Sanford Health to provide COVID-19 testing for PGA TOUR

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – The player with the unbreakable spirit who finds a way to win this 118th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills could well be a player who has tapped into the requisite stoicism and toughness once already. Dustin Johnson (2016), Brooks Koepka (2017), Justin Rose (2013) and even 48-year-old Jim Furyk (2003) are among those on the first page of the leaderboard who have already won the tournament once. Their secret? Taking their lumps, biting their tongues and coming back for more. “It’s the U.S. Open,â€� said Furyk, who shot 72 and at 6 over is just three off the lead shared by Johnson (77), Koepka (72) and early finishers Daniel Berger (66) and Tony Finau (66). “You know that they’re trying to set the golf course up as close to the edge as possible.â€� The four co-leaders going into Sunday ties the U.S. Open record. Johnny Miller was among four who shared the lead in 1973; Jordan Spieth was one of a quartet at the top in 2015. Both won. “I’m glad I’m in the position I’m in,â€� said Koepka, who is trying to become the first player to successfully defend his U.S. Open title since Curtis Strange (1988, ’89). Rose (73) is just one back after hitting just six greens in regulation but taking only 27 putts, and could be playing for not just his second U.S. Open trophy but also his third PGA TOUR win this season and the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. He could also take over in pole position in the FedExCup. Others in the hunt include fellow major winners Henrik Stenson (2016 Open Championship), who shot 74 and is just two off the lead, and Patrick Reed (2018 Masters), who shot 71 and suddenly finds himself just three back in a bid to win a second straight major. No player has won the season’s first two majors since Jordan Spieth in 2015. One day after a golden twilight bathed Shinnecock and late starters enjoyed an almost total absence of wind, Saturday brought strong gusts, hot sun and crispy greens. The casualties included Rickie Fowler (84), Phil Mickelson (81) and Scott Piercy (79), among others. Still, no one cried foul among those who go into Sunday with a chance. “I feel like the whole entire golf course is fair, even with how the wind is blowing, even with 13 and 15, where those pins are,â€� said Reed. “There’s going to be a lot of guys that are going to complain about those two holes.â€� Mike Davis, the USGA’s CEO, admitted that the organization let a few holes get away from them in the windier-than-expected weather, but your U.S. Open contenders didn’t go there. “I enjoy it,â€� Koepka said. “I enjoy firing away from pins and having to be conservative sometimes and just finding a way to get through it. I mean, my track record is pretty good in U.S. Opens. I feel like the harder the golf course, the better. “It’s already going to eliminate so many guys,â€� he added. “Some guys get down on themselves. You can eliminate them pretty much right away. You can’t get frustrated. You just got to keep plugging away. I think that’s why I’ve done so well.â€� How far back is too far back? Ian Poulter (76) and Charley Hoffman (77) are in a large group at 7 over, four off the lead, and among others with a reasonable chance on Sunday is FedExCup leader Justin Thomas (74, 8 over), who will go into the final round just five back. Given that Berger and Finau each started Saturday 11 shots behind and will wake up Sunday morning tied for the lead, that margin looks imminently surmountable. Attitude may be the final determinant. Instead of debating whether the pins were set too close to the edges, those on first page of the leaderboard have focused on staying away from those edges. “You’ve just got to stay on the fat side of the green,â€� said Furyk, who is already likely to wind up in the World Golf Hall of Fame (17 PGA TOUR wins, including a major and two sub-60 rounds) but would be a shoe-in with another U.S. Open victory. The forecast for Sunday is more sunshine, but with intermittent breezes. Perhaps the USGA will throw some extra water on the course in an effort not to repeat its mistakes of the past. Perhaps not. Best to assume the leaders will face a nasty, fast and fierce Shinnecock. And best to assume the last man standing will waste little or no energy complaining about it.

