INSIDER
Abraham Ancer beats Cameron Smith, Paul Casey in playoff to win LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong
Read full article: Abraham Ancer beats Cameron Smith, Paul Casey in playoff to win LIV Golf tournament in Hong KongAbraham Ancer regained just enough of the composure that helped him pull out to a five-stroke lead after two rounds to beat Cameron Smith and Paul Casey in a playoff and win the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy not bothered by Masters 'asterisk' comments from LIV Golf's Talor Gooch
Read full article: Rory McIlroy not bothered by Masters 'asterisk' comments from LIV Golf's Talor GoochHere’s how things seem to work regarding LIV Golf and Rory McIlroy: Someone says something, the other side responds, and the cycle just keeps repeating from one topic to the next.
Joaquin Niemann outlasts Sergio Garcia on 4th extra hole in LIV Golf Mayakoba
Read full article: Joaquin Niemann outlasts Sergio Garcia on 4th extra hole in LIV Golf MayakobaJoaquin Niemann outlasted Sergio Garcia well after sunset Sunday in the season-opening LIV Golf Mayakoba, making a 12-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the fourth hole of a playoff with the green lit by a large video screen.
Some LIV Golf players at the British Open in danger of making their last appearance in a major
Read full article: Some LIV Golf players at the British Open in danger of making their last appearance in a majorSome LIV Golf players have arrived for the British Open facing the prospect of playing in a major for the last time because of the uncertain future in golf.
Masters champion Matsuyama takes 2nd-round lead at Zozo
Read full article: Masters champion Matsuyama takes 2nd-round lead at ZozoMasters champion Hideki Matsuyama overcame cold temperatures and often steady rain showers to shoot a 2-under 68 and take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship.
Kevin Na has a big finish and wins the Sony Open
Read full article: Kevin Na has a big finish and wins the Sony OpenChris Kirk putts on the 13th green during the third round at the Sony Open golf tournament Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Honolulu. Na finished one shot ahead of Joaquin Niemann and Chris Kirk, and only one of them got a consolation prize. Niemann chipped in for birdie from 55 feet on the par-3 17th and got up-and-down with a long bunker shot on the 18th hole for a 66. Needing nearly 150 FedEx Cup points at the Sony Open, his tie for second was worth 245 points. He looked comfortable even when the Sony Open appeared to be slipping away.
Steele takes lead with 61 to get another chance in Sony Open
Read full article: Steele takes lead with 61 to get another chance in Sony OpenBrendan Steele lines up his putt on the ninth green during the third round at the Sony Open golf tournament Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)HONOLULU – Brendan Steele knows he can play well at the Sony Open whether it's windy or calm, in sunshine or rain. One year after Steele lost a late lead at Waialae and lost in a playoff, he delivered the lowest score of his career Saturday in ideal conditions with a 9-under 61 that gave him a two-shot lead going into the final round. “You hope that you come back and you play well and erase whatever negative memories there are,” Steele said. It was wide open on Saturday, and it's not likely to be any different in the final round.
Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson share early lead at Sony Open
Read full article: Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson share early lead at Sony OpenStewart Cink follows his shot from the first tee box during the second round of the Sony Open golf tournament Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Jamm Aquino)HONOLULU – Stewart Cink could not remember a more ideal day in Hawaii, and he had a round that matched the occasion. Enjoying a surge in the twilight of his career, the 47-year-old Cink putted for birdie on all but one hole Friday on his way to a 7-under 63 that gave him a share of the early lead with Webb Simpson. Cink already won the season-opener in the Safeway Open in September, his first victory since the 2009 British Open at Turnberry. Simpson holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the par-3 seventh hole, hit it tight on No.
Niemann finishes with eagle and shares the lead at Sony Open
Read full article: Niemann finishes with eagle and shares the lead at Sony Open(AP Photo/Jamm Aquino)HONOLULU – Joaquin Niemann had no regrets about the 18th hole at the Sony Open. “Spent a few days thinking about that last hole, but taking all the positives from the week and pull it out for this week.”They weren't easy days for Niemann. The 22-year-old from Chile is still too young to have experienced the inevitable losses that pile up in this sport. Niemann's only bogey was when he fell asleep on a 25-foot birdie putt above the hole at No. We talked for an hour about the whole tournament, not for that 18th hole.
Schauffele recovers from COVID-19, optimistic about new year
Read full article: Schauffele recovers from COVID-19, optimistic about new yearSchauffele is among 16 players in the Tournament of Champions who didn't win last year. His girlfriend came down with COVID-19 in the middle of December, and a few days later, Schauffele tested positive and eventually had minor symptoms. Schauffele is among 16 players at Kapalua who failed to win an official event, though he did have the lowest 72-hole score at the Tour Championship. The winners-only field is including players who reached the Tour Championship because golf was shut down for three months due to the pandemic. Schauffele already has played four times in the new season, which began in September, and that includes two majors.
