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TOUR Championship: How it works, 'FedExCup Starting Strokes' and FedExCup payouts

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The TOUR Championship will once again feature a staggered start beginning in Round 1 at East Lake Golf Club. Scottie Scheffler will once again begin the week top of the leaderboard looking to win the FedExCup and the bonus of $18 million.

The FedExCup points leader after the first two Playoffs events will begin the TOUR Championship at 10-under par. The No. 2 player will start at 8-under. The No. 3 player starts at 7-under; the No. 4 player starts at 6-under; the No. 5 player starts at 5-under. Players 6-10 start at 4-under; players 11-15 start at 3-under; players 16-20 start at 2-under; players 21-25 start at 1-under; and players 26-30 start at even par.

‘FedExCup Starting Strokes’ and one swing from every player at TOUR Championship

At the TOUR Championship, the player with the lowest stroke total over 72 holes when combined with his FedExCup Starting Strokes will be crowned the FedExCup champion, be credited with an official victory at the TOUR Championship, earn a bonus of $18 million and a five-year PGA TOUR exemption.

Here's how the final 30 players in the FedExCup standings who qualified through the BMW Championship will begin the TOUR Championship.

Note: Scroll to bottom for full FedExCup bonus money payouts for all 30 players.

FedExCup Bonus

Tour Championship Leaderboard And Final Round Live Updates - Hovland Wins FedEx Cup by Five Shots Over Schauffele

The 2022/23 PGA Tour season comes to a conclusion this evening at East Lake. Who will lift the FedEx Cup and take the $18m bonus?

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Viktor Hovland fought off a spirited fightback from Xander Schauffele to claim back-to-back victories and the FedEx Cup with a five-shot victory at the Tour Championship.

Starting the day six shots ahead, Hovland started fast, making four birdies in his first six holes either side of a rain delay but was unable to shake off the challenge of Schauffele.

The American, who has never finished below seventh in his six appearances so far at East Lake, also made four birdies in his first six holes and continued to battle away, at one point reducing Hovland's lead down to just three after three birdies in five holes around the turn.

As the rest of the field was left behind, the final pairing offered up something of a prelude for next month's Ryder Cup over the back nine, going blow for blow over the final holes.

The turning point would arrive on the 14th, where Hovland responded from a poor chip to drain a crucial par putt and retain his three-shot advantage. From there, the 25-year-old found three birdies in his final three holes to finish on -27, securing back-to-back wins alongside the $18m winner cheque.

After Schauffele on -22, Wyndham Clark was the next best back at -16. Solid final rounds from Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay saw the pair round out the top five at -14 and -13 respectively. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler finished at T6 on -11.

Relive all the action from the final round of the Tour Championship below:

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD

• -27: HOVLAND
• -22: SCHAUFFELE
• -14: MCILROY 
• -13: CANTLAY

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP QUICK LINKS

• Tour Championship Final Round Tee Times
• Tour Championship Prize Money 2023
• Tour Championship Live Stream: How To Watch

Updates from:

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's live coverage of the final round of the Tour Championship. After a stellar round on Saturday, the tournament is really Viktor Hovland's to lose. Fresh of his victory last week, the Norwegian has a six-shot advantage at East Lake heading into the final round. 

It will take something special from the chasing pack to stop him. Will that happen? Tune in to find out...

FINAL ROUND TEE TIMES

We've got a few early starters out on the course, but here's a look at when the big contenders get underway for their final round.

Times listed in EDT (BST):

• 12.56pm (5.56pm) -  Adam Schenk, Rory McIlroy
• 1.07pm (6.07pm) -  Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay
• 1.18pm (6.18pm) -  Wyndham Clark, Jon Rahm
• 1.29pm (6.29pm) -  Keegan Bradley, Collin Morikawa
• 1.40pm (6.40pm) -  Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele

DIFFICULT EARLY SCORING

Scoring was tricky yesterday and the early signs from those already on the course is that we could be in for similarly tricky scorings.

14 players are out on the course but just two are under par currently for their rounds...

IS XANDER THE MAN TO CHASE DOWN HOVLAND?

If you could have picked someone charged with catching Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele may just be that person.

The American has five top-ten finishes and one victory at this course in his six appearances at the tournament. As well as that, he's yet to shoot over par at East Lake. 

Could he cause a shock here today? A reminder that Scottie Scheffler led by this exact amount heading into the final round last year...and ended up falling short to an electric round from Rory McIlroy.

BIG PAYDAY FOR THE WINNER

It's the biggest purse on the PGA Tour, so here's a quick reminder of the eye-watering sums of money that the top-ten players are set to take home today:

• 1 - $18,000,000
• 2 - $6,500,000
• 3 - $5,000,000
• 4 - $4,000,000
• 5 - $3,000,000
• 6 - $2,500,000
• 7 - $2,000,000
• 8 - $1,500,000
• 9 - $1,250,000
• 10 - $1,000,000

RYDER CUP PICKS TO PLAY FOR

Another strand to today's action is next month's Ryder Cup. Two names in the top five, in particular, will be looking to force the hand of US Captain Zach Johnson ahead of Marco Simone.

Collin Morikawa looks likely to get a captain's pick already but he'll be after one more big round just to make that sure.

The other is Keegan Bradley who it feels like is on the outside looking in at the minute. He's already won twice this season but may well need a big final-round showing at East Lake to make the case to Johnson for one of those six picks.

RORY MCILROY UNDERWAY

He's been struggling with a back injury all week has Rory and currently sits 11 shots back of the lead. He pulled off something magnificent this time last year but 11 shots feels even beyond his best.

He gets underway with Adam Schenk, finding the right rough with his first tee shot.

EARLY BOGEY FOR RORY

The Northern Irishman is blocked off by trees after his opening drive and can't reach the green in two. From the fairway he can't get up and down to save his par and he drops back to -8.

It's a lovely birdie, though, for his playing partner Schenk who moves into solo eighth at -10. What a season he is putting together. 

GLOVER AND HOMA INTO THE TOP TEN

A nice start for the American duo early into their final rounds. Two birdies for Glover, one for Max and the pair are both at T9 on -9.

OPENING BIRDIE FOR SCHEFFLER

Where was any of that yesterday, Scottie? The World No.1 was birdie-shy almost the entirety of Saturday but gets underway at the first on Sunday with a lovely iron approach.

He's got ten feet for birdie and this time makes no mistake. Up to -12 but plenty of work still to do. 

SCHENK HOLES OUT FROM THE FAIRWAY

Wow! What a start from Adam Schenk. It's rare that Rory McIlroy is overshadowed in a pairing but it's happening right now.

