Cut prediction: The RSM Classic

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Jordan Spieth took on a bold tee shot and pulled it off perfectly to set up birdie. He hit a poor 3-wood that went off a tree and back into the fairway that led to another. RELATED: Leaderboard | Casey contending after traveling from Middle East Whether it’s good golf or good breaks, it’s making him feel a lot better about his game at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He shot a 5-under 67 at Spyglass Hill on Friday for a one-shot lead over Daniel Berger going into the weekend. “I like where things are at,” Spieth said, referring to more than his name atop the leaderboard on the weekend for the second straight week. Winless since his Open Championship title in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, Spieth wasn’t sure if he was taking baby steps or a giant leap. But one week after relying so much on his wizardry with the wedge and putter, this was a steady diet of keeping the ball inside the tree-lined fairways of Spyglass, reducing stress and making a few putts. There was a 45-foot birdie putt he holed on the tough par-3 fifth hole. He also missed a few inside 10 feet, and his lone bogey was a three-putt from 7 feet on the par-5 first hole after he made the turn. “A little bit improved off last week, which was the goal this week, to just try and feel like I’m getting better each day,” said Spieth, whose tie for fourth in Phoenix was his best result since May 2019. “I haven’t made a ton of longer putts … which is probably a really good sign that I’m keeping the ball in front of me and striking it really nicely.” Spieth was at 12-under 132, his first 36-hole lead since Birkdale. Berger shot a 66 at Pebble Beach by going 2-3-2 along the ocean on a day filled will sunshine and a Pacific breeze. He holed 15-foot birdie putts on the par-3 fifth and par-3 seventh holes, and in between chipped in for eagle from about 20 feet on the par-5 sixth. “I didn’t make a bunch of birdies in the middle of the round and then hung in there and toward the end rattled off a couple and got myself in a good position going into Saturday,” Berger said. Henrik Norlander had a 70 at Spyglass and was at 10 under, while the group at 9-under 135 included Patrick Cantlay, whose record-tying 62 at Pebble Beach on Thursday was quickly forgotten. His opening tee shot at No. 10 on Spyglass hit a tree and was never found, sending him back to the tee. He opened with a double bogey and eventually got those two shots back until a three-putt bogey on the par-3 third and pars the rest of the way in. Five-time champion Phil Mickelson won’t be around for the weekend, but he went out in style. Mickelson hit two shots in the ocean on the 18th at Pebble Beach and took a quadruple-bogey 9 for an 80. Spieth showed his level of trust on the 17th hole, 325 yards with a sharp turn to the left. Instead of laying back with a fairway metal as he often does, he took driver to the front of the green, leaving him a flop shot to 5 feet for birdie. Cantlay in the group behind was too far right, into a bunker about 40 yards short, and made bogey. Spieth surged into the lead with a gap wedge that got the ridge perfectly on the skinny green at No. 4, and followed that with a 5-iron to 45 feet, a birdie putt helped by Rickie Fowler going first from the same line. He reached the front of the green on the par-5 seventh with a hybrid for a two-putt birdie, then figured his one miss off the tee would cost him on No. 8. “I hit the tree off the tee,” he said with a smile. “I toed a 3-wood and it came out in the fairway and I hit a 7-iron that happened to go right of the right pin, below the hole. That was a steal there, for sure.” Good breaks have been hard to find for Spieth over the last two years. He has seen his share of shots that hit the tree and carom out-of-bounds, or tee shots that bury in the rough instead of sitting up. “I’ll tell you what, it’s crazy. You go on runs of cards out here,” he said. “You get good ones and then you go on a bad run of cards. I’m now hitting it and kind of thinking it’s going to be a good break again, which is really nice. “But you don’t rely on that,” he added. “It’s just when it happens, it’s obviously really nice.” The cut was at 1-under 143 after 36 holes on Pebble Beach and Spyglass. Only two courses are being used this year because the tournament has no amateurs (or spectators) due to COVID-19 restrictions. Fowler, who played alongside Spieth and defending champion Nick Taylor (at 4-under 140), shot 75 and missed the cut for the second straight week. Fowler has gone just over a year since his last finish in the top 10.