Garcia continues push at BMW International

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – A 59 is among the rarest feats in golf. In fact, only 10 men have ever broken 60, one of whom inexplicably did it twice. But to understand the significance of the 59 that Kevin Chappell shot on Friday during the second round of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, you have to go back to Nov. 28 of last year when he was lying on an operating table having surgery on his lower back. RELATED: Chappell’s historic second round | Griffin’s special connection to The Greenbrier | New members came to play He’d tried to mask the discomfort for nearly five years, taking anti-inflammatories and pain-killers and undergoing physical therapy just to get him through another day or another tournament. On the way home from the 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic, though, Chappell was physically spent. He couldn’t even make it to baggage claim after he landed in Phoenix. “The adrenaline had come out of my body and I couldn’t do it anymore,â€� he said. Just before Thanksgiving, things got worse. Chappell lost the feeling in his right leg. He couldn’t walk. So, after consulting several doctors, he made the decision to have a microdiscectomy and laminectomy at the L5-S1, which is where the lumbar spine ends and the sacral spine begins. The Greenbrier is the first tournament he’s played since the surgery. And in his second round Chappell shot a 59, the Holy Grail of the game. He tied the PGA TOUR record with nine straight birdies, too, and will start the third round at The Old White TPC just three strokes off the lead. “I just couldn’t feel more lucky to be here right now,â€� Chappell said. “Ten months ago, I was laying on my couch and couldn’t get up. So many people sacrificed to get me here, especially my family. A lot of people believed in me, put in a lot of hard work. “To go out and have my first start back on the PGA TOUR to shoot 59, get myself in contention going into the weekend, I just couldn’t be more proud of myself right now.â€� Chappell’s round of 11 birdies came nearly four months to the day after he was given the go-ahead to tee it up again – but for just nine holes. In the months following the surgery, rehab essentially became his job and he followed the orders of the doctors and therapists to the letter. In March, though, Chappell finally got the go-ahead to start chipping and putting. Wedges came shortly afterwards – he hit 12 the first week, 15 the second, 20 the third and so on. As much as he might have wanted to, he didn’t do more. “(I) was really, really diligent,â€� Chappell said. “Listened to my team and listened to my body.â€� Chappell finally played those first nine holes on May 11 – and as much as he would have liked to go on, that was all he could do. “I remember playing the ninth hole, par 3, hitting the shot into the green and thinking, I can’t hit any more shots, I’m tired,â€� Chappell said. “To be here today, four months later, playing – starting my first PGA TOUR event, it’s pretty surreal.â€� Chappell, the former NCAA champion, the winner of the 2017 Valero Open, didn’t doubt that he would play golf for a living again. He played a couple of Korn Ferry Tour events in August to get his feet wet. He has job security in the form of a major medical extension with 23 events to earn 268 FedExCup points to retain his TOUR card. “But to be able to compete at the level I knew I could do it at, I questioned that,â€� Chappell said. “But I think this certainly validates that my game is there. I still possess that ability. Through a lot of the hard work and passion and focus it’s — you know, it’s there.â€� The 59 – the second at The Old White TPC since the tournament began in 2010 — was Chappell’s lowest score on TOUR by three strokes, and it gives him a very real shot at his second TOUR win after a 10-month layoff. “What a story that would be,â€� he said. Of course, Chappell knows a lot can happen over the next two rounds. He knows better than to get ahead of himself, too. Besides, Friday was a day to savor. He wanted to share it with his wife, Elizabeth, who walked his first nine holes before going to pick up their two young children, Wyatt and Collins, at day care, as well as the rest of their family and friends. “Those three that made the biggest sacrifices are here,â€� Chappell said with a smile. “My kids will have no idea what dad did today, and they didn’t know what dad shot yesterday either. I wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’ll go home and get a big hug and probably shed a tear or two with my wife.â€� And get back to work on Saturday.

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Zach Johnson will captain the United States team at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone G&CC in Rome, Italy, the PGA of America announced Monday morning. Johnson, 46, has competed for the United States on five Ryder Cup teams, as part of a sparkling career that has included 12 PGA TOUR victories and two major championship titles. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, honed his game on mini-tours and the Korn Ferry Tour, where he was named 2003 Player of the Year, before earning his PGA TOUR card for 2004 and never looking back. Johnson has made 455 career PGA TOUR starts, recording 32 top-three finishes among 189 top-25s, consistency a hallmark of his career. The Drake University alum has compiled an 8-7-2 record across his Ryder Cup career, including a 3-1-1 mark in singles competition. Johnson has also represented the United States in four Presidents Cup competitions, compiling a 10-6-1 record, including a 2-2 mark in singles. The 2023 Ryder Cup will be contested Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 of next year, with the United States contingent aiming to record its first victory on European soil since 1993 at The Belfry in England. Last year’s Ryder Cup was contested at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, with Steve Stricker captaining the United States to a 19-9 triumph. Johnson has served as an assistant captain for each of the last two United States Ryder Cup teams.

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How it works: Each week, our experts from PGATOUR.COM will make their selections in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. Each lineup consists of four starters and two bench players that can be rotated after each round. Adding to the challenge is that every golfer can be used only three times per each of four Segments. The first fantasy golf game to utilize live ShotLink data, PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf allows you to see scores update live during competition. Aside from the experts below, Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton breaks down the field at this year’s Travelers Championship in his edition of the Power Rankings. For more fantasy, check out Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers and Reshuffle. THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN OUR EXPERTS? The PGA TOUR Experts league is once again open to the public. You can play our free fantasy game and see how you measure up against our experts below. Joining the league is simple. Just click here to sign up or log in. Once you create your team, click the “Leagues” tab and search for “PGA TOUR Experts.” After that? Pick your players and start talking smack. Want to represent the fans against our experts? SEASON SEGMENT

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