Officialsportsbetting.com Golf Betting Matt Kuchar, Ian Poulter happy to get Round 2 in at RBC Heritage

Matt Kuchar, Ian Poulter happy to get Round 2 in at RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD, S.C. – Matt Kuchar was planning to trade his golf clubs for a couch and a remote control on Friday afternoon. Ian Poulter had a similarly “chillâ€� agenda now that he was safely past the midway point of the RBC Heritage. The two were among the lucky souls who completed 18 holes before the horn sounded to suspend play as a band of strong thunderstorms was converged on Harbour Town Golf Links. That is, if you consider playing in swirling, gusting, blow-your-visor-off 30 mph winds lucky. “Certainly, glad that I came in with a decent number,â€� said Kuchar, who shot his second-straight 69. “… It’s one of those struggling days where you have gone through your own struggles and (it’s) fun to watch your friends go through it, as well.â€� RELATED: Leaderboard | Tee times Play was suspended at 12:48 p.m. ET. Eight groups in the morning wave were stranded on the course and 10 in the afternoon segment had yet to even tee off. Play didn’t resume again until 4:30 p.m. Shane Lowry, the overnight leader, birdied his first two holes before the suspension and was 9 under with two holes left when play was called for the night. He was one ahead of Trey Mulllinax and two up on Dustin Johnson and Emiliano Grillo, who both battled to 67s in the challenging morning wave. Poulter also shot 67 and was in what turned out to be a big tie at 5 under at the end of the stop-and-start day. “I’ve done my bit and now I can relax,â€� Poulter said. Grillo had the shot of the day – and likely the week – when he made an albatross on the fifth hole. He used a hybrid from 254-yards for the rarest of shots, making the second one of his career. “It was perfect,â€� Grillo said. “It was perfect distance. Perfect wind. It went in, I think, perfectly. It was one of those that I’ll keep in my memory for a long time.â€� The albatross fueled a 31 on the front, his second nine of the day, that more than compensated for consecutive bogeys to start the day and moved him to 7 under. The 26-year-old finished with a flourish, too, holing a 22-footer from off the green for his third birdie of the difficult day. “It was very tough,â€� Grillo said. “It’s very tricky, because there’s so many holes you’re playing through the trees that you feel like the wind is into you or it’s downwind. The wind feels coming from different places and sometimes it’s not as strong through the trees. It’s very difficult judging it. â€�Poulter, who made six birdies and two bogeys on Friday, agreed. “These are the smallest green complexes we have all year, and when you have a wind that’s 25 mile an hour, and if it drops, it’s easy to miss these greens,â€� he said. “Easy to get in a lot of trouble. So, you’ve just got to be patient, take your time, know you’re not going to hit a lot of greens in regulation.â€� Poulter hit 10 and wielded a steady putter, needing just 26 strokes on the green. He came to Harbour Town, where he shared seventh last year, off a solid Masters performance with a tie for 12th. “I’ve had some decent rounds around this place,â€� Poulter says. “I haven’t really finished the week off properly yet. I feel this is a good golf course. It’s nice to get here after Augusta, to get a little relaxation in. Last week was very tiring. This golf course is one I’ve played many times and I enjoy it.â€�

Click here to read the full article

Having problems finding out how match bonuses work? Check this guide on match deposit bonuses at our partner site Hypercasinos.com!

