Hoffman shoots 65, leads by 1 stroke in Canada

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Brendon Todd shot a 5-under 65 Friday and grabbed a two-stroke lead through 36 holes of the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Todd trailed defending champion Brooks Koepka after the first round by two strokes. He quickly erased that deficit and took the lead to himself with a bogey-free, five-birdie round for a 129 total at TPC Southwind. Rickie Fowler closed with birdies on his final two holes for a 67 and 131 total just behind Todd. Koepka had the lead to himself at 10 under before falling apart on his back nine with a double bogey and two bogeys. He finished with a 71, his first time over par at this course in seven rounds. He was four strokes back, tied with Byeong Hun An (65) and Chez Reavie (67). RELATED: Full leaderboard | New coach helps Koepka with strong start Jon Rahm shot a 74 and now is 4 over in his first event as No. 1 in the world. Justin Thomas, who could go back to No. 1 in the world with a win, was seven strokes back after a 70. Rory McIlroy’s bid to be No. 1 again may have to wait until the PGA Championship next week. He shot a 66, but is 10 strokes back. The wind eased from Thursday, making it easier off the tee in a round started early Friday morning to avoid expected thunderstorms in the afternoon. Todd won back-to-back tournaments last November for his first win on the PGA TOUR since winning the Byron Nelson in 2014. Since the return to play in June, Todd missed two cuts with his best finish a tie for 11th at the Travelers Championship. On Friday, his putter worked well enough that he needed only 24 putts in a round that featured a 50-footer for birdie on the par-3 No. 14. Todd hit a 6-iron to the left side of the green, and he had to roll the ball over a mound breaking left at least 5 feet. Todd stayed close to Koepka with birdies on Nos. 2 and 7. Todd sunk a 13-footer on the par-3 island green of No. 11 to go 9 under just as Koepka became the first to reach double digits under par. That’s when Koepka started struggling with his putter. Koepka double-bogeyed No. 2 when he three-putted after missing a putt for par from 3 feet. His putter cost him a birdie chance on the par-5 No. 3. That put Todd atop the leaderboard at 9 under, and his putter helped him birdie consecutive holes including the big putt on No. 14. He sunk a 12-footer for a second straight birdie on No. 15 to go 11 under and a four-stroke lead until Fowler’s birdie-birdie finish. Fowler might’ve had a piece of the lead if not for hitting his tee shot into the water in front of the island green at No. 11. He rebounded by hitting his approach 175 yards on No. 17 to 3 feet for birdie, and he holed out from the fairway just off the front of the green on No. 18.

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The PGA TOUR and DemandScience, a global B2B data company that partners with customers to upgrade their sales pipelines, today announced a multi-year partnership naming DemandScience the “Official B2B Sales Pipeline Generation Sponsor of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions” through 2026. DemandScience branding will be integrated across key broadcast segments during NBC Sports coverage of The Honda Classic, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Valspar Championship, WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play, Valero Texas Open, BMW Championship and TOUR Championship. DemandScience will activate this new relationship by having a presence in programming throughout PGA TOUR media properties, aligning with PGA TOUR players and hosting customers at PGA TOUR events. “We’re excited to welcome DemandScience and its global B2B expertise to the PGA TOUR,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President Marketing & Corporate Partnerships. “We’re thrilled with DemandScience’s commitment to First Tee and growing the sport of golf.” DemandScience Chair and CEO Peter Cannone said, “Joining the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions as an Official Marketing Partner brings the DemandScience brand in front of the most valuable audience in sports. The PGA TOUR audience of B2B sales and marketing professionals and C-suite decision-makers are a perfect match with our customer base.” “This is a natural partnership for us. Every golfer knows the importance of having the right data at the right time in order to succeed – and that’s what we do for our customers every day,” Cannone concluded. Demand Science will also be a Trustee of First Tee, a youth development organization supported by the TOUR. With programs in all 50 states and select international locations, First Tee has empowered millions of kids and teen to build their strength of character through golf.

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