A birdie on the first is met by eagle on the third as he holes out from 137 yards on the fairway. Up to -12 and into a share of fifth for him.

He's still yet to win on the PGA Tour and that's probably unlikely to change today, but his breakthrough season continues to go from strength to strength.

6 years ago today, Adam received his PGA Tour card. Today, he is playing in the final round of the Tour Championship. I have a slew of words to share but I’ll spare you all: I’m wearing waterproof mascara today. pic.twitter.com/QuMdBmcJN7 August 27, 2023

LEADER UNDERWAY

A bit of drama before he starts as Viktor Hovland and his caddie appear to take a wrong turn and have to lightly jog to make the first tee on time.

All's well that ends well, though, as he finds the fairway with his drive. Schauffele, too, finds the short stuff as he looks to chase down the Norwegian. 

EARLY BIRDIES FLOWING

Well, I thought it might be similar to yesterday conditions-wise but perhaps not. Scheffler rolls in another birdie - his second of the round - to get to -13 and he's joined there by Adam Schenk whose marvellous front nine gets even better with a 31-foot birdie to move four under thru four.

Morikawa gets off and running with birdie at the first to move to -14 but Keegan Bradley doesn't appear to have got the memo as he makes an opening-hole bogey to drop back to -12.

HOVLAND MAKES AN EARLY MOVE

Just relentless golf from Viktor Hovland who pours in a 15-footer on the first for a birdie to move to -21. He's going to be difficult to catch if he keeps making birdies look as easy as that.

But credit to Schauffele. A beauty of an iron into the green for the American who also makes birdie to keep some sort of pressure on the leader. Up to -15 for him.

PLAY SUSPENDED

Well, not the news we were hoping for. Just as we were getting started, play has been suspended due to "inclement weather." Looks like storms are projected in the area but hopefully East Lake can avoid the worst of it.

The final round of the TOUR Championship was suspended at 1:57 p.m. ET due to inclement weather. August 27, 2023

Some thunder being picked up by the TV cameras. It looks like this delay could be a bit lengthier than anyone initially anticipated. 

Anyway, lets take the opportunity to look back on what golf we have seen so far today and the story right now is Adam Schenk. Five holes, three birdies, one eagle. Not bad. 

Here's a look at that eagle - a hole-out from the fairway:

A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour) A photo posted by on

RAIN BEGINNING TO CLEAR

No news as of yet regards a restart but signs the rain and clouds appear to be slowing moving away from East Lake. 

There's not a lot of wind out on the course so it may take it's time but hopefully we aren't too far away from getting the golfers back on the course. 

OVER IN EUROPE...

A few signs of fans but still no signs of players so lets take another look back at some other action from today which happened in Europe at the Czech Masters on the DP World Tour.

If today is a big day for the likes of Bradley and Morikawa to force their way into a US captain's pick for the Ryder Cup, then it was no different over in Prague.

A host of big names such as Ludvig Aberg, Nicolai Hojgaard, Adrian Meronk, Yannik Paul and Bob MacIntyre were in contention as they looked to make their case to Luke Donald for a captain's pick onto Team Europe. 

Click here to find out how they got on.

PLAY TO RESUME AT 15:50 ET (20:50 BST)

Finally some good news and a time for the resumption of play. Given the length of the delay, the players are being allowed some time on the range first but it looks like we are looking at a 3:50pm ET restart. 

For the folks in the UK, that's 20:50pm so just over half an hour away.

Update from Atlanta: the range is opening at 3:15 and play expected to resume at 3:50 pm ET. August 27, 2023

PLAY TO RESUME - HOVLAND LEADS BY SIX

We're about 15 minutes away from play resuming so a small reminder of how things stand:

Hovland remains six shots ahead on -21 after a first-hole birdie but faces a putt to save his par on the second. His closest chaser, Schauffele, also made birdie on the first and has a look at birdie on 2 to move up to -15. 

Further back on -14 is Morikawa, while Schenk and Scheffler have each started excellently with the pair sat on -13 and -4 and -2 for their final rounds respectively so far.

PLAY BACK UNDERWAY

The horn goes and we're back just under two hours later! 

A big putt first up for Hovland to save his par on the second...right in the heart of it. No signs of rust from the Norwegian after the time waiting around. Schauffele pushes his birdie putt right off the hole and walks of for a par. 

There was a chance of a two-shot swing there but, in the end, it all remains the same. Hovland leads by six.

CLOSE SHAVE FOR SCHEFFLER

Scottie was getting hot before the weather interval and his iron's are dialled right out the gates with a nice approach into the fifth. From ten feet, though, he can't convert and he remains eight back at -13. 

SCHAUFFELE CUTS LEAD TO FIVE

He just loves this course, does Xander. Another sterling iron into the third green gives him a look at birdie and the American makes no mistake.

He's up to -16 and now just five back of Hovland after he misses his look at birdie. No cause for concern...yet.

SCHENK INTO THE TOP THREE

Not even the near two-hour rain delay has dampened Adam Schenk's spirits today as his magical front nine just keeps getting better. Another birdie pours into the hole at 6 and he's now -5 for his round, 14-under-par for the tournament and into a tie for third! 

BIRDIES FOR HOVLAND AND SCHAUFFELE

The rain from earlier may have made these greens slightly more receptive, and the final pair are putting that two the test. Schauffele's approach into the fourth is great. Hovland's is even better, almost threatening to slam dunk into the hole. 

It's two relatively short birdie efforts...and they both convert. We started the day with a few in contention but this is fast becoming a two horse race - Schauffele hunting down Hovland. 

Elsewhere, there is a bogey for Morikawa who drops back to -13 and leaves Schenk in solo third. That's a tasty payday if he can stay there.

KEEGAN BRADLEY DROPS BACK 

Not the round the American would have wanted to put together today. His second bogey of the day on the front nine and he's now two-over-par for his round and back at -11.

MORE PUTTING WOES FOR SCHEFFLER 

A couple of missed opportunities early in the round for the American and he's now in trouble on the seventh with his ball running through to the back of the green. It's a tricky two-putt but that becomes all the more difficult when the World No.1's first effort comes up way short before drifting down the slope and away from the hole.

In the end, it's a three-putt bogey and he's now ten back of Hovland at -12.

HOVLAND RESTORES SIX SHOT LEAD

It's difficult to put into words the level of ball striking Hovland is displaying right now. The greens are receptive, sure, but, he's got another great look at birdie after a sumptuous iron into the fifth. 

No problem for the Norwegian, who rolls it in for back-to-back birdies to get to -23. 

And the pressure tells on Schauffele who misses his birdie putt just prior. He's been great so far today as well but he's back to how he started the day - six back of the leader. 

