Im takes D.R. lead in bid for Masters berth

Cutting through a crowded leaderboard, Rory McIlroy birdies five of his last six holes to post a final-round 64 and resume his winning ways after an 18-month dry spell. Welcome to the Monday Finish, where the 2016 FedExCup champion and former world No. 1 went 8 under for his last 13 holes at Bay Hill, picking up his 14th PGA TOUR victory. FIVE OBSERVATIONS 1. McIlroy bears watching now more than ever. The 28-year-old former world No. 1 has always been a streaky player who can reel off birdies and wins in bunches. He won The Open Championship, the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, and the PGA Championship in three consecutive starts in 2014. Now he’s got his sights set on this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, and will go for the career Grand Slam at the Masters next month after a much-need injection of confidence at Bay Hill. “It’s huge,â€� said McIlroy, whose victory moved him up to 24th in the FedExCup standings. “The shots that I was able to hit today under pressure, coming down the stretch, the two 5-irons into the par-3s on the back nine, the wedge shots, the putts, the drive on 16, the 3-wood on 18 after the last 3-wood I hit on that hole I hit it OB left on Thursday. “So just stuff that you, all these little barriers that you have to overcome,â€� he added, “whether it be physical or mental, yeah, it’s huge for my confidence going into the next few weeks, and I kept saying I didn’t need a win going into Augusta to feel like I had a chance, I just wanted to see signs of good golf, and thankfully I’ve been able to get both today.â€� 2. We should all get putting lessons from Brad Faxon, as McIlroy looked like he was putting to a pizza-sized hole at Bay Hill. His 100 putts for the week were the fewest of his career, and he led the field in strokes gained: putting, picking up an average of 2.507 strokes per round on the field. “When he is making putts,â€� said playing partner Justin Rose, “he’s incredibly hard to beat.â€� McIlroy’s most dramatic of his eight birdies was a toss-up. He didn’t even need his putter after his nearly 42-foot chip-in from just off the 15th green, and his curling, 25-foot birdie putt on 18 was reminiscent of eight-time API winner Tiger Woods. In fact, McIlroy said afterward, he dialed up his memories of Woods making the exact same putt in order to visualize the line. “Look, I would be lying if I said that I was trying to totally make it,â€� McIlroy said. As for those putting lessons from Faxon, McIlroy said they were more helpful to his psyche than his mechanics, freeing him up to just aim and shoot. Hey, whatever works. 3. Bryson DeChambeau may have the clutch gene. The par on 15? “Unbelievable out of the rough,â€� he said. “I couldn’t believe I got that up and down. That’s a one out of 20 to 30 chance right there.â€� As for the details of his eagle at the par-5 16th hole, DeChambeau was a little fuzzy. ShotLink tells us the drive traveled 331 yards and settled in the right rough. The second shot went 157 yards and cozied up to 15 feet, 8 inches from the pin. The putt snuck in the left edge. “I hit a perfect drive,â€� DeChambeau said. “Just needed to fly like three, four more yards, would have been all the way down in the fairway in the middle of the fairway and unfortunately got down on that down slope in the rough, but was able to somehow get it to 15 feet. I have no idea how it got to 15 feet. Then that putt was nice as well.â€� His birdie try at 17, from just inside 22 feet, veered left at the hole. “I thought it was going right,â€� DeChambeau said. “The book said it was going right, and I hit it and like halfway there I’m like, man, this is on track.â€� Alas, the ball missed and DeChambeau bent low, his hands on his knees. Needing to eagle the par-4 18th hole to tie, he bogeyed it instead, but that was inconsequential as DeChambeau remained in second place alone. “I definitely learned a lot today,â€� he said. “I know that I can play with the best in the world.