How to watch U.S. Open, Round 3: Leaderboard, tee times, TV times

STRAKA EARNS FIRST TOUR TITLE AT THE HONDA CLASSIC Austria native Sepp Straka has demonstrated a propensity for resilience in his professional golf career. In summer 2018, shortly after signing up for Q-School, he won the Korn Ferry Tour’s AdventHealth Championship to rescue his status and proceeded to earn his first PGA TOUR card that fall. The next season, he recorded two top-12s in his final four starts to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs as a rookie and maintain full TOUR status. Straka followed a similar script Sunday at The Honda Classic. Beginning the day five back of Daniel Berger at always-demanding PGA National (Champion), Straka methodically plotted his way into contention with 1-under play through the first 13 holes, and he rose atop the board with three birdies in the final five holes. As rain began to descend in south Florida, Straka signed for 10-under total and waited out the final pairing, ultimately finishing one clear of Shane Lowry for his first TOUR title. Straka’s University of Georgia teammate Keith Mitchell earned his first TOUR victory at The Honda Classic in 2019, and Mitchell was on hand – despite the rain – to congratulate Straka late Sunday afternoon. Straka earns 500 FedExCup points for his efforts, moves to No. 14 on the season-long FedExCup standings and becomes the latest Georgia Bulldog to conquer the Bear Trap. TOUR HEADS TO BAY HILL AND PUERTO RICO Bryson DeChambeau last week announced his plans to enter the field at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. It was big news from the defending champion, who has battled injuries for much of the season. “It’s important to Bryson to try and defend at an event that has Arnold Palmer’s name on it, so he’s doing everything in his power to play,” DeChambeau’s agent Brett Falkoff said. DeChambeau is one of the many stars slated to compete at one of the TOUR’s most prestigious events. Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and current FedExCup leader Hideki Matsuyama are among the game’s best who will tee it up at Bay Hill. Due to the event’s elevated status, the winner will receive a three-year TOUR exemption (instead of the usual two years) and 550 FedExCup points (instead of the usual 500). The Puerto Rico Open will also take place this week from Grand Reserve Country Club. There will be plenty of international up-and-comers, PGA TOUR winners – including former world No. 1 Luke Donald – and many of the top 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour graduates heading to Puerto Rico for the 14th playing of the event. VIDEO OF THE WEEK MIC CHECK “I didn’t tell anybody in my family that I was going to play that Monday qualifier because I wanted to give them a surprise, and I could give them that, so it was like magical. – Martin Contini, who finished T-16 at The Honda Classic BY THE NUMBERS 2006 – With his victory at the Cologuard Classic, Miguel Angel Jimenez became the first player since Loren Roberts in 2006 to win two of the first three events in a season on PGA TOUR Champions. 5 – The number of shots Daniel Berger led by entering the final round at PGA National. It was the largest 54-hole lead on TOUR since Jon Rahm led by six shots after Round 3 of the 2021 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. Rahm was forced to withdraw before Round 4 during that event due to a positive COVID-19 test. Berger lost Sunday after a 4-over 74 and finished solo fourth. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.

Click here to read the full article…

Spieth maintains lead after up-and-down round

Click here to read the full article…

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Brandt Snedeker has a fair amount of names between him and the top of the leaderboard at the Valspar Championship – 14, if you are counting – but he’s lurking. Traditionally at the demanding Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, that’s a good position in which to be heading to the weekend.  After opening with a pair of 1-under 70s, Snedeker feels he is close to finding real good form once again, having tied for fifth last weekend against the best field in golf at THE PLAYERS Championship. Back with instructor Todd Anderson once again, Snedeker, a nine-time PGA TOUR champion at age 38, has worked diligently to eliminate the left side of the golf course, misses that had troubled him for the last three seasons. Taking his “oldâ€� feels from the range to the course can been challenging, but he says he is getting closer each day.  “Anytime that I start hitting shots left, I know the (right) arm is getting high in the backswing and the clubface is getting shut and I’m trying to hold on for dear life at that point,â€� he said. “If I can get that clubface more open in the backswing, it allows me to feel that I can release it harder and go.â€� And Snedeker appears ready to go. There were two ways he could view how he played a week at ago on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. He could be pleased with a very good finish (his best since losing in a three-way playoff at the season-opening Safeway Open) or could rue what might have been. After all, Snedeker was 4 over par through eight holes of his Thursday round (he rallied to shoot 69), and 3 over through eight holes one day later (he shot 72).  On Sunday he bogeyed his final hole to shoot 69, having missed some good opportunities on 15 and 17 on his way to the clubhouse. But overall, his play in the heat of a Sunday at TPC Sawgrass marked a nice step.  “I’m old enough and experienced enough now to not get so caught up on what happened on Sunday, knowing I hit a lot of great shots down the stretch, had a lot of putts to get up there tied for the lead and just didn’t make them,â€� he said. “Looking back on the week, I know the reason that it didn’t happen for me is that Thursday and Friday were kind of ‘suspect.’” “I try to take out the positives, that I was really, really close. I always think the great players out here find ways to win. It doesn’t matter how you start out, it’s how you finish, right? I look at last week and said I need to find a way to finish.â€� He did say his solid finish brought with it an added bonus: Snedeker arrived to the Copperhead this week carrying plenty of confidence. Though he has struggled at times with his ballstriking, his short game – old faithful – has pulled through nicely, and he’s right there on the weekend, trailing the leaders by only four shots.  “I don’t think I’d have made the cut this week as bad as I hit it the first two days if I didn’t have that confidence building from last week,â€� Snedeker said. “I know that I’m one swing thought away now from something clicking. The golf course is playing really, really tough, and when it does that it’s great for me. Everybody starts missing greens and it turns into a short-game contest, and that’s right up my alley. I just need to hit a few more quality shots and take a few more chances, and I’ll be right there.â€�

Click here to read the full article…