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.  – The PGA TOUR and NBC Sports Group announced that PGA TOUR LIVE, the PGA TOUR’s direct-to-consumer subscription video service that live streams extensive Featured Groups coverage of the best golfers in the world, has been enhanced and is now available for purchase in the United States on NBC Sports Gold, NBC Sports Group’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product. PGA TOUR LIVE season passes are on sale now for an early-bird price of $49.99, available through the Desert Classic (Jan 17-20), while a monthly pass can be purchased for $9.99. After January 20, a season pass will cost $64.99. In 2019, PGA TOUR LIVE will present the most robust service in its history, now with four days of live coverage from 27 PGA TOUR events, new 10-minute “Speed Round� recaps for Featured Groups players, expansive VOD content, and integrated scoring and statistics. It is also available on double the number of supported platforms vs. 2018. “The demand and growth of PGA TOUR LIVE has been incredible since we launched in 2015,� said Rick Anderson, Chief Media Officer of the PGA TOUR. “In 2019, we are thrilled to announce that our live coverage will be more robust, more accessible and significantly better for subscribers of PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold.� In 2019, fans can get the gift of an unprecedented amount of PGA TOUR coverage across more platforms than ever before,� said Mike McCarley, President, Golf, NBC Sports Group. “Building upon years of partnership, NBC Sports and the PGA TOUR are enhancing PGA TOUR LIVE by more than doubling the live hours and number of platforms and expanding live coverage from two to four days. Fans will benefit from the addition of PGA TOUR LIVE to NBC Sports Gold.� A complement to the hundreds of hours of televised PGA TOUR programming, PGA TOUR LIVE will provide exclusive, live Featured Groups coverage during all four days from 27 PGA TOUR events, including THE PLAYERS and FedExCup Playoffs, after kicking off with Thursday-Friday coverage at the Desert Classic on January 17, 2019. New for 2019, PGA TOUR LIVE has expanded Featured Groups coverage on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at approximately 9 a.m. ET and running until the start of the PGA TOUR’s NBC and CBS coverage windows in the afternoon. Additionally, PGA TOUR LIVE will provide free Featured Holes coverage complementing NBC and CBS broadcasts every weekend. Through NBC Sports Gold, PGA TOUR LIVE is now on more supported platforms than ever before. In addition to web, iOS, Android and Apple TV, the subscription service is available for the first time on Roku, Chromecast, and more. In July, the PGA TOUR and NBC Sports Group announced a multi-year digital partnership to carry PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold. PGA TOUR Entertainment produces all live coverage for PGA TOUR LIVE. PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold includes: • 870 Hours of Premium, Live Featured Groups Coverage: up from 414 hours last year – including expanded Featured Groups coverage across four days at 27 PGA TOUR events; • Integrated Statistical Feeds: users never have to leave the action with integrated live leaderboards and player scorecards; • Speed Rounds: fans can get caught up on the day’s action with new condensed rounds from each player in the Featured Groups coverage, allowing them to watch every shot in approximately 10 minutes; • Event Recaps: watch an event recap in an hour-long cut down show that highlights the best of that week’s tournament; • Expanded Integrated Statistics and Scoring: viewers can explore stats at their fingertips while watching live coverage; • Shot Tracing Technology: used for every hole on the golf course; • Video On Demand: upon launch, PGA TOUR LIVE will be stocked with the following archival programming: 2018 PLAYERS Official Film; 2018 FedExCup Playoffs Official Film; and 2018 PGA TOUR Rewind of 16 tournaments. PGA TOUR LIVE comprehensive 28-event calendar in 2019. *Only provides Featured Groups coverage on Thursday and Friday #Provides Featured Groups coverage Wednesday-Saturday ^Featured Hole coverage only ** FedExCup Playoffs

