Sorry, Tiger and Phil, these are the matches we’d rather see

The Sanderson Farms Championship qualifier ended Monday in a 3-for-2 playoff between PGA TOUR veteran Kyle Reifers, Quade Cummins, and Wilson Furr. Cummins, a former standout at the University of Oklahoma, made eagle to clinch the first playoff spot after bogeying the 17th hole of regulation at Deerfield Golf Club in Canton, Mississippi. “The 17th is one of the tougher holes out there, and with how the greens were, you’re going to pay if you’re out of position,” Cummins told PGATOUR.COM after the round. “I was very stressed after that bogey because I knew 5 under had a small chance to qualify. Luckily it held throughout the day to give me a chance in a playoff.” Reifers birdied the fifth hole of the playoff to earn the final spot and while eliminating Furr. Grant Hirschman and Sam Saunders were co-medalists after shooting 65 respectively. Hirschman, a fellow Oklahoma Sooner alumni, shot 6 under on the back nine after a slow start to the day. “I hit really nice on the front nine but just couldn’t get a putt to fall. I made an eagle putt on 10 that changed the momentum of the round, seeing a putt roll in and then get to -3 thru 10. I kept the pedal down on the back nine and stayed aggressive,” Hirschman told PGATOUR.COM. Hirschman is coming off his first full season on the Korn Ferry Tour and is starting to hone his craft as a professional golfer. “I’d say I learned to stick true to my own game and not shy away from that. It’s easy to chase speed or change your game to match what seems right. In reality, what makes me a great golfer is sticking to my own game and game plan week in and week out.” Qualifiers Grant Hirschman (65) Age: 26 College: University of Oklahoma Turned pro: 2018 PGA TOUR starts: 1 Cuts made: 1 PGA TOUR earnings: $14,190 Notes: Hirschman will play his first PGA TOUR event since the 2018 FedEx St. Jude Classic. Played 18 events on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018, recording a pair of Top 10 finishes including a T4 finish at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr. Pepper. Played a full season on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020-21, finishing in the Top 10 twice and Top 25 five times. Was part of the Oklahoma’s 2017 National Championship team and claimed three victories during his college career. He was 2018 Big 12 individual champion. Ranked 746 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Sam Saunders (65) Age: 34 College: Clemson University Turned pro: 2009 PGA TOUR starts: 156 Cuts made: 72 PGA TOUR earnings: $3,474,499 Notes: Saunders rebounds this week after missing the Fortinet Championship Monday qualifier in a playoff. Has spent five full seasons on the PGA TOUR since 2010. Finished T2 in the 2015 Puerto Rico Open after losing in a playoff. Supports the Arnold and Winnie Palmer Hospital. Ranked 1594 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Quade Cummins (67) Age: 25 College: University of Oklahoma Turned pro: 2020 PGA TOUR starts: 3 Cuts made: 2 Earnings: $15,680 Notes: Will make his fourth career start on the PGA TOUR at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Finished T67 at the 2020 Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN while still an amateur. Finished T58 at the 2021 Fortinet Championship in his first start of the season. Finished the 2021 Mackenzie Tour season with back-to-back Top 10 finishes at the Auburn University Club Invitational and L&J Golf Championship at Jennings Mill Country Club. Won the 2016 Oklahoma Amateur and was a two-time Oklahoma 4A state golf champion (2013 and 2015). Ranked 1243 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Kyle Reifers (67) Age: 37 College: Wake Forest Turned pro: 2006 PGA TOUR starts: 161 Cuts made: 86 PGA TOUR earnings: $4,061,553 Notes: Reifers will make his third PGA TOUR start since 2018. Has played five full seasons on the PGA TOUR since 2006. Has placed in the Top 10 eight times in his career, including a second-place finish in the 2015 Barracuda Championship after losing in a playoff to J.J. Henry. Won the 2006 Chattanooga Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour, defeating 9x PGA TOUR winner Brandt Snedeker in a playoff. Won the 2004 Ohio State Amateur. First car was a Jeep Cherokee. Now drives a Cadillac Escalade. Ranked 633 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Notes Notables who missed qualifying: Jonathan Byrd, Byeong Hun An, Blayne Barber, Erik Compton, Vaughn Taylor, Curtis Luck, Andrew Loupe, Aaron Baddeley, Bo Hoag, Mark Hubbard, Beau Hossler, Austin Eckroat, and Ben Crane. 2021-2022 Monday Qualifier statistics Last event’s qualifier result (Fortinet Championship): Kristoffer Ventura (MC), Justin Suh (T58), Joshua McCarthy (MC), and Michael Kim (MC) Total money earned by Monday qualifiers on TOUR this season: $15,680 Best finish of the 2021-2022 season by a Monday qualifier: Justin Suh (T58, Fortinet Championship) Next Monday qualifier: Shiners Hospitals for Children Open at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nevada (October 4, 2021)

