How the PGA Tour got through a pandemic and finished its season

Throwing out the first pitch at that game back in August when the New York Yankees hosted their cross-town rival Mets was certainly a thrill. And it’s not every night you dine at Versailles or have breakfast the following morning with Emmanuel Macron at the Palais de L’Elysee where the French president lives. But the neatest thing U.S. Captain Jim Furyk got to do during the two-year lead-up to the Ryder Cup? Well, that had to be hitting balls off the Eiffel Tower toward the Champs de Mars with his European counterpart Thomas Bjorn. “Pretty cool,â€� Furyk says. “I have to give that one the nod. Not too many people have done that.â€� Only one other person, in fact. And a life-size photo of Arnold Palmer – hitting a ball off the first floor of the iconic landmark in October of 1976 – loomed nearby as the two captains took their shots.  Of course, Furyk hopes to have another memorable moment this week at Le Golf National outside Paris as the United States attempts to win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993 when the Americans took a 15-13 victory at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England. It’s been 21 months since Furyk, who played in nine Ryder Cups, was named the U.S. captain. His last as a player was in 2014 but he’s spent the last three international competitions in the team room as an assistant captain at the 2015 and ’17 Presidents Cups and 2016 Ryder Cup. So it’s not like anything has surprised Furyk, the 17-time PGA TOUR champ who won the 2010 FedExCup. But he admits he’s been busier overall — and life became exponentially more hectic as the summer months led to finalizing his team. Furyk says his wife, Tabitha, took on a lot of responsibility. The PGA of America, which operates the Ryder Cup, provided a support team, as well, to make sure all the loose ends got tied up. Ryder cup captains Thomas Bjorn and Jim Furyk hit balls off the Eiffel Tower last October. (Getty Images) Furyk also kept in daily touch with his vice captains – two-time Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and Steve Stricker, who was at the helm of the 2017 Presidents Cup, as well as the more recent additions to his staff, Zach Johnson, David Duval and Matt Kuchar – through a texting chain. Tiger Woods, once an assistant who ended up playing his way onto the team, was a part of that group, as well. Picks, potential pairings and preparation all were part of the on-going discussion. “Sometimes there’s 20 to 40 messages a day, sometimes there’s a couple,â€� Furyk said during the Wyndham Championship. “We’ve done this together for the last couple of years as well with Davis being the captain with Strick being the captain. “So we work well together and it’s got a lot of similar feel to what we’ve done in the past.â€� Away from the golf course there were other decisions that had to be made. Gifts for players, wives, caddies and dignitaries were chosen. Uniforms were another important consideration — remember those shirts the Americans wore on Sunday at the 1999 Ryder Cup? – so Furyk went to the offices of Ralph Lauren in New York last fall to look at potential designs. “They kind of showed me the look book; here’s what we’re thinking about,â€� Furyk recalls. “We made a few minor tweaks — things that I may like to see or for some comfort, movement. But they make a great product and, and they’ve been doing it for so long now they understand the drill.â€� That didn’t stop Furyk from making a few suggestions for “good luck.â€� Not that he was willing to divulge them, though. Maybe we’ll find out when the week is over. Furyk says his wife and two children, 16-year-old Caleigh and Tanner, who’s 14, have been very understanding when his “jobâ€� as Ryder Cup captain kept him away from their Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida home.  “My family’s always been very understanding of my job with my travel schedule and we’re very close knit,â€� Furyk says. “(The kids are) excited about it as well. So we include them and talk a lot about it with them and they kind of understand the opportunity I have. … “So yeah, it’s taken me away a little bit. But first and foremost I’d say family is always going to be first and Ryder Cup second. My game’s been probably a distant third this year.â€� While Furyk’s beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were picking up their first win of the season on Monday night, he was in France in full Ryder Cup mode. The pressure will only ratchet up as the week progresses. Furyk has seen it as a player, and he’s lived it for nearly two years as the captain. This year’s stage – and stakes – couldn’t be bigger. And whether it’s the sportswriters who dissected his every word in the last two years or the fans who offered advice on his picks as he walked down the fairway, Furyk is well aware of the impact this week will have. “I guess I know how big the Ryder Cup is,â€� he says. “I know it’s my favorite event. But I’m still probably surprised by just the amount of attention that it draws and how big an event it is — not only in the world of golf but how it kind of transcends golf.â€�

