Leaderboard: Round 3 of Open Championship

Welcome to this week’s Stats Insider, where we’ll take a closer look at Marc Leishman’s win at the Farmers Insurance Open. Leishman moved to seventh in the FedExCup with his fifth career victory. 1. PRIME TIME: Golfers traditionally hit their prime in their 30s, and that’s definitely the case for the 36-year-old Leishman. The 2009 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year had one win in his first 206 starts. He has four in his last 70, a span that started with his win in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Only five players have more wins on TOUR since 2017: Justin Thomas (11), Dustin Johnson (8), Brooks Koepka (6), Rory McIlroy (5) and Bryson DeChambeau (5). RELATED: Leishman finally tames Torrey Pines | Winner’s Bag 2. STRONG FINISH: Leishman started the final round in seventh place, four shots behind 54-hole leader Jon Rahm. Leishman got off to a hot start, making seven birdies in the first 13 holes. He birdied the first two and made the turn in 31 before adding birdies on 11 and 13. He made his only bogey on 17 but came back with a final-hole birdie that proved to be the difference. Leishman’s Sunday 65 matched the lowest final-round score by a winner at Torrey Pines since the course was renovated in 2001 to make it tougher for the 2008 U.S. Open. Rahm (2017) and Jose Maria Olazabal (2002) also shot that score in the final round of their wins. Rahm finished second to Leishman on Sunday. Leishman’s round also was three strokes lower than anyone else who started the final round in the top 10. 3. PUTTING PROWESS: Leishman led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting by more than two strokes. He gained +8.0 strokes on the greens in the three measured rounds (there is no ShotLink on Torrey Pines’ North Course). Rahm was second in Strokes Gained: Putting at +5.9. Leishman holed 10 putts from outside 10 feet in the three ShotLink-measured rounds. He was 7 for 10 (70%) from 10-20 feet. This was just the second time in his career that he led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. He also did it in his runner-up finish at the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson. Leishman gained more than half those strokes in the final round. He gained +4.8 strokes on the greens in the final round after making every putt he faced from 10-20 feet. He was 3 for 3 from 10-15 feet in the final round and also made his lone attempt from 15-20 feet. 4. NARROW ROAD: Leishman hit just three fairways in the final round. That ties the fewest recorded in the final round by a winner in the last 30 years. It’s been done five times in that span. Three of the five players on the list – Leishman, Geoff Ogilvy and Steve Elkington – are Australian. Leishman hit less than half his fairways for the week (27 of 56) to rank T58 in driving accuracy. Torrey Pines traditionally has some of the hardest fairways to hit, though. The field hit 54% of the fairways in this year’s Farmers Insurance Open, making Torrey Pines’ fairways the fourth-hardest to hit this season. They were the hardest to hit in each of the previous two seasons.  5. ROUGH STUFF: Because everyone is missing fairways at Torrey Pines, the ability to hit quality approach shots from the rough is a key skill. That’s why players like Jason Day and Tiger Woods have excelled at Torrey Pines. Having a good short game can help, as well. That’s another strength of Woods, Day and another multiple-time winner at Torrey Pines, Brandt Snedeker. Leishman finished fifth in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green at Torrey Pines (+4.7 strokes), 14th in greens hit (52 of 72) and fourth in scrambling (75%, 15 for 20). He missed the fairway 23 times on a par-4 last week but was 2 under par on those holes. He missed 18 fairways on par-4s on the South Course, but played those 18 holes in even par.  There were 34 players who missed at least 20 fairways on par-4s at Torrey Pines. Only two of those players were under par on the par-4s where they missed the fairway: Leishman and Zack Sucher. Both were 2 under par.

