Tony Finau wins Rocket Mortgage Classic for second straight PGA TOUR victory

Just weeks after admitting he may never play competitive golf again, Tiger Woods has been cleared to resume full golf activity as he continues to climb his comeback mountain. With April’s back fusion surgery in his rearview mirror – the fourth back surgery the 79-time PGA TOUR winner has faced in the last few years – Woods has been cautiously optimistic about a return to competitive golf. At the Presidents Cup last month, where he served as a Captain’s Assistant for Steve Stricker, Woods was even asked if the possibility existed of his career being over. “Yeah, definitely,� he said. “I don’t know what my future holds for me.� But the two-time FedExCup champion and 14-time major winner also stated his desire to return. “I think it’s fun. I’ve been competing in golf tournaments since I was four years old. From pitch, putt and drive to playing major championships, it’s always been fun to me,� Woods beamed. “I don’t know what (returning to) 100 percent means after eight surgeries, but I’ll try and get as close as I can to that number. We just take it one step at a time. It’s a process, and I’m in no hurry.� The slow pace on return has been confirmed by his long-time agent Mark Steinberg, who told ESPN’s Bob Harig that Woods had been given the all-clear from his doctor, but a timetable on competition was not yet in the works. Speculation has already begun on a possible return at the Hero World Challenge in December after Woods posted progressive social media video over the last few weeks hitting a wedge, then an iron and finally a driver. “Making progress,� he tweeted. Woods returned to the event he hosts in the Bahamas last year after a lengthy layoff and produced a credible performance, leading the field in total birdies but also having enough rust to finish 15th of 18 starters. Sadly, after a missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in January Woods suffered a relapse on February 3 in Dubai. He hasn’t played since. “He got a nice report and is allowed to proceed,� Steinberg told ESPN of Woods’ recent doctor visit. “He can do as much as he needs to do. Tiger is going to take this very, very slowly. This is good, but he plans to do it the right way. “We have not even talked about it (a return date). We will see what each day brings, what each week brings.� Woods sits just three wins shy of matching Sam Snead’s record 82 PGA TOUR wins but hasn’t won since his five-win 2013 season.

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Round 3 of the 3M Open takes place today at TPC Twin Cities. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Round 3 leaderboard Round 3 tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Featured Groups), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes). Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (Featured Groups), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio). FEATURED GROUPS Max Homa, Austin Cook, Sepp Straka Saturday: 11:32 a.m. ET (No. 1 tee) Alex Noren, Si Woo Kim, Charles Howell III Saturday: 11:43 a.m. ET (No. 1 tee) MUST READS Thompson, Werenski tied for lead after 36 holes at the 3M Open Koepka misses cut at 3M Open, prepares for upcoming title defense After long layoff, Van Pelt finally likes where his game is going Finau parts ways with caddie Best par save ever? After two in water, Bae holes out from 250 yards Dustin Johnson withdraws from 3M Open citing back injury Insider: Fleetwood returns to work Four burning questions about DJ PGA TOUR University’s inaugural top 15 ranking CALL OF THE DAY

