American Johannes Veerman fired nine birdies in a flawless 62 Thursday to lead the South African Open by one shot as he maintained a great start to his first European Tour season. The key to the nine-under-par round at Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg for the 27-year-old was finding 17 greens in regulation
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With the final major firmly in the rear view mirror the PGA TOUR turns for home with the penultimate event of the regular season. The new condensed schedule has only a trip to Greensboro next week remaining before the FedExCup Playoffs begin the first full week of August. The name of the event has changed but TPC Southwind is again hosting a TOUR event for the 31st time since its debut in 1989. The FedEx St. Jude Classic was the final iteration and was the warm-up for the U.S. Open from 2007 thru last season. The weather in Memphis won’t differ much from mid-June to late July but the field for this event will be tremendously different as a WGC event. Of the top 50 golfers from the OWGR, 45 will tee it up on the Ron Pritchard design that will stretch to 7,237 yards and play to Par-70. The challenge this week for the top players will be navigating the return to hot, humid temperatures plus Bermuda greens for the first time since Quail Hollow Club the week before the PGA Championship. The Champion Bermuda greens only average 4,300 square feet on average and will run at speeds 12 feet on the Stimpmeter. The tight, narrow landing areas off the tee will be met with only two and a half inches of Bermuda rough to navigate approaches and getting up and down around the green. Of the 63 players entered (Shane Lowry WD on Tuesday officially) 25 will be making their first appearance just off Beale Street. The event was played at Firestone Country Club as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational from 1999 to 2018 with one exception, 2002. Remember, this is Horses for Courses, not Horses for Events. I do believe, as I wrote last week, that players who play well in this EVENT shouldn’t be dismissed just because the venue changes. If you look at the winners of WGC events, it’s a who’s who of Ryder/Presidents Cup players. There have not been any major changes to this track recently so the folks who have played it regularly on TOUR will have an advantage this week, especially on the greens. The last four winners have stuck out in a few categories. They all led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green while also falling inside the top 10 in proximity and GIR. Also they’ve kept clean cards by posting T1 or T2 in bogey avoidance and have taken advantage of the two, par-5 holes by ranking T3 or better. The formula is simple: Take advantage of the opportunities when presented or make par and get out. TPC Southwind has ranked in the top 15 most difficult courses used on TOUR annually this decade. It will be interesting to see this week if those scoring numbers were because of the strength of the field (the week before a major) or because it’s a very solid test of golf. I would suggest both as most premium players excel in the tee-to-green department and aren’t bothered by tight targets off the tee or into greens. Plus, they reside in the top 50 on merit, not Instagram followers, and that usually means a complete bag. Need more Course Info? Check Rob Bolton’s Power Rankings, The First Look and Course Preview. Helpful Hints 2018 FESJC Results (entered this week)  **- previous winner *- Top 10 since 2010  1  **Dustin Johnson (2012 winner)  2 Andrew Putnam  3 J.B. Holmes  6 *Chez Reavie (T4, 2017)  6 Brandt Snedeker 12 *Phil Mickelson 18 C.T. Pan 26 Henrik Stenson 30 *Brooks Koepka 37 Nate Lashley 37 Keith Mitchell 51 *Billy Horschel 68 Corey Conners MC Tony Finau (first appearance) Sung Kang Kevin Tway 2017 FESJC Results (entered this week)  **- previous winner *- Top 10 since 2010  4  Rafa Cabrera Bello (first appearance)  4 *Billy Horschel  9 *Phil Mickelson 10 Adam Scott 31 Kevin Tway 31 *Ian Poulter (T6, 2014) 37 *Brooks Koepka 52 *J.B. Holmes 52 Xander Schauffele (first appearance) 80 Sung Kang 85 Max Homa MC Bryson DeChambeau Jim Furyk Key stat leaders Golfers around the top 25 in each statistic on the 2018-19 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. This is the 40th event of the season.  * – top 10 finish previously BOLD – first appearance Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green  1 *Rory McIlroy (T7, 2012)  2 Justin Thomas  3 Hideki Matsuyama  4 Patrick Cantlay  5 *Dustin Johnson  6 *Adam Scott  7 Paul Casey  8 Gary Woodland 10 Corey Conners 11 *Brooks Koepka 12 *Sergio Garcia 13 *Matt Kuchar 14 Xander Schauffele 15 Jon Rahm 16 Tommy Fleetwood 18 *Webb Simpson (T3, 2014) 20 Henrik Stenson 23 Justin Rose 24 Jim Furyk 25 Keegan Bradley Proximity  1 Corey Conners  3 Jim Furyk  7 *Chez Reavie 11 Nate Lashley 14 Keegan Bradley 19 Hideki Matsuyama 19 *Rory McIlroy 31 *Matt Kuchar 31 *Brooks Koepka Par-5 Scoring  1 Justin Thomas  2 *Matt Kuchar  3 *Adam Scott  3 Gary Woodland  6 Bryson DeChambeau  9 *Ian Poulter  9 *Sergio Garcia  9 Bubba Watson 13 Xander Schauffele 19 *Dustin Johnson 19 Hideki Matsuyama 19 Paul Casey 19 Sung Kang 23 Tony Finau 28 *Rory McIlroy 28 Patrick Cantlay Bogey Avoidance  1 Patrick Cantlay  2 *Matt Kuchar  5 *Rory McIlroy  6 *Webb Simpson  7 Jim Furyk  8 Nate Lashley 10 *Dustin Johnson 12 Kevin Tway 13 Tommy Fleetwood 14 *Brooks Koepka 19 Hideki Matsuyama 21 Rickie Fowler 25 Xander Schauffele 27 Tony Finau The Landlord Dustin Johnson: He’s prepared