Nicklaus planning renovation of Muirfield Village after 2020 Memorial

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – His playing partners asked him to touch their putters, hoping that some of the magic would rub off. They compared him to Ty Webb. An incredible performance on the greens sent Simpson into unprecedented territory at THE PLAYERS Championship. The Stadium Course may have reined him in on its most infamous hole, but he still tied the course record. Simpson shot 63 in the second round to take a five-shot lead at THE PLAYERS Championship. He put his name in the record books despite a double-bogey at the 17th hole, where an inconsistent wind and inconvenient yardage led to a ball in the water. Simpson’s 15-under 129 also tied the tournament record for low 36-hole score. Friday’s round, the lowest of the day by three shots, was so impressive that it drew the admiration of his competition. Jordan Spieth called it “amazing.â€� Justin Rose called it a “miracle round.â€� When Simpson arrived at the 17th tee late Friday afternoon, he had recorded just 19 putts (he holed two more from off the green). He was 11 under par for the day, seven shots ahead of the field, and the first person with a chance to break 60 on the Stadium Course. “I heard someone yell out, ’59!’ and I was like, ‘What is that idiot talking about?’ said Simpson’s caddie, Paul Tesori. “You don’t expect to get on runs like that on this golf course.â€� Even Pete Dye’s penal design is no match for a man with a hot putter. Simpson needed just 23 putts Friday, and he gained 4.92 strokes on the greens. Of the 10 putts he holed Friday for birdie or eagle, seven of those putts were longer than 14 feet. Three were longer than 20 feet. Only two of them were shorter than five feet, and both of those came on par-5s. “It was a lot of fun. I felt like everything was working today. Putts that I’m just trying to get close are going in. I kind of rode the momentum and kept going,â€� Simpson said. He made the turn in 5-under 31 after an eagle at the par-5 second hole – where he holed a 34-foot putt – and birdies at 5, 7 and 9. All three of his birdie putts on the front nine were longer than 10 feet. Things got silly on the second nine. He made six consecutive birdies on Nos. 11-16, holing two putts from off the green in that stretch. The second one, from long of the 15th green, caused Simpson, Tesori and his fellow competitors to laugh. The ball was running hot when it hit the back of the hole and dropped in the hole. It likely would have run 10 feet past the hole. “Tyrrell (Hatton) wanted me to touch his putter for him on 15,â€� Simpson said, “which I think is within the rules.â€� It was after this putt that Hatton made his “Caddyshackâ€� reference. “I dropped my head and Tyrrell says, ‘I told you so! It’s Chevy Chase. Na-na-na-na-na-na,â€� Tesori said. “This is the moment where I couldn’t believe this is happening.â€� Simpson’s sixth consecutive birdie came after an up-and-down from left of the green on the par-5 16th. He needed birdies on the last two holes to break 60. Nos. 17 and 18 have been the two hardest holes this week, though. Simpson wanted to hit a hard sand wedge to the island green, but the wind changed directions and started blowing into him as he stood on the tee. He knew he had to hit it hard. “So normally my miss with that club when I’m trying to smash it is left, so it was a bit of a surprise that it came out right,â€� Simpson said. The ball bounced off the bulkhead in front of the green and went into the water. “Pete Dye and the golfing gods were watching,â€� said Golf Channel commentator Nick Faldo. His colleague, Terry Gannon, said, “A lot of dreams have been dashed at that cauldron that is 17 through the years. Today is where a possible 59 went to die.â€� But it was still an incredible round. It put Simpson in control of THE PLAYERS Championship.

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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Today Mayakoba and the PGA TOUR introduced World Wide Technology, a $13 billion technology solutions provider, as title sponsor for the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in a seven-year partnership that extends through 2027. The 15th annual event, hosted at El Camaleón Golf Club at Mayakoba on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, will be held November 1-7, 2021, with Norway’s Viktor Hovland expected to defend his 2020 title. Hovland, who will represent Norway in the 2020 Summer Olympics, claimed his second career PGA TOUR victory last December in Mexico with a birdie on the 72nd hole. “The global expansion and resulting positive impact of the PGA TOUR makes Mayakoba a natural fit for WWT,” said Jim Kavanaugh, CEO and co-founder of WWT. “At WWT, we do whatever it takes to create the best possible technology experiences and business outcomes for customers and communities around the world. We are proud to support the tournament as it showcases top golf talent while also inspiring leadership and opportunity through the expansion of youth golf in Mexico and Latin America.” In 2007, Mayakoba made history as the PGA TOUR’s first official full-field event held outside the United States or Canada. The tournament is a pioneer for the sport of golf in Mexico and Latin America and has opened the door for Tours such as PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and multiple professional golf events held annually throughout the region. “We are excited to partner with World Wide Technology as we continue to foster the growth of golf in Mexico and Latin America through the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba and its charitable initiatives,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba broke new ground as the first PGA TOUR event in Mexico in 2007, and we look forward to properly celebrating this new partnership and the 15th anniversary of the event come November.” This year’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, a FedExCup Regular Season event, will again bring the world’s top golfers to Mexico’s most important tourist destination to experience the warm hospitality and natural beauty of the Mexican Caribbean. Since its inception, the growth of golf in Mexico and creating a positive charitable impact on the community have been key objectives for the event and Mayakoba as a destination. This growth recently manifested itself on the PGA TOUR as Guadalajara’s Carlos Ortiz became only the third player from Mexico to win on the PGA TOUR at the 2020 Vivint Houston Open. Ortiz joins Victor Regalado and Cesar Sanudo as winners hailing from Mexico. In its history, a total of 25 different Mexican players have competed in the PGA TOUR’s event at Mayakoba, and thousands of Mexican youth have been introduced to the sport of golf through the tournament’s community golf development program, Golf PARa Todos. More than $3 million has been generated for local, national and international charities focused on a variety of issues, including education, environmental sustainability and health and wellness for young people. “We are honored to have hosted the PGA TOUR since 2007 and we couldn’t be happier with this partnership with World Wide Technology that assures the continued positive impact of our event,” said Borja Escalada, CEO of RLH Properties. “Fifteen years ago, we made a great investment in golf and sport with which RLH shares many values. And the sponsorship of World Wide Technology, as well as the support of all our sponsors and supporters across Mexico and Latin America, make me confident that the best is yet to come. We look forward to continue supporting the development of this great sport in Mexico and the region as well as to hosting World Wide Technology at beautiful Mayakoba and celebrating many more years of PGA TOUR golf at Mayakoba.” All four rounds of the 2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba will be carried live on Golf Channel in the United States and on Golf Channel Latin America and GOLFTV in Mexico and Latin America.

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