Trump course ‘in consideration’ for future Open

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AUSTIN, Texas – Keith Mitchell could not waste the chance to pick the brain of one of the best match players golf has seen. The Honda Classic winner was on a scouting mission to Augusta National last weekend when he ran into Ian Poulter and the pair got to talking about travel plans heading to Austin for this week’s World Golf Championships – Dell Technologies Match Play. Turned out both planned to fly over Monday morning so the two decided to come together – and it was in the air that Mitchell pounced. “He asked me a question… Why are you so good at match play?â€� Poulter said. “So we kind of had a chat about it for a minute… I tried not to answer it, to be honest. And he sort of laughed. ‘You don’t have to be humble; you’re sitting in this little cabin with the three of us, you can tell me.’â€� Poulter, who has long been a Ryder Cup hero for Europe and has been to the final four in the WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play three times with a win in 2010, gave up some basic advice. Ironically later that afternoon the pair would be drawn in the same group and now face off on Thursday at Austin Country Club. “We had a laugh about it this morning. So hopefully I didn’t give away too many secrets,â€� Poulter grinned. “He really hasn’t played match play a lot and he just said it’s going to be new for him, and how does he play match play. And I basically said, you’ll figure it out. “Glad I didn’t give him too much info. He’s a great player. He’s coming off a bit of form obviously winning down at Honda.â€� Mitchell lost his opening match Wednesday, going down 2 and 1 to Tony Finau. He will now get a lesson first hand from the victorious Poulter who avenged his quarter final loss to Kevin Kisner a year ago with a 2-up win. The American has to win to have a realistic hope of advancing to the weekend and Poulter expects he’ll be hungry. As such he won’t take his travel mate lightly. “Match play is match play, right? You can make eight birdies and lose,â€� Poulter said. “It’s about trying to get a hold of your match and obviously staying strong.â€�

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Anniversaries are reasons to celebrate or reflect. The best present reasons for both. This is one of those anniversaries. The Hero World Challenge marks one year since Tiger Woods’ consistent return to competition. Qualifying his return is necessary because of the numerous stops and restarts of the past several years. As a result and by every measurement, the last 12 months have been a success. Every time he’s appeared – from resuming his career (T9, Hero) to contending (T2, Valspar Championship) to winning (TOUR Championship) to participating in the Ryder Cup again – he updated a stagnant “last time Tiger Woods (fill in the blank)” with not just pedestrian occurrences but notable achievements. So, now, this week’s Hero World Challenge serves as merely a continuation for the 80-time PGA TOUR champion, and you know he’s just fine with that. Eighteen of the sport’s best are assembled at Albany in The Bahamas for the fourth consecutive year. Scroll beneath the full-field ranking for more on the course and expectations. The Hero World Challenge provides an opportunity in late autumn to keep the chops fresh during the TOUR’s holiday hiatus. The bonus is stacked competition that just happens to include Woods, who doubles as the tournament host. 
If U.S. fans didn’t overindulge over the Thanksgiving weekend, this field will clinch that experience. In conjunction with his business partners and philanthropic benefactors, Woods attracts such strength and depth with Official World Golf Ranking points and a $3.5-million prize fund from which the winner will pocket $1 million. There is no cut in the 72-hole, stroke-play competition. Albany is an Ernie Els design situated on southwestern New Providence Island. Because of its locale, wind is the primary defense, but with five par 5s, the course multiples the chances to sign for red numbers after completing the 7,309-yard stroll. Last year’s field averaged 70.333 on the par 72. (There are five par 3s to balance the nines as par 36s.) At 18-under 270, Rickie Fowler prevailed by four strokes last year, yet he started the final round seven back of the lead. His closing round featured 11 birdies en route to a bogey-free, course-record 61. The heartiest gusts of wind this week are forecast for Saturday and in advance of probable rain on Sunday, but scoring once again should be low overall. Rising temperatures into the low 80s are expected.

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