SAM BURNS
Homa gets another chance and wins hometown event at Riviera
Homa won on the second extra hole when Finau failed to save par from a bunker, missing a 10-foot putt. We grew up idolizing him, idolizing Riviera Country Club, idolizing the golf tournament. He closed with a 7-under 64, the best score of the final round. The victory sends him back to the Masters, along with the next three World Golf Championships. 61 in the world, he is ineligible for a World Golf Championship for the first time since he became a PGA Tour member.
Sam Burns holds his own on a tough, windy day at Riviera
Burns went 31 consecutive holes with a bogey, a streak that ended on No. When the third round was halted by darkness, he made back-to-back bogeys that dropped him to 10-under par, two shots ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick. “Even the downwind holes weren’t that much easier because it was hard to stop it there on the green,” Burns said. “It’s a hard course with no wind,” Burns said. Fitzpatrick was at 3 under for the day through 17 holes, the low score of the round so far.
Sam Burns sets big target with another low round at Riviera
(AP Photo/Ryan Kang)LOS ANGELES – Sam Burns wanted to pay respect to tough Riviera by playing it safe. Burns kept his bogey-free day in tact toward the end of the round when he came up short of the eighth green, his 17th of the morning. He chipped it about 10 feet short — anything too strong could lead to big trouble — and made the par putt. “Whenever we were kind of in a tricky spot, just kind of took what the golf course gave us,” Burns said. Now he's six shots behind Burns, but in reasonable position on the leaderboard.
Great start and a better finish gives Burns lead at Riviera
(AP Photo/Ryan Kang)LOS ANGELES – Sam Burns had the ideal start at Riviera. The 24-year-old Burns is still looking for his first PGA Tour victory. On one of the best courses of the year, against another stacked field, it was a good first step. “You can’t ask for a course in better shape,” said Johnson, who won two weeks ago in Saudi Arabia. The 72-hole record, 20-under 264 that Lanny Wadkins set in 1985, has stood the longest of any PGA Tour event.
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.
Ortiz holds off Johnson, Matsuyama for 1st PGA Tour victory
HOUSTON – Carlos Ortiz held off Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama by closing with a 5-under 65 to win the Houston Open on Sunday, becoming the first Mexican to win on the PGA Tour in 42 years. He had to settle for a two-putt birdie, and it held up when Johnson and Matsuyama narrowly missed birdie chances coming in. Needing two putts to win, the 29-year-old holed a 20-foot birdie putt for a two-shot victory. Ortiz held back tears as he waited for his playing partners to putt. The Houston Open was the first domestic PGA Tour event that allowed spectators, with 2,000 tickets sold daily.
Jason Day in contention in Houston Open on eve of Masters
Carlos Ortiz tees off on the 10th hole during the second round of the Houston Open golf tournament Friday, Nov, 6, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)HOUSTON – Jason Day was back in contention on the eve of the Masters after two eventful days alongside Phil Mickelson. “He kind of left himself in some pretty tough positions and you’re just struggling the whole day,” Day said. The 12-time PGA Tour winner returned the next week at Sherwood to tie for 60th, and took last week off. “I think that was really helpful to learn that.”Carlos Ortiz of Mexico had a 68 to match Day at 5 under.
Morikawa builds big lead at Muirfield Village before storms
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)DUBLIN, Ohio Among the lessons Collin Morikawa took away from missing his first cut as a pro was that his reliable cut shot had left him. He found at it Muirfield Village, and suddenly looks as though he'll be tough to catch at the Workday Charity Open. Morikawa ran off four straight birdies after making the turn Friday, finished with another birdie and shot 6-under 66 to build a six-shot lead when thunderstorms arrived in Ohio. I had heard from a lot of people before, this course was going to suit a left-to-right shot, anyway, Morikawa said. I think sometimes when something really doesnt go your way, like missing a cut, it just stands out a little more, he said.