The Latest: Pieters gets lead, then gives it back at US Open

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – After a disappointing finish Thursday at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, Graeme McDowell knew exactly what he needed to work on before teeing off on Friday. The pre-round range session did wonders, as McDowell shot an 8-under-par 64 in the second round – his lowest round on TOUR in relation to par since an 8-under 63 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2015, which he went on to win – that included hitting 17 greens and making no bogeys. McDowell made a double-bogey on the par-3 9th Thursday – his final hole of the day – and used that as motivation for this morning’s practice session. He said his ninth hole Thursday (he lost a ball off the tee) was a reflection of how his iron play was in general in the opening round. “(My iron play) wasn’t good enough and (the double bogey) made sure that I had something to work on this morning before I went on the golf course,â€� he said. “So I was able to just focus on fixing that left shot that I had. I hit it several times yesterday and it got me in trouble of couple of times. I kind of needed a rescue today.â€� McDowell is exempt into this year’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach – where he won in 2010 – but has yet to earn a spot in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, his pseudo home club in Northern Ireland. He played the Puerto Rico Open last month as well as this week’s alternate-field event with a specific goal in mind – he needs to earn more FedExCup points. Related: Three tied for lead after Round 1 | Romo ready for Friday “I would rather be at the Match Play, of course, but coming down here it’s so important to get the mentality right. … This is an opportunity to come here and play great, and I came here last year with that attitude and I’m down here again with this attitude, probably even more so this year,â€� he said. McDowell was in contention at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard a few weeks ago before he faltered Sunday. He admitted he got ahead of himself in the final round and is now trying to stay in the present. “I’ve got to just focus on every hole, every round at the minute and try and just … I want to be back up there in the top 50 in the world competing against these guys week in and week out. I believe I’m still good enough and I believe that I’m still motivated enough to do that,â€� said McDowell. “It’s been a frustrating few years, but I’m enjoying the challenge of digging myself out of this hole that I’ve got myself into and I really am starting to play well.â€� McDowell’s 8-under-par 64 has been the round of the tournament so far, and he said his ability to go low Friday was the positive feedback he needed. Golfers on the PGA TOUR, he said, will work with sports psychologists to feel good about their mental approach, but on-course outcomes are important as well. “It’s important to get that little bit of feedback that you’re on the right track,â€� he said. “That was nice. I’ll bank that 8-under from this morning, feel good about it, go back and chill this afternoon, get ready, and let’s have a big weekend.â€�

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KAPALUA, Hawaii — The scenery off Kapalua suggests a chill vibe. The scoreboard at the Sentry Tournament of Champions delivered a clear message to get a move on it. RELATED: Full leaderboard | How Collin Morikawa can become world No. 1 at Sentry Tournament of Champions Cameron Smith took that to heart Friday. Smith opened with two straight bogeys to not only lose his one-shot lead, but fall completely off the first page of the leaderboard. And then the Australian made a sensational recovery, capped by four straight birdies at the end for a 9-under 64 and a three-shot lead. “Few poor shots, a silly three-putt on the second,” Smith said. “I had to hit the reset button.” Smith was at 17-under 129 and matched the 36-hole record at Kapalua first set by Ernie Els in 2003 when he blew away the winners-only field and won by eight shots. Smith doesn’t figured to have it that easy on the weekend. Blessed with another day of ideal scoring conditions — a warm sun, very little wind by Hawaii standards and preferred lies as the Plantation Course recovers from rain — all 38 players were at par or better. The average score was 67.8, nearly two shots better than Thursday. Jon Rahm, the No. 1 player in the world, didn’t miss a fairway or a green the entire round and posted another 66, leaving him three shots behind along with Daniel Berger (66). Patrick Cantlay, the FedExCup champion and PGA TOUR player of the year who had not competed since the Ryder Cup in late September, missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole and had to settle for a 67. He was four shots behind and had reason to be optimistic. The longest of Cantlay’s six birdie putts was just under 6 feet. He missed four birdie putts from about 10 feet or shorter. “I played great and got absolutely nothing out of it,” Cantlay said. “It just means my game is in a good spot and I’m well-positioned for a good weekend.” So is Rahm, who had not been at a tournament since he missed the cut in Spain on Oct. 15, wanting to take a big breather. The idea that he got off the plane on Maui, went to the golf course and played like he never went away is a bit overcooked. He practiced. He worked on his body and his game. And he’s playing like he never went away. “If anybody expected any rust — which I did a little bit — it really isn’t there,” Rahm said. Anything worse than 67 meant losing ground. Phil Mickelson, the 51-year-old PGA champion who’s at Kapalua for the first time in 21 years, got within one shot of the leaders as they were just starting. It was never going to hold up, and Lefty didn’t help his cause with a wild drive on the 17th that led to bogey and then finishing his round by missing a 3-foot par putt. Those bogeys gave him a 69. He was tied for 30th. Smith wasn’t alone in his poor start. Open Championship winner Collin Morikawa had two bogeys and no birdies on the front nine. He birdied five of his last eight for a 70, though he was nine shots out of the lead in his bid to reach No. 1 in the world. Bryson DeChambeau wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry, and then he had reason to wish the round would never end. He birdied five of his last seven holes for a 68, including a penalty shot on the par-5 18th. He holed out from 65 yards for birdie, though he was eight back. Smith went from the right rough on the opening hole to a back bunker and missed a 12-foot par putt. He three-putted from 40 feet on the par-3 second hole. He was sliding. And then he began his big run with a 35-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fifth, and before long he was right back in the game. The finish was special. Smith drilled his second shot so purely on the par-5 15th that it caught the ridge and rolled out to 8 feet for a look at eagle that he narrowly missed. In trouble off the tee to the left of the 16th with specks of mud on his ball, he used the slope at the back of the green for a shot that rolled out and then rolled back toward the hole to 6 feet for birdie. He hit 7-iron to 15 feet for a third straight birdie on the 17th, and then capped off his round with a tough two-putt down the grain from 45 feet for a final birdie. All that after a bogey-bogey start. As for that chill vibe? Smith has that mastered, even when he was losing ground before he could even get started. “I’ve been playing golf basically my whole life. I could figure it out pretty quickly,” Smith said. “Like I said, I figured it out within a few holes, started to feel really comfortable there, especially with the driver. Yeah, then the putter felt good the whole day.”

