Kamaiu Johnson withdraws after testing positive for COVID-19

ALBANY, Bahamas – The strut was back – the back was fine – and Tiger Woods showed enough glimpses of form to suggest he just might make a highly successful comeback to competitive golf. Out of the game for 10 months after a fourth back surgery, Woods made a solid return at the Hero World Challenge after an opening 3-under 69 left him just three shots off the lead. While he was far from perfect and there was some rust, there was also plenty to be impressed by. Woods himself even entertained ideas of winning the tournament. But hold up … Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’ve been down this road before. Just a year ago, the two-time FedExCup champion showed glimpses of brilliance in his four rounds at Albany but ultimately finished near the back of the pack. And then a couple of months later, he was out of action again. But hey, this time felt different. It really did. Here’s a list of the things Woods did well and the things he needs to work on. BEST OF 1. Driving: Woods hit 7 of 13 fairways, which might not sound great, but was, in fact, a pretty good display off the tee. Coming off four back surgeries, including fusion surgery this year, it would stand to reason he might not be able to take a big rip at his driver. But Woods did in fact wind up and put the ball past reigning FedExCup champion Justin Thomas a handful of times. Most of his drives that missed the mark were by fractions, except on the 15th hole where he lost one right into an unplayable lie. The signs here were certainly encouraging. 2. Putting: You could forgive Woods for being rusty with the flat stick in a competitive environment but he wasn’t. He looked like he’d been playing half a season. He made a handful of crucial par putts of nervous length as well as some nice rolls for birdies. Once again, it was far from perfect, but it was impressive for someone who’s not had to putt under pressure for a long time. Eight one-putts, 28 total putts. That’s pretty decent after a long layoff. 3. Laser 2-iron: Do yourself a favor and watch Woods approach shot to the par-5 third hole with his 2-iron. He had 260 yards to the pin into the wind and just blistered the ball onto the green to set up a long eagle chance. Watching Woods walk after it after contact brought back all the old feels. As did the “be goodâ€� quote as it flew. “I just hit it on a rope, put it up there on the green. I knew I was back playing again,â€� Woods said. 4. Learning on the run: Woods came into the event struggling to nail down his yardages with his clubs. In practice rounds with Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler, he was constantly asking for assistance on yardages now that he can send the ball out there a bit further. On occasion Thursday he was a little lost, but seemed to figure it out as the day went on. He almost holed out a wedge late in his round. “I had to dial it back a little bit with my clubs, take it a little bit further because obviously I was a little jacked up,â€� Woods said. “The shot that I hit over there at 14 was pretty sweet, a little 95‑yard pitching wedge. If I would have had that same shot early in the round, I couldn’t have played it because I hadn’t figured out how to dial it back yet.â€� 5. Bouncing back: After Woods bogeyed the ninth, he birdied the 10th. After he bogeyed the 15th, he gave himself a great look for birdie on the 16th. A year ago, he made plenty of birdies, just as many as the winner, but he also had multiple mistakes that derailed his rounds. On Thursday, he failed to give up. “Last year, I was rolling in, got to nine or 10 and made a couple mistakes and the round slipped away. I was not going to let that happen this year,â€� he said. “I got tired last year. This year obviously with my back better, my training sessions have been much better, my strength is up and I didn’t feel tired at all, which is great.â€� WORST 1. Chipping: If Woods is to return to his competitive best, he will need to get better from tight lies around the greens. A stubby chip on the par-4 third hole was rescued by a long putt, but another on the par-5 ninth was not, bringing Woods his first bogey of the day. He had a few other short ones with the wedge not come out exactly as he would have liked. “It’s frustrating because I have a hard time with this into‑the‑grain, ball sitting down (type shots),â€� Woods said. “I’m used to using the bounce and hitting behind it a little bit and getting it up, but it’s so sticky that it’s really hard to do. I haven’t quite figured it out yet.â€� 2. Par-5 performance: There are five par 5s at Albany – a virtual smorgasbord for pros. But for Woods, they turned out to be his undoing on Thursday. Woods birdied the first of them, but then bogeyed two others to play them 1 over. Far from ideal. On the plus side, if he turns that around on Friday, he could find himself posting a very low number. “I was in position to really get something close to 5-, 6-, 7-under par today, but I made a couple mistakes on those par 5s,â€� Woods said. “If I take away the two 6s and play the round correctly, then I’m probably tied for the lead. So it’s just little things like that I need to clean up and hopefully I can do that tomorrow.â€�2.  Woods returns in round two starting in a tie for eighth. He will play with Henrik Stenson at 11:43 a.m. Eastern. Check out PGATOUR.COM for our live blog. 