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AUSTIN, Texas — On Monday during the 2019 WGC-Dell Match Play, TaylorMade unveiled it’s new, double-decker TOUR Truck that has taken about a year to design and build, according to the company. It has a retractable second floor that slides up during TOUR events, and down while driving. On the first level, it has most of the typical things you’d find on a Tour Truck, such as loft and lie machines, frequency meters, a grinding wheel, drawers for shafts and grips, and more. It also now has individual lockers for its staffers, a built-in coffee machine, a gathering area with couches, flat-screen TVS, and Tiger Woods’ favorite feature, a PlayStation 4 game system. When the second floor slides up, it reveals an upstairs lounge area – Jason Day’s favorite feature – for players to hang out, and for podcasting, meetings, and other exclusive gatherings. During the reveal of its new state-of-the art TOUR Truck, PGATOUR.COM sat down with Tiger Woods in the upstairs lounge for an exclusive gathering to talk about his golf equipment. During the conversation, PGATOUR.COM discussed with Woods his process for changing (or not changing) equipment, his transition to TaylorMade, why he changes wedges more often with TaylorMade, Mike Taylor and his role in helping with Woods’ new irons, and much more. Enjoy the full equipment Q&A with Tiger Woods below. What was you’re first reaction coming [into the new TaylorMade truck]? Tiger Woods: I didn’t know it was a double-decker. I didn’t know that. It’s pretty incredible. Honestly, I’m blown away. Can’t wait to see everybody getting clubs inside here and it fills in. How much time do you spend in a Tour Van? Almost never. I’m one of those guys that does a lot of my tinkering at home. When I come to a tournament, I don’t tinker anymore. I usually come in here to get … I’ve been practicing a lot, my grips need to be redone, or something like that. I’ll check lofts and lies since, I’ve been practicing a lot at home, my irons tend to get flat. So I’ll have Keith [Sbaboro] come in, but generally I just throw him my clubs and let him go do it. You don’t change equipment a lot … I don’t. No, I don’t. I’m one of the guys that don’t really change anything while I’m at a TOUR site. I do all my testing at home. Now, if you come to my house you’ll see that I’ve got clubs everywhere, and testing, and I got all different data. That’s different. I’ve talked to Rick Nichols a bit about your past with equipment. Who is Rick Nichols to you, and how would you describe that relationship? Well, I started with Rick when he was with True Temper, when I first came out on TOUR. He used to help me with shafts, and I remember he had an idea – back in 2002? – that I should try this new True Temper Lite shaft. It was 112-gram steel. At the time it was really light because I was North of 120 [grams]. I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll try it and see how it feels.’ And, ‘Oh my god, I picked up some distance and some speed, this is great.’ … I’ve always trusted Rick implicitly with my clubs over the years, and Keith has now transitioned into that role. I’ve known Keith ever since I came out here on TOUR; he’s been with TaylorMade ever since I got out here. So I’ve only worked with two guys out here. It’s either Rick or Keith and they both know me, and what I like, what I like to feel. And bounce ideas on and off each other, and try to get me into better equipment than I’m playing. But that doesn’t happen over night. As I said, we do a lot of the work at home. This is year two for you with TaylorMade, essentially using their equipment. Was the transition faster than you expected? You changed out a lot of gear last year. Were you surprised with how quickly you were able to acclimate to new equipment? Well the irons were pretty simple because they made them just like my old ones. We had an issue prior to that because they wanted me in a different metal, and I found that I was hitting the ball too far. You know, all this technology I kept hitting the ball too far. I don’t want to do that. I want to hit the ball at my numbers. So, we worked them, put my old grooves back into these irons, and then I started hitting my windows, my numbers, and everything was good to go so, I put them in the bag. But more than anything it’s been the woods; how much distance I’ve picked up since I’ve been with TaylorMade. Trying to understand … you have to understand, this is the first time that I’ve ever played a non-glued hosel. I’ve never played anything with Nike all those years. And then when I came back from all my injuries, it was tinkering around with the lofts, the weight distribution, and it just changed all my numbers and I was like ‘Wow.’ Usually I come to a testing and there’s like 50 drivers, up on a tee, I hit each single one about three times or so, and then we sort them out that way. Then we re-test them again. That takes two days and I’m so friggin’ tired. Now it’s like click, back in and hit again. ‘Let’s go this way, let’s go that way.’ And all the sudden I have a new driver in 20 minutes. So that was a bit of an adjustment for me, trying to understand that. That whole side of how the hosel works, and how all the weights can play a big difference in my spin rate and my launch conditions. So I had to learn a lot of that. I either talked to the players that we have – like DJ, Rory. They were instrumental in helping me understand that. And then, working with Keith, trying to understand the time that I had a glued hosel to what we have now, So that was a bit of an adjustment, but I was able to make it. You told me something in 2017 … you said that you were actually going to have to learn about the adjustable hosel. Did you really have to go and ask? I did. No, I did. As I said, asking DJ and asking Rory. J. Day, I called him up many of times trying to figure it out, because I didn’t know. It was a big adjustment for me. And then with the weight there, how they work, and trying to understand that. And then, for me, my feels, and trying to understand my body at the same time. Those were all things that were playing together at the same time. But it all came together last FedExCup Playoffs when I switched to my old shaft. I went back to my old Diamana shaft that I’ve had so much success with. I went back to that shaft, got me a little bit more spin on my driver and ended up hitting fairways. Ended up winning the TOUR Championship. What about the transition from the Phase 1 to the new irons you have now. What was that transition like for you, and that process working your way into those new irons? The Phase 1 was more of the challenge, because it was trying to go from Nike to TaylorMade. Once they got the metal, the grooves, my CGs (center of gravities) just right, between the Phase 1 and the P-7TWs, it wasn’t anything, except they were non-milled. Now they can make them again and again and again, and they’re all the same. But the transition from Nike to TaylorMade was a bigger change. Once we got it right, I was pretty consistent going into the greens this past year. I had a lot of confidence hitting the ball inside of 15 feet, and that helped. It’s one of the reasons why I had the success that I had the entire year. With the switch to TaylorMade wedges from Nike, it seems like you’re changing out wedges more often. I saw you with a new wedge at THE PLAYERS, and then you had one in bubble wrap today [at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play practice round]. It seems like you’re able to change wedges more often. Can you speak to that? Well they’re making them … obviously they’re milled, so they’re identical. So, once we figured out what the right bounce and the system that I like with my — I have two different wedges: one I used last year, and one I’ve been testing around a little this year a little bit because of the rough, and I’m trying to get a little more bounce out of the bunkers. I have two different 60 [degree wedges] that I can play with, that I have played with. When I was with Nike we would take 8 sets, or 8 different wedges, and literally hand-grind them all. I’d hit them, I’d test them, ‘I like this, I like that.’ Buff them off, try to get them just right, and then each one felt exactly the same. But after use, at home practicing, bunker work, the grooves started getting worn down so I would send one in, have that re-blasted. That [wedge] would move into the back of the order. Then I had the fresh ones, and I’d wear that one out. Then that would get re-blasted, and eventually they’d come around and I used all 8 sets twice. Then once those were done – so 16 go-arounds – now we have to start it all over again, because they can’t get anymore spin on them. It’s a lot easier now, going through what we had to go through; those long testing sessions, a lot of work with Mike Taylor, a lot of work in the grind room. But when I had them right, I didn’t have to think about it, all I had to do was go hit. But once I wore them out 16 times, we had to restart the process. You mentioned Mike [Taylor]. He was such a big part of building your golf clubs. Is he still involved at all with these new irons? Yeah, he worked on all these irons. He worked on all my wedges. I talk to him probably every few weeks, giving updates on how I feel, things that I think could be better. He’ll bounce a few ideas off me, what I think, what direction we need to go down the road, how can we make them any better than what they are. And this is the same process I went through all those years when I was working with him at Nike. But now working with him at TaylorMade, it’s a lot more seamless.

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Emergency 9 Here are nine tidbits from the final round of the Valero Texas Open that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. The AT&T Oaks Course in San Antonio has been the host since 2010 and plays 7,435 yards to a Par-72. Just Like He Drew it Up Andrew Landry fired a final-round 68 to post a tournament record 17-under-par 271 and win for the first time on the PGA TOUR. Posting all four rounds in the 60’s he becomes the first native Texan to win this event since Justin Leonard in 2007. If he had any nerves on Sunday, he rarely displayed them. Opening with birdies on his first three holes, he opened up a two-shot lead that he would never relinquish. Trey Mullinax, also playing in the final group, cut that lead to one on No. 10 but Landry held his nerve and wouldn’t be denied. He had a few fortunate breaks that all winners need but he was excellent all week long. He led the field in SG: approach the green, tee to green and GIR. He was second in scrambling and T2 with 21 birdies. On a big, bad course he was only T46 in driving distance but he only squared four bogeys, tied for the least on the week. The 30-year-old should have thrown up a few red flags last year on the Web.com Tour as he won the second of event of the season and then added six more top-five finishes. Gamers will point out that the Texan has been incredibly efficient this year when he makes the cut. This was his fourth top-10 finish in six weekends from 13 starts. He also had a great learning experience leading the U.S. Open at Oakmont after Thursday in 2016 and fighting with Jon Rahm in a playoff at