Hideki Matsuyama leads BMW Championship

Jordan Spieth is not known to tinker with his equipment much, but he’s made a few significant changes in the past two weeks. Ahead of the 2019 PGA Championship, Spieth switched out of his Titleist 915F fairway wood, which he’s used for about 4 years, into a new Titleist TS2 fairway wood. Then this week at the 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge, Spieth switched out of the driver shaft that he’d been using in his Titleist TS3 driver throughout 2019, into a new Fujikura Ventus 6X shaft; he’s still using the same Titleist TS3 driver head model, at 10.5 degrees. Related: DJ using a Fujikura Ventus prototype shaft | Bettinardi’s military inspired putters | Equipment Q&A: Ping designer Marty Jertson Coming into the 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge, Jordan Spieth was ranked 204 on the PGA TOUR in driving accuracy off the tee, hitting just 51.94 percent of fairways. The Ventus shaft Spieth changed into, however, is designed to reduce twisting at impact with a multi-material bias core, which Fujikura calls “VeloCore,â€� or “Velocity at its Core.â€� The core of the shaft is made with Pitch 70 Ton carbon fiber material that’s “three times stiffer than your standard mod,â€� according to Fujikura’s Fitting and TOUR representative Marshall Thompson. Back in February, PGATOUR.COM went in-depth with Thompson about the shaft, and Thompson said that “upwards of 80-to-90 percent of people had an easier time hitting the center of the faceâ€� with the Ventus shaft, due its twist reduction qualities through impact. According to Fujikura, Spieth also found the center of the face more often using the Ventus shaft. Ahead of the Charles Schwab Challenge, Fujikura said: “The increased tip stiffness moved his toe impact locations to more center face with Ventus. His ball speed was similar at 170-172 (mph), but the misses were better so he decided to put it in play.â€� Although Spieth shot 65 (5-under) in the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Thursday, he hit just half of his fairways, missing 6-of-his-7 missed fairway to the left.   “I still had some scar tissue on shots today where I’ve had some foul balls to the right this year where that’s been my miss,â€� Spieth told PGATOUR.COM. “… I played away from that shot because of the potential of what’s been there this year.â€� If Spieth can heal the mental scar tissue off the tee and continue hitting the center of the face more often with his new driver setup, his driving accuracy could begin trending up.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR announced today that Xander Schauffele has been named the 2017 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year as voted on by the TOUR’s membership for the 2016-17 season. PGA TOUR members who played in at least 15 official money events this past season were eligible to vote. The balloting process ended on October 2. “On behalf of the PGA TOUR, congratulations to Xander Schauffele on being voted PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year,� said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Being recognized by your peers is one of the highest honors a player can receive, and Xander’s win at the TOUR Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs capped off what had already been a remarkable rookie season.� Schauffele, a 23-year-old resident of San Diego, California, capped off his season in record-breaking fashion by holding off FedExCup champion Justin Thomas to become the first rookie to win the season-ending TOUR Championship. By doing so, he finished the season third in the FedExCup. Schauffele is the fourth member of the high school class of 2011 to earn PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors, joining Jordan Spieth (2013), Daniel Berger (2015) and Emiliano Grillo (2016). Thomas, another member of that class, won the FedExCup this season by holding off Spieth and Schauffele, his nearest competitors. Having captured The Greenbrier Classic earlier in the season for his first TOUR victory, Schauffele was one of six multiple winners during the 2016-17 season, joining Thomas, Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Marc Leishman. In 28 starts, he turned in four top-10 finishes among 20 made cuts. A 2016 graduate of the Web.com Tour, Schauffele was selected for the honor over Wesley Bryan, Patrick Cantlay, Mackenzie Hughes and Grayson Murray.    

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Morgan Hoffmann is playing for more than trophies. Hoffmann hopes to find a cure for muscular dystrophy after being diagnosed with the disease in November 2016. The 28-year-old has started a charity to fund muscular dystrophy research while still chasing the PGA TOUR dreams he’s had since childhood. “I could become a recluse and feel bad for myself, but what’s that going to do?� Hoffmann said Thursday, after shooting a first-round 67 at The Honda Classic. “I love being out here and I love playing on the PGA TOUR and that’s my dream, and to help people ultimately is my goal. I think I can do really special things with this platform.� Contending at the PGA TOUR stop in his adopted hometown will help him spread the word on his mission to end muscular dystrophy. He is back on the leaderboard one year after finishing runner-up here to former Oklahoma State teammate Rickie Fowler. He trails another Oklahoma State alum, Alex Noren, and Webb Simpson by one stroke after the first round of this year’s Honda Classic. Hoffmann announced his diagnosis in a December article on The Players’ Tribune. He has a charity event planned for Aug. 20 in his native New Jersey. “It was tough to hear,� he said about the diagnosis, “but I think we’re going to do a lot of really good things with the charity that I’m starting, hopefully find a cure.� Thursday’s good round came after a difficult stretch. He missed the cut or withdrew in his previous six starts, but he made just one bogey Thursday. The disease has led to a loss of swing speed, but Hoffmann didn’t blame it for his recent struggles. “I’ve lost a lot of speed in my swing but my swing is still there,� he said. “I’m on plane. It’s not like it’s really killing my golf game.� In 2014, when Hoffmann qualified for the TOUR Championship, he ranked 78th in clubhead speed and 48th in driving distance. He’s 184th and 101st in those statistics this season. He’s lost more than 5 mph of clubhead speed in that span, dropping from 114 mph to 108.8. That hasn’t stopped him from trying to win his first PGA TOUR title. He just has other sources of inspiration now. SHOT OF THE DAY  NOTABLES Alex Noren, who’s known for an unceasing work ethic, wasn’t done after his first-round 66 that gave him the lead after morning wave. “I’m going to go and maybe play some holes on another course and try to figure out how to play all these different iron shots because this golf course is an iron paradise,� said Noren, who made five birdies and just one bogey Thursday. He ranks ninth in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green this season, but he wasn’t happy with Thursday’s ball-striking. “I hit a lot of wayward shots,� he said. Noren is playing his first season as a PGA TOUR member. He’s 33rd in the FedExCup, including a playoff loss to Jason Day at the Farmers Insurance Open. Justin Thomas attended the final round of last year’s Honda Classic only to congratulate Rickie Fowler on his win. Thomas had missed the cut, one year after finishing third. He’s back in contention at PGA National once again after shooting 67 in the first round. He’s coming off a T9 finish at the Genesis Open, his best finish since winning THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in October. Daniel Berger, who grew up in south Florida, shot a bogey-free 67 while playing alongside Thomas and Sergio Garcia (72). Berger lost a playoff to Padraig Harrington at the 2015 Honda Classic during his Rookie of the Year season. “I’m a different golfer now than I was then,� said Berger, a two-time PGA TOUR winner. He missed just three fairways and five greens Thursday. He hit his tee shot at the par-4 sixth hole into the water but was able to save par after hitting his ball out of the water and getting up-and-down. Tiger Woods played the best round of his young comeback, shooting an even-par 70 in Thursday morning’s breezy conditions. He hit 7 of 14 fairways and 10 of 18 greens, but mostly avoided the big misses that have plagued him. For more on his round, click here. CALL OF THE DAY  QUOTABLES It can make you look bad in a heartbeat.You can see the Tiger effect when you come out here. There’s thousands of people.

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