PGA pro advocates for updated weed policy

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• COURSE: Erin Hills, 7,693 yards, par 72. Carved from dramatically rolling farmland 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee, Erin Hills opened in 2006 and becomes the second new addition to the Open’s host roster in three years. The design trio of Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Golf Digest senior editor Ron Whitten took a minimalist approach, making use of the contours of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine to create a prairie-style layout with almost no trees. A mix of dunes, fescue grasses and penal bunkers can make Erin Hills feel like an Irish links when the wind is up. And yet, it will enter Open annals as the event’s second-longest venue – just two yards behind Chambers Bay in 2015. Erin Hills was host of the 2011 U.S. Amateur, won by Kelly Kraft, also staging the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 600 points. • CHARITY: The U.S. Golf Association has provided more than $67 million in grants over the past 20 years to organizations that serve golf at the grass-roots level. Among the recipients are The First Tee, LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, Special Olympics, PGA Junior League Golf and National Alliance for Accessible Golf. • FIELD WATCH: World No.1 Dustin Johnson, whose Oakmont breakthrough last year was the first of six wins in the past 52 weeks, is joined by 2015 winner Jordan Spieth and Masters champ Sergio Garcia atop a lineup expected to feature 58 of the top 60 in the world rankings. … Ryan Moore is one exception, sidelined for the past month with a shoulder injury. Phil Mickelson, meantime, figures to miss to attend his firstborn’s high school graduation. … Six slots remain unfilled for players who move into the world top 60 by Monday and haven’t already qualified. Chris Wood, now No.60 after placing second at last week’s European Tour stop, is likely to get one. … A total of 14 amateurs are in the field, up three from last year’s tally. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 268, Rory McIlroy (2011 at Congressional CC). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 63, Johnny Miller (4th round, 1973 at Oakmont), Tom Weiskopf (1st round, 1980 at Baltusrol), Jack Nicklaus (1st round, 1980 at Baltusrol), Vijay Singh (2nd round, 2003 at Olympia Fields). • LAST YEAR: Johnson finally lifted his first major title, capping a bizarre Sunday in which he played his final seven holes under a penalty cloud only to render it moot with a three-shot victory. Trailing Shane Lowry by four shots to start the final day, Johnson erased the deficit with a front-nine 33. But intrigue was brewing back at the fifth green, where Johnson had faced a 6-foot par putt and backed off after a few practice strokes. He told an official the ball moved, saying he did nothing to make it move, and no penalty was assessed. But a video review raised doubt, and officials met Johnson on the 12th tee to say they needed to meet after his round. Social media backlash was instant, with TOUR players strongly voicing support for Johnson. A penalty eventually was assessed, but it made no difference after Johnson shot even-par on the back nine while Lowry and others stumbled. Johnson finished at 4-under 276 with Lowry, Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy sharing second. • STORYLINES: Johnson, with three wins in 2017 before being derailed by a slip-and-fall injury the day before the Masters, is favored to become the first man to win back-to-back Opens since Curtis Strange in 1988-89. Until missing the cut at the Memorial Tournament, he hadn’t finished outside the top 15 since January. … World No.2 Rory McIlroy, the 2011 champion, tees it up for the first time since suffering a recurrence of a rib injury at THE PLAYERS Championship. He was 35th at TPC Sawgrass, after placing seventh at the Masters. … Mickelson, lacking an Open win to complete a career Grand Slam, will spend Thursday morning at daughter Amanda’s graduation – but may fly to Erin Hills if he gets a late tee time and weather delays the opening round. • SHORT CHIPS: Just six defending Open champions since 1991 have placed higher than 30th in their title defense. Tiger Woods did it three times, with a best of sixth at Bethpage in 2009, joined by Retief Goosen (11th, 2005). Graeme McDowell (14th, 2011) and Justin Rose (12th, 2014). … The Open will have neither the winner nor runner-up from the 2011 U.S. Amateur that was held at Erin Hills. Both Kelly Kraft and Patrick Cantlay came up short in sectional qualifying. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1), 6-9 p.m. (FOX). Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (FOX). Sunday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. (FOX). • PGA TOUR LIVE: None. • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-8 p.m. ET; Saturday, noon-7 p.m.; Sunday, noon-8 p.m. (SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio and FOX Sports on SiriusXM).

