Nate Lashley shoots 67 to keep Rocket Mortgage Classic lead

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Astros Golf Foundation and PGA TOUR announced today that Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE), an enterprise information technology company based in Houston, will become title sponsor of the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open for 2021 in support of tournament host and beneficiary, the Astros Golf Foundation. All four rounds of the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open, scheduled for the week of Nov. 8-14, will be televised on Golf Channel, featuring a 132-player field, 500 FedExCup points awarded to the winner and a $7.5 million purse. Carlos Ortiz is scheduled to defend his 2020 title. “We’re excited to partner with Hewlett Packard Enterprise to help further the Astros Golf Foundation’s impact in the Houston community,” said PGA TOUR President and EVP Tyler Dennis. “Since 1946, the Houston Open has enjoyed a rich history and the move to Memorial Park Golf Course last year set up the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open for long-standing success. Our players enjoyed competing at Memorial Park last year and being in the heart of Houston, a place that Jim Crane and the Astros Golf Foundation are so passionate about.” The Astros Golf Foundation, led by Houston Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane, operates and serves as the host organization for the event. The commitment to the Houston Open from the Astros Golf Foundation, with the support of several community partners, is in place through 2023. The Astros Golf Foundation completed a $34 million renovation to Memorial Park Golf Course and is set to host the tournament in the heart of the city for the second-straight year. “We are excited to have Hewlett Packard Enterprise on board as the title sponsor for the 2021 Houston Open,” said Giles Kibbe, President Astros Golf Foundation. “Based in Houston, Hewlett Packard Enterprise shares the same mission as the Astros Golf Foundation, and we are proud to have them join us in representing world-class PGA TOUR golf, while giving back to our local Houston community.” “HPE is honored to partner with the Astros Golf Foundation and the PGA TOUR as the Houston Open title sponsor in 2021,” said Hewlett Packard Enterprise President and CEO Antonio Neri. “Our culture of giving strengthens the communities where we live and work and empowers our team members to use their passion and expertise to serve others. We are committed to being a force for good in our communities and partnering with the Astros Golf Foundation for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open furthers that commitment.” The Houston Open was first played in 1946, with the inaugural event captured by Byron Nelson at River Oaks Country Club. Other notable winners throughout the history of the event include World Golf Hall of Fame members Arnold Palmer, Jack Burke, Jr., Bobby Locke, Cary Middlecoff, Gary Player, Curtis Strange, Payne Stewart, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson. One of Houston’s premier sporting events, the tournament has also made significant contributions to the Houston community through the work of the Astros Golf Foundation, giving back to the citizens and community of Houston through park improvements, charitable fundraising and investing in the local youth. The 2021 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open field promises to be a good one, with the likes of four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, Sam Burns, Jason Day, Patrick Reed, Shane Lowry and Scottie Scheffler already committed to the tournament. The past two winners in Ortiz (2020) and Lanto Griffin (2019) are also committed to play. General admission tickets and venue hopper tickets are on sale now for the 2021 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open. Visit www.houstonopengolf.com/tickets for information on ticket purchases. In 2021, the tournament features the first-ever Houston Open Concert Series, featuring world-renowned artist KYGO on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Minute Maid Park, and Jake Owen on Friday, Nov. 12. To purchase tickets, visit houstonopengolf.com/hoconcertseries.

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The PGA TOUR regained traction on the 2022-23 season with last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions, but with only 39 golfers competing in the exclusive invitational on Maui, the rubber doesn’t meet the road in earnest until this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii. RELATED: The First Look | Five Things to Know The 144-man competition at Waialae County Club in Honolulu represents the first sizable gathering since The RSM Classic in the week before Thanksgiving. However, as Jimi Hendrix crooned, are you experienced? For why that matters so much and more, continue reading beneath the ranking of projected contenders. POWER RANKINGS: SONY OPEN IN HAWAII Billy Horschel, Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar and Emiliano Grillo will be among the notables review in Draws and Fades. The soft reopen (and hard close … sigh) at Kapalua personified the undisputed claim that Hawaii is a remote land of extremes no matter the pursuit. Unsurprisingly, it also applies to the experience on the southeastern shore of Oahu. This is the 58th edition of the Sony Open in Hawaii. All have been staged at Waialae. Throughout the FedExCup era (2007-present), it’s been a par 70 capable of ranging to 7,044 yards, and it will again this week. Save a bunker that has been split in two beside the green on the par-4 first hole and bermuda greens allowed to stretch another foot to 12 on the Stimpmeter, the course is the same. So, sans surprises that could even the playing field, literally or figuratively, a pair of strong trends has reason to continue. Although Kapalua and Waialae never will be confused as twins, the objectives on each are the same – hit greens and sink putts. Despite vastly different topographies – Kapalua is on the side of a mountain; Waialae is flat and at sea level – wind really is the only challenge on either, and like last week, it isn’t forecast to be that at all again once the Sony starts on Thursday. With all other elements cooperating, the field will have a great chance to copy last year’s scoring average of 67.998. So, as of midday Monday, the 18 who teed it up at Kapalua and have made the short trip to Waialae have the edge to win. They are warm and arrive with the knowledge that eight of the last nine champions of the Sony played the Sentry the previous week. The other almost unbelievable fact of the matter is that, since Gay Brewer prevailed in the inaugural edition of the Sony in 1965, Russell Henley is the only winner in his tournament debut. Fitting for the phenomenon of extremes, Henley was in his first-ever PGA TOUR start as a member in 2013. The moral of the matter, then, is that first-timers who didn’t peg it at Kapalua last week are facing headwinds of trends times two. For the sixth consecutive year, all Korn Ferry Tour graduates who have committed are in the field. So, even the slowest starters aren’t penalized this opportunity after the first reorder of their category at the conclusion of the fall portion of the last wraparound season. 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 SUNDAY: Payouts and Points, Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Rookie Ranking * – 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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