Low 60s become a habit for Kevin Na at Colonial Country Club

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BETHESDA, Md. – Tiger Woods has cranked up his putter and pushed his way into contention after a 5-under 65 in the second round at the Quicken Loans National. After making just 48 feet, 7 inches of putts in Thursday’s opening 70, Woods rammed home 122 feet, 5 inches of them on Friday to move to 5 under for the tournament and just four shots off the clubhouse lead through the morning wave. While his putter was decidedly better, it was a chip-in on the 18th hole, his ninth of the round, that really kick-started the 79-time PGA TOUR winner’s charge. Coming off a three-putt bogey on the 17th, Woods missed the 18th green short and to the right but then clipped his wedge shot perfectly for birdie. It meant he turned in 2 under and made three more birdies in the next five holes to ride the momentum and have him in striking distance. “I was hitting that shot in the practice round and it’s exactly the same shot and it was pretty sweet because I was just trying to hit kind of a high cut spinner in there and it worked out perfectly,â€� Woods said of his chip. Woods had defiantly stated he putted well on Thursday despite ranking 92nd of 120 players in Strokes Gained: Putting. He reiterated that on Friday when he finished his round ranked fifth in the same stat of those playing the morning wave. After years of using a blade-style putter, the 42-year-old switched to a mallet style this week. “I tried to clean up my ball‑striking a little bit and continue doing what I was doing on the greens yesterday,â€� Woods said of his round. “I hit a lot of good putts (yesterday), they just didn’t go in. I started on my line with the right pace and today I did that and a lot of them fell. “I haven’t done that in probably about four tournaments, they’re going to start falling and today they fell.â€� Perhaps the important part of the round was the final two holes where he got up and down for par from bunkers. It enabled Woods to put TOUR win No. 80 firmly in his sights. But with temperatures expected to soar over the weekend it is going to be tough for all competitors. Woods was tied for second through 36 holes at the Valspar Championship earlier this season and would go on to be runner-up. He started the weekend just two shots back. In all his other starts, he’s had to climb from well back to get into contention. “I didn’t want to lose it on the last couple holes … I could have easily lost it but I made two nice saves,â€� Woods added. “I’m not that far away from putting it together where I can win. Right now, I’m only four back. I’m in a similar position to where I was at Valspar. The scores aren’t going to be that low and it’s going to be a tough weekend. “It’s going to be hot, it’s going to be long grinds. It will be hotter than now, which is scary. It will be over 100 degrees and it will be a long weekend mentally and physically. I’m in a good position.â€�

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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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