Kate Smith leads suspended Augusta National Women's Amateur on a week where she has 'everything to gain'

Kate Smith leads suspended Augusta National Women's Amateur on a week where she has 'everything to gain' https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The tears have flowed for Kate Smith this week. It seems that no amount of preparation for competing in a tournament she’s coveted for three years could stop that.

But the floodgates were open in another way on Wednesday at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, too. Once she poured in a birdie putt on the second hole at Champions Retreat, it opened the door to three more in the next nine holes. Smith’s day ended at the sound of a weather horn, as she faced an uphill 7-footer for par on the par-4 12th.

A downpour washed out the rest of the day, with 29 players in the 82-woman field still to finish.

By that time, Smith, playing in the final group out, had a three-shot lead. Normally, it would be a disappointing run to see end, but not here.

“This week, everything has been so awesome I’m just excited for another day here, another day to go low and make some putts,” said Smith, who is completing a fifth year for Nebraska while she completes a graphic design degree.


Related: Kate Smith combines budding design and golf careers in golf course logo refresh project


This is the kind of perspective that comes with an unexpected fifth year in college, a big opportunity and perhaps women’s golf biggest spotlight. The day before Smith played her way into the lead, she and the rest of the field piled into a fleet of charter buses for a trip down Magnolia Lane to Augusta National and dinner with Chairman Fred Ridley.

“I’ve cried off and on the last two weeks just knowing I’m (coming) here,” Smith said, admitting it’s an emotion that’s part happiness, part anxiousness. “Probably the best moment of my life so far. Kind of everything to gain this week.”

But credit Smith for dedicating energy to her mental game in the weeks leading up to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, too. The 21-year-old repeated a mantra to prepare herself. She wanted to focus less on making the 36-hole cut and more on actually competing.

You can win this event. You can be up there. You’re just as good as everyone else.

Smith first got the call that she was in consideration for this field in November, after a rough week playing a tournament in Waco, Texas. It was an instant mood-lifter, given that Smith recalls exactly where she was sitting and exactly what went through her head the minute she heard about the creation of the ANWA in April 2018.

“It meant more to me than I thought, sub-consciously,” Smith told Golfweek in January. “I think I put the pedal to the metal in my competition schedule and practice schedule.”

As it turns out, Smith earned her way in as one of 30 top-ranked Americans. She was the last player in through that category with a year-end world ranking of No. 161 in 2020.

She played back-to-back tournaments in Florida to start 2021, finishing 12th at the prestigious Sally Amateur – a huge boost for a Midwesterner who generally puts the clubs away in the winter – and won her first college title two weeks before the ANWA. This is the biggest stage she’s competed on, following her maiden U.S. Women’s Amateur appearance in August.

To hear her older brother and caddie Karter, a former college golfer at Drake who now works for a business consulting company in Des Moines, Iowa, tell it, Kate’s mental preparation worked. Kate’s warm-up was solid on Wednesday afternoon, the first tee shot pure.

“She’s one that has a lot of confidence no matter what stage she plays on,” Karter said, “and I really appreciate that about watching her.”

Champions Retreat played long in the first round and the greens were firm. Only six players are under par, and only two of those players have finished their round. The first round will resume at 7:45 a.m., along with the second round, with players keeping their pairings and tee times from the first round.

Smith said her ballstriking, particularly with her long irons, carried her. There’s no reason to change the gameplan now, and certainly no reason to overthink it.

“Why ruin a week by putting pressure on yourself?” she said. “That was my mindset today.”

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Five Things to Know about the game's biggest stars heading into the ANA Inspiration

Five Things to Know about the game's biggest stars heading into the ANA Inspiration

RANCHO MIRAGE, California – With eight of the top 10 players in the world finishing inside the top 10 at last week’s Kia Classic, expectations are high that the year’s first major could be an absolute thriller. Players say they’ve never seen Mission Hill’s Dinah Shore Tournament Course in such pristine condition. It’s firm and fast and increasingly warm here in the desert.

Here’s are five things to know going into the 50th ANA Inspiration:

1. Inbee Park rose to No. 2 in the world this week. She’s been ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 for 22 percent of her LPGA career. After running away with last week’s Kia Classic, her 21st LPGA victory, the seven-time major winner comes into this week a heavy favorite.

Park first rose to No. 1 in the world on April 15, 2013, the week after winning the ANA (known then as the Kraft Nabisco) and spent a total of 106 weeks there. Would a fifth stretch at the top, at age 32, be meaningful in a different way?

“I think that it would mean a lot because I kind of thought that, will I be No. 1 again?” said Park. “I was asking the same question to myself for few years.

“Being able to do it again would be meaning a lot obviously, that I can still compete out here. Being the best player in the world still for the long time is a good confidence.”

When asked for the secret of her longevity, Park pointed straight to her husband, G.H. Nam, who doubles as her swing coach. His presence on tour week in and week out not only gives Park a sense of home and comfort on the road, it helps to keep her from falling into any bad habits with her swing.

“Probably my swing is a little bit easier on my body, like not swinging so hard,” said Park. “Rhythm is not too quick. So maybe that’s the key to the consistency. I don’t know.”

Lexi Thompson during round 1 of the 2019 ANA Inspiration at Dinah Shore at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

2. Lexi Thompson has begun working with Martin Hall, Morgan Pressel’s longtime swing instructor and host of Golf Channel’s “School of Golf.” Thompson said she’s seen him two or three times now.

“Just keeping things simple,” said Thompson, “but at the same time trying to improve on little things.”

Stats guru Justin Ray tweeted that Thompson is a combined 49-under par in the last five years at ANA, 13 strokes ahead of her nearest competitor in Ariya Jutanugarn. And yet, Thompson’s lone major title came before that at the 2014 ANA. She’s had five top-7s since then.

“I’ve been working hard on my mental game and being more relaxed out there, and hopefully that helps me out more than anything,” said Thompson.

“I know I’ve put in the work physically on my game everything and so just letting it go and letting my true talent show is what I want. You know, if that comes out to a win, great. If not, I’m going to continue working.”

3. Brooke Henderson switched to left-hand-low from inside 10 feet at last week’s Kia Classic, where she tied for 10th. Henderson said she felt comfortable with the big change and that she’ll keep going with it.

