Equipment Gallery: What’s in the bag at the 2019 Genesis Open

The PGA TOUR visits scenic Sea Island Resort for The RSM Classic, and a star-studded field has made the trip south from Augusta. Players will be treated to ocean views and two classic Golden Age courses this week. Here's a look at the Featured Groups for the second-to-last PGA TOUR event of 2020. Related: Full tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 9:15 a.m.-4 p.m. ET (Featured Groups) Radio: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio). FEATURED GROUPS Jason Kokrak, Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson • Kokrak recently picked up his first PGA TOUR victory at THE CJ CUP @ SHERWOOD. He also had a top-20 in this year's U.S. Open and ranks fifth in the FedExCup. • Cink, a Georgia Tech alum, recently won the Safeway Open and ranks third in the FedExCup. The 47-year-old also has a T4 in the Bermuda Championship and T12 in the Sanderson Farms Championship this season. • Simpson, a two-time winner in 2020, has finished third and second in the last two RSM Classics. Simpson has finished in the top 20 in all four of his starts this season, including top-10s in both majors. He is 32nd in the FedExCup. Hudson Swafford, Jason Day, Harris English • Swafford, a Sea Island resident, earned his second PGA TOUR title at the recent Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. He is 12th in the FedExCup. • Day is 88th in the FedExCup as he tries to end a two-year winless drought. He recently finished T7 at the Vivint Houston Open. • English was teammates at the University of Georgia with Swafford and also lives in Sea Island. Swafford improved from 149th in the 2019 FedExCup to 12th in the 2020 standings. He finished fourth in this year's U.S. Open, as well. Tyler Duncan, Kevin Kisner, Charles Howell III • Duncan, the defending champion, leads this group of former RSM champions. Duncan defeated Simpson with a birdie in a sudden-death playoff last year. • Kisner, a University of Georgia alum, won The RSM in 2015. He's seeking his first win since the 2019 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. • Howell won the 2018 RSM to end an 11-year winless drought. Sungjae Im, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar • Im, the 2019 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, is coming off a runner-up at the Masters. Im is the current leader in the RSM Birdies Fore Love competition. • Rose, the 2018 FedExCup champion, is seeking his first victory of the year. He has won at least one worldwide event every year since 2010. He has won 16 titles in that span. • Kuchar is a longtime Sea Island resident and Georgia Tech alum. He has four top-25 finishes in The RSM Classic.

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THE OVERVIEW Forty years ago, the barrier still existed. No player had ever shot lower than 60 at a PGA TOUR event. Then on June 10, 1977, Al Geiberger teed off on the 10th hole to start his second round on the South Course at Colonial Country Club in the Memphis, Tennessee, suburb of Cordova. Eighteen holes later, he had done for golf what Roger Bannister had achieved in track and field in 1954. He had done the impossible. When Bannister became the first person to run a sub-4 minute mile, his record lasted 46 days. When Geiberger became the first TOUR player to shoot 59, it took 14 years before another player could match it – and 39 years before Jim Furyk went a shot lower to set the new mark. This week’s FedEx St. Jude Classic marks the 40th anniversary of Geiberger’s legendary achievement. While breaking 60 is no longer impossible, it still remains an uncommon occurrence on TOUR. Just seven other players have done it — twice, of course, for Furyk. Unlike Geiberger, each of those players had the benefit of knowing it was not impossible. “That’s pretty much it, right?â€� said Adam Hadwin, the most recent member of the club after he shot 59 in January at the CareerBuilder Challenge. “Nobody said that a 4-minute mile could be run, right? … Nobody said it could be broken – and then one person broke it, and now it’s a routine thing, right? … “Once you see it done, you know it can be done.â€� Of the eight players who have shot 59 or lower, three will be in the field this week – Furyk, Stuart Appleby (2010) and David Duval (1999). Furyk is playing this event for the first time in 23 years; Appleby and Duval have made frequent appearances here the last few seasons. Each has reached a place most golfers can only dream of going. Perhaps at some point during their rounds this week at TPC Southwind – which took over from Colonial as the host course in 1989 — they’ll take a step back and think about the man who paved the way 40 years ago.  THREE TO PONDER Phil Mickelson Phil the Cut Maker! Has made 16 consecutive cuts, tying him with Louis Oosthuizen for longest active streak on TOUR. Rickie Fowler After making his first appearance in Memphis three years ago, he followed it with a T-2 at the U.S. Open. Seeking similar bounce. Daniel Berger Since his breakthrough win here a year ago, he has five top-10s but has struggled to consistently contend. THE FLYOVER A closer look at TPC Southwind’s finishing hole, the 453-yard par-4 18th. Last year, it played to a stroke average of 4.201, making it the fourth most difficult hole on the course, and ranked as the 12th most difficult closing hole on TOUR last season. Just like its shorter but slightly more severe cousin, the par-4 12th (see below), the 18th’s primary defense is water. A total of 805 shots have ended up in the water since 2003, fifth most of any hole on TOUR during that span.  