Ben Martin takes two-shot lead at Corales Puntacana Championship

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Commissioner Jay Monahan announced late Tuesday the PGA TOUR will cancel four additional events in accordance with the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the Office of the President of the United States in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic. The four events are the RBC Heritage (April 13-19); Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 20-26); Wells Fargo Championship (April 27-May 3); and AT&T Byron Nelson (May 4-10). Furthermore, the PGA of America is postponing the PGA Championship (May 14-17) for a date later this year, to be announced. Monahan videotaped a message at TOUR headquarters that was distributed to players along with news of the schedule change. Here are the basics: WHO WILL BE AFFECTED? On March 12, the TOUR made the announcement to cancel or postpone four weeks of events, starting with THE PLAYERS Championship, which Monahan called “the Super Bowl of our sport,â€� through the week of the Valero Texas Open, April 2-5. (Augusta National Golf Club then announced the postponement of the Masters Tournament, April 9-12). Tuesday’s announcement brings the total to eight weeks of cancellations for the TOUR along with its five supporting Tours, including the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Champions, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, and PGA TOUR Series China. WHAT ARE PLAYERS DOING WITH THE TIME OFF? Billy Horschel pledged money and joined the TOUR in helping to distribute 22 tons of food, once earmarked for THE PLAYERS Championship, to Feeding Northeast Florida, instead. Matt Wallace announced on Tuesday that he will donate half his money from THE PLAYERS purse to Blessings in a Backpack. Monahan said others have also reached out. “It’s no surprise,â€� the Commissioner said. “I see their hearts every single day, I see how much they care about our sport and our fans. You can’t move fast enough when people are in need. It’s inspiring to know that they have the confidence in this organization to make the right decisions, but at the same time they’re all raising their hands saying, ‘What do I need to do to help?’ It’s times like these that people come together and show their true grit and true connectedness.â€� WHO ELSE HAS BEEN CHIPPING IN? Feeding Northeast Florida was just the beginning.  “We had restaurants calling us saying they were thinking of closing, and they wanted to be able to use their restaurants to be able to feed people,â€� Monahan said. “People not even associated with our tournament in this community. Good deeds beget good deeds, and that’s what we’re seeing here in Jacksonville and on the First Coast, and I know that’s what we’ll see in each market as we go forward, particularly as our players lean in to try and find ways to help.â€�  WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO BREAK THE NEWS TO TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS? “It’s really hard,â€� Monahan said, “because these tournament directors, they’re working on this tournament 365 days a year, they’re working with their communities, they’re working with our players. They’re kind of the pulse for the game of golf in that community, and they so want to stage their events. I think the reality is that by the time we’re talking to them, we’re not surprising them. We’re all dealing with the same set of facts, and we all want to come to the right decisions together, so that part of it I feel really good about. But you can plan for all kinds of situations, but this one is really unique – just think about how much it’s changed since last Wednesday night, think about how much it’s changed in the last 24 hours. I think we can expect more of that, and the only way to counteract that is to be committed to communicating and to be honest and real about what you’re seeing and hearing and how it affects you.â€�   HAS MONAHAN BEEN IN CONTACT WITH COMMISSIONERS IN OTHER SPORTS? Yes, and the conversations, he said, have been helpful. “This challenge, this crisis, is affecting everybody differently,â€� Monahan said. “Everybody has their own unique considerations. To hear what others are going through — some of which is applicable to us, some of it not — it’s helpful to me as I think about all the things that we’re considering. But as it relates to the golf industry, I know every major golf organization is working not independently but together and trying to figure out, as we look to the end of the FedExCup schedule and the end of the 2020 calendar year, how do we put the best product forward for our fans and our collective interests.â€� CAN THE 2019-20 SEASON BE SAVED? Sungjae Im leads the FedExCup standings through the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, but will there be a FedExCup Playoffs? It’s too early to say for sure, but it remains possible. “As we receive more clarity in the coming weeks,â€� Monahan said in his videotaped statement to members, “the TOUR will be working with our tournament organizations and title sponsors, in collaboration with golf’s governing bodies, to build a reimagined PGA TOUR schedule for 2020 that ensures the health and safety for all associated with our sport and a meaningful conclusion to the season. We will provide further updates when those plans come into focus.â€� HOW CAN FANS STILL ENGAGE? Over the coming days, the TOUR, through its various partners, will make available its archive of past PGA TOUR competitions and additional programming for fans. More details will be made available soon.

