The American Express, Round 2: Leaderboard, tee times, TV times

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and 2013 champion Dustin Johnson have confirmed their participation in the 2017 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions taking place 26 to 29 October at Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai. Since Matsuyama’s triumph at ‘Asia’s Major’ last October when he became the first Japanese player to win a World Golf Championship, he has gone from strength to strength, winning four times, including the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open and, earlier this month, the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. He reached a career high ranking of number two in June and is currently lying in third place on the Official World Golf Rankings. Matsuyama won last year by a cool seven shots from Henrik Stenson and Daniel Berger. His rounds of 66, 65, 68 and 66 took in as many as 29 birdies, and he is relishing a return to Sheshan. Matsuyama said: “Sheshan has some very special memories for me. It was a great honor to become the first Japanese winner of a World Golf Championships and to do it against such a world-class field was very special. I believe the confidence I gained with such a big victory there has really helped me with my performances this year.â€� At the top of the world rankings, Johnson became the only man to have completed the WGC-Slam when he won both the WGC-Mexico Championship and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play earlier this year.    Johnson, who suffered a back injury following a fall on the eve of this year’s Masters, returned to the winning circle last week at the PGA TOUR’s NORTHERN TRUST. He commented: “It is great that Hideki and I hold all the 2017 WGC titles between us, so we will both be gunning to win the final WGC of the year. I really look forward to returning to Shanghai and it always helps to be returning to a course where you have won before. The Chinese fans are awesome and bring a real energy and enthusiasm that always makes it really fun to play there.â€� Giles Morgan, HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship and Events, added: “WGC-HSBC Champions is our flagship event in global golf and an early announcement of two of the world’s best players is hugely exciting. Quality of field is the calling card for this tournament which has earned the reputation of ‘Asia’s Major’ and for the past three years we have attracted forty of the world’s top fifty golfers. Following recent heroics China’s leading players are truly coming of age at just the right time. This event means so much to them. It is their major. It first inspired them into the game then nurtured their skills. Now it gives this new generation a chance to unleash their talents against the world’s best. All in front their home fans. It’s a mouth-watering prospect.â€�   Ticket sales launch on www.HSBCgolf.com/buy-tickets-online. From daily passes to weekend family packages, and complimentary entry to juniors 18 and under, there is something for everyone. The popular Pinnacle Club will also return this year, a premium spectator experience for fans looking for an extra special way to enjoy world-class golf. Pinnacle Club guests will be able to enjoy the golf from a high-spec bespoke social and party platform on the golf course, offering excellent views of the action as well as top class hospitality and a unique atmosphere.  For more details on the WGC-HSBC Champions and all ticket information, please visit www.HSBCgolf.com/mens or follow official WeChat account: HSBCChampions

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TULSA, Okla. – A Tiger Woods win at the PGA Championship would send shockwaves around the world and have an even bigger impact at the BetMGM Sportsbook. The betting operator faces its biggest loss in history if the 82-time TOUR-winning Woods repeats his 2007 heroics from Southern Hills and claims a fifth Wanamaker Trophy. Woods famously made his return to competitive golf at the Masters last month after recovering from a serious car crash in 2021 that almost cost him his leg. The resulting injuries continue to make it impossible for the veteran to play a regular schedule on the PGA TOUR, but Woods will tee it up in Oklahoma this week chasing a 16th major championship victory. Such a feat would be considered one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time given his injuries, age and five previous back surgeries, but plenty of bettors are on board with the possible fairy tale. It was only a year ago that Phil Mickelson became the oldest ever major champion at 50 in the 2021 PGA Championship. Having opened at +5000 (50-1) in December of 2021 at BetMGM Sportsbook, the now 46-year-old Woods tightened to +4000 after playing in the Masters before drifting back out to his current mark of +6600. “I feel like I can, definitely. I just have to go out there and do it,” Woods said Tuesday when asked if he believed he could win. “I have to do my work. Starts on Thursday and I’ll be ready.” It would not be a kind result for BetMGM. “Tiger Woods is our biggest liability to win the PGA Championship. If Tiger were to win, it would be the biggest losing result in BetMGM history,” VP of Trading at BetMGM Jason Scott confirms. “Tiger missing the cut would be a good outcome for the sportsbook.” While plenty of fans have backed the winning outcome, there is also some serious lack of faith amongst other sections of the betting public and as of Tuesday morning 97% of the handle in BetMGM’s Tiger to Miss the Cut market sat on the negative side. Woods is -125 to make the cut with BetMGM and +100 to miss it after one bettor placed a $13,000 wager that Woods would not make it to the final two rounds at +115. As it stands 58% of the tickets have Woods missing the cut, leaving 42% backing him to play the weekend but just 3% of the handle. In 21 previous PGA Championships Woods has made the cut 17 times. He hasn’t played in the event since a T37 in the 2020 title chase and all four missed cuts came in his last eight appearances at the championship. Woods won the title in 1999, 2000, 2006 and in 2007 at Southern Hills, the venue this week. He is 47-under par lifetime at the PGA Championship and leads the all-time money earnings at the event with $7,346,862. As for his more recent performance Woods opened with a 1-under 71 at Augusta National last month before fading with rounds of 74-78-78 to finish a respectable 47th.

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Cantlay wins first PGA Tour title in playoff

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