Tiger Woods makes big move on day two at WGC-Mexico Championship

On the par-3 14th hole in the second round of THE NORTHERN TRUST, Rory McIlroy thought he was removing a loose impediment from a bunker behind his golf ball, but then realized it was just sand. He alerted a rules official and was given a two-stroke penalty. After the round, the PGA TOUR released a statement stating that the penalty assessed to McIlroy would be rescinded. McIlroy now sits at 9-under through 36 holes, three behind leader Dustin Johnson.

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How the field qualified for The American Express as of 1/10/2020: Check here for updates. Winner – THE PLAYERS Championship – Last 5 years Rickie Fowler Si Woo Kim Winner – PGA Championship – Last 5 years Jimmy Walker Winner – The Open Championship – Last 5 years Zach Johnson Francesco Molinari Winner – World Golf Championships Event Kevin Kisner Phil Mickelson U.S. Ryder Cup Team Tony Finau Member of Last Named European Ryder Cup Team Paul Casey Alex Noren Member of Last Named International Presidents Cup Team Byeong Hun An Abraham Ancer Sungjae Im Career Money Exemption Steve Stricker Bo Van Pelt Past Champion of The American Express Jason Dufner Brian Gay Bill Haas Adam Long Hudson Swafford Jhonattan Vegas Mark Wilson PGA Section Champion Brian Smock Sponsors Exemptions – Members not otherwise exempt Ricky Barnes Ben Crane Sponsors Exemption – Unrestricted Akshay Bhatia Harris English Isaiah Salinda Josh Teater Current Tournament Winners Ryan Armour Cameron Champ Austin Cook Tyler Duncan Brice Garnett Max Homa Billy Horschel Charles Howell III Patton Kizzire Russell Knox Andrew Landry Nate Lashley Troy Merritt Sebastián Muñoz Kevin Na Pat Perez Scott Piercy J.T. Poston Ted Potter, Jr. Andrew Putnam Chez Reavie Brendan Steele Brendon Todd Martin Trainer Aaron Wise Matthew Wolff Top 125 on Prior Season’s FedExCup Points List Jason Kokrak Lucas Glover Rory Sabbatini Harold Varner III Ryan Moore Vaughn Taylor Joel Dahmen Wyndham Clark Adam Schenk Danny Lee Kevin Streelman Charley Hoffman Chesson Hadley Brian Stuard Matt Every Russell Henley Brian Harman Michael Thompson Luke List Roger Sloan Sam Burns Bud Cauley Nick Watney Mackenzie Hughes J.J. Spaun Talor Gooch Chris Stroud Kyle Stanley Patrick Rodgers Cameron Tringale Sam Ryder Kyoung-Hoon Lee Scott Stallings Denny McCarthy Scott Brown Carlos Ortiz Sepp Straka Aaron Baddeley Peter Malnati Nick Taylor Martin Laird Top 125 (Nonmember) Doc Redman Lucas Bjerregaard Major Medical Extension Daniel Berger Bronson Burgoon Kevin Chappell Kevin Stadler James Hahn Ben Martin Grayson Murray John Huh Seung-Yul Noh Brandon Hagy Greg Chalmers Leading Money Winner from Korn Ferry Tour Prior Year Scottie Scheffler Top Finishers for Korn Ferry Tour Prior Season (reordered) Mark Hubbard Scott Harrington Tom Hoge Harry Higgs Xinjun Zhang Robby Shelton Zac Blair Richy Werenski Cameron Percy Fabián Gómez Henrik Norlander David Hearn D.J. Trahan Hank Lebioda Robert Streb Maverick McNealy Beau Hossler Bo Hoag Matthew NeSmith Rob Oppenheim Kramer Hickok Joseph Bramlett Rafael Campos Chase Seiffert Mark Anderson Kristoffer Ventura Rhein Gibson Ben Taylor Tyler McCumber Chris Baker Michael Gligic Tim Wilkinson Sebastian Cappelen Doug Ghim Cameron Davis Ryan Brehm Michael Gellerman Nelson Ledesma Anirban Lahiri Vincent Whaley Vince Covello John Senden Minor Medical Extension Stewart Cink Hunter Mahan

