Troy Merritt, Joaquin Niemann share lead at Rocket Mortgage Classic

2021 Valero Texas Open, Round 1 Scoring Conditions: Overall: +1.37 strokes per round Morning wave: +1.63 Afternoon wave: +1.11 Current cutline (top 65 and ties) 79 players at +1 or better (T57) Top 3 projected cutline probabilities: 1. 2 over par: 41.0% 2. 1 over par: 30.5% 3. 3 over par: 17.9% Top 10 win probabilities: 1. Cameron Tringale (T2, -6, 18.1%) 2. Hideki Matsuyama (T4, -5, 14.5%) 3. Jordan Spieth (T4, -5, 10.1%) 4. Scottie Scheffler (T7, -4, 9.9%) 5. Camilo Villegas (1, -8, 7.8%) 6. Sebastian Munoz (T7, -4, 4.9%) 7. Seung-Yul Noh (T4, -5, 2.4%) 8. Tom Hoge (T7, -4, 2.3%) 9. Matt Kuchar (T13, -2, 1.9%) 10. Matt Wallace (T10, -3, 1.8%) NOTE: These reports are based off of the live predictive model run by @DataGolf. The model provides live "Make Cut", "Top 20", "Top 5", and "Win" probabilities every 5 minutes from the opening tee shot to the final putt of every PGA TOUR event. Briefly, the model takes account of the current form of each golfer as well as the difficulty of their remaining holes, and probabilities are calculated from 20K simulations. To follow live finish probabilities throughout the remainder of the Valero Texas Open, or to see how each golfer's probabilities have evolved from the start of the event to the current time, click here for the model's home page.

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XANDER SCHAUFFELE EARNS SIXTH PGA TOUR WIN AT TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP The Travelers Championship seems to facilitate drama down the stretch on a yearly basis, and Sunday delivered once again at TPC River Highlands. Xander Schauffele led into the final round, seeking his first individual PGA TOUR victory since 2019. The reigning Olympic gold medalist led by three strokes early on the back nine but was caught and surpassed into the 72nd hole by TOUR rookie Sahith Theegala, seeking his first TOUR title. Theegala found a fairway bunker off the tee on the finishing hole, though, and left his second shot in the bunker en route to a devastating double bogey. Schauffele split the fairway and stuffed a wedge inside 4 feet for a closing birdie and two-stroke win over Theegala and J.T. Poston at 19-under total. With the victory, Schauffele moves from No. 20 to No. 8 on the FedExCup standings, 500 points accrued. It’s his sixth career TOUR title and second of the season; he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April alongside good friend Patrick Cantlay, his playing partner Sunday in Connecticut. “It’s incredible,” remarked a beaming Schauffele after double fist-pumping on the 72nd green, the New England fans roaring in appreciation. EXCITING CHANGES COMING TO THE PGA TOUR The PGA TOUR will return to a calendar-year schedule in 2024, one of a series of changes announced Wednesday that also includes eight tournaments with greatly enhanced purses, revised field sizes for the FedExCup Playoffs and a reimagined fall including up to three no-cut, limited-field international events. Commissioner Jay Monahan announced the changes, made in conjunction with the Policy Board and Player Directors, in a press conference at the Travelers Championship. “While different than it’s been in the past, I think it’s going to be very exciting for fans and I think will create great energy in the fall,” said Monahan, who added that he expects the fall events to be “very consequential, very meaningful.” Click here for full details, including which events will offer significantly increased purses. MAKING THE TRIP TO THE JOHN DEERE CLASSIC Lucas Glover returns to defend his title from 2021 with major champions, TOUR winners, and plenty of up-and-comers in the field looking to find the winner’s circle at the John Deere Classic. Daniel Berger is the top-ranked golfer in the field, with past PLAYERS Championship winners Jason Day and Webb Simpson teeing it up. Glover will look to become the first player to defend his title at the John Deere Classic since Steve Stricker a decade ago. Davis Riley is the highest-ranked golfer in this season’s FedExCup standings teeing it up. TPC Deere Run is a D.A. Weibring design which offers plenty of birdie opportunities but risk-reward scenarios as well. There are three spots up for grabs for those who have not already earned a spot at St. Andrews for the 150th Open Championship. Five of the last 10 winners of the John Deere Classic were first-timer TOUR winners. The winner will receive 500 FedExCup points. VIDEO OF THE WEEK MIC CHECK “I think it’s not lost on me what PGA TOUR events can do for the communities that they’re played in. I think that’s not lost on the players that when they come and play PGA TOUR events they’re helping to do something really good in the community and I think that’s important.” – Two-time FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy reflected on the impact that the PGA TOUR has on the communities it plays in. BY THE NUMBERS 3 – Starts it took for Pierceson Coody to win his first event on the Korn Ferry Tour after claiming the Live and Work in Maine Open. 16 – Sir Nick Faldo, the six-time major champion and lead golf analyst for CBS, announced he will be retiring at the end of his 16th season covering the PGA TOUR for the network. 3 – Consecutive years a player has won the U.S. Senior Open in his first appearance after Padraig Harrington won on Sunday. The others were Steve Stricker (2019) and Jim Furyk (2021). There was no event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.

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