him compete at a TOUR event in a year. And yet Tiger Woods is the dominant storyline entering this week’s Farmers Insurance Open. It’s easy to understand why. “He’s the most compelling story in golf – maybe in sports,â€� CBS analyst Nick Faldo said this week. The network is beginning its 49th year of PGA TOUR coverage at the Farmers, the first of 21 TOUR events it will broadcast in 2018. Just like a year ago, when Woods last played on TOUR, CBS will offer a heavy dose of all things Tiger. (In addition, PGA TOUR LIVE will also have extensive coverage of Woods – click here for the complete schedule).  The fascination with Woods – the 79-time TOUR winner with 14 majors – may never go away. Although he’s far removed from his last appearance in the winner’s circle (the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in early August of 2013), he’s never really drifted from the consciousness of golf fans. The curiosity factor of whether he can successfully come back from his plethora of back injuries is the focal point now. “The world superstar sometimes doesn’t do justice to the superior superstars,â€� said CBS anchor Jim Nantz said when asked why we remain so drawn to Tiger. “There’s a level there that’s reserved for just a few – [Tom] Brady, [Michael] Jordan, Woods. I’m talking about contemporary superstars. Megastars. “Imagine if Tom Brady had taken a step away from the game and we didn’t really see him compete for five years. And I know it hasn’t been five years for Tiger, but it’s been five years since he won. And all of the sudden Tom Brady is going to go and throw the jersey on and No 12’s on the field again. What is that going to look like this Sunday? Man, I’m watching. “Like Jordan decides to come out of retirement after all these years and he’s going to play a real game again, not an exhibition. What will that look like? I gotta see that. My day is going to be scheduled around that. “That’s kind of where we’re at with Tiger.â€� Nantz, who has been a part of CBS’ golf coverage for more than three decades, said he has “not given upâ€� on Tiger making a successful comeback. But he has tempered expectations this week, saying that simply making the cut “would be for him a good start.â€� Faldo, meanwhile, not only will be focused on how Tiger navigates the Torrey Pines fairways – Woods missed eight consecutive fairways to end last year’s first round – but also wonders about the 42-year-old’s fatigue factor. Faldo said playing in the heat of TOUR competition is much different than the relaxed atmosphere at last month’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, when Tiger showed some encouraging signs. “Does he have the stamina for a tournament week, the consistency, because you’ve got to keep out of that lovely 4-inch rough,â€� Faldo said. However it turns out, Nantz and Faldo will be there to describe the action – and the rest of us no doubt will be captivated by Tiger’s latest return. A winner here last year. His last three worldwide starts: two wins and a runner-up. Hottest player in golf unless it’s … What’s he done since the last time we saw him on U.S. soil? Three wins and three more top 10s in seven starts. In terrific form but Torrey Pines hasn’t been kind to him lately – three MCs and a T61 in his last four appearances. PLAYER COMMENT THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER THE FLYOVER When Tom Weiskopf renovated Torrey Pines North prior to last year’s tournament, he reversed the nines, thus making the old 6th and 7th holes (with ocean views) the new 15th and 16th holes. In addition, Weiskopf improved both holes. He reduced the green slope at the par-3 15th, and now thinks it can compete with the South course’s No. 3 hole as one of the most memorable at Torrey Pines. “No, I think it’s better than that one,â€� he told media members during a course preview. As for the par-4 16th, he lowered the green by 10-12 feet to create a bowl effect so that that approach shots might bounce their way onto the putting surface. “It was not a good hole in my estimation,â€� Weiskopf said. “We made it much better.â€�  THE LANDING ZONE Long and into the wind — that pretty much sums up the 504-yard par-4 12th at Torrey Pines South. No wonder it ranked as the toughest hole on the course last year and the fifth toughest of the 900 holes played on the PGA TOUR last season, with a stroke average of 4.435. Bunkers guard both the landing area and the green. Just 52 percent of all drives found the fairway last year, while 41 percent of all approach shots found the green. Here’s a look at where all drives landed in 2017. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Stewart Williams: “A weak cold front will move across S. California on Thursday that will bring a strong on-shore flow. This will likely produce some low clouds and patchy marine layer fog Thursday morning before lifting for the afternoon. Can’t rule out a few sprinkles, but most areas should remain dry. It will be much cooler with highs in the upper 50s. High pressure returns Friday into the weekend providing moderate off-shore flow. This will lead to warmer temperatures Saturday and Sunday.â€� For the latest weather news from San Diego, California, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK The more attention you guys have on Tiger, the better for me, quite frankly … Hopefully I keep playing good and give you guys something to talk about, but it’s not bad that the attention’s on Tiger. It’s good for golf, it’s good for all of us. BY THE NUMBERS 7,698 – Scorecard yardage at Torrey Pines South, which made it the second-longest course on the PGA TOUR last season (behind Erin Hills/U.S. Open at 7,741 yards). 50.5 – Percentage of fairways hit at Torrey Pines North last season. Just three other courses had tougher fairways to hit. 8 – Wins by Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines – seven in the Farmers Insurance Open, along with his 2008 U.S. Open win. That ties for most wins by Tiger on any course on the PGA TOUR (also eight each at Bay Hill and Firestone). SCATTERSHOTS We’re now 10 weeks into the 40-week regular season of the FedExCup race.  Of the top 10 players entering this week, just four were in the top 10 at this time a year ago – Jon Rahm, Pat Perez, Brendan Steele and eventual champ Justin Thomas. Rahm, No. 2 in FedExCup points, is the highest ranked player in the field this week. … San Diego native Xander Schauffele made his PGA TOUR debut at the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open and also played in 2017, each time failing to make the cut. But now he’s a two-time TOUR winner and the reigning Rookie of the Year. “I’ve yet to play the weekend, so small goals set first,â€� Schauffele said about this week. “Can’t win a tournament unless you play Saturday, Sunday, so we’re looking forward to having a good week.â€� … Another player with San Diego ties is Charley Hoffman, who was born nearby. Hoffman is making his 21st start in the Farmers; he has two top-10 finishes and 11 made cuts. He’ll be one of Woods’ partners in the first two rounds along with Patrick Reed. … The first four times Rickie Fowler played the Farmers, he was a cumulative 33 under with 13 rounds under par and a best finish of T5 (in 2010). The last four times he’s played here, he’s a cumulative 10 over with 3 rounds under par and a best finish of T61.

