Leaderboard: Tiger embarks on 2019 season

JACKSON, Miss. – As the son of 21-time PGA TOUR winner Davis Love III, Dru Love grew up on golf courses, surrounded by TV cameras. “I’m used to having cameras around,� Dru Love said. “But to have them on you because you’re in the lead – that’s different.� That first occurred during Friday’s second round of the rain-delayed Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson, when the younger Love birdied seven of his first 12 holes to vault his name to the top of the leaderboard at 8 under par. The cameras from the Golf Channel showed up, along with a few more spectators. His swing quickened, and he gave two shots back on the way in. Still, he shot 5-under 67 and sits at 6 under par going into the weekend, four shots behind clubhouse leader Ryan Armour. It’s the first time in six PGA TOUR starts he has been this high on the leaderboard after 36 holes, and another step, he hopes, in his journey to earn playing status on the PGA TOUR or the Web.com Tour. He’s playing on a sponsor’s exemption here this week, and is scheduled to play at Web.com Tour Q-School in two weeks. A top-10 finish here would get him a spot in next week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas and a chance to earn more money towards playing his way onto the TOUR. Of course, a win here would earn him a two-year exemption on TOUR. All of that will be on his mind when he tees it up during Saturday’s third round. “I’m definitely happy about getting into contention,� said Dru Love, 23. “But you can’t just be complacent. You have to get better (Saturday) and improve on the things you did wrong. I didn’t do much wrong today, but I do know what I have to work on, and a lot of that involves staying focused with all the cameras and the people showing up. I got a little out of my routine, got a little quick on those last couple of holes, and I’ll learn from that and do better (Saturday) if I get in that same position.� Dru might have one big-name golfer in his gallery Saturday – his father. Davis Love III shot 72 Friday and is at even-par after 36 holes, one shot off the projected cut of 1 under. OBSERVATIONS Armour followed his first-round 66 with a 4-under 68 Friday and leads at 10 under, one shot clear of Tyrone Van Aswegen, who made 10 birdies and shot Friday’s low round of 65. Thirty players had not finished their second rounds when play was stopped for the day because of rain and lightning. The second round will restart at 7:50 a.m. (Central) Saturday morning, with the cutline projected at 1 under par. After the second round is finished, the players will be re-paired and the third round will begin at 9:20 a.m. When that happens, Armour will likely find himself in a pretty unfamiliar position – leading going into the third round of a PGA TOUR event. The 41-year-old journeyman, who is playing in his 105th TOUR event, has held the lead after two rounds just once before, three months ago in the 2017 Wyndham Championship, where he shot a sizzling 9-under 61 in the second round and eventually finished T-4 for his second-best TOUR finish (a solo fourth in the 2007 OHL Classic at Mayakoba is his best finish). What he’ll face Saturday, in addition to normal final-pairing nerves, will be blustery cold weather, with lots of wind, and temperatures in the 40s and 50s. It will make the Country Club of Jackson a decidedly different venue than it was in the first two rounds, when it was breezy but very warm. Asked if he’s a good cold-weather player, Armour said: “I grew up in Ohio, where it’s not exactly warm, but I’m spoiled now, living in South Florida, so I haven’t been around it. “The hardest part about cold weather is starting. Once you’re out there, in the mix, it kind of goes away. You have to adjust, the ball’s not going to carry as far. You might be hitting one or two more clubs into some holes. … but we’ll adjust. My caddie’s good at gauging the wind, so I’ll lean on him.� Seamus Power, who shot 68 Thursday, will be in a position to catch Armour at the top when he resumes his second round Saturday. Power is at 8 under with two holes to play. Van Aswegen is one shot back on the leaderboard, but he is the birdie leader through two rounds with 16. His 7-under 65 on Friday included a career-best 10 birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey, and his opening round included six birdies and four bogeys. The birdie binge has surprised the South African native. “I’m usually more of a steady kind of golfer,� he said. “But when you’re playing well, and feeling good you make more, I guess.