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Round 3 of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship takes place Saturday from Port Royal GC. Ben Crane tops a crowded leaderboard to take a one-shot lead into the weekend. Here’s everything you need to follow the action. Leaderboard Tee times HOW TO FOLLOW: Television: Thursday-Sunday, 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) Radio: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 12 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) MUST READS Ben Crane shoots 62 to lead by one at Butterfield Bermuda Championship Forgotten clubs and a missed flight, Adam Schenk’s bizarre start in Bermuda TOUR winner Aaron Baddeley contending in Bermuda after Monday qualifying Nick Jones honoring father’s legacy at Butterfield Bermuda Championship Inside John Daly’s wild golf bag and recent gear changes Five Things to Know: Port Royal GC

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ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Cameron Champ just wanted to make the cut in all of his starts this fall.   With a win and three other top-30 finishes, Champ has far exceeded that goal.   It was close in his first event, though.   He made the cut on the number after struggling with his ball-striking at the Safeway Open. Sneaking into the weekend gave him the opportunity to shoot one of those unnoticed rounds that changes a career.   He started the final round at Silverado in 66th place. His Sunday 68 in high winds set the stage for an impressive run that has made him this season’s must-see rookie.   Only two players beat Champ’s final-round score at the Safeway. He jumped 41 spots on the leaderboard and, more importantly, gained the confidence that helped him win in his next start.   “It was blowing 25 (mph), gusting a little more, maybe, and I was flighting the shots right, hitting the shots where I needed to, and then I made a few good putts,â€� Champ said Tuesday in his pre-tournament interview at The RSM Classic. “Things just kind of progressed from there.â€�   Yes, they have. Champ led after every round at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He birdied five of the final six holes to beat Corey Conners by four. Champ is ninth in the FedExCup and the early front-runner in the Rookie of the Year race.   In 12 rounds since the Safeway, he’s been inside the top 10 after nine of them. He has a 67.3 scoring average in that span, including four rounds of 65 or lower.   “I’ve just been playing with confidence, really,â€� Champ said. His outrageous length helps, as well. His average driving distance of 335.2 yards leads the TOUR. He’s nearly four yards longer than Luke List, who ranks second in that category, and 38 yards longer than the TOUR average.   He also leads in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee, a statistic with outsized importance in today’s game. Eight of the top 10 in that metric qualified for last season’s TOUR Championship.   It takes more than long drives to win on the PGA TOUR, though. By being a consistent contender this fall, Champ has shown that he is more than a sideshow.   He had an opportunity to win his first start following his victory, at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. He stumbled with a final-round 73 in Las Vegas after starting the final round just three back.   A second-round 62 last week in Mexico got him into second place. He finished six shots behind Matt Kuchar despite two double bogeys on the final nine.   The RSM Classic is his fourth consecutive start. He’s trying to continue this impressive run and earn money for charity.   Champ has made birdie or eagle on one-third of his holes this season. He’s second in birdie average (5.9 per round) and has two eagles. His 96 birdies and eagles are second-most on TOUR, just one fewer than Gary Woodland.   With Woodland sitting out this week, Champ is the prohibitive favorite in the Birdies Fore Love race. That competition awards $300,000 to the player who finishes the fall season with the most birdies and eagles. Champ already has begun his own foundation. He has plans to bring after-school programs to the par-3 course that he grew up playing in Sacramento, California.   “Charity and giving back has always been a thing of mine and my family personally,â€� Champ said. “We didn’t come from much, but we always gave back as much as possible.â€�   That generosity can continue thanks to his strong start to the season.

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