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The International Team hosts the U.S. Team this week at Royal Melbourne for the Presidents Cup. Here’s all you need to know in how the four-day event wil work in Australia. 2019 Format: The Presidents Cup competition consists of 30 matches: Thursday – 5 Four-Ball matches Friday – 5 Foursomes matches Saturday morning – 4 Four-Ball matches Saturday afternoon – 4 Foursomes matches Sunday – 12 Singles matches In 2019, a minor format change will be implemented, stating each player shall only be required to play a minimum of one match prior to the final-round singles matches. This is a change from previous years when players were required to compete in two matches prior to singles matches. All matches are worth one point each, for a total of 30 points. There are no playoffs, with each side receiving a half point if a match is tied after 18 holes. In a change inspired by the events of the 2003 Presidents Cup, if the competition is deadlocked at the end of Singles play, the competition will be deemed a tie and the teams will share the Presidents Cup. FOUR-BALL: Each member of a two-man team plays his own ball, so four balls are in play on every hole. Each team counts the lowest of its two scores on each hole, and the team whose player has the lowest score wins the hole. If the low scores are tied, the hole is halved. FOURSOMES: Each two-man team plays one ball per hole with the players taking turns until each hole is complete. Players alternate hitting tee shots, with one leading off on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting first on even-numbered holes. The team with the low score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved. SINGLES: Each match features one player from each team. The player with the lower score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved. Unlike stroke play, players don’t have to complete each hole in match play. If a player concedes a stroke – almost always a putt – to his opponent, the opponent picks up his ball, takes the score he would have made on the next stroke and moves on to the next hole. Team: The team is the entire 12 players and captain(s). This year, Tiger Woods is a playing captain for the U.S. Team. Advice: Any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club or the method of making a stroke. Each team may appoint one person who may give advice to members of that team. Such person must be identified to the Committee before giving advice. Side (not team): A side is a player, or two or more players who are partners (Foursomes or Four-ball) Partner: A partner is a player associated with another player on the same side. Opponent: In match play it is never a competitor, always an opponent or player. Order of Play in Four-Ball: The balls belonging to the same side may be played in the order the side considers best. Committee: “The Committeeâ€� is the committee in charge of the competition. Referee: The referee is one who is appointed by the committee to accompany players to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. He shall act on any breach of a Rule that he observes or is reported to him. A referee’s decision is final. Observer: An observer is one who is appointed by the Committee to assist a referee to decide questions of fact and report to him any breach of a Rule. Honorary Observer: An honorary observer is one who is appointed by the Committee to assist the observer. Reckoning of Hole (status of match): Reckoning of holes is kept by the terms: so many “holes up,â€� or “tiedâ€� and so many “holes to play.â€� Dormie: A match is dormie when a side is as many holes up as there are holes remaining to be played. Concession of next stroke, hole or match (Rule 2-4): When the opponent’s ball is at rest or is deemed to be at rest under Rule 16-2, the player may concede the opponent to have holed out with his next stroke and the ball may be removed by either side with a club or otherwise. A player may concede a hole or a match at any time prior to the conclusion of the hole or the match. Concession of a stroke, hole or match may not be declined or withdrawn. Claims (Rule 2-5): Any claim or dispute which arises between sides shall be made to the referee before any player in the match plays from the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before all players in the match leave the putting green. Practice (Rule 7) is allowed as follows: 1. Before or between rounds, a player or players may practice on the course. 2. During the round, a player shall not practice either during the play of a hole or between the play of two holes, except that, between play of two holes, the player may practice putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the last hole played, any practice putting green or the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round, provided such practice stroke is not played from a hazard and does not unduly delay play. Strokes played in continuing the play of a hole, the result in which has been decided, are not practice

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