Tiger is back again … but is he really ready?

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Savanna Wiegand and Tony Layher have never met. It’s not likely they ever will. With the best days of her young life still ahead of her, Wiegand is thriving as a sophomore at Columbia College in South Carolina, playing golf on scholarship. Layher is a medically-retired Electrician’s Mate Chief who spent 18 years in the Navy, which is almost the same amount of time Wiegand has been on earth. As a result of two traumatic brain injuries, Layher suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and is prone to epileptic seizures. Along with his wife, Sarah, and seven children, home these days is on a rural parcel of land on the westside of Jacksonville, Florida. Savanna Wiegand and Tony Layher have nothing in common. Or so it would seem. On Wednesday of this week’s RBC Heritage, their worlds became one by virtue of the Kisner Foundation, organized and operated by PGA TOUR member Kevin Kisner and his wife, Brittany. The mission of the Kisner Foundation is to support organizations which lend support to the physical and emotional well-being of kids. Broad strokes paint a big picture of charity’s success. The truest, most resounding impact, though, is credited to the details, those being the lives of specific individuals and families enhanced by that organization. One result of that success is the First Tee of Aiken in Kisner’s South Carolina hometown. “I was about nine years old when my mom heard about The First Tee starting a chapter in Aiken,� said Wiegand. “From the get-go, she wanted me involved. I had played every other sport known to man, but had never touched a golf club. At first, I hated it and thought I couldn’t do it. But, as I kept going, I really started enjoying it. One time led to two and two times led to seven. Then, 10 years later, I became the first female graduate of the Ace program at the First Tee of Aiken. The program goes in levels, with Ace being the highest.� From a humble beginning in lean financial times, Wiegand’s life today is a far cry from what it once was. “I wouldn’t be nearly the woman I am today without The First Tee of Aiken,� she said. “When I started there, I had a really low self-esteem and didn’t like going out to meet people. I didn’t get out of my comfort zone. I was like a little shelled child. Not only did it give me the confidence and self-esteem to go out and make friends, but it helped me with school, essays and resumes. It’s so much more than just golf.� Wiegand’s first real passions were volleyball and dance. When her passion for golf developed through The First Tee of Aiken, for financial reasons, she needed to make a decision as to what she would stick with and pursue. “I chose golf and am so glad I did,� she said. “Without having made that decision, I wouldn’t have had nearly the number of opportunities I’ve had to grow into who I am today.� Among those opportunities, thanks to The First Tee of Aiken, is a golf scholarship. Today, Wiegand is in her second year at Columbia College with a double major in Communications and Business Administration, with a minor in Leadership. Not only is she active on the college’s golf team, but she also holds down two jobs and an internship. “I credit The First Tee of Aiken entirely for being able to get a scholarship to college to play golf,� she said. “She told me she used to go through life with no confidence,� said Kisner, winner of last month’s World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. “But, now she has a golf scholarship to take care of the cost of her education and is as confident as ever. That makes me feel like everything we do is worthwhile.� Kevin and Brittany were instrumental in getting The First Tee of Aiken started and have been staunch supporters since its 2015 inception. In addition to financial assistance, the Kisner Foundation donates clubs and clothes and is continually trying to entice kids who’ve never been exposed to the game to give it a try. Kisner began fundraising in 2017. He and Brittany gave out seven grants in 2018 and have already provided 13 grants this year, as well as two scholarships – one for a male and one for a female – to go to college. “It’s always great to see kids go through The First Tee of Aiken program and make it,� said Kisner. “I loved Savanna’s comment about having built confidence in the program. That’s the best.� “The leadership ability they helped bring out in me has allowed me to go so far and overcome so much,� said Wiegand. “But, just having Kevin as the face of The First Tee of Aiken is amazing. I mean, he was just in the Masters last week and is from my town. He helps out my favorite organization on the planet and has truly changed lives forever.� To celebrate Wiegand’s success, she was treated to a unique experience during Wednesday’s RBC Heritage pro-am. She connected with Kevin formally for the first time, which included walking inside the ropes with him for several holes and even hitting a few shots. With confidence and talent, she did so in front of a crowd, something the old Wiegand would have never attempted. “My favorite thing about today was getting to hit that drive on 18,� Wiegand said. “But, one thing that really stood out was his advice to go bold and not play safe. His point was that if I didn’t go bold, I would never learn how to improve myself. I’m going to really try to incorporate that approach more often into everything I do. “He also encouraged me to only try to control the controllable. In other words, if I can’t control it, why focus on it? I need to try and focus on the things I can change. He was so enthusiastic about everything, so it was really an incredible experience for me.� Meanwhile, also at Harbour Town Golf Links, Brittany was representing the Kisner Foundation as an integral part of Operation Shower. Founded in 2007, Operation Shower provides expecting moms with ties to the Armed Services with gifts and a day of feeling appreciated for their hand in keeping America a safer, free country. The PGA TOUR partnered with Operation Shower in 2010. “Operation Shower has always been near and dear to our heart,� Brittany said. “Even though our foundation is based locally, it’s so great that we have been given the skills to do what we do because of the PGA TOUR. This mission of Operation Shower is so near and dear, because these men and women make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. So, anytime we can give back to them, we say, ‘Yes.’� A lot of broad strokes provide validation to Operation Shower, but, again, the clarity is in the details. In the case of Wednesday, that clarity came in the form of Tony Layher. Before two on-the-job traumatic brain injuries, Layher was a Nuclear Submariner. As such, he dealt with propulsion and electrical generation on nuclear submarines. He was on four different ships along the east coast and commissioned some of the newer classes of submarines.     As a surprise, Layher, his wife and the couple’s two-week-old baby – their seventh child – were featured as special guests. The Lowcountry Foundation for Wounded Military Heroes found the Layhers through their connection with Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor. When an organization called Angel Flight Soars learned of the invitation, they prepared a “Compassion flight,� free of charge, from Jacksonville to Hilton Head and back. “This is absolutely amazing,� Layher said. “This is the first time we’ve had an organization do anything like this for us. Because I wasn’t a boots-on-the-ground combat veteran, I wasn’t given some of the avenues some of the others were presented. So, to be invited to this is pretty amazing. Everyone is treating us so well.� “I cannot even imagine the sacrifices they have made,� Brittany said. “As a result of brain injury, he battles PTSD and seizures. They’ve just had their seventh child and Tony’s wife is his primary caregiver. So, any help we can give to them and their children is something I’m happy to be a part of.� Kevin Kisner is peaking right now on the PGA TOUR. Having recently claimed his third career PGA TOUR title, he’s excited with where his game is. But, more than anything, he’s thrilled with where the collective heart of he and Brittany remains. “What I did with the PGA TOUR Wives Association gave me the courage and insight into the non-profit world,� Brittany said. “I’ve always worked with children in healthcare, but Kevin is the name and face. Everyone wants to see him. We’re so fortunate to have great sponsors that appreciate him and give back to our foundation. But, the work is just beginning.� And, for two individuals that have never met and may never come face-to-face with one another, it’s a fresh start as well. If the details that are Wiegand and Layher are any indication, the Kisner Foundation has become a pretty impressive portrait amongst a lot of broad strokes. “At the end of the day, when you can look around and see that the work you’re doing is making a difference, it makes all the work and effort worth every second,� Kevin said. “If you can see that kind of success, then that’s all we could ever ask for.�

