Inside the Field: RBC Canadian Open

THE OVERVIEW Forty years ago, the barrier still existed. No player had ever shot lower than 60 at a PGA TOUR event. Then on June 10, 1977, Al Geiberger teed off on the 10th hole to start his second round on the South Course at Colonial Country Club in the Memphis, Tennessee, suburb of Cordova. Eighteen holes later, he had done for golf what Roger Bannister had achieved in track and field in 1954. He had done the impossible. When Bannister became the first person to run a sub-4 minute mile, his record lasted 46 days. When Geiberger became the first TOUR player to shoot 59, it took 14 years before another player could match it – and 39 years before Jim Furyk went a shot lower to set the new mark. This week’s FedEx St. Jude Classic marks the 40th anniversary of Geiberger’s legendary achievement. While breaking 60 is no longer impossible, it still remains an uncommon occurrence on TOUR. Just seven other players have done it — twice, of course, for Furyk. Unlike Geiberger, each of those players had the benefit of knowing it was not impossible. “That’s pretty much it, right?â€� said Adam Hadwin, the most recent member of the club after he shot 59 in January at the CareerBuilder Challenge. “Nobody said that a 4-minute mile could be run, right? … Nobody said it could be broken – and then one person broke it, and now it’s a routine thing, right? … “Once you see it done, you know it can be done.â€� Of the eight players who have shot 59 or lower, three will be in the field this week – Furyk, Stuart Appleby (2010) and David Duval (1999). Furyk is playing this event for the first time in 23 years; Appleby and Duval have made frequent appearances here the last few seasons. Each has reached a place most golfers can only dream of going. Perhaps at some point during their rounds this week at TPC Southwind – which took over from Colonial as the host course in 1989 — they’ll take a step back and think about the man who paved the way 40 years ago.  THREE TO PONDER Phil Mickelson Phil the Cut Maker! Has made 16 consecutive cuts, tying him with Louis Oosthuizen for longest active streak on TOUR. Rickie Fowler After making his first appearance in Memphis three years ago, he followed it with a T-2 at the U.S. Open. Seeking similar bounce. Daniel Berger Since his breakthrough win here a year ago, he has five top-10s but has struggled to consistently contend. THE FLYOVER A closer look at TPC Southwind’s finishing hole, the 453-yard par-4 18th. Last year, it played to a stroke average of 4.201, making it the fourth most difficult hole on the course, and ranked as the 12th most difficult closing hole on TOUR last season. Just like its shorter but slightly more severe cousin, the par-4 12th (see below), the 18th’s primary defense is water. A total of 805 shots have ended up in the water since 2003, fifth most of any hole on TOUR during that span.  THE LANDING ZONE The 406-yard par-4 12th is the most difficult hole on the back nine at TPC Southwind. Last year, it played to a stroke average of 4.212. Guarded by water down the entire right side and in front of the green, players must avoid water off the tee and with their approach shots. Often they are unsuccessful. Since 2003, a total of 829 balls have found the water, the third-most of any hole on TOUR during that span. (TPC Scottsdale’s 15th and Quail Hollow’s 7th are only holes with more). Here’s a look at where all tee shots were struck last season at the 12th. WEATHER CHECK Dry conditions are anticipated through the weekend. Temperatures will gradually warm through the week, reaching a high near 90 degrees on Sunday. Comfortable humidity levels will be in place through Friday, but light southerly flow will allow humidity levels to trend higher for the weekend. TEMPS: Could be as high as 90 degrees on Sunday. RAIN: Nothing significant in the forecast. A very minimal chance of precipitation on Sunday. WINDS: Shouldn’t be more than 10 mph on any single day, but the winds are expected to shift from south to north on the weekend. For the latest weather news from Memphis, Tennessee, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK It’s the most underrated golf course we play on TOUR. I think the beauty of this course is in its simplicity and how it really challenges you with precision, not necessarily overwhelming length. WATER CENTRAL No course on TOUR produces more water balls than TPC Southwind. A few numbers: 4,964 – Balls in the water at TPC Southwind since 2003. That’s 1,608 more than the next course on the list, TPC Sawgrass (3,356 water balls) 647 – Number of players that have hit at least one shot into the water at TPC Southwind since 2003. 102 – Number of balls hit in the water at the 11th hole at TPC Southwind in 2004. That’s the most of any single hole in any given tournament at the course since 2003. 9 – Number of balls Camilo Villegas has hit in the water at the 18th hole in his career. That’s the most of any player – and yes, Camilo is in the field this week. ODDS AND ENDS 1. COUPLE OF DEBUTS. Amateur Braden Thornberry, who won the individual NCAA title last week as a sophomore at Ole Miss, will make his PGA TOUR debut. And England’s Sam Horsfield is making his professional debut following two seasons at the University of Florida. Thornberry currently ranks 16th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, while Horsfield was No. 3 prior to turning pro. 2. BIRDIE-FREE SUNDAY. The last two times on TOUR that the eventual tournament winner has failed to record a birdie in the final round has happened in this event. Justin Leonard led by eight shots entering the final round in 2005, shot a 3-over 73 and won by a stroke. Ben Crane led by three shots in 2014, shot a 73 and won by a stroke. 3. SEERSUCKER SUNDAY. Players and caddies are encouraged to wear seersucker apparel on Sunday to show support for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The promotion is in partnership with Brooks Brothers.