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On Tuesday afternoon in the locker room of the CareerBuilder Challenge, Zach Johnson made an observation aloud to no one in particular. “I’ll tell you what’s crazy,â€� Johnson said. “A lot of guys I’ve been paired with on Thursday and Friday have gone on to win that week. Either I’m incredibly motivating or they’re just incredibly good.â€� In Rounds 1 and 2 of last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii, Johnson was paired with Patton Kizzire. On the sixth hole of sudden death, the longest in Sony Open in Hawaii history, Kizzire emerged victorious over James Hahn. The win at Waialae Country Club, his second on the PGA TOUR, came in his 66th start and came just three starts after his maiden victory at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. As such, Kizzire became the season’s first two-time winner and jumped to No. 1 in the FedExCup standings. A towering figure that strikes the ball with the smooth style and grace of Ernie Els, Kizzire’s Tuscaloosa, Alabama roots lend to a deep and slow Southern drawl and demeanor that parallels his effortless swing. Until this season on the PGA TOUR, Kizzire’s ascent into golf’s upper echelon was more of an amble than a stride. It could be said that contentment trumped commitment. After graduating from Auburn University with a business degree in 2008, Kizzire lacked the tenacity and discipline a career in professional golf requires. “Yeah, I was a little bit stuck in college, but I think that was all part of the deal,â€� Kizzire said. “I kind of got a little bit of that out of my system and was able to move on and start being a little bit more serious about the profession and I think it all kind of just gelled together at the right time.â€� In order to resurrect the fire he displayed in college that resulted in top honors at the 2007 SEC Championship, Kizzire relocated to Georgia to place serious focus on his game. “I guess it was just maturity kind of coming into play there,â€� Kizzire said. “I was living in Auburn and decided to move to St. Simons and really take it seriously and take advantage of the resources we have down there. I have my management group, great coaches, Davis Love III, Zach Johnson and Jonathan Byrd and all the other guys down there. We have a lot of competition amongst ourselves. So, I decided to take advantage of that. I was kind of kicking myself for not doing it sooner, but I think the time was right.â€� After making just one cut in six starts on the Web.com Tour between 2009 and 2014, Kizzire finished T21 at the 2014 Qualifying Tournament, good for fully-exempt status onto that Tour in 2015. In 23 starts, two victories highlighted 12 top-10 finishes and the money list’s No. 1 spot. In his rookie year on the PGA TOUR in 2015-16, Kizzire claimed five more top-10 finishes, including a tie for second in his first start of the season at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He posted a final-round, 8-under 63 to claim the runner-up finish. In his next start, he finished T4 at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Responsibility was paying off handsomely. “The accountability factor was absolutely there in Sea Island,â€� Kizzire said. “I can’t say I do a whole lot of really tough stuff, but I stay on top of it. I try to stay in golf shape, I’m no physical specimen or anything, but my coaches and managers really hold me accountable. There’s also my wife. She’s a planner. I was never much of a planner, but I’ve learned that you’ve got to make a plan and execute it, and that’s been big for me.â€� That season, Kizzire advanced through the first two of four events in the FedExCup Playoffs, before finishing 82nd in the FedExCup standings. Kizzire began his sophomore season on the PGA TOUR in 2016-17 as he did his rookie year. At the Safeway Open, he finished just one stroke back of Brendan Steele at 17-under 271, good for solo second place. He would again advance through the first two FedExCup Playoffs events, before finishing 99th in the final FedExCup standings. Even though he finished lower in the FedExCup standings his second year on the PGA TOUR than his first, he knew he was burning. Stronger than ever before, the fire was back. “I knew I needed the kind of reigning in I get in Sea Island,â€� Kizzire said. “But, I guess I wasn’t disciplined enough to do it on my own. Just to have a taste of that…for them to give me a taste of that and make it part of me made all the difference. I started holding myself accountable after a while and that led to the progression.â€� On the PGA TOUR this season, that newfound, but rooted resolve has elevated Kizzire to unprecedented heights that not even he felt he was ready for. A week after finishing T10 and T4 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, respectively, in his second and third starts of the season, Kizzire reached a mountain top. At the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, he made 10 birdies en route to an opening-round, 9-under 63 and the 18-hole lead by two strokes. With ensuing rounds of 70-66-67 to finish at 19-under 265, Kizzire held off a hard-charging Rickie Fowler to claim his first PGA TOUR title. “Yeah, to win in that fashion, with Rickie Fowler breathing down my neck, gave me a nice big head. It was pretty cool,â€� Kizzire said. “He’s obviously a world-class player, so to have it come down to he and I was what I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to beat the best.â€� Three starts later, second- and third-round, 6-under 64s resulted in the eventual win in Honolulu. The Mexico win gave me the confidence to do it again at Sony,â€� Kizzire said. “The first win was like a big hurdle for me and the second win was a little bit more validation. I don’t really think anybody deserves wins, I think you just have to work for it and it just happens. It has all just been a part of the process.â€� So, now, with two wins in four starts and the No. 1 spot in the FedExCup, a lot more people are paying a lot more attention to the man who previously preferred to remain unaccountable and in the shadows. Anything else went against his grain. On Tuesday of this week’s CareerBuilder Challenge, Kizzire arrived on site at PGA WEST staring at a schedule that included a Titleist photo shoot, a clothes fitting, media obligations and time for practice. As smooth as is his swing and Southern drawl, Kizzire responded accordingly. After all, that’s precisely what commitment calls for. “I imagine I’ll be pulled in certain directions and have to manage that, but that comes with the territory and I’ll welcome that just like I welcome any part of being a professional golfer,â€� Kizzire said. “I’m just going to keep working hard. I want to get the third win. That’s all I want to do. I love playing golf. I love trying to get better and putting myself in uncomfortable spots. That’s all I want to do is just to be somewhere that I’ve never been because that gets me uncomfortable. That’s when I know I’m doing something right.â€� Although Zach Johnson is quite the motivator, he was clearly onto something when he suggested that it takes an incredibly good player to win on the PGA TOUR. But, the thing is, the most significant ingredient to being good is being dedicated.

