Power Rankings: Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN

Click here to read the full article…

FedExCup leader Hideki Matsuyama is joined by six of the top 10 golfers in the world at this week’s Farmers Insurance Open. Patrick Reed, who won by five shots last season – the widest margin of victory in his career – returns to defend. FIELD NOTES: World No. 1 Jon Rahm returns to his haven that is Torrey Pines. Rahm won the Farmers Insurance Open in 2017, was runner-up in 2020, finished T7 last year and won the U.S. Open at Torrey in 2021… Other golfers inside the top 10 in the world in the field include Justin Thomas, San Diego native Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, and Hideki Matsuyama, the TOUR’s only two-time winner this season… DeChambeau returns to Torrey Pines for the first time since 2018. He added the Farmers Insurance Open to his schedule after withdrawing from the Sony Open, citing soreness in his left wrist… There’s plenty of firepower at Torrey Pines this year with notables also including two-time Farmers winner Jason Day, Brooks Koepka, and former FedExCup winners Justin Rose (who won at Torrey Pines in 2019), Billy Horschel and Jordan Spieth… Long-time San Diego resident Phil Mickelson – who acted as tournament host at The American Express – is back in the field. He is a three-time Farmers Insurance Open champion… Kamaiu Johnson gets another chance at the Farmers Insurance Open. The APGA Tour star was set to make his TOUR debut in 2021 but tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the event. He’s back as a sponsor exemption this year and is one of two APGA players in the field. Ryan Alford also was given a sponsor’s exemption. … Will Zalatoris, who finished T7 as a sponsor exemption last year, is back at Torrey as a full-fledged TOUR member this year… Other 2022 sponsor exemptions include Taylor Montgomery and former Arizona State standout Kevin Yu, who was fourth in PGA TOUR University’s Class of 2021. He had two top-5 finishes in eight Korn Ferry Tour starts last year. COURSE: Torrey Pines GC (South), 7,765 yards, par-72. Torrey Pines GC (North), 7,258 yards, par-72. Golfers will play one round apiece on the South and North courses before the 36-hole cut. The final two rounds will be played on the South Course. Torrey Pines South has hosted the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Opens, won by Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm, respectively. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points. STORYLINES: This week marks the return of Dustin Johnson. The former FedExCup champion hasn’t teed it up on the PGA TOUR since THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT… The tournament will get started on Wednesday and goes until Saturday. This avoids a conflict with the NFL’s conference championship games… Fans will be permitted at Torrey Pines this year after a fan-less affair in 2021… Reed looks to become just the fourth repeat winner in event history. The last to do it was Tiger Woods, who won four straight at Torrey Pines from 2005-2008. 72-HOLE RECORD: 266, George Burns (1987), Tiger Woods (1999). 18-HOLE RECORD: North Course record: 61, Mark Brooks (2nd round, 1990), Brandt Snedeker (1st round, 2007). Redesigned North Course record: 62, Jon Rahm (1st round, 2019), Ryan Palmer (2nd round, 2020). South Course record: 62, Tiger Woods (3rd round, 1999) LAST TIME: Patrick Reed won for the ninth time on TOUR at the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open, and the margin of victory – five shots – was the biggest in his career. Reed closed with a 4-under 68. He held the 18-hole lead after Thursday and took the victory across the finish line on Sunday. Reed was never challenged on Sunday – especially after co-54-hole leader Carlos Ortiz was 2-over through four holes and finished with a 6-over 78. There was a five-way tie for second between Tony Finau, Henrik Norlander, Ryan Palmer, Schauffele, and Viktor Hovland. HOW TO FOLLOW: Television: Wednesday, 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Thursday, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (Golf Channel). Friday, 3 p.m.-5 p.m. (Golf Channel), 5 p.m.-8 p.m. (CBS). Saturday, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: PGA TOUR LIVE is available exclusively on ESPN+ • Main Feed: Primary tournament coverage featuring the best action from across the course • Marquee Group: New “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group • Featured Groups: Traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups • Featured Holes: A combination of par-3s and iconic or pivotal holes

