Minjee Lee overcomes triple bogey at LA Open

MEXICO CITY – Jordan Spieth’s first round in nearly eight years with his father, Shawn, on the bag did not go as planned at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec. Spieth birdied the first hole but struggled to an opening-round 75 and was well back of leader Rory McIlroy (63). This after Michael Greller, Spieth’s regular caddie, flew home Wednesday to be with family after the death of his father, John “Bearâ€� Greller. “I wish I would have done more for him,â€� Spieth said of his father, who last caddied for him at the 2011 U.S. Amateur. “But glad he’s stepping in. Our bright moment was probably No. 1. Just trying to progress each day.â€� Spieth said Bear Greller had been in hospice, and Michael had visited him early last week. He and Spieth were caught by surprise to learn of his passing in Mexico. “I thought it would be sometime in the next month or so, based on how he was doing,â€� Spieth said. “It took a lot for (Michael Greller) to ask to go see him Monday and Tuesday of L.A., which it shouldn’t. That’s where he needed to be. When he said that, I knew it wasn’t good.â€� There was at least one bright spot Thursday: Shawn toted a lightweight carry bag instead of a staff bag, as he had for his son for nine holes Wednesday. He said he was the first option as a replacement, but not the only one. Asked what it felt like to caddie for his son, he spoke with a heavy heart. “I’ve got mixed emotions,â€� he said, “It’s great, but you want him to have his best chance, you know? When you’ve got your regular caddie, you’ve got your best chance.” “I learned a lot,â€� he added. “Hopefully that’ll help us down the road. It’s cool. It’s fun to get to do it. It’s a big stage for somebody that hasn’t caddied in six years.â€�   The Greller and Spieth families were close, as one might expect considering the long partnership. “Heavy heart for Michael and his family,â€� Christine Spieth, Jordan’s mother, wrote on Twitter. “Bear was a great father, husband, and grandfather. Heaven gained another angel!â€� Asked how well did he knew Greller’s father, Shawn said, “Fairly well. They’ve been together a long time now. He hadn’t been able to get out a lot in the last few years.â€� Jordan said the first of two services would be in Portland, and he’d been in touch with Greller. “Everyone is there,â€� Spieth said, “and he’s glad he’s there.â€�

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Play Yellow, a program benefitting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals), announced today its newest brand ambassador, two-time PGA TOUR winner John Senden. The Australian native joins fellow TOUR professionals Will McGirt and Will Gordon in support of Play Yellow and its mission to bring the entire golf world together to help the 10 million kids treated at CMN Hospitals each year. John’s efforts for Play Yellow will primarily benefit his local CMN Hospital, Children’s Health in Dallas, TX. Senden celebrated his 50th birthday earlier this month and will make his PGA TOUR Champions debut this week at the Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands, TX. The Senden family are passionate supporters of CMN Hospitals and Play Yellow. Their son, Jacob, was rushed to Children’s Medical Center Plano when he was 13 years old with a debilitating headache that scans revealed to be a brain tumor blocking fluid to the rest of his body. Clinicians sped Jacob to Children’s Medical Center Dallas where they were able to drain the fluid. In late April 2017, Jacob began treatment – which included six months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation – at Children’s Health to shrink the inoperable tumor lodged in his brain. John took a leave from the 2016-17 PGA TOUR season during Jacob’s treatment. Thanks to the dedicated staff at Children’s Health and the support of family and friends, Jacob’s treatment was successful. He now receives scans every three months to ensure the tumor isn’t growing. Eventually, that will drop to six months, then once a year and later every two years. “I am honored to become a National Brand Ambassador for CMN Hospital’s and Play Yellow,” Senden said. “I am so excited to join Jack and Barbara Nicklaus as Play Yellow Ambassadors. The tremendous work that Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals do to help and treat so many children is incredible, including my own son Jacob, who was 13 years of age when diagnosed with a rare malignant Brain Tumor. After spending nine months at Children’s Health in Dallas, we are so grateful and appreciate the work they do that is needed to give a child a chance to get healthy again. This was a life changing and traumatic event in our lives. So, this campaign is extremely inspiring to me and makes me very proud to be a passionate supporter for Play Yellow.” Launched in 2019 alongside Jack and Barbara Nicklaus and CMN Hospitals, Play Yellow strives to bring the entire golf world together and raise the critical funds needed by CMN Hospitals and the patients they serve. Like most nonprofits, children’s hospitals rely on donations. And because 37 million kids in the United States depend on public health insurance programs that don’t reimburse hospitals for the full cost of caring for these patients, the need for donations is even greater. Play Yellow brings golfers together for a good cause. Play Yellow was inspired by a family friend of Jack and Barbara Nicklaus named Craig Smith who was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma as a young teenager. As Craig battled cancer, Jack and Barbara looked to support him and his family. One way was for Jack to wear a shirt in Craig’s favorite color, yellow, which Craig said brought Jack luck from week to week. Over the years, Jack could be seen wearing yellow on tournament Sundays and major championship Sundays. Who can forget Sunday of the 1986 Masters Tournament when Jack wore a yellow shirt to honor Craig and went on to win his record sixth Green Jacket? Years later, Play Yellow was born. CMN Hospitals has raised more than $7 billion in unrestricted funds for 170 children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada. Changing kids’ health through children’s hospitals isn’t just about helping those in critical situations — it’s also about the research, preventative care, health and safety education that help build healthier communities. By improving medical treatments, equipment and facilities, children’s hospitals can not only address the most challenging health issues of our day, but also prevent and prepare for those to come. When we change kids’ health, we change the future — for all of us.

