Stamina will play pivotal role in who wins 100th PGA

Twelve two-person teams will compete in a fun and unique format at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, which also hosts the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. Matt Kuchar and Harris English will look to defend their title from 2020, which they won in record fashion. FIELD NOTES AND STORYLINES: Matt Kuchar and Harris English will be paired together once again as the duo looks to win a record fourth QBE Shootout. This is the seventh time they will partner… One of last year’s second-place squads – Harold Varner III and Ryan Palmer – are looking to climb one spot higher on the leaderboard… Reigning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris was a last-minute field addition after Steve Stricker withdrew. He will be paired with Sean O’Hair, who has won this event twice… LPGA superstar Lexi Thompson will once again be teeing it up alongside the men. This year she’s paired with Bubba Watson. Thompson finished eighth in the 2021 CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon (she won the tournament in 2018)… Countrymen Jason Day and Marc Leishman will carry the flag for Australia. Day won this event in 2014 with Cameron Tringale. Leishman had success in another team event this year, winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Cameron Smith… Sam Burns, a winner this fall on the PGA TOUR, will join forces with former FedExCup champ Billy Horschel. They paired at this year’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, finishing fourth… Speaking of countrymen getting together: European Ryder Cup stalwarts Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are grouped together for the second time… Kevin Kisner will return for his fifth start at the QBE Shootout but this time with a rookie partner, Max Homa… Two Georgia Bulldogs and Sea Island, Georgia, residents, Brian Harman and Hudson Swafford, will be playing together for the first time. Harman won this event in 2018 with another Sea Island resident, Patton Kizzire… K.H. Lee will make his QBE Shootout debut after winning on TOUR for the first time this season (AT&T Byrson Nelson). He’ll be paired with former FedExCup winner Brandt Snedeker… Corey Conners will be Graeme McDowell’s seventh partner at the QBE Shootout. McDowell has finished second at the QBE Shootout three times. FEDEXCUP: No FedExCup points will be awarded at the QBE Shootout, but its field does boast two former FedExCup champions (Horschel and Snedeker), while Sam Burns is second on the current FedExCup standings. COURSE: Tiburon Golf Club, par 72, 7,382 yards (yardage subject to change). This marks the fifth year the Naples, Fla.-club will play host to the QBE Shootout. The layout also plays host to the season finale on the LPGA (won this year by Jin Young Ko, who finished at 23-under 265 en route to capturing Player of the Year honors). The course boasts plenty of interesting waste areas, water, and demands a creative short game if you happen to miss the green on your approach shots. 72-HOLE RECORD: 179, Matt Kuchar/Harris English (2020) 18-HOLE RECORD: 55, Ryan Palmer/Harold Varner III (First round, 2019), Jason Day/Cameron Tringale (First round, 2014), Greg Norman/Steve Elkington (Third round, 2005), Peter Jacobsen/John Cook (Third round, 1998), Greg Norman/Nick Price (Third round, 1993). LAST TIME: Matt Kuchar and Harris English captured their third QBE Shootout after a spectacular display of shot-making and scoring. The pair finished at 37-under for the three-round event and won by nine shots over Rory Sabbatini and Kevin Tway – both tournament records. Their 37-under 179 broke the mark of 34 under they set in 2013. Kuchar and English were two shots back of the lead after the opening-round scramble, but were five shots better than any other team after an 11-under 61 in the modified alternate shot second round. They had a five-stroke advantage through 36 holes and closed with a 60 in Sunday’s better-ball format. Sabbatini and Tway were tied for second with Lanto Griffin and Mackenzie Hughes (a first-time squad) and Kevin Na and Sean O’Hair. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Friday, 12 p.m.-4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-5 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2 p.m.-4 p.m. (NBC).

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KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Cameron Tringale made a 10 at the par-5 16th hole. Carlos Ortiz quadruple-bogeyed 17. And Marc Leishman double-bogeyed 17, bogeyed 18, and missed the cut by one. The last five holes may as well have been a meat grinder at the 103rd PGA Championship at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, and almost no one was spared. RELATED: Oosthuizen, Mickelson share lead | DJ headlines big names to miss cut “Mentally, I don’t think I did anything wrong,” said Branden Grace (71, 3 under), who was at 6 under and leading the tournament when he stepped onto the tee at the fearsome par-3 17th hole. “I stood up there, I picked my target, I hit the shot that I wanted to, but it just didn’t come off.” His ball found the water, and he made double bogey. He bogeyed the 18th to fall two behind co-leaders Phil Mickelson (69) and Louis Oosthuizen (68) – each of whom also bogeyed 18. Dustin Johnson bogeyed 15 and shot 74 to miss the cut by one. Adam Scott (72) bogeyed 15 and 16 to miss by a shot, and Xander Schauffele bogeyed 15 and 18 to finish with them at 6 over. Ian Poulter (70, even) could only laugh about how hard it was at the end. He was cruising at 6 under through 12 holes, but about to turn into the teeth of the wind when he saw a scoreboard in the distance that said he was 6 under and threatening the course record. “And I just started laughing to myself,” he said after going 4 over for his last six. “Like, who in the world would write that and put that on a board with that last five holes to play?” Even with some of the tees moved up, he added, “It’s a brutally difficult finish (into the wind). Straight in, very slightly at times just off the left, and you’re aiming at targets which if you pull it very slightly, you’re in the dunes, and if you cut it, you’re wet or on the beach. It’s intense.” The scariest of the fearsome five finishing holes was 17, which played the hardest in the second round. Mickelson bogeyed it, as did Brooks Koepka (71, 4 under). Kevin Streelman (72, 2 under), who hit the green and two-putted from over 77 feet to par it, called 17, “One of the hardest par-3s we’ve ever played in professional golf right now.” The hole played to a 3.682 stroke average and was No. 1 in difficulty Friday. The 15th was the second hardest at 4.552, and the par-3 14th was the third hardest at 3.539. The 18th hole played to a 4.526 average and was fourth toughest on the day. For the week, 17 and 18 are playing the toughest and second toughest holes on the course, respectively. Harry Higgs (71, 1 under) bucked convention Friday. He hit the green on 17 and 18 before holing trans-continental birdie putts of 59 and 64 feet, respectively. He said it bought him a few extra hours sleep Saturday, and his brother was going to make him a cocktail to celebrate. Charley Hoffman (70, 1 under) did him one better, going 2 under on holes 14-18. “To be completely honest we got lucky,” Hoffman said of a slight let-up from the wind late in the day. “As soon as we made that turn, it did die a little.” They were the exceptions to the rule; nearly everyone died a little on the last five holes.