KLM Open
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen+1600
Haotong Li+2200
Joost Luiten+2200
Keita Nakajima+2500
Sam Bairstow+2500
Laurie Canter+2800
Eugenio Chacarra+3000
Ewen Ferguson+3000
Kristoffer Reitan+3000
Thriston Lawrence+3000
Click here for more...
RBC Canadian Open
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Rory McIlroy+450
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Corey Conners+1800
Shane Lowry+2000
Taylor Pendrith+2200
Sam Burns+2500
Robert MacIntyre+2800
Nick Taylor+3500
Sungjae Im+3500
Luke Clanton+4000
Click here for more...
Tournament Match-Ups - L. Clanton vs T. Olesen
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Luke Clanton-120
Thorbjorn Olesen-110
Tournament Match-Ups - C. Conners vs S. Lowry
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Corey Conners-120
Shane Lowry-110
Tournament Match-Ups - H. Hall vs N. Taylor
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Nick Taylor-120
Harry Hall-110
Tournament Match-Ups - K. Mitchell vs M. Hughes
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Keith Mitchell-115
Mackenzie Hughes-115
Tournament Match-Ups - S. Burns vs S. Im
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Sam Burns-125
Sungjae Im-105
Tournament Match-Ups - J. Keefer vs K. Kitayama
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Johnny Keefer-115
Kurt Kitayama-115
Tournament Match-Ups - R. McIlroy vs L. Aberg
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Rory McIlroy-200
Ludvig Aberg+150
Tournament Match-Ups - R. Hisatsune vs T. Moore
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Ryo Hisatsune-120
Taylor Moore-110
Tournament Match-Ups - A. Noren vs G. Woodland
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Alex Noren-145
Gary Woodland+110
Tournament Match-Ups - R. MacIntyre vs T. Pendrith
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Taylor Pendrith-120
Robert MacIntyre-110
Tournament Match-Ups - A. Smalley vs D. Ghim
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Alex Smalley-150
Doug Ghim+115
Tournament Match-Ups - M. Wallace vs R. Fox
Type: Tournament Match-Ups - Status: OPEN
Ryan Fox-130
Matt Wallace+100
Tournament Match-Ups - G. Sargent v L. Clanton
Type: Requests - Status: OPEN
Luke Clanton-400
Gordon Sargent+275
Tournament Match-Ups - G. Sargent v D. Ford
Type: Requests - Status: OPEN
David Ford-150
Gordon Sargent+115
Tournament Match-Ups - G. Sargent v J. Suber
Type: Requests - Status: OPEN
Gordon Sargent-125
Jackson Suber-105
Rory McIlroy
Type: Rory McIlroy - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-110
Top 10 Finish-225
Top 20 Finish-450
Top 40 Finish-800
Rory McIlroy - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Rory McIlroy - Status: OPEN
Make-1200
Miss+650
Ludvig Aberg
Type: Ludvig Aberg - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+250
Top 10 Finish+110
Top 20 Finish-200
Top 40 Finish-325
Ludvig Aberg - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Ludvig Aberg - Status: OPEN
Make-500
Miss+325
Corey Conners
Type: Corey Conners - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+300
Top 10 Finish+150
Top 20 Finish-150
Top 40 Finish-275
Corey Conners - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Corey Conners - Status: OPEN
Make-450
Miss+300
Shane Lowry
Type: Shane Lowry - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+350
Top 10 Finish+160
Top 20 Finish-140
Top 40 Finish-240
Shane Lowry - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Shane Lowry - Status: OPEN
Make-450
Miss+300
Taylor Pendrith
Type: Taylor Pendrith - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+375
Top 10 Finish+180
Top 20 Finish-120
Top 40 Finish-210
Taylor Pendrith - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Taylor Pendrith - Status: OPEN
Make-350
Miss+250
Sam Burns
Type: Sam Burns - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+400
Top 10 Finish+200
Top 20 Finish-110
Top 40 Finish-200
Sam Burns - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Sam Burns - Status: OPEN
Make-350
Miss+250
Robert MacIntyre