â€� 4. Justin Rose, 37, is on a major roll. In fact, it’s getting hard to keep up with all of his top-10 finishes, what with his solo third at Bay Hill part of an epic run since last fall. Rose racked up top-10s in all four FedExCup Playoffs events last year; won the WGC-HSBC Champions on Oct. 29; won the European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open; and already had top-10s at the TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open (T8) and Valspar Championship (T5) when he got to Orlando. “Obviously a very good week,â€� Rose said. “Fourteen under par on this golf course is never to be sniffed at, I suppose. I got off to a really poor start on Thursday, getting 4 over [through six holes]. I thought it was a good omen for me. I won the U.S. Open from 4 over, I won at Congressional from 4 over, this week I was 4 over early, I was hoping that was a good sign.â€� Rose’s only ho-hum result of late, a T37 at the WGC-Mexico Championship, came in his return to competition after a four-week break. 5. The potential for a Tiger Woods win mesmerized everyone. “It was amazing,â€� said runner-up DeChambeau. “I told my caddie, Tim, on the 11th fairway, I’m like, ‘Man, Tiger’s doing it.’ I mean, I was incredibly happy for him. At the same point in time I’m still trying to win a golf tournament, right?â€� Woods, 42, closed to within a shot of the lead before hooking his tee shot out of bounds left of the 16th fairway. As it turned out, his bogey at the par-5 hole hardly mattered in light of McIlroy’s closing burst of five birdies in his last six holes. Woods (T5) finished 10-under, eight shots back, and moved up eight spots to 35th in the FedExCup standings. “It was a great two weeks of being in contention again,â€� Woods tweeted. “I feel like I’m getting a little better. Great playing by Rory today to win at the King’s place. Arnie would have been proud of golf today and the charges!!!â€� FIVE INSIGHTS 1. McIlroy’s deadeye putting gained 10.027 strokes on the field for the week, which made him No. 1 in strokes gained: putting (not surprising) and was his best-ever performance on the greens. He also was second in the field in putting from outside 10 feet, holing 11 in 39 attempts (28.21 percent). 2. Bay Hill had undergone some changes since Woods won his eighth API in 2013, but length is still hugely important. McIlroy topped the field at 316.5 yards per drive, with DeChambeau second at 309.4, and Woods sixth at 306.8. Ryan Moore (287.1, 65th in the field) was the outlier here as he finished T5. 3. DeChambeau was solid from tee-to-green, ranking in the top 10 in all ball-striking stats, but his short game was merely average with bursts of brilliance. Even with his remarkable up-and-down par at the 15th hole on Sunday, he was 57th in scrambling (55 percent) for the week. 4. Rose triple-bogeyed his second hole of the tournament, but led the field with 24 birdies, two more than McIlroy and Patrick Reed, and finished solo third. Rose was also the only player to beat Woods when paired with him at Bay Hill, edging the 14-time major winner 67 to 69 in the third round. 5. Woods racked up 12 birdies on the par-5s, tied for first in the field. He also was second in strokes gained: around-the-green (+4.356), and eighth in strokes gained: putting (+1.381). Less impressive: He hit eight fairways in each of the first two rounds, and nine in each of the weekend rounds, for a driving accuracy percentage of 60.71, tied for 66th best. He also was behind the curve in greens in regulation; at 62.5 percent, Woods ranked T53 in that stat. TOP THREE VIDEOS

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Here are nine tidbits from the incomplete second round of the 100th PGA Championship gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis plays 7,316 yards to par-70. Pain or Gain These were the top-10 selected golfers (plus one) in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO: Play was initially suspended at 3:35 p.m. local time and then for the day altogether at 6:35 p.m. The players will be back in place Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. to complete Round 2. Playing in threesomes off two tees, Round 3 will commence 30 minutes after the conclusion