PLENTY FALLING BY THE WAYSIDE

This truly has become a two-horse race now. A bogey for Rahm after finding the greenside bunker. A bogey for Morikawa after a short miss. And a bogey, too, for Schenk after a clumsy three putts.

Schauffele the only one standing, trying to chase down Hovland.

DOUBLE BOGEY FOR SCHEFFLER 

Well Scottie wasn't likely to win today but he's now just losing money quickly on these greens. 

The first putt on the eighth is tricky - slow at first before picking up speed - and Scheffler races it by. The par putt is missed...and so is the even shorter bogey putt. Double-bogey six and the World No. 10 is back to -10 where he started the tournament. 

MORE BIRDIES FOR HOVLAND AND SCHAUFFELE

The two players in the final group find the exact same greenside bunker left of the green with their approaches in. 

The rain we've had earlier in the day makes this a far less intimidating proposition for these two on the par-five sixth and they make no mistake, up and down for a pair of birdies and on they go, storming further ahead of the field. 

BOGEYS FOR SCHENK AND RAHM

Schauffele and Hovland look like they are playing a different course at the minute as more players drop shots around them. Rahm gets himself in trouble off the tee and can only hack out of the fairway bunker. In the end, he does well to just drop one shot. 

Schenk, too, drops one as he makes the turn after another three putt on the tenth. 

SCHAUFFELE BACK WITHIN FIVE

Everyone else has vacated from the chase but Xander Schauffele is going nowhere. An aggressive tee shot allows him a wedge into the green and he makes no mistake with the birdie putt. He's -5 thru eight holes and up to -19.

Hovland taps in for his part to remain at -24, but his lead now drops back to five.

MORIKAWA MAKES THE TURN WITH BIRDIE 

He's no longer fighting for the overall title, but there's plenty of money on offer for any of the players that can make a move up the leaderboard. After a quiet few holes, Morikawa bounces back with birdie on the par-three ninth to move alongside Clark on -13.

And he's joined back on 13-under-par by Adam Schenk who pours in another birdie from over 20 feet. He's back into a tie for third. 

HOVLAND SAVES PAR AS FINAL PAIR MAKE THE TURN 

Plenty of work to do for Hovland as his tee shot into the ninth comes up right at the bottom of a huge slope. It's 50ft long but with about 40ft worth of left-to-right break. 

The Norwegian gives it a good go but his effort comes up just short. It's a slightly testy downhiller for par...but he makes no mistake. Schauffele gives his putt a great roll but it just evades the hole. A great effort but the lead remains at five for Hovland. 

CLARK MAKING A MOVE

He wasn't particularly in contention at the start of the day but a three-under-par round has this year's US Open champion up into solo third at -14. 

That could be worth a few dollars if he can stay there come the end of play. 

DOUBLE BOGEY FOR SCHENK

Oooh, that's not ideal. Adam Schenk goes from bunker to bunker on the 14th before a costly three-putt leaves him with a double-bogey six! From a tie for fourth down into seventh at -11 for the American. 

SCHAUFFELE CUTS LEAD TO FOUR 

Xander is running out of holes but by no means giving up the chase. He hits a solid iron into the 11th but is under pressure as Hovland stuffs one in close.

No nerves from the American, though, as he gets the perfect roll on his right-to-left putt, sending it right into the heart of the cup for his eighth birdie of the day. He's up to -20 now.

Hovland with a chance to maintain his five-shot lead...but he can't. Perhaps the first signs of nerves from the Norwegian? Seven holes to go but his lead is now four. 

RORY MAKING A MOVE

Even a bad back can't deter the Northern Irishman. He loves it here at East Lake and is finishing in style here on Sunday. A divine tee shot into the 15th brings him his third birdie in four holes and up to T4 at -13.

Schenk, his playing partner, bounces back nicely after that double bogey with a birdie, too, while Clark further improves his position in third with another birdie to get to -15.

BACK-TO-BACK BIRDIES FOR SCHAUFFELE, LEAD NOW JUST THREE

Hovland is in a small spot of bother off the 12th tee as his ball settles into the fairway bunker. Not to worry, he simply sticks it in close and gives himself another look at birdie. 

Schauffele ramps up the pressure with another stellar iron into the green just inside Hovland's effort. And the pressure tells.

Hovland's effort goes by while Schauffele's putt drops for another birdie. In an instant, the hole is now three. 

Some late drama perhaps?

BOGEYS FOR CLARK AND MCILROY 

These two spent the final day at LACC battling it out for the US Open a few months back and they deservedly have their names right up at the top of the leaderboard after a pair of fine seasons. 

They've both made nice moves today but now Clark and McIlroy falter somewhat with bogeys, moving them back to -14 and -12 respectively.

HOVLAND PAR KEEPS HIM THREE AHEAD

Problems off the tee for Schauffele who goes way left over the trees. He recovers nicely to make a par but it's advantage Hovland after he sticks one in close on 13.

It's a good roll...but just catches the lip and rolls by quite some distance! Not the tap-in he would have wanted but it's calmy negotiated by the Norwegian back up the slope to make par and remain three ahead. 

We're supposed to still have a month until the Ryder Cup but this feels like a proper Sunday matchplay singles classic. Hovland 3UP with five to play.

BIRDIE FOR RORY, BOGEY FOR COLLIN 

The two swap places with McIlroy moving into solo fourth after a bounce-back birdie on the penultimate hole. Morikawa, meanwhile, serves up a three-putt at just the wrong time to drop back to -12 and a tie for fifth alongside Cantlay.

Schenk was at -12 but he's now further back at -10 after his second double bogey in four holes at 17.

HUGE PAR SAVE FROM HOVLAND ON 14

The first real sign of emotion from Hovland all day as he lets out an almighty fist pump having saved par! His second shot came up short and the chip onto the green was poor, but the putt...nerveless.

He maintains his three-shot lead with Schauffele making par and that feels like a big moment in this closing stretch. 

What a putt!Viktor Hovland comes up clutch to save par @TOURChamp 💪He leads by 3 with 4 to play. pic.twitter.com/LGGFxLRAUb August 27, 2023

DOUBLE BOGEY FOR MORIKAWA 

The American isn't closing in style and a mistake out of the greenside bunker from the par-three 15th leads to a double bogey and three dropped shots in his last two holes. 

Three-over-par today. Not his finest golf. 

HOVLAND LEADS BY THREE WITH THREE TO PLAY

The par-three 15th next for the final pair and they both safely carry it beyond the flag to give themselves outside looks for birdie. 

Hovland is further away, and it's a big right-to-lefter which he nurses down to the hole nicely. A solid par for him. Schauffele needs to be aggressive and try steal one here...but it's on the wrong line right from the start. 

