Cantlay wins first PGA Tour title in playoff

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The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA TOUR jointly announced today that both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup have been rescheduled and will now be played one year later than originally planned. The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for Sept. 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for Sept. 21-26, 2021. Likewise, the Presidents Cup, initially slated for Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2021, at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, will now be played Sept. 19-25, 2022. The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County, with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority. “Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible. Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call. We are grateful to PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the TOUR for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar. “As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most. The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option. We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world. We look forward to delivering the Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.” Guy Kinnings, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides. “While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration. We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance but all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion. “We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA TOUR for their willingness to move the dates of the Presidents Cup. “We also thank NBC, Sky and our many broadcast partners around the globe, in addition to the worldwide partners of this great event, whose support and commitment are second to none.” With the decision to play the 2020 Ryder Cup in September 2021, all subsequent Ryder Cups after Whistling Straits will also shift to odd years: 2023/Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (Rome, Italy); 2025/Bethpage Black (Farmingdale, New York); 2027/Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland); 2029/Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota); 2031/Europe (to be determined); 2033/The Olympic Club (San Francisco); 2035/Europe (to be determined); 2037/Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland). With the momentum of the successful 2019 Presidents Cup played in Melbourne, Australia, the 14th playing of the Presidents Cup will now be hosted for the first time in the Southeast United States at Quail Hollow Club in 2022. “These two premier international team events are lifted by the spirit of the fans,” said Monahan. “With the uncertainty of the current climate, we fully support the Ryder Cup’s decision to delay a year in order to ensure fans could be a part of the incredible atmosphere in Wisconsin, and the delay of this year’s Presidents Cup was the right decision in order to allow for that option. We are thankful that our global partners, our friends at Quail Hollow Club, our long-time annual title sponsor in Charlotte and all associated with the Presidents Cup and the Junior Presidents Cup have approached this change with a unified, positive spirit. We are confident the move will give us even more runway as we bring the Presidents Cup to Charlotte in 2022.” Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow Club in 2021, at TPC Potomac in 2022 during the Presidents Cup year and will return to Quail Hollow in 2023. Presidents Cup 2022 qualifying will be determined at a later date. The Ryder Cup, which began in 1927, brings together the finest tour professionals from the United States and Europe. “While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances,” said U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker. “At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.” Pádraig Harrington, Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team, said: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time. “When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be. “I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.” For Ryder Cup qualifying, both the United States and European teams will revisit their respective selection processes in the near future. Tickets purchased for the 2020 Ryder Cup via rydercup.com will be automatically valid for the corresponding day(s) in 2021. In the coming weeks, the PGA of America will contact those who secured tickets via rydercup.com to facilitate refunds for those unable to attend in 2021. Further details regarding this process are available on the Ryder Cup website. Those who have purchased tickets and hospitality packages on the secondary market must contact that specific site directly. The PGA of America will be unable to process refunds for those purchases. In a corresponding decision, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe also announced that the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for Sept. 20-21, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was originally scheduled for Sept. 21-22, 2020.

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AUSTIN, Texas – This time Tiger Woods is just happy to be here. That doesn’t mean the three-time World Golf Championship – Dell Technologies Match Play champion isn’t hoping to make it a fourth win in the man on man showdown – he’s just cognizant of the progress he’s made to be back for the first time since 2013. In that time Woods’ has had four back surgeries. He also recently dealt with a neck complaint. But he’s also successfully returned to the winner’s circle at the 2018 TOUR Championship. It is that victory, and the schedule he endured, that gives the 43-year-old confidence he could get through seven rounds in five days to win. “Hopefully I can play well enough to get to that point to where I’m in the finals,â€� the 80-time PGATOUR winner said on the eve of his first match. “The end of last year gave me a lot of confidence that I played as many events as I did to end the season. I was tired, but my body held up. “My training has been pretty good. My neck has been feeling better, which is nice. And so I have to play well and beat the guy in front of me in order to have that situation where I’m there on Sunday in the finals. There’s a lot of work to be done between now and then.â€� Woods is slated to play against fellow TOUR winners Aaron Wise, Patrick Cantlay and Brandt Snedeker in his group. In his 13 previous appearances in the event it was a single elimination format.  “I’m looking forward to getting introduced to this new format. This will be a little bit different than what I’m used to,â€� Woods added. “I guess you can halve a match and still move on. And so that’s different. I don’t really know the intricacies of it all. I just know that I need to win all three, and I move on. It’s not real complicated. Play well and take care of the guy in front of me. “I’m looking forward to the fact that I just get to focus on one guy. Each and every shot is different, and you don’t really care what the rest of the field is doing. I just have to beat the guy standing in front of me.â€� The first guy up is PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Wise, a 22-year-old that Woods is actually well aware of given his old college teammate Casey Martin was Wise’s college coach when he was winning an NCAA title in 2016. “I watched him play well when they were in Eugene. And Casey said a lot of good things about him when he was being recruited, as well as when he was in college. Amazing talent,â€� Woods said. “Obviously he won at the Nelson and he has the game to win golf tournaments. I get to go out there and put a lot of pressure on him and hit the ball well and hopefully get the ball in the right spot to make putts.â€�

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