of the completion of Round 2. Here’s what we know: Good Night’s Sleep Part II Gary Woodland had never led after any round in a major championship but gamers couldn’t tell by his performance in the morning wave of Round 2. He backed up 64 from Round 1 with 66 in Round 2 and has a one-shot lead over Kevin Kisner on 10 under par. After making a career-best 152 feet of putts Thursday his putter naturally cooled in Round 2. His ball-striking picked up as he circled four birdies and an eagle against two bogeys for a very solid loop. His best finish in a major is T12 so there are plenty of goals yet to attain this week. People’s Choice Justin Thomas was the No. 1 choice in both PGA TOUR Fantasy formats this week as he looks to join his playing partners this week with at least two wins at the final major of the season. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have six titles between them and Woods is the only player to successfully defend. He’s currently 1 under and bogey free on his second round thru seven holes and 2 under for the week. He’s hardly out of it. Amber Wave of Pain For the second round running, Bellerive Country Club was ripped to pieces by the best in the business. The PGA Championship record was equaled TWICE in the morning wave as Brooks Koepka and Charl Schwartzel added their name to the event’s history book. It’s the first time that two players have posted 63 at the PGA Championship since 1980 at Baltusrol. Tom Weiskopf and Jack Nicklaus were the record-setters that year. The morning wave also conceded NINE rounds of 65 or better, the best since 1983 at Riviera. Now with more rain on the course I can’t imagine scores getting higher tomorrow. Big-Game Hunter Not only did Brooks Koepka’s 63 move him up 30 spots to solo third, it was also bogey-free. The two-time and reigning U.S. Open champ hasn’t made a bogey in his first two rounds as his only blemish was a double in Round 1 on Hole No. 5. He’s played his last 26 holes in 10 under so I think he’s figured it out. Finding 23 of 28 fairways and 29 of 36 greens should provide all the clues necessary as to why he’s in contention. The last player to win the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship was Woods in 2000. South African Second Home Gary Player won the career grand slam at Bellerive in the U.S. Open in 1965. Nick Price, born in South Africa, won the 1992 PGA Championship on this track. Charl Schwartzel matched Koepka’s 63 and puts his name into the PGA Championship record book. Gamers who paid attention last week will tell you he closed with that same score at the South Course last Sunday. His last three rounds (63-70-63) include 19 birdies, 12 this week, and an eagle. Alarmed Rory McIlroy will have 11 holes, including two par-5 chances, to secure his place in the second half of Saturday. With a strain in his forearm lingering he’s been quiet in conditions that gamers thought he would destroy. He’s also thru seven holes (playing with Woods and Thomas) but is yet to circle a birdie and sits T64 (E). After just two birdies were wiped out by two bogeys in Round 1, EVERYONE is waiting for his fuse to light. His record on long, wet courses is immense and here’s to hoping it continues tomorrow! MC HOF Every major there is always plenty of top-ranked golfers that are heading home early. As it stands Friday evening, these top players are not going to be around for the final two rounds unless something changes drastically Saturday morning: No. 12 Patrick Reed (+3) No. 14 Bubba Watson (+8) No. 15 Paul Casey (+8) No. 17 Henrik Stenson (+4 thru 9) No. 23 Sergio Garcia (+1) No. 26 Kyle Stanley (+1) No. 28 Matt Kuchar (+1) Study Hall The Round 1 scoring average was 71.378 (+1.378) as the AM/PM splits were almost identical. The scoring average in Round 2 at the time of the suspension of play was 69.685 (-0.315). … There were five bogey-free rounds from the morning wave as Thomas Pieters (-7), Jon Rahm (-5), Jordan Spieth (-3) and Russell Henley (-1) kept their cards clean.  … The only PGA Professional that looks on track to make the cut is Ben Kern (E), unless the line moves Saturday morning.