No harm with a par but he's only got three holes left now and still trails by three. 

MCILROY IN THE CLUBHOUSE

Rory ends with a birdie on the par-five last to get up to -14 for the tournament and safely inside the top-five after a four-under-par 66. That's a great performance given the problems with his back that plagued his first two rounds. 

A great end to another remarkably consistent season for him. His playing partner, Schenk misses out on a birdie and currently sits at T8 which also represents a fantastic season for the up-and-coming American.

Rory McIlroy: 10 consecutive top-10 finishes, the longest streak of his PGA Tour career August 27, 2023

HOVLAND MAKES BIRDIE TO GO FOUR AHEAD WITH TWO REMAINING

What a couple of holes from Viktor Hovland. A huge par save on the previous hole is followed by a superb iron shot into the 16th green to give him a great look at birdie.

Schauffele has a go for birdie before that but his effort comes up short and Hovland takes full advantage, rolling his 10-foot putt down the slope and into the cup for his first birdie of the back nine to move to -25.

He now leads by four with two left and that, should be that.

BACK-TO-BACK BIRDIES AS HOVLAND EXTENDS LEAD TO FIVE

Simply relentless. It looked at one stage that this might go right down to the wire. 

Not any more. 

Hovland rolls in another birdie on the 17th and now, he heads the 18th tee with almost the same size lead as he started the day with. Schauffele sees his effort roll past and he settles for a par. 

He's played his part and made this final round a real test for the Norwegian, but the task was just too much and he's ran out of steam on these final holes. 

UP THE LAST THEY GO...

Safely on the fairway for Hovland on the par-five 18th and he can now enjoy this final work. His work is done and he will surely be your 2023 FedEx Cup champion.

VIKTOR HOVLAND WINS THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP!

Schauffele second comes up short of the green but it's a lovely up and down to find yet another birdie. A final-round 62 is some achievement and he's pushed Hovland all the way today.

The Norwegian's second shot also comes up short, rolling back into the sand. Can he get up and down for a final birdie?

You bet he can. Remarkable golf from Hovland who himself shots a seven-under-par 63 to win the Tour Championship by five shots and claim the FedEx Cup for the first time! 

Viktor Hovland is the 2023 #FedExCup champion!This win @TOURChamp is his third victory of the season 🏆 pic.twitter.com/GRuHFLzDqT August 27, 2023

Simply remarkable golf from Hovland today. We saw last year from Scottie Scheffler how tricky it can be to close out these tournaments but the Norwegian was simply faultless and refused to take a backwards step.

A lot of credit, too, must go to Xander Schauffele who continues his magnificent record here with a final-round 62. He fell five shots short in the end but it felt and was a lot closer than that for large parts of the final round.

THANKS FOR TUNING IN!

Well, what a way to end the season. I didn't expect as entertaining a final round as that but thanks to Schauffele and Hovland we were treated to a real thriller.

Thanks for tuning in, until next time!

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FedEx Cup Playoffs: Tour Championship starting positions for all 30 golfers

The Tour Championship, the finale of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, begins this week in Atlanta. Here are the starting positions for all 30 players.

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The PGA Tour season, at long last, is coming to a close. All that’s left is the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale in the Tour Championship, where (wait for it) $75 million will be up for grabs.

So, how does it all work? We’re glad you asked. We could all use a refresher.

The Tour Championship uses a stroke-based bonus system based on the current FedEx Cup standings , meaning not everyone enters the tournament on the same playing field.

This has been the formula for the past four years, as the Tour changed the format beginning in 2019. The old format crowned a Tour Championship winner and a FedEx Cup Playoffs champion (although sometimes it was the same person), and keeping track of essentially two different tournaments — for players and fans — was, well, confusing.

So now there’s just one champion, who, along with winning the Tour Championship, will also be the FedEx Cup Playoffs champ.

The leader of the FedEx Cup points race starts the Tour Championship, held at East Lake in Atlanta, at 10 under. The top five in the standings is staggered (2nd at eight under, 3rd at seven under, 4th at six under and 5th at five under), and the last 25 players in the field are more bunched (i.e. places 6-10 start at four under, and so on).

Here’s where everyone will start for the playoffs.

Tour Championship starting scores

10 under: Scottie Scheffler Eight under: Viktor Hovland Seven under: Rory McIlroy Six under: Jon Rahm Five under: Lucas Glover Four under: Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick Three under: Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele Two under: Tom Kim, Sungjae Im, Tony Finau, Corey Conners, Si Woo Kim One under: Taylor Moore, Nick Taylor, Adam Schenk, Collin Morikawa, Jason Day Even: Sam Burns, Emiliano Grillo, Tyrrell Hatton, Jordan Spieth, Sepp Straka

Max Homa’s heckler incident illustrated risky future for PGA Tour, gambling

But just because Scheffler has a two-stroke lead over second place — and a much larger lead over others — doesn’t mean he’s bound to run away with this.

Take last year, for example, when Scheffler held the same spot on the leaderboard but was eventually beaten by Rory McIlroy, who started the tournament six shots back and even rebounded from a triple bogey on his first hole of the week to win the whole thing.

You can follow the action from 1-6 p.m. ET on Golf Channel on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s broadcast is 1-3 p.m. on Golf Channel and 3-7 p.m. on CBS, and Sunday’s final round is 12-1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel and 1:30-6 p.m. on CBS.

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Brutal honesty from brooks koepka (and other pros) is fantastic insight. here’s why, from the archives: a q&a with peter oosterhuis, the hardest-working man in golf broadcasting, scottie scheffler is dominating the pga tour. this rising star is chasing him, 2024 cj cup byron nelson friday tv coverage: how to watch round 2, josh berhow.

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of the sport’s most-read news and service websites. He spends most of his days writing , editing, planning and wondering if he’ll ever break 80. Before joining GOLF.com in 2015, he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., he resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and two kids. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Understanding the Tour Championship starting positions and scoring system

The PGA Tour’s season-long race for the FedEx Cup comes to an end this week at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, a tournament where the scoring gets a little twist to keep things interesting. Here’s what you need to know.

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2022 TOUR Championship: Final Field and Starting Leaderboard

Defending FedExCup champion Cantlay wins BMW Championship; Scheffler claims No. 1 seed

ATLANTA – The field is set for the 2022 TOUR Championship with the top 30 players in the FedExCup Playoffs Eligibility Points List qualifying following the BMW Championship. Patrick Cantlay captured his eighth PGA TOUR title and second of the season with a one-stroke victory over Scott Stallings at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware.

