Woods admits Match Play could be taxing on back

THE OVERVIEW By Ben Everill, PGATOUR.COM After his breakthrough win at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in November, Patton Kizzire finished the fall as the FedExCup points leader and the man to chase in 2018. It’s a big step forward in a career that has shown promise but had lacked the desired consistency. Kizzire had a runner-up finish in each of his first two seasons on the PGA TOUR, along with eight top 10s. But last season, he missed as many cuts as he made, with his mental toughness put to the test. But this fall, the tall strapping former mini-tour grinder held off none other than Rickie Fowler in Mexico for his breakthrough win and the confidence garnered is set to catapult him into a huge season. Asked after his victory if he’s leaving Mexico as a different player, Kizzire replied: “Same player, different resume. It gives me a lot of confidence to beat such a great field here, and to finally get my first win, it gives me such great vibes. I’m excited to take that confidence into my future tournaments and the rest of my career.â€� TOP 30 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2018: We’ll countdown our list with one new player each day in December. Click here for the published players. MORE: Top 30 explanation and schedule It came after back-to-back top 10s at the Sanderson Farms Championship and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. It’s evident this Auburn grad is trending in the right direction. And now, with the luxury of knowing his card is secured for this season and two more after it, the shackles have been released. It should free him up to trust his ball-striking more and allow his sometimes-hot putter to work him into contention more often. But he will have to secure up his accuracy off the tee to really take things to the next level. While he got away with 58 percent of fairways in the fall, those numbers are likely to catch up with him over a full season. Kizzire will be buoyed by the knowledge all four previous players to lead the FedExCup heading into the new year have gone on the make the TOUR Championship that season. So, the 31-year-old’s record of bowing out in week two of the Playoffs in each of the last two seasons is likely to be broken. Click here to follow Ben on Twitter FEDEXCUP Current 2017-18 position: 1st Playoff appearances: 2 TOUR Championship appearances: 0 Best result: 82nd (2016) BY THE NUMBERS INSIGHTS FROM THE INSIDERS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Patton Kizzire in 2018. TOUR INSIDER by Cameron Morfit Kizzire turns heads with his height at 6-feet-5, but with his mental game finally coming around, the sky is the limit for this 31-year-old from Auburn. It’s not just that he won for the first time at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba; it’s how he did it, holding off Rickie Fowler on a mentally taxing, 36-hole Sunday. “I wanted to see how I’d respond to that,â€� said Kizzire, a veteran of the Web.com Tour and the Hooters Tour. Self-belief will help going forward, as would fairways and greens. Always a gifted putter, Kizzire could win again soon if he elevates his tee-to-green stats with instructor Todd Anderson. Click here to follow Cameron on Twitter FANTASY INSIDER by Rob Bolton It’s fitting that he’s atop the FedExCup standings over the holidays since he’s done some of his best work in the fall. However, given he concluded the first two autumns of his career at a respective 16th and 13th and still hasn’t advanced to the third leg of the Playoffs, there’s legitimate concern for another letdown. The original curiosity when he broke onto the PGA TOUR was that he was a late bloomer. Now 31 years of age – older than the likes of Keegan Bradley, Kevin Chappell, Billy Horschel, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler to name a few more accomplished contemporaries – Kizzire’s ramp into his prime is steeper than most, but he’s in that magical third season when it has come together for so many before him. Click here to follow Jonathan on Twitter EQUIPMENT INSIDER by Jonathan Wall Switched to a mixed Titleist 718 iron setup at the Safeway Open that includes T-MB (4-iron), CB (5-6) and MB (7-PW). The T-MB helps with gapping and ball flight at the top of the set. Replaced Titleist 915D4 driver with 917D3 the first week it was available at Quicken Loans National. Vokey SM6 Oversize K has changed slightly, keeping the width but changing the bounce angle for conditions. Has offset added to the wedge for an old school look.  Click here to follow Jonathan on Twitter STYLE INSIDER by Greg Monteforte Off the course, Kizzire is all about hunting and fishing, making his Columbia Sportswear shirts a natural fit for him. Look for him to stick with what works best for him in 2018 — classic looks with traditional colors and fits. Click here to follow Greg on Twitter

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The top players competing together more often – guaranteed. That’s what fans can expect as the TOUR today finalized the list of events that top players have committed to participate in next year. The TOUR’s top players will compete for elevated purses of at least $20 million across these events, and fans will be the beneficiaries. Recognizing how important it is for fans to know where their favorite players will be competing, the top players in the TOUR’s Player Impact Program will feature in up to 20 events – 12 PGA TOUR events with elevated purses, including the three FedExCup Playoffs events, the four majors and THE PLAYERS, and three additional FedExCup events of their choosing. The field criteria for these designated events remain unchanged for 2023, formed via their traditional eligibility criteria. It’s the commitment from the TOUR’s top players to guarantee their appearance in these events that is unprecedented. A fan who buys a ticket to Bills-Chiefs, for example, knows he or she can expect to see Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes under center for their respective teams. Now TOUR fans can enjoy that same level of certainty when Jan. 1 rolls around, knowing, for example, where FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy or world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will be playing. Here’s a look at how players earn their way into these designated events (excluding the majors and THE PLAYERS): Sentry Tournament of Champions Jan. 5-8, Plantation Course at Kapalua Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii No. of players: TBD • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments in 2022 calendar year, whose victories are considered official • Winner of the 2021–22 FedExCup • Top 30 finishers and ties from the 2021-2022 FedExCup Playoffs & Eligibility Points List WM Phoenix Open Feb. 9-12, TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) Scottsdale, Ariz. No. of players: 132 Eligible players in the 132-player field are those players in the PGA TOUR’s priority ranking, except that the following shall not be eligible: • One sponsor exemption from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category • One sponsor exemption from among the current season’s membership • One “unrestricted” sponsor exemption • One open qualifier • Current PGA National Professional Champion Genesis Invitational Feb. 16-19, Riviera Country Club Pacific Palisades, Calif. No. of players: 120 Eligible players