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HONOLULU, Hawaii – Chez Reavie has entered the PGA TOUR record books during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii thanks to three hole-out eagles from over 100-yards. Reavie – the former RBC Canadian Open winner – became the first person since hole-by-hole scoring was introduced in 1983 to have three eagles on par-4s in one round. He was also the first person since ShotLink technology was introduced in 2003 to make three eagle hole-outs from over 100 yards in one round. Reavie opened his round by holing out from 101 yards with a sand wedge on the par-4 10th hole. Six holes later – on the par-4 16th – he navigated a nine-iron into the hole from 149 yards. At that point he had joined Blake Adams (2010 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, 3rd round) as the only players with two hole-out eagles from over 100 yards in the same round (ShotLink courses) on par-4s. But Reavie wasn’t done. Staring at 135 yards with his gap wedge on the par-4 sixth the 37-year-old nailed his third eagle. “I was trying to think back to any round I even had more than one hole-out and I couldn’t think of any,â€� Reavie said after signing for a 5-under 65 that leaves him 10 under for the week and four off the pace. The diminutive Kansas native who resides in Arizona didn’t seem to fully grasp his accomplishment as he was focused on trying to hunt down leader Matt Kuchar. “Honestly, I didn’t think about it at all until after the third one went in,â€� Reavie added. “Before the other two I just hit the shot and I was trying to see if it was going at the hole. Never expected it to go in. It’s always a surprise when I it disappears.â€� Reavie actually had chances for further hole out eagles on his last two holes. His approach from 138 yards on the par-4 8th was tracking before pulling up at six-feet. He also barely missed a bunker shot on the par-5 9th, his final hole of the round. “I got it in the fairway on eight and hit a pitching wedge; it was on a good line, and that was the only time it crossed my mind before the ball went in the hole,â€� he added. “Wow, could we make another one?â€� Playing partner Michael Thompson figured anything could happen from that point. “That was pretty amazing. The first one was great, the second one was “wow that’s coolâ€� and the third one was “are you kidding me?â€� Thompson said. “It was pretty amazing to watch. That’s probably a once in a lifetime experience to be in a group and see a guy do that let alone do it yourself. It’s really really rare so it’s pretty cool to see.â€� When the third ball disappeared the caddies in the group took off their hats and threw them at Reavie to symbolize the hat-trick. Only two years ago Reavie looked like he could destroy PGA TOUR scoring records when he made the turn in 7-under 28 at Waialae Country Club in the final round. While Justin Thomas had shot 59 in the opening round of the tournament, Reavie was thinking he could beat Jim Furyk’s TOUR record 58 especially after he made birdies on the 2nd and 3rd holes (his 11th and 12th) to sit 9-under with six to play on the par-70 course. He had an eagle hole out that day also – courtesy of an ace on the 17th hole with a 6-iron from 189 yards. But ultimately he settled for a 9-under 61. When he won in Canada in 2008 he holed out for eagle on the 13th hole Sunday. Reavie gave the ball used for the first two eagles on Friday to a fan after he made a bogey on the par-4 first at the turn. He gave the other to a volunteer. He acknowledged he might further appreciate it all in the future but at the time didn’t see it as overly significant. “I need to go buy a lottery ticket today I think,â€� he joked. “Obviously it’s unusual, but I’m still whatever, three, four, back of Kuch. “We are just trying to make as many birdies, eagles, anything red; hole in ones, as we can (to catch him).â€� Reavie is currently 44th in the FedExCup with a T7 at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES his best result so far this season.

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Tiger Woods opened this week’s PGA Championship in 4-over 74, losing steam after two birdies in his first five holes Thursday at Southern Hills. Beginning on No. 10, he carded nines of 35-39 and ended the day outside the projected cut line. Woods admitted to leg soreness after the opening round, and he appeared in physical discomfort as Thursday’s round wore on. He promised to go through a full post-round recovery process and do everything needed to be ready for Friday’s action. Woods plays in the afternoon wave in Friday’s second round at Southern Hills, aiming to rally in windy conditions and advance to the weekend. He begins Round 2 at 1:36 p.m. CT, alongside Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth. The group will begin on No. 1 tee. Keep it here for hole-by-hole updates throughout Woods’ second round at the PGA Championship.

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