The First Look: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard

This week we head to Norton, Massachusetts, and TPC Boston, for the second FedExCup Playoffs event and the inaugural year of Dell Technologies’ title sponsorship. It’s only the second title sponsor (after Deutsche Bank) for this New England tournament that dates back to 2003. Take note: Thrilling comebacks are the norm here, typified most recently by Rory McIlroy, last year’s winner, shooting a final-round 65 to overtake Paul Casey. Arnold Palmer was the original designer for TPC Boston, but Gil Hanse and consultant Brad Faxon re-designed it in 2007. They added “chocolate-drop� mounds and grass bunkers to the 7,342-yard, par-71 layout. The green complex at the par-5 18th hole was redesigned and unveiled in 2012. The importance of the Dell Technologies cannot be overstated. The top 100 players in the FedExCup Playoffs will be cut to the low 70 for the BMW Championship, which, after a one-week break will be held Sept. 14-17. Three winners of the Dell Technologies have gone on to win the FedExCup since the Playoffs began in 2007: Vijay Singh in 2008, Henrik Stenson in 2013, and Rory McIlroy last year. But there’s even more at stake: Boston represents the last chance for players to earn automatic berths on the U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams. Two days after Monday’s final round, the U.S. and International team captains Steve Stricker and Nick Price will make their two captain’s selections.    PGA TOUR LIVE is scheduled to air from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with Featured Groups coverage. The Featured Groups will consist of the top three in the FedExCup standings on Friday, and the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-ranked players Saturday. Similar to last year at this event, the second Featured Group each day will be decided by a Twitter vote. After Featured Groups, coverage will switch to Featured Holes at 3 p.m., the 161-yard, par-3 16th, and the 530-yard, par-5 18th, where many players will attempt to clear the hazard in front of the green with their second shots, then navigate what is arguably the most challenging green on the course.   PGA TOUR LIVE can also be viewed on Twitter from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Friday and Saturday. (Note: All times Eastern; FedExCup ranking in parentheses.) FRIDAY Dustin Johnson (1), Jordan Spieth (2), Justin Thomas (3): With his win over Spieth at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks, Johnson moved his record in sudden-death playoffs to 1-1 and matched Thomas with his fourth victory this season. No. 1 in the FedExCup and Official World Golf Ranking, Johnson has three top-10 finishes at TPC Boston and leads the TOUR in strokes gained: tee-to-green. Spieth, whose playoff record fell to 4-3, leads the TOUR in adjusted scoring and said he was unperturbed by what happened last week, Johnson having won it rather than Spieth losing it. Thomas is coming off a T6 finish at Glen Oaks, where he shot four sub-70 scores. He leads the TOUR in birdie-or-better percentage.       Tee time: 9:15 a.m. off 10 tee   Twitter vote groups: 9:03 a.m. off 10: Brooks Koepka/Daniel Berger/Charley Hoffman 8:51 a.m. off 10: Brian Harman/Pat Perez/Matt Kuchar 9:15 a.m. off 1: Kyle Stanley/Marc Leishman/Jason Dufner 9:03 a.m. off 1: Louis Oosthuizen/Xander Schauffele/Charles Howell III SATURDAY Hideki Matsuyama (4), Jon Rahm (5), Rickie Fowler (6): Matsuyama was on a roll when he shot a final-round 61 to win the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational just a little over three weeks ago. Now, though, he comes to Boston on the heels of a missed cut at THE NORTHERN TRUST. Rahm is trending upward: His T3 at Glen Oaks broke a mini-slump that saw him miss the cut at the U.S. Open, and finish a lackluster T44 at The Open and T28 at the WGC-Bridgestone. Meanwhile, Fowler continues to cruise with five top-10 finishes and two top-25s in his last seven starts worldwide.       Tee time: 9:15 a.m. off 10 tee Twitter vote groups: 9:03 a.m. off 10: Jhonattan Vegas/Kevin Kisner/Paul Casey 8:51 a.m. off 10: Webb Simpson/Kevin Chappell/Adam Hadwin 9:15 a.m. off 1: Russell Henley/Justin Rose/Brendan Steele 9:03 a.m. off 1: Jason Day/Sergio Garcia/Billy Horschel PGA TOUR LIVE is scheduled to air at 8:30 a.m. again Sunday and Monday, giving way to Featured Holes coverage of the fourth hole, a driveable par-4 where players will aim for the front-right corner of the green, plus 16 and 18.

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Will golf actually return in mid-June? The PGA Tour appears confident. While the world still worries about the coronavirus and all those affected, this announcement offered something we could all use — a little optimism.

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