Tag: PGA Tour

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour Tee Times: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Other American Players

PGA Tour Tee Times US Players (Image: Getty)
PGA Tour Tee Times US Players (Image: Getty)

The TOUR Championship at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, is set to begin with much anticipation. As part of the PGA Tour, this tournament boasts a Par 71 course and a winners prize pool of $25 million. Viktor Hovland, the defending champion, will also be in action. The groups are determined by the current FedExCup standings. Round 2 tee times will be announced after Round 1.

PGA Tour Tee Times for American Players

Scottie Scheffler will tee off at 2:00 pm local time, alongside Xander Schauffele from the USA.

Justin Thomas will start his first round at 11:16 am local time, playing alongside Christiaan Bezuidenhout from South Africa.

Tom Hoge is paired with Aaron Rai from England. They will start round 1 at 11:27 am local time.

Billy Horschel’s first round begins at 12:00 pm local time, playing with Tommy Fleetwood from England.

Round Time Player Player Nationalities
1 11:16 AM Justin Thomas Christiaan Bezuidenhout USA, RSA
1 11:27 AM Tom Hoge Aaron Rai USA, ENG
1 11:38 AM Chris Kirk Taylor Pendrith USA, CAN
1 12:00 PM Billy Horschel Tommy Fleetwood USA, ENG
1 2:00 PM Scottie Scheffler Xander Schauffele USA, USA
PGA Tour Tee Times: TOUR Championship

Text written with the help of AI

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour Tee Times: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre

PGA Tour Tee Times (Image: Getty)
PGA Tour Tee Times (Image: Getty)

The TOUR Championship, part of the PGA Tour, is set to take place at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. The par-71 course will host top golfers competing for the $25 million winners prize. Last year’s champion, Viktor Hovland, will return to defend his title. The groups are determined by the current FedExCup standings. Round 2 tee times will be announced after round 1.

Rory McIlroy starts his first round at 1:38 pm local time. He will be playing alongside Ludvig Aberg from Sweden.

Tommy Fleetwood begins his round at 12:00 pm local time, paired with Billy Horschel from the USA.

Robert MacIntyre tees off at 12:16 pm local time with Akshay Bhatia from the USA.

Aaron Rai is set to start at 11:27 am local time, joined by Tom Hoge from the USA.

Round Time Player Nationality Playing With Nationality
1 11:27 AM Aaron Rai ENG Tom Hoge USA    
1 12:00 PM Tommy Fleetwood ENG Billy Horschel USA    
1 12:16 PM Robert MacIntyre SCO Akshay Bhatia USA    
1 1:38 PM Rory McIlroy NIR Ludvig Aberg SWE    
PGA Tour Tee Times: TOUR Championship

Text written with the help of AI

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PGA Tour

Scottie Scheffler Battling Back Tightness in First Round of the BMW Championship

Scottie Scheffler on the 17th hole of Castle Pines GC. First Round of the BMW Championship. (Image: Getty)
Scottie Scheffler on the 17th hole of Castle Pines GC. First Round of the BMW Championship. (Image: Getty)

Scottie Scheffler dealt with back problems during the first round of the BMW Championship on the PGA Tour. After a high draw on the Par-5 17th, Scheffler grabbed his back seemingly in pain. In the post-round interview, the Masters champion spoke about the back issues.

Scottie Scheffler: “I was laboring most of the day to get through the ball”

“With it [back] being a little bit tight, it was hard for me to get through it, and I was laboring most of the day to get through the ball. On 17 I was trying to hit a high draw, and that’s a shot where I’ve really got to use a big turn, big motion. Really just felt it a little bit. But other than that, all good. Maybe I hit a few too many balls yesterday or something. It was just a little sore. I’m sure I’ll get some ice on it and stuff and I’ll be totally fine tomorrow.”

Bad ball-striking perfomance from Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler leads the Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green for the season. In the first round of the BMW Championship though, he lost strokes to the field in SG: Tee-to-Green. This time his putting, which is normally Schefflers weak spot, saved his round. He holed over 100 feet of putts.

