Seven LIV golfers invited to PGA Championship

Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay are among those who picked up their maiden PGA TOUR victory in Las Vegas, home of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin. Will this week bring us the 12th first-time winner in the last 17 years, or will it signal a return to the upper echelon for Jordan Spieth, who will be making his first start here and his first fall TOUR start since October 2015? This marks the third domestic tournament and seventh overall of 43 Regular Season events, to be followed by the reformatted three-event FedExCup Playoffs next August. It’s the strongest field in Las Vegas in years, with Rickie Fowler returning after a two-year absence; Tony Finau; and Bryson DeChambeau still hot after his two FedExCup Playoffs victories last season. Golf Channel will provide live coverage for all four rounds, with the first three rounds starting at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday through Saturday. Coverage of the final round will begin at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM will air live starting at 2 p.m. ET for the first two rounds Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. ET Saturday, and 2 p.m. ET Sunday.  MORE: Tee times Here’s a look at the Featured Groups for the first two rounds (FedExCup ranking in parentheses): Webb Simpson (–) – Led the TOUR last season in rounds of 63 or better (5); THE PLAYERS Championship was his fifth win. Making first start. Won here in 2014. Rickie Fowler (–) – First start after a season in which he didn’t win but had six top-10s, including a Masters runner-up, to finish 17th in FedExCup. Matt Kuchar (–) – First start this season after a down year in which he finished 76th in the FedExCup after just four top-10s in 24 starts. Tee times: Rd. 1 (2:05 p.m. ET); Rd. 2 (9:30 a.m. ET) Kevin Na (70) – T19 at CIMB Classic to start the season; along with playing partner Moore is a past champion (2011) and resident of Vegas. Ryan Moore (10) – Vegas resident and former Shriners champ (2012) sprinted into the new season with playoff runner-up at recent Safeway Open. Tony Finau (7) – One of the hottest players over the last six months, coming off playoff runner-up at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions. Tee times: Rd. 1 (2:15 p.m. ET); Rd. 2 (9:40 a.m. ET) Cameron Champ (6) – Long-hitting rookie is coming off his first TOUR win at the Sanderson Farms last week, when he birdied five of the last six holes. Aaron Wise (–) – First start. Named Rookie of the Year on Tuesday after a season in which he won (AT&T Byron Nelson) and was only rookie to make TOUR Championship. Jordan Spieth (–) – First fall TOUR start in three years; hopes to bounce back from rare winless season in which he finished 31st in the FedExCup. Tee times: Rd. 1 (9:30 a.m. ET); Rd. 2 (2:05 p.m. ET) Kevin Tway (4) – Oklahoma State product looks to continue momentum after collecting first TOUR win at the Safeway Open to start this season. Bryson DeChambeau (–) – Biggest story in golf when he won the first two FedExCup Playoffs events last season, he ultimately finished third in the FedExCup. Patrick Cantlay (26) – Career nearly derailed with back problems but delivered on amateur promise with playoff victory in Vegas a year ago. Tee times: Rd. 1 (9:40 a.m. ET); Rd. 2 (2:15 p.m. ET)