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Phil Mickelson gets his post-holiday slate underway in his usual desert locale at the CareerBuilder Challenge, joined by Jon Rahm and reigning champ Hudson Swafford to headline the traditional first stop on the U.S. mainland after the calendar turns. Adam Hadwin, whose third-round 59 wasn’t enough to avoid getting pipped down the stretch last year, returns to take another run. Ditto for David Lingmerth, who lost playoffs in both 2013 (to Brian Gay) and 2016 (Jason Dufner). FIELD NOTES: Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson ends a six-year hiatus in the California desert, where he shared runner-up honors in 2010. … In all, PGA West is anticipating five of the FedExCup’s current top 10 and five of the top 30 in the world rankings. … Corey Pavin, twice a winner when the event was Bob Hope’s court, is set for his first PGA TOUR start since Colonial in 2015. It’s been 31 years since his first Hope victory. … John Daly, Mark Brooks and Lee Janzen make it a quartet of PGA TOUR Champions entrants. … Local high schooler Charlie Reiter is in on a sponsor invite, the first time the tournament has given a professional spot to an amateur. Reiter won Southern California’s individual title two years ago. … Former Stanford star Maverick McNealy also got an exemption. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. STORYLINES: Mickelson, who also serves as a Challenge ambassador, seeks again to end a winless spell now reaching nearly five years since the 2013 Open Championship. He notched a pair of top-15 finishes during the fall schedule, including third at the Safeway Open. … Rahm has top-2 finishes in his past two starts bridging the holidays. His runner-up at the Sentry Tournament of Champions was preceded by a win in the European Tour finale. … 13 of the past 14 Challenge winners have been U.S.-born champions. The exception: Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas (2011). … La Quinta Country Club marks its 47th year in the rotation, missing only eight editions since its debut in 1964. That’s a longer tenure than all but four PGA TOUR venues. COURSE: TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, 7,113 yards, par 72. Three decades after a dubious first impression, Pete Dye’s vexing design now seems entrenched in its originally intended role as host. The Stadium course was unveiled at the 1986 Skins Game and joined the Hope rota in 1987, but lasted just one year when players petitioned for its removal. Charged with building golf’s toughest venue, Dye sculpted a bumpy moonscape with deep bunkers, pushed-up greens and plenty of water. The Skins Game stayed five more years, and the course later staged six editions of the TOUR’s qualifying finals. The event’s pro-am format also will utilize PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament course (7,159/72) and La Quinta CC (7,060/72) in the first three rounds. 72-HOLE RECORD: 260, Patrick Reed (2014). Note: Steve Stricker shot 255 through his first 72 holes in 2009, when the Hope was a five-round tournament. 18-HOLE RECORD: 59, David Duval (5th round, 1999 at PGA West/Palmer), Adam Hadwin (3rd round, 2017 at La Quinta CC). Stadium Course record: 63, Jonathan Fricke (2nd round, 2008 Qualifying Finals*), Whee Kim (2nd round, 2012 Qualifying Finals*). Nicklaus Tournament record: 59, Harrison Frazar (4th round, 2008 Qualifying Finals*). Note: Q-School does not count as an official PGA TOUR event. LAST YEAR: Swafford stared down his demons from a day earlier with three birdies in his final four holes, overtaking Hadwin and Bud Cauley for his first PGA Tour victory. After seeing his third round spoiled by playing Nos. 16 and 17 in bogey/double bogey, Swafford two-putted for birdie at the par-5 16th and ripped an 8-iron inside 2 feet for birdie at No. 17. A closing par left him with a 5-under-par 67, enough to hold off Hadwin’s closing flourish. Hadwin, whose Saturday 59 at La Quinta CC matched David Duval’s tournament mark, made only two birdies in the final day’s first 15 holes. HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Sunday, 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-7 p.m. (featured holes). RADIO: Thursday-Saturday, 1-7 p.m.; Sunday, 2-7 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).  

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