Steven Bowditch to undergo spinal fusion surgery

BLAINE, Minn. – When Bryson DeChambeau got his first look at TPC Twin Cities on Tuesday, he thought 14 or 15 under might end up being the winning score at the inaugural 3M Open. Turns out, he only needed two rounds to get there, though. Not four. So DeChambeau has to readjust his goals now after Friday’s course-record-tying 62 left him at 14 under and leading by four. The bogey-free round of 9 under matched Scott Piercy’s number on Thursday, a performance that DeChambeau said “opened the floodgates a little bit.â€� It was also the lowest score the 25-year-old has ever shot on the PGA TOUR. “Certainly, me doing that today inspires me to even do better over the weekend,â€� DeChambeau said. “I know I can do it. I know I still left a couple out there, lipped out a couple short putts. Although I made a lot of putts, I’m not going to take that for granted.â€� Charles Howell III, who played with DeChambeau and Keegan Bradley in the first two rounds, finished with a 66 that included a pair of eagles, one of which came courtesy of a wedge from 80 yards on the par-4 seventh that sucked back into the hole. As good as his own round was, though, Howell came away impressed. “Well, playing with Bryson, it was ‑‑ it was a good round,â€� Howell said when asked about his 5-under tally. “Not great. It was great playing with a guy going low out there, especially coming to a new venue where you quite don’t know what to expect. “You see these guys keep pressing and pressing like he was doing. He kind of drug Keegan and I along with him.â€� Bradley couldn’t quite keep pace with DeChambeau and Howell, shooting a 68 that left him 4 under for 36 holes. But he added to the highlight reel when he drained an improbable 61-footer at the second hole, his fourth birdie in the last five holes. Howell said seeing DeChambeau play so well set the tone for the round. “Bryson was obviously, he had two great days of putting, so it’s nice as a golfer to see balls going in the hole and see guys going low and doing well,â€� Howell said. “Yeah, and whatever you may want to call that, drafting, whatever it may be, it matters I think, yes.â€� DeChambeau has not made a bogey this week. He’s finding fairways, nine in each of the first two rounds, and was spot-on with the putter on Friday, making five birdie putts of more than 19 feet. “Whenever I can roll a couple putts in from 20 feet or more, that gives you a lot of confidence for the game,â€� DeChambeau said. “And when you’re striking it well and driving it where you’re looking, that’s obviously very positive. “I know it’s cliche to say that, but it’s just what it is unfortunately. Kind of get into a rhythm a little bit, the zone, and it just feels good sometimes.â€� 

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR announced today that Xander Schauffele has been named the 2017 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year as voted on by the TOUR’s membership for the 2016-17 season. PGA TOUR members who played in at least 15 official money events this past season were eligible to vote. The balloting process ended on October 2. “On behalf of the PGA TOUR, congratulations to Xander Schauffele on being voted PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year,� said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Being recognized by your peers is one of the highest honors a player can receive, and Xander’s win at the TOUR Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs capped off what had already been a remarkable rookie season.� Schauffele, a 23-year-old resident of San Diego, California, capped off his season in record-breaking fashion by holding off FedExCup champion Justin Thomas to become the first rookie to win the season-ending TOUR Championship. By doing so, he finished the season third in the FedExCup. Schauffele is the fourth member of the high school class of 2011 to earn PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors, joining Jordan Spieth (2013), Daniel Berger (2015) and Emiliano Grillo (2016). Thomas, another member of that class, won the FedExCup this season by holding off Spieth and Schauffele, his nearest competitors. Having captured The Greenbrier Classic earlier in the season for his first TOUR victory, Schauffele was one of six multiple winners during the 2016-17 season, joining Thomas, Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Marc Leishman. In 28 starts, he turned in four top-10 finishes among 20 made cuts. A 2016 graduate of the Web.com Tour, Schauffele was selected for the honor over Wesley Bryan, Patrick Cantlay, Mackenzie Hughes and Grayson Murray.    

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Rickie Fowler, who lives minutes from PGA National Resort, returns to defend his title against a strong lineup with plenty of local firepower fronted by FedExCup champions Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. Masters champion Sergio Garcia arrives to make his first U.S. start of 2018, as will a trio of other top Europe-based professionals. Woods was a late entry, committing to his first back-to-back starts since undergoing spinal fusion surgery last April. FIELD NOTES: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, winner of the World Super 6 Perth earlier this month, makes PGA National his first U.S. start since the 2016 Web.com Tour Finals. Also coming across for their first U.S. appearance of the year are England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger. … In all, PGA National is slated to welcome 10 of the top 25 in the current world rankings. … FedExCup leader Patton Kizzire is one of four commitments among the top 10 in the PGA TOUR’s season points race. … Fowler, Thomas and Woods are among at least 14 Honda entrants who keep a home within 45 minutes of PGA National. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. STORYLINES: Fowler, who owns six top-4 finishes on TOUR since his four-shot romp a year ago, hopes getting back to home base will break the hex. He also led after 54 holes in Phoenix, but a closing 73 dropped him out of the top 10. … A Fowler victory would make him just the second back-to-back winner in Honda annals, alongside Jack Nicklaus (1977-78). … Garcia arrives with a victory already on his ledger this year, winning in Singapore to start his schedule. He was second behind Adam Scott at the 2016 Honda. … Woods tees it up near his Jupiter Island home for the first time since 2014, when back spasms forced his withdrawal 13 holes into the final round. He was the 2012 runner-up behind McIlroy. … It’s the final chance for pros to get into next week’s WGC-Mexico Championship, with spots for anyone not previously qualified among the FedExCup top 10 or who moves into the world’s top 50. … Since PGA National became host in 2007, the “Bear Trap� trio of Nos. 15-17 has accounted for 18 percent of all bogeys in the event, 33 percent of all double bogeys and 38 percent of all triples or worse. COURSE: PGA National (Champion), 7,110 yards, par 70. Designed with major events in mind, the original George & Tom Fazio layout was site of the 1983 Ryder Cup where Lanny Wadkins’ birdie at No.18 vs. Jose Maria Canizares dashed European upset hopes. The original also was the backdrop for the 1987 PGA Championship, captured by Larry Nelson, before Jack Nicklaus was brought in for a 1990 redesign that introduced golfers to the perilous “Bear Trap� closing stretch. The course also staged 19 Senior PGA Championships through 2000, going on tournament hiatus until the Honda arrived in 2007. 72-HOLE RECORD: 264, Justin Leonard (2003 at Mirasol). PGA National record: 267, Camilo Villegas (2010). 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Brian Harman (2nd round, 2012). LAST YEAR: Fowler ended a nearly 14-month victory drought with a four-shot win, pulling away with a Saturday 65 before enduring a roller-coaster final day. Fowler began a windblown Sunday with a four-shot advantage, which proved useful when he putted into a sprinkler hole on the way to bogey at No. 4 and found the water two holes later for double bogey. Gary Woodland’s birdie at No. 13 cut the margin to one before Fowler’s putter found the range. Fowler drained a 40-foot birdie at No. 12, then connected from 25 feet at the 13th. Another birdie at the par-3 16th gave him a five-shot cushion before a bogey/bogey finish left him with a 71. Woodland (69) also finished bogey/bogey to share runner-up honors with Morgan Hoffmann (68). HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. ET (featured groups), 3-6 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured holes). RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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