Ryan Brehm takes three-shot lead at Puerto Rico Open

DUBLIN, Ohio – Xander Schauffele is trying to adjust from the underdog mentality that led to much of his success as he looks to address his closing issues this season. Schauffele played amateur and college golf amongst the likes of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas but never gained the same exposure, leading to a determined mental spirit of trying to prove people wrong. This competitive desire within saw immediate success as he burst onto the scene as the Rookie of the Year in 2017, winning twice including the TOUR Championship. Even when he kept winning in following seasons ,Schauffele would continue to create the underdog theme in his mind as his success pushed him higher in the estimation of his peers and pundits alike. But now, despite being in the midst of an impressive season that boasts six top-5 finishes and has him sitting sixth in the FedExCup, Schauffele says it’s time for a mindset adjustment. He is without a win since claiming the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January of 2019 and it is this fact that has the 27-year-old rethinking how he has approached the mental side of his game. “I think it’s funny… I think this whole underdog role is probably why I’ve been successful… and it’s always important to play with a chip on your shoulder, but at the same time I think it might be the reason that’s maybe holding me back in big moments,” the world No. 5 said as he prepares for the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. “When you’re trying to win tournaments and once you’re at the top of a leaderboard, you can’t chase a ghost. So there’s no one in front of you to sort of bite at and so I think mentally it’s such a new realm for my brain that I’m just trying to process it all and really get more comfortable and think differently, once I’m at the top. “I’ve talked a lot with my dad about that… (and I’m) trying to read some material that will help me sort of explore some new kind of avenues with how my brain will think.” In all four of Schauffele’s TOUR wins he started the final round behind. On the four occasions he’s taken a 54-hole lead on TOUR he’s failed to close and the same is said for the four times he’s held the 36-hole lead and the one time he held an 18-hole lead. Three of Schauffele’s near finishes this season have been runner up results. He was bested by Jason Kokrak at THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK, finished second to Patrick Reed at the Farmers Insurance Open and was overrun by Brooks Koepka at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. April’s Masters also saw him well and truly in the mix before his tee shot on Sunday at 16 found the water allowing Hideki Matsuyama a passage to the green jacket and leaving Schauffele to settle for third place. Coming off the back of a missed cut at the PGA Championship, which Schauffele attributed to a poor mental attitude, the four-time TOUR winner has put significant focus on his mind game ahead of an assault on Muirfield Village. He’s reprogramming himself. “I think it’s OK to chomp at the bit moving up, but once you’re up there you got to be assertive and comfortable and do the right things still, you can’t really be like waiting for someone to get ahead of you to chase again,” Schauffele explained. “I still need to get to the top of the leaderboard to try out all these new things and I think all these experiences in the past are going to help me be more comfortable once I’m back there. But it’s more of an overall thought process I’m trying to change moving forward.”

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Rory McIlroy was already in the midst of a great 2019 after nine top-10 finishes, including his landmark win at THE PLAYERS Championship in March. But after his 64-61 weekend north of the border, in which he flirted with 59 and authored a seven-shot victory at the RBC Canadian Open, he could be on the verge of an epic season even by his lofty standards. Welcome to the Monday Finish, where McIlroy won for the second time this season, racked up his 10th top-10 finish in just 13 starts, and moved to second in the FedExCup. FIVE OBSERVATIONS 1. There was something familiar about this one. Namely, McIlroy’s 16th PGA TOUR title was a lot like his first. In his breakthrough victory, at the 2010 Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy went 66-62 on the weekend to win. “How about that Rory McIlroy?