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NORTON, Mass. – Stewart Cink has learned his lesson. He promises to look at his projected FedExCup position down the stretch in Monday’s final round of the Dell Technologies Championship. Two years ago, he didn’t look at the projections. Playing the final round of THE NORTHERN TRUST, Cink arrived at the par-4 18th hole at Plainfield Country Club in great shape to take the next step in the FedExCup Playoffs. Cink, who had started the week ranked 116th, was projected inside the top 100. His caddie asked if he wanted to know where he stood. Cink was emphatic. “No!� The 18th was playing at 307 yards that day. Cink figured an aggressive approach on a drivable par-4 offered favorable odds. He took out driver … and hit a poor shot left into “the weeds,� Cink recalled. His second shot found the other side of the green. He pitched to 14 feet and missed the par putt. The bogey dropped him nine spots on the leaderboard – and dropped out of the top 100. He finished at 102nd in the FedExCup standings, two points behind Jason Kokrak, the No. 100 player who had missed the cut that week. Had Cink made par, he would’ve finished in the mid-90s in points and moved on to TPC Boston. When Cink told his wife Lisa about not wanting to know where he stood, she was just as emphatic in her reaction – only with a different spin. “You always want to know!� she said. Cink entered this week ranked 81st in points, leaving him outside the bubble for the top 70 advancing to the BMW Championship. After rallying from a poor start in Friday’s first round – he was 4 over through his first eight holes before getting back on track with an eagle – Cink is now in position after his second consecutive 68. He’s tied for 14th at 6 under – and projected to 61st in FedExCup points. Cink has not reached the third leg of the FedExCup Playoffs since 2010, the year after his win at The Open Championship. He hasn’t played in the TOUR Championship since 2009. It would be a tremendous story if he gets that far. After all, not only is he a member at East Lake, but he’ll be honored that week as the Payne Stewart Award winner. Is it difficult to keep East Lake out of his mind? No, Stewart said. “I’m having a lot more difficult time not thinking about Chicago,� he added. “East Lake’s not even in my mind to put out. That’s not a problem.� Cink was planning to huddle with his caddie prior to Monday’s final round to discuss their game plan. If the scenario boils down to the final few holes and Cink remains in contention to advance, there will be no question. He will want to know where he stands. “I’ve seen the other side,� Cink said, “and it cost me.� BUBBLE WATCH Here are the players who are projected to move inside and outside the top 70 that will advance to the third leg of the FedExCup Playoffs, the BMW Championship. QUOTE OF THE DAY I would look at winning the FedExCup like winning a major. I think it’s become that big. I think a lot of players, because it’s a season-long race, I feel like it’s got a lot of meaning. TOP 5 WATCH The Top 5 players entering the TOUR Championship will control their own destiny at East Lake. Here’s a look at how the current top 5 fared Saturday at the Dell Technologies Championship. 1. Dustin Johnson (66). Bogey-free round ended with a flourish – four birdies in his final five holes. Tied for seventh at 9 under. Projected to second. 2. Jordan Spieth (66). Suffered his first bogey on TPC Boston’s front side this week; otherwise a productive day. Tied for fourth at 10 under. Projected to third. 3. Justin Thomas (63). Posted his second consecutive bogey-free round; in fact, he has played 40 holes since his last bogey. Co-leader at 12 under. Projected to first. 4. Hideki Matsuyama (70). Produced his lowest score of the week but still giving up ground to the leaders. Tied for 36th at even par. Projected to fifth. 5. Jon Rahm (67). Entered the third round with the lead but three bogeys on the back nine dropped him off the pace. Tied for seventh at 9 under. Projected to sixth. Projected into the top 5 – Co-leader Marc Leishman, who started the week 20th in points, is projected to fourth. FEDEXCUP NOTES Paul Casey is again in position to win at TPC Boston, just like he was last year. In fact, he has finished inside the top five in four consecutive FedExCup Playoffs events, and has seven top-10s in 15 starts. Asked why the Playoffs seem to bring out the best of him, Casey said: “The end of the season is near. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t know. I like the fact there’s a conclusion, I really do. I do like the volatility. I like the fact you can move up and there’s genuinely something to play for.� … The three players currently projected to move from inside to outside the cutline have few strokes to make up. Anirban Lahiri only needs to make up one stroke; Russell Knox two strokes, and Kevin Tway three strokes to keep their positions inside the top 70. … Five rookies are currently projected inside the top 70 in points – Wesley Bryan, Xander Schauffele, Mackenzie Hughes, Ollie Schniederjans, Grayson Murray and Patrick Cantlay. Schauffele and Schniederjans missed the cut on Saturday, but the other four will pick up points. Murray (T4) and Cantlay (T9) will begin the final round inside the top 10 on the leaderboard. “I’m going to have to go out there and play my ‘A’ game,� said Murray, noting the big names packed at the top of the leaderboard.

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