Cantlay, who will look to become the first player to successfully defend his FedExCup title, will start the TOUR Championship as the No. 2 seed and will be paired in Thursday’s first round with standings leader Scottie Scheffler, who finished T3 at the BMW Championship to reclaim the top seed.

The FedExCup Playoffs conclude this week at the TOUR Championship, presented by Accenture, Coca-Cola and Southern Company, where the top 30 players will compete for the FedExCup title as the PGA TOUR’s season champion. The first and second rounds will be broadcast live on Golf Channel from historic East Lake Golf Club on Thursday, Aug. 25 and Friday, Aug. 26 from 1-6 p.m. The third round will be broadcast on Golf Channel from 1-2:30 p.m. and on NBC from 2:30-7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, with the final round slated for Sunday, Aug. 28 from 12-1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel and 1:30-6 p.m. on NBC.

Scheffler’s four PGA TOUR victories during the 2021-22 season are the most of any player as he looks to become the third consecutive No. 1 seed entering the TOUR Championship to lift the FedExCup.

Other Player Storylines:

• Xander Schauffele (No. 4), who will make his sixth consecutive TOUR Championship appearance this week, has finished no worse than T7 in five previous starts at East Lake Golf Club: 1/2017, T7/2018, 2/2019, T2/2020, T5/2021. At No. 4 in the FedExCup, this is Schauffele’s highest position entering the TOUR Championship in his career.
• In search of his first TOUR Championship berth since joining the PGA TOUR in 2011, Scott Stallings (No. 12) finished runner-up at the BMW Championship to secure his spot at East Lake. It was the three-time PGA TOUR winner’s first runner-up finish or better on TOUR since the 2015 Farmers Insurance Open.
• Two PGA TOUR rookies qualified for the TOUR Championship, with Cameron Young (No. 14) and Sahith Theegala (No. 28) earning their place among the top 30 without a win on TOUR this season.
• In total, 10 players will make their TOUR Championship debuts this week: Will Zalatoris (No. 3), Sepp Straka (No. 9), Scott Stallings (No. 12), Cameron Young (No. 14), Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 15), Max Homa (No. 16), Tom Hoge (No. 23), K.H. Lee (No. 26), J.T. Poston (No. 27) and Sahith Theegala (No. 28)
• Five former FedExCup Champions qualified for the TOUR Championship: Patrick Cantlay (No. 2), Rory McIlroy (No. 7), Justin Thomas (No. 13), Jordan Spieth (No. 18) and Billy Horschel (No. 22)
• 2016 and 2019 FedExCup Champion Rory McIlroy (No. 7) looks to become the first-ever three-time FedExCup Champion Hideki Matsuyama (No. 17) qualified for his ninth consecutive TOUR Championship, the longest active streak on TOUR
• Four players advanced to the TOUR Championship after beginning the BMW Championship outside of the top 30: Scott Stallings (No. 46 to No. 12), K.H. Lee (No. 33 to No. 26), Adam Scott (No. 45 to No. 29) and Aaron Wise (No. 31 to No. 31)

Final Field and Starting Leaderboard

Tickets to the TOUR Championship are available for purchase at TOURChampionship.com/tickets .

Fans are encouraged to follow the TOUR Championship on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram for tournament updates.

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2022 Tour Championship starting strokes: Leaderboard based on FedEx Cup ranking

The 2022 Tour Championship leaderboard and starting strokes have been announced for the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup finale played at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

The Tour Championship field is comprised of 30 players, competing over 72 holes. The Tour Championship is the only PGA Tour stroke-play event that will use a handicap system. The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings after the BMW Championship qualify for the event were slotted with starting strokes based on their FedEx Cup ranking.

Scottie Scheffler , the top seed starts the tournament at 10 under par, with the No. 2 seed, Patrick Cantlay , at 8 under par, and so on, all the way down to Nos. 26-30 starting at even par. This means the lowest-seeded players will have to overcome a 10-stroke disadvantage during four rounds of golf.

Once the tournament begins, the players will add their 72-hole performance to their starting strokes to determine the Tour Championship winner, who will be declared the 2022 FedEx Cup champion.

The FedEx Cup champion earns $18 million, with every player earning at least $500,000 for starting the tournament.

2022 Tour Championship leaderboard and starting strokes

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Viktor hovland leads by a touchdown in pursuit of $18 million payday at tour championship, share this article.

ATLANTA — It’s Viktor Hovland’s world right now; we’re just living in it.

The 25-year-old Norwegian shot a 4-under 66 at East Lake Golf in Atlanta to improve to 20-under par and open a six-stroke lead at the Tour Championship, the third and final leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Hovland carded back-to-back birdies at Nos. 6 and 7, the latter a 12-foot putt. He held a four-stroke advantage at 18 under when play was suspended due to lightning in the area.

“We thought last Sunday was good,” CBS’s Frank Nobilo said. “This is every bit as good.”

Viktor Hovland strokes gained around the green ranks on PGA Tour Last season: 191st This season entering PGA: 170th Since PGA Championship began: 20th — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) August 26, 2023

Hovland came back out when play resumed and made back-to-back birdies at Nos. 12 and 13. He made a bogey at 14, but drilled a 6-iron to 15 feet at the water-guarded 212-yard par-3 15th.

“The pin was on the right which made the green feel a little bigger for me,” he said. “It was a perfect 6-iron.”

While a touchdown seems like it should be an insurmountable edge — it is the largest 54-hole lead lost in Tour history — Scottie Scheffler blew a lead of the same amount last year in trying to win the $18 million winner’s prize. That’s over 192 million Krone for Hovland.

“That’s a lot of cash,” he said. “But we’re here to win tournaments. There’s a lot of hungry players behind me who can shoot 61 tomorrow. I’ve got to be ready.”

Players from outside the U.S., age 25 or younger, with 3+ wins in the same PGA Tour season the last 40 years: 2012 McIlroy 2014 McIlroy 2017 Matsuyama Viktor Hovland would join them with a win Sunday. — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) August 27, 2023

Schauffele earns spot in final group

Xander Schauffele plays his shot from the fourth tee during the third round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

If it’s late August at East Lake, Xander Schauffele must be making birdies at the Tour Championship.

Schauffele is an ATM at the playoff finale, qualifying for his seventh consecutive year and has never finished worse that T-7. He has the most top-5 finishes without winning the FedEx Cup title, though he did win the Tour Championship in 2017 before Starting Strokes was implemented.

Schauffele started the week T-11 and has steadily climbed the leaderboard, earning a spot in the final group alongside Hovland. After rounds of 67-64, Schauffele made three birdies in his first seven holes, but made three bogeys that canceled out two more birdies on the way to the clubhouse and a round of 2-under 68. It marked his 24 th under-par score in 27 career rounds at East Lake Golf Club. Expect another one on Sunday, but it better be a low one if Scahuffele’s going to catch the leader.