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DUBLIN, Ohio – Only a few months ago Chile’s Joaquin Niemann was seemingly still a mountain away from life on the PGA TOUR despite being the world’s best amateur. But after an opening round 7-under 65 at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide the 19-year-old has an excellent chance at joining a small group of players to bypass the pathway Tours and go directly to the main stage. Now in just his fifth professional start Niemann will take the overnight co-lead with Hideki Matsuyama and Abraham Ancer. He has already finished sixth at the Valero Texas Open and was tied eighth at the Fort Worth Invitational. As such he has earned 180 non-member FedExCup points, which would rank him 144th in this season’s FedExCup standings. He can earn his card for the 2018-19 season if he finishes in the top 125. Niemann already has clinched a spot in the Web.com Tour Finals, and he needs just 89 points to earn special temporary membership, which would allow him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions this season in his chase for a card. If successful he would join the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth to make the rapid leap to the PGA TOUR. “I don’t like to think about that. I just want to be out here and enjoy my round and try to play my best and see how it goes,â€� he said. “I have been playing really well, so my game is feeling really nice. And after those two top-10s, I have gained a lot of confidence in my game. “It has been all really quick. Two months ago I was playing the Masters as an amateur and right now I’ve already played four tournaments as a pro and it feels really nice. I just really am enjoying what I’m doing now… being out here, playing with the best players, it can’t be any better.â€� OBSERVATIONS WOODS SALVAGES LATE HOPE. Tiger Woods appeared headed for the back end of the leaderboard after he dropped four shots in his opening seven holes on Thursday but the 79-time PGA TOUR winner and five-time winner at the Memorial Tournament was able to rally late. Still 3 over through 13 holes Woods rattled off three straight birdies to get it back to even par. “Didn’t really feel my swing very well and consequently I hit it both ways, mainly left,â€� Woods said. “I wasn’t rotating very well. Kind of made a few tweaks, a few changes, made a couple birdies, made a couple putts and lo and behold I finished at even par, which I know it’s a long way back, but at least I’ve got a fighting chance.â€� Woods admitted his surgically repaired back was feeling tight all round. “I have days like that. My back is fused. I’m going to have days where it’s just tight,â€� he said. “Unfortunately today was one of those days and that’s all right. I don’t have any pain, thank God. It’s just tight. So, no biggy.â€� BEAU KNOWS THURSDAYS.  Beau Hossler continued his trend of impressive starts on the PGA TOUR with an opening 6-under 66. Coming into the week his Round 1 scoring average sat at 69.25 – a stat that has helped him to three top-10 finishes this season and 41st position in the FedExCup. Unfortunately for Hossler his averages get progressively worse as the rounds go on – sitting at 69.95 in Round 2, 70.65 in Round 3 and 72.18 in final rounds. “I think I’ve played a number of really quality rounds on the weekend as well. So I feel like this year has been a lot of up-and-down,â€� Hossler said. “I feel really comfortable with where I’m at. I played great on the weekend in Houston, pretty much flawless, really. I have tons of confidence from closing out tournaments from junior and Amateur golf and college golf. It’s not a concern of mine. Obviously, I noticed a trend, but at the same time I think I’m on the right track and I’ve just got to stick with what I’m doing.â€� HIDEKI FINDS HIS GROOVE.  A year ago Hideki Matsuyama had two wins and was second in the FedExCup at this stage of the PGA TOUR season but it has been slim pickings thus far in 2018. That is, until now. Matsuyama produced his best opening round of the season with a 7-under 65 catapulting him into a tie for the lead. His round included a shank but also seven birdies, two bogeys and a hole out eagle from 137 yards. Currently 81st in the FedExCup it was a welcome return to form for the 2014 Memorial Tournament winner. “I had some good rounds there at the AT&T Byron Nelson (72-63-71-66) and had some momentum coming into my off week, had a real good week of practice back home, came here, and I couldn’t find it again,â€� he said. “But this morning I had a good warm-up session and as the round went along I played better and better. It has been frustrating. In the past even if I wasn’t playing well I could still get it around, get it in the hole. So the last couple of months have been trying. I’m just really glad that I was able to play well today and post a good score at the start.