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ERIN, Wis. – The farmland that surrounds Erin Hills provides sufficient testimony to the blue-collar work ethic of the local residents preparing to watch the first U.S. Open played in their home state. And, when play begins Thursday, they will have a homegrown hero to root for, a Wisconsin native who embodies the values that the state’s residents value so highly. The fact that he earned his spot the hard way, through the U.S. Open’s 36-hole qualifiers that are open to anyone from major champions to club champions, is even more fitting. There was sentiment that Steve Stricker, owner of 12 PGA TOUR titles and this year’s Presidents Cup captain, should be awarded a special exemption into the field at Erin Hills, but the U.S. Golf Association did not agree. It didn’t matter after he won his qualifier in Memphis. “I still don’t believe I should have got a spot,â€� Stricker said Tuesday. “I’m convinced of that, but it would have been nice if they would have. But the way it worked out, I feel much better the way I got here.  After the qualifier, that was pretty sweet, because I earned my way in.â€� And the local fans are glad he did. This will be Stricker’s 20th U.S. Open, and first since 2014. He has three top-10 finishes, including back-to-back fifth-place showings in 1998 and 1999. His wife, Nikki, whose own roots in this state’s golf scene run deep, is on the bag this week. She admits getting emotional at the ovation they received as they walked up the ninth fairway in Monday’s practice round. The cheers they’ll hear at 2:20 p.m. on Thursday, when Stricker hits his first tee shot of the tournament, should be even louder. Nikki admits she’ll have to hold back her emotions on that first tee so that her husband, who isn’t afraid to shed a tear in public, doesn’t get emotional as well. Wisconsin’s abbreviated golf season creates passionate fans who take advantage of any opportunity to hit the course. The list of PGA TOUR players from the Badger State is a short one, and Stricker has lived here his entire life, except for his brief trip across the state border to attend the University of Illinois. He grew up in the one-stoplight town of Edgerton, where he could walk to Edgerton Towne Country Club, the 5,900-yard track that proudly displays Stricker’s pictures on its website. The state’s only PGA TOUR-sanctioned stop, the American Family Insurance Championship, is hosted by him. It will be played next week in Madison. And, of course, there’s the stories of how, when mired in a deep slump that cost him his TOUR card, Stricker rebuilt his game by hitting balls out of a trailer during Wisconsin’s snowy winter. All those factors contribute to the fans’ adoration for him. “It’s something that Mario (Tiziani, Nikki’s brother) told me when Steve and I first started dating. He said that ever since he had met Steve — and he had gone away to (college) and had some success — he was the same person as when he had first met him,â€� Nikki said. “He’s genuinely nice to everyone. He gets emotional. He’s real.â€� On Tuesday, fans wearing Brewers and Packers caps cheered as he walked toward the first tee for Tuesday’s practice round, yelling “We love you, Steveâ€� as they filmed the moment on their cell phones. “Him being here, it just makes sense,â€� said Tiziani, Steve’s agent and occasional caddie. “A lot of these people have grown up with him.â€� Stricker’s strong showing last Monday earned him a tee time at a course that he first played before it even opened to the public. He also played it when it was being considered as a U.S. Open site, in order to give a professional player’s input. He estimates he’s played Erin Hills about a half-dozen times. That’s more than the vast majority of the field, but may not make this week’s task any easier. Stricker is giving up some 30 yards off the tee to most players, and this week’s rain only inhibits the roll that can help him squeeze out a few extra yards. Balancing all the requests for his time has been another challenge. At one point Tuesday, Tiziani looked at his phone and said it was the first time all day that the screen was clear of notifications. But those requests for his time aren’t the only thing that has filled his time this week. True to his ethos, his days have been full of family affairs. On Monday, he was one of 12 people at a birthday dinner for his mother-in-law, Barbara. He scheduled Tuesday’s practice round for the afternoon so that he could watch his 11-year-old daughter, Isabelle, play in an interclub match that morning (it was rained out). His older daughter, Bobbi, is competing in this week’s state open, as well. If Stricker hadn’t qualified for Erin Hills, he said he’d likely be on her bag. The Strickers have been commuting to Erin Hills from their home in Madison, but they’ll move into a house closer to the course on Wednesday in order to give this tournament a more “normalâ€� feel. “The calming place for both of us is getting out on the golf course,â€� Nikki said. That’s when Stricker will return to his regular job, albeit followed by thousands of fans cheering enthusiastically for the local hero.

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