“I know what I need to do,” Schauffele said. “I need to go out and try and put as much pressure on him tomorrow on that front nine as I can and hope for the best.”

Morikawa and Bradley share third

Collin Morikawa lines up his shot on the fifth green during the third round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Morikawa, who was the only player in the 30-man field to play bogey-free the first two rounds, made a double bogey at the fifth after his lob shot landed in a greenside bunker and he failed to get it up and down. He dropped two more shots with bogeys at Nos. 10 and 11 and waited until No. 16 to make his lone birdie of the day.

After shooting a tournament record 61-64 for the first 36 holes, Morikawa posted 3-over 73 to drop to 13 under.

Bradley is tied for third with Morikawa. He made four birdies and four bogeys in an up-and-down round of 70. Bradley made a deuce at the difficult par-3 15th for the third straight day.

Scheffler and Rahm falter

Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the fourth tee during the third round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Scheffler and Jon Rahm are tied going into the final round of the final event of the FedEx Cup. But after dueling for the FedEx Cup lead for most of the season, they find themselves nine off the pace set by Hovland, who left them in the dust. It didn’t help that the leading candidates for Player of the Year both fired a dud on “Moving Day.”

Rahm hit in the water left off the tee on No. 8 and made double bogey, added a bogey at 11 and made just two birdies en route to shooting 71.

Scheffler didn’t make a birdie until 18 and shot 3-over 73. He took three putts at 7, missing from just over a foot and even after one-putting the final four holes, he ranks 25 th out of the 30-man field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

The heat is on

Rickie Fowler looks over the fifth green during the second round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

When Rickie Fowler finished his round, he signed autographs, sweat dripping down his face, as if it was a balmy 70 degrees, not 99 degrees with a heat index of 105 degrees. But Fowler knew where he was headed once he finished signing.

“I’ve got to get in a cold plunge,” he said.

Eventually, the searing heat won out and play was suspended at 5:28 p.m. ET for one hour and 15 minutes due to lightning in the area. (It was termed a code red.) The storm provided some relief for the rest of the play, which finished just before 8:30 p.m.

Sunday’s temperature is expected to drop down to 97, and the players will take the two degree dip  but when it’s that hot, it’s just uncomfortable.

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2021 Tour Championship: How to Watch, Starting Scores, Field, Past Winners

• Author: Philo Uwamaria

The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings are in Atlanta this week for the 2021 Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour playoffs. The winner of the playoffs will earn $15 million. The first round begins Thursday in the 72-hole format.

Here's a quick guide to the event, including how to watch, the players in the field, starting scores and past winners..

The 2021 Tour Championship TV, Streaming, Radio Schedule

Television: 1 to 6 p.m. ET Thursday and Friday on the Golf Channel

1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday on the Golf Channel and 2:30 to 7 p.m. on NBC.

Noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday on the Golf Channel) and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on NBC.

The tournament will also stream on PGA Tour Live as follows:

• Thursday-Friday: 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. (preview show), 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Groups).
• Saturday: 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. (Preview Show), 11:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Featured Groups), 2:30 p.m.-7 p.m. (Featured Holes)
• Sunday: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Preview Show), 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. (Featured Groups), 1:30 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes)

Radio: Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday  and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday on PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio .

The 2021 Tour Championship field

These are the 30 players who made it to the 2021 Tour Championship.

1. Patrick Cantlay

2. Tony Finau

3. Bryson DeChambeau

4. Jon Rahm

5. Cameron Smith

6. Justin Thomas

7. Harris English

8. Abraham Ancer

9. Jordan Spieth

10. Sam Burns

11. Collin Morikawa

12. Sungjae Im

13. Viktor Hovland

14. Louis Oosthuizen

15. Dustin Johnson

16. Rory McIlroy

17. Xander Schauffele

18. Jason Kokrak

19. Kevin Na

20. Brooks Koepka

21. Corey Conners

22. Hideki Matsuyama

23. Stewart Cink

24. Joaquin Niemann

25. Scottie Scheffler

26. Daniel Berger

27. Erik van Rooyen

28. Sergio Garcia

29. Billy Horschel

30. Patrick Reed

2021 Tour Championship starting scores

The field at East Lake will feature a staggered start. Players will be seeded on the leaderboard based on their FedEx Cup points. Here's how it works  and here are where players will be on the leaderboard when the first round begins:

10 under — Patrick Cantlay

8 under —Tony Finau

7 under — Bryson DeChambeau

6 under — John Rahm

5 under — Cameron Smith

4 under — Justin Thomas, Abraham Ancer, Harris English, Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth

3 under — Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson, Sungiae Im, Louis Oosthuizen, Biktor Hovland

2 under —Rory Mcllroy, Jason Kokrak, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele, Kevin Na

1 under  —Corey Conners, Stewart Cink, Hideki Matsuyama, Scottie Scheffler, Joaquin Niemann

Even par — Daniel Berger, Sergio Garcia, Erik van Rooyen, Patrick Reed, Billy Horschell

Tour Championship winners

2020: Dustin Johnson

2019: Rory McIlroy

2018: Tiger Woods

2017: Xander Schauffele

2016: Rory McIlroy

2014: Billy Horschel

2013: Henrik Stenson

2012: Brandt Snedeker

2011: Bill Haas

2010: Jim Furyk

2009: Phil Mickelson (2)

2008: Camilo Villegas

2007: Tiger Woods (2)

2006: Adam Scott

2005: Bart Bryant

2004: Retief Goosen

2003: Chad Campbell

2002: Vijay Singh

2001: Mike Weir

2000: Phil Mickelson

1999: Tiger Woods

1998: Hal Sutton

1997: David Duval

1996: Tom Lehman

1995: Billy Mayfair

1994: Mark McCumber

1993: Jim Gallagher Jr.

1992: Paul Azinger

1991: Craig Stadler

1990: Jodie Mudd

1989: Tom Kite

1988: Curtis Strange

1987: Tom Watson

2024 ISPS Handa Championship Japan final results: Prize money payout, DP World Tour leaderboard, how much each golfer won

T he 2024 ISPS Handa Championship Japan final leaderboard is headed by winner Yuto Katsuragawa, who topped the DP World Tour leaderboard this week with a win at Taiheiyo Club's Gotemba Course in Gotemba, Japan.

Katsuragawa won on the DP World Tour for the first time after winning the 72-hole event by three shots on 17-under 263.

Sebastian Söderberg finished alone in second place, two shots clear of Marcel Schneider, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Ivan Cantero and Ryosuke Kinoshita

Katsuragawa won the €356,625.02 winner's share of the $2,250,000 purse.

