Howell III takes 3-shot lead at The RSM Classic

LPGA golfer Madelene Sagstrom publicly revealed Monday that she was sexually abused as a child, and the tour says it will share resources to help protect children from similar abuse.

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Dustin Johnson has missed nine birdie chances from 10 feet or closer at Liberty National, which ordinarily might annoy him. He’s hitting it so well that he still leads THE NORTHERN TRUST. Johnson birdied three of his last six holes Friday, finishing with an approach to 8 feet on the 489-yard closing hole, for a 4-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (64) going into the weekend. Johnson has won this FedExCup Playoffs opener twice at other courses. He was at 12-under 130. “I’ve got a lot of control with the golf ball and hitting a lot of really nice shots and rolled in a couple putts today which is nice, but still feel like I left quite a few out there,” Johnson said. “I’m in a good position heading into the weekend, and if I can keep swinging the way I am, I think it’s going to be a good weekend.” The weekend does not include Masters champion Tiger Woods, and neither did Friday. Woods, who opened with a 75, withdrew a few hours before his second round was to begin because of what he described as a mild strain to the oblique that Woods says was causing pain and stiffness. It’s the first time he withdrew in the middle of a tournament since February 2017, two months before fusion surgery on his lower back. He said he was hopeful to play next week at Medinah. Spieth might be finding some form at just the right time. Winless in more than two years, he started the PGA TOUR’s Playoffs at No. 69 in the FedExCup with no assurance of staying among the top 70 who advance to next week at Medinah. He might be one round away from thinking more about winning. Spieth was on the same score (131) that he was going into the weekend last week at the Wyndham Championship, where he followed with a 77 and missed the 54-hole cut. His shots have been tighter, his misses not that severe and he even got some good fortune on his final hole that led to a birdie and a spot in the last group with a familiar face. Johnson and Spieth have played together at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am each of the last five years. The opening playoff event had a strong cast of contenders, with Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed two shots behind, and Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy among those another shot back. McIlroy was just happy he wasn’t farther behind. He walked off the par-3 14th with a double bogey because of a two-shot penalty from the bunker. McIlroy went to remove a small stone next to his ball, but realized when he touched it and it disintegrated that it was a clump of wet sand from a brief storm delay. The original ruling was a penalty. The PGA TOUR reviewed it as McIlroy played the last four holes, spoke to him after the round and determined that was no intent to improve his lie. His 70 became a 68. “The reason I called someone over is I don’t want anything on my conscience, either,” McIlroy said. “I feel like I play the game with integrity and I’m comfortable saying that I didn’t improve anything. I thought it was a rock. It wasn’t. I moved my hand away, and then I was like, `I don’t know if I’ve done anything wrong here.’ “It came down to me and they said, `OK, are you comfortable telling us you didn’t improve your lie?’ And for me, I am comfortable saying that.” Missing the cut meant the end of the season for at least two dozen players who would not be among the top 70, which includes Bubba Watson. Sergio Garcia would appear to be a casualty having started at No. 65 and not making it to the weekend. The first step for Spieth was to make sure he stayed in the top 70. Now it’s about contending. “The important thing for me is not to get ahead of myself,” Spieth said. “Historically, I’m a very consistent player. I’ve lost a bit of that. I still have the firepower but that consistency is what I’m trying to get back, and there’s certainly going to be times where I’m out of position over the weekend. It’s about limiting mistakes. One bogey over 36 holes is somewhat unrealistic week to week. But if I can hold it close to that for the next 36, again, that firepower is still there. And it would certainly shoot my confidence up.” Johnson’s year has been quiet since winning a World Golf Championship in Mexico City for his 20th career victory. Another year passed without winning a major. He was runner-up in the first two majors, but he hasn’t finish better than 20th since the PGA Championship. He feels the consistency in his swing is returning. And while he’s not making everything, he’s making enough and likes the way he’s rolling it. “I feel like I’m stroking it well right now,” he said. “I worked on the stroke a lot the last couple weeks and feel good and I have confidence in it.”

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KAPALUA, Hawaii – Jordan Spieth is no longer worried about criticism. To be fair, finding ways to get down on an 11-time PGA TOUR winner who is already three legs through a career Grand Slam and owns a FedExCup title at the age of 24 is pretty tough as it is. But the Texan used to get uptight about those who questioned him. He admits he used to let it get to him. He believes it affected his game. When Spieth couldn’t back up a five-win 2015 with the same in 2016 some knives came out and he bristled. When he coughed up a green jacket with a back nine implosion in 2016 it was as if his past deeds counted for very little to some and he was livid. “That inhibited some success and inhibited confidence in my own game and my ability. Which it shouldn’t have,â€� Spieth admits. And he said it lasted around a year before he had an epiphany of sorts. To many it appeared he might blow it again at The Open Championship 2017 and the pen quills were metaphorically sharpening amongst the many scribes in the sports world. The social media trolls were ready to pounce. But unbeknownst to most, Spieth had mentally turned the corner. He was believing in a new mantra. By then, he said, it didn’t matter as much what others thought. So when things went pear-shaped at Royal Birkdale on Sunday and his mind raced to the Masters failure… well instead of letting it consume him, he embraced himself as the man in the arena. He was ready to win. Or perhaps more importantly, he was ready to fail again. He was just ready. And out of nowhere he turned the corner and blitzed by Matt Kuchar late. Spieth is by no means a history buff but the momentous words of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt from 1910 were the key. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.â€� – Theodore Roosevelt In other words – he will go down swinging because he’s not afraid to fail – and he doesn’t care what you think about that. “It’s like my favorite quote from all time,â€� Spieth explained as he gets set to play his first official event of the 2017-18 PGATOUR season at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. “I’m the one that’s out there, that’s putting it on the line every single week. I’m going to fail and learn and I’m going to succeed, but I’m the one in the arena. “Starting 2018 I’m kind of ready for anything. I’m ready for failure, for success, and everything in between.â€� The odds are on success. In his last eight events of last season Spieth jagged two wins, two runner-ups and two sevenths in an impressive stretch. He enters this week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua having finished second, first and third in his three previous starts on the island of Maui. Oh and he’s recently had the pleasure of a successful proposal to long-time girlfriend Annie Verret. “I’m just in a fantastic place compared to where I was (this time) last year,â€� he smiled. And he’s not the only one in a good place as the new calendar year kicks off in a very exciting place on the PGA TOUR. Justin Thomas is coming off a breakout year where he was FedExCup champion, crating a healthy rivalry with Spieth. Multiple young winners have come of age giving us our youngest Tournament of Champions ever. Other players in their 30s, like Justin Rose and Marc Leishman are hitting new primes. Dustin Johnson still leads the world. Rory McIlroy and Jason Day have points to prove. Oh, and a guy named Tiger Woods is primed to make a comeback. “These unknowns are extremely exciting starting out and within the next six months it’s a pretty special time to be a part of professional golf,â€� Spieth says. “I feel that way.â€� We all do Jordan. We all do.

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