Civil rights group calls for boycott of The Masters

Bubba Watson advanced to his first final in the Dell Technologies Match Play and denied Justin Thomas going to No. 1 in the world.

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Justin Thomas announced that he will play in the 2018 Genesis Open to be held February 12-18 at The Riviera Country Club, marking his fourth professional start at Riviera. “Riviera is a great course and has some of the best par-3s of any golf course you’ll play,� Thomas said. “I really do love the layout and I get excited every time I play there.� Last season was a banner year for the 24-year-old Thomas, who is currently No. 5 in the FedExCup standings. He was the only golfer to win five times during the 2016-17 PGA TOUR season, including a win at the PGA Championship, totaling 12 top-10 finishes, en route to winning the PGA TOUR’s Player of the Year honor. He started 2017 by becoming the seventh player in history, and the youngest, to shoot 59 in a PGA TOUR tournament round, and ended the season by being crowned the FedExCup champion. Thomas is already off to a hot start on the PGA TOUR’s 2017-18 wraparound schedule, having won THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in October. Thomas has both professional and collegiate starts at Riviera, having three PGA TOUR starts and two collegiate starts. While at the University of Alabama, Thomas competed in the 2012 NCAA individual and team championship at Riviera. Thomas finished tied for seventh place in the individual championship and Alabama finished second in the team championship.

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Tiger Woods has a great chance to join Sam Snead with a record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR win this weekend at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP thanks to a stellar 6-under 64 that sent him to a share of the lead after the opening round at Accordia Golf Narshino Country Club. Here’s a quick look at some of the important numbers to come out of the 43-year-old’s first round of the 2019-20 season: Related: Leaderboard | Tiger co-leads at delayed ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Tiger rebounds from slow start • This was Woods’ 57th round of 64 or better (most of any player on TOUR since stats were officially taken in 1983). Phil Mickelson is next with 55. Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry are next with 47. • His 6-under 64 is his lowest round to open a season in his career. • Nine birdies is his most in a round since the first round of the 2013-WGC Mexico Championship. (His best through two rounds is 17 at the same event). • Carded three more birdies in the first round than any other player in the field. • Was his lowest round on TOUR since a first-round 62 at the 2018 BMW Championship • Tied for first in the field in greens in regulation with 15 of 18, including 14 in a row. • Hit just six of 13 fairways (46.2%). • Played the par-3s in 4 under, the best in the field. • It is his best round on TOUR that opened 3-over through the first three holes (in the ShotLink era since 2003). On previous occasions with such a start, he failed to break par, with his best being an even-par round at the 2013 Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide. • Was his third time opening with bogey-or-worse on each of the first three holes (Since 2003). The others came in the 2012 (+3) and 2006 (+6) U.S. Open. • Was his second time shooting 64 with three bogeys, the other being the second round of the 1996 John Deere Classic. • Was his seventh time shooting 29 on either front- or back-nine in a PGA TOUR event (29 on outward nine). • Woods has previously held the 18-hole lead/co-lead 30 times and has converted that into victory 15 times. The last three times were converted to wins. (2006 and 2002 World Golf Championships – Mexico Championships and 2005 Open Championship). • Since 1983 10 players (with a minimum of three) have converted 50 percent (or more) of first round leads/co-leads. Ernie Els (67%, 4 of 6), Justin Thomas (67%, 4 of 6), Ben Crane (67%, 2 of 3) and Patrick Reed (60%, 3 of 5) are the only players with a better percentage than Woods. • If you look at players who had a minimum 10 first-round leads/co-leads since 1983, Woods’ 50 percent rate is the best. Nick Price (40%, 6 of 15) is the next-best. • Woods has won seven times in his first start of the season – 1997 Sentry Tournament of Champions, 2000 Sentry Tournament of Champions, 2003 Buick Invitational, 2006 Buick Invitational, 2007 Buick Invitational, 2008 Buick Invitational, 2013 Farmers Insurance Open.

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