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GUYANCOURT, France – The U.S. team room at the Renaissance hotel near the Atlanta airport was buzzing Sunday night while anticipating the arrival of its latest winner. Finally, the moment came. “A giant roar when Steve Stricker walked in the room after his victory last night,â€� captain Jim Furyk said Monday, doing his best to suppress a smile. No offense to Stricker, whose wire-to-wire win at the inaugural Sanford International was his third in just seven starts on the current PGA TOUR Champions season. A most impressive performance, to be sure, but even vice-captain Stricker would admit the biggest buzz for the Americans on Sunday was generated by Tiger Woods, who ended his five-year drought on the PGA TOUR by claiming the TOUR Championship. Several of the U.S. players had stayed at East Lake late Sunday to congratulate Woods. Then they gathered at the hotel for a team dinner before jumping on a plane that landed in France at approximately 12:45 p.m. locally Monday afternoon. Their goal now is to end a drought that’s five times longer than Tiger’s – winning the Ryder Cup on foreign soil. It’s been 25 years since the U.S. has defeated Europe on the road, but Furyk couldn’t have asked for a better momentum boost than Woods winning after being uncertain about his golfing future just a year ago. To have Stricker also bring another trophy to the team room was a big bonus. “Nice to have those two guys play so well, and you know, start us off pretty well this week,â€� Furyk said Monday from Le Golf National, site of this week’s event. Of course, now the question becomes: Just how much of an impact will it make on this week’s outcome? European Captain Thomas Bjorn, hoping to avoid any potential bulletin board material, did not want to be dismissive of Tiger’s accomplishment, but he also sought to emphasize that this is a different week, with a completely different set of factors. “I spent 25 years playing professional golf with Tiger Woods on the scene, and anytime he does anything great, that’s a story and that’s where we want to see him,â€� said Bjorn, who can count on having FedExCup champion Justin Rose on his side. “We want to see him at the top of the game. He does so much for the game of golf. Watching that last night, I thought it was brilliant to watch. It was great for the greater aspect of the game. “Coming into this week, these are 24 of the best players in the world and this tournament is what it is. … It has its history and it’s a great battle and it is 12 against 12, and that’s what we’re looking forward to.â€� Furyk agreed that individual success one week can only go so far at a team event the following week. He said Tiger – initially a vice-captain until Furyk made him a captain’s pick earlier this month — has already switched gears mentally. “He won yesterday as an individual, and I know how much that means to him and how important it was,â€� Furyk said, “but he’s flipped that page pretty quickly and is really excited to join his teammates and move forward in that process.â€� Of course, the excitement and adrenaline and rush of success can also be mentally exhausting to handle. Rose and Woods are each coming off highs Sunday night in East Lake, and now must turn around and refocus quickly. Meanwhile, four other Americans will try to shake off disappointment at the TOUR Championship – Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson were the bottom four names on the leaderboard after the final round. Furyk, however, is not worried about that foursome, which has combined to win 65 TOUR events, including 11 majors. “Of course, I think everyone would like to be in good form and feel good about their game,â€� he said, “but it’s a different golf course, different venue, totally different type of golf tournament coming into a match-play event, a team-oriented event and obviously with the big galleries. Just totally different atmosphere this week.â€� There’s also a matter of scheduling. With two sessions each day on Friday and Saturday, players will need to be well-rested for potentially having to play 36 holes in those first two days, followed by the intense Sunday Singles. Of the 12 Americans, 11 played last week at East Lake, with only Jordan Spieth sitting out after failing to qualify. Of the 12 Europeans, six played at East Lake and two more played the Portugal Masters on the European Tour. Four Europeans rested last week, and two of those – Ian Poulter and Alex Noren – were on the range early Monday afternoon. Plus, the U.S. team will need to get acquainted with Le Golf National; only half of the 12 players have ever seen it, compared to the European team, in which every member has played the course in a competitive environment. Le Golf National hosts the annual French Open on the European Tour. “The trick for us, not knowing the golf course quite as well, is getting that preparation in and learning the golf course,â€� Furyk said, “yet also trying to conserve some energy.â€� While the U.S. hope for a Tiger bounce to offset those concerns, the Europeans could also get a bounce if they can beat a surging Woods this week in the early sessions. Asked if Woods was to be feared this week, Bjorn responded: “We don’t fear anyone because we’ve played against them so many times before individually, but we respect our opponents and know what we’re up against. “That, I think, is the key to all this. We’ll go out and do what we can and play our game. What stands on the other side we know is one of the strongest American teams of all time, and we know we’ve got to play our best.â€� Tiger’s at his best – his best, at least, in the last five years. At some point this week, the Europeans will have to respond.