Click here to read the full article…

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Ben Cook, who splits time teaching at Yankee Springs Golf Course in Wayland, Michigan and John’s Island Golf Club in Vero Beach, Florida, shot a final-round 74 to finish 4 over and win low club professional at the 103rd PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. He made a par putt of just over seven feet to make the cut on the number early Friday evening. “Without that, it would have – none of this would have happened,” he said. “Very, very blessed and thankful that I made that putt for sure.” Brad Marek (76, 12 over), who teaches junior golfers in Northern California, was the other club pro who made the cut. He was neck-and-neck with Cook until making an 8 on 17 on Saturday. He is 37 and was overcome with emotion as he described how much he put into playing his first PGA. “Pretty exhausted,” he said. “I’ve been here for 10 days now, so there was a lot of prep that went in with my coach and my caddie, my wife. (Tearing up.) Sorry. Just really proud.” Cook will receive a crystal bowl as low club pro to make the cut from the Team of 20 at Kiawah. At least one club professional has made the cut in five of the last six PGA Championships. Cook, 27, estimated he was followed by a crew of 20-plus friends and family, some wearing #TeamBenny T-shirts, from his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He played the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica in 2018 and has aspirations to make it onto the Korn Ferry Tour. “Making a cut in a major you get to skip to the second stage of Q-School in the fall,” he said. “That would be worst-case scenario. I still have Latin American PGA TOUR status. If I finish Top-10 on the Order of Merit or their points list, I’ll get to go to final stage of Q-School, get a card. Depending on how you play, you get better status.” He won a convert in Webb Simpson (72, 2 over) and his caddie Paul Tesori, with whom he was paired for the final 36 holes. He and Simpson both shot 69 in the third round. Cook birdied 17. “My caddie, we walked off the green on 17 and he said, ‘This guy, how does he lose any tournament he plays in?’” Simpson said. “‘He should be out here with us.’ Impressive.” The caddie had more kind words after the final round Sunday. “Paul was like, ‘Hey, use this as a springboard and see if you can build on that momentum that you created this week and see if you can get to the next level,’” Cook said. “Which was really nice. They are hoping to see me out here on a more regular basis, which is great.” Next up for him: U.S. Open sectional qualifying, most likely in Columbus, Ohio. “It was so cool,” he said of his week at Kiawah, which marked his third PGA Championship start but his first made cut. “Having as many people as we did at every hole, the crowds are great, a lot of cheers even if you hit a bad shot to keep the momentum going, it was really fun.”

Click here to read the full article…