� Two of his birdies were chip-ins, and he took just 22 putts in the round. Keep an eye on Vaughn Taylor this weekend. The three-time TOUR winner, who last won in 2016 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, shot a bogey-free 66 Friday to get to 8 under and right in the hunt. Defending champion Cody Gribble improved on his opening-round 75 with a 3-under 69, but it was not enough to make the projected cut. Peter Malnati, the 2015 champion here, struggled to a 74 Friday after a first-round 67, but at 3 under he should be around for the final two rounds. Former U.S. Open and Masters champion Angel Cabrera (70-72) is expected to make the cut. Other major winners who probably won’t be playing on the weekend include Davis Love III (72-72), Retief Goosen (74-71), and Shaun Micheel (80-69). It wasn’t recorded as a putt in the official TOUR statistics because he putted from the fringe and not the surface of the green, but the longest shot made with a putter on Friday was likely the 60-footer for birdie Matt Every drained on No. 18. QUOTABLES “It’s a complete guessing game. 150 yards is a perfect pitching wedge, but sometimes it will go 170 and sometimes it will go 130. That’s what happened on No. 8. I had a perfect number for a pitching wedge and I hit it, and it just came out dead. That’s what happens in this rough here. You’ve just got to hit the fairways.� – Dru Love, on hitting from the Bermuda rough at Country Club of Jackson “I feel better at 41 than I did at 31. The way we take care of ourselves is a lot different than when when I first turned pro at age 23. We thought we could burn the midnight oil. You don’t do that anymore. With nutrition and fitness, it’s definitely different.� – Leader Ryan Armour, on how he competes at 41 with the younger players “I hit a bad shot and then an even worse shot after that. Just like that, you have a double.� - Tyrone Van Aswegen, explaining his double-bogey 6 on the 16th hole Friday – and just about every other double-bogey ever made by any golfer anywhere. SUPERLATIVES Low Round – 65, by Tyrone Van Aswegen, who made 10 birdies, a bogey and a double. Longest Drive – 410 yards by Monday qualifier Scott Strohmeyer on hole No. 5. Longest Putt – 50 feet, 1 inch, by Daniel Summerhays, for par on No. 16. Toughest Hole – For the second straight round, the par-4 16th played as the most difficult, with a 4.373 average. It yielded nine birdies, but there were also five double-bogeys and two ‘others’ made there during the yet-to-be-completed second round. Easiest Hole – The par-5 11th played to a 4.504 average, with five eagles, 61 birdies and only seven bogeys. Interestingly, one of those bogeys was made by Van Aswegen, who is one shot off the lead. CALL OF THE DAY SHOT OF THE DAY BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jason Day said he felt good about his game, and the positive impact he had on a junior golfer, as he prepares to defend his title at the site of his most recent PGA TOUR triumph. Day played with Kobe Narcisse, 14, in the tournament’s pro-am at Quail Hollow Club. It was Narcisse’s prize for winning Wells Fargo’s Succeeding Together essay contest. “It was a dream of mine,â€� Narcisse said. Day dispatched putting tips to his young pro-am partner, and there may not be a better source for such information. Day is fourth on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting. That club was key to his success at Quail Hollow last year. Day leaned heavily on his short game, finishing first in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and second in Strokes Gained: Putting, to beat Aaron Wise and Nick Watney by two shots. “I was hitting it off the map and I was trying to get it in the hole,â€� Day said. He may not have won since last year’s Wells Fargo, but he’s 33rd in this season’s FedExCup. He has five top-10s in 11 starts this season, including an eighth-place finish at THE PLAYERS Championship and T5 at the Masters. “Obviously it’s hard to be patient sometimes because you know you want to win. I feel it’s right there,â€� Day said. Narcisse, a member of The First Tee of New Orleans, started the first golf team at his school. He overcame early resistance by explaining the game’s benefits to his classmates. Related: Featured Groups, tee times | Power Rankings | Rose looks to rebound | The harsh lessons of losing can pay big dividends | Tiger’s inspiring message to Varner’s friend | Best-selling books gains popularity on TOUR “I explained that golf is the kind of sport that strengthens one’s mental stamina, one’s ability to focus,â€� Narcisse wrote in his winning essay. “Before long, we had enough interested students to start a team. “Rather than back away from the idea because of indifference, I felt confident in my ability to help my peers realize the benefits of learning to play. Although we are still a very young team in terms of skill, we are indeed a team.â€� Narcisse also wrote that his father, who helped him develop a strong work ethic, is his biggest role model. “I will never forget when he said, ‘If you want to get to where you’re at the top, you have to work harder than the next person because others are trying to work just as hard to achieve their goals,’â€� Narcisse wrote. “From that moment on, I began to look at life differently. I realized that consistency was the key in everything I did. … Consistently excelling is the discipline I now live by.â€� On Wednesday, that pursuit of excellence earned him a spot alongside one of the PGA TOUR’s top players.