Type: Robert MacIntyre - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+450
Top 10 Finish+225
Top 20 Finish+100
Top 40 Finish-200
Robert MacIntyre - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Robert MacIntyre - Status: OPEN
Make-350
Miss+250
Nick Taylor
Type: Nick Taylor - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+550
Top 10 Finish+250
Top 20 Finish+110
Top 40 Finish-165
Nick Taylor - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Nick Taylor - Status: OPEN
Make-275
Miss+200
Sungjae Im
Type: Sungjae Im - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+550
Top 10 Finish+250
Top 20 Finish+115
Top 40 Finish-175
Sungjae Im - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Sungjae Im - Status: OPEN
Make-275
Miss+200
Luke Clanton
Type: Luke Clanton - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+650
Top 10 Finish+300
Top 20 Finish+120
Top 40 Finish-165
Luke Clanton - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Luke Clanton - Status: OPEN
Make-250
Miss+180
Mackenzie Hughes
Type: Mackenzie Hughes - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+650
Top 10 Finish+300
Top 20 Finish+120
Top 40 Finish-140
Mackenzie Hughes - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Mackenzie Hughes - Status: OPEN
Make-250
Miss+180
Harry Hall
Type: Harry Hall - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+700
Top 10 Finish+325
Top 20 Finish+130
Top 40 Finish-140
Keith Mitchell - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Keith Mitchell - Status: OPEN
Make-250
Miss+180
Keith Mitchell
Type: Keith Mitchell - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+700
Top 10 Finish+325
Top 20 Finish+130
Top 40 Finish-140
Harry Hall - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Harry Hall - Status: OPEN
Make-250
Miss+180
Alex Noren
Type: Alex Noren - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+800
Top 10 Finish+375
Top 20 Finish+150
Top 40 Finish-130
Alex Noren - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Alex Noren - Status: OPEN
Make-225
Miss+165
Ryan Fox
Type: Ryan Fox - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+900
Top 10 Finish+400
Top 20 Finish+175
Top 40 Finish-130
Thorbjorn Olesen - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Thorbjorn Olesen - Status: OPEN
Make-225
Miss+165
Thorbjorn Olesen
Type: Thorbjorn Olesen - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+900
Top 10 Finish+400
Top 20 Finish+175
Top 40 Finish-130
Ryan Fox - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Ryan Fox - Status: OPEN
Make-225
Miss+165
Wyndham Clark
Type: Wyndham Clark - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+900
Top 10 Finish+400
Top 20 Finish+175
Top 40 Finish-115
Alex Smalley - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Alex Smalley - Status: OPEN
Make-225
Miss+165
Cameron Young
Type: Cameron Young - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1000
Top 10 Finish+450
Top 20 Finish+180
Top 40 Finish-115
Kurt Kitayama - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Kurt Kitayama - Status: OPEN
Make-225
Miss+165
Gary Woodland
Type: Gary Woodland - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1000
Top 10 Finish+450
Top 20 Finish+180
Top 40 Finish-110
Wyndham Clark - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Wyndham Clark - Status: OPEN
Make-225
Miss+165
Johnny Keefer
Type: Johnny Keefer - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1000
Top 10 Finish+450
Top 20 Finish+180
Top 40 Finish-115
Gary Woodland - Make Cut / Miss Cut
Type: Gary Woodland - Status: OPEN
Make-200
Miss+150
Matt Wallace
Type: Matt Wallace - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1000
Top 10 Finish+450
Top 20 Finish+180
Top 40 Finish-110
Alex Smalley
Type: Alex Smalley - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1100
Top 10 Finish+475
Top 20 Finish+190
Top 40 Finish-115
Kurt Kitayama
Type: Kurt Kitayama - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1000
Top 10 Finish+450
Top 20 Finish+180
Top 40 Finish-115
Chris Gotterup
