A quiet start to empty week at Augusta National for Masters
Instead of Augusta National members and their guests, the course was filled Monday with Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth, all of them playing a practice round on a course that only looked the same. The COVID-19 pandemic that shut down golf for three months forced a reconfigured major championship schedule unlike any other, particularly at the Masters. "The things that will be the same is it still means the same to us all, and maybe even more so because we return to Augusta National every year. This is the Augusta National hardly anyone gets to see. When it means going to Augusta National to get ready for the Masters — April, November, doesn't matter — it takes the sting off.
Sergio Garcia birdies final hole to win in Mississippi
“The perfect ending for an amazing week,” Garcia said. That set the target, and Garcia needed his two big shots to catch and then beat him. The 5-wood from 260 yards on the 14th hole hit the top collar of the bunker, hopped onto the fringe and rolled out close to the hole. Malnati had four birdies on the front nine and then began the back nine with three straight birdies. Except for a great shot by Garcia on the final hole, it was almost good enough for a playoff.
Garcia tied for lead going into final round in Mississippi
He was the first to post at 14-under 202, a lead that held until Garcia caught him, and J.T. He also is enjoying himself, even when putts that look like they're going in stay out. “We love to make every putt we look at — or not look at, in this case — but we know that's not going to happen,” Garcia said. Staked to a two-shot lead going into the weekend, he had three bogeys on the front nine before he hit a hybrid from 255 yards to 15 feet for an egle on the 11th hole. Not since that 2017 Masters has he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour.
Bradley leads by 2 shots going into weekend in Mississippi
18 during the second round of the Sanderson Farms Championship golf tournament in Jackson, Miss., Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. – Keegan Bradley likes the way he's putting. In his debut in the Sanderson Farms Championship, Bradley made three straight birdies on the back nine to take the lead and closed with another short birdie putt to take a two-shot lead over J.T. What a great day, and I'm bringing a lot to the weekend that I'm happy about.”It hasn't been much fun in the last year for Bradley, who won the PGA Championship as a rookie. Chappell shot 40 on the back nine and had to settle for a 72, leaving him five shots back.
Steele takes 1-shot lead at midpoint of The Honda Classic
Steele shot a 3-under 67 on Friday, getting to 5 under for the week and putting himself a shot clear of J.T. This is Steele’s ninth time playing the Honda and the first time he’s ended any round at PGA National with the lead. I don't feel like it's a course you can just jump out your first time and have it nailed. ... Michael Thompson’s record streak of Honda rounds without a ball in the water on the Bear Trap is over. Thompson put his tee ball on the par-3 15th in the water, his first such mistake in 30 Honda rounds at PGA National.