Chatting with America’s Caddie: Josh Scobee on mulligans in football and golf

Bryson Nimmer led the way at open qualifying for the Mexico Open at Vidanta, carding 7-under 65 at The Clubs of Kingwood (Deerwood) in Texas to secure a spot in the field at Vidanta Vallarta in Vallarta, Mexico. Also earning spots in the field were Jeffrey Kang (6-under 66), Turk Pettit (4-under 68) and Patrick Flavin (4-under 68). Pettit and Flavin survived a 6-for-2 playoff to earn their spots in the field. Falling short in extra holes were David Kim, Benjamin Lein, Danny Guise and Michael Arnaud. The qualifier was contested a week ahead of time, allowing players time to make international travel arrangements for the event. The Mexico Open, contested since 1944 and affiliated with various Tours at different points in time, is set to be played as a PGA TOUR event for the first time. In all, 57 players competed for four spots in the Mexico Open field. For all scores from the Mexico Open qualifier, click here. Here’s a capsule look at the four Mexico Open qualifiers … BRYSON NIMMER (65) Age: 25 Hometown: Bluffton, South Carolina Alma mater: Clemson PGA TOUR starts: 8 Cuts made: 5 Best PGA TOUR finish: T11, 2022 Corales Puntacana Championship Notes: In March, finished T11 at the Corales Puntacana Championship as a Monday qualifier, one stroke short of a top-10 that would have earned him a spot in the following week’s Valero Texas Open … Currently holds 38 non-member FedExCup points, which would place him No. 219 in the season-long standings. The top-200 upon the conclusion of the Regular Season will gain Korn Ferry Tour Finals entry, with a chance at earning a PGA TOUR card … Had a decorated career at Clemson, where he was a four-time first-team all-ACC selection, joining PGA TOUR winners Jonathan Byrd and D.J. Trahan as Clemson men’s golfers to accomplish the feat … Nimmer and his dad Tony became the first father-son all-ACC duo in Clemson golf history. JEFFREY KANG (66) Age: 30 Hometown: Los Angeles, California Alma mater: University of Southern California PGA TOUR starts: 1 Cuts made: 0 Best PGA TOUR finish: MC, 2022 WM Phoenix Open Notes: Made his first career TOUR start at the WM Phoenix Open in February, into which he also Monday qualified. Memorably earned his spot in the field on the 10th playoff hole; the playoff interestingly included Patrick Flavin … Won 2018 Chengdu Championship on PGA TOUR Series-China, one of six top-25s in 14 starts that season … Has spent two seasons on PGA TOUR Canada and has made three career Korn Ferry Tour starts. TURK PETTIT (68, advanced via 6-for-2 playoff) Age: 23 Hometown: Opelika, Alabama Alma mater: Clemson PGA TOUR starts: 1 Cuts made: 0 Best PGA TOUR finish: MC, 2021 Fortinet Championship Notes: Crossed paths with Nimmer for two seasons at Clemson, 2017-18 and 2018-19 … Was a two-year starting high school quarterback for Lee-Scott Academy; was also high school golf teammates with Korn Ferry Tour member Davis Thompson, who finished No. 2 on the inaugural PGA TOUR University Ranking … Won 2021 NCAA individual men’s golf championship as a senior, becoming the second Clemson men’s golfer (Charles Warren, 1997) to earn that title … Competed on PGA TOUR Canada upon turning pro in summer 2021, winning the Birck Boilermaker Classic and finishing No. 3 on the Order of Merit to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership. PATRICK FLAVIN (68, advanced via 6-for-2 playoff) Age: 26 Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Alma mater: Miami (Ohio) PGA TOUR starts: 4 Cuts made: 3 Best PGA TOUR finish: T17, 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship Notes: 3-for-3 in made cuts this season on the PGA TOUR. He Monday qualified into the Butterfield Bermuda Championship (T17) and Puerto Rico Open (T22), and he received a sponsor exemption into the Corales Puntacana Championship (T54) … Finished No. 6 on 2019 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Order of Merit … Recorded two top-10s in 13 starts on 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour … Currently holds 76 non-member FedExCup points, which would currently place him No. 196 in the season-long standings, as he chases a top-200 position that would gain Korn Ferry Tour Finals entry in August. 2021-22 Monday qualifier statistics Best finish: Bryson Nimmer, T11 at Corales Puntacana Championship Most times qualified: Patrick Flavin, 3 Last event’s qualifier results (Valero Texas Open): Aaron Baddeley (T18); Shawn Stefani (MC); Jake Kevorkian (MC): Samuel Saunders (MC) Next PGA TOUR qualifier (Wells Fargo Championship): Monday, May 2 at Cattail Creek CC in Glenwood, Maryland

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The PGA Tour, along with FedEx and Wyndham is changing the scheme for its yearlong points race and playoff format next season.

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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy fired a 7-under 65 Saturday in the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to sit one shot behind leaders Ross Fisher and Thomas Pieters. Northern Ireland’s McIlroy is on 16-under 200 overall with the former world No. 1 playing his first event since October. England’s Fisher also shot a 65, while overnight leader Pieters added a 67 to reach 17-under 199 on a low-scoring day in the absence of any wind at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course. Top-ranked Dustin Johnson (68) is five shots behind the leaders. Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood (67) was tied for fourth on 201 with Matthew Fitzpatrick, whose 9-under 63 is the lowest round of the tournament so far. McIlroy finally dropped a shot in the tournament on the par-3 15th when he could not get out of the greenside bunker in one attempt. He made up for this with a chip-in birdie on the 17th and added another on the par-5 18th. McIlroy has never finished outside the top five in seven of his last eight starts here. “I’ve had a lot of close calls here, I think about six top threes or something like that,” he said. Fisher has been in good form since the second half of 2017, and has risen to 31st in the rankings. However, his last win came back at the 2014 Tshwane Open. On Saturday, he started with three birdies in first four holes before dropping a shot on the fifth, and then played solid golf and made key par saves in his 65. “I think a good momentum putt was probably the birdie on eighth,” Fisher said. “We traded birdies, good shots, and just thoroughly enjoyed the guys’ company and look forward to doing it again tomorrow.” Pieters was disappointed at not making a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to stay one ahead of Fisher. “A lot of really good shots and then finished poorly,” the Belgian said. “That was a terrible last hole.” Johnson is tied for 12th with four other players after six birdies and two bogeys.

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