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Bay Hill was bustling Thursday. The fans were limited in numbers but they all wanted the same dose of entertainment provided by Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. RELATED: Leaderboard | McIlroy starts strong, Spieth builds on momentum at Bay Hill First it was McIlroy, slowly feeling better about his game, and with good reason. Starting with a 55-foot putt on the par-3 second hole, he ran off five straight birdies for a share of the lead with Corey Conners in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at 6-under 66. In the group behind McIlroy was DeChambeau, who has been contemplating a shot across the water to cut the 528-yard sixth hole down to size by going for the green. This was not the day with a slight breeze into his face, so the U.S. Open champion had some fun. He took out an iron, and then hit a conservative tee shot (309 yards) to the middle of the fairway. It was a boring birdie, his third in a row, and he opened with a 67. “There was a high expectation level of me trying to go for the green there, and it was a little pressure that I wasn’t expecting,” DeChambeau said. “But no, it was fun. The crowds were great with it. I pulled out an iron as a joke off the tee box. And for me, it was just too much off of the right and more into the wind than anything.” In the group with DeChambeau was Jordan Spieth, making his debut at Bay Hill, and producing high adventure in a 70 that left him satisfied he remained on track — and irritated hitting off the toe of his driver and into the water on No. 6. Even having to hit his third from the tee, he salvaged bogey with a 25-foot putt and made a 35-foot birdie on the next hole. “Definitely proud of the way I responded, but the way I putted today, certainly would have liked a lower number,” Spieth said. “But it all just comes down to one shot for me today.” Conners played in the afternoon and was 6 under through seven holes, capped off by an eagle on the par-5 16th. He took the lead with birdie on the par-5 sixth, but finished with a three-putt bogey from 60 feet to fall into a tie with McIlroy. Jason Kokrak opened with a 68. Of the 60 players who teed off in the morning, only six broke 70. Defending champion Tyrrell Hatton shot a 77, while past Bay Hill winner Francesco Molinari took a step back from his progress with a 78. McIlroy wasn’t too happy with his game after missing the cut — a rarity for him these days — at Riviera, then not having ideal practice sessions. He still managed some improvement last week in the World Golf Championships event, and saw even better results Thursday. Most pleasing was seeing the ball go where and how he wanted it. He made three of his birdies on par 3s, the strength of Bay Hill. What stood out was a pair of 5-irons into the wind on the 14th and 17th holes, both tight draws, flighted the way he wanted to about 15 feet. “Those shots last week that I was trying to hit were missing the target 20 yards left,” he said. “So it was nice to just see them coming out in the window I was anticipating.” He said it was his best round of the year, and it helps being at Bay Hill, where McIlroy had a victory and no finish worse than a tie for sixth the last four years. He has seen enough of Tiger Woods’ eight victories in the Arnold Palmer Invitational to appreciate how to attack. “He played it very conservatively. He took care of the par 5s. And that was usually good enough to get the job done,” McIlroy said. “So sort of take a little bit of a leaf out of his book.” He only made birdie on two of the par 5s, going long on the 16th and having to lay up on the 12th from a fairway bunker. Through it all, it was the activity outside the ropes at Bay Hill that stood out. The Arnold Palmer Invitational was the last PGA TOUR event that had a full complement of fans, one week before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf. The tournament is allowing 25% of capacity — roughly 5,000 fans a day — and when they are watching some of golf’s bigger draws such as McIlroy, DeChambeau and Spieth, it feels even larger. All were wearing masks. “It’s nice to hear some cheers and a little bit of energy from the fans,” Martin Laird said after a 69. “It was fun to play in front of a crowd again.”

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