Click here for the latest field at TPC Four Seasons Resort as of May 12. Winner – PGA/U.S. Open Championship Jason Day Jason Dufner Dustin Johnson Jordan Spieth Jimmy Walker Winner – THE PLAYERS Championship Matt Kuchar Winner – The Masters Tournament Sergio Garcia Winner – The Open Championship Ernie Els Winner – TOUR Championship Billy Horschel Winner – World Golf Championship Event Patrick Reed Winners of the Arnold Palmer Inv. & the Memorial (Last 3 Years) Matt Every Marc Leishman Winner – FedEx Cup – Last Five Seasons Brandt Snedeker Tournament Winner in Past Two Seasons Steven Bowditch Keegan Bradley Alex Cejka Greg Chalmers Tony Finau Cody Gribble James Hahn Russell Henley J.J. Henry Charley Hoffman J.B. Holmes Billy Hurley III Smylie Kaufman Si Woo Kim Brooks Koepka Danny Lee Hunter Mahan Peter Malnati Ryan Moore Rod Pampling Scott Piercy D.A. Points Charl Schwartzel Robert Streb Brian Stuard Hudson Swafford Nick Taylor Jhonattan Vegas Career Money Exemption Geoff Ogilvy Carl Pettersson Sponsors Exemptions – Web.com Tour Finals Robby Shelton Fabrizio Zanotti Sponsors Exemptions – Members not otherwise exempt Angel Cabrera John Merrick Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted Paul Earnest Kramer Hickok Beau Hossler Austin Smotherman PGA Section Champion\Player of the Year Stuart Deane Past Champion of Respective Event Brendon Todd Top 125 on Prior Season’s FedEx Cup Points List Gary Woodland Sean O’Hair Jason Kokrak Ryan Palmer Louis Oosthuizen Harris English Jamie Lovemark Kyle Reifers Daniel Summerhays Ricky Barnes Chad Campbell Patrick Rodgers Scott Brown Chez Reavie Bryce Molder Freddie Jacobson Spencer Levin John Huh Sung Kang Jason Bohn Tyrone Van Aswegen Derek Fathauer Brett Stegmaier Robert Garrigus Zac Blair Cameron Tringale Andrew Loupe Boo Weekley Mark Hubbard Ben Crane Michael Kim Anirban Lahiri Graham DeLaet Shawn Stefani Seung-Yul Noh Top 125 on Prior Season’s Official Money List thru Wyndham Ken Duke Bud Cauley Chad Collins Morgan Hoffmann Top 125 (Prior Season Nonmember) Byeong Hun An Major Medical Extension Nick Watney Ian Poulter Brian Gay Bob Estes Ryo Ishikawa Charlie Beljan John Peterson Leading Money Winner from Web.com Tour & Web.com Tour Finals Grayson Murray Top Finishers from Web.com Tour Prior Season (reordered) Ollie Schniederjans Kelly Kraft Kevin Tway J.J. Spaun Cheng Tsung Pan Dominic Bozzelli J.T. Poston Michael Thompson Ryan Blaum Whee Kim Brandon Hagy Cameron Percy Bryson DeChambeau Scott Stallings Xander Schauffele Martin Flores Tim Wilkinson Richy Werenski Seamus Power Trey Mullinax Julian Etulain Jonathan Randolph Andres Gonzales Tag Ridings Ryan Brehm Gonzalo Fdez-Castano Rory Sabbatini Steven Alker Mark Anderson Nicholas Lindheim Will MacKenzie Brett Drewitt Miguel Angel Carballo Brad Fritsch Brian Campbell Ryan Armour Sebastian Munoz Zack Sucher Joel Dahmen Rick Lamb Bobby Wyatt Max Homa
Former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Sungjae Im will return to defend his maiden TOUR title at The Honda Classic, where he'll be competing against a field that boasts 18 major champions. FIELD NOTES: Joaquin Niemann is the highest-ranked golfer in the FedExCup standings in the field at The Honda Classic. Niemann, part of the International Presidents Cup team in 2019, is looking for his second TOUR win... Some of the most-recent winners at PGA National looking to grab more glory who are returning for 2021 include Keith Mitchell (2019), Rickie Fowler (2017), and Adam Scott (2016)... Padraig Harrington, a