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U.S. Captain Tiger Woods says he will consult his assistants and players, but ultimately the decision on whether he picks himself for the Presidents Cup will fall on his own shoulders. Woods failed to make the team as one of the top eight automatic qualifiers for the biennial teams event that will be held at Royal Melbourne in Australia on Dec. 12-15, but the veteran still has four captains picks up his sleeve. “My job as the captain is to put together the best team possible and try and put together the best 12 guys,â€� Woods said via teleconference on Monday. “That’s what I’m trying to do. We’ll be going through the whole process of having open communication with our top eight guys and my vice captains. “That is something that we will certainly talk about, whether I should play or not play. Ultimately it’s going to be my call whether I do play or not as the captain. But I want to have all of their opinions before that decision is made.â€� The 43-year-old’s season ended this week at the BMW Championship after he failed to move into the top 30 players who qualified for the TOUR Championship, the tournament he famously won a year ago at East Lake Golf Club. After winning the Masters in spectacular fashion in April, his 81st TOUR win and 15th major championship, Woods only played six more events this season. In those, he had one top 10, but missed two cuts and withdrew after one round of THE NORTHERN TRUST with an oblique strain. As such the idea of Woods being a player in the Presidents Cup had cooled over the past few months. And while he says those wanting a pick should stay competitively sharp, Woods himself has only committed to one event in the fall portion of the new season, the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan from Oct. 24-27. His picks are due a week later. The only previous playing captain in Presidents Cup history was Hale Irwin in the inaugural event in 1994. Others in line for a pick include, but are not limited to Tony Finau, U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, World Golf Championships – Dell Technologies Match Play winner Kevin Kisner, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and young guns Collin Morikawa and Matthew Wolff. The four selections will join Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar and Bryson DeChambeau. “We talked about how important it is to be committed to the team and to the event and to each other, and that means playing and being prepared,â€� Woods said. “The only time that we have ever lost a Cup was in Australia (1998), and quite frankly, some of the guys didn’t play or practice that much. It was our off-season, and we got beat pretty badly. “It’s something that I try to reinforce to the guys, that it is important to be solid, be fresh, and to be sharp because we’re going overseas and we’re playing against an amazing team, and it’s on their soil. These guys are going to be tough to beat. So we’re looking forward to the challenge.â€� But what of his own schedule? Woods says his preparation will include copious practice and side games with other TOUR players who live in and around him in Florida. “It’s practicing, it’s playing, it’s staying sharp. Obviously I’m playing in Japan, and so that’s going to help,â€� Woods said of his own preparation. “It has to do with a lot of my competitions I’m going to have down here. I’ll be playing with a lot of the guys here. They’re going to be getting ready for some of the fall events, we’ll have some matches, and that’s always fun because we’re able to talk trash and have a great time and try and get in one another’s pockets. “That will be something that I will definitely rely on, and obviously the event in Japan will be a big deal.â€� The U.S. Team has a 10-1-1 record in the Presidents Cup, not losing since 1998 at Royal Melbourne. The International team already has four rookies in terms of team play from its eight automatic selections. Led by Ernie Els, the Internationals have bowed to use new tactics, based on analytics, to try to topple the U.S. juggernaut. The last time the two teams met it was a 19-11 dismantling. The Cup was almost secured before Sunday singles. Everything points towards more U.S. dominance. Only Webb Simpson is without a win in 2019 from the U.S. team. Only C.T. Pan has a 2019 win from the Internationals. But Woods won’t allow complacency. He hopes most of his team will play in the Hero World Challenge he hosts in the Bahamas the week prior before heading to Melbourne to further secure comradery and form. “We could be (beaten), yes, in theory. But you have to look at the fact that it’s played out there on the golf course, not on paper,â€� Woods said. “I’ve been a part of some pretty amazing teams over the years. We had a pretty solid team going down to Australia in ’98. We’ve had some pretty solid teams in Ryder Cups, as well, and I’ve been on the losing end of those. It’s played out on the course. So that’s something that I’ve told my players.â€�

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