Jordan Spieth discovers rules loophole during PGA

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Lost in the chaos of Tiger Woods’ record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR win at last season's ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan was the runner-up. Only Woods could make Hideki Matsuyama second fiddle in his home country. A year later, Matsuyama leads an eight-strong Japanese contingent looking to make Woods second fiddle in his backyard. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced a temporary move of Japan's PGA TOUR event to the U.S. mainland - and to Southern California no less - where Woods grew up. Sherwood Country Club has been a venue where Woods has notched five wins and five runners-up at his World Challenge. RELATED: Historic look at Japan’s history on the PGA TOUR But while Matsuyama and his countrymen won't hear a throng of local support like they would back home, they do feel the energy of their country. The will to win their event is just as strong over 5,500 miles from the homeland. Matsuyama has been part of the TOUR landscape for some time now. He was just a teen when we first saw him as a standout amateur at the Masters and now at 28 he is a five-time TOUR winner. He was the first Japanese player (and first Asian) to win a World Golf Championships event and he still hopes to be the first to win a major championship and a FedExCup. And of course the first to win the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. "I’m very happy that we’re able to have this tournament with this coronavirus. We didn’t really know what was going to happen," said Matsuyama, who ended up three shots behind Woods a year ago in Japan. "I would love to win this week and be able to have the fans come out in Japan next year and be the defending champion, that would be awesome." While Matsuyama has been a beacon of consistency in making the TOUR Championship in every season since he joined the PGA TOUR in 2014, the last of his five wins came back in 2017 at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He's had 17 top-10s since without winning. "It’s been three years since I’ve won and I definitely think about that quite a bit. I always try my best and every week feel like I’m getting there, but definitely hasn’t happened," he added. "So I’m preparing myself and hoping that week will come sooner than later." Joining him in the field this week is perhaps the biggest threat to beating Matsuyama to major success. At just 22, Takumi Kanaya has been following in his idols footsteps. Until turning pro last week Kanaya was the world's best amateur who, like Matsuyama, won the Asia Pacific Amateur to earn a spot at the Masters and Open Championship. "Obviously Matsuyama's success on the PGA TOUR gave not just myself, but a lot of the Japanese players, big confidence that we could compete against the world like he did," Kanaya said. "Although the goal is high, he set a good goal for us and for that I really admire him and admire him as a role model." While it is still premature to expect Matsuyama-like success from Kanaya, plenty of good judges expect big things. He has already won on the Japan Tour and went close to winning the Australian Open last year. In his first pro start last week he was seventh in the Japan Open. He has a serious passion for his country, one solidified by watching Matsuyama at home events and Adam Scott in his home country of Australia where the fans returned the love. "I would like to be just the same as that moving forward. If I play well enough overseas, I think a lot of people back in Japan will cheer for me whenever I go back and play in my home country." TOUR regular Satoshi Kodaira - winner of the 2018 RBC Heritage - has the pedigree to win this week even if his form hasn't been at peak. Having missed his last five cuts prior to the pandemic break, Kodaira only returned to the TOUR a few weeks ago to play at the Sanderson Farms Championship and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He failed to make the weekend at both. Here is a look at the remaining Japanese players looking to win. Rikuya Hoshino - A 24-year-old who has won three times on the Japan Golf Tour. Missed the cut at the 2018 U.S. Open, finished T67 at 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii, T51 at the 2019 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP and was T45 at 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii in his only previous TOUR starts. Shugo Imahira - A 28-year-old with four wins on the Japan Tour who finished first on the 2018 money list. Makes 17th PGA TOUR start with a T27 at the 2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational his best result. Was 61st at the recent 2020 U.S. Open. Ryo Ishikawa - Now 29, Ishikawa first won on the Japan Tour at 15 and has 17 total wins including one where he shot 12-under 58 in the final round. Played 151 TOUR events since 2009 with two runner-up finishes his best result. Represented the International Team in the Presidents Cup in 2009 and 2011 and has at least one top-30 finish in each of the four major championships. Mikumu Horikawa - Turned pro in 2014 and claimed his first Japan Golf Tour title in June 2019. Shot final-round 64 before losing playoff to Rikuya Hoshino at the 2020 Fujisankei Classic and said afterwards, "I gained 7kg (15 lbs.) while working out hard. I don't know if my method is correct or not, but I am aiming to be like DeChambeau." In six previous PGA TOUR events, a T49 at the WGC-HSBC Champions is his best result. Naoki Sekito - Making first PGA TOUR appearance. Won twice on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, including an 11-stroke win at the Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational.