THE LANDING ZONE The 406-yard par-4 12th is the most difficult hole on the back nine at TPC Southwind. Last year, it played to a stroke average of 4.212. Guarded by water down the entire right side and in front of the green, players must avoid water off the tee and with their approach shots. Often they are unsuccessful. Since 2003, a total of 829 balls have found the water, the third-most of any hole on TOUR during that span. (TPC Scottsdale’s 15th and Quail Hollow’s 7th are only holes with more). Here’s a look at where all tee shots were struck last season at the 12th. WEATHER CHECK Dry conditions are anticipated through the weekend. Temperatures will gradually warm through the week, reaching a high near 90 degrees on Sunday. Comfortable humidity levels will be in place through Friday, but light southerly flow will allow humidity levels to trend higher for the weekend. TEMPS: Could be as high as 90 degrees on Sunday. RAIN: Nothing significant in the forecast. A very minimal chance of precipitation on Sunday. WINDS: Shouldn’t be more than 10 mph on any single day, but the winds are expected to shift from south to north on the weekend. For the latest weather news from Memphis, Tennessee, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK It’s the most underrated golf course we play on TOUR. I think the beauty of this course is in its simplicity and how it really challenges you with precision, not necessarily overwhelming length. WATER CENTRAL No course on TOUR produces more water balls than TPC Southwind. A few numbers: 4,964 – Balls in the water at TPC Southwind since 2003. That’s 1,608 more than the next course on the list, TPC Sawgrass (3,356 water balls) 647 – Number of players that have hit at least one shot into the water at TPC Southwind since 2003. 102 – Number of balls hit in the water at the 11th hole at TPC Southwind in 2004. That’s the most of any single hole in any given tournament at the course since 2003. 9 – Number of balls Camilo Villegas has hit in the water at the 18th hole in his career. That’s the most of any player – and yes, Camilo is in the field this week. ODDS AND ENDS 1. COUPLE OF DEBUTS. Amateur Braden Thornberry, who won the individual NCAA title last week as a sophomore at Ole Miss, will make his PGA TOUR debut. And England’s Sam Horsfield is making his professional debut following two seasons at the University of Florida. Thornberry currently ranks 16th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, while Horsfield was No. 3 prior to turning pro. 2. BIRDIE-FREE SUNDAY. The last two times on TOUR that the eventual tournament winner has failed to record a birdie in the final round has happened in this event. Justin Leonard led by eight shots entering the final round in 2005, shot a 3-over 73 and won by a stroke. Ben Crane led by three shots in 2014, shot a 73 and won by a stroke. 3. SEERSUCKER SUNDAY. Players and caddies are encouraged to wear seersucker apparel on Sunday to show support for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The promotion is in partnership with Brooks Brothers.

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MELBOURNE, Australia – The five opening Four-Ball matches of this week’s Presidents Cup are now set, with International Captain Ernie Els and U.S. Captain Tiger Woods unveiling their partnerships for the critical opening day at Royal Melbourne. PRESIDENTS CUP: How to watch | Power Rankings | Expert Picks | Data-driven Els | What will Tiger be like as captain? | Inside Internationals’ win in 1998 | Quiz: Who should you cheer for? Here’s a look at each match, along with our staff predictions from onsite writers Ben Everill and Mike McAllister. MATCH 1 MARC LEISHMAN/JOAQUIN NIEMANN (INTERNATIONAL) vs. JUSTIN THOMAS/TIGER WOODS (USA), 5:32 p.m. ET Overview: Woods wanted to go out early as a player so he could get done and resume his captaincy duties as soon as possible. “It was important for me to get out there as a player, but also as a captain, I want to obviously see my guys play,â€� Woods said. “This is my first time as a captain. I want to be able to enjoy that part of it, as well.â€� Woods is playing for the first time with Thomas; it will be Tiger’s 11th different partner in his Presidents Cup career. Woods will also be looking for his first Four-Ball win at Royal Melbourne; he’s 0-4-0 in his two previous appearances here in that format. Leishman, as one of the three Australians on the team, hopes to get the local crowd revved up while playing with Niemann, the Presidents Cup rookie from Chile. Niemann won A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier in his first start of the new PGA TOUR season. Player records: Leishman (3-7-3 overall; 0-4-0 in Four-Balls; Niemann (0-0-0); Thomas (3-1-1 overall; 2-0-0 in Four-Balls); Woods (24-15-1 overall; 7-9-0 in Four-Balls) Ben Everill’s prediction: Halved. Leishman will step up in front of his home crowd and Niemann will relish this challenge. Taking Woods to 18 will kick things off the right way. Mike McAllister’s prediction: USA, 3 and 2. I expect Thomas to be this week’s top player. Partnering with Woods reinforces that thought. MATCH 2 ADAM HADWIN/SUNGJAE IM (INTERNATIONAL) vs. XANDER SCHAUFFELE/PATRICK CANTLAY (USA), 5:47 p.m. ET Overview: Hadwin is determined to make amends after