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• COURSE: Conway Farms Golf Club, 7,208 yards, par 71. Opened in 1991, the Tom Fazio design will serve as the penultimate FedExCup Playoff stop for the third time in a five-year span. Carved from farmland in Chicago’s North Shore outskirts, Conway Farms first gained prominence on the amateur stage, starting with the 1997 NCAA Division I championship and 1998 U.S. Junior Amateur. Later came the 2009 Western Amateur and 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur before the PGA TOUR arrived in 2013. Jim Furyk’s 59 highlighted that event, though Zach Johnson won, and Jason Day claimed his second FedExCup Playoff victory two years ago. Conway Farms membership includes former world No. 1 Luke Donald, who played a key role in bringing the club and TOUR together.  • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 2,000 points. • CHARITY: The Evans Scholars Foundation, an arm of the Western Golf Association which awards college scholarships to caddies across the country with limited financial means. The foundation currently supports more than 800 caddies attending college. • FIELD WATCH: Justin Thomas, who made the Dell Technologies Championship his fifth win of 2016-17, joins FedExCup leader Jordan Spieth to headline a full 70-man lineup set to begin the FedExCup Playoffs’ second half. … Six rookies remain alive in the FedExCup postseason, with Mackenzie Hughes and Xander Schauffele just outside the cutline to reach the finale at East Lake. … All 12 members of the U.S. Presidents Cup team are entered, but only 10 from the International squad. Adam Scott and Branden Grace were eliminated in Boston. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 262, Tiger Woods (2007 at Cog Hill G&CC), Jason Day (2015 at Conway Farms GC). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 59, Jim Furyk (2nd round, 2013 at Conway Farms). • LAST YEAR: Dustin Johnson set a Crooked Stick course record with a second-round 63, then held back Paul Casey’s gallant challenge to notch his third significant victory of the summer. Johnson and Casey never shot anything worse than a 68 all week, but Johnson’s success with a new putter proved valuable. He needed just 23 putts in an opening 67, then eagled twice on the way to his second-round 63. Casey tried to put a little heat on Johnson with an eagle at the par-5 15th, but Johnson matched it to restore the cushion as both parred their way in. Johnson’s FedExCup Playoffs victory came after his first major win (U.S. Open) and first in a World Golf Championships event (Bridgestone Invitational). Casey’s runner-up finish was his second in consecutive weeks, having finished behind Rory McIlroy at TPC Boston. Charl Schwartzel claimed the final spot of 30 advancing to the TOUR Championship, nosing out Rickie Fowler by 0.57 of a point.  • STORYLINES: While Spieth, Thomas and Johnson are locks for top-5 positions at East Lake, putting their FedExCup hopes into their own hands, the chase remains to learn who joins them. Hideki Matsuyama and Jon Rahm have inside track. … The spotlight also falls on No. 30, where Bill Haas is on the bubble to advance. In each of the past two years, four men have played their way into the finale after starting the BMW outside the top 30. … Phil Mickelson, who tied for sixth at TPC Boston, will become the all-time leader in FedExCup Playoff starts when he tees it up for his 41st postseason event. That breaks a tie with Bubba Watson, who didn’t advance from Boston. • SHORT CHIPS: The BMW Championship has its roots in the old Western Open, which dates back to 1899. That makes it the third-longest running event in professional golf, behind only The Open Championship (1860) and U.S. Open (1885). … Not only does the TOUR Championship await the top 30 in FedExCup points after Sunday, but automatic entry to all four majors in 2018. … Next year takes the event to Aronimink GC outside Philadelphia, part of an ongoing plan to alternate the event between Chicago and other top venues. Aronimink previously staged two editions of what’s now the Quicken Loans National. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, noon-2 p.m. (GC), 2-6 p.m. (NBC). • PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-7 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-5:45 p.m. (featured holes). • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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