Type: Chris Gotterup - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1100
Top 10 Finish+500
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-110
Jake Knapp
Type: Jake Knapp - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1100
Top 10 Finish+500
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+100
Justin Rose
Type: Justin Rose - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1100
Top 10 Finish+500
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-110
Max Homa
Type: Max Homa - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1100
Top 10 Finish+500
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-110
Rasmus Hojgaard
Type: Rasmus Hojgaard - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1100
Top 10 Finish+500
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-115
Ryo Hisatsune
Type: Ryo Hisatsune - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+500
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-105
Davis Riley
Type: Davis Riley - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-105
Eric Cole
Type: Eric Cole - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-105
Erik Van Rooyen
Type: Erik Van Rooyen - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-105
Kevin Yu
Type: Kevin Yu - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+100
Matti Schmid
Type: Matti Schmid - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+250
Top 40 Finish-105
Nicolai Hojgaard
Type: Nicolai Hojgaard - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+105
Niklas Norgaard
Type: Niklas Norgaard - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+105
Sahith Theegala
Type: Sahith Theegala - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+105
Taylor Moore
Type: Taylor Moore - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+100
Thomas Detry
Type: Thomas Detry - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish-120
Tom Kim
Type: Tom Kim - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+1200
Top 10 Finish+550
Top 20 Finish+225
Top 40 Finish+110
BMW Charity Pro-Am
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Adrien DuMont De Chassart+2000
Pierceson Coody+2000
Seonghyeon Kim+2000
Trace Crowe+2000
Mitchell Meissner+2500
Hank Lebioda+3000
Pontus Nyholm+3000
Seungtaek Lee+3000
Davis Chatfield+3500
Ross Steelman+3500
Click here for more...
ShopRite LPGA Classic
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Nelly Korda+550
Jeeno Thitikul+700
Jin Young Ko+1100
Rio Takeda+1200
Miyu Yamashita+1400
Ayaka Furue+1600
Chisato Iwai+1600
Mao Saigo+1600
Somi Lee+2200
Jin Hee Im+2500
Click here for more...
American Family Insurance Championship
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Alker/Langer+550
Cejka/Kjeldsen+750
Kelly/Leonard+1000
Bjorn/Clarke+1100
Cabrera/Gonzalez+1100
Cink/Toms+1400
Stricker/Tiziani+1400
Allan/Chalmers+1600
Green/Hensby+1800
Wi/Yang+1800
Click here for more...
Virginia
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+450
Jon Rahm+550
Joaquin Niemann+650
Tyrrell Hatton+1200
Patrick Reed+2000
Carlos Ortiz+2200
Lucas Herbert+2200
Cameron Smith+2500
David Puig+2500
Sergio Garcia+2500
Click here for more...
Major Specials 2025
Type: To Win A Major 2025 - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+500
Jon Rahm+750
Collin Morikawa+900
Xander Schauffele+900
Ludvig Aberg+1000
Justin Thomas+1100
Joaquin Niemann+1400
Shane Lowry+1600
Tommy Fleetwood+1800
Tyrrell Hatton+1800
Click here for more...
US Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+275
Rory McIlroy+650
Bryson DeChambeau+800
Jon Rahm+1200
Xander Schauffele+2000
Collin Morikawa+2500
Ludvig Aberg+2500
Justin Thomas+3000
Brooks Koepka+4000
Hideki Matsuyama+4000
Click here for more...
The Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+400
Rory McIlroy+500
Xander Schauffele+1200
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Collin Morikawa+1600
Jon Rahm+1600
Bryson DeChambeau+2000
Shane Lowry+2500
Tommy Fleetwood+2500
Tyrrell Hatton+2500
Click here for more...
Ryder Cup 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
USA-150
Europe+140
Tie+1200