in the 120-player field are: • Winners of The Genesis Invitational in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of Masters Tournament, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and PGA Championship in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winner of the FedExCup from 2018/19–2021/22 seasons.. • Winners of WGC-Mexico Championship and WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational from 2020 and 2021. • Winners of WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from 2021 and 2022. • Winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and the Memorial Tournament in the last three years (2020–2022). • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous season’s The Genesis Invitational. • Winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship (NOTE: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last named U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams (2021). • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams (2022). • The top 125 players from the 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • The top 10 players from the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am • 12 sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category – Two from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership – Eight “unrestricted” • If necessary to complete a field of 120 players, those players below 10th position from the current FedExCup Points List through the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, in order of their positions on such list. Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard March 2-5, Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge Orlando, Fla. No. of players: 120 Eligible players in the 120-player field are: • Winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard prior to 2000*, and winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of Masters Tournament, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and PGA Championship in the last five years (2018–2022). (Note: THE PLAYERS and The Open were not contested in 2020.) • Winner of the FedExCup from the 2018/19–2021/22 seasons. • Winners of WGC-Mexico Championship from 2021 • Winners of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational from 2020 and 2021 • Winners of WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from 2021 and 2022 • Winners of The Genesis Invitational in the last three years (2021–2023) • Winners of the Memorial Tournament in the last three years (2020–2022) • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous season’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Ryder Cup team (2021) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last-named European Ryder Cup team (2021) • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Presidents Cup team (2022) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last-named International Presidents Cup team (2022) • The winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. (NOTE: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Winner of the 2022 Arnold Palmer Award (Rookie of the Year). • The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through The Genesis Invitational (Monday, February 20, 2023). • Life members of the PGA TOUR • 18 sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category. – Eight from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership. – Eight “unrestricted”. • Up to two foreign players designated by the Commissioner • The top 70 players from the final 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • Members in the Top 125-Nonmembers category whose points on the non-WGC FedExCup Points List for Non-members for the previous season equals or exceeds the amount of FedExCup points earned by the player finishing in 70th position on the final 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List • The top 70 players from the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through The Genesis Invitational • Either the current winner of the PGA Section Championship or the current PGA Section Player of the Year where the tournament is played, as determined by the Section • If necessary to complete a field of 120 players, those players below 70th position from the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through The Genesis Invitational, in order of their positions on such list * – Winners prior to 2000, who are not otherwise eligible for the event, will be added to the starting field and must maintain a scoring average no greater than three strokes above the field average for the rounds of golf in which they have played in the season prior to be eligible in this category. A player who loses his exempt status for failing to meet the scoring average provision may regain exempt status immediately by finishing three strokes or less above the field average for the rounds of golf in which he has played in official money events during the current season, excluding official money team events. World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play March 22-26, Austin Country Club Austin, Texas No. of players: 64 Eligible players in the 64-player field are: • The top 64 available players to a floor of 100 from the Official World Golf Ranking, as of the Monday one week prior to the week of the tournament (March 13, 2023) RBC Heritage April 13-16, Harbour Town Golf Links Hilton Head Island, S.C. No. of players: 132 Eligible players in the 132-player field are: • Winners of RBC Heritage prior to 2000*, and winners of RBC Heritage in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of the U.S. Open or PGA Championship prior to 2005 who played in a minimum of 15 PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments in the 2021–2022 season, provided however the Commissioner shall have the discretion to waive such 15 event minimum if a player otherwise eligible pursuant to this eligibility criteria did not play 15 events in the prior season as a result of an injury and would have qualified for a medical extension if he had applied for one and Winners of the U.S. Open or PGA Championship in the last five years (2018–2022) • Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last five years (2019–2022) • Winners of THE PLAYERS Championship from the years 2018 & 2019 and 2021–2023 • Winners of The Open Championship in the last five years (2018–2022) • Winners of the WGC-Mexico Championship from 2021 • Winners of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in the last three years (2021-2023) • Winners of the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational 2020 and 2021 • Winners of The Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in the last three years (2021–2023) • Winner of the Memorial Tournament in the last three years (2020–2022) • Winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. (NOTE: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Winner of the FedExCup in each of the last five seasons (2018-22) • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Ryder Cup team (2021) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members from the last-named European Ryder Cup team (2021) • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Presidents Cup team (2022) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members from the last-named International Presidents Cup team (2022) • The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through the