Lowry, Fitzpatrick surge to halfway lead at PGA Championship

Will Tiger Woods remain in contention today at the Valspar Championship? Follow all of today’s third-round action here.

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Emergency 9 Here are nine tidbits from the first round of the 50th RBC Heritage that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina plays to 7,099 yards (Par-71).  Know Thy Enemy These were the top-10 picked golfers in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. Of the 10 players above, seven played the morning wave where scoring was 71.03. The other three (Casey, Smith and Grillo) slogged through the afternoon where scoring pushed up to 72.45 but Smith continued his excellent play with 68. The weather is expected to be similar in Round 2 but with both the temperatures and wind creeping higher. Saturday and Sunday the breezes turns into winds and severe weather could be in play.  Lonely at the Top Rory Sabbatini set the pace from the morning wave as his 64 was two shots better than the rest. After MC in three of his first four starts of the season he’s rattled off nine paydays in a row heading into this week. His bogey-free round was his best in 27 rounds at Harbour Town. It’s also his lowest round on TOUR since the Wyndham Championship last year when he finished T4. His last win on TOUR was 2011 but he has six victories to his name. Remember when he helped start the MASSIVE belt buckle craze? I do. Scarred. People’s Choice: Matt Kuchar  Koooooooooooooooooooch was the safety-first, bubble-wrap selection of the week and he’s doing exactly what gamers expected (66). The 2014 champ has four additional top-10 finishes so it’s hardly a surprise he’s firing on all cylinders. He led the field in SG: Tee to Green and Approach the Green and he was perfect scrambling. His low ball flight and tight short game can handle the breeze so keep your foot on the gas here. He only has three rounds over par in the last four years. Morning Show Billy Horschel continues to confound weekly players. His 66 matched his low first round score of the season as he matched this total at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He went on to finish T43 that week. The last time he fired 66 at HTGL was 2016 in Round 2 and followed that up with a 74-76 weekend. He was eighth in SG: Putting in Round 1 but is 118th on the season. Caution. Afternoon “Two Snaps” Edition Chesson Hadley rips off a pair of snaps, no, not Snapchats, regular ol’ snaps, when he holes a big putt. He had plenty to snap about since he was 90th in proximity and fourth in SG: Putting. Playing the afternoon wave, his 66 might have been the round of the day because of the course firming up and the breeze blowing. He began on the more difficult back and turned without a bogey in three-under. His round was two shots better than anyone else who went in the afternoon wave.  Native Son South Carolina (Myrtle Beach) native Dustin Johnson returned to Hilton Head for the first time since 2009 and posted 69 to open. It’s his first round in five in the red at this event even though he only got up-and-down twice in five tries and made only 57 feet of putts. Somehow he had time for six birdies, one off the lead for the day. He made nothing last week at Augusta and still hit the top 10 because he’s THAT good. Which week? Yes. Which major? Yes. Name a better wind player as well. Donald!? Duck! I argued earlier in the week that Luke Donald (76) will test gamers of all levels of how they value course form. The Englishman entered the week with 37 of 44 rounds at par or better on this track. He’s finished in the top two in this event three times in the last four years. BUT, there’s always a but! He limped into town with five MC in eight events with his biggest check cashing for T32. Remember, the only things that are “due” are taxes (April 17) and pregnant women. I’m not sticking around. Wide Awake Fantasy Big Boss, Rob Bolton, posts a weekly column of “Sleepers” that you all need to read, well, weekly. Of his five selections this week three of them are inside the top 10, one is T20 and one is Steve Marino. #Ballin. Study Hall Adam Hadwin was a late WD on Wednesday for personal reasons. Twitter suggested that he was not injured and his schedule will not be affected moving forward. … Branden Grace, the 2016 champ, was also a late scratch as his wife is due this week. … Tiger Woods committed to the U.S. Open today. It’s news because this is the last time he’s exempt into the national championship. I’ll bet you a cold beverage that he’s playing next year at Pebble Beach regardless of status. … Austin Cook shot even-par 71 and made 18 pars.

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