Related Post

Horses for Courses: The TOUR ChampionshipHorses for Courses: The TOUR Championship

Time for the final delivery in the FedExCup Playoffs as the top 30 players tee it up this week at East Lake Golf Club outside Atlanta. Bobby Jones’ East Lake Golf Club has been the only host to the FedExCup finale since it was introduced in 2007. Stretching to 7,346 (Par-70) this Tom Bendelow-Donald Ross-Rees Jones will reward those who find the Zoysia fairways and won’t have to judge fliers out of the nest-like Bermuda rough. No crowds this year also means no trampling of the rough so crooked shots could be penalized even more as they dive into the Bermuda. Once on the mini-verde Ultra dwarf Bermuda greens, keeping the ball below the hole is the only way to score. Putts above the hole will test the nerves as Bermuda will push 13 feet on the Stimpmeter. The 6,000-square foot complexes will give plenty of room to bail out but the more accurate iron players will be able to attack. First time on Bermuda since Wyndham as well! The way to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow this week will require solid ball-striking tee-to-green and grinding out pars. Henrik Stenson’s tournament record of 13-under was matched last year by Rory McIlroy extending the streak of winners to four who were double digits under par. You’ll have to do your own math on the scoreboard as the field will be assigned a score based on their final ranking before the event starts. It’s pretty simple to follow: lowest score wins! A five-year exemption on TOUR will also accompany the bonus money so there’s plenty to fight for over 72 holes starting Friday and ending on Labor Day Monday. Of the 30 players, 21 return to East Lake while almost a third of the field is first time participants. Recent Winners at East Lake 2019: Rory McIlroy (-18) Began the event on 5-under in fifth place. … Posted 13-under over four rounds to win by four. … Sat two back after 54 holes. … Led the field in Strokes-Gained: Off-the-Tee, Tee-to-Green, Par-5 scoring, Driving Distance and was T1 in Bogey Avoidance. … Only player to post four rounds in the 60s. … Joins Tiger Woods as only multiple FedExCup winner. … Will look to become the first to win three. … No player has defended the FedExCup. … No player has defended a FedExCup event. Notables Playing This Week: 2017 tournament champion Xander Schauffele led by one after 54 holes before cashing second. … Schauffele’s 64 to open was the low round of the week. … 2017 FedExCup Champion Justin Thomas (T3) led the field in Strokes-Gained: Around the Green and was second in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. … Tony Finau (T7) posted his second top 10 in three years. … Kevin Kisner (T9) and Hideki Matsuyama (T9) collected second consecutive top 10s while Patrick Reed (T9) posted a career-best payday. … Only seven players made LESS than 10 bogeys. 2018: Tiger Woods (-11) Went wire-to-wire to win for the second time but the FedExCup trophy went to Justin Rose (T4) on total points. This is why the system finally changed last year! … Only winner in the last four years NOT to lead Strokes-Gained: Off the Tee (6th). … Only winner in four not to finish in the top 2 of Strokes-Gained: Tee to Green (7th). … Led the field in Bogey Avoidance, Scrambling and Putting: Birdie or Better Percentage. Notables Playing This Week: 2014 FedExCup champion Billy Horschel (2nd) picked up his third top 10 in three starts. … Dustin Johnson (3rd) cashed his best finish and fifth top 10 in nine trips. … Hideki Matsuyama and Webb Simpson shared fourth. … McIlroy, Schauffele and Thomas rounded off the top 10 at T7. … 65 was the lowest round of the week. 2017: Xander Schauffele (-12) Rookie debutant posted all four rounds in the 60s to win by two. … Justin Thomas, who finished second, won the FedExCup Playoffs. … Led the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and was second Tee to Green. … Third in Ball-Striking. … Won Greenbrier earlier that year. Notables: Four players finished double digits under par including Kevin Kisner (T3). … Tony Finau and Jon Rahm each debuted with T7 and haven’t missed a TOUR Championship since. Key stat leaders Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. * – Previous FedExCup event winner Strokes-Gained: Tee to Green 1 *Justin Thomas 2 Hideki Matsuyama 3 *Rory McIlroy 4 Collin Morikawa 5 *Jon Rahm 7 *Xander Schauffele 8 Tony Finau 10 Daniel Berger 11 *Dustin Johnson 12 *Webb Simpson 14 Tyrrell Hatton 15 Scottie Scheffler 17 *Bryson DeChambeau 19 Harris English 20 Joaquin Niemann 23 Viktor Hovland 25 Ryan Palmer 28 *Patrick Reed Ball-Striking 3 *Jon Rahm 4 *Webb Simpson 8 *Xander Schauffele 11 Harris English 14 *Dustin Johnson 16 *Scottie Scheffler 21 Collin Morikawa 22 Tyrrell Hatton 35 *Bryson DeChambeau 39 Daniel Berger 39 Viktor Hovland 47 *Justin Thomas 48 *Rory McIlroy 48 *Billy Horschel Bogey Avoidance 1 *Webb Simpson 2 Harris English 3 *Jon Rahm 5 *Xander Schauffele 6 *Bryson DeChambeau 8 Daniel Berger 9 *Justin Thomas 11 Abraham Ancer 20 Tyrrell Hatton 21 Hideki Matsuyama 23 Brendon Todd 25 Tony Finau 27 Kevin Kisner 34 Sungjae Im Frequent Fliers (previous visits) Dustin Johnson (10): Only one podium finish but has cashed half of his trips inside the top 10. Webb Simpson (7): T4 in 2018 is the best over the last three years bookended by T16 last year and T13 in 2017. Rory McIlroy (6): Twice a winner and five times in the top 10 ends any speculation. Patrick Reed (6): T9 suggests he might have finally figured it out. Hideki Matsuyama (6): Streaking with consecutive top 10s and his seventh consecutive appearance, as noted above. Giddy Up Justin Thomas (4): 34-under the last four years (68.50); winner of the FedExCup Playoff but never the event as he’s cashed T3-T7-2nd-T6. Xander Schauffele (3): Win, T7 and second. 67.75 stroke average and nothing above 70. Billy Horschel (3): T7 on debut followed up with the 2014 title; 2nd 2018 and worst round of 12 is 71. Caution Kevin Na (6): Only six rounds in the red with T16 the best of the six trips. Marc Leishman (4): Only four rounds of 16 attempts in the red; best payday T21. Daniel Berger (3): T12 on debut followed by T15 and 15th. Bryson DeChambeau (2): Starting to figure it out as T12 last year followed T19 in 2018.