the CareerBuilder Challenge. Landry already had the biggest win of his life on March 23 as he and his wife welcomed their first child, Brooks, to the world. I guess #NappyFactor needed a week to knock the rust off as he closed with 75 last week to collect T42. Plenty of diaper money, sure, but this week will buy A LOT more! As gamers know, winning for the first time on TOUR changes everything and doesn’t ensure immediate (Kizzire) or continued success (Potter, Jr.). I’m going to rely on the total body of work here as I move forward. He obviously didn’t “fake it” through an entire season last year. His stats don’t jump off the page but his results do. There’s something to be said for that. Figuring out when he’s going to fire is going to be something completely different. Stay tuned! Gamers’ Choices — PGA TOUR Fantasy Game presented by SERVPRO This is the most brutal top 10 we’ve seen in some time. Landry’s first top 10 on TOUR was at the John Deere Classic, an event where Johnson and Moore have done quite well in recent years. Interesting. Gamers’ Choices — PGA TOUR One & Done presented by SERVPRO The Billy Horschel Fan Club (acting president: ME) was hoping for one more on one of the last two holes but it wasn’t to be. It will be a nice gain this week, but not the big prize gamers were looking for to move up the leaderboard. Close Encounters Trey Mullinax picked up his third top-25 finish in a row and his second top 10 in three starts. The big bomber who set the course record Saturday didn’t look out of place on Sunday playing in the final group. His final two holes cost him plenty of cash. He threw the sod over it on No. 17 and made a bogey and his errant tee shot on the last took out possibility of eagle. It also took all of the pressure off of Landry to make birdie. Although he KILLS IT off the tee, I’ll point out that he also led the field in SG: putting. His only top 10 in 28 events last year was at Erin Hills and he’s already doubled that output. Quail Hollow should set up perfectly for his game! Rally Cap Sean O’Hair was the only guy on the course who didn’t want this event to end. After his blazing 65 on Saturday he roared back with 66 more on Sunday for the low round of the day. He matched Landry with 21 birdies, was second in GIR and third in SG: tee to green. His birdies on the final two holes saw him share second with Mullinax. Similarly to Mullinax, O’Hair also had a solid Valspar (T12) followed by T7 at Bay Hill. His T64 at the Houston Open and MC last week at Harbour Town threw gamers off the scent. His four rounds at par-or-better were his first ever in 12 rounds at this event. That didn’t help either! Streel Wheels Kevin Streelman (T8) backed up his top 10 last week at the RBC Heritage (T7) with another one this week. As he’s known to do, he heated up faster than the weather in Hill Country, which never happened this week, as he closed round three with five consecutive birdies. He added six more on Sunday to sign for 67 for his fourth top-10 finish this season and his best finish in five tries at the VTO. #Play72 Jimmy Walker continued his very solid form he flashed at the Masters (T20) to cash solo fourth this week. This was the first time all year that he put all four rounds in red figures and remarked after Round 3 that he was feeling stronger. It should also be pointed out he bogeyed the easiest hole on the course both days of the weekend while shooting 67-67 while leading the event with 24 birdies. He also made a double on Thursday on the Par-5 No. 18. Arrows way up. … First-round leader Grayson Murray might have had the second-most impressive round of the week behind Mullinax’s course record on Saturday. He played the weekend in 1 over but still cashed T16, his third T16 or better in his last four events. He went close at Quail Hollow last year in the PGA Championship before fading late. … Sunday Silence Zach Johnson should have had the upper hand entering Sunday. The two-time major champion was playing in the final group, tied for the lead, with two guys who had never won on TOUR. Looking for his first win since St. Andrew’s in 2015, Johnson could never get dialed in Sunday. He turned in even-par 36 and his bogey at the last knocked him out of T4 but it was his best result since the Valero Texas Open moved to TPC San Antonio. Before the week started, all gamers who invested would have taken this result no questions asked. He’s now rattled off 14 cuts in a row and this was his best finish since solo second last summer at Firestone. … Charley Hoffman backed up his T40 last year with T64 this year and had nothing better than T71 on the week. … Matt Kuchar, a week-in and week-out savings bond for gamers, has shown again that this week might be a pass moving forward. He added T51 this year to T40 last year and T42 in 2016. There’s not many, if any, places I’ll fade Kuchar but this would qualify. Study Hall The final round scoring average ticked just over par at 72.125 and there were no bogey-free rounds. The scoring average for the week was 72.367 and was helped by a friendly course set-up on Friday plus a storm system that never materialized on Saturday. … Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly played together for T5 at Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge. They are paired at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as well. … 44-year old lefty Eric Axley was declared the winner after 54 holes at the North Mississippi Classic on the Web.com Tour after rain washed out the final round. Ole Miss senior Braden Thornberry (a) was T22. Write his name down and thank me later.

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