Winner’s bag: Kevin Na, Charles Schwab Challenge

LONDON, UK/PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA/DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, is pleased to announce a multi-year partnership with the PGA TOUR and LPGA in the first-of-its-kind Aon Risk Reward Challenge. The season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge will highlight the world’s best professional golfers as they tackle the most strategically challenging holes across both the PGA TOUR and LPGA schedules. The player from each Tour on top of the Aon leaderboard at the end of the regular season will each receive $1 million in prize money. As an Official Marketing Partner of both Tours, Aon receives the following designations: the “Official Risk, Retirement and Health Advisor of the PGA TOURâ€� and the “Official Professional Services Firm of the LPGA.â€� “At Aon, we use proprietary data and analytics to advise our clients and provide the insights they need to stay a step ahead of the competition,â€� said Greg Case, Chief Executive Officer, Aon. “The same is true in golf, where players must take calculated risks that improve their performance. We are excited to showcase the best strategic decision makers from across the world of golf through the Aon Risk Reward Challenge.â€� The Aon Risk Reward Challenge will be brought to life through a multi-platform strategy that includes broadcast integration with CBS and Golf Channel, the use of PGA TOUR and LPGA digital platforms, and the opportunity for Aon to bring clients and colleagues inside the ropes with exclusive experiences and business networking events around the world. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Aon as our newest Official Marketing Partner and to align with a globally respected brand that we know will be a tremendous asset to our business,â€� said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The Aon Risk Reward Challenge is an authentic fit for our sport that will resonate with players and fans while providing Aon an intuitive way to reinforce how their firm creates value for its clients.â€� The PGA TOUR and LPGA entered into a strategic alliance in 2016 designed to further promote the growth of golf. Aon will collaborate with both Tours to create a season long program that spans the sport, and both Commissioners are hopeful that they will continue to see examples of such collaboration. “We are thrilled to welcome Aon to the LPGA family of partners,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “The Aon Risk Reward Challenge will bring an exciting new season-long competition to our Tour with a very significant $1 million prize for our winner. The fact that Aon is providing equal prize money for the men (PGA TOUR) and women (LPGA) has made a huge statement to our players, and we couldn’t be more appreciative.” Additional Details About the Aon Risk Reward Challenge · Winners from each Tour will receive the Aon Trophy and $1 million in prize money. · Aon Risk Reward Challenge will run across regular season tournaments (28 PGA TOUR; 30 LPGA). · CBS Sports (PGA TOUR) and Golf Channel (LPGA) are official broadcast partners and the Aon Risk Reward Challenge will be brought to life through feature segments including hole flyovers, player interviews and on-air commentary. · Final details on scoring and the schedule of holes for each Tour will be released later this year. · The Aon Risk Reward Challenge Leaderboard will highlight player performance across the season.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As it turned out, Sergio Garcia could’ve made bogey, but he didn’t know that at the time. After a wild 18th hole that saw him twice take free drops, Garcia salvaged a hard-working par for a final-round 69 that left him tied for 12th place at the BMW Championship. More importantly, he moved from 34th to 25th in the FedExCup standings and qualified for the TOUR Championship and a chance at the FedExCup. “I thought I needed to make five,â€� Garcia said of the last hole, where he hit his second shot into the lateral hazard that runs in front of the green, a rocky creek bed with a thin trickle of water. What ensued was a bizarre ruling — Garcia was ruled to be interfered with by the grandstand, and got a free drop within the hazard — that took so long it recalled Jordan Spieth’s misadventures on the driving range at the Open Championship earlier this summer. After twice dropping his ball and watching it carom toward the green, Garcia placed it in the hazard so that he could get a club on it. From there, he was able to stab at his third shot, which hit the grandstand behind the green. He got another drop, and scrambled to salvage a par on the 585-yard hole. “It was one of the goals for the year to get to Atlanta,â€� said Garcia, who at 37 enjoyed a life-changing season that saw him win the Masters in April. His prospects dimmed, though, as he finished well back at The Open and World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational; missed the cut at the PGA Championship; and