Scottie Scheffler shoots 64 in PGA practice round at Southern Hills

Tom Lehman won the Charles Schwab Challenge in 1995, before many of the player in this week’s field were born. On Thursday, he beat many of those same players. Lehman, 61, nearly shot his age Thursday to find himself on the first page of the leaderboard when the morning wave completed play. His 5-under 65 left him just two strokes behind leader Justin Rose. Lehman is now the oldest player to shoot 65 or better on TOUR in the last 40 years. Colonial is a course that rewards precision over power, which allows older players to hang with their younger peers. Only three players under the age of 30 have won at Colonial in the last 30 years. Lehman’s performance was on another level, though. He averaged just 264 yards off the tee, but missed just three fairways and three greens. It was his lowest score on the PGA TOUR since the opening round of the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open, where he finished T37. “Do I feel like I’m capable of shooting a 65 out here at Colonial? Well, for certain I do,â€� Lehman said. “Did I expect to do it today? Well, I would be probably lying if I said I fully expected to play and shoot such a low score. But I did expect to play well.â€� Lehman’s 65 today was two strokes lower than his first-round score when he won at Colonial. He shot 9-under 271 that week to finish one shot ahead of Craig Parry. It was the second of Lehman’s five PGA TOUR victories, which also included the 1996 Open Championship. Lehman showed last year that he can still hang with the kids. He shot 67-69 in the first two rounds of the inaugural 3M Open in his native state of Minnesota, and was tied with Matthew Wolff at the tournament’s halfway point. They were paired together in the third round when Wolff, who’s 40 years younger than Lehman, shot a 62 that put him in position to win his first PGA TOUR title. “I think the opportunity to play and to play in a tournament that I love so much and that I’ve had some success at and I’m part of the history here, that’s kind of what drove me to want to do it,â€� Lehman said. “If it would have been the second week back, third week back, fourth week back, it would have been the same feeling for me.â€�

