Live leaderboard: Rory chases history in Canada

SANDWICH, England – Masters champions Hideki Matsuyama and Bubba Watson have withdrawn from the Open Championship at Royal St George’s thanks to COVID-19 related travel complications. Matsuyama, who became the first male player from Japan to win a major championship at April’s Masters Tournament, chose to withdraw due to UK protocols, ensuring he keeps his Olympic dreams alive. Watson, a two-time Masters winner and 12-time PGA TOUR winner, has been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and as such serves as a risk according to the UK Government protocols. Matsuyama tested positive for the virus prior to the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on July 2 and according to the R&A has been in quarantine since and is currently symptom free, but he has continued to show positive results on PCR tests. “I’m feeling fine but haven’t been able to practice in preparation for The Open. Combining that with the difficult travel to the UK, my team and I have decided it’s best to withdraw to ensure everyone’s safety,” Matsuyama said via statement to the R&A. “I feel badly missing The Open and look forward to playing again at St Andrews next year. I’d like to thank the many golf fans for their continued concern and support as I strive to return to the game I love as soon as possible.” Individuals need a negative test result to enter the UK and any positive result inside the UK could result in a 10–14-day quarantine in the country. Matsuyama will now attempt to be ready for the Olympic golf tournament to be held in Japan starting July 29, where he will represent his home country. A fully vaccinated Watson took to social media to explain his absence at Royal St Georges. U.S. guidelines differ from the UK and while Watson desperately wanted to take his place in the field, the Floridian first and foremost had the health and safety of others on his mind. Taking his place in a 12th Open Championship would prove near impossible under the UK’s strict entrance guidelines. “I am disappointed to announce I will not compete at the Open Championship next week due to having direct exposure to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. While I am vaccinated and have passed the required pre travel Covid test, not enough time has passed for me to comfortably join the charter flight and risk exposure to the other players and personnel on board,” Watson said. “I appreciate the R&A’s guidance and help navigating UK policy for such situations. Like many of you, I look forward to watching the Open Championship on TV. Since I will be watching from the comfort of my couch I would not mind seeing the field have to deal with a little rain and strong winds! Best of luck to all the players. I look forward to returning to the Open Championship next year.” Americans Harold Varner III and Brendan Steele join the Open Championship field with fellow Americans John Catlin and Adam Long now the first and second alternates.

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AVONDALE, La. — Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown might hold the lead heading to Sunday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but more than ever the lead is far from safe. Looking for redemption after last year’s playoff loss to Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt, the South Carolina duo sit at 20-under par — one clear of the Tony Finau/Daniel Summerhays and Andrew Putnam/Michael Kim teams. They provided a tidy 8-under 64 in Four-ball play on Saturday. But there are 17 teams within five shots of their lead heading to the always unpredictable and volatile alternate shot format. Anything can happen. We already saw this over the opening two rounds where the scoring average went from 65.888 to an incredible 73.863. The opening round leaders Xinjun Zhang and Zecheng Dou backed up a 60 with an 80 to miss the cut. “There is going to be a lot of big stress out there for some guys on that alternate shot,â€� five-time PGA TOUR winner Jason Dufner said. “You could see it Friday, cut day.â€� But Kisner and Brown almost feel immune as they’ve known each other for decades. “We’ve been doing this for 20 years,” Kisner said. “We know each other pretty well. I think that’s why we gel so well together. “He knows I’m not going to be upset if he’s playing bad, or if I hit a bad shot he’s not going to be upset at me. What did they tell us, your bad shots are the other person’s problem, so have fun.â€� Dufner, who along with Pat Perez are one of the teams chasing the leaders, believes the three shots they have to make up could happen in a flash. They were one of the teams to battle on Friday, shooting even par. Of the top 13 teams on the leaderboard heading to Sunday, only Putnam and Kim broke 70 on Friday. “I’m sure there will be a little pressure, but we’ll be relying on each other, and hopefully have a good time there tomorrow,â€� Kim said. “I think we just got to keep our heads down and keep grinding. We’re both playing pretty good golf, so just shoot the best score we can,â€� Putnam added as they chase a maiden TOUR win. For Finau and Summerhays, the key to this week has been relying on their already great chemistry and not getting in each other’s way. “Last year we were kind of all up in each other’s space. Hey, come read this putt. Let’s read together. What do you think here?â€� Summerhays explained. “This year we’ve just completely backed off everything. I called Tony in to read one putt yesterday and that’s basically it. “It’s the underlying trust, right? He’s trying his darnedest to get me in a good spot. I think that’s the great thing about having a close friend. We’ve played so much golf together. There isn’t any of that judgment. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. I think it’s going to be difficult, but that’s what we do.â€� NOTABLES Jason Dufner and Pat Perez looked dangerous just three shots off the lead. The pair shot 61 on Saturday to rocket into contention. “Everybody is going to have six or seven birdies and probably no bogeys if they’re playing well,” Dufner said. “So just to get those extra couple long ones to drop, I think that was a big key today.” There are a bunch of international teams lurking at 16 under in a tie for eighth looking to keep America off the winners list since moving to a team format. South African Presidents Cup players Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, countrymen Retief Goosen and Tyrone Van Aswegen, Scotsman Martin Laird and Russell Knox plus Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Paisley are all ready to pounce. Olympic Gold and Silver medal winners Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are an outside chance at 15-under, five shots off the pace. Jason Day and Ryan Ruffels started hot on Saturday and looked like they could make a huge charge. However a double bogey on the ninth hole derailed their run, and they now sit near the back of the pack at 11-under. It was a rough day for Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson as they sat just one under through 13 holes. Three late birdies added some respectability to the score, but at 13-under and seven shots back they’ll need to go super low Sunday. Denny McCarthy and Joel Dahmen were the last partnership entered this week after Martin Pillar withdrew to be at the birth of his first child. The WD sent Dahmen into a duo with McCarthy and the pair shot 62 Saturday to have an outside chance at 15-under. QUOTABLES I was the horse and he was the jockey. When I got tired he decided to kick in the whip, and he kicked in the whip on himself.When you have hair like this you can pull it off.I had to kind of hold my laugh in while they were hitting. SUPERLATIVES Low Round: 11-under 61 – Three teams: Billy Horschel/Scott Piercy; Jason Dufner/Pat Perez; Brice Garnett/Chesson Hadley. Easiest Holes: Par-5 7th played at 4.250 as did the par-5 11th.  Each had two eagles and 23 birdies. Hardest Hole: Par-4 15th played exactly to par with five birdies and five bogeys.

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Round 3 of the Sony Open in Hawaii takes place today from Waialae Country Club. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Round 3 leaderboard Round 3 tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Sunday, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. (Golf Channel) Radio: Thursday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. ET. Sunday, 5 p.m.- 10 p.m. ET (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio). NOTABLE TEE TIMES (ALL TIMES EASTERN) Sam Ryder, Bo Hoag, Rob Oppenheim Saturday: 5:40 p.m. (No. 10 tee) Keegan Bradley, Russell Knox, Ryan Palmer Friday: 5:50 p.m. (No. 1 tee) Brendan Steele, Cameron Davis, Cameron Smith Friday: 6 p.m. (No. 1 tee) MUST READS Steele, Davis share 36-hole lead JT misses cut at Waialae Morikawa’s golf IQ is beyond his years TOUR players rally to Australian bushfire relief cause Q&A: Blair on architecture and returning to the TOUR Sign-up and play Fantasy Golf CALL OF THE DAY

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