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Kids can’t have all the fun. Adults also know how to party. After 20-year-young Tom Kim took his second title in four starts at the Shriners Children’s Open, he settled for a T25 at the ZOZO Championship where veteran Keegan Bradley, 36, captured victory. It’s Bradley’s fifth career PGA TOUR title and first in exactly 100 starts since his last at the BMW Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs in 2018. Bradley broke on as the Rookie of the Year in 2011 with two victories, including the PGA Championship. Kim turned nine that summer. Until Andrew Putnam (62) and then John Huh (61) went low in the second round at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club last week, Bradley shared the course record with a 63 in the second round of the inaugural edition in 2019. He’d go on to finish T13 alongside champion Tiger Woods. (Golfers were not re-paired for the final round that week due to an extended weather delay.) As it pertains to this page, Bradley already is exempt into THE PLAYERS Championship in 2023. He’s also expected to be eligible for the PGA Championship via the lifetime exemption as a former champion, and a top 10 at the 2022 U.S. Open (T7) should exempt him into the 2023 edition of that major. So, Sunday’s win in Japan triggers trips to Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions as well as Augusta National for the Masters where he hasn’t qualified since 2019. Despite all of those earned exemptions, he should qualify additionally via his Official World Golf Ranking. With the win, he’s projected to rise from 44th into the top 25. Of course, as noted at the bottom, all qualifying criteria for the majors remains to be determined. NOTE: Golfers are omitted if they recently haven’t competed in majors for which they are eligible (e.g., The Open Championship=Justin Leonard). TPC = THE PLAYERS Championship MAS = Masters PGA = PGA Championship US = U.S. Open OPEN = The Open Championship Recent Additions TPC — none MAS — none PGA — none US — none OPEN — none REMAINING QUALIFYING CRITERIA Criteria are listed in chronological order where possible. Best estimates are given but all are subject to change. THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (TPC) @ TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) – March 9-12 • Winners of PGA TOUR events thru the final week before THE PLAYERS. • Top 10 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of The Honda Classic (Feb. 26). • Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (Feb. 27). • If necessary to complete the field of 144, golfers outside the Top 10 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the Honda Classic on Feb. 26 will gain entry in order of position. MASTERS (MAS) @ Augusta National Golf Club – April 6-9 • TBD PGA CHAMPIONSHIP (PGA) @ Oak Hill Country Club – May 18-21 • TBD U.S. OPEN (US) @ The Los Angeles Country Club (North) – June 15-18 • TBD THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (OPEN) @ Royal Liverpool – July 20-23 • TBD

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ERIN, Wis. – FedExCup leader and defending U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson was asked if his prodigious length and status as World No. 1 would intimidate his rivals this week at Erin Hills. “I hope so. Shouldn’t it?â€� he said with a smile. It probably should. But privately some of his rivals are feeling better about their chances against the man who has won six times in the last 12 months on the PGA TOUR including his breakthrough at Oakmont, three World Golf Championship events and a FedExCup Playoff event. Why? Because Johnson arrived late to Erin Hills this week due to the birth of his second son, a healthy baby boy and brother to Tatum named River Jones Johnson. Perhaps his mind might be elsewhere? “It helps that Paulina and my son, they’re at home now,â€� Johnson said. “She’s a lot more comfortable and everybody is healthy. Obviously I don’t have to worry about them. Obviously that’s a big relief, not having to worry about them. “But now I’ve got to play golf. This is why I’m here. I’m here to play golf. I’m here to compete. So that’s what my job is this week.â€� Johnson went one further saying being a dad was a help to his game and has made him a better player. “It’s been great. It just gives you a whole new perspective on things, where before kind of golf was the most important and now my family is the most important,â€� he said. “At the end of the day whether I’m having a good day or bad day, when I either see my family or talk to them, whatever, if I was upset or even if I was happy with the way I played, none of that matters. Just I’m always happy and excited to be with them.â€� Maybe the confidence of others comes because Johnson just missed the cut at the Memorial Tournament, his last start. He shot 78-74. “It actually worked out pretty well that I missed the cut the Memorial, even though I didn’t want to,â€� Johnson said. “I came up here and got to practice for two days. So it definitely helped with my preparation coming in because I knew I wasn’t going to get here until Tuesday afternoon. “Even though I came in late I didn’t feel like I was behind the eight ball at all because I got to prepare ten days ago or so.â€� Perhaps some feel a new venue with lots of blind spots off the tees may pose a problem. Some still suggest his pairing with brother and caddie Austin could be a detriment in these situations. “My brother was here with me, but I did have one of the local guys,â€� Johnson said of his decision to get help from a local caddie on his earlier reconnaissance mission. “Obviously, it was kind of good for the first time around to have one just to – on a few holes, you need to know where to hit it. And if you haven’t played here before it definitely helps if someone knows the course. It was definitely helpful in trying to figure out some lines off the tees.â€� And now what about the factors playing into Johnson’s favor. Like the storms and rain that has softened up the lengthy Erin Hills allowing him to bomb away. It will certainly help him as he looks to be the first to defend the U.S. Open since Curtis Strange in 1988 and 1989. “I think it sets up very well for me,â€� he said modestly while revealing the longest iron he needs to hit into greens has a 5 on it. “I hit a lot of drivers. If they play it all the way back, I’ll hit a lot of drivers. And it depends on the wind, too. There’s only a couple of holes where I might not hit a driver. But for the most part I can hit a driver on just about every hole. “I’m excited to come back and defend this week. The game feels like it’s in really good shape. I’ve been working really hard at it the last couple of days. I feel like I’m prepared, I feel like I’m ready.â€� To those not intimidated… perhaps you should rethink. 

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