Weekly 18: Rory McIlroy came back strong, will Tiger Woods do so, too?

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea (AP) — Justin Thomas shot a 9-under 63 Friday to take a two-stroke lead at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, putting himself in position to win his second PGA TOUR event in South Korea in three years. Thomas, who won the inaugural CJ CUP in 2017, had a two-round total of 13-under 131. South Korean-born New Zealander Danny Lee (66) was in a tie for second place with first-round leader Byeong Hun An, who shot 69. Related: Leaderboard Jordan Spieth (65) and Emilaino Grillo (66) were tied for fourth, four strokes behind. After a 66 on Thursday, Jason Day bogeyed four of his last six holes Friday for a 73 and was eight strokes behind. Defending champion Brooks Koepka had four bogeys on his first nine for a 75 and was 13 strokes behind. Last year’s runner-up Gary Woodland had a second straight 71 and was 11 behind at 2 under with Phil Mickelson, who shot 72. There are 78 players in the no-cut, limited-field event. It’s the first of three PGA TOUR events in Asia, continuing next week at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan and ending with a World Golf Championships event in Shanghai.

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Dustin Johnson said he feels “a little more relaxed” having won the Masters last year, however he said his game is “not quite as sharp as it was” as he finished with a first-round 74 on Thursday.

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Robert Streb was in control at The RSM Classic. Then he wasn't. Then he was again. The Strebber became the first player to be a dual winner of the tournament with a playoff win - over another former champion - and a former World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play champion no less in Kevin Kisner. Here are five stories you may have missed from The RSM Classic. 1. Perseverance pays off When Robert Streb won his first PGA TOUR event at the 2014-15 RSM Classic he figured it was the start of a very successful career. He'd proven he could win and now he'd forge ahead. Indeed he had a huge season back then. But that season turned out to be an anomaly in the end. He had more top-10s in the 2014-15 season (nine) than he did in the next five seasons combined (eight). He finished outside the top 125 in the FedExCup from 2018 to 2020. Despite the lack of form, his week at Sea Island was pretty darn impressive. He opened with a career low 65-63 to lead and by the 54-hole mark had a three shot buffer at the top. An incredible bogey-free run of 55 holes was only broken on Sunday at the par-4 13th, which of course was the opening Kevin Kisner was waiting for. After all the effort, a three-putt on the par-5 15th saw him a shot behind the man who won at RSM when Streb defended his title. As everyone turned to thinking Kisner was marching to victory Streb stepped up in an unexpected way. He missed a birdie try at the 16th but then on the 192-yard par-3 17th hit a brilliant shot and converted one of just nine birdies at the hole all day to square things up. Despite a missed chance to win it all on the 72nd hole and then surviving the first hole of sudden death with a scrambling par, Streb went within a whisker of holing out an eagle from the fairway. The tap in birdie would be enough to win. "It’s really nice to say I’ve got more than one (win)," he said. "Winning more than once ... validates what ability you have. It was just kind of unexpected and super nice to get (this win)." Streb rocketed to eighth in the FedExCup with the triumph. Read more about it here. 2. Emotional effort from Villegas For a little while there was that feeling in the air. The feeling that the fairytale win was indeed going to come true. But while Camilo Villegas might not have won the trophy at Sea Island he continues to win over the hearts and minds of fans around the world. Not far removed from losing his daughter to a battle with cancer Villegas continues to honor her legacy the best way he knows how... by bringing awareness to the disease that claimed little Mia and other angels like her. Four birdies on the front nine Sunday gave him a real chance to win but in the end Villegas would settle for a T6 finish. In the grand scheme of things the result was not important. His message though, is ultra-important. Grab some tissues and have a read. 3. Kisner gets groove back. When Kevin Kisner missed the cut at the Masters on Saturday morning - he had to finish up his second round after earlier rain delays - he made a call to nearby Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken where he's spent countless hours honing his game from a young age. He heard there was a skins game on and he wanted in. Word was he wanted to feel what it was like to make birdies again. The gem of a course is a little short for the modern day TOUR star but with a fun routing and incredible green complexes it is a true test for most. The return to his roots clearly worked as Kisner went within inches of getting his second RSM Classic title. A 63 on Sunday was enough to force extra holes and his birdie try on the first extra hole was very close to falling. Kisner now has four top-4 finishes in his last 13 starts on TOUR. A fourth TOUR win can't be too far away. 4. Niemann plays for greater cause. A week ago Joaquin Niemann was bummed a COVID-19 positive test cost him a spot at the Masters. He could care less about that right now. The young star from Chile returned at The RSM Classic with more important things on his mind - namely the terrible plight facing his one-month old cousin. Rafita Calderon, whose father, Felipe, is the cousin of Niemann's mother, was born on Oct. 21 in Talcahuano, Chile and was recently diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which essentially is a breakdown of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The infant needs a costly infusion to survive so Niemann pledged the entirety of this week's winnings — as well as an additional $5,000 for every birdie and $10,000 for every eagle — towards to cause. Some T44's are worth more than others. Niemann earned $136,450 toward the cause, but the reality is the family will need more than $2 million in total. The International Presidents Cup star will continue to help the fight in every way he can. Read more here. 5. Conners feels the Love The RSM Classic leaderboard wasn't the only one worth watching on Sunday at Sea Island. The widely popular annual Birdies Fore Love campaign was also coming to a close and it was Canadian Corey Conners who came up trumps. The charitable endeavor tracks birdies made across the fall portion of a PGA TOUR season with the player who provides the most given $300,000 to give to a charity of their choice. Conners made a late blitz, finishing tied for 10th at Sea Island, but outlasting Sepp Straka and Sungjae Im on the Birdies Fore Love tally. Conners and his wife, Malory, recently started a foundation to help provide children with educational and athletic opportunities they couldn't otherwise afford. "It’s pretty amazing. I saw my name on the (RSM Birdies Fore Love) leaderboard at the start of the week and I was trying to make as many birdies as I could and trying to get myself up to the top. Pretty humbled to have gotten it done," Conners said. "The generosity of RSM for sponsoring this event and sponsoring a donation, is pretty remarkable. This has been a really tough year for a lot of people and for them to step up like this, I’m going to be able to impact a lot of lives with the $300,000, so it's pretty amazing." Read more here.

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