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The Jordan Spieth Family Foundation was thrilled to host four Dallas-area high school seniors at the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship on Tuesday, May 7th at Trinity Forest Golf Course. The students, Jordy, Mayre, Ebelin and Daniel, participated in the North Texas PGA Fairway to Success program through their Dallas ISD high schools. The program, founded in partnership with Deloitte, focuses on after-school golf skills in addition to mentorship, office visits, college scholarships and life skills. Deloitte and the University of North Texas gifted their scholarships on Monday, while Jordan and the Spieth family opted to surprise their remarkable recipients on-site with lunch, meet and greets and a VIP tour of the tournament behind-the-scenes including: lunch in the PGA TOUR Player private dining rooms, tours of the ShotLink trailers, equipment area, Media center and a final private shopping spree stop at the merchandise tent. These students have shown outstanding commitment to their academics and work-loads, incredible leadership as well as perseverance in the face of adversity. The Jordan Spieth Family Foundation is thrilled to surprise these deserving young people with a JSFF scholarship while on site at the AT&T Byron Nelson to assist with their college plans. Jordan, Annie and Chris Spieth along with Foundation and PGA TOUR reps were on hand to surprise and spend time with these scholars. Congratulations to the four 2019 Jordan Spieth Family Foundation FTS scholarship recipients: Jordy is very proud to serve as a role model for his 11-year-old sister. After his family immigrated to the United States, he was able to help teach his sister the English language. Jordy’s dream is to become a lawyer, so he is able to help immigrants like himself understand the laws better in the United States. Jordy will also be attending the University of North Texas at Dallas this fall and will be majoring in Political Science. Jordy has been a part of JROTC all four years of college and currently serves as a Company Commander. He also is the team captain of the swim team, secretary of the Spanish Honor Society at Thomas Jefferson, and is the team captain of the academic team for JROTC. Jordy is also able to maintain a part-time job after school at the Original Chicken & Rice.  Mayre said in her interview “making money isn’t as significant as being happy” and that holds true to Mayre’s personality. Mayre wants to make a chance within everyone as she continues down the path of life. She is planning on attending the Texas A&M-Commerce this fall to study music. She was accepted into the music program at Texas A&M – Commerce. Her goal is to become either a music or English teacher. Mayre has recently started working part-time after school at McDonald’s. She is very involved with the Thomas Jefferson band as she serves at the Drum Major, Section Leader/Drill Instructor and the band council VP. She also is currently serving as student council president and has served for two straight years, she had previously been treasurer. Mayre is also currently the VP of the National Honor Society.  Ebelin will be the first in her family to attend college and to pursue a higher education degree. She will be attending Texas A&M this fall and plans on studying nursing. Ebelin has participated on the Thomas Jefferson golf team that last 3 years and won districts last season. Ebelin is also involved with the TJ drill team and National Honor Society. She serves as the President of ASP Ambassadors. Ebelin currently works at In-N-Out Burger after school and during the summer. She is choosing to become a nurse, as she wants to make a difference in people’s lives.  Daniel is a senior from W.W. Samuell High School and just graduated with his associate’s degree from Eastfield College this past Saturday. Daniel is planning on attending Texas A&M majoring in biochemistry, with the pursuit of going to Medical School and eventually becoming a general surgeon.  This past summer, Daniel interned at UT Southwestern and was able to shadow doctors. While he is maintaining his collegiate and high school classes, he also works part time after school at Pizza Patron. Daniel is also involved with a program called Upward Bound, which Daniel is able to help lower-income families and tutor students.  To learn more about the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation, please visit www.jordanspiethgolf.com/foundation. For more on the North Texas PGA Fairway to Success program, please visit https://www.ntpgajuniorgolf.com/fairway-to-success.html.

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