â€� said Phil Mickelson, one of those left in his wake. This time, McIlroy produced a 64-61 weekend at Hamilton Golf & Country Club. Shane Lowry (67, T2) was among those left shaking his head this time and openly wondering what golf course McIlroy was playing. Even McIlroy himself seemed to be taken aback, arching his eyebrows and smiling at his caddie after one of his more improbable back-nine birdies. McIlroy is no stranger to the big finish. Since 2010, he has won five times while shooting 65 or better in the final round. Not surprisingly he leads the TOUR in that category. For more on McIlroy’s victory, click here. [Desk: Please link to Adam’s winner’s column]   2. Rory becoming ‘Open’ specialist The seven-shot win not only marked the biggest margin of victory on TOUR this season, the victory was also McIlroy’s sixth national Open title, and he became just the sixth player to win the U.S. Open, Open Championship, and the RBC Canadian Open. Next up: this week’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. “I found a little groove,â€� he said, “and I want to keep it going.â€� 3. The new date was a massive hit. Although it used to be played the week after The Open Championship, the RBC Canadian Open has been moved up and now leads into the U.S. Open. You could say it’s worked out. “Part of the reason for playing here was I wanted my game to be in good shape for Pebble Beach, but doesn’t mean this tournament doesn’t mean anything,â€� said McIlroy, who is already on board to defend his title next year. “I mean, it’s a big event and I think it will only get bigger again because the date on the calendar. I think a lot guys will start to play. Four of the top six in the world here this week. The field here is going to go from strength to strength.â€� Said Canadian Nick Taylor, who opened with 64-65 before fading on the weekend (73-72, T27), “I think a lot of the top guys like playing the week before the major to be in competitive mode.â€� 4. Canada won in other ways, too. The last Canadian to win the tournament remains Pat Fletcher in 1954, but the week offered plenty of close calls and hope for the future. Taylor’s 64-65 start was exciting, and Adam Hadwin (70, solo 6th) not only won the Rivermead Cup as Low Canadian, he earned a spot in the Open Championship (along with Graeme McDowell, T8) later this summer.  Fellow Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (71, T14) also had a good week. “Yeah, I think it means a lot,â€� Hadwin said of the home country’s strong showing. “I think it proves a lot to not only us as players, but the golfing fans across the country that there is a bunch of us out here and we’re here to stay. We’re here to play well and we’re going to contend for championships for years to come.â€� 5. Simpson confident as he eyes Pebble Beach. McIlroy wasn’t the only player to get a little U.S. Open wind in his sails at Hamilton. Webb Simpson, who won the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic Club, will try to replicate that feat a couple hours south at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach buoyed by his T2 finish in Canada. “I felt like mentally it was my best week in a long time,â€� said Simpson, the 2018 PLAYERS champion. “I putted really well. I’m excited. Got to make short putts, long putts at the U.S. Open to contend, and so I’m excited for next week. I think my game is in a good spot.â€� FIVE INSIGHTS 1. McIlroy’s dominance was easily quantified. He ranked 1st in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (+1.729), 5th in SG: Approach-the-Green (+1.224), 6th in SG: Approach-the-Green (+0.862), 6th in SG: Putting (+1.457) and 1st in SG: Total (+5.272), making him just the fourth winner to rank inside the top six in each of those statistics since 2004. He’s the first, however, to do so on a course other than Kapalua. The others: Xander Schauffele (2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions), Jordan Spieth (2016 Sentry TOC), and Stuart Appleby (2006 Sentry TOC). 2. McIlroy was just as dominant by margin of victory. His seven-shot cushion marked his fourth career win by seven or more strokes. He won the 2015 Wells Fargo Championship by seven, and cruised to eight-shot wins at the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 PGA Championship. 3. There were three rounds of 61 or better on the week – Brandt Snedeker’s second-round 60, Ben Silverman’s second-round 61, McIlroy’s final-round 61 – which makes a total of 10 rounds of 61 or better on TOUR this season. Last season saw just six such rounds in total. 4. Simpson notched his fourth top-10 finish this season after racking up nine of them last season, and he did it largely with his short game. He ranked 1st in Strokes Gained: Putting (+9.069) and Scrambling (18 of 21). 5. England’s Danny Willett (T8, -10) posted his first top-10 finish on TOUR since winning the 2016 Masters Tournament, a span of 35 starts. WYNDHAM REWARDS The Wyndham Rewards Top 10 is in its first season and adds another layer of excitement to the FedExCup Regular Season. The top 10 players at the end of the FedExCup Regular Season will earn bonus payouts from the Wyndham Rewards Top 10. The big mover at the RBC Canadian Open was exactly who you would expect, with winner Rory McIlroy moving into second position just 120 points behind Matt Kuchar (70, T4). McIlroy, the 2016 FedExCup champion, won for the second time this season and heads to this week’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach with Kuchar well within range.