skipped the FedExCup Playoffs opener, THE NORTHERN TRUST. Garcia tied for 35th at the Dell Technologies Championship two weeks ago and started the week ranked 34th in the FedExCup standings. He was one of four players outside the top-30 bubble who advanced to East Lake; Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were the others. Garcia’s playing partner Phil Mickelson was also hoping to advance, but his eagle try clanked off the flagstick on 18. He made birdie to finish tied for 20th and 34th in the FedExCup standings. “I was feeling bad for the people behind me and for Phil because they were waiting,â€� Garcia said. “But it was an important moment, and I wanted to make sure to … do what was best for me at that time, and obviously within the rules, and that’s what we did.â€� Asked what he was thinking during the lengthy wait on 18, Mickelson said, “I was thinking this is what my playing partners go through most of the time.â€� TOP FIVE WATCH Here are the top five players in the FedExCup standings who will control their own fate at the TOUR Championship, with BMW Championship winner Marc Leishman moving inside the top five, and Hideki Matsuyama moving out. Should any of these five players win at East Lake, he will claim the FedExCup. In addition, there are certain scenario advantages for each player that could lead to a FedExCup title without winning the TOUR Championship. 1. JORDAN SPIETH … Shot a 6-under 65 – his second 65 of the week – to finish tied for seventh at 13 under. Becomes first top seed headed to East Lake without a win in the Playoffs. 2. JORDAN THOMAS … Shot an even-par 71 to finish tied for 47th at 5 under. 3. DUSTIN JOHNSON … Shot a 7-under 64 – his best round of the week – to move into a tie for 33rd at 8 under. 4. MARC LEISHMAN … Completed wire-to-wire with a 4-under 67 to finish at 23 under and win by five strokes. Advancing to East Lake for just the second time in his career; his first time was in 2009. 5. JON RAHM … Shot a 4-under 67 to finish tied for fifth at 15 under. It’s his third consecutive top-5 finish in these FedExCup Playoffs. NOTE: Hideki Matsuyama began the week as No. 4 in the standings but tied for 47th and dropped to seventh. FEDEXCUP TALK Obviously that was kind of my goal today, to maintain the No. 1 position. We’ll go into East Lake really trying to win the golf tournament and trying not to focus on anything else. BUBBLE WATCH Here are the players who moved inside and outside the top 30 that advance to next week’s FedExCup Playoffs finale, the TOUR Championship. ELIMINATED PLAYERS Forty players were officially eliminated from the FedExCup Playoffs following the BMW Championship. Included among those 40 were four past FedExCup champions – defending champ Rory McIlroy, 2014 champ Billy Horschel, 2013 champ Henrik Stenson and 2011 champ Bill Haas. That leaves Jordan Spieth as the only past FedExCup champ in the field at East Lake. Louis Oosthuizen Henrik Stenson Brendan Steele Phil Mickelson Bill Haas Mackenzie Hughes Hudson Swafford Francesco Molinari Charles Howell III Wesley Bryan Billy Horschel Chez Reavie Scott Brown Charl Schwartzel Lucas Glover Kevin Na Cameron Smith Keegan Bradley Bryson DeChambeau Zach Johnson Luke List Ian Poulter Anirban Lahiri Stewart Cink Si Woo Kim Martin Laird Jamie Lovemark Ryan Moore Rory McIlroy Sung Kang Ollie Schniederjans Rafa Cabrera Bello Sean O’Hair Robert Streb Bud Cauley Grayson Murray Emiliano Grillo James Hahn Kevin Tway Danny Lee FEDEXCUP NOTES • Dustin Johnson has qualified for the top 30 in each of the last nine seasons – he’s the only player to have achieved that feat. Phil Mickelson was attempting to match him but shot a 1-under 70 to finish tied for 20th. That left him 34th in the standings after he started the week in 36th. “It’s disappointing, but I like the fact that I’m starting to play well,â€� Mickelson said. … • Justin Rose has top-10 finishes in each of the first three Playoffs events – T-10s at THE NORTHERN TRUST and Dell Technologies Championship, and a tie for fifth at the BMW Championship. That last result moved him from No. 17 to No. 8 in the standings heading to East Lake. “I think it’s been a nice Playoff run,â€� Rose said. “If I can keep trending the way I have, I have a chance.â€� • Tony Finau figured 13 under would be good enough to advance, and he teed off on the par-5 closing hole at 12 under. “Obviously I was nervous out there,â€� Finau said. “I think the tee shot on 18 showed that.â€� Indeed, Finau’s tee shot sailed to the right, but he received a free drop from a temporary immovable object, and he took advantage of the good fortune. He eventually chipped in from just off the green for birdie to get to 13 under and finish tied for seventh. “It’s such a gratifying feeling right now,â€� Finau said … • Patrick Cantlay made the TOUR Championship in just 12 starts this season. It helps that he never missed a cut. He sealed the deal with a tie for ninth at Conway Farms, his fourth top 10 of the season. “I feel like I’m just getting started, just starting to get rolling and getting comfortable playing,â€� Cantlay said. “My game is in good shape and looking forward to Atlanta.â€� … • Things weren’t looking good early for Xander Schauffele, who was 2 over on his round through the first 12 holes. But he fought back to shoot 67 and seal his spot at the TOUR Championship. “I didn’t have to look at a leaderboard,â€� he said. “I knew what I had to do. To be able to pull it off is pretty special.â€�

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — Hideki Matsuyama showed he could handle Augusta National when he first showed up as a 19-year-old amateur. Ten years later, the Japanese star put himself on the cusp of a green jacket Saturday at the Masters Tournament. RELATED: Leaderboard | Round 3 review: The Masters In a stunning turnaround after storms doused the course, Matsuyama had four birdies, an eagle and a superb par at the end of a 7-under 65, turning a three-shot deficit into a four-shot lead as he tries to become the first Japanese player to win a major. “This is a new experience for me being a leader going into the final round in a major,” Matsuyama said. “I guess all I can do is relax and prepare well and do my best.” Matsuyama was at 11-under 205, and no one could stay with him after the delay. It lasted 1 hour, 18 minutes because of dangerous weather and just enough rain fell that crusty Augusta National was a little more forgiving. He hit what he said was his worst shot of the day right before the delay, a tee shot into the trees on the right. He punched a 7-iron out to 20 feet for birdie and was on his way. The break brought the Masters to life, and at times it was hard to keep up. Xander Schauffele ran in a 60-foot eagle putt across the 15th green to momentarily join a four-way tie for the lead. Seconds later, Justin Rose holed a 25-foot birdie putt back on the par-3 12th to regain the lead. That lasted as long as it took Matsuyama to knock in his 5-foot eagle putt on the 15th to take the lead for good. The entire sequence took no more than two minutes. But after that, no one could catch Matsuyama. When the round ended, Schauffele (68), Rose (72), Marc Leishman (70) and Masters rookie Will Zalatoris (71) were all at 7-under 209. Jordan Spieth was within two shots of the lead despite a double bogey on the seventh hole, but he couldn’t keep pace and shot 72 to fall six shots behind. Matsuyama will play in the final group with Schauffele, a comfortable pairing. Schauffele’s mother was raised in Japan and he speaks enough Japanese to share a few laughs with Matsuyama during Saturday’s pairing. That won’t eliminate all the pressure. His lone shot at a major was at Quail Hollow in the 2017 PGA Championship when he was one shot behind with three holes to play and missed a crucial par putt. He was in tears after that round, a player under enormous pressure in golf-mad Japan. Matsuyama wasn’t the first Japanese star of his generation — that was close friend Ryo Ishikawa — but he is by far the most accomplished. Matsuyama has 14 worldwide wins, five on the PGA TOUR. He has reached as high as No. 2 in the world. He won the Asia-Pacific Amateur in 2010 that earned him a spot in the Masters the following year. He was the only amateur to make the cut, finishing on the same score (1 under) as defending champion Phil Mickelson. A decade later, he is on the cusp of history. The only other player from an Asian country to win a men’s major is Y.E. Yang in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Matsuyama wouldn’t have believed he could leave Augusta National on Saturday night with a four-shot lead. But he knew he was playing well, and he showed it. On a course that has played difficult all week, he delivered the first bogey-free round of the week. The signature shot was his 5-iron to a left pin to 5 feet for eagle. Equally stellar was an 8-iron to the front right shelf on the par-3 16th to 5 feet for a birdie, and then his pitching wedge to 10 feet behind the hole on the 17th. His work still wasn’t through. From a fairway bunker on the 18th, Matsuyama sent it soaring over the green and up the walkway toward the clubhouse, some 25 yards to the hole with little margin for error with a back pin. His chip bounced with enough spin to trickle out to 3 feet for par. It was reminiscent of Spieth closing out his third round in 2015 with a tough par save on the 18th to take a four-shot lead into the final round. That’s what Matsuyama has on Sunday, with a nation watching. He rarely can go anywhere on the PGA TOUR without a dozen or more Japanese media following. Their numbers are limited this year because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. “Being in front of the media is still difficult. It’s not my favorite thing to do,” Matsuyama said through his interpreter. “It’s been a lot less stress for me. I’ve enjoyed this week.” A victory would give Japan a sweep this week. Tsubasa Kajitani won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last Saturday.

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