Click here to read the full article…

Masters champion Patrick Reed tees it up for the first time since slipping his arms into the green jacket, teaming with Patrick Cantlay as the PGA TOUR’s only two-man format returns to New Orleans for a second year. FedExCup leader Justin Thomas (with Bud Cauley) and Jordan Spieth (with Ryan Palmer) also begin their post-Masters schedule, each retaining their partners from a year ago. The format calls for best-ball play Thursday and Saturday, alternate-shot Friday and Sunday. FIELD WATCH: U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, idled by a wrist injury since the Sentry Tournament of Champions, starts his return at Zurich. Facing a shortage of potential partners, Koepka drafted Mark Turnesa, a winner 10 years ago and fellow South Florida resident. … Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson reprise their Olympic gold/silver pairing for a second year, one of three duos featuring both players among the world’s top 25. The others: Sergio Garcia/Rafael Cabrera Bello and Bubba Watson/Matt Kuchar. … In all, 18 of the rankings’ current top 30 are entered. … Wisconsin natives Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly, now 1-2 in Charles Schwab Cup points on the PGA TOUR Champions, return for a second year. They tied for 14th a year ago. … David Duval steps down from the Golf Channel booth to tee it up alongside U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk. … John Daly is another recent entry, bringing Rory Sabbatini as his partner. FEDEXCUP: Winning partners receive 400 points apiece. STORYLINES: Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith defend their title against a deeper field than in Year 1 of the two-man format. Garcia, Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood are among those who added Zurich to their schedules this year. … FedExCup points are distributed as though partners tied. As an example, the champions split the 500 points usually given to a tournament winner and 300 for second place – coming out to 400 points each. … Weekend rounds will feature walkup music for each duo on the first tee, becoming the first PGA TOUR stop to employ that twist. … Stricker, Kelly and Daly come to New Orleans fresh from the Legends of Golf, giving them a head start on the team dynamic. … Five of the past six editions have crowned a first-time winner, including Smith last year. … It’s the last week for players to secure a berth in THE PLAYERS Championship by cracking the top 10 in FedExCup points or top 50 of the world rankings. That said, the rankings system does not award points for tandem events. COURSE: TPC Louisiana, 7,425 yards, par 72. Tucked amid some 250 acres of wetlands, the Pete Dye creation winds through cypress and oak trees that create a secluded setting just 15 minutes from downtown New Orleans. Though water looms throughout the layout, TPC Louisiana ranked among the PGA TOUR’s top third to go low even before the team format was introduced. Dye, with consultants Steve Elkington and Kelly Gibson, added more than 100 bunkers and five ponds to increase the difficulty, and several large waste bunkers also are featured early in the back nine. The Zurich Classic first played there in 2005 and has made it its permanent home since 2007. 72-HOLE RECORD: 261, Cameron Smith/Jonas Blixt (2017), Kevin Kisner/Scott Brown (2017). Individual record: 262, Chip Beck (1988 at Lakewood CC). ALTERNATE SHOT RECORD: 66, Jordan Spieth/Ryan Palmer (1st round, 2017), Kyle Stanley/Ryan Ruffels (1st round, 2017). BEST BALL RECORD: 60, Retief Goosen/Tyrone van Aswegen (2nd round, 2017), Kevin Kisner/Scott Brown (4th round, 2017). LAST YEAR: The Zurich’s first team edition needed an extra day to settle a playoff, before Smith’s best-ball birdie on the fourth extra hole locked up the trophy alongside Blixt. The duo appeared set to win in regulation before Kevin Kisner/Scott Brown pulled even in Sunday’s fading light with a Kisner holeout from 30 yards away. Thunderstorms had delayed play earlier in the afternoon, leaving no light for a playoff. Returning in the morning, the first three playoff holes saw nothing but pars before Smith stuck his wedge at the par-5 18th inside three feet for the decider. Smith notched his first PGA TOUR triumph at the age of 23, while Blixt recorded his third victory. The playoff loss was all too familiar for Kisner, who dropped to 0-4 in extra holes. HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 2:30-6:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-6:30 p.m. (featured holes). Friday, 9:15 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-6:30 p.m. (featured holes). RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-6:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

Click here to read the full article…