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Top Tours

Jon Rahm: “They just Make something Up”

Jon Rahm (Image: Getty)
Jon Rahm (Image: Getty)

Just under a week ago, US golf journalist Jaime Diaz fueled the rumor mill surrounding Jon Rahm. In a lengthy Golf Digest article, Diaz cited an alleged statement from an unnamed “veteran tour insider” who said of Rahm: “I am 100 percent positive that if Jon could give the money back to the Saudis and come back to the tour, he couldn’t write the check fast enough. Now there are only four times a year when he’s playing that anybody is remotely interested. He thought his stature in the game was secure no matter where he was playing, and it was a bad miscalculation”. During a rain delay at the LIV event at Greenbrier last weekend, Rahm was confronted with the statement and asked for a reaction, according to the X account “Pro Golf Critic”. A video recording of Rahm’s reaction does not exist, so it is not 100 percent verifiable whether he really reacted as follows.

Jon Rahm: “Couldn’t be further from the truth”

The Spaniard responded: “Yeah that’s why I can’t stop smiling out here. They just make something up.[The claim of the insider] Couldn’t be further from the truth”. The two-time major champion’s answer – if it was really given – can now be believed or not. To realize that the alleged claim of the “veteran tour insider” may not be completely out of thin air, you only need to recall a few of Jon Rahm’s statements during 2024.

Here are three statements made by the 29-year-old during the season: “Not being there was difficult. It’s a decision I made, and I’m comfortable with it. […] But I hope I can come back”. That is a statement made by Rahm at the beginning of 2024, when talking about the three PGA Tour tournaments he was not allowed to defend due to his defection to LIV. With regard to a change in the LIV format from 54- to 72-hole tournaments, he made the following comments in April: “The closer we can get LIV to do some of these things, the better”. In the run-up to the 2024 PGA Championship, the former Masters champion caused a stir when he said the following: “I’m still a PGA Tour member, whether suspended or not & I still want to support the PGA Tour”.

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour: How does the FedExCup work?

How does the FedExCup work? (Photo: Getty)
How does the FedExCup work? (Photo: Getty)

The PGA Tour introduced a new format in 2007 with the FedExCup. The FedExCup is split into two main parts: over 36 regular PGA Tour events and three Playoff tournaments at the end of the season, leading up to the Tour Championship, where the season champion is determined. Winning individual events and the overall title comes with significant financial rewards, with the FedExCup champion earning an extra $25 million. Tiger Woods was the first to win the FedExCup in 2007, and he, along with Rory McIlroy, is one of the few players to have won it twice.

Points Vary by Tournament Importance

To compete in the FedExCup, players must have full PGA Tour membership. Eligible players earn points starting from the season’s beginning, with point values varying based on the tournament’s prestige. Winners can earn between 300 and 750 points depending on the event.

The major championships (Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship) and the Players Championship offer 750 FedExCup points to the winner. The newly added Signature Events provide 700 points. Most other PGA Tour events grant 500 points, except for alternate events running alongside major tournaments, which offer 300 points to the winner.

The stakes increase significantly during the Playoffs, where point allocations change dramatically. Each Playoff event awards 2,000 points to the winner, four times the amount of a regular season event.

Points System Creates Playoff Drama

The top 70 players at the end of the regular season keep their PGA Tour cards and qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs, beginning with the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Since 2019, the Playoffs have been shortened to three events. This change has made the Playoffs more competitive and less volatile. At the St. Jude Championship, 20 players are eliminated, leaving only the top 50 to advance to the BMW Championship.

At the BMW Championship, there is no cut, meaning all players compete through 72 holes. This rule adds to the tension, as even the leader with 2,000 points can be overtaken by any player in the field. However, those at the top still have the best chance to win the FedExCup.

In the past, Playoff points were reset before the final event, meaning that only strong performances in the finale would count. But since 2019, the Tour Championship uses a staggered start system based on Playoff rankings. The leader begins the final event at 10-under par, followed by second place at 8-under, and so on, down to even par for players ranked 26th to 30th. This system rewards consistency throughout the Playoffs while still allowing for a competitive final event.