â€� NOTABLES ABRAHAM ANCER – Mexico’s top male golfer tied his career best PGA TOUR score with a 7-under 65 to share the lead. At 106th in the FedExCup this season Ancer is in great position to strengthen his Playoff hopes. JASON DAY – The Columbus area resident and Muirfield Village member put up a 4-under 68 to set up a good chance of finally obtaining an elusive top-10 finish at his home course. DUSTIN JOHNSON – The big-hitting Johnson was unable to break a streak of pars across the back nine leaving him with an even par 72. JUSTIN ROSE – The 2010 Memorial champion and winner last week at the Fort Worth Invitational was a little scratchy on the way to a 1-under 71. Rose stunned onlookers early with a stone-cold top followed by a shank in consecutive shots on the par-5 15th hole. JASON DUFNER – The defending champion had a rough time of it, carding a 3-over 75 with four bogeys and just one birdie. PHIL MICKELSON – Lefty was looking great at 4-under through his opening eight holes but dropped six shots in his final 10 holes to shoot 74. JUSTIN THOMAS – The FedExCup leader battled hard in his roller coaster round of 72. JORDAN SPIETH – Spieth’s struggles continued with a 3-over 75. RORY McILROY – The Northern Irishman was unable to ride his momentum from a good showing in Europe, opening with a 74. QUOTABLES It was just like a normal fever. Probably more of a man-cold, to be honest. But I feel like I’m dying every time I’m sick, so my wife just looks at me and laughs at me.I don’t like heights, so I wouldn’t jump out of a plane. But driving fast, I really love.It was a guessing game. SUPERLATIVES Low round: 7-under 65 by Abraham Ancer, Joaquin Niemann and Hideki Matsuyama. Longest drive: 381 yards – Dustin Johnson par-4 17th Longest putt: 57 feet, one inch – Jordan Spieth par-4 1st Toughest hole: The par-4 9th (4.300) yielded just 10 birdies but had 25 bogeys, seven double bogeys and two others. Easiest hole: The par-5 5th (4.583) saw an eagle and 61 birdies. CALL OF THE DAY For play-by-play coverage of Round 2 at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, listen at PGATOUR.COM. SHOT OF THE DAY

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David Hearn (+35000 to win) … The 42-year-old from Canada hasn’t qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs since 2016 but he cleared an important hurdle in the interim as it concerns his status for the rest of his life on the PGA TOUR. It was at Quail Hollow in the summer of 2018 when he survived his 150th career cut to qualify for Veteran Membership. He hasn’t needed it since but short of a burst of form, it will be coming in handy. He has three starts on a Minor Medical Extension to earn 213.051 FedExCup points for a promotion to the Major Medical category, but collecting 59.833 points would net conditional status. For the former at Silverado, he’d need no worse than at two-way T2, but a solo 13th would achieve the secondary objective. He placed T14 here last year with four sub-70s. For the week, he ranked T6 in fairways hit, T15 in greens in regulation, 10th in Strokes Gained: Putting and T1 in par-4 scoring. Cameron Percy (+12500 to win) … The stars are aligned for the Aussie. He led the PGA TOUR in greens in regulation last season, he closed with seven consecutive paydays, including a T11 at the John Deere Classic, and he’s gone T7-T23 in the last two editions of the Fortinet Championship. Not that anyone is short on motivation in any event, much less the season opener, but the 47-year-old is only 40.297 FedExCup points shy of the target for fully exempt status for the remainder of the season. That’s because he was granted a Minor Medical Extension with one start. It requires a solo 22nd-place finish. Short of that and he’ll play on conditional status for the remainder of 2021-22. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (+8000 to win) … After a difficult 2020-21 PGA TOUR season during which he plummeted over 300 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking to outside the top 550 just two months ago, the Thai rallied at the Wyndham Championship (T37) to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, and then secured his return trip to the TOUR with a T20-T34-T27 sprint in the series. With the pressure off, he then turned in one of his best-ever performances at the BMW PGA Championship with a share of second place. Now back inside the top 200 of the OWGR (at 195th), he’s equipped with both the freedom and the momentum to keep the pedal down. Chad Ramey (+6600 to win) … Of those who finished inside the top 15 in Korn Ferry Tour points during the regular season, no one made as many as his 40 starts. What’s more, he cashed in 37 of them before going T7-T18-T11 in the Finals to finish with 24 top 25s overall. He also led the way with 136 rounds under par of which 104 were sub-70s. Finished the season at fourth in fairways hit, third in greens in regulation, third in scrambling, T1 in par-3 scoring and T2 in par-4 scoring. In a phrase, he’s built for the season-opening shootout as a rookie on the PGA TOUR. Ben Kohles (+15000 to win) … Because 25 cards are on the line at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, it can go unnoticed how the 25 graduates from the regular season jostle for position in the opening reshuffle on the PGA TOUR. He finished 23rd in KFT points during the regular season, and then climbed over four others with a T54-T10-T20 showing to open in the 33rd position. Ranked 10th in fairways hit on the KFT, second in greens in regulation and fifth in scrambling. Odds were sourced on Sept. 14 at 8 a.m. ET. For live odds, visit betmgm.

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