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Here are nine tidbits from the first round of the Valspar Championship that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida plays to 7,340 yards and is par-71. Know Thy Enemy These were the top-10 picked golfers in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. Each week there are always a few from the list above that don’t fire in Round 1. This week is not the exception as Stenson (74), Finau (74), McIlroy (74) and Spieth (76) did not pay off for investors on Thursday. People’s Choice: Sergio Garcia It looks like the #NappyFactor supporters are out in full force this week, and I’m on board as well. Garcia’s nous and ability to work the ball sticks out on difficult courses and the Copperhead Course more than qualifies. His opening round of 70 was one of 20 pros at -1 and included four circles against three squares without any “others”. The leaderboard today, similar to the parking lots and galleries, is packed tightly. Morning Show Corey Conners has appeared in this column a couple of times over the early part of the new season, so his name shouldn’t be unfamiliar to the regulars here. He opened with 67 (-4), the lowest round of the day, and was perfect until a bogey on his final hole. His key stat was ranking second in Strokes Gained: Putting. He’s made cuts in nine of 10 starts but the rookie’s best finish is just T29. Afternoon Edition Whereas Conners has never played this event, Nick Watney is more than comfortable on the Copperhead Course. He’s cashed in all of his previous 10 tries. He signed for the low round of the afternoon wave, 68 (-3), and that will put him in an excellent position to keep that perfect record intact. He’s posted five consecutive rounds in red numbers after his T14 last year. The key to his round today was sitting in the top 10 for both fairways hit (T9; 10 of 13) and GIR (T8; 12 of 18). Weather Report Suite The Copperhead Course played brutally difficult to open the proceedings. The greens are still growing in after being completely regrassed after the 2015 edition and are playing firm. The grain in the TifEagle Bermuda also makes for plenty of second-guessing on speed of putts. Throw in blustery and gusting winds and the field couldn’t hit 50 percent GIR. Even with four par-5 holes, there wasn’t much scoring throughout the afternoon with only 27 players breaking par. There were six pros that didn’t make a birdie today, including Ryder Cup studs Stenson, Ian Poulter (78) and Ross Fisher (76). Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth each made one. The course played +1.861 strokes above par. #Hard. The Tiger Factor The interesting question entering this week was how Tiger Woods would fare on a course he hasn’t played in over 20 years. His opening round 70 (-1) was under par and in his words, the hardest test of his season to date. He’s three shots off the lead and wasn’t near hitting top gear. His trusty flat stick ranked third in putts-per-GIR. The harder it plays, the better his chances as nobody grinds out rounds like he does. Collateral Damage I’m still trying to figure out how Sam Burns (T28, E) beat Woods by two shots two Sundays ago at The Honda Classic. He’s been the exception rather than the rule of Woods’ playing partners. I argued that the more experienced players could handle the circus but Stenson and Spieth didn’t keep up today. Stenson’s 74 was only his second round above par from 13 rounds and his worse by two. Spieth opened with 76 here last year and bounced back for 68. Last week he opened 70-67, so he’s a quick fix. Of his last nine rounds here, five are in the 60’s. I’m not panicking with either of these studs. Worry? Who Me? I’m trying to find angles to embrace as Rory McIlroy looks to get back into the top 10, let alone the winner’s circle. It’s not like he’s forgotten how to play the game but gamers are starting to wonder when the switch is going to flip. He teed it up three weeks in a row in February and never went lower than 68 and had more rounds above par than below it. This is his first trip to Innisbrook, and I thought a change of scenery and difficult track would be right up his alley. His opening round 74, with only six fairways and seven GIR, was saved by his ability to get up-and-down. He needed 14 putts on the seven greens he hit but just 12 on the 11 he didn’t. Please hold me. Study Hall For those of you who are invested with Bryson DeChambeau (No. 13 overall), it was mentioned during the broadcast that his back was bothering him. His opening round 76 didn’t inspire. … Kevin Na withdrew before his tee time in the afternoon wave. There are plenty of you who were pinched today that shouldn’t be tomorrow. … Jimmy Walker (69) and Luke Donald (70) signed the only clean cards on the day. Harold Varner III didn’t make a bogey, but his double disqualified him from joining this duo. Walker and Donald combined for 33 pars and three birdies. … Emiliano Grillo continues his very temperate form, as he’s the leader at the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi after 65. … Tweet of the Day

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