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VIKTOR HOVLAND

Big finish sends Garcia to big lead at Players Championship

A solid start turned into a brilliant one for Garcia, who finished birdie-birdie-eagle for a 7-under 65, staking the Spaniard to a three-shot lead among the early starters. Garcia was among only five players from the morning draw who broke 70 in what appeared to be ideal conditions, with only a mild breeze and a course in immaculate condition. Ad“For some reason, it just kind of fits my eye," said Garcia, who has a pair of runner-up finishes to go with his victory. He played alongside Rory McIlroy, who began his round with a double bogey from the woods on No. 10 and finish a nine-hole score of 43 by hitting two tee shots into the water on the 18th for a quadruple-bogey 8.

Conners builds 1-shot lead at Bay Hill as McIlroy lurks

Conners surged into the lead with a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th hole — his second eagle on that hole in two days — for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot advantage over former Bay Hill winner Martin Laird (67). He was two shots behind, along with Viktor Hovland and Lanto Griffin, who each had a 68. The forecast featured plenty of rain Saturday, which figures to make Bay Hill play longer and tougher, while also keeping the greens from getting as crusty as they were last year when Tyrrell Hatton won with a closing 74. He won at Bay Hill in 2011 on a final round so tough a 75 was enough to get the job done. He played in the morning, had a pair of birdies and came to the 16th, the easiest at Bay Hill.

Morikawa plays a steady hand to win Workday Championship

And there was a tribute to Tiger Woods, his golf idol growing up. “We don't say ‘Thank you’ enough,” Morikawa said, referring to how much Woods has raised the profile and prize money in golf. He finished at 18-under 270 and became the 24th player to win a major and a World Golf Championship title since this series began in 1999. Outside of a chunked chip on the second hole that made him scramble for bogey, Morikawa didn't miss a fairway the rest of the way and was rarely out of position. “If there was no Tiger Woods, I just the think the tour and the game of golf in general would be in a worse place.

Morikawa's late stumble gives Workday contenders a chance

All it took was two bad holes to turn the Workday Open into a chase. Morikawa shot a 5-under 67 at the Concession Golf Club, a reasonable score except for what it could have been. He wound up leading by two shots over Brooks Koepka, who got his mistakes out the way early and shot 70, and Billy Horschel. Rory McIlroy, who made a double bogey for the second straight day, was hopeful of getting to 10 under to at least give himself a chance. “I just kept rolling in birdie after birdie.

Day after rules controversy, Reed wins at Torrey Pines

Reed closed with a 4-under 68 at Torrey Pines, making an eagle on the par-5 sixth and finishing off his dominating Sunday with a birdie on the 18th. Without waiting for an official, Reed picked up the ball to see if it was embedded. Reed told the official that no one in his group, as well as a nearby volunteer, saw it bounce. “I was allowed to kind of put it behind me when the head rules official comes up and says you did everything you were supposed to do,” Reed said. Reed took one extra step by calling for a rules official to confirm, though he had already removed the ball from where it had been.

Reed dodges controversy to share 54-hole lead at Farmers

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)SAN DIEGO – Patrick Reed was involved in another rules controversy Saturday in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Believing the ball didn't bounce, Reed picked it up to see if it was embedded before a rules official arrived. Reed told the official that no one in his group, as well as a nearby volunteer, saw it bounce. “At that point we go with what the rules official said and also with what the volunteers and what we see,” Reed said. Reed shared the lead with Alex Noren after the first round and was one shot off the lead after 36 holes.

Viktor Hovland vaults into Farmers lead at wet Torrey Pines

Viktor Hovland, left, of Norway, waits to putt on the eighth hole of the South Course during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)SAN DIEGO – Viktor Hovland birdied his final for a 7-under 65 on Torrey Pines’ tough South Course on a rainy, miserable Friday, giving him a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Famers Insurance Open. Reed shot an even-par 72 on the South Course a day after firing an 8-under 64 on the easier North Course. AdThe weather is supposed to clear up for the weekend rounds on the South Course. “I just played really solid and made some putts.”He had just one bogey, on the par-4 15th.

Hovland birdies the last hole to win Mayakoba Classic

Viktor Hovland of Norway plays on the 1st Hole during the final round of the PGA Tour Mayakoba Golf Classic, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020. It sure didn't look that way at the Mayakoba Golf Classic, where he captured another PGA Tour title with another big putt at the end. It was the first time since the Mayakoba Classic began in 2007 that it was won with a birdie putt on the final hole. Hovland won the Puerto Rico Open in February for his first PGA Tour title by holing a 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole. The former NCAA champion at Oregon also was going for his second PGA Tour win, the first one coming at the AT&T Byron Nelson two years ago.

Johnson, Scheffler favorites for tour's top player, rookie

For 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.

Morikawa clutch in finish and playoff to win Workday Open

DUBLIN, Ohio Collin Morikawa never looked like a winner at the Workday Charity Open until he tapped in for par on the third playoff hole, capping off a wild finish Sunday at Muirfield Village. Thomas looked like the winner when his 50-foot birdie putt found the center of the cup on the 18th. Morikawa, who lost a playoff at Colonial last month by missing a 3-foot putt, wouldn't let this one go. Thomas missed a 10-foot par putt on the 16th. And then Thomas, who couldn't reach the 18th green from a fairway bunker, missed a 10-foot par putt for the win in regulation.

Redman, Stallings take early lead at Rocket Mortgage Classic

Doc Redman is interviewed after the first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament, Thursday, July 2, 2020, at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT Doc Redman took a step toward remaining among those to make the cut in every event since the PGA Tour resumed, opening with a 7-under 65 to share the early lead Thursday in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Redman went from being a Monday qualifier last year at the Detroit Golf Club to finishing second at the inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic. He is hoping to take the next step on Sunday with his first PGA Tour victory. With no fans out here, it almost feels like its not a golf tournament," Lashley said.

Poulter sets pace and Spieth turns it around at Hilton Head

Jordan Spieth putts on the 10th green during the first round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Thursday, June 18, 2020, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)Ian Poulter and Mark Hubbard set the pace for good scoring through a brief spell of rain at Hilton Head. Spieth didn't figure to be part of the conversation until bouncing back from a triple bogey with eight birdies for a 66. It was the kind of break Spieth has seen far too often during three years without a victory. He was on such a roll that Spieth began to contemplate eight straight birdies to end his round. Michael did a great job of reminding me that today when it wasnt going well on my front nine, Spieth said.