Click here to read the full article…

Summertime presents numerous opportunities for all walks of PGA TOUR membership. As some rank-and-filers moonlight on the Web.com Tour and others even deeper in the trenches break into fields on the PGA TOUR Champions, the movement for playing time in standard TOUR stops can be dizzying. This is one of the reasons why I always tweet all field changes. Even if you already know that you don’t have to register for Twitter to read my page (like any website), you may not know that all of my tweets that aren’t replies to others appear on the FANTASY page at PGATOUR.com. The format of my TWITTERFEED truncates for length, but you can view entire messages by clicking on my avatar, the left arrow or the heart. I almost always tweet the updated Qualifiers, but that page will be appointment reading next week. At the conclusion of this week’s RBC Canadian Open, the top 70 on the year-long special money list will earn exemptions into the PGA Championship. To complete the field of 156 at Bellerive Country Club on Aug. 9-12, the PGA of America then will use a combination of the golfers outside the top 70 with those outside the top 100 (traditionally) in the Official World Golf Ranking. This is why the field is annually considered the deepest in professional golf. Whichever resource(s) you choose to use, you’re covered. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the RBC Canadian Open (in alphabetical order): Tony Finau Charley Hoffman Dustin Johnson Brooks Koepka Matt Kuchar Joaquin Niemann You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Tommy Fleetwood; Martin Laird; Keith Mitchell; J.J. Spaun; Jimmy Walker Driving: Keegan Bradley; Joel Dahmen; Tommy Fleetwood; Billy Horschel; Martin Laird; Keith Mitchell; Sam Ryder; J.J. Spaun; Gary Woodland Approach: Keegan Bradley; Stewart Cink; Joel Dahmen; Chris Kirk; Chez Reavie; Sam Ryder; J.J. Spaun; Steve Stricker Short: Billy Horschel; Kevin Kisner; Martin Laird; Brandt Snedeker; Jimmy Walker Power Rankings Wild Card Billy Horschel … Loyal readers understand how this pick can oscillate between something of a sleeper to an up-and-comer to a talent who should be in the Power Rankings but has been demoted. It’s also served the role as an extension of the Monday column. That’s where the co-runner-up at the Barbasol Championship fits in. Notoriously streaky, our confidence should remain high given he finished T17 at the Quicken Loans National in his previous start. The T2 at Keene Trace wasn’t unexpected inasmuch as it didn’t align with his usual preference for tough tracks. From strokes gained: off-the-tee (16th), greens in regulation (34th) and par-5 scoring (T14), he checks every box that projects success at Glen Abbey, and he’s 23rd in strokes gained: putting for good measure. Draws Chez Reavie … Celebrating the 10th anniversary of his breakthrough title at Glen Abbey this week. It’s rolled around at a great time because he needs a reversal of fortune as he arrives on an 0-for-4 skid. He’s survived the cut in the last four editions of the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, posting top 25s in the last two. The success and experience here should lay the foundation for confidence to let his skill as a sharpshooter to shine once again. Stewart Cink … Still lacing it tee to green. He followed consecutive top fives with consecutive top 25s, including a T24 at Carnoustie. Tied for fifth at Glen Abbey in 2015 and makes his fourth straight visit. Adam Hadwin … At 55th in the Official World Golf Ranking, he’s tops among Canadians, but that still represents a mild slide in recent months. He’s overcome below-average putting compared to his reputation. Still, as one of the most reliable to make any cut and with experience and some success at Glen Abbey (a T7 in 2015 most notably), he’s a safe own no matter your format. Ben Silverman … The rookie from Canada is getting his first look at Glen Abbey in competition, but he carries the buoying effects of a T12 at the Barbasol with him. Going to come cheap in DFS, so give him a chance. Jimmy Walker … I’m buying for at least one more week, but he’s probably overvalued in DFS. No stranger to Glen Abbey having placed T14 in his last visit in 2016 and still among the better scorers on TOUR. Gary Woodland … Glen Abbey is the kind of yard where Gary can get his groove back. Since his playoff victory at TPC Scottsdale in early February, he’s connected for only one top 25 (T23, Memorial). After a similarly quiet lead-in to last year’s RBC Canadian Open due in part to a personally challenging few months, he rose to a fourth-place finish. J.J. Spaun … It’s impossible for gamers in particular not to love how he plays the game and how he carries himself. His profile as an attack artist is ideal for Glen Abbey. Only short-sighted course history buffs who can’t look away from a pedestrian 1-for-2 record (with a T41 in 2015) will ignore that he’s still a talent on the rise. Slot him into your DFS lineup without hesitation. Steve Stricker … Forgoing the last major on the PGA TOUR Champions for his first trip to Glen Abbey since a T63 in 2015. With this and one more start on the PGA TOUR this season, he’ll retain his voting privileges as a member, but he’s 141st in the FedExCup standings, so the greater urgency is to kick it into gear to make the FedExCup Playoffs. Worth the price tag in DFS, especially. Keegan Bradley (all) Tyler Duncan (DFS) Jim Furyk (DFS) J.B. Holmes (DFS) Chris Kirk (all) Jamie Lovemark (all) Patrick Rodgers (SERVPRO) Fades Troy Merritt … While victory is always a bonus, he trended toward something special before emerging with the title at the Barbasol Championship on Monday. Now, because he converted instead of, say, merely recording a top 10, we have to guard against a letdown even though this isn’t his first rodeo. His 1-for-3 record at Glen Abbey doesn’t help (or hurt, depending on your perspective), but it doesn’t matter, either. Sergio Garcia … Just his 12th start of the season and he’s 132nd in the FedExCup. Teased gamers with a T12-T8 ramp into The Open Championship, a tournament for which he’s a perennial short-lister, but he missed the cut at Carnoustie. Now he’s getting his first look at Glen Abbey since his debut in 2000, but even contrarians have to shop elsewhere based on a primarily lackluster 2018 that includes MCs in all three majors and a 70th at THE PLAYERS. John Huh … Erased the last shred of doubt to get into the Playoffs with a T7 at the John Deere Classic. Now 95th in FedExCup points, it’s entirely about building, but it would be the first time for that to happen in five appearances at Glen Abbey. He’s never made the cut and his scoring average is 73.625 in eight rounds. Bill Haas Si Woo Kim Shane Lowry Ryan Palmer Andrew Putnam Returning to Competition Rory Sabbatini … Withdrew after a first-round 72 at the John Deere Classic. An explanation wasn’t released. The short week extended his drought without a top-35 finish to five straight starts. He’s enjoyed success at Glen Abbey over the years, most recently in the forms of a T11 in 2015 and a faded T23 last year. So, there’s merit to fractional ownership in DFS. Notable WDs Austin Cook … With starts at Firestone and Bellerive lined up the next two weeks, and after going T5-T34-T28 the last three weeks, this is the perfect time for a breather. Beau Hossler … The first-time PGA TOUR member has enjoyed a phenomenal season. While short of a victory, he’s finished second twice and banked over $2.3 million and sits 32nd in the FedExCup standings. He’ll qualify for the PGA Championship at the end of the week. Chesson Hadley … Currently 18th in the FedExCup standings. He’ll gain entry into the PGA Championship at the conclusion of the RBC Canadian Open. Martin Kaymer … This would have marked his 11th start of the season. Positioned 216th in the FedExCup standings, he’d need to contend at the PGA Championship to trigger more playing time in the Playoffs. Short of that, he won’t reach the membership minimum of 15 starts for the second time in four seasons, which means that he wouldn’t be fully exempt in 2018-19 during what is the last season of his five-year exemption for winning the 2014 U.S. Open. Derek Fathauer … Easily the most surprising of all of this week’s early withdrawals. He’s 136th in the FedExCup standings. Interestingly, the last time he withdrew after a commitment deadline and before an opening round was at last year’s RBC Canadian Open. Denny McCarthy … Withdrew early from last week’s Barbasol Championship as well. No news has surfaced to help explain why and he’s inactive on social media. Sits 146th in the FedExCup. Nate Lashley … In his return from knee surgery, he missed the cut on the Web.com Tour last week. The rookie is taking this week off. Power Rankings Recap – The Open Championship Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Dustin Johnson  MC 2  Rickie Fowler  T28 3  Justin Rose  T2 4  Brooks Koepka  T39 5  Alex Noren  T17 6  Jon Rahm  MC 7  Tommy Fleetwood  T12 8  Francesco Molinari  Win 9  Patrick Reed  T28 10  Paul Casey  T51 11  Zach Johnson  T17 12  Rory McIlroy  T2 13  Marc Leishman  60th 14  Tyrrell Hatton  T51 15  Branden Grace  MC 16  Sergio Garcia  MC 17  Jason Day  T17 18  Phil Mickelson  T24 19  Justin Thomas  MC 20  Hideki Matsuyama  MC Wild Card  Jordan Spieth  T9 Sleepers Recap – The Open Championship Golfer  Result Byeong Hun An  T51 Alexander Björk  MC Nicolas Colsaerts  MC Jason Dufner  T51 Paul Dunne  T67 Grant Forrest  MC Ryan Fox  T39 Dylan Frittelli  MC Emiliano Grillo  MC Russell Henley  MC Jazz Janewattananond  MC Anirban Lahiri  MC Hao Tong Li  T39 Thorbjørn Olesen  T12 Thomas Pieters  T28 Matthew Southgate  T67 Julian Suri  T28 Peter Uihlein  MC Matt Wallace  MC Chris Wood  T28 Power Rankings Recap – Barbasol Championship Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Chris Kirk  T40 2  Joel Dahmen  T15 3  Brian Gay  6th 4  Tyler Duncan  T49 5  Billy Horschel  T2 6  Corey Conners  MC 7  Sam Ryder  T7 8  Whee Kim  T66 9  Scott Brown  T21 10  Andres Romero  T21 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR July 24 … Danny Lee (29) July 25 … none July 26 … none July 27 … Jordan Spieth (25) July 28 … Frank Lickliter II (49) July 29 … Harrison Frazar (47) July 30 … Graeme McDowell (39); Justin Rose (38); Sam Saunders (31)