two-time Honda Classic winner, is back at PGA National this season on a Sponsor Exemption. Harrington's two wins came a decade apart (2005, 2015)... Martin Kaymer is also playing on a Sponsor Exemption. This will be Kaymer's first non-major start on the PGA TOUR since the Barracuda Championship in August 2020... Other notable names in the field thanks to a Sponsor Exemption include Chase Koepka (brother to Brooks) and Kamaiu Johnson, who is playing his third TOUR event this season after his inspiring story caught the eyes of so many in the golf world... Phil Mickelson will be playing his second week in a row on PGA TOUR after THE PLAYERS Championship. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points COURSE: PGA National (Champion), 7,125 yards, par 70. Jack Nicklaus re-worked the tricky Tom and George Fazio layout in 1990 and 2014 and it has been long ranked as one of the hardest the TOUR plays every year. The Bear Trap (No's 15-17) is a water-soaked stretch that makes for high drama as players look to close out their rounds. PGA National's Champion Course has hosted The Honda Classic every season since 2007 and rewards accuracy over everything else. STORYLINES: Daniel Berger, who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, calls the West Palm Beach area home and is looking to lean into those Floridian vibes for more success this week. He finished T4 a year ago and is the highest-ranked golfer in the OWGR in the field... Given how many TOUR pros live in West Palm, the Monday Qualifier (with four spots available) is always one of the most highly-contested of the year... While Americans won The Honda Classic for three years in a row from 2017-2019, 10 of the last 16 Honda Classic winners have been from outside the United States... There has only been one back-to-back winner in Honda Classic history (Jack Nicklaus, 1977-78)... Can Lee Westwood continue his excellent play of late? The 47-year-old was in the final group Sunday at Bay Hill, held the 36-hole lead at THE PLAYERS, and is returning to The Honda Classic after a T4 result in 2020. 72-HOLE RECORD: 264, Justin Leonard (2003 at Mirasol). PGA National record: 267, Camilo Villegas (2010). 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Brian Harman (2nd round, 2012). LAST TIME: PGA National showed its teeth in 2020 with Sungjae Im's 6-under winning total the second highest since the long-time PGA TOUR stop moved to PGA National in 2007. Im, the TOUR's Rookie of the Year the season prior, fired a 4-under 66 Sunday (tied for the round of the day) to win by one over Mackenzie Hughes. Hughes matched Im's final-round 66, but despite three birdies on the back nine Sunday, he was undone by a bogey on the par-4 16th. Im kicked off Sunday with four birdies in his first five holes and finished just as strong, with birdies on two of his final holes. He became the seventh South Korean to win on TOUR. Tommy Fleetwood finished third, while Daniel Berger, Lee Westwood, Brendan Steele, and fellow South Korean Byeong Hun An finished T4. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Golf Channel/PGA Tour Live Freeview). Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel). Saturday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel). Sunday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC) PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 7:15 a.m.-3 p.m. (Featured Groups), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes) Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio).
