Rory to honor Tiger with classic Sunday red

SYDNEY – Rory McIlroy was heading toward the end of 2013 feeling pretty ordinary after a winless year. Jordan Spieth was doing the same in 2014. And now Jason Day, who started 2017 as No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking but now sits 12th on the global list, is heading into the holiday season without a new trophy to admire. On each occasion, the criticism had started. The questions about what was wrong with them had well and truly begun. We hold our superstars to a high standard you see. Under pressure, McIlroy headed to Sydney in his off-season to play the Australian Open and ultimately won it by taking down a red-hot Adam Scott on Sunday. Scott had won the Masters at Augusta that season and was coming off wins at the Australian Masters and Australian PGA Championship in earlier weeks. But McIlroy came over the top of the national hero on Sunday and ultimately went on to dominate in 2014, winning The Open Championship, the PGA Championship, the World Golf Championships–Bridgestone Invitational and the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour. He was PGA TOUR Player of the Year and laid some credit on his Australian win for the resurgence. “I did take a lot from that victory,â€� McIlroy said as he lined up for his title defense in Sydney in 2014. “It was my one and only victory of 2013 but it ended the year for me on a high and gave me momentum going into 2014.â€� But that week in Sydney wouldn’t go the same way for McIlroy. Instead, it was Spieth’s turn. The Texan shot a still much talked about 8-under 63 in brutal winds on Sunday to bury the demons he was facing for not being able to close out multiple chances to win on the PGA TOUR that year. The following season, just like McIlroy, he would win two majors and be Player of the Year. Spieth actually won five times and claimed the FedExCup in a sensational season. “The Australian Open may have been the most important tournament that I’ve ever played in because at the time, it had been maybe a year and a half since winning the John Deere in that playoff where I kind of squeaked in, luckily,â€� Spieth said. “Going there to an elite field with the world No. 1 player (McIlroy at the time) and obviously with the local favorite Adam (Scott) and with a venue like The Australian, to put myself in a position and just have a level of patience that I had not had when I was in contention prior to that was important.â€� So now, it is Day’s turn. After a year to forget that has seen his standing in the OWGR slide quickly, the now 30-year-old has a chance for his first win since THE PLAYERS Championship 2016. Through two rounds at The Australian Golf Club the 10-time PGA TOUR winner Day sits at 8-under and just one shot behind 21-year-old leader Lucas Herbert. Cameron Davis, a 22-year-old, is a shot back at 7-under with Anthony Quayle, at 23 at 6-under. Clearly Day is the favorite with two rounds to go with TOUR winners Cameron Smith and Matt Jones five off the lead and Spieth eight shots adrift. The chance to create a springboard to a comeback season has not been lost on him. “I haven’t won this year. But this would be a nice little end of the year cap, just to know that it wasn’t such a disappointing year,â€� Day said. “This is a huge kind of confidence builder for me this week and if I can somehow pull the win off, that would be great. “A win is a win, regardless of where you are, where you play. To have the Stonehaven Cup on the mantel would be great. It would be a good kick start going to next year’s season, back on the PGA TOUR. “I just know how Jordan’s done from having the confidence coming from this event and going forward and winning two majors the year after and having a lot of confidence going to the start of the year.â€� Speaking of Spieth, Day won’t rest despite the healthy gap between the pair. While those closest to Day have merely fractions of experience in winning big events, Spieth is still a factor. “If he gets something going on the weekend he can hole a lot of putts and make a lot of birdies and make a charge, and usually he does make a charge on the weekend,â€� Day said. “Seven strokes is obviously not enough but I’d like to keep pushing forward and hopefully I don’t see him in my rear view mirror at all.â€� If Day does surge ahead this weekend, be sure to remember it when picking your 2018 major winners.

Click here to read the full article…

Click here to read the full article…

Sometimes, no matter the motivation, you just need to go for it. Suffice it to say that the inaugural edition of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as a two-man team competition found the target in 2017. The reaction from the 160-man field was overly positive and Kevin Kisner’s eagle on the last hole of regulation to force a playoff gave the new format its first “moment.” Not too shabby. This year’s groundbreaking introduction at TPC Louisiana is walk-up music chosen by each of the 80 teams. It’s optional, but given the love affair that most (all?) golfers have with other sports in which it’s a constant if not an expectation, and with the tournament’s unique exploration to attract talent and fans, any usual respectful greetings and applause sans tuneage on the opening tees might seem out of place this week. Once again, there are fascinating connections among the commitments. I’ve segregated 10 with intrigue. Scroll beneath the ranking for five others considered as well as more on the format and the host course. POWER RANKINGS: ZURICH CLASSIC OTHERS CONSIDERED Daniel Berger & Gary Woodland Jason Dufner & Pat Perez Rafa Cabrera Bello & Sergio Garcia Russell Knox & Martin Laird Louis Oosthuizen & Charl Schwartzel PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO omits the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, so Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will be presented in an abridged format. In last year’s foray and in less-than-ideal conditions during the last three rounds, Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith prevailed in a four-hole playoff with Kisner and Scott Brown. Both teams hung up 27-under 261s after two rounds each of alternate shot and best ball. The winners were the only duo in the field without a bogey or worse on their card. They set the bar. Tournament organizers have reversed the alternating order of play this year. Rounds 1 and 3 will be best ball, while alternate shot will be used for Rounds 2 and 4. The low 35 teams and ties at the conclusion of 36 holes will survive the cut. Unlike last year, the secondary (MDF) cut no longer applies. Per standard membership provisions, both winners will receive two-year PGA TOUR exemptions or the customary one-year extension in fully exempt status (not to exceed five years beyond this season) if already exempt through 2019-2020. The winners will also receive berths into THE PLAYERS, PGA Championship and all remaining invitationals this season. They’ll also gain entry into the 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua. FedExCup points and earnings will be distributed just as ties for any place in the final standings are currently determined. The winners will share first- and second-place values and receive 400 FedExCup points and $1,036,800 apiece. Because of the format, Official World Golf Ranking points are not rewarded. This means that the Zurich Classic of New Orleans essentially is a free play from contributing to one’s divisor. If there was a common thread among the winners and contenders at TPC Louisiana last year, it was variety. All shapes and sizes were represented on the final leaderboard, and that’s exactly what any tournament and every golfer wants. The par-72 stretching 7,425 yards is inviting off the tee. Precision on approach is rewarded properly on greens averaging just 5,225 square feet because they’re segmented with undulations that must be respected. The longest rough is trimmed to two inches. Prepped to run at 12 feet on the Stimpmeter because persistent rainfall often assists in pumping the brakes, the overseeded bermuda greens actually might touch that goal this week. The only reasonable threat for inclement weather is forecast for Thursday’s opening round. Thereafter, drier air will take hold. Daytime highs might not reach 80 degrees and wind is not expected to be a factor throughout. It’s going to be beautiful. In benign conditions, 30 under par cannot be ruled out in this format. All members of the teams that finish inside the top five in the tournament will earn exemptions into next week’s Wells Fargo Championship if not already eligible to compete. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton covers numerous angles in between tournaments. Look for his following contributions this week. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Facebook Live, Fantasy Insider WEDNESDAY: One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

Click here to read the full article…