McIlroy doing everything right … but winning

Tiger Woods scuffled to a 40 on his opening nine holes Saturday, erasing the momentum he created in the opening two rounds of the Hero World Challenge. He finished the day with a 3-over 75 and is 10 shots behind leader Charley Hoffman.

Click here to read the full article…

• COURSE: TPC Southwind, 7,244 yards, par 70. The former dairy farm southeast of Memphis has been the St. Jude Classic’s home since 1989, as Ron Prichard teamed with former U.S. Open champions Hubert Green and Fuzzy Zoeller on a layout that winds through natural lakes, streams and ponds. Loren Roberts oversaw a 2004 upgrade that removed dozens of trees and replaced Southwind’s bentgrass greens with more heat-tolerant bermuda. Southwind’s par-3 11th hole draws comparisons with the famed 17th at TPC Sawgrass, requiring a short iron over water to a small island green. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. • CHARITY: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, established by the late entertainer Danny Thomas to find cures for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Since joining forces in 1970, the tournament has raised more than $33 million for hospital research. • FIELD WATCH: Adam Scott, returning to Memphis for the first time in a decade, is joined by Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson to headline the final tuneup before the U.S. Open. … Overall, the field features eight of the top 30 in the latest world rankings. … Braden Thornberry, the newly crowned NCAA individual champion for Ole Miss, will tee it up on a sponsor exemption. It’s the first chance Thornberry gets to test himself against TOUR competition. … Former Florida standout Sam Horsfield also is set to make his professional debut, and David Duval will come out of the broadcast booth for his second start of 2017. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 258, John Cook (1996). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 59, Al Geiberger (2nd round, 1977 at Colonial CC). TPC Southwind record: 61, Jay Delsing (4th round, 1993), Bob Estes (1st round, 2001). • LAST YEAR: Daniel Berger captured his first PGA TOUR title, withstanding Phil Mickelson’s needle during a lengthy rain delay and later his challenge on the back nine for a three-shot win. Berger, playing in his first final pairing, struck only three shots before storms hit TPC Southwind and sent everyone back to the clubhouse. It was there that Mickelson ribbed Berger about taking Rookie of the Year honors without a victory, which might have a lit a spark. Berger still had to stave off Brooks Koepka, who briefly drew even on the front nine, and Mickelson’s foray that drew him within one with seven holes to play. Three birdies in a four-hole span finally gave Berger some breathing room, shooting a 67 for a total of 13-under-par 267. Mickelson (67), Koepka (66) and Steve Stricker (67) shared second. • STORYLINES: Mickelson, a Sunday factor each of the past four years without victory, tries again as he sharpens his game ahead of the only major he hasn’t won. The Hall of Famer hasn’t missed a cut since last year’s playoffs, but his last top-10 was a quarterfinal berth at the WGC Dell Match Play. … Scott, who switched up his schedule this year with an eye on better showings in majors, seeks his first victory since winning back-to-back weeks on last year’s Florida Swing. The Aussie was sixth at THE PLAYERS last month. … A U.S. Open berth remains available for anyone who moves into the top 60 of the world rankings after the St. Jude’s conclusion. Among those hoping to move up: Tony Finau and James Hahn, third at the AT&T Byron Nelson. • SHORT CHIPS: No winner of the PGA TOUR stop preceding the U.S. Open has gone on to capture the Open. Overall, just 11 men have claimed a major the week after winning on TOUR, last accomplished by Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship). … Berger was the fourth St. Jude winner in the past six to make it his first TOUR victory, joining Harrison Fraser (2011), Harris English (2013) and Fabian Gomez (2015). … David Toms, a two-time St. Jude champion and its all-time earnings leader, will not add to his run of 25 consecutive starts. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). • PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (featured groups), 4-7 p.m. (featured holes). • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com). For more on all the courses in the TPC network, visit TPC.com. 

Click here to read the full article…

Medicals extensions in order of the 2020-21 PGA TOUR Priority Ranking ^ – Qualified for conditional status if he fails to meet the terms on his medical. & – Grayson Murray is fully exempt as a 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Finals graduate, so he will play out of no worse than Category No. 27 in the Priority Ranking. However, if he meets the terms of his medical, he’ll remain in Category No. 22. % – Conditionally exempt in Category 32 of the Priority Ranking. However, if he meets the terms of his medical, he’ll be promoted to Category No. 22. • Tim Wilkinson ... In the only start on his Minor Medical Extension, he finished in an eight-way T36 at the Safeway Open. He fell 76.897 FedExCup points shy of earning a promotion, so he will play out of no worse than Category No. 27 in the Priority Ranking for the remainder of the season. • Branden Grace ... In the last start on his Minor Medical Extension, he missed the cut at the 2020 U.S. Open. He fell 114.684 FedExCup points shy of earning a promotion, so he will play out of no worse than Category No. 27 in the Priority Ranking for the remainder of the season. • Hudson Swafford ... In the second-to-last start on his Major Medical Extension, he won the 2020 Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. As a result, he will play out of no worse than Category No. 9 in the Priority Ranking for the remainder of the season. • Vincent Whaley ... In the last start on his Minor Medical Extension, he finished in a five-way T28 at the 2020 Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. He fell 107.634 FedExCup points shy of earnings a promotion, so he will play out of no worse than Category No. 27 in the Priority Ranking for the remainder of the season. • Nick Watney ... In the last start on his Minor Medical Extension, he missed the cut at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He fell 14.101 FedExCup points shy of earning a promotion, so he will play out of no worse than Category No. 27 in the Priority Ranking for the remainder of the season. • Greg Chalmers ... In the last start on his Major Medical Extension, he finished in an eight-way T50 at the Vivint Houston Open. He fell 234.244 FedExCup points shy of fulfilling its terms and 122.922 FedExCup points short of securing conditional status. As a result, the Past Champion has been demoted to Category 34 in the Priority Ranking. NOTE: None are in the field at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. * – Because the FedExCup points structure was modified for the 2016-17 season, when golfers on medicals granted to time missed before the conversion earn FedExCup points in a tournament in 2019-20, they will be credited with the values distributed through the 2015-16 season. Thus, both “FedExCup points earned” and “FedExCup points remaining” for these golfers reflect the distribution through 2015-16 and not actual points earned that apply to their FedExCup ranking in the 2019-20 season.

Click here to read the full article…