a disappointing performance two years ago in his Presidents Cup debut. He’ll partner the PGA TOUR’s reigning Rookie of the Year, who could be one of Ernie Els’ big performers this week. Im has a win, a runner-up and a third in his last six worldwide starts. The Schauffele-Cantlay partnership seems like two players cut from the same mold, especially from a personality standpoint. Both are low-key, which should help each in handling the excitement of their first Presidents Cup appearances. Both also have similar games, with each ranking inside the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Total last season. Player records: Hadwin (0-2-1 overall; 0-0-0 in Four-Balls); Im (0-0-0); Schauffele (0-0-0); Cantlay (0-0-0) Ben Everill’s prediction: Internationals 3 and 2. Sungjae Im is going to be the star of the show this week and Hadwin has something to prove. Cantlay will take time to adjust to Royal Melbourne. Mike McAllister’s prediction: USA, 1 up. I can see this one going either way, but the Americans have a bit more experience in winning on TOUR (six combined wins to 1 for the International duo) on their side. MATCH 3 ADAM SCOTT/BYEONG HUN AN (INTERNATIONAL) vs. BRYSON DECHAMBEAU/TONY FINAU (USA), 6:02 p.m. ET Overview: A huge match up in the context of the Cup. Scott must be a leader both on and off the course if he is to get his first victory in his ninth Cup appearance. Taking An under his wing the Australian must produce his best stuff right from the start so the pressure is on. The U.S. pair both made their team debut at last year’s Ryder Cup and will take a level of calmness because of it. But DeChambeau reappeared in his new bulked up body after a lengthy layoff and could only finish 15th of 18 in the Bahamas. Finau’s fall was far from exciting, finishing near the rear of three non-cut events and missing the cut in another. Player Records: Scott (Overall 14-20-5, Four-Ball 3-9-3), An (Overall 0-0-0, Four-Ball 0-0-0), DeChambeau (Overall 0-0-0, Four-Ball 0-0-0), Finau (Overall 0-0-0, Four-Ball 0-0-0). Ben Everill’s prediction: Internationals 3 and 2. Scott knows Royal Melbourne and An wants to prove his worth as a late call up. Despite all of DeChambeau’s physics prowess he needs more time to figure this course out and Finau is rusty. Mike McAllister’s prediction: Internationals, 2 and 1. Scott, who hasn’t won a Four-Balls match in this event since 2005, will ride his course knowledge to victory.   MATCH 4 WEBB SIMPSON/PATRICK REED (USA) vs. HIDEKI MATSUYAMA/C.T. PAN (INTERNATIONAL), 6:17 p.m. ET Overview: U.S. Captain Tiger Woods has sent the calm Simpson out to deal with the local crowds who are expected to rise up and get vocal against Reed. It provides a great yin and yang pairing as Reed will thrive under pressure and Simpson can just cruise through it. Matsuyama will be the experienced influence Pan needs on debut just as Pan will be the smiling assassin Matsuyama needs when he fails to meet his own high standards and needs to relax. Player Records: Simpson (Overall 5-3-2, Four-Ball 2-1-1), Reed (Overall 4-3-2, Four-Ball 2-0-1), Matsuyama (Overall 4-6-3, Four-Ball 1-2-2), Pan (Overall 0-0-0, Four-Ball 0-0-0). Ben Everill’s prediction: U.S. 2 and 1. Reed is at his best when under the pump and he has been for a week so it should lead to a gutsy performance. Mike McAllister’s prediction: Internationals, 1 up. Matsuyama had a half-point (with Adam Hadwin) against Reed (and Jordan Spieth) two years ago. He gets the full-point this time.   MATCH 5 ABRAHAM ANCER/LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN (INTERNATIONALS) vs. DUSTIN JOHNSON/GARY WOODLAND, 6:32 p.m. ET Overview: The bash brothers from the U.S. up against the smooth swinging Internationals. Johnson hasn’t played since knee surgery after the TOUR Championship in August but Woodland played well in the fall. They say you can’t overpower Royal Melbourne so we are about to find out. Oosthuizen is the International spearhead coming off a runner up last week at the Australian Open. Ancer won the Australian Open the year before. Possibly the best International duo. Player Records: Ancer (Overall 0-0-0, Four-Ball 0-0-0), Oosthuizen (Overall 7-5-3, Four-Ball 3-3-0); Johnson (Overall 8-4-2, Four-Ball 2-3-0), Woodland (Overall 0-0-0, Four-Ball 0-0-0). Ben Everill’s prediction: International 2 up. Oosthuizen is in great form and Ancer has proven his chops in Australian conditions while Johnson will be rusty and lacking touch on a course that demands it. Mike McAllister’s prediction: Internationals, 2 and 1. Oosthuizen is in great form, and Johnson might be rusty. NOT PLAYING Haotong Li and Cameron Smith (Internationals); Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar (USA) It’s probably difficult for Smith, the young Australian, to miss the first day, but Els has seven rookies on his team, so not a surprise that he’s sitting out two of them. The Royal Melbourne fans will still be able to cheer their two veteran Aussies in Adam Scott and Marc Leishman. “There’s enough Australians out there tomorrow to rally a lot of guys,â€� Els said, “but as I said to them, we are all one this week, Australians, South Africans, the whole Internationals.â€� Fowler was the late addition after Brooks Koepka withdrew on the American side and had to shake the rust off last week at the Hero World Challenge. Kuchar hasn’t had a top-10 finish in his last 11 worldwide starts.

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