What does the new format change?

Previously, Playoff points were reset before the finale to keep the competition open until the last event. However, this led to confusion and criticism, including from Tiger Woods, who argued that it didn’t reward season-long performance. The new system aims to make the FedExCup more accessible, particularly for the top 30 players. While the changes wouldn’t have drastically altered past outcomes, they do change how the final event unfolds. Some players excel when chasing down a leader, while others perform better when protecting a lead.

“I would feel better about a ten-stroke lead for four days than having to start from 30th place in the FedExCup like everyone else did before,” said 2015 FedExCup champion Jordan Spieth.

“The new system still gives a player a chance to finish really high and start a run in a week, but at the same time rewards those who have earned it at the top. I like that every shot counts, but also that some count a little more than others by rewarding a good season,” said 2010 FedEx Champion Jim Furyk.

The final Playoff event offers a doubled prize. Each Playoff tournament has a $20 million purse, with the winner taking the largest share. The FedExCup champion earns an additional $25 million from a $100 million bonus pool, most of which is paid directly to the players, with some set aside in a retirement fund accessible at age 45.

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour: The Race to the FedExCup Playoffs – Why Even a Victory Is Not Enough

PGA Tour: Davis Riley misses the playoffs despite winning a tournament. (Photo: Getty)

The Wyndham Championship marked the end of the 36-event regular season of the PGA Tour, determining the top 70 players who will advance to the FedExCup Playoffs. These Playoffs, consisting of three tournaments, begin with the FedEx St. Jude Championship and continue with the BMW Championship. Only the top 50 players from the St. Jude Championship will move on to the next stage, and this group will also earn spots in all Signature Events in 2025. The season then culminates at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where the top 30 players will compete for the FedExCup title and a significant $25 million prize. This article takes a closer look at who secured their place, who missed out, and why even a tournament victory doesn’t always guarantee a spot in the Playoffs.

The Top 10 Players: Leading the Standings

Leading the charge into the Playoffs are the season’s standout performers, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, occupying the first and second spots, respectively. Following closely are Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, and Wyndham Clark, all of whom have shown exceptional form throughout the year. Ludvig Aberg, making waves in his debut full season on the PGA Tour, impressively holds the sixth position. He is trailed by Sahith Theegala and Hideki Matsuyama. Perhaps the most unexpected presence in the top 10 is South Korea’s Sungjae Im, who clinched the ninth spot. Rounding out the elite group is Ireland’s Shane Lowry.

Notable Players Missing the Playoffs

Not surprisingly, Tiger Woods is absent from the Playoffs roster. The legendary golfer, who now selectively participates in Majors and his own Genesis Invitational, wrapped up the season in 220th place. For Woods, the result holds little consequence as his focus has long shifted to the bigger stages of the sport. Rickie Fowler, a recent father, also failed to make the top 70, finishing 106th, far from the qualifying mark. Europe’s Ryder Cup stalwart Nicolai Hojgaard, who played a pivotal role in Rome, finds himself on the outside looking in after finishing 81st in the standings.

Matt Kuchar’s remarkable streak of 17 consecutive Playoff appearances came to a halt this year, as he finished 103rd. Similarly, Kevin Kisner, who will once again lend his insights as an NBC commentator during the Playoffs, ended his campaign in 196th place.

The Davis Riley Scenario: When a Win Isn’t Enough

Davis Riley’s situation underscores the unforgiving nature of the FedExCup Playoffs qualification process. Despite claiming victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge, earning a hefty 500 FedExCup points, Riley narrowly missed the cut, finishing 71st—just one spot shy of advancing. This scenario highlights that a single win, no matter how significant, doesn’t guarantee a Playoff spot. A comparison with Sepp Straka, who has yet to secure a win in 2024, further illustrates this point. Straka’s consistency, particularly in the Signature Events, propelled him to 18th in the standings. His two top-five finishes at the RBC Heritage and the Memorial Tournament earned him more points than Riley’s lone victory.