Click here to read the full article

Si Woo Kim starts strong in title defenseSi Woo Kim starts strong in title defense

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – History does not favor Si Woo Kim this week. No champion of THE PLAYERS Championship has successfully defended in the 44 years of the tournament. The best result by a defending champ are the T-5s posted by Jack Nicklaus (1977), Tom Kite (1990) and Hal Sutton (2001). More to the point, the defending champ rarely finds himself in contention, and is more apt to miss the cut. Since Sutton’s result, the last 16 results by the defending PLAYERS champ includes four missed cuts, a WD, a DNP and just one top-10 finish – by Adam Scott, who tied for eighth in 2005. A year ago, Jason Day tied for 60th after shooting a final-round 80. Meanwhile, Kim became the youngest champ in PLAYERS history, winning by three strokes. It was an unexpected victory – and Kim continued to produce the unexpected Thursday. His 5-under 67 is the lowest opening score by a defending champ since the tournament moved to TPC Sawgrass in 1982. Had he not stumbled down the stretch with bogeys in two of his last three holes, he would’ve been the first-round leader. “I played great,� said the 22-year-old Korean, who began his round off the 10th tee and was a bogey-free 7 under for his first 14 holes. “… I liked the score in the first round, but I can hit it better.� Day arrived at TPC Sawgrass in 2017 still dealing with issues involving his mother’s battle with cancer. It did not leave him in the proper frame of mind to defend, but he also acknowledged that it’s difficult to defend in a tournament that produces the best field of the season. “This tournament is heightened,� he said. “The level of it just goes up every single year. I think it gets closer and closer to a major championship feel every single year that we play, and I feel like a lot of the guys think that it’s a major championship.� And just like a major, there are few successful defenses. The last one came at the Open Championship in 2008 when Padraig Harrington won at Royal Birkdale. Since the end of World War II, a total of 289 majors have been played – and the defending champ has won just 14 times, a success rate of less than 5 percent. Of course, that’s still better than the zero percent for defending PLAYERS champ. Asked after his round Thursday about what it would mean to be the first player to achieve that feat, Kim replied, “I feel like it would be dreaming, but that’s too hard. This is just the first round. I’m going to keep working hard.� Probably a wise move. Not only is he battling the best field in golf, he’s battling history. Notables Bubba Watson has made 10 starts at TPC Sawgrass. His best result was a T-37 in 2013. But his opening 68 – which ties for his lowest score in his last 21 rounds here – has him on personal-best pace. “Every time I come here, I’m just trying to beat 37,� Watson said. “I’m no good around this place. It’s very difficult for me because of the sights off the tee, some of the trees. It makes me fear hitting shots that I want to hit.� On Thursday he hit a respectable 10 fairways and 13 greens. Rule, Britannia? The English group of Justin Rose (68), Tommy Fleetwood (69) and Ian Poulter (70) combined for 9 under. Neither Poulter nor Rose, the two veterans, could ever remember playing in an all-English threesome at a PGA TOUR event. “I was alerted by the TOUR maybe last week some time that they were thinking about that group,� Rose said. “It was exciting to hear it.� It’ll be even more exciting if at least one of them can remain in contention Sunday, especially since no Englishman has ever won THE PLAYERS. Webb Simpson was among the attendees for a dinner local resident Jim Furyk hosted at his house Wednesday night for Ryder Cup hopefuls. Simpson is 23rd in the U.S. standings, but his 6-under 66 no doubt caught the captain’s attention. “I’ve still got a lot of work to do to get on the team, but it was nice to be there,� Simpson said. Jordan Spieth opened bogey-bogey-eagle-double en route to a 3-over 75. It wasn’t as bad it looked, though. During one three-hole stretch, he said he “lost three strokes with a total of 6 feet in the landing zone� and added that other than two bad swings, he “played good golf and just didn’t get rewarded for it.� Brooks Koepka, who recently returned to action after missing most of this year with an injured left wrist, re-aggravated the problem when he stopped in mid-swing during a practice session Wednesday in order to avoid a cart driver who had accidentally driven in front of him 15 yards away. “It’s the first time my strength actually backfired, to be strong enough to actually stop it,� said Koepka, who was hitting 3-iron stingers to practice for shots needed at the 18th hole. “He would’ve been dead. It was perfect timing.� Koepka iced the wrist overnight, then shot a bogey-free 2-under 70. Quotables My cut-to-top-6 ratio is pretty good.It’s hard not to have a smile on your face when you shoot 5 under at this place.I really don’t think I have anything to work on this afternoon. I think it’s time to go to the beach with the kids.

Click here to read the full article