completion of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play/Corales Puntacana Championship • Eight sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Two from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour – Four “unrestricted” • Up to two foreign players designated by the Commissioner • Either the current or prior year winner of the PGA Section Championship or current or prior year winner of the PGA Section Player of the Year where the tournament is played, as determined by the section • PGA TOUR members who use an exemption for the 2022–23 season as one of the leaders (either top 25 or top 50) on the Official PGA TOUR Career Money List • Life members of the PGA TOUR • The top 125 players from the 2021-22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List • Members in the Top 125-Nonmembers category whose points on the Non-WGC FedExCup Points List for Non-Members for the previous season equal or exceed the amount of FedExCup points earned by the player finishing in 125th position on the 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List • PGA TOUR members from the current Tournament Winners category • The 20 players who are leading on the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through the Valero Texas Open • Five players, not otherwise eligible, who are leading on the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through the Valero Texas Open • If necessary to complete a field of 132 players, PGA TOUR members from the 2022–23 priority ranking of eligible players, after the Top 125 Non-Member category, in order of their positions on such list, including the Top 10 from Previous Tournament category. * – Winners prior to 2000, who are not otherwise eligible for the event, will be added to the starting field and must maintain a scoring average no greater than three strokes above the field average for the rounds of golf in which they have played in the season prior to be eligible in this category. A player who loses his exempt status for failing to meet the scoring average provision may regain 38 exempt status immediately by finishing three strokes or less above the field average for the rounds of golf in which he has played in official money events during the current season, excluding official money team events. Wells Fargo Championship May 4-7, Quail Hollow Club Charlotte, N.C. No. of players: 156 Eligible players in the 156-player field are those players in the PGA TOUR’s priority ranking. Memorial Tournament presented by Workday June 1-4, Muirfield Village Golf Club Dublin, Ohio No. of players: 120 Eligible players in the 120-player field are: • Winners of the Memorial Tournament prior to 1997* and winners of the Memorial Tournament in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of THE PLAYERS Championship in the last five years (2019–2023). • Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last five years (2019–2023). • Winners of the U.S. Open in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of The Open Championship in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of the PGA Championship from 2018–2023. • Winner of the FedExCup from 2018/19–2021/22 seasons. • Winners of the WGC-Mexico Championship from 2021. • Winners of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from the last three years (2021-2023). • Winners of the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational from the years 2020 and 2021. • Winners of The Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in the last three years (2021–2023). • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous season’s Memorial Tournament. • Playing members of the last-named U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams (2021). • Playing members of the last-named U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams (2022). • Winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. (Note: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Winner of The 2022 Amateur Championship conducted by the R&A. (Note: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Up to four players selected by the tournament from among the money leaders on the DP World Tour, Asian Tour, Australasian Tour, Sunshine Tour and Japan Golf Tour official money lists. • Up to fourteen sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Six from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership. – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category. – Six “unrestricted”. • The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through completion of the PGA Championship • The top 70 players from the 2021–2022 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • Members in the Top 125-Nonmembers category whose points on the Non-WGC FedExCup Points List for Non-Members for the previous season equals or exceeds the amount of FedExCup points earned by the player finishing in 70th position on the 2021–2022 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • The top 70 players from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the completion of the PGA Championship • The Division I College Player of the Year from 2022 (the Jack Nicklaus Award), as selected by the Golf Coaches Association of America. (Note: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • If necessary to complete a field of 120 players, PGA TOUR members beyond 70th position from both the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the PGA Championship and the 2021–2022 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List on an alternating basis beginning with the current season FedExCup Points List and in order of their positions on such FedExCup Points List (i.e., 71st player from current season’s FedExCup Points List, 71st player from prior season’s FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List, 72nd player from current season’s FedExCup Points List, and so on) * – Winners prior to 1997, who are not otherwise eligible for the event, will be added to the starting field and must maintain a scoring average no greater than three strokes above the field average for the rounds of golf in which they have played in the season prior to be eligible in this category. A player who loses his exempt status for failing to meet the scoring average provision may regain exempt status immediately by finishing three strokes or less above the field average for the rounds of golf in which he has played in official money events during the current season, excluding official money team events. Travelers Championship June 22-25, TPC River Highlands Cromwell, Conn. No. of players: 156 Eligible players in the 156-player field are those players in the PGA TOUR’s priority ranking. FedEx St. Jude Championship Aug. 10-13, TPC Southwind Germantown, Tenn. No. of players: 70 Eligible players are: • The top 70 players plus ties from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the Wyndham Championship BMW Championship Aug. 17-20, Olympia Fields CC (North) Olympia Fields, Ill. No. of players: 50 Eligible players are: • The top 50 players plus ties from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the FedEx St. Jude Championship TOUR Championship Aug. 24-27, East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, Ga. No. of players: 30 Eligible players are: • The top 30 players plus ties from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the BMW Championship

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