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ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Sahith Theegala had the luxury to relax this offseason. He has a two-year exemption after qualifying for this year’s TOUR Championship, a well-earned reward for a successful rookie season. He could’ve returned home to California or his adopted hometown of Houston and kicked up his feet after an eventful first year that included several close calls with victory. There’s just one problem. “I’m an addict and I just love to play,” he said. The RSM Classic, the final PGA TOUR event of 2022, is Theegala’s 38th start since the start of last season, one off the TOUR high. It’s his sixth start of this fall season, as well. His decision to tee it up one last time could pay big dividends, and provide the perfect ending to a year that began with Theegala just hoping to keep his card. He is just one shot off the lead entering the final round at Sea Island Resort. He had his share of close calls this year, from Arizona to Connecticut and several stops in between and is poised to capitalize on those experiences. He broke par both times he was a 54-hole leader last season but didn’t go low enough to take home the trophy. There were heartbreaking finishes at the WM Phoenix Open and Travelers Championship, where he was undone by drives that found trouble. But Theegala has won fans with the poise with which he handled those heartbreaks. Even though Sunday’s high temperature isn’t forecast to get above 55 degrees, he’ll likely need a low one if he wants to end 2022 on a winning note. Even when the weather turns ugly, as it can in the fall on the Atlantic coast, Sea Island’s Seaside Course is forgiving enough to allow plenty of birdies. Patrick Rodgers, who shares The RSM Classic’s 54-hole lead with Ben Martin, knows that better than anyone. It was here three years ago that he shot 61-62 on the weekend to post the lowest score in TOUR history over the final two rounds of a tournament. It wasn’t enough to win, however, as he lost in a playoff to Charles Howell III. Like Theegala, Rodgers is a former collegiate star seeking his maiden victory. Rodgers, 30, has had to wait a bit longer, however. Theegala won the Haskins Award as college golf’s top player two years ago. Rodgers earned that honor in 2014, as part of a career at Stanford that saw him break Tiger Woods’ school record for lowest scoring average (70.3) and tie Woods’ mark for career wins (11). Rodgers has been a runner-up three times in his 226 starts on TOUR. He had another close call earlier this fall at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, where he shot 65 in the final round to finish third, two shots behind winner Seamus Power. Ten players will start The RSM’s final round within two shots of the lead, and many of those players, like Rodgers and Theegala, will be looking for their first win while others, such as Martin and Andrew Putnam, will be looking to win again several years after their maiden title. Putnam, Theegala and Adam Svensson will start the final round at 13 under par, one off the lead. Svensson shot Saturday’s low round, a 62, to move into contention. He will play in Sunday’s final group alongside the co-leaders. Putnam and Theegala, who will play in Sunday’s second-to-last group with local favorite Brian Harman, share an alma mater (Pepperdine) and a caddie connection. Theegala’s caddie, Carl Smith, was working for Putnam before going on Theegala’s bag at last year’s Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Putnam, who won his lone TOUR title at the 2018 Barracuda Championship, has made the cut in all eight of his starts this fall, including a runner-up to Keegan Bradley at THE ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. Martin, who regained his TOUR card at this year’s Korn Ferry Tour Finals, won the 2014 Shriners Children’s Open but has struggled with back injuries since. Among the players who are two back are Presidents Cup participant Taylor Pendrith; another former Haskins Award winner looking for his first win, Beau Hossler; and this season’s breakout rookie, Taylor Montgomery, who ranks 10th in the FedExCup. He has finished in the top 25 in all but one of his six starts. Power, the FedExCup leader, will start the final round three back. Several players have the opportunity to wrest the top spot from him and start 2023 atop the standings. But first, there is one round remaining in 2022. It promises to be an eventful one that will change someone’s career. “You kind of want to leave,” said Theegala, “with a good taste in your mouth.”

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