DeChambeau plans to go big at Augusta

Here are nine tidbits from the third round of the TOUR Championship gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. East Lake Golf Club just outside Atlanta plays 7,362 yards to Par-70. Know Thy Enemy These were the top-10 selected golfers in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf game presented by SERVPRO. I included all players who were owned by 20 percent or more. Front-Running The best front-runner in history will take a three-shot lead into the final round as his 12-under-par 198 leads Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy by three shots. Tiger Woods’ round of 65 was the best of the day and was keyed by birdies on six of his first seven holes. Leading by five with three holes to play Woods made bogey while Rose circled a birdie to trim the lead and keep it interesting on Sunday. This will be Woods’ 45th, 54-hole lead and his record is 42-2. Looking to pick up career win No. 80 he’ll need to continue to keep the tee ball in play (T3 fairways) and roll in putts (No. 1 in both putting metrics). Chasing European Ryder Cup teammates Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy will try and run down Woods this weekend and next at Le Golf National in Paris. Both have fantastic records at East Lake and both will be looking to lay down a marker for next week as well. McIlroy, for the first time ever, will be paired with Woods in the final round as he was the first to post nine-under. Rose, No. 1 in the world, had his chance on Saturday but was beaten by three. He’ll have the easier pairing with Kyle Stanley in the penultimate group. Case in Point Paul Casey has put himself in position to cash another top-five check at East Lake after 66 in Round 3. In his previous four trips his worst payday is T5. Last year he led by two after 54 holes but closed with 73. He won’t have to worry about winning the event this year! No. 1 – Bryson DeChambeau Dechambeau was one shot better than last place entering Round 3 but signed for a pair of eagles and his two birdies washed out two bogeys for 66. His problems this week have been finding GIR and getting up-and-down when he doesn’t. He rebounded nicely today, as did Brooks Koepka as he carded 67 beginning from the basement. Moving Day It seems like I reiterate this point three out of every four events but Dustin Johnson doesn’t have to have his best to find a result. His 67 moved him into the top 10 and he will have a real chance, with another decent round tomorrow, to bully his way into the top five. His last six final round totals on TOUR have all been in the 60’s. … He’s not going to be this year’s version of Xander Schauffele but Aaron Wise continues to prove his worth. He was one-over thru 11 before circling four birdies in his last seven holes to join Johnson on four-under. Moving Day: Wrong Way Patrick Cantlay hit it OB with his first swing of the day and it never improved. Opening with a triple he went out in 41 before coming home in even-par 35. With only one birdie on the card, he pushed with Phil Mickelson for the worst score of the day with 76. He’s T6 in GIR so I’ll let you guess what the problem has been this week! Fading Fowler Tied with Woods after 18 holes, Rickie Fowler has cooled off over the middle two rounds signing 72 and 73. He dropped nine more spots on Saturday as he only could find two birdies against five more bogeys. It didn’t help that he only hit five of 18 GIR and only seven fairways. Solo eighth in 2014 is his only top-10 result in four previous attempts. Study Hall Round 3 was the easiest of the week as the average score was 69.067 as 23 of the 30 placed rounds at par or lower. … 65 is the lowest round of the week but Woods is the only player to do it twice. … Cantlay’s triple was the only “other” of the day. … Sepp Straka has a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Web.com Tour Championship.

Click here to read the full article…

Click here to read the full article…

HISTORY MADE IN HAWAII WITH MATSUYAMA WIN Thirty-nine years ago, Isao Aoki became Japan’s first PGA TOUR winner at the Sony Open in Hawaii, holing out for eagle on the 72nd hole to earn a one-stroke victory over Jack Renner. Sunday afternoon at Waialae CC, Aoki’s countryman Hideki Matsuyama became Japan’s second Sony Open winner in perhaps not as theatrical fashion, but with a memorable closing stretch nonetheless. Matsuyama trailed playing partner Russell Henley by five strokes as they made the turn Sunday afternoon in Honolulu, and the reigning Masters champion methodically chipped away at the deficit, authoring a 4-under 31 including a closing birdie to match Henley’s 23-under total and force a playoff. Matsuyama, 29, then hit 3-wood from 277 yards to 3 feet on the first playoff hole – Waialae’s par-5 18th – en route to a winning eagle, sending the lively Honolulu crowd into a frenzy. With the victory, Matsuyama matches 2008 Sony Open winner K.J. Choi for his eighth PGA TOUR title, most by an Asian-born player on TOUR. He earns 500 FedExCup points and overtakes Talor Gooch for the No. 1 spot in the season-long standings, well positioned to chase his first FedExCup title. He’ll cherish the piece of history that he now shares with Aoki, as well. “This is the first tournament that a Japanese won on the PGA TOUR when Isao Aoki won here,” Matsuyama said shortly after putting out for the winning eagle. “And to follow him up, I’m over the moon.” EXPRESS TRIP TO PGA WEST Last season’s FedExCup champion, Patrick Cantlay, world No. 1 Jon Rahm and tournament host Phil Mickelson lead the field to La Quinta, California, for The American Express. Si Woo Kim returns to defend the title he won over Cantlay, who shot a course-record 61 in the final round a year ago to finish runner-up. A number of top players will make their 2022 debut including reigning Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris, Francesco Molinari, Gary Woodland, Alex Noren and Rickie Fowler who tees it up for the first time since becoming a father in November. The American Express will once again be played over three courses – PGA West (Stadium Course), La Quinta Country Club and PGA West (Nicklaus Tournament Course) – after utilizing just two last year for the first time in tournament history. There are 500 FedExCup points up for grabs as well as a spot in THE PLAYERS and majors for the week’s champion. NEW NETFLIX DOC TO FOCUS ON TOUR PLAYERS Two dozen PGA TOUR players have signed on to participate in a new Netflix series from the producers of the super popular “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” documentary. The PGA TOUR and the organizers of the four major championships will allow unprecedented access inside the ropes and behind the scenes through this season’s TOUR Championship. The series will capture the intensity of training, travel, victory, and defeat through the lens of a diverse group of players and their support teams. VIDEO OF THE WEEK Jim Furyk makes an incredible ace in the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. MIC CHECK “A true professional, Tim always treated our organization and our athletes fairly,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan on the passing of respected golf journalist Tim Rosaforte. “Writing and speaking with an opinion but without an agenda. He never stopped working the phones, ensuring that he not only got the story first, he got the story right. Those phone calls – and Tim’s gentle spirit – will be missed tremendously by all of us lucky enough to be part of the greater golf community. BY THE NUMBERS 4 – PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ kicks off in earnest this week at The American Express, with four streams available for fans from Featured Groups to Featured Holes. 5 – Five things to know about top-ranked amateur Keita Nakajima who contended over the weekend at Waialae. 10 – The new Korn Ferry Tour season began on Sunday with The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic. Check out ten players to watch over the next three rounds. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.

Click here to read the full article…