Henderson’s father, Dave, is also her coach and typically travels quite a bit with his wife, following their two daughters. With COVID-19, however, Henderson’s parents have remained in Canada. The last time Dave was at a tournament was January 2020.

“He’s always there, like virtually,” said Henderson, who lost in a playoff at the ANA last year to Mirim Lee, “always helping us out and sending us his notes that he has on every course and FaceTiming and everything. So it’s been OK. Definitely miss having my mom and him out here, to show support and helping out on the course.”

LPGA: ANA Inspiration - Final Round

Jin Young Ko waves to the fans after winning 2019 ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills CC – Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

4. Jin Young Ko put a new driver into play for the second round of last week’s Kia Classic. Ko had used a Callaway model for the past three years but switched to the Titleist TS3.

While No. 1-ranked Ko didn’t compete in last September’s ANA, choosing instead to stay back in South Korea due to the pandemic, she did practice at Mission Hills in the weeks following the tour’s Florida swing. She was pleased to see her name on the Walk of Champions.

“I had good practice last three days in Mission Hills,” said Ko, “so I can’t wait for tomorrow and next four days.”

5. Danielle Kang will partner with her mentor, Annika Sorenstam in a charity match on Wednesday at Mission Hills. Sorenstam isn’t the only former No. 1 Kang leans on. Inbee Park’s U.S. base is in Las Vegas, where Kang makes her home.

“I don’t think many people know she’s literally like my older sister, my adopted mom,” said Kang. “I joke around that I’m an adopted child of her and her husband. They feed me, they drive me, they buy me ice cream. She has been there for me through thick and thin. You know, supported me since the beginning.

“And whether it’s when I went up to world No. 2 – it was a really weird feeling being at world No. 2, and she was the only player to give me a call ­like, is one of the main people to give me call and say, ‘Let’s go to 1, we can do it, all that.’ ”

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Pauline Roussin-Bouchard takes it all in during Augusta National Women's Amateur opener

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard takes it all in during Augusta National Women's Amateur opener https://ift.tt/3dqkMo3

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard’s first round at Champions Retreat didn’t end the way she wanted, but she’s still very much in the running for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur title.

The 20-year-old carded a 3-over-par 75 on Tuesday, struggling with the wind all day. She uncharacteristically finished 2-over on par-5s, but also struggled getting putts to drop.

“It was a tough day for me. I handled the par-5s really, really badly. I left a couple shots (on the table) and it was really tough out there with the wind, so I enjoyed playing but it’s a little bit frustrating to end with a bogey on a par-5,” she said. “I hit a lot of good shots and I didn’t hole any putts. I only had one birdie and then had a couple that were really close, and none of them went in. I guess these greens are very, very difficult and with the wind, it was even more difficult. That’s the reason why there are no very low scores.”

Roussin-Bouchard has more length to her game than most in the field. She added she went for the green in two on all except No. 9, because she missed her drive. The mix of windy conditions and firm greens Wednesday was tough on most of the field.

Like many, she’s struggling with finding the sweet spot between wanting to do well and soak in all this event has to offer.

“I’ve been struggling thinking about how I want to do well in the tournament, but at the same time wanting to enjoy it,” she said. “There is so much more than the game of golf right now. There’s friendship, being in Augusta and it’s all part of a long journey and I have to stay patient. Sometimes that’s hard to see.”

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard on the 18th green during the first round of the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Ga., Wednesday morning March 31, 2021. (Michael Holahan, The Augusta Chronicle)

Luckily for Roussin-Bouchard, she’s not in it alone.

The University of South Carolina has the second-highest representation with four in the field (USC has six). Roussin-Bouchard is joined by her teammates Paula Kirner, Pimnipa Panthong and Ana Palaez Trivino. That news is hardly a surprise, as the Gamecocks sit atop Golfweek’s Women’s Team Collegiate Rankings.

She just missed qualifying for the 2019 ANWA, improving her world ranking just days after the cutoff date. She was No. 4 in the world at this time last year and continues to improve the finer details in her game. She pointed to the mental aspect of her game as the one that grew the most.

“During the last two years it was about working on my behavior and handling my emotions. I’m still struggling sometimes through some mental mistakes. At some point you grow up a little bit and it allows you have a different perspective on the mental aspect of golf,” she said. “Sometimes it can give you a little more pressure and sometimes I would get too mad. I would keep losing shots instead of limiting to pars, or sometimes bogeys when necessary.”

This week was a year in the making for Roussin-Bouchard. When the sports world shut down, she found herself quarantining at her home in France.

“It was pretty hard because everything got canceled at the same time. We went from having a full season of golf and suddenly, nothing. I had to go back to France, so it was a little bit sudden.”

What a difference a year makes. Roussin-Bouchard helped lead South Carolina to a No. 1 ranking and made her first start in the premier women’s amateur golf tournament. Just shots off the lead heading into the second round, she’s not done yet.

The tournament continues Thursday after the first round was suspended for inclement weather late Wednesday afternoon.

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Detectives won't reveal cause of Tiger Woods crash due to privacy concerns

Detectives won't reveal cause of Tiger Woods crash due to privacy concerns https://ift.tt/3dNVlyI

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday the cause of Tiger Woods’ February car crash has been determined and the investigation has concluded, but he needs Woods’ permission to release the report.

California law restricts access to full crash reports to only certain involved parties.

Woods, who suffered broken bones in his right leg, announced March 16 on Twitter that he was back home. Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, didn’t return a message from USA TODAY Sports seeking comment.

Villanueva also said he still considers the single-car crash to have been an “accident” despite evidence that suggests the famed golfer didn’t brake or steer out of the emergency for nearly 400 feet after striking an eight-inch curb in the median.

“You have an accident and you have deliberate acts,” Villanueva said on a Facebook livestream session in response to a question from USA TODAY Sports. “It’s an accident, OK. We’re reaching out to Tiger Woods to be able to release the report itself, and nothing has changed from what we know and what we learned throughout the course of the investigation. And everything we did turned out to be accurate.”

More: Tiger Woods is back in the video game business

The sheriff otherwise has not released detailed findings from his department’s investigation into the crash Feb. 23 in Rolling Hills Estates, south of downtown Los Angeles.