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Dustin Johnson has missed nine birdie chances from 10 feet or closer at Liberty National, which ordinarily might annoy him. He’s hitting it so well that he still leads THE NORTHERN TRUST. Johnson birdied three of his last six holes Friday, finishing with an approach to eight feet on the 489-yard closing hole, for a 4-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (64) going into the weekend. Johnson has won this FedExCup Playoffs opener twice at other courses. He was at 12-under 130. “I’ve got a lot of control with the golf ball and hitting a lot of really nice shots and rolled in a couple putts today which is nice, but still feel like I left quite a few out there,” Johnson said. “I’m in a good position heading into the weekend, and if I can keep swinging the way I am, I think it’s going to be a good weekend.” The weekend does not include Masters champion Tiger Woods, and neither did Friday. Woods, who opened with a 75, withdrew a few hours before his second round was to begin because of what he described as a mild strain to the oblique that he says was causing pain and stiffness. It’s the first time Woods withdrew in the middle of a tournament since February 2017, two months before fusion surgery on his lower back. He said he was hopeful to play next week at Medinah. Spieth might be finding some form at just the right time. Winless in more than two years, he started the PGA TOUR’s Playoffs at No. 69 in the FedExCup with no assurance of staying among the top 70 who advance to next week at Medinah. He might be one round away from thinking more about winning. Spieth was on the same score (131) that he was going into the weekend last week at the Wyndham Championship, where he followed with a 77 and missed the 54-hole cut. His shots have been tighter, his misses not that severe and he even got some good fortune on his final hole that led to a birdie and a spot in the last group with a familiar face. Johnson and Spieth have played together at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am each of the last five years. The opening Playoffs event has a strong cast of contenders, with Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed two shots behind, and Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy among those another shot back. McIlroy was just happy he wasn’t farther behind. He walked off the par-3 14th with a double bogey because of a two-shot penalty from the bunker. McIlroy went to remove a small stone next to his ball, but realized when he touched it and it disintegrated that it was a clump of wet sand from a brief storm delay. The original ruling was a penalty. The PGA TOUR reviewed it as McIlroy played the last four holes, spoke to him after the round and determined that was no intent to improve his lie. His 70 became a 68. “The reason I called someone over is I don’t want anything on my conscience, either,” McIlroy said. “I feel like I play the game with integrity and I’m comfortable saying that I didn’t improve anything. I thought it was a rock. It wasn’t. I moved my hand away, and then I was like, `I don’t know if I’ve done anything wrong here.’ “It came down to me and they said, `OK, are you comfortable telling us you didn’t improve your lie?’ And for me, I am comfortable saying that.” Missing the cut meant the end of the season for at least two dozen players who would not be among the top 70, which includes Bubba Watson. Sergio Garcia would appear to be a casualty having started at No. 65 and not making it to the weekend. The first step for Spieth was to make sure he stayed in the top 70. Now it’s about contending. “The important thing for me is not to get ahead of myself,” Spieth said. “Historically, I’m a very consistent player. I’ve lost a bit of that. I still have the firepower but that consistency is what I’m trying to get back, and there’s certainly going to be times where I’m out of position over the weekend. It’s about limiting mistakes. One bogey over 36 holes is somewhat unrealistic week to week. But if I can hold it close to that for the next 36, again, that firepower is still there. And it would certainly shoot my confidence up.” Johnson’s year has been quiet since winning a World Golf Championship in Mexico City for his 20th career victory. Another year passed without winning a major. He was runner-up in the first two majors, but he hasn’t finish better than 20th since the PGA Championship. He feels the consistency in his swing is returning. And while he’s not making everything, he’s making enough and likes the way he’s rolling it. “I feel like I’m stroking it well right now,” he said. “I worked on the stroke a lot the last couple weeks and feel good and I have confidence in it.”

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The Florida Swing wraps up this week at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor. The Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course) is an annual favorite for the players with its tree-lined layout. Paul Casey is the defending champion. Round 1 tee times Round 1 leaderboard HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET (featured groups). Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-6 p.m. (featured holes). International subscribers (via GOLFTV): Thursday-Friday, 11:45 to 22:00 GMT. Saturday-Sunday, 13:00 to 22:00. RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM). NOTABLE GROUPS (ALL TIMES ET) Jason Day, Webb Simpson, Jon Rahm: Rd. 1, 8:13 a.m. (No. 10); Rd. 2, 1:03 p.m. ET (No. 1) Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson: Rd. 1, 8:24 a.m. (No. 10); Rd. 2, 1:14 p.m. ET (No. 1) Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Gary Woodland: Rd. 1, 1:03 p.m. (No. 1); Rd. 2, 8:13 a.m. ET (No. 10) MUST READS Reinvented Ollie Schniederjans ready for Valspar Expert Picks Power Rankings Featured Groups The First Look

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