PGA Tour: Progress made in talks with Saudi PIF

GREENSBORO, N.C. – After completing the remainder of his third round Sunday morning, Brandt Snedeker will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Wyndham Championship. Snedeker finished up a 2-under 69 Sunday, playing his 11 remaining holes in even par. His total of 16 under is one shot better than Brian Gay and David Hearn. That threesome will make up the final pairing starting at 1:15 p.m. ET. Snedeker started Sunday morning with a birdie at the par-4 eighth. But his back nine wasn’t as productive, as he suffered bogeys at the 11th and 12th holes. “Got off to a great start, almost holed out the first hole,â€� Snedeker said. “Really thought I could go low from there. Had some good opportunities. I made one bad mistake. I mis-clubbed on 12 and hit it where you can’t hit it and made bogey there.â€� Gay finished up an 8-under 62, tying his career-low score on the PGA TOUR. He played his last six holes in 2 under, finishing with a 16-foot birdie putt at the 18th. “Nice to finish off with a birdie,â€� Gay said. Hearn birdied his first two holes Sunday and maintained his momentum on the back nine to shoot a bogey-free 64. Playing the 250th PGA TOUR event of his career, the Canadian is looking for his first win. Meanwhile, he’s also trying to secure a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs. He started the week 156th in points but was projected to move to 105 after the third round. “I feel all summer long I’ve been just like so close to really playing the golf that I know I can play out here on a weekly basis,â€� Hearn said. “This week just seems to be firing nicely for me.â€� Hearn is not the only projected bubble buster after the third round. Sergio Garcia (131 to 122) and Harris English (132 to 123) also are projected in, with Seamus Power (123 to 126), Martin Piller (124 to 127) and Tyrone Van Aswegen (125 to 129) projected out. Power, Piller and Van Aswegen all missed the cut. Behind the top three on the leaderboard are C.T. Pan and D.A. Points at 14 under; Ryan Moore and Abraham Ancer at 13 under; and Garcia, English and Brett Stegmaier at 12 under. “It’s going to be a shootout,” Snedeker said. “Somebody’s going to shoot low. Somebody’s going to come out here and probably post 20 (under), so I know I’ve got to do that. I’ve got to make some birdies.”

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Change proving a good move for Day so far

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Current FedExCup champion Justin Thomas was named the 2017 Male Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America, while four-time Charles Schwab Cup winner Bernhard Langer was named the Senior Player of the Year, the GWAA announced Thursday. Lexi Thompson was named as the Female Player of the Year after winning twice on the LPGA Tour in a season that included soaring highs and emotional valleys. It’s the first time that Thomas and Thompson have won the GWAA Player of the Year awards. Langer won it for the fourth time, having previously been honored in 2010, 2014 and 2016. Thomas was the near-unanimous choice after winning four times in 2017 as part of his five-victory season in the PGA TOUR’s wraparound schedule. After winning the CIMB Classic in Malaysia in late 2016, Thomas won the first two events in Hawaii in 2017, picked up his first major championship victory at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club and won the Dell Technologies Championship in the FedExCup Playoffs. The 24-year old went on to capture the FedExCup title in a year that also included 12 top-10 finishes. He also had a 3-1-1 record for the winning United States Team in the Presidents Cup. He earned 94 percent of the GWAA vote. “Being honored by the GWAA means a lot,� Thomas said. “Obviously a lot of hard work went into it, a lot of time. It was something that you can’t expect something like that to happen. I felt like I was capable of it. In terms of whether it will happen in the future, you never know but it was obviously a very fun year.� Langer dominated the PGA TOUR Champions again, winning seven times in 2017 including three major championships, while also finishing second four times. Langer finished in the top 10 in 18 of his 21 starts and finished second to Kevin Sutherland in the Charles Schwab Cup after winning it the previous three years. Langer also won the Charles Schwab Cup in 2010. “I am thrilled and feel very honored to have won the GWAA Golf Writers Award for the 2017 season once more,� said Langer, who received nearly 90 percent of the vote. Thompson had an unforgettable 2017 season that included two LPGA Tour victories, six runner-up finishes and a controversial four-stroke penalty that prevented her from winning the ANA Inspiration early in the year. The 22-year old Thompson won the Race to CME Globe and also set the LPGA Tour’s single-season scoring record with a stroke overage of 69.114 to capture the Vare Trophy. She won the award in a close vote over Sung Hyun Park and So Yeon Ryu. “I am extremely honored and proud to be named female golfer of the year by the Golf Writers Association of America,� Thompson said. “2017 was an extremely challenging year for me and my family, both on and off the golf course.  But with the support, love and guidance of my mom, dad, and brothers, I was able to overcome these challenges and go on to have my best year as a professional golfer. “I want to thank my fans from all around the world who have always supported me, because your kind words and encouragement continue to inspire me to pursue my dream. And thank you to the Golf Writers Association of America. It is truly a privilege to receive this award.� Thomas, Thompson and Langer will receive their awards at the 46th ISPS HANDA GWAA Annual Awards Dinner presented by The PGA of America and USGA on April 4 in Augusta, Georgia.

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