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The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP is scheduled to begin at 7:50 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, and the interface for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live had all three bets for the first round loaded on Tuesday afternoon, so without further ado, let’s get right to it! Actually, there’s a little bit of ado. When Rob and Glass reviewed the 3-balls available in the interface, only four were offered, so they limited their two selections to them. PointsBet’s board already had a market for 24 of the 26 possible 3-balls, so more might be added (if they already aren’t by the time you’re reading this). If they are, it’s possible that either or both of our guys will make a change. Register for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live here and monitor Rob’s and Glass’ progress as Influencers. For a broader explanation of the format and FAQs, click here. TOURNAMENT TO WIN Rob … Cameron Champ (+12500) Where better to swing for the fence with this guy than in a tournament promised to give him four rounds? It’s the only scenario in which I’m endorsing him, because look at that kickback! At the end of the day, and despite the struggles, he’s a winner. He knows how to close the sale. That’s all that matters pre-tournament and in a format in which we’re allowed to make changes. Glass … Hideki Matsuyama (+1100) No jet lag. No cultural acclimation. No learning a new course. Read Horses for Courses to learn why Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club is one of his favorites. If you’re busy this weekend like I am, set it and forget it. Heck, only big boys win events like this, so pick your favorite and adjust at 2:00 a.m. ET on Sunday as necessary or sleep on through! TOP 10 Glass … Sepp Straka (+360) Breakthrough came against Shane Lowry and Daniel Berger last year at Honda, so he won’t be worrying about that. Big field at TPC Southwind in the FedExCup Playoffs saw him finish second alone on a tough ball-striking course. Solo second in his only start this season at Sanderson Farms suggests he hasn’t cooled. My days of trying to chase the window are over. Rob … Aaron Rai (+560) I’m with Glass here. Don’t know about you, but I suffered the shutout in this bet at the Shriners. It was disappointing because I didn’t connect, but this game is like trick-or-treating on Halloween. You hope you don’t get a rock, but if you knock on enough doors … The Englishman lit up TPC Summerlin for a 62 in the third round, and he recently hung up a T5 in Italy, so his form is fine. Because I don’t mind reaching for him specifically at this value, I’ll sleep just fine, but he’s also in the vicinity of where I want to cash in a 78-man invitational with no cut. TOP 20 Rob … Keegan Bradley (+130) Because I can’t remember the last time when I was upright and lucid when this bet unlocked, my only objective with it this week is to get even or better value upon return. Besides, what little more can be found on the board isn’t enough to warrant the risk. My man-crush with Keegs dates back to his rookie season – it’s well-documented and I’m not ashamed – so it’s beautiful that he’s playing well enough and has the kind of success at Narashino that warranted a lofty perch in my Power Rankings. Glass … Matthew NeSmith (+200) Hit 64 of 72 GIR last week and cashed a career-best T2. His T9 the week before in Mississippi suggests he’s in a groove, and I’m willing to tag along. With a limited field, the long shots are few and far between. The Top 10 and Top 20 recently remind me of my first car. I had a sunroof that never opened. Stuck shut. Just like this window most weeks. Careful my friends! ROUND 1 LEADER Glass … Keegan Bradley (+3000) Ball-striking stud has a 63 here, good enough to share the course record, and he closed last season’s visit with 65. This is his third appearance and he’s hit T7 and T13 in his previous two, so he’s comfortable. I’d rather ride him for one round at 30-1 than four rounds for the same price. Try to steal 750 coins on day one and count your cash all weekend! Rob … Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+5000) Narashino CC is a sweet setup in that its respective pars are 34 and 36, and two of the three par 5s are on the inward nine, but scoring relative to par on both sides is much closer than you’d think. It’s because the easiest three of the 10 par 4s are in the outbound lane. So, I’ll open with one of the best putters in the field who’s going off No. 10 in the first threesome. The South African can build momentum before the turn and sustain it coming home. Unlike Glass, who is positioned three hours ahead of me and likely visiting the sandman before I do on Wednesday night, I’ll have more flexibility to adjust on the fly. Exploit every advantage, kids. 3-BALL #1 Glass … Keita Nakajima (+320) over Davis Riley and Kurt Kitayama Riley and Kitayama are nice players but the TWO-TIME Mark McCormack medal winner – first-ever to do so – should have the home-country advantage. Remember, this is one round, not four, and Nakajima has plenty of game. Nice longshot! Rob … Takumi Kanaya (+220) over Scott Stallings and Beau Hossler We’re loving on the host-country boys in this space, and for good reason. My pick scored lowered in every round en route to a T7 here last year, so he paid off the education. And since I’d be getting only 55 coins for the investment, it doesn’t matter much either way, anyway. 3-BALL #2 Glass … Hiroshi Iwata (+340) over Emiliano Grillo and Andrew Putnam If I’m going to roll with underdogs, let’s BARK BARK BARK with the man who opened with 63 here last year to tie the course record. He’s won and finished third in the last seven weeks, but he’s a big number due to a WD two weeks ago. As long as he makes it to the tee, we’re live! Rob … Stephan Jaeger (+150) over Wyndham Clark and Mikumu Horikawa Of the other three 3-balls available to us before we filed, the German is the most intriguing. He already was one of my Sleepers, so I was thrilled that he’s not the lowest value (Clark, +140) when I reviewed board. NOTE: While Glass and Rob typically stick with their selections as detailed in Pick ‘Em Preview, they are allowed the right to make changes at any time. Responsible sports betting starts with a game plan. Set a budget. Keep it social. Play with friends. Learn the game and know the odds. Play with trusted, licensed operators. CLICK HERE to learn more at HaveAGamePlan.org.

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