Villanueva’s response Wednesday differed from what he said about the crash investigation on March 17.

“Yes, we’ll have the full thing released, and we’ll do a full press conference and that, because I know there’s going to be a lot of questions and we’ll pick it apart,” Villanueva said then.

Forensic car crash reconstruction experts differ with Villanueva on describing crashes as accidents simply because they are not “deliberate.” For example, drunk-driving crashes could be considered “accidents” in a broad sense because they are not deliberate. By their narrower definition, true accidents are rare because crashes typically have real causes, such as negligence of the driver, even if it’s not on purpose.

In this case, forensic experts say the evidence suggests Woods was not conscious when he left his lane and kept going in a straight line before crashing. Instead of staying with the downhill road as it curved right, he went straight over the curb in the median to the left, hit a wooden sign and kept going in a straight line into opposing traffic lanes before leaving the road, hitting a tree and rolling over.

Jonathan Cherney, an accident reconstruction expert and former police detective who walked the scene, told USA TODAY Sports it was “like a classic case of falling asleep behind the wheel, because the road curves and his vehicle goes straight.”

There were no skid marks on the road, Villanueva said. Instead, Woods’ Genesis SUV kept going straight for several hundred feet. Woods later told sheriff’s deputies he couldn’t remember how the crash occurred and didn’t remember even driving.

After the crash, the sheriff’s department executed a search warrant to obtain data from the vehicle’s black box, which could show how fast he was going and any braking or steering activity. Asked by USA TODAY Sports on March 17 what he learned from the black box, the sheriff replied, “We learned a few things, which is important,” but he didn’t elaborate.

He said then there were no “obvious” signs of impairment by Woods on the crash scene that day. He went on to talk about “lessons learned” and said, “We do need more drug-recognition experts within the department.” Such drug-recognition experts (DREs) are trained officers who evaluate drivers for signs of impairment that aren’t obvious. DREs then can request a blood examination for evidence of drug use.

Woods was not evaluated by a DRE that day, and his blood was not examined because the deputies determined Woods was lucid and said it was not necessary.

Woods was found unconscious at the scene of two previous driving incidents. One was in 2009, when a witness found him snoring in his vehicle after hitting a fire hydrant and tree outside his mansion in Florida. A police report from then noted Woods had been prescribed the sleep medication Ambien and the painkiller Vicodin, according to a witness.

In 2017, police in Florida found him asleep at the wheel and arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving. A toxicology report later found several drugs in his system, including Ambien, Vicodin and THC.

Woods checked into a clinic that year to get help with medications for pain and a sleep disorder.

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Masters: ESPN golf analysts on Tiger Woods' absence, Dustin Johnson's defense and stories from the gift shop

Masters: ESPN golf analysts on Tiger Woods' absence, Dustin Johnson's defense and stories from the gift shop https://ift.tt/38HtxJ3

Curtis Strange remembers a quiet atmosphere while walking the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club last fall.

“It was completely different from start to finish,” said the two-time major champion and ESPN golf analyst about the November Masters, won by Dustin Johnson. “When we went on air and the red light came on, we tried to act as normal as possible, and I think we did a good job because it was the start of the Masters, but it was different.”

It’s difficult to remember what “normal” life was before the COVID-19 pandemic. From a golf perspective, fans are getting a bit of a refresher with the build up to next week’s Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

“Without patrons, it lost a lot of its soul, there’s no question about that,” said ESPN’s golf and SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt. “I do think it will feel far more familiar and ‘normal’ this next week, even as so many things we typically do won’t.”

As the first men’s major championship of the season returns to its spring position on the schedule, Strange, Van Pelt and Andy North joined a group of reporters on a conference call to preview the event and discuss what changes they expect to see in this year’s tournament compared to the fall.

Tiger and DJ

You can’t talk about, or even think about, Augusta National or the Masters for long without the 2019 champion, Tiger Woods, coming up.

The five-time Masters champ is still recovering — now at home — from a February car crash near Los Angeles after hosting the Genesis Invitational.  Woods’ fractures from the crash are on the upper and lower parts of both the fibula and tibia, where a rod was inserted to stabilize the area. Screws and pins were used to treat other injuries in the ankle and foot, while doctors sliced muscle in the area to relieve pressure and swelling in the area (a safeguard against infection).

“I think (at Augusta), more than any other place they play, you think of Tiger. So much of his career sprang through that lens. From that bookend in ’97 hugging his father to ’19 hugging his children in essentially the same spot. You can’t help but think about him,” said Van Pelt. “I think because he’s won there and Tuesday with the Champions Dinner, you get together with that very small group and trade the stories and what have you, that his presence will be sorely missed.”

Dustin Johnson: How he uses a short memory and mental island

The conversation moved from the 2019 to the 2020 champion, Dustin Johnson, and his chances of defending his title just five months later.

“There’s not much that bothers him,” said Strange. “As I was talking to Butch Harmon yesterday, he said, ‘You know, he hasn’t played great the last three times out, no worry. No worries at all.’”

The Masters shop

Entering the Masters shop and leaving with a loaded bag is a rite of passage for anyone who’s been lucky enough to take a trip down Magnolia Lane.

North, a two-time major winner who’s best finish at Augusta was a T-12 in 1979, said he doesn’t go in the shop, “but my wife sure does.”

“Every year she comes back with more stuff than I can even imagine,” said North with a laugh. “But it is pretty cool. That logo is a pretty darn famous logo. From a gift standpoint, if you’re giving that to somebody, they usually appreciate it.”

Strange’s oldest son and daughter-in-law are in town this week, and he’s refusing to even look at his credit card statement. Van Pelt once left an entire bag of gear in an overheard compartment of an airplane. Everybody’s got a story from the shop.

“You just think you’ve got to be done. Who else could I need something for? Then every year, you’re like, ‘that’s a handsome quarter zip. Mom kind of likes that visor,’” explained Van Pelt, who spent $200-plus on ball markers to give away to friends and family.

“It’s every year. It’s a tradition unlike any other.”