at TPC Southwind for the U.S. Open every year since 2012 with the exception of 2017. A debut winner should help ease some questions about how premium players who haven’t seen this course could fare this week. The 2018 winner boasts two other finishes in the top 10 (5, 2016; T10, 2013) and a stroke average of 67.75 over 20 rounds. He’s the only previous winner in the field this week. The Usual Suspects Brooks Koepka: Another who used this event as U.S. Open prep, Koepka never missed in five tries from 2014-18. He went close here in 2016 (T2) and 2015 (T3) before he bloomed into this version. T37 or better in all five starts. Phil Mickelson: In six starts this decade his T12 last year was the worst of the bunch. His run includes a pair of T2 (2012, 2016) and T3 in 2015. Of 24 rounds 21 are par or better so he’s comfortable in the heat and humidity. Billy Horschel: The heat and humidity won’t be an issue for the Florida native as he looks to add to his bank account again this year. His T51 was disappointing last year as it broke a personal streak of four straight paydays in the top 10 (2013-15; 2017). Chez Reavie: Back-to-back top-10 paydays the last two years should be an excellent surprise to gamers who might be light on starts at this part of the season. He was T12 in 2015 and T27 in 2013 as well. Brandt Snedeker: Played last year for the first time since 2013 and cashed T6. Like riding a bike! Flashes This Decade Andrew Putnam: He fired 64-64 in Rounds 2 and 3 to get into the final group with Johnson in his second start in Memphis. Johnson gave him a front-row seat on how to close an event as Putnam cashed for second, six shots behind. Rafa Cabrera Bello: His first and only start in 2017 saw him share the 54-hole lead before 71 on Sunday dropped him to T4. Adam Scott: Hardly surprising on a track that requires premium tee-to-green play that the Aussie has cashed both of his finishes inside the top 10. He was seventh in his debut in 2007 and T10 in his next visit in 2017. Webb Simpson: T3 in 2014 but hasn’t played since 2015. Rory McIlroy: Backed up T29 on debut in 2010 with T7 in 2012 in his only two visits. Patrick Reed: Solo fifth in 2013 was his best of four starts but none since 2014. J.B. Holmes: Solo third last year was his fourth payday from five tries. I have no idea what to think after last Sunday at Royal Portrush.
What a fortnight for Houston-area sports fans! The Astros prevailed in the World Series in six games, one of which with a combined no-hitter. The parade is over but as the celebration continues, locals can extend their attention to this week’s Cadence Bank Houston Open just five miles west of Minute Maid Park. RELATED: Play Pick ‘Em Live | The First Look As Yordan Álvarez has proven, there isn’t a yard can that contain him, but Memorial Park Golf Course would present a respectable challenge to his brawn. The par 70 capable of stretching 7,412 yards hosts a field of 132. POWER RANKINGS: CADENCE BANK HOUSTON OPEN Hideki Matsuyama, Will Gordon, Luke List and David Lingmerth will be among the notables reviewed in Draws and Fades. In its first two years after returning as the host of the annual stop in Houston – it served as the site for 14 editions in the middle of the 20th century and not long after the tournament was launched in 1946 – Memorial Park has been the most challenging track of the fall. Last year’s field average of 70.799 reflected a slight ease, but it still slotted it a hair harder than Colonial Country Club among all par 70s in 2021-22, and recall that winds were gusting to 30 mph and stronger on the weekend in north Texas later in the season. Memorial Park is unusual as a par 70 in that its routing includes five par 3s and three par 5s. While most tracks new to most golfers present a reasonable test merely in the context of unfamiliarity, Memorial Park hasn’t conceded much despite budding relationships. Consider that all three of the par 5s ranked inside the top-40 hardest of 163 par 5s played all of last season. As a set, they slotted second-hardest, and that was after they tied for most challenging in the super season of 2020-21. So, having muscle to move it off the tee has merit, but actually capitalizing on the par 5s isn’t as much of an objective as it is not being beat up by them. Overall, Memorial Park is no joke, and the lushest of the bermuda rough is a fraction taller this year at 2½ inches. Bermuda greens still are ready to run up to 12 feet on the Stimpmeter, and they’re poised to defend as the stingiest in yielding par breakers on average from a season ago. Although the host course ranked a firm and fair T16 in greens in regulation among all courses, no other surrendered a lower conversion percentage for birdies and better with a putter in hand. Primary levers are pulled for course management and patience this week. Distance is a bonus, but only if harnessed. Putting plays up more than usual. After a couple of days with seasonable conditions, jackets and umbrellas will be commonplace by Saturday. Daytime temperatures could cool as much as 20 degrees with highs in the low 60s, if that, and the wind will freshen as rain is a coin flip. Things should calm a bit for the finale. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Draws & Fades WEDNESDAY: Pick ‘Em Preview SUNDAY: Payouts and Points, Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Rookie Ranking * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.
In difficult conditions, Tiger Woods shot an even-par first round at the Honda Classic and is four shots behind the leaders.