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AUSTIN, Texas – The first three winners since the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play moved to Austin Country Club? Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson. Obviously, it’s a big boy’s course for a big boy tournament. “Tells me good players won every year,â€� Johnson said Tuesday. But in Match Play, there’s still a chance for Cinderella to make an appearance – which is why playing our Bracket Challenge is so intriguing. THE FLYOVER  The scenic stretch of par-4 holes next to Lake Austin can often be pivotal, as it offers both scoring opportunities and the potential for danger. The 317-yard 13th is drivable; it played to a stroke average of 3.545 last year and gives a player trailing his match a chance to be aggressive. The 465-yard 14th and 440-yard 15th are not as easy but each played under par last year. Water comes into play at the 13th and 14th. With fans watching from boats on the water, it’s a fun area on the back nine. LANDING ZONE  The 498-yard par-4 eighth has statistically been the most difficult hole at Austin Country Club. It’s the longest hole on the course and has played to a stroke average of 4.176. Most drives will fall off to the right; last year, 75 tee shots ended up in the right rough compared to just 10 in the left rough. No wonder it’s called “Tumbleslope.â€� Here’s where all tee shots were hit last year. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Wade Stettner: “High pressure will influence the weather on Wednesday and Thursday with partly cloudy skies and seasonal temperatures. Friday will be the warmest day of the week as temperatures climb into the lower 80s. A strong cold front is forecast to arrive in Austin on Saturday morning with cooler temperatures and a chance for showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will be even cooler on Sunday with temperatures only reaching the lower 60s.â€� For the latest weather news from Austin, Texas, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I always say I’m not in a slump … I just say everybody else is really good. They’re just beating me. BY THE NUMBERS 43 – Number of matches played by Tiger Woods in this event, the most of any player – despite not having played the last five years. Ian Poulter is second on the all-time list at 42. 62 – The lowest seed to win the Match Play (Kevin Sutherland in 2002). 5 – Number of times to the No. 1 overall seed has won — Tiger in 2003, ’04 and ’08; Rory McIlroy in 2015 and Dustin Johnson in 2017. 9 and 8 – Largest margin of victory in any single match in this event. It happened in the first round of 2006 when Tiger beat Stephen Ames. SCATTERSHOTS Loving those WGCs: Of Dustin Johnson’s 20 career PGA TOUR wins, six have come in World Golf Championships events, including his last one earlier this year at the Mexico Championship. He’s the only player to complete the career WGC Slam. “You definitely know when you’re at a WGC compared to like a normal TOUR event for the most part,â€� Johnson said. “It’s a bigger tournament in our schedule. You definitely know that. But I don’t prepare any differently.â€� Johnson, by the way, is the top overall seed for the third straight year. “Shows me that what I’m doing is the right things,â€� he said. “It kind of drives me to keep working hard and to keep doing the things that I’m doing.â€� 20 years later: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Jim Furyk are the only players in this week’s field of 64 who participated in the first Match Play event 20 years ago at La Costa, when Jeff Maggert defeated Andrew Magee in 38 holes. “I’m the oldest of the four, dammit,â€� said the 48-year-old Furyk, making his 18th start this week. “… I’m proud of the longevity, the consistency and the number of times I’ve been invited to play this event. It’s been fun.â€� Group of Death? Speaking of Furyk, he’s in the group that includes Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and two-time Match Play champ Jason Day. All major winners, and only Furyk has not won a PLAYERS Championship – although he came close earlier this month with a runner-up finish. “Mega-group,â€� remarked Paul Casey.

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