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Dustin Johnson Spider Limited Commemorative Edition putter

Dustin Johnson Spider Limited Commemorative Edition putter https://ift.tt/3chmPKH

Dustin Johnson’s putt rolled across the 18th green at Augusta National Golf Club and stopped about a foot short of the hole, leaving him a tap-in late on an autumn Sunday afternoon. It was November 15, 2020, and making that putt would have been great, but I reality it didn’t matter. Holing the short next putt and scoring 4 under for the day gave the American a total of 20 under at the 2020 Masters, good enough for a five-shot win over Australia’s Cameron Smith.

To celebrate his victory, TaylorMade is releasing the Dustin Johnson Spider Limited Commemorative Edition putter for $499. It is available now available for preorder ($499) and will be available for purchase on April 9.

Dustin Johnson Spider Limited Commemorative Edition putter

Like Johnson’s own putter, the limited edition club has no alignment aids or sight lines. (TaylorMade)

The putter is a replica of the club Johnson used last November at the Masters. It is 35 inches long and only available in a right-hand version. It has a black crown no alignment aids of sightlines, a short slant hosel and a Counter Core SuperStroke GT 1.0 grip. In the sole, there are two 9-gram weights placed in the heel and toe. The face is destined with a TaylorMade’s Pure Roll insert. The soleplate has been given a commemorative black and green logo in the center.

Dustin Johnson Spider Limited Commemorative Edition putter

The limited-edition putter has a special green emblem on the soleplate. (TaylorMade)

Each Dustin Johnson Spider Limited Commemorative Edition putter will come in a commemorative box.

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Joel Dahmen says a Las Vegas bachelor party cleared his head for first PGA Tour victory

Joel Dahmen says a Las Vegas bachelor party cleared his head for first PGA Tour victory https://ift.tt/3w6SEyS

Joel Dahmen was in a slump. Missing the cut in six of seven tournaments at the start of the calendar year, the University of Washington product had slipped out of the 125 on the FedEx Cup standings for the first time in years.

He needed something to help kick him from his funk. Something to completely clear his mind and make him forget about the PGA Tour grind.

He needed … Vegas, baby.

Rather than playing in the Honda Classic, Dahmen went to meet some buddies in Sin City for a long-planned bachelor party. The result was favorable — Dahmen returned to action in the Dominican Republic and captured his first PGA Tour title at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship.

“We went to Vegas for two nights last weekend and reset the system, had plenty of fun. We played golf, we played at TPC Summerlin and we played at Shadow Creek. We had a blast,” Dahmen said on Wednesday in advance of this week’s Valero Texas Open. “I actually played really well on Saturday at Shadow Creek and I was kind of chirping at the guys, this is the day it’s going to turn around for me, kind of jokingly through a couple cocktails maybe, but I really did believe it was going to turn around.

“Getting away from the game for a couple days, like really getting away from it. I didn’t follow any of the Honda. Normally, I watch golf on Sundays. I watched Matt Jones, I know — huge win for him after a long time. But I just was totally checked out from the whole thing, so when I showed up in Puntacana on Monday, it was kind of a fresh start for me.”

VALERO TEXAS OPEN: Tee times, TV | OddsFantasy

Dahmen, one of the more affable players on Tour, finally got that elusive first victory by virtue of some scintillating play amid the island breezes. And while some players come on Tour and find instant success, Dahmen said that’s not the norm for most professional golfers, many who toil as he has for years, hoping to finally find their way into the winner’s circle.

“Most people see Viktor Hovland and (Collin) Morikawa and (Matthew) Wolff and these young guys come right out of college and they win right away and they’re top 20 in the world and winning majors,” Dahmen said. “That’s not reality. The reality is you’re going to go through mini-tours for a little bit. I was fortunate enough to play the PGA Tour Canada, actually was up there for five years. The first couple years I was just kind of a kid dinking around, and then for the Korn Ferry Tour for two years, played out there.

“You learn to travel, you learn to do all these things so when you are out here, it’s not as big a shock and that helps a lot, too.”

Joel Dahmen

Joel Dahmen poses with the trophy after winning the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship on March 28, 2021 in Punta Cana. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

This week, he comes into the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio’s Oak Course with renewed vigor, on a track he thinks he can score on.

Dahmen hasn’t enjoyed much success at this venue — in fact, his final round in 2019 was an 80 as he dropped to 69th place — but he does believe it could be the perfect spot for another high finish.

“On paper, this course sets up pretty well for me. I think as far as the metrics of it and all the data, it says I should be able to play well here,” he said. “I’m not a long hitter, so obviously that’s a big advantage to hit the ball far. But you have to place it around these greens, and the wind typically blows so you have to control your golf ball as well.

“I don’t know how hard it’s supposed to blow this week, but obviously it blew really hard last week and (Wednesday) in the pro-am it blew. It’s blowing just as hard, it’s blowing 25 plus out there. Maybe that will kind of help me playing windy conditions last week.”

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When Scottie Scheffler last played the Valero he was hoping to get a Tour card; now he's expected to win it

When Scottie Scheffler last played the Valero he was hoping to get a Tour card; now he's expected to win it https://ift.tt/3sCpplw

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Twenty-four months. That’s how long ago a wide-eyed Scottie Scheffler stepped to the first tee at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course, hoping to earn his PGA Tour card.

To say the expectations surrounding the University of Texas product have changed a wee bit in that time frame is an understatement.

Coming off a stellar performance at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in which he reached the final before falling to Billy Horschel, Scheffler has made his way to this week’s Valero Texas Open as one of the betting favorites, with his odds to win the event trailing only those of fellow Longhorn Jordan Spieth.

Not bad for a guy who was simply hoping to become a regular two short years ago.

“I think it’s awesome people have that confidence in me, I definitely have always had that confidence in myself,” Scheffler said on Tuesday. “It’s definitely a little strange coming from — I think I played this event in 2019 when I was playing on the Web and I was just hoping to get my Tour card — and so just to have the opportunity to play in this event was awesome.

“Now, just playing a full schedule and coming out here with my game in pretty good shape, I definitely expect myself to be there late on Sunday with a chance to win.”

The last time Scheffler appeared at the Valero, his game was on an upswing, arriving just days after a second-place finish at the then-Web.com Tour’s Savannah Golf Championship. Scheffler played the Valero on a sponsor’s exemption, but using a 68 on Friday he made the cut and then played solidly in finishing the event at 9 under, good enough to tie for 20th.

