Thompson addresses mother’s cancer fight

Spieth 1 back after strong finish at Memorial

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Seventy-two holes is a small sample, tiny enough to produce outlier results, but it also provides ample time for regression. That’s what happened to Brooks Koepka on Saturday at Bethpage Black. His record-setting pace slowed, but he still played well enough to put the PGA Championship to a premature end. This thing is over after Koepka shot 70 on Saturday to keep his seven-shot advantage. He sits at 12-under 198 (63-65-70). It’s the largest 54-hole lead in this tournament’s history, one that would require a historic collapse for Koepka to not leave Bethpage Black with the Wanamaker Trophy in hand. “I’m definitely not going to let up,â€� said Koepka, who continued to bash driver with abandon even as his lead neared double-digits early in Saturday’s round. Bethpage Black may feature single-file fairways, but they’re no match for Koepka’s combination of length and accuracy. It was the putter that let him down in the third round. Even though the putts didn’t fall, he still beat the field scoring average by more than two shots on a day when an inconsistent breeze blew through the Black Course. Six shots is the largest 54-hole lead lost in PGA TOUR history. It was done most recently by Dustin Johnson, at the 2017 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions. Johnson is in the pack of Koepka’s closest pursuers, and he’s the only one with a PGA TOUR victory, let alone a major, to his name. Luke List, Harold Varner III and Jazz Janewattananond also are 5-under par. “I know guys are going to have to push on this golf course, and if you have to push, you’re going to make mistakes,â€� Koepka said. He seems immune to them because he has the strength to recover even on the rare occasions that he does miss his mark. He hit just half his fairways Saturday, but still hit 14 greens. He’s made just five bogeys in 54 holes. The 15th hole provided the perfect example of the advantage that his strength provides. Both he and playing partner Jordan Spieth missed the fairway on that long, uphill par-4. Spieth had to swing with all his might just to get his ball in the front bunker. Koepka was able to give himself a 15-foot birdie putt. Koepka leads the field in greens hit (43 of 54) and proximity (26 feet, 1 inch). His Strokes Gained: Approach is +11.16, four more than the next-best player. “When I’m over the shot, I’m very confident,â€� Koepka said. His iron play was good enough for him to shoot even-par Saturday despite losing more than two strokes on the greens. Two of Saturday’s three bogeys were three-putts, including a miss from 3 feet on the ninth hole. Players can be deserted quickly by a hot putter. It’s less likely that their ball-striking will leave them when they need it most. That’s why it seems unfathomable that Koepka’s incredible week at Bethpage Black would end with him setting an ignominious mark. When asked if he had any doubt that he would win, Koepka was quick to answer. “No.â€� It was the only reasonable answer, even if players are taught to hide behind humility.” “I feel confident. I feel good. I feel excited,â€� Koepka said. “I was excited to get to the golf course and try to build the lead.â€� He did, with birdies on two of his first five holes. But then he had to grind as the wind picked up and he entered Bethpage’s toughest holes. He made back-to-back bogeys on 9 and 10 after making just two in his first 44 holes. Playing the last eight holes in even par, with a birdie on 13 and three-putt on 16, was enough for him to regain a seven-shot advantage. “He’s tough. Major championships are about heart and taking pain,â€� said his instructor, Claude Harmon III. “You ask any of the guys who do it, you’re going to have these runs. He made two bogeys back-to-back and then he made birdie when he needed to and had good looks on 15 and 17. He stands up and hits good shots when it counts.â€� That may be an even bigger asset than his strength. Even brutish Bethpage Black has yet to get the best of him. His demeanor never changed, even when the New York fans booed after he missed short putts. “I know what I’m doing. It’s simpler than what guys think,â€� Koepka said. “It’s just focus. It’s grind it out, suck it up and move on.â€� Koepka kept doing that Saturday, and with each step he got closer to another major championship.

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LA QUINTA, Calif. - Phil Mickelson has employed his brother Tim as a full-time caddie for the better part of three years. They've won two PGA TOUR titles in that span - the 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship, and the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Mickelson is set for his first TOUR start since November at this week's The American Express, contested in his native California. Tim has been awarded the week off, with Mickelson's swing instructor Andrew Getson filling in. The leave of absence is for good reason: Tim and his wife Maranda are expecting their first child imminently. "Today is Jan. 20, and it's their due date for their baby boy," Mickelson said. "With Palm Springs being a two-hour drive away, and the inability to join your wife if you're not with her when you go into the hospital at birth, he has to be there with her. "I just know that the birth of any children, especially your first, is the most emotional experience that you could possibly share, and there's no sense to take any risk. He's at home with his wife; they're due any minute, any day, and I'm excited for them." Getson, who also filled in at last year's Genesis Invitational, was the logical replacement. The duo has worked together for five-plus years. "On Tuesday, he was Thursday-ready," Mickelson said. "His game is sharp, he is working hard, he's going to be a great caddie, and I'm appreciative of him stepping in to take over for my brother." Phil Mickelson is now in his second year as host of this storied event, now in its seventh decade and sparked by Bob Hope's vision. The 50-year-old projected a relaxed demeanor in Wednesday's session with the media, joking with reporters about their ‘quarantine beards' and expressing appreciation for the opportunity to compete amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Mickelson last appeared at the 2020 Masters, finishing T55, and aims to build on a 75th-place showing in last year’s FedExCup. His best finish in 2020 was a T2 at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational last August, and he also won each of his two appearances on PGA TOUR Champions. The 44-time TOUR winner admits that his schedule could gravitate toward PGA TOUR Champions later in the season if he struggles to contend on TOUR. For now, though, he's committed to competing on TOUR into his 50s. As his nephew readies to enter the world, Mickelson readies to chase his third title (2002, 2004) in the California desert. "My love of the game of golf is high, and my desire to compete and play against the best players is high," Mickelson said. "I find myself just internally motivated because of my love to compete and my love to try to bring out the best in me. "I've actually had a good offseason, where I haven't had as much time off as I normally would take, because it's been so much shorter. I feel like I've made a few good strides, and I'm excited to start the year and see if I'm able to continue playing at the highest level."

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