The First Look: QBE Shootout

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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