The payday was, at the time, his largest on the PGA Tour at $90,500. To put that in perspective, for placing second in Austin last week he received $1,150,000.

And it’s not just Scheffler’s bank account that’s grown, it’s also his stature among Tour players. Where Scheffler was simply a big, strong Texas prodigy the last time he came to San Antonio, he’s already earned the respect of others.

Finishing fourth in his FedEx Cup playoff debut and jumping to No. 22 in the Official World Golf Ranking tends to do that for a guy.

“It definitely feels a little bit different when you have proven yourself a little bit and I’ve kind of moved my way up in the world rankings, moved my way up in the FedExCup. I had a good finish in the FedExCup last year,” Scheffler said. “So I think the sense is definitely a little bit different in that I feel more like I belong with those guys, I’m not really on the outside looking in.

“But there are a lot of guys out here that have won a lot of big tournaments and I’m still looking to do that as well, so in that sense I’m still on the outside looking in.”

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler reacts to sinking a putt on the second playoff hole to win his playoff match against Xander Schauffele at the 2021 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club on March 26, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Darren Carroll/Getty Images)

Win or lose this week, Scheffler is eager to take another crack at a Texas event, especially after the overwhelming support he received last week at Austin Country Club.

“I don’t know if it necessarily gives us an advantage, but I love being able to play in our home state. I think it’s great. I love being here in Texas, the food is great, people are great, crowds are wonderful,” Scheffler said. “So for me, if there’s an event in Texas, as long as it somewhat fits in my schedule, I’m going to work it in somehow.

“I mean, I love playing in our home state. I would say just as an excitement factor, I’m sure it’s an advantage for us just getting amped up to play in the home state.”

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2021 Valero Texas Open matchups, placings and first-round leader predictions

2021 Valero Texas Open matchups, placings and first-round leader predictions https://ift.tt/3chmPKH

The Valero Texas Open is the final opportunity for PGA Tour pros to tune-up for the 2021 Masters Tournament, and is an opportunity for others to grab one of the final remaining invitations to Augusta National Golf Club. Below, we’ll look for the best value bets in the 2021 Valero Texas Open odds, with tournament matchups, placings and first-round leader PGA Tour picks and predictions.

TPC San Antonio hosts this tournament once again. Corey Conners, who’s 24th in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings, returns to defend his 2019 title after the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jordan Spieth (+1200) is the pre-tournament betting favorite after Dustin Johnson withdrew Monday afternoon ahead of his Masters title defense.

Let’s look for some value bets, as this is typically one of the most wide-open events on the PGA Tour schedule with motivation being a question for many of the biggest names in the field each year.

2021 Valero Texas Open: Matchups

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 12:29 p.m. ET.

Jordan Spieth vs Tony Finau (-105)

Finau is a slight underdog in this tournament matchup despite being the top-ranked golfer in the field following Johnson’s exit. Spieth has more experience at TPC San Antonio, including a runner-up finish in 2015, but he has played here just once in the last four runnings with a T-30 finish in 2019.

Finau, who has four top-10 finishes in eight events this year, is the better of the two in Strokes Gained: Approach and SG: Off-the-Tee for the 2020-21 season.

Abraham Ancer vs. Corey Conners (-110)

This is an evenly-priced line between the reigning champ and Golfweek’s 23rd-ranked golfer. Conners has been in the better 2021 form with back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.

His short game is also much improved from 2019 when he was top-three in the field in SG: Approach, SG: Off-the-Tee and SG: Tee-to-Green.

2021 Valero Texas Open: Placings

Top 5: Charley Hoffman (+650)

Hoffman ranks third in this field with 1.99 strokes gained on the field per round over 40 career rounds played at TPC San Antonio. He won in 2016 and was a runner-up in both 2011 and 2019.

He’s also still in need of a Masters invitation and will be among the most highly motivated this week.

Place your legal, online 2021 Valero Texas Open bets in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA and WV at BetMGM. Risk-free first bet! Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

Top 10: Joel Dahmen (+600)

Dahmen wasn’t extended an invitation to the Masters following his win at last week’s Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship as it was an opposite-field event against much weaker competition than this.

Still, he’s in top form and has plenty of motivation. Get him for a 6-1 payout with a nine-place cushion against the stronger field.

2021 Valero Texas Open: First-round leader

Ryan Moore (+6600)

Moore is second to Conners in this field with 2.53 strokes gained per round at TPC San Antonio over 16 career rounds. He finished third in 2019, seventh in 2018 and T-18 in 2017.

He has missed the cut in four of six events this year, but largely due to erratic putting. He knows these greens well and has had success.

BetMGM has him priced at +6600 to win this event, meaning the House views him as just as likely to hold the 18-hole lead.

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A freer Emilia Migliaccio is teeing it up at the Augusta National Women's Amateur after a pivot away from pro golf aspirations

A freer Emilia Migliaccio is teeing it up at the Augusta National Women's Amateur after a pivot away from pro golf aspirations https://ift.tt/2QTADEi

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Emilia Migliaccio first knew something was off at the North & South Women’s Amateur last summer. She birdied her final three holes to shoot even and felt nothing.

“I didn’t feel that feeling of triumph,” said Migliaccio, “and I was like, that’s weird.”

Migliaccio, a 21-year-old senior at Wake Forest, has long been a favorite in women’s amateur golf. She won the ACC individual title in 2019 and won the gold medal at the Pan-American Games a few months later. She made the quarterfinals at the North & South Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur over the summer

For a few months now, however, Migliaccio has known she won’t pursue golf at the professional level. Instead, she’ll pursue a passion for writing she has had since she was a kid. Migliaccio, who published a novel in 2018, will spend the summer on Golf Channel’s editorial staff before heading back to graduate school at Wake Forest. She’ll complete a two-year program for her master’s in communication, which will include part-time work as a teacher’s assistant.

Migliaccio, a smiley presence in from of a microphone, thinks she could offer college students some advice in that area.

“One of the classes that a lot of TA’s teach is public speaking,” she said. “I feel like I could help a lot of people with that, because everyone is really scared of it and there’s no need to be scared.”