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OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. - History told Jon Rahm there would be drama at Olympia Fields. But this time the Spaniard wasn't going to let the place get the better of him. Rahm knew it would take something like his incredible 66-foot birdie putt that snaked across the entire 18th green, over a ridge and down into the cup to win a playoff against Dustin Johnson for the BMW Championship. Because strange things happen for the now 25-year-old at this venue. RELATED: Final leaderboard | What's in Rahm's bag? Five years ago, a young Rahm came to the course that sits southwest of Chicago as part of the field for the 2015 U.S. Amateur. He was the world No. 1 in the amateur game and expected to be a huge factor. But things did not come easy that week. First, Rahm needed to make two birdie bombs in his last three holes of stroke play just to make it into a playoff for the match play portion of the championship. He survived that playoff but needed 21 holes to get through the round of 64. Having then pushed his way to the quarterfinals, Rahm looked headed for the final four when he sat 3 up with eight holes remaining against unheralded Derek Bard. Instead, he lost two straight holes and then power-lipped out a 5-foot putt on the 15th that would have reclaimed a 2-up lead. He missed from 4 feet on the next hole to be back square and then three-putted the 17th to go behind. A hole later, he was eliminated in an upset. So Rahm returned this week for the BMW Championship determined to make amends. That amateur story belongs to Bryson DeChambeau, who would go on to beat Bard in the final. But the story of the FedExCup Playoffs event will forever be Rahm's. It didn't appear that would be the case for most of the week. Rahm started with a 5-over 75 and added a 71 the next day to sit 6 over. Then on the fifth hole Saturday, after back-to-back birdies, he inexplicably picked up his ball on the green before marking it. He was assessed a one-shot penalty, turning a par into a bogey. It could have sparked the end for Rahm, who is known for wearing his passion on his sleeve. But instead, much like he did when penalized two shots on his way to winning the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide in July, Rahm remained calm. In fact, he zeroed in his focus and went on to shoot 66. "I just hope I don’t lose by one," Rahm said afterwards. "I’m just going to say that. I just hope. And if I do, well, very well my fault. It’s as simple as that." That night he and wife Kelley were talking, and the ball marking fiasco came up. Rahm reiterated the above statement but, as Kelley puts it, made a point to move on. If one thing happens one way, then chances are the next thing would be different to. He vowed not to think about it as he tried to chase down a three-shot deficit. And he managed that as he went about shooting a sublime bogey free 6-under 64 to post in the clubhouse at 4 under. That "bogey" on Saturday was his last of the tournament that saw just five players finish under par. But the moment eventually flashed back as Dustin Johnson played the final hole sitting a shot behind while Rahm tried to stay loose on the range. "When they told me DJ had hit it on the green on the 18th hole and the situation. I was like, ‘That extra shot cushion would be extremely nice right now, I’m not going to lie,' " Rahm smiled. "But at the same time, I don’t know if I would have won had it not happened. It kind of made me mad at myself, and I just went on with my focus after that and was able to play amazing golf and stayed aggressive. "Maybe if I hadn’t, I would have two-putted and maybe stayed complacent. I don’t know because I had such a good start. I can tell you after that two-putt, making that 6-footer for bogey, I was like, okay, that’s it, no playing around, go. That’s kind of what mentally did it for me." It was that focus that allowed him to handle the fact Johnson made a ridiculously good 43-foot snaking downhill putt of his own to force the playoff. Because of course he would. He's world No. 1 and the FedExCup leader who was coming off an 11-shot victory at THE NORTHERN TRUST. And this is Olympia Fields after all. "Last time I had a wait having a one-shot lead with a couple groups to go was in Palm Springs, and Andrew Landry came in at 18 and made birdie and we went into a playoff. I reminded myself that anything is possible," Rahm said. “When they told me where DJ was putting from, I didn’t see it, I just knew he just had to get the ball rolling on the right direction and that putt was in, and I knew how good DJ has been playing I was expecting nothing else. I was fully confident it was going to come into a playoff and hoping to win it." What he wasn't expecting was to win the tournament on the first playoff hole when Johnson split the fairway and he found the rough and consequently faced 66 feet for birdie to Johnson's 33 feet. In fact, while he stalked the putt hoping to find the right line, his focus was on speed as the slick downhill effort was most likely to run past the hole and leave a tester for par. He need not have worried. It was like a magnet to the hole, much like Johnson's earlier. When Johnson's attempt to match ended up stopping just inches from the cup, it was over. "Never did I think I would make another 60-footer, a couple of breaks in there to end up winning it," Rahm beamed. "We all want the flashy finish, maybe not the stress that comes with it, but I set out to enjoy even the uncomfortable moments we had out there today, and man, it was fun. Pretty close to the best way to finish it." The win moved him to second in the FedExCup heading to the TOUR Championship. He was three behind Johnson starting Sunday. Next week he will start two behind as he chases the season long trophy. And what a difference one stroke can make.

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