Tae Hoon Kim can't stop winning Genesis cars

GREENSBORO, N.C. – When the first round of official tournament play in the 2019 Wyndham Championship begins three weeks from today, three of the most heralded rookies in recent PGA TOUR history, Matthew Wolff, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland, will be in the field. The 80th Wyndham Championship, which will determine the $10 Million Wyndham Rewards Top 10, is set for July 30-Aug. 4, 2019 at Sedgefield Country Club. All three of these future superstars accepted a Wyndham Championship sponsor’s exemptions earlier this year. Wolff, however, won last week’s 3M Open in dramatic fashion eagling the last hole to take a one-stroke win over Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau who eagled the same hole moments earlier to take the lead.  Wolff, 20, played two seasons at Oklahoma State University before turning professional earlier this summer. While at Oklahoma State, he won NCAA championships in team competition (2018) and individual competition (2019). He won six times during his sophomore season and claimed the Fred Haskins Award as the nation’s most outstanding player.  Prior to Wolff, only Ben Crenshaw (1973) and Tiger Woods (1996) won an NCAA individual title and a PGA TOUR event in the same year. The Agoura Hills, Calif., native is the ninth-youngest winner in PGA TOUR history. With his win in the 3M Open in his fourth TOUR start, Wolff joined the PGA TOUR as a member through the 2020-’21 season and no longer needs the sponsor’s exemption he accepted.  Wolff finished tied for 19th in the 2015 AJGA Wyndham Invitational presented by BB&T and is the 87th Wyndham Invitational alumnus to earn PGA TOUR membership. Morikawa, who finished tied for second with DeChambeau at the 3M Open, earned 245 FedExCup points last weekend, and when added to the 89 he earned previously, totals 334 points giving him more points than earned by No. 150 in last season’s FedExCup point standings. With that milestone, Morikawa, 22, earned PGA TOUR special temporary membership meaning he can accept unlimited sponsor’s exemptions for the rest of the season as he works to earn PGA TOUR membership for next season which he will accomplish by earning at least as many points as No. 125 in this year’s FedExCup point standings. That number is currently 286. Morikawa played four seasons at the University of California where he was a three-time, first-team All-American. He was the Golfweek Men’s National Player of the Year in 2018 and was named Pac-12 Player of the Year this past season. The Los Angeles native was formerly No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. He played the AJGA Wyndham Invitational in 2013 and ’14 finished tied for ninth and tied for 72nd.  Hovland, a native of Norway, also turned professional this summer after playing with Wolff at Oklahoma State University. He finished tied for 32nd at the Masters and was low amateur joining CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz and 2019 Masters champion Tiger Woods in Butler Cabin at Augusta National after the tournament. He finished tied for 12th as low amateur at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach before turning professional. In his three professional starts, he finished tied for 54th at the Travelers Championship and tied for 13th at both the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the 3M Open. The 2018 U.S. Amateur Champion won the 2019 Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s top college golfer.  “What an amazing 3M Open we saw with Matt Wolff and Colin Marikawa dueling it out with Bryson DeChambeau,� tournament director Mark Brazil said. “We’ve known about Collin and Matt for quite a while since they played in the AJGA Wyndham Invitational and Wyndham Cup over the years. For Matt to win with Collin tying for second, and basically securing their cards for next year, was a lot of fun to watch. I think everyone got a good look at some of golf’s future.  “We gave Collin and Matt sponsor’s exemptions early in the year along with Viktor who was U.S. Amateur champion, low amateur at the Masters and low amateur at the U.S. Open so he has quite a resume as well. To have those three ‘young guns’ coming to the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield, which two of them have played, is a great deal for the tournament and says a lot about what we’re trying to do with the young talent on the PGA TOUR.�

Click here to read the full article…

We’re in central Florida this week, and that can only mean one thing – Arnie’s event. The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is not just a golf tournament, it’s an appropriate time to reflect on the legend who passed away four years ago. Thinking about Arnie is a good thing anytime of the year, but especially this week. Oh, and there’s usually lots of drama, especially on the 72nd hole. RELATED: Featured Groups, tee times | Tiger and Arnie: Memorable meetings through the years | Expert Picks THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER THE FLYOVER The 511-yard par-5 16th at Bay Hill is the easiest hole on the course; it played to a stroke average of 4.424 last season, which ranked 22nd easiest among the 163 par 5s listed in the ShotLink stats. In fact, there were more birdies (214) than pars (132), and nearly as many eagles (16) as bogeys (19). Here’s a look at the 16th. LANDING ZONE The 460-yard par-4 eighth is the most difficult hole at Bay Hill and was the 24th most difficult of any hole played on TOUR last season. Its stroke average of 4.281 was a tad tougher than the nearly-as-tough par-4 ninth, which played at 4.253 and was also ranked among the 50th toughest holes. The green at No. 8 is guarded by water on the left side, so depending on your angle and the pin location, you might be able to avoid flirting with the water on your approach. Here’s where all tee shots at the eighth ended up last year. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Joe Halvorson: “Patchy fog may develop on Thursday morning, but any areas of fog that do materialize would likely burn off by 8 a.m. ET. Winds will increase on Thursday ahead of a cold front forecast to bring scattered afternoon showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms (30% lightning probability). Rain chances will start after 1 p.m., though the greatest precipitation/thunderstorm chances are likely to hold off until after 4 p.m. as the front draws closer to the area. Brief heavy downpours may occur within these showers and thunderstorms, with forecast rainfall holding below 0.20 inch. Winds are expected to gust in the 25-30 mph range Thursday afternoon. Dry, cooler, and breezy conditions are then forecast for Friday through the weekend behind the front. â€� For the latest weather news from Orlando, Florida, check out the PGA TOUR Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I’ve looked up to Mr. Palmer my whole life and, yes, for all his achievements, on and off the golf course, but probably mostly for the way he lived his life and the way he treated other people. And that’s something that I really try to do as well, try and be like him. BY THE NUMBERS 239: Total balls in the water at Bay Hill last season, marking the fourth most at this course in the ShotLink era. 168: Feet of putts made on the 72nd hole by the eventual Arnold Palmer Invitational winners since 2003, most by event winners in the ShotLink era. 199: Improvement in the FedExCup standings by Brendon Todd from his position at this point last year (when he was 204th) to now (5th). That’s the biggest year-over-year improvement of any player this week. 10,095: Total approach shots at Bay Hill since 2015, most of any course on TOUR in the last six seasons. 69.40: Rory McIlroy’s scoring average at the Arnold Palmer Invitational since 2015, lowest of any player in that stretch with eight minimum rounds. SCATTERSHOTS Euro group: Two years ago, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose were paired in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with McIlroy shooting a 64 to claim the title. This time, they’re paired in the first two rounds along with defending champ Francesco Molinari in a threesome that includes the last two FedExCup champs (Rose in 2018, McIlroy in 2019) and three European Ryder Cup teammates. For McIlroy and Molinari, this is the first time in seven years they’ve been paired on U.S. soil – the last time was the third round of the 2013 PGA Championship. ROY reunion: Arnold Palmer’s name is attached to the PGA TOUR’s Rookie of the Year award, and it’s no surprised that so many former ROY winners are in this week’s field, including The Honda Classic winner Sungjae Im, who won the award last season. Other past ROYs include: Xander Schauffele (2017), Emiliano Grillo (2016), Keegan Bradley (2011), Rickie Fowler (2010), Marc Leishman (2009), Charles Howell III (2001), Stewart Cink (1997), Vijay Singh (1993) and Robert Gamez (1990).   Molinari’s brother: Edoardo Molinari, the brother of defending champion Francesco Molinari, had to pull out of a recent European Tour event after being quarantined for fears of having the Coronavirus. Francesco said his brother told him that his health is fine, and that the decision stemmed from Edoardo’s roommate suffering flu-like symptoms. “He was, I would say, more annoyed than scared because he was feeling well,â€� Francesco said. “He had no symptoms. … Obviously being Italian, it’s not a great time back home with the health situation and I don’t know, hopefully they can get it sorted somehow quickly.â€� For the PGA TOUR’s statement on the coronavirus, please click here. 

Click here to read the full article…

Rory McIlroy had barely popped this week to relive his 2019 victory at THE PLAYERS Championship when Sky Sports golf analyst Nick Dougherty asked about his hair. McIlroy — the reigning FedExCup champion who had compiled six top-five finishes in six starts before this season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic — took off his hat and tousled his noticeably longer coif. He pushed his hair forward and well down his forehead. “It’s getting back to the early 2010s,â€� McIlroy said on PGA TOUR Live’s enhanced replay of THE PLAYERS. “It’s terrible. It is very long.â€� With only essential business remaining open in most parts of the country – and barbershops not making the cut as “essentialâ€� – McIlroy is one of several players who are looking different. “Went for the fade,â€� Justin Rose wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, along with a photo of himself. “They seem a bit easier on the golf course! DIY haircuts … all tips welcome!â€� Brooks Koepka and Billy Horschel grew mustaches. J.B. Holmes cultivated a sort of mutton-chops facial hair configuration, tweeting, “This is what happens when you’re quarantined and bored.â€� He promised to change up his looks and wear whichever one gets the most likes when play resumes at the Charles Schwab Challenge in mid-June. Justin Thomas, in a short post on social media in which he walks his dog, sports a similar sort of whisker pattern on his chin, calling it “a look only a quarantine lifestyle could love.â€� Lee Westwood posted a closeup of himself with the caption asking if anyone had a pair of clippers. Padraig Harrington shaved his head and showed the before and after photos. This prompted 2005 U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell to reply: They’re not the only ones taking a hard look at that odd-looking fellow in the mirror. “I was just playing with my hair, and it’s gross,â€� said Max Homa, who would have been defending his title at the Wells Fargo Championship this week. He added that his wife did clean up his neck. “I don’t look my normal incredibly handsome, probably-best-looking-guy-on-TOUR self, so it’s been tough,â€� Homa added, tongue firmly in cheek. Well into the second month of the pandemic, grooming at home while staying at home has become a tough call. As Harrington reminds, clippers – though disappearing fast in big-box stores – are almost always readily available. Alas, there’s a reason why people go to school to learn how to cut hair, and quarantine home haircut disasters have become a trending topic on social media. Anderson Cooper, the CNN host, admitted, “I gave myself a giant bald spot.â€� Pink, the singer, copped to having to clean things up after a similar mishap. In light of all that, McIlroy said, he’s holding out. “I’ll let a professional do it whenever the right time is,â€� he said. “It’s all right. I can put a hat on and get away with it.â€�

Click here to read the full article…