In the past eight months, Migliaccio played the U.S. Women’s Open and ANA Inspiration, LPGA majors, as well as the Carolina Golf Classic on the Symetra Tour, where she finished fourth.

After the start of 2021, Migliaccio finished 33rd at the Sally Amateur, a tournament she’d won in 2018, and fired uncharacteristic rounds in the high 70s in her first college start, the UCF Challenge.

“I was like, I need to make this decision not because I wasn’t playing well but because I was putting so much pressure on myself that I needed to take a step back and say, I need to rethink this decision just so I can play a little freer,” she said.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen down the road, but right now I need to make this decision for me.”

When Migliaccio would play a bad round, it felt like her world was ending. Now she’s looking forward to a new chapter and new opportunities. It’s a hard pivot after working so long toward professional golf. She played her first tournament as a 9-year-old, amid a period of wanting to play professional soccer. Until she was 12, she wanted to play the World Cup and be the next Hope Solo.

As a golfer, Migliaccio always wanted to be World No. 1 – and got close, landing at a career-best No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings for a while – but that’s been her approach to everything.

“When I was a kid, if I was going to do something, I was going to try and be the best,” she said. “I was going to try and master whatever skill. If I’m studying for a test, I’m not studying to get a B+, I’m studying to get 100 percent, to get every question right.”

A freer Migliaccio could make plenty of headlines with her game at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and also as the college-golf postseason progresses. In 2019, when Wake Forest was the NCAA runner-up, Migliaccio won all three of her matches at the national championship to help carry the Demon Deacons.

For the ANWA, she’ll have mom Ulrika on her bag, as usual. Ulrika, a former member of the Swedish national team and the University of Arizona women’s golf team, often walks every step of the way with her daughter. Should Migliaccio make the cut to play at Augusta National in the final round on Saturday, the plan won’t change. Familiarity is still an advantage.

And as for what Migliaccio’s golf future holds? Still expect to see her play amateur golf, just not less of it – particularly as she completes her master’s degree. Mother and daughter might even switch roles, Migliaccio joked, so that she can pick up the bag and return the favor for mom.

“I’m not thinking too far ahead,” Migliaccio said.

That’s the beauty of having options.

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Step into a round of comfort with Swiftwick's golf sock

Step into a round of comfort with Swiftwick's golf sock https://ift.tt/3cCrnNa

Whether you are using a push cart, walking or riding, golf gets you a lot of steps. Most players exceed 10,000 steps in a round of golf, and the importance of foot comfort is often overlooked by golfers when shopping for apparel.

Swiftwick has created the Flite XT, a sock made specifically for golf. The Flite XT is its top-selling golf sock and the most technologically advanced option for stability. The sock features GripDry Fiber that creates micro treads that stabilize the foot while in the shoe. This aids in keeping you planted and balanced during your golf swing. 

Swiftwick Flite XT sock in seafoam (Swiftwick)

The sock has strong elastic wraps for ankle support and Olefin fibers in the sole to help your feet stay dry and comfortable.

Swiftwick is introducing new spring colors available May 5. 

You can learn more about Swiftwick and purchase here or on its Amazon storefront.

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Photos: Dustin Johnson and Wayne Gretzky on the golf course

Photos: Dustin Johnson and Wayne Gretzky on the golf course https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Wayne Gretzky, the hockey legend often referred to merely as “The Great One,” met Dustin Johnson in 2012 at a golf skills event for charity. Their friendship grew much closer when Johnson began dating and then became engaged to Gretzky’s daughter, Paulina. They’ve been frequent partners in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and playing companions at Sherwood Country Club in California.

Make no mistake, however, that it’s a friendship. Gretzky explained to Golfweek he’s no guru – in golf or life – when it comes to Johnson.

Still, both men have known success at the highest levels of their respective sports, and Gretzky has had perspective to offer Johnson throughout the years.

Take a look at the Gretzky-Johnson partnership at Pebble Beach through the years.

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Wayne Gretzky is a key voice in Dustin Johnson's inner circle, but he's not the 'DJ Whisperer'

Wayne Gretzky is a key voice in Dustin Johnson's inner circle, but he's not the 'DJ Whisperer' https://ift.tt/3m5Nz5v

(Editor’s note: This is Part III in a seven-part series on the life and career of reigning Masters champion Dustin Johnson. Check back to Golfweek.com each day for the next part of the story.)

Quicker than the puck hit the net off a slapshot during his iconic NHL career, Wayne Gretzky immediately wanted to make something clear.

“I am not the DJ Whisperer. I’m not some guru or anything like that for Dustin,” the Great One said. “People think I give him advice all the time. I don’t. I’m more like a grandfather, a father-in-law, a big brother. We just talk about the family, the kids, scheduling, TV shows, sports, just things most people talk about.

“We’re friends.”

So, no, Gretzky does not take on the role of Albert Einstein lecturing an entry-level class attended by Johnson. Instead, Gretzky from time to time lays out crumbs that have helped Johnson find higher ground that included becoming No. 1 in the world and his smashing victory in the 2020 Masters.

“I’ve encouraged him to raise the bar, sure, to set higher goals, and I’ve talked to him about the commitment to pay the price to be the best,” Gretzky said. “He’s in his own world in golf and I’m not a golfer by any means, and he was top 10 before we ever met. I’ve never given him a lesson plan.”

Gretzky, who can hold his own on the golf course as a 10 handicapper, met Johnson in 2012 at a golf skills event for charity. They became much closer when Johnson began dating and then became engaged to Gretzky’s daughter, Paulina. And they’ve been frequent partners in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and playing companions at Sherwood Country Club in California.

“From the beginning I always thought he was a wonderful young man,” Gretzky said. “What fans don’t get is an opportunity to get to really know some of the guys in pro sports and there is a different perception of what people see on TV and what people really are and what they are truly about.

“In Dustin’s case, his demeanor away from the golf course is pretty much identical of what it is on the golf course. He never gets flustered, very easy going, extremely polite and very considerate. He was a joy to be around right from Day 1.”

Johnson said as much about Gretzky. The two hit it off immediately, in large part because they roll at a similar pace, share common interests, are extremely humble and their demeanors are very much alike.