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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Viktor Hovland was hitting it so well he had no trouble taking on a big risk, and it paid off Saturday with a big finish for a 9-under 62 and a two-shot lead in the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba. RELATED: Leaderboard | Viktor Hovland contending with borrowed driver in Mayakoba Hovland, the defending champion at this Mexican resort, hit driver just over the green on the par-4 17th and hit a dart into the closing hole at El Cameleon for the lowest score of his PGA TOUR career. That gave him a two-shot lead over fellow Oklahoma State alum Talor Gooch (63), and he was three clear of Justin Thomas (64). “That was fun today,” Hovland said. “Obviously, got off to a nice start and it was nice to have one of those rounds where you can kind of keep it going throughout the day instead of maybe slowing down towards the end there where, frankly, there’s some tough holes.” Matthew Wolff, who started the weekend with a two-shot lead, made a pair of bogeys early in his round to fall out of the lead and managed only one birdie in his round of 73 that dropped him out of contention. Scottie Scheffler had a good start and little else, and a double bogey on the 14th hole when he drove into a hazard led to a 70 that put him seven shots behind. Hovland was at 19 under as he goes for his third PGA TOUR title. The Norwegian star already had made up a three-shot deficit with seven birdies, along with tough pars on some of the holes into the steady breeze. The TOUR moved up the tees about 100 yards on the 17th hole, with mangroves right of the green and a small lagoon to the left. Gooch was in the group ahead of him and hit iron off the tee and wedge to tap-in range for birdie that gave him a share of the lead. Hovland went with driver and it landed about 15 feet beyond the pin and rolled just off the edge. He pitched beautifully to 6 inches for birdie. “I’ve hit it great and I thought it was the play,” Hovland said. “So if it’s the play, you pull outt the big dog and you try to hit it.” Then, Hovland peeled a low driver into the fairway and stuffed that one about 4 feet away for another birdie to widen his lead. Gooch had a birdie putt that spun out of the cup on the 18th. Even so, he will be in the final group on Sunday as he goes after his first PGA TOUR victory. He did his best work earlier on the back nine, rolling in a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 12, an eagle putt from about 35 feet on the par-5 13th and then chipping in for birdie from just off the green at No. 14. “You never know when your time is going to come,” Gooch said, speaking specifically to his burst of scoring, and possibly to finally hoisting a trophy. This is his 102nd start. “The game came easy today,” he said. “I hit a bunch of fairways, hit a bunch of greens. Nice when you get a chip-in, you make a 30-footer and those are the type of things you need to have happen to turn it from a 67 to 63.” Thomas had a 62 in the third round last year at Mayakoba to at least give himself a chance. This time, he started much closer to the leaders and his 63 left him only three back. He began the tournament at 3 over for his opening nine. Thomas couldn’t help but think of his pairing with Patrick Cantlay at the BMW Championship, when Cantlay started slowly and wound up winning in a playoff. “And I know this is a course you can get on crazy kinds of runs out here,” Thomas. “It feels good to know I haven’t really done anything special, but I’ve just kind of checked the boxes and done a lot of things I need to do and put ourselves in a good spot.” Carlos Ortiz of Mexico had a 67 and was five shots behind.

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