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PGA Tour

Tropical Storm Debby: Round 1 of the PGA Tour Postpones to Friday

Storm troubles PGA Tour Wyndham Championship 2024. (Image: Getty)
Storm troubles PGA Tour Wyndham Championship 2024. (Image: Getty)

Tropical Storm Debby is causing weather chaos on the PGA Tour. Large amounts of water were already coming down in the practice rounds and now it looks like the storm will further hamper the 2024 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club. What initially looked like a simple storm has developed into a tropical storm over the last few days, forcing the organisers to not only ban spectators from visiting the course on the first day of the tournament but to later postpone the whole first round to Friday.

“Difficult decision” – Tournament Director Powell on the decision on the PGA Tour

In an initial statement on Wednesday morning, there was no mention of the exclusion of spectators, “Debby is expected to move inland Thursday and continue to the northwest before shifting northward across Central North Carolina Friday morning,” wrote the TOUR’s official weather forecast on Wednesday morning. “This will produce widespread rain and a few thunderstorms throughout the day Thursday with showers and isolated t-storms continuing into Friday morning.”

In the afternoon, however, the fears of the organisers and the tour were confirmed. Spectators will have to stay at home on Thursday in Round 1 and the match will be played as far as possible. “This decision was a difficult one for us to make with our partners at the PGA TOUR, but everyone’s safety is our top priority,” Tournament Director Bobby Powell said. “The most-recent forecast looks like the storm could clear our area sometime Friday,” according to a statement on the PGA Tour website.

There was another development on Thursday, when the tournament was supposed to start. The entire first round had to be postponed to Friday because a flash flood warning was in effect for the Greensboro area. “This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation,” wrote the National Weather Service.

Spectators with tickets for the first day can use them on the three following tournament days should the weather improve.

The last tournament before the FedEx Cup playoffs could be a last chance for some players to qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship the following week.

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PGA Tour

Watch: PGA Tour highlights from round 1 of the 3M Open

BLAINE, MINNESOTA - JULY 25: Jacob Bridgeman of the United States plays his shot from the second teeduring the first round of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on July 25, 2024 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The 3M Open, a PGA Tour event, is currently taking place at the TPC Twin Cities golf course in Blaine, Minnesota, USA. The tournament offers a prize pool of $8,100,000. The focus of this report is on the highlights of Round 1 of the event.

At the end of the first round, Jacob Bridgeman from the USA leads the leaderboard with a total score of 63, which is 8-under-par. He is followed by Mackenzie Hughes from Canada, who holds the second position with a total score of 64, 7-under-par. Tied for third place are Patrick Rodgers (USA), Martin Trainer (France), and Andrew Novak (USA), each with a total score of 65, 6-under-par.

The players who registered the best rounds of the day were Jacob Bridgeman with a daily score of 63 (8-under-par), Mackenzie Hughes with a daily score of 64 (7-under-par), and Patrick Rodgers, Martin Trainer, and Andrew Novak, each with a daily score of 65 (6-under-par).

A video compilation showcasing the PGA Tour highlights and 3M Open highlights of the first round is available, providing a closer look at the day’s key moments and performances.

The 3M Open continues over the next three rounds, and these early results set the stage for an exciting competition as players vie for the top positions and a share of the prize pool. The tournament will be concluded after four rounds, and the forthcoming days will be crucial in determining the eventual winner.

Show 3M Open Leaderboard

3M Open: The PGA Tour round 1 highlights

About the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is the largest American professional golf tour. There are 36 tournaments on the tour’s schedule this season. The tournaments mainly take place in the USA, but there are also some international venues over the course of the season. The signature events introduced in 2023 offer higher prize money and a smaller field of participants. There will be a total of eight of these events in the 2024 season. The four Majors and the Players Championship are also part of the PGA Tour. At the end of the tours season, the 70 best players in the FedEx Cup season rankings will play in a three-tournament play-off for overall tour victory and an extra 18 million dollars in prize money.