ISPS Handa Championship Japan recap notes

Katsuragawa earned 20.7 Official World Golf Ranking points with the win, with the minimum point schedule removed from the Official World Golf Ranking.

There was a 36-hole cut, with 68 of 144 starting players finishing the event in the 18th completed event of the season.

Katsuragawa earned 500 Race to Dubai points as a DP World Tour member, with its season-long Race to Dubai points race well underway for 2023-2024.

The 2024 European Tour schedule continues next week with the 2024 Volvo China Open .

2024 ISPS Handa Championship Japan final leaderboard, results and prize money payouts

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LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka re-discovers swagger in final PGA Championship tune-up

After two rounds at LIV Golf’s event in Singapore, Koepka has restored his swagger and sits atop the leaderboard.

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Guess who has his swagger back.

Through 36 holes at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, Brooks Koepka holds a three-shot lead over Thomas Pieters and Adrian Meronk in LIV Golf’s seventh event of the season.

“Just kind of finding my own little swagger,” Koepka said after his Saturday 7-under 64.

“Pleased with the way I’ve played so far and just need to go another good round.”

In the weeks leading up to this tournament in Singapore, Koepka has not been at his best, outside of a recent 10th-place finish at LIV Golf Adelaide . He tied for 45th at Augusta National , a result he called an “embarrassment.”

“I think Augusta was a good wake-up call. I’ve had to really grind since then,” Koepka said.

“That really kicked things into overdrive for me. I really have had to put my nose down and grind a little bit harder. I even had to look my team in the eye and apologize. I’m not looking to do that again.”

The extra practice since then has paid off, as Koepka has played much better since his poor showing at the 2024 Masters .

He attributes this to his ball-striking, which has vastly improved.

“Ball-striking is finally starting to come around. The putter is heating up a little bit. I think that’s just due to seeing some better golf shots,” Koepka said.

“That’s kind of how it’s always worked for me. If I feel good striking it, you have a few more opportunities and a few more better looks. Instead of being 30 feet, it might be 15, which ups your chances tremendously. That plays a huge part, to be honest with you.”

Koepka’s first birdie of the round came at the par-5 4th, where the five-time major winner threaded a 3-wood through a set of palm trees and onto the green in two.

“It’s a bigger gap than people probably think,” Koepka said of that shot.

“I had to start it well right of the flag, so I felt confident I could start it somewhere on the green. It’s always a bigger gap than it looks.”

On the next hole, the signature hole at Sentosa, Koepka stuck an 8-iron to six feet and drained the putt. The soft conditions—thanks to a four-hour weather delay—allowed the field to attack every pin, and Koepka took full advantage.

Another birdie followed at the 6th hole, and suddenly, he sat at 8-under par and held a share of the lead.

Koepka settled down a bit after that, making six straight pars to remain at 8-under.

But more fireworks went off on the par-4 13th, one of the most challenging holes on the course. Koepka drained a 53-footer with nearly six feet of break to get to 9-under, which gave him all sorts of momentum.

On the next hole, Koepka nearly made an ace on the 180-yard par-3 and quickly got to 10-under.

Two more birdies followed on 16 and 18, the latter of which came thanks to a 20-foot make.

“I just wanted to go out and play good golf, and that’s all I want to do, especially leading into the PGA,” Koepka added.

Koepka is rounding into form at the right time, with the PGA Championship now only two weeks away. He will arrive at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, as the defending champion, looking to successfully defend a major title for the third time in his career.

But before he can fully focus on winning a fourth Wanamaker Trophy, Koepka has a job to finish in Singapore, where a fourth career LIV Golf victory is well within reach.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

Next Up In Golf

• Jordan Spieth misses cut, wayward drive off patron costs $20 at Byron Nelson
• Byron Nelson: 16-year-old Kris Kim stuns golf world, youngest to make cut since 2015
• Jim Furyk and legendary looper Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan officially part ways
• Jake Knapp putting Byron Nelson competitors to sleep with fiery round of golf
• LIV Golf: Anthony Kim finally has round to be proud of amid golf return
• LIV Golf: Phil Mickelson “being truthful,” drops stunning retirement bomb

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Hannah Green defends LPGA Tour title in Los Angeles after brilliant back-nine blitz

Sport Hannah Green defends LPGA Tour title in Los Angeles after brilliant back-nine blitz

Hannah Green has continued her love affair with Wilshire Golf Club to successfully defend her LA Championship crown with one of the most commanding displays of the year.

Australia's former major champion produced a brilliant back-nine blitz to close with a five-under-par 66 and blow away the field in the shadows of Los Angeles' iconic Hollywood hills backdrop.

With a five-under stretch in five holes, Green finished with a 12-under 272 total, three strokes clear of in-form Swede Maja Stark (68).

Green stretched her streak to 16 consecutive sub-par rounds at the course to slam the door shut on her chasers.

"It's really kind to me. I love it here," she said.

In adding to her HSBC Women's World Champions success in Singapore last month, Green joins rampant world No.1 Nelly Korda as only the second player to notch multiple LPGA Tour victories in 2024.

"To obviously already win in Singapore and then win here this week, I hope that I can get closer to my goal being in the top 10 in the world and solidify my spot in the Olympics," the Perth prodigy said.

Green will climb from world No.18 to the cusp of the top 10, as well as soar to third in the season-long points standings behind five-time winner Korda and New Zealand's Lydia Ko.

The 27-year-old also joins greats Karrie Webb (41), Jan Stephenson (16) Minjee Lee (10) and Rachel Hetherington (eight) as only the fifth Australian to win at least five times on the LPGA Tour.

After starting the day sharing the lead with compatriot Grace Kim, Green quickly established a two-shot advantage on the very first hole.

Green's birdie and Kim's bogey left Green with the outright lead, and she retained it all afternoon despite a strong challenge coming from Stark.

Runner-up to Korda at last week's Chevron Championship, the year's first major, Stark was just one shot back after making birdies on the seventh and 13th holes as Green toiled mid-round with seven straight pars.

But a chip-in birdie on the par-3 12th broke the shackles for Green, who picked up another shot on 13 to nudge two strokes clear.

"When I chipped in on 12, I kind of felt like I really snagged one there," she said.

"So I knew what I needed to do to do. I made it really easy on myself so I'm really grateful."

Stark received a huge break on the 15th when her bunker shot clattered into the pin and stopped dead for an easy birdie when a bogey looked more likely.

Green, though, more than held her nerve — she hit the go button with a spectacular eagle three on 15, followed by a fourth birdie of the day on 16.

