Tiger believers can get great Masters odds on him

Langer claims Senior Open Championship

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If there’s one thing you need to tame TPC Sawgrass, it’s a well-rounded game. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Webb Simpson excelled in every area during his four-shot victory at THE PLAYERS Championship. Simpson led the field in driving accuracy (82 percent) with five metalwoods in the bag, including a Titleist 917D2 driver that replaced his 917D3 during the Honda Classic. Simpson tried Graphite Design’s Tour AD 125 TX that week before eventually settling on the shaft manufacturer’s Tour AD IZ 5 X model at the WGC-Mexico Championship. “His driver was worn over the last few months and one of the most important things was finding a shaft and head combination that maximized distance and control,” said Titleist Tour rep J.J. VanWezenbeeck. “The Titleist 917D2 driver and [TourAD] IZ 5 shaft allowed him to get a little longer and still have the control he was seeking.” Another unique nugget regarding Simpson’s setup is that he employs two hybrids with different shaft materials. His 20-degree Titleist 913Hd has a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105X Hybrid graphite shaft, while the 23.5-degree 915Hd features True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 — the same steel shaft he employs in his irons. “The biggest thing for Webb is that he doesn’t mind how many headcovers are in his bag,” said Titleist Tour rep J.J. VanWezenbeeck. “He knows his ball flight and hitting his number matters most.” The 32-year-old also led the field in strokes gained: putting (plus 9.368) with Odyssey’s Tank Cruiser V Line Long putter. The former anchor user was forced to give up his belly putter at the beginning of 2016 and spent time working with a conventional-length model before settling on the 44-inch long model. With a claw grip that was suggested by former anchored putting user Tim Clark, Simpson rests the Odyssey Arm Lock grip against his forearm — a setup that was popularized by Matt Kuchar and remains legal under the anchor ban. Here’s a look at Simpson’s entire equipment setup.   Driver: Titleist 917D2 (Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 5X shaft), 9.5 degrees 3-wood: TaylorMade (Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei CK Pro 70TX shaft), 15 degrees 5-wood: Titleist 913Fd (UST Mamiya Proforce VTS 8TX shaft), 18 degrees Hybrid: Titleist 913Hd (Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105X Hybrid shaft), 20 degrees, Titleist 915Hd (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft), 23.5 degrees Irons: Titleist 718 MB (5-PW; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts) Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (54-14F degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft), Titleist Vokey Design 2017 Prototype (60-06K degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft) Putter: Odyssey Tank Cruiser V Line Long (44 inches) Ball: Titleist Pro V1  

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During a practice round ahead of this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii, PGA TOUR Champions pro Jim Furyk was addressed by playing partner Brent Grant with the deferential ‘sir’ formality. Grant, 25, then asked Furyk, 51, what he liked most about his early career on the 50-and-older circuit. “No one calls me ‘sir,’” Furyk replied. Grant was born in March 1996, a month after Furyk’s first Sony Open victory, carding 11-under total and besting Brad Faxon in a playoff for his second PGA TOUR title. Furyk, now a 17-time TOUR winner in addition to three PGA TOUR Champions victories, has intentions of adding a second Sony Open title to his collection. The Pennsylvania native, inspired by his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers’ late-season push to a playoff berth, carded an opening-round, 8-under 62 at Waialae CC – including a hole-in-one at the par-3 17th hole. Furyk becomes the oldest player to shoot 62 or better on TOUR since 1983, doing so with a torrid 5-under stretch on his final five holes – including a par at the par-5 18th. Playing on a sponsor’s exemption as the first leg of an Aloha Double – en route to next week’s PGA TOUR Champions season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai – Furyk proved early that he’s looking to do more than solely fill a spot in the field. “I love (the) Sony (Open) … it’s a place I’ve had a lot of success,” said Furyk after signing for his eighth round of 62 or better on TOUR. “I’m not hitting the ball far enough to compete out here on a regular basis on a lot of the golf courses, but Waialae is a place I still feel I can get around and shoot under par pretty well, and so it’s fun. “Places I’ve won, Valspar, Heritage, those are courses I can still compete on. Once in a while, I’ll dip out here, but I’ll predominantly play on PGA TOUR Champions.” When he does dip back out onto the PGA TOUR though, Furyk strategically picks his spots to maximize his opportunity to make an impact. Venerable Waialae CC appears the perfect venue – Furyk has recorded 10 top-25s in 17 Sony Open appearances, including his 1996 victory and a 1997 runner-up. The Sony Open demands a precision game. Tree-lined, par-70 Waialae CC plays to just 7,044 yards and requires players to shape the ball both ways, preferring precision to power. Three decades into his professional career, Furyk’s game fits that bill. Averaging 271.9 yards off the tee, Furyk rebounded from an opening bogey to record seven birdies and an eagle, including his sixth career TOUR ace at the 187-yard, par-3 17th. “I thought I was in-between clubs, but (caddie) Fluff assured me it was a 6-iron for me,” Furyk recollected of his decision-making process on No. 17 tee. “It was the right club and I had it teed up a little bit, trying to get the ball in the air and hit down on it. Caught it just a smidge high in the face. “And so I loved the line it was on, but I wasn’t quite sure I caught enough of it to cover it. And carried on the green probably two or three yards and landed in a perfect spot and then released towards the pin. I guess that’s kind of the line I was looking.” Yes, sir!

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