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PGA Tour

Watch: PGA Tour Highlights from Round 3 of the Barracuda Championship

Mac Meissner on the PGA Tour. (Photo: Getty)

The Barracuda Championship, part of the PGA Tour, is being held at the Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood) in Truckee, California, United States. This year’s tournament boasts a prize fund of $4,000,000. Currently, the tournament is in its fourth and final round, with an intense focus on determining the champion.

After completing the third round, the top five positions on the leaderboard are held by the following players:

  • Mac Meissner (USA) is in 1st place with a total score of 39 under par.
  • Vincent Whaley (USA) is in 2nd place with a total score of 38 under par.
  • Rico Hoey (USA) holds the 3rd position with a total score of 36 under par.
  • Patrick Fishburn (USA) and Max Greyserman (USA) are tied for 4th place, each with a total score of 34 under par.

Regarding the best daily scores in the third round: Vincent Whaley (USA), Marcus Armitage (ENG), and Casey Jarvis (RSA) each posted a daily score of 16 under par.

For fans and followers of the PGA Tour Highlights and Barracuda Championship Highlights, a video compilation of the round’s highlights is available, showcasing the remarkable performances and key moments from the third round of the tournament.

As the tournament heads into its decisive final round, the competition remains fierce, with players aiming for the top spot and a share of the significant prize money on offer.

Show Barracuda Championship Leaderboard

Barracuda Championship: The PGA Tour round 3 highlights

About the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is the largest American professional golf tour. There are 36 tournaments on the tour’s schedule this season. The tournaments mainly take place in the USA, but there are also some international venues over the course of the season. The signature events introduced in 2023 offer higher prize money and a smaller field of participants. There will be a total of eight of these events in the 2024 season. The four Majors and the Players Championship are also part of the PGA Tour. At the end of the tours season, the 70 best players in the FedEx Cup season rankings will play in a three-tournament play-off for overall tour victory and an extra 18 million dollars in prize money.

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Equipment

With TaylorMade: Scottie Scheffler’s Unbeatable Stats on the Green

Scottie Scheffler took a liking to the Mallett putter from TaylorMade. (Photo: Getty)
Scottie Scheffler took a liking to the Mallett putter from TaylorMade. (Photo: Getty)

An incredible run of success began for Scottie Scheffler at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2024. In just ten starts on the PGA Tour, the 28-year-old recorded six victories and immortalized himself among the most successful players in the history of the PGA Tour. Not only a second Masters title, but also a title defense at the Players Championship have graced his resume since then.

He used a new putter for the first time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational: Scheffler opted for the TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter. With this model, a Mallett putter, the world number 1 has since been more successful than ever before, as his statistics on and around the green show.

Scottie Scheffler: With TaylorMade to birdie rain

Scottie Scheffler played his way to his six victories in the last few months with a total of 121 birdies, 27 of which he made in the final rounds of the tournaments. He made 28 birdies from over 15 feet, 11 from over 20 feet and six from over 30 feet. Figures that prove that the world number one has nerves of steel: seven times in the six tournaments he achieved a birdie series of three birdies or more.

He usually holed his longest birdie putts from 30 t0 40 feet. In the third round of the US Masters, he holed twice from this distance for birdies, putting his strong competitors under real pressure. Another statement at the first major of the year: an eagle putt from 31 feet.

However, Scottie Scheffler converted his longest birdie putt to date at his first tournament with the TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He converted the birdie from almost 45 feet on the 15th hole of the second round.

While Scottie Scheffler excelled with his long putts, he also frequently made it easy for himself thanks to his precise approaches. He often drove the ball off the fairway and onto the stick or made long putts close to the hole. For example, at his last triumph, the Travelers Championship, he put the ball from 132 yards directly on the 18th hole of the Moving Day.

The TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter

Scottie Scheffler played a blade putter for most of his career. He played his first rounds with a Mallett putter, the model with the significantly larger club head, in 2023, but returned to the familiar blade head. TaylorMade then developed a new prototype that would be perfectly matched to Scheffler’s putting. After various adjustments, Scottie Scheffler finally found the perfect model in the TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter for a winning streak that hardly any golfer had achieved before.