“Wayne’s been great. He obviously has been a big supporter and believer in me,” Johnson said. “Having his support and just being able to spend a lot of time with him has been one of the best things ever. To listen to him, to see how he handles himself and what he did when he was playing and all the things he’s been through and done. That’s some pretty good experience to be around.

“He’s never gone, ‘Hey, Dustin, let’s sit down and talk for a bit.’ We spend a lot of time together talking about a lot of things and we play a lot of golf together. But we don’t talk about me doing this or doing that. There hasn’t been one specific thing he’s told me about something. The time, the quality of time, that we’ve gotten to spend together, means something.”

There was one time, however, when Gretzky made sure to drop some wisdom. One of Johnson’s crushing defeats came at the 2015 U.S. Open when he had a putt to win on the 72nd hole from 12 feet but missed. Then he had a putt from just over 3 feet to force a playoff but missed. He tapped in to complete a demoralizing three-putt and lose by one shot to Jordan Spieth.

“I grabbed him afterward and I told him I knew he wanted to get out of there but he needed to give the media 10 minutes and it would be the greatest 10 minutes he ever did,” Gretzky said. “I told him it’s easy to walk out of here with your tail between your legs, but you’ll be a bigger person and you’ll win over a lot of people by standing there and telling the truth. And tell them how much it hurts.

“And he did it.”

Dustin Johnson 2015 U.S. Open

Dustin Johnson on the 18th green in the final round of the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

At the rental home that night, Johnson let out his emotions. Even though he did his best to put the defeat behind him as quickly as possible, it stung. Then he and Gretzky and a few others boarded a plane that night and headed to Coeur d’Alene in Idaho.

“A bunch of us were going to tee off at 8 a.m. Monday. He told me to wake him up,” Gretzky said. “I wasn’t going to wake him up, come on. He’d just lost the U.S. Open. Well, he was up the next day.”

And played golf with buddies for 21 consecutive days.

“Either you love this sport and have a passion for it, or you don’t. And Dustin truly loves golf,” Gretzky said. “But I told him if I had lost Game 7 of a Stanley Cup final, I promise you I wouldn’t be playing pickup hockey with my buddies the next three weeks.”

Speaking of the Stanley Cup, Gretzky won four of them with the Edmonton Oilers. But not one of those was won on the road. After celebrating Johnson’s Masters triumph last November, a small group of Johnson’s family, team and friends flew to Florida that night. On the flight, Gretzky pulled Johnson aside.

“I told him that one of the dreams I had as an athlete was to win a Stanley Cup on the road,” Gretzky said. “I never did, though. But that night while he’s wearing the green jacket, I told him I felt like I was part of a championship team.

“It was the trip I never got as an athlete. I retired at 39 and I never thought I’d get the feeling again of being part of a winning group. It was so special.”

Johnson said that exchange between the two might be their best one.

“It was awesome. Pretty cool,” Johnson said. “Emotional, too, something I will never forget because he means so much to me.”

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Will a true island green create more drama at the ANA Inspiration? That's up for debate.

Will a true island green create more drama at the ANA Inspiration? That's up for debate. https://ift.tt/3m95qs0

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – The ANA Inspiration celebrates its 50th anniversary this week, and the 18th green has gone retro. No grandstand. No Great Wall of Dinah. Just an island of drama.

Or will it be?

“I honestly find it a bit boring,” said Madelene Sagstrom, who believes not many will go for the green in two, even with a forward tee. Tournament officials typically move the tee up on two days during the ANA Inspiration.

Mel Reid will likely go for it with a 5-iron in hand because she’s that kind of aggressive player, but she too believes fewer players will take on the risk with greens as firm as they are and the grass mowed down in the back and nothing there to stop it. Not to mention the yellow hazard stakes.

For years there has been typically a grandstand behind the green for VIP hospitality. With no fans at last September’s ANA, organizers opted to instead put up a giant blue wall – closer than the grandstands usually sit – with ANA scripted in small letters across the top. As far as billboards go, it wasn’t exactly effective.

Not surprisingly, the wall came into play in a big way when Mirim Lee rocketed a 5-wood at it, banking on the wall to stop her ball from going in the water. It worked, and Lee proceeded to chip for eagle to make her way into a playoff against Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda that Lee quickly won. Henderson’s second shot in regulation got stuck under the wall and her sister/caddie Brittany crawled inside the blue mesh to retrieve it.

The blue wall behind the 18th green at the ANA Inspiration during a Golf Channel broadcast. (Beth Ann Nichols/Golfweek)

“The amount of time the boys hit it into grandstands and get away with shots and bounce onto greens,” said Reid, “and then they just made a big fuss because we didn’t have any crowds. I mean, it’s been like that for years. I don’t think they needed to change it, but I get why they have because it does look a little bit stupid with no crowd, but it’s tough.”

Stacy Lewis, a past champion of this event, appreciates that the hole now plays as it was originally designed. (It’s also played this way during the first stage of LPGA Q-School.) Lewis never goes for this green in two though, so nothing really changes for her.

“I hit 5-iron yesterday, landed in the middle of the green and went over in the water,” said Ryann O’Toole.

The same thing happened to Jennifer Kupcho with a 4-iron.

Nelly Korda hit a 6-iron just short and it rolled into the middle of the green. Her 5-iron went over the green. Korda said she was undecided on whether or not she likes the change.

Last year, Lexi Thompson had a 7-iron in from the forward tee to a back pin. That’s the shortest she has seen it play. This morning, Thompson hit a 4-iron that worked out quite nicely. If it’s more than a 6-iron though, Thompson said she likely won’t go for it in competition.

“It would have to be a perfect number honestly, with any club, to get the full max height to be able to stop it,” said Thompson. “But it’s good, it’s a major. It should be challenging and require more thought.”

Mirim Lee

Mirim Lee hits her third shot onto the 18th green during the second round of the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California on Sept. 11, 2020. (Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)

Brooke Henderson said it’s no longer an automatic green light with 3-wood in hand, but if she has hybrid or 7-wood in, she’ll definitely going for it.