A quiet start to empty week at Augusta National for Masters
Read full article: A quiet start to empty week at Augusta National for MastersInstead of Augusta National members and their guests, the course was filled Monday with Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth, all of them playing a practice round on a course that only looked the same. The COVID-19 pandemic that shut down golf for three months forced a reconfigured major championship schedule unlike any other, particularly at the Masters. "The things that will be the same is it still means the same to us all, and maybe even more so because we return to Augusta National every year. This is the Augusta National hardly anyone gets to see. When it means going to Augusta National to get ready for the Masters — April, November, doesn't matter — it takes the sting off.
Garcia withdraws from Masters after positive COVID-19 test
Read full article: Garcia withdraws from Masters after positive COVID-19 testAUGUSTA, Ga. – Sergio Garcia pulled out of the Masters on Monday after informing Augusta National he tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the second player to withdraw following a positive test. Garcia won his only major at the Masters three years ago in his 19th appearance, the most of any player before winning a green jacket. Joaquin Niemann of Chile previously announced over the weekend he tested positive and withdrew. It was the first domestic PGA Tour event that allowed limited spectators on the course. He brings to 15 the number of PGA Tour players who have tested positive since golf returned in June from the COVID-19 pandemic-caused shutdown.
DeChambeau and his Paul Bunyan power the talk of the Masters
Read full article: DeChambeau and his Paul Bunyan power the talk of the MastersFILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, file photo, Bryson DeChambeau, of the United States, reacts after sinking a putt for par on the 18th hole to win the U.S. Open golf tournament in Mamaroneck, N.Y. DeChambeau's first major validated his work at getting bigger and stronger. He is the favorite going into the Masters. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
DeChambeau and his Paul Bunyan power the talk of the Masters
Read full article: DeChambeau and his Paul Bunyan power the talk of the MastersDeChambeau walked over to his bag, removed a wrench and tightened the screws on the bottom of his driver. It hit a small tree right of the fairway, dropping straight down and robbing DeChambeau of what he figured would have been a 400-yard drive. Moments like these are why DeChambeau is the talk of golf going into the Masters. He believes DeChambeau is headed done the right path with his program and his relentless passion to think outside the box. And now he goes to the Masters as the betting favorite in a year in which five players other than DeChambeau have reached No.
Johnson, Scheffler favorites for tour's top player, rookie
Read full article: Johnson, Scheffler favorites for tour's top player, rookieDustin Johnson holds up the FedEx Cup trophy after winning the Tour Championship golf tournament on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020 at Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Johnson, Scheffler favorites for tour's top player, rookie
Read full article: Johnson, Scheffler favorites for tour's top player, rookieFor the PGA Tour player of the year, the candidates were Johnson, Thomas, PGA champion Collin Morikawa (two wins), Webb Simpson (two wins) and Jon Rahm (two wins). Johnson won the Travelers Championship and The Northern Trust to go along with his FedEx Cup title he won at the Tour Championship. He also was runner-up to Morikawa at the PGA Championship. More interesting will be the vote for PGA Tour rookie of the year. ... Country singer Colt Ford, who once played professionally, is making his PGA Tour Champions debut on a sponsor exemption.
Rahm's makes the biggest putt to win a thriller at BMW
Read full article: Rahm's makes the biggest putt to win a thriller at BMWJon Rahm reacts after making his putt on the first playoff hole during the final round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. I was fully confident it was going to come into a playoff and hoping to win it. They were the only five players under par at Olympia Fields. Rahm won for the second time this year on the PGA Tour, and the 11th time in his career worldwide. He now gets two weeks off before the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, and Olympia Fields proved to be a good test for that.
Johnson, Matsuyama tied for lead at tough Olympia Fields
Read full article: Johnson, Matsuyama tied for lead at tough Olympia FieldsEvery par at Olympia Fields is hard work, and Johnson played the final 13 holes Saturday with nothing worse than that. It's what carried him to a 1-under 69 and a share of the lead with Hideki Matsuyama, leaving them as the only players under par going into the final round. I feel like it's fairly similar, just obviously these conditions and the greens are a lot more difficult," he said. Rounds like that go a long way at Olympia Fields, the former U.S. Open course playing like one with its thick rough and rock-hard greens and enough wind to make the fairways look tighter than they are. All of them are one round away on a golf course where small mistakes can lead to bogeys or worse on just about every hole.
4-way tie for lead at Heritage as another wild finish looms
Read full article: 4-way tie for lead at Heritage as another wild finish loomsTyrrell Hatton of England had one of six rounds at 63 as he tries to win back-to-back starts for the second time in his year. Abraham Ancer rode his strong iron play to a 65, while Ryan Palmer had a 66 to join the lead at 15-under 198. A week ago at the Charles Schwab Challenge, 14 players were separated by three shots going into the final round. The six rounds at 63 marked the third time since October that at least six players shot 63 in a round. There were seven such rounds at the RSM Classic in November, about 80 miles down the Atlantic coast at Sea Island.