Click here to read the full article…

AVONDALE, La – A small tweak in the format of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans looks set to ensure some Sunday fireworks at TPC Louisiana. While last year teams played alternate shot Foursomes on Thursday and Saturday and Four-ball on Friday and Sunday the order will be flipped this time around. The end result means the volatile Foursomes on Sunday will open up multiple possibilities for winning teams. With only one ball in play per team the potential for mistakes is heightened as is the value for a low round. It will likely lessen the chance of a leading team running away with the tournament. It will also ensure a swift pace of play on Sunday helping any possible playoff scenario. If a sudden death playoff is needed – as it was last year between eventual champions Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt and Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown – the teams will switch between alternate shot and Four-ball each hole as required. “We’re pretty excited about the changes in the format,â€� Jordan Spieth said. “You can lead, four or five behind, and certainly still be in it in an alternate shot format, but in best ball it’s probably too difficult to overcome.â€� Spieth partnered with fellow Texan Ryan Palmer last year to finish fourth, unable to reel in the leaders Sunday despite a 64 to finish. The pair return this year ready to make amends with Spieth expecting the final three holes to produce plenty of excitement. TPC Louisiana finishes with a short 355-yard par-4, a testing 215-yard par-3 and then a par-5 18th. All three holes have water in play. “There’s a birdie opportunity on 16 and then 17, in alternate shot, when you feel like you have that extra pressure of a teammate you are playing for… that will certainly add to that shot on Sunday if you are in contention,â€� Spieth continued. “Playing 18 there is an opportunity for eagle but hazards on the hole as well. You can come back from three down with three to go in alternate shot just like that out here.â€� David Duval, who will take a break from his regular Golf Channel analysis to make a rare playing appearance with Jim Furyk, believes the switch will certainly bring excitement to the fans on site and at home. “It will be a lot more of a hold-on as opposed to a catch-up,â€� he said. William McGirt, playing with local favorite Sam Burns, hopes to be one of those teams in the mix on Sunday. The former Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance champion feels like tactics will prove pivotal this year. “You can really hit a stretch where you don’t hit a putt for five or six holes depending on how you’re playing so I think there will be a lot more strategy involved,â€� McGirt said of Sunday’s final round. “You really have to think it through as to who is going to tee off on what holes. “I think it’ll make for some good TV on Sunday, because you’re not necessarily going to have a group that’s in the last two or three groups of the day with a good chance to win.â€� Jason Day, who will partner with countryman Ryan Ruffels after missing the cut with Rickie Fowler last year, was also welcoming of the change. For Day it was more about the opening round and playing his own ball from the start. “It gives you a chance to feel your way into the tournament a little, although you will still need to get away to a good start,â€� Day said. “Whichever way it is you need to just play good golf.â€�  

Click here to read the full article…