PGA Tour requiring negative test to enter ‘bubble’

SOUTHPORT, England – News and notes from Friday’s second round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Sergio’s injury scare Sergio Garcia almost knocked himself out of The Open. Frustrated after a chip shot came up short of the green at the par-3 fourth, Garcia took his club and hit the nearby gorse bush that had restricted his swing. He then grabbed his shoulder in pain. Eventually, he needed on-course treatment and “a good amount of pills to make it feel better.â€� He planned to have more treatment after his round. He bogeyed the fourth, but despite the pain, he shot a 1-under 69 that left him at 2 over entering the weekend. “Obviously I’m not happy about it because I almost screwed up my British Open,â€� the Masters champ said. “Fortunately for me I didn’t. But obviously it’s not what you want to do. But sometimes you’re out there and you’re trying your hardest, and when you can’t do it, it gets a little frustrating. We’ve all had those moments.â€� At least someone had fun Friday Zach Johnson cracked his driver on Tuesday. That’s not a good thing in any week – but especially on a major week. And especially coming off a terrific driving performance at last week’s John Deere Classic. Johnson had a comfort level with his old driver, but now had to seek one with the replacement driver. That comfort wasn’t there in Thursday’s first round, when he shot a 5-over 75. But it was there on Friday, when Johnson posted a 4-under 66 to move to 1 over heading into the weekend. “The one I’ve got, I think, is very good,â€� Johnson said about his replacement. “It’s not like it’s that much different. But everything is different. I can’t tell a difference in golf balls, but you give me any different iron or club, there’s a difference.â€� The difference between the first and second rounds for Johnson was essentially the same difference between his score Friday and the rest of the field. When Johnson signed for his 66, his score was nine strokes lower than the field average at the time. “Fantastic golf,â€� said fellow American Matt Kuchar. “Very, very impressive.â€� Although Johnson’s T-5 finish last week was his best result on the PGA TOUR in 16 months, he wasn’t happy with two bogeys on his back nine Sunday that took him out of contention. And he certainly wasn’t happy with his opening round. But he took out his frustrations on the range afterwards – and he also got comfortable with his replacement driver. So comfortable that he ranked Friday’s round among his top five all-time in the majors. “There were so many positives today,â€� said the 2015 Open champ. “I don’t know where to start. It was fun. It was a lot of fun.â€� Asked if he thought many others in the field would have fun Friday in the windy conditions, Johnson replied: “Hopefully not many. It would be a shame.â€� Kooch kicks back Matt Kuchar was in the 12th of 52 groups to tee off Friday. By the time he finished his round, his fellow first-round co-leaders – Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka – had not struck a shot. Since all players tee off from hole No. 1, play is extended well into the evening. Kuchar was the solo leader at 6 under after 15 holes, but a couple of late bogeys left him one shot behind Spieth and Koepka. Still, Kuchar was glad to have finished 36 holes in contention, and was looking forward to sitting back and watching the others try to handle the apparently worsening weather conditions. “One of the cool things over here, whether it’s Thursday or Friday … is getting to go back to the room, put on the TV and watch the guys play in the afternoon – and particularly in tough conditions,â€� Kuchar said. “I think that’s kind of what we know about The Open, and I think that’s what people enjoy about the British Open – watching the hard wind, the rain, the guys just trying to survive out there. “Today is my day.â€� Kuchar was anxious to see if anybody could catch his total of 4 under for two rounds. He suspects the players with later tee times did not have as much fun watching TV as he planned to have. “I don’t know that the guys that watched this morning get to think, ‘holy cow, this is going to be great. I get to go out and do this this afternoon,’â€� Kuchar said. “So in my situation having been out there, posted a nice round and now get to watch is fun.â€�

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Cameron Smith tops a crowded leaderboard at TPC Kuala Lumpur after Round 1. Can he pull away or will Justin Thomas make a push towards a three-peat at the CIMB Classic? Second round tee times Second round leaderboard HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN Telecast: Golf Channel (10:30 p.m. – 2 a.m. ET) NOTABLE PAIRINGS Si Woo Kim, David Love III, Paul Casey 8:30 p.m. ET off 10th tee Hideki Matsuyama, Pat Perez, Branden Grace 8:40 p.m. ET off 10th tee Keegan Bradley, Sung Kang, Kelly Kraft 8:50 p.m. ET off 1st tee Scott Brown, Kevin Tway, Poom Saksansin 9:20 p.m. ET off 1st tee Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Gavin Kyle Green 9:40 p.m. ET off 1st tee Gary Woodland, Anirban Lahiri, Thomas Pieters 10 p.m. ET off 1st tee

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Presidents Cup first-timer Daniel Berger provided the clinching half-point for the U.S. team Sunday at Liberty National, giving the Americans their 10th win in 12 meetings against the International Team. Berger, playing in the fourth Singles match of the day, went dormie against THE PLAYERS champion Si Woo Kim on the 15th hole of their match, a guaranteed half-point. Earlier, Kevin Chappell halved his match against Marc Leishman for the first half-point of the day. Chappell was informed by U.S. Captain Steve Stricker on the 16th hole that he had provided the clincher. When he finally finished his match, he was sprayed with champagne by fellow first-timer Charley Hoffman, and then celebrated with other members of the U.S. squad. “What a feeling,” he said after closing out Kim 2 and 1 for the full point. “I’m speechless right now.” The Americans needed just one point coming into Sunday’s 12 Singles matches to clinch the Presidents Cup, having taken a commanding 14.5 to 3.5 lead after the first three days at Liberty National. The Americans are now 10-1-1 in this event. Recaps for all completed matches are below. SINGLES Marc Leishman (International) vs. Kevin Chappell (U.S.), Halved Chappell made an early eagle and birdie to take control early, but Leishman battled back and led after 16 holes. He bogeyed the 17th to square the match, and both players missed birdie attempts inside 20 feet on the final hole. Jason Day (International) def. Charley Hoffman (U.S.), 2 and 1 Day won for the first time in his last 10 Presidents Cup matches. Trailing at the turn, Day won the first three holes on the back nine to go 2 up, then played steady golf the rest of the way. Hideki Matsuyama (International) def. Justin Thomas (U.S.), 3 and 1 Matsuyama struggled for most of the week, but he woke up against the FedExCup champ, making eight birdies and an eagle in the first 12 holes. Thomas played nearly as well, making seven birdies in that stretch. But Matsuyama never provided an opening for Thomas to pounce. Daniel Berger (U.S.) def. Si Woo Kim (International), 2 and 1 Berger clinched the Presidents Cup on the 15th hole when he went dormie for a guaranteed half-point, then closed out Kim two holes later in a well-played match, particular between holes 8 and 12 when the two combined for seven birdies. Berger took the lead on the second hole and never gave it up. Charl Schwartzel (International) def. Matt Kuchar (U.S.), 1 up The South African won the first two holes and maintained the lead for the entire match. Schwartzel had four birdies in his first seven holes and was 5 up through seven, then cruised from there. The loss continued Kuchar’s drought in Presidents Cup Singles, as he’s now 0-4-0.  Louis Oosthuizen (International) def. Patrick Reed (U.S.), 1 up On three separate stretches during the match, Reed held the lead, including after the 16th hole when he was 1 up. But Oosthuizen’s 14-foot birdie putt at the 17th squared it, then his 12-footer at the 18th won it. It’s Oosthuizen’s first Singles win in three attempts in the Presidents Cup. Branden Grace (International) vs. Dustin Johnson (U.S.), Halved The South African, who won all five of his matches two years ago in Korea, denied Johnson the same result with a late rally to halve the match. Johnson led for 13 of the first 16 holes, but he found trouble off the tee at 17 and conceded the hole to square the match. With 4.5 points, Johnson led all players. Adam Scott (International) def. Brooks Koepka (U.S.), 3 and 2 Scott won his first point of the week against the U.S. Open champ while running his Singles record to 5-3-0. Koepka led for most of the match, but Scott won four consecutive holes on the back nine to flip the match in his favor.

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