Love appointed captain again, this time for Presidents Cup
The PGA Tour has selected Love to be U.S. captain for the Presidents Cup in 2022 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was captain when Europe rallied from a 10-6 deficit to beat the Americans in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, and he was Ryder Cup captain for a rare U.S. victory four years later at Hazeltine. He also was an assistant captain in the Ryder Cup under Corey Pavin in 2010 and Jim Furyk in 2018 and is on the staff of Steve Stricker this year. The Presidents Cup was supposed to be played this year until the COVID-19 pandemic led to the Ryder Cup being postponed one year to this September. ... Tony Finau has 35 finishes in the top 10 since the start of the 2016-17 season on the PGA Tour without winning.
Hoge in four-way tie for Wyndham lead after two rounds
Hoge, tied for the first-round lead with Harold Varner III and Roger Sloan, kept in front with a steady 2-under 68 to get to 10-under par. Hoge, whose best-ever tour finish was a second at The Greenbrier this season, was asked what it would take for his first PGA Tour win. Like Kim, Gooch shot 65 to get into the foursome on top. He had six birdies, including two of his final three holes, to move up. Kokrak was in a group of seven one shot further back along with past Wyndham champ Webb Simpson, who shot his second straight 66.
Zach Johnson, normal guy from Iowa, wins Payne Stewart Award
He won as a rookie and reached the Tour Championship in Atlanta, where one of the perks was attending a ceremony to watch Jay Haas accept the Payne Stewart Award. It brought Johnson to tears 16 years later when he was selected Wednesday to receive the Payne Stewart Award. As it enters its second decade, the award now is regarded as the most prestigious on the PGA Tour. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan referred to Johnson as a fearless underdog and a statewide hero in Iowa for his charitable work in his home state. Zach would say hes just a normal guy from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but in truth, he has one of the most compelling stories on the PGA Tour in the last 25 years, Monahan said.
Finau, Palmer share early lead at Memorial as Tiger hangs on
Tony Finau hits from the second tee during the second round of the Memorial golf tournament, Friday, July 17, 2020, in Dublin, Ohio. That kind of score isn't happening at Muirfield Village, where the greens are getting faster by the hour. The way Muirfield Village is playing, both are impressive. Woods, a five-time winner at Muirfield Village, has never missed the cut in 17 previous times at the Memorial. But I battled back well.Palmer played the Workday Charity Open last week at Muirfield Village and missed the cut.
Mackenzie Hughes shoots 60 to take early lead at Travelers
Jim Furyk shot a 12-under 58 on the same par-70 TPC River Highlands course four years ago, the lowest score in a tour event. I kind of joked walking off there that 59 wasn't even the record because of Jim's 58, Hughes said. Phil Mickelson, paired with McIlroy in his first competitive round since turning 50, was one of five players to shoot 64. Patrick Cantlay also shot 60 at TPC River Highlands as an amateur in 2011. The Travelers is the third event on the tour calendar since golf resumed.
Paul Casey tuned in for more than golf in PGA Tour's return
Casey watched plenty on TV, and he was watching more than the golf. PAIRINGS WITH A PURPOSEThe PGA Tour has four groups of featured pairings for its PGA Tour Live," and then the rest of the field is supposed to be relatively random depending on a player's category. Oak Hill last hosted the PGA Championship in 2013 won by Jason Dufner, while Tiger Woods won his fourth PGA Championship at Southern Hills in 2007. DIVOTSHilton Head has some of the smallest greens on the PGA Tour, and Abraham Ancer hit 65 out of 72 of them in his runner-up finish. FINAL REBUTTALFascinating stuff. CBS analyst Nick Faldo, watching Koepka tee off on the 18th hole and telling viewers he would listen to what Koepka had to say.
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.