In collecting a cheque for $US562,500 ($A858,700), the West Australian crashed through the $US5 million ($A7.6 million) career prize money earnings.

While Green rejoiced, Kim's horror weekend continued with a demoralising six-over 77 to slump to a share of 25th.

The 23-year-old had been four shots clear at the halfway point and on track to capture a second LPGA Tour title.

Instead Kim was reduced to a putting wreck, unable to fashion a single birdie all weekend and racking up nine bogeys and a double.

Despite her disappointment, classy Kim was the first to shower her triumphant playing partner with champagne on the 18th green.

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2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson leaderboard, scores: Jake Knapp in position for win No. 2 as Jordan Spieth misses cut

The pga tour rookie could become just the second player this season to win multiple times.

A PGA Tour rookie looks for victory No. 2 heading into the weekend at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Jake Knapp takes a one-stroke lead over Matt Wallace and Troy Merritt into the second half of this tournament at 14 under after back-to-back rounds of 7-under 64. The Mexico Open winner has carded 15 birdies against just one dropped shot through his first 36 holes.

Although a rookie by name, Knapp should be comfortable in the spotlight over the next two days. He acquitted himself nicely in his breakthrough victory at Vidanta Vallarta in late February and should put this experience in contention to good use.

"Yeah, I feel comfortable," Knapp said. "You know, I've been there before. Even Farmers was around the lead and Cognizant was around the lead there. Courses like this where scores are going to be low, you don't worry too much about what other guys are doing. You try to make a bunch of birdies. You know, it's a course that fits me well, so if I just keep doing the things I'm doing, I'll be in a good spot."

Despite his silky smooth swing and effortless speed, Knapp has struggled since the Cognizant Classic, where he finished T4 the week following his win. He has failed to collect a top-40 result in his last five tournaments, but that may be chalked up to experiencing a number of firsts.

Coming into the year without major championship exemptions and status in signature events, Knapp changed all that in February. Since then, he has endured a busy two months by playing in the PGA Tour's flagship event, a couple of signature events, and even making the cut in his Masters debut.

"I think I just got a little tired," Knapp said. "I think, mentally, it was just a lot going on, and I wouldn't say necessarily life changing, just everything got busier and days got longer. It was just a bit of an adjustment. Didn't feel like I had the same energy throughout the day in some of those weeks, which was kind of a bummer. Decided to take last week off and give myself a good reset at home and work on some things I've been struggling with, and feel like it's working out this week so far."

Although a win on Sunday wouldn't be a personal first, it would make Knapp the first rookie since Xander Schauffele in 2017 to win multiple times on the PGA Tour. He'd also join Scottie Scheffler as the only other player to win more than once so far this season, which is pretty good company for a rookie in the year 2024.

1. Jake Knapp (-14)

Even though Knapp's game has dipped a little over the last two months, his iron play has not. The approach play is carrying him thus far; he gained north of five strokes with his irons through two rounds and shows no signs of slowing down. Combined with his length with the big stick, Knapp's long game will put ample pressure on his pursuers to keep tacking on birdies on what will be a wet and accessible TPC Craig Ranch. 

Long range birdie 🐦 @KnappTime_LTD reclaims the lead @CJByronNelson . pic.twitter.com/FcLQl5iBPq — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 3, 2024

Other contenders

T2. Matt Wallace, Troy Merritt (-13) 4. Kelly Kraft (-12) T5. Keith Mitchell, Taylor Pendrith,Davis Riley (-11) T8. S.H. Kim, Taiga Semikawa, Aaron Rai, Alex Noren, Keith Mitchell, Ben Kohles (-10) T13. Nick Dunlap, Si Woo Kim, K.H. Lee, Zach Johnson, Adam Schenk, Byeong Hun An and five others (-9)

There are names at that 9-under number, including Dunlap, Kim and two-time tournament winner Lee, but Johnson is an interesting inclusion. The 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup captain hasn't enjoyed the nicest couple of months after missing three straight individual cuts, lowlighted by the Masters, where he went viral for something not related to his game. Still, in his 500th PGA Tour start, the two-time major champion is in the thick of it and credits a hard-hat mentality for digging him out of the hole.

"I tell you, this is going to sound, well, cliché, but also my game has been good; I just haven't season results," Johnson said. "Very frustrated with lack of finishes. I've worked hard. My sole focus mid-to late fall last year to now has just been just, for lack of a better term, working in the dirt, and I believe my best golf is still coming. Whether it's this week or the next or the following, wherever it may be, I'm still so engrained in that process that I just have to remain patient. It's coming. The last two days were really good."

For his 500th career @PGATour start, the red pants, aka the salesmanship club, gifted Zach Johnson this cowboy hat. Giddyup! pic.twitter.com/t2yA6oQIqB — Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) May 3, 2024

Si Woo's scorcher

Last year's runner-up and one of this year's favorite, Si Woo Kim, was on the outside looking in for most of his second round. On the wrong side of the cut number, the South Korean needed a massive finish to secure a weekend tee time. He stood at 2 under for the tournament with 10 holes to play and got to 3 under courtesy of a birdie on his ninth hole, the par-5 18th. Kim remained on this number before rattling off five straight birdies and a closing eagle over his last six holes to play them in a 7-under fashion. He not only played himself into the weekend, but he played himself back into this golf tournament at 9 under.

Si Woo Kim’s last six holes: Birdie Birdie Birdie Birdie Birdie Eagle He jumped from T75 to T6 @CJByronNelson . pic.twitter.com/ud38j3UCKP — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 3, 2024

Jordan Spieth sent packing early

Between the withdrawals of Will Zalatoris and Sungjae Im before the tournament and now a missed cut from Spieth, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson will be without some star power over the weekend. Spieth opened his tournament with back-to-back darts on Thursday but was unable to recapture the magic with his approach play over the next 34 holes. He played the par 5s poorly, looked uncomfortable with certain lies in the fairway and never got running down hill. Spieth's nagging wrist injury does nothing to help, but it's clear there's a lack of quality in his game at the moment. In his last 8 starts, Spieth has: 

2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson updated odds and picks

Odds via Sportsline consensus

• Jake Knapp: 18/5
• Matt Wallace: 7-1
• Keith Mitchell: 10-1
• Troy Merritt: 14-1
• Alex Noren: 16-1
• Taylor Pendrith: 18-1
• Davis Riley: 18-1
• Si Woo Kim: 20-1

Let's go off the beaten path and rock with Ben Griffin at 55-1. He has been hitting his irons great so far this week and looks to have turned the corner on the greens after a poor putting performance on Thursday. He sits five behind Knapp, which leads little room for error, but Griffin's number still looks a touch inflated.

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