If Maria Fassi finds the fairway, she’ll likely go for it. From the back tee on Monday, she hit 5-iron with a helping wind onto the green. On Tuesday, she hit 7-iron from the forward tee.

“It makes you think a little bit more,” said Fassi. “It demands a better golf shot as well. I think it’s fun.”

Yani Tseng, the 2010 ANA winner, believes the raw island green makes for a great finish: “This is real golf.”

To ensure more drama over the weekend, Katherine Kirk believes softening the green more is the answer.

Sue Witters, LPGA vice president of rules and competition, said they’ve already started adding water to the greens after Monday played particularly firm.

“The greens got firm on us yesterday,” Witters said on Tuesday.

With temperatures expected to reach 99 degrees over the weekend, players expect the Dinah Shore Tournament Course to get more baked out as the week goes on.

World Golf Hall of Famer Judy Rankin, lead analyst for Golf Channel this week, likes to see the most iconic hole on the LPGA return to its original form. This is how the closing par 5 played when she won in 1976.

“You have find a way to reward a shot that’s well-struck,” said Rankin, of making sure that the green is receptive throughout the week.

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Valero Texas Open Thursday tee times, TV and streaming info

Valero Texas Open Thursday tee times, TV and streaming info https://ift.tt/3sCpplw

While a lot of eyes on Augusta, Georgia, this week and next, there’s still plenty worth watching this week in Texas.

The Valero Texas Open returns to TPC San Antonio this week ahead of the first men’s major of the year. The Oaks Course, designed by Greg Norman with Sergio Garcia as a consultant, has hosted the Valero Texas Open since its opening year of 2010.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson withdrew on Monday, but there’s still a strong field with plenty of players worth a wager.

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the first round of the Valero Texas Open. All times listed are Eastern.

Valero Texas Open tee times

1st tee

Tee Time Players
8:25 a.m. Denny McCarthy, Tom Lewis, Bernd Wiesberger
8:36 a.m. Ryan Moore, Sean O’Hair, Bo Hoag
8:47 a.m. Cameron Percy, Sam Ryder, Erik van Rooyen
8:58 a.m. Charles Howell III, Troy Merritt, Jason Dufner
9:09 a.m. Michael Kim, Brice Garnett, Luke Donald
9:20 a.m. Ryan Armour, Wesley Bryan, Danny Lee
9:31 a.m. Brandt Snedeker, Satoshi Kodaira, Danny Willett
9:42 a.m. Tyler Duncan, Ted Potter, Jr., Patton Kizzire
9:53 a.m. Bo Van Pelt, D.J. Trahan, David Hearn
10:04 a.m. Tom Hoge, J.J. Spaun, Bronson Burgoon
10:15 a.m. Roger Sloan, Rhein Gibson, Sam Bennett
10:26 a.m. Michael Gligic, Sebastian Cappelen, Austin Eckroat
1:20 p.m.
John Huh, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Xinjun Zhang
1:31 p.m. Harold Varner III, Robby Shelton, Scott Harrington
1:42 p.m. Brian Stuard, Rory Sabbatini, Byeong Hun An
1:53 p.m. Joel Dahmen, Cameron Champ, Tony Finau
2:04 p.m. Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Hideki Matsuyama
2:15 p.m. J.B. Holmes, Andrew Putnam, Davis Love III
2:26 p.m. Si Woo Kim, Lanto Griffin, Adam Long
2:37 p.m. Brian Gay, Nate Lashley, Keith Mitchell
2:48 p.m. Kyle Stanley, Charley Hoffman, Charl Schwartzel
2:59 p.m. Chesson Hadley, Cameron Tringale, Chase Seiffert
3:10 p.m. Matt Wallace, Ryan Brehm, Akshay Bhatia
3:21 p.m. Rob Oppenheim, Joseph Bramlett, Mac Meissner

10th tee

Tee Time Players
8:25 a.m. Anirban Lahiri, Sepp Straka, Kyoung-Hoon Lee
8:36 a.m. Henrik Norlander, Doc Redman, Adam Schenk
8:47 a.m. Ben Martin, Abraham Ancer, Cameron Davis
8:58 a.m. Gary Woodland, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler
9:09 a.m. Ryan Palmer, Corey Conners, Jordan Spieth
9:20 a.m. Andrew Landry, Keegan Bradley, Jimmy Walker
9:31 a.m. Branden Grace, Brendan Steele, Kevin Chappell
9:42 a.m. Graeme McDowell, Aaron Wise, D.A. Points
9:53 a.m. Chris Kirk, Scott Stallings, Patrick Rodgers
10:04 a.m. Vaughn Taylor, Peter Malnati, Scott Brown
10:15 a.m. Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kramer Hickok, Greyson Sigg
10:26 a.m. Rafael Campos, J.J. Killeen, Tain Lee
1:20 p.m.
Nick Watney, Luke List, Will Gordon
1:31 p.m. Seung-Yul Noh, K.J. Choi, Sam Burns
1:42 p.m. Padraig Harrington, Kelly Kraft, Harry Higgs
1:53 p.m. Sung Kang, Martin Trainer, Henrik Stenson
2:04 p.m. Nick Taylor, Austin Cook, Kevin Stadler
2:15 p.m. Martin Laird, Russell Knox, Jim Furyk
2:26 p.m. Sebastián Muñoz, Pat Perez, Zach Johnson
2:37 p.m. Adam Hadwin, Hunter Mahan, Beau Hossler
2:48 p.m. Jhonattan Vegas, Matthew NeSmith, Doug Ghim
2:59 p.m. Camilo Villegas, Lucas Glover, Brandon Hagy
3:10 p.m. Hank Lebioda, Kris Ventura, Sam Fidone
3:21 p.m. Vincent Whaley, Carlos Sainz Jr., Patrick Grimes

How to watch

Thursday, April 1

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 4-7 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m.
Twitter: 8:15-9:30 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 1-7 p.m.

Friday, April 2

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 4-7 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m.
Twitter: 8:15-9:30 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 1-7 p.m.

Saturday, April 3

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 1-3:30 p.m.
NBC:
3:30-6 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 8:15 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: 8:15-9:30 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m.

Sunday, April 4

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 1-2:30 p.m.
NBC:
2:30-6 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 8:15 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: 8:15-9:30 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m.

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