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LEE WESTWOOD

Garcia comes up aces on a frenetic Friday at Match Play

Already the most fickle event in golf, the Dell Technologies Match Play on Friday was an endless frenzy. “You just never know what can happen out there," Billy Horschel said after beating Max Homa on the third playoff hole. 64 seed in Match Play history to make it to the weekend. 60 seed, while Erik van Rooyen (62) advanced by beating Daniel Berger with a par on the second playoff hole. The eight playoffs to decide group winners broke the previous mark of five in 2017 since group play began six yeas ago.

Wise takes three-shot lead at midway point of Honda Classic

Wise shot his second straight 6-under 64 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead into the weekend at the Honda Classic. The 128 total is the lowest 36-hole score at PGA National since the tournament moved there 15 years ago — and marks the first 36-hole lead of Wise’s PGA Tour career. Wise birdied the last to finish off the 64, the eighth round of 64 or lower surrendered by PGA National this week. He opened with a 69, then shot 62 — the fourth score that low in Honda history at PGA National — Friday. Jones (61), Wise (64) and Russell Henley (64) had the 64s or better Thursday; Hagy, Ryder, Wise, Brice Garnett (64) and Stewart Cink (64) had them Friday.

Matt Jones ties course record with 61 in Honda Classic

Matt Jones of Australia hits from the 18th tee during the first round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Thursday, March 18, 2021, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Jones tied the course record at PGA National with a 9-under 61. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Matt Jones’ opening round at the Honda Classic was remarkable. Jones tied the course record Thursday on a typically windy day at PGA National with a bogey-free 9-under 61 giving him a three-shot lead. “I was just managing the golf course and hitting good shots,” Jones said. And Hunter Mahan had a six-hole stretch in which he made, in order, eagle, bogey, bogey, triple bogey, bogey, birdie.

Match Play field set with possibilities that remain for more

Then, Brian Harman shot 69 to tie for third at The Players Championship and went from No. Most curious is the case of Gary Woodland, the former U.S. Open champion and a Match Play finalist in 2015. Under the PGA Tour guidelines, he has to self-isolate for 10 days. THE BOUNCEIt didn’t take Collin Morikawa long to learn how to win on the PGA Tour. A year later, he won a playoff over Justin Thomas at Muirfield Village and a major at the PGA Championship.

Thomas lives on edge and rallies to win Players Championship

Thomas took on every shot in The Players Championship, right down to the 5-wood that rode the edge of the lake down the left side of the 18th fairway, and closed with a 4-under 68 for a one-shot victory over Lee Westwood. He won for the seventh straight year, his 14th career title, and became only the fourth player to win a major, The Players Championship, the FedEx Cup and a World Golf Championship. “This week was huge to win a big championship like this in front of fans again, which is incredible. Thomas was four shots behind when he walked off the green on the par-3 eighth with a three-putt bogey. He was outside the cut line after nine holes Friday, made it with two shots to spare and then tied The Players Championship record with a 12-under 132 weekend.

Westwood leads at Sawgrass, gets another shot at DeChambeau

That's how it was last week at Bay Hill, when DeChambeau came from one shot behind to beat Westwood with a par on the final hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Westwood, who turns 48 next month, no longer has to go up a few classes to face DeChambeau, golf's fearsome heavyweight. Also four shots behind was Brian Harman, who began his day by holing a wedge for eagle and shot 69. DeChambeau can't blast away at Sawgrass because of the bending tree-lined fairways and water hazards. He also knows from recent experience — seven days ago — that it might not be easy the way Westwood is playing.

Ponte Vedra Beach resident Cameron Smith leads local golfers at Players on Saturday

Cameron Smith, who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, had a 7-under 65 during the third round of The Players. We take a look at the golfers with south Georgia and north Florida ties entering the final round of The Players. Cameron Smith of Ponte Vedra Beach had the best Saturday among the local golfers. Billy Horschel, Ponte Vedra BeachThe former University of Florida golfer carded a 1-under 71 on Saturday, his second 71 of the tournament. Tyler McCumber, Ponte Vedra BeachThe Nease High and University of Florida graduate, and son of 1988 Players winner, Mark, fired his second even-par 72 of the tournament.

Better with age? Westwood takes lead at Players Championship

Westwood, who turns 48 next month, played well enough to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week at Bay Hill except that DeChambeau was one shot better in a fascinating duel of generations on a course that favors power. Ad“I think to compete in any of these tournaments against the best players in the world, you can’t have any weaknesses in your game,” Westwood said. "I wouldn’t be able to say I’m doing this better or that better. His 36-hole total of 154 was his highest ever in his 11 appearance at The Players Championship. AdFour players from the top 10 in the world missed the cut — Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Tyrrell Hatton and Webb Simpson, whose hopes ended with one of 13 balls in the water at the island-green 17th.

Big finish sends Garcia to big lead at Players Championship

Garcia thought he had plenty of time to get from the range to the 10th tee to start his round. Then he fired off a 7-under 65, capped off by a birdie-birdie-eagle finish for a two-shot lead over Brian Harman. AdWhen darkness brought the first round to a halt — 21 players didn't finish — there already were 13 scores of 80 or higher. “For some reason, it just kind of fits my eye,” said Garcia, who won The Players in 2008 and has twice been runner-up. British Open champion Shane Lowry took bogey on his final hole for a 68 and was tied with Corey Conners and Matt Fitzpatrick.

DeChambeau outlasts Westwood with big drives, big putts

He holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole to regain a share of the lead. Westwood tied him with a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-5 12th, only to give it back with a three-putt on the 14th. DeChambeau took the one-shot lead to the 18th and hit his most important drive of the day — in the fairway. DeChambeau's birdie putt slid by some 5 feet and he shook his arms in celebration when the par putt dropped. With a bogey on the final hole, he shot 74 to finish alone in third.

Westwood has career-low at Bay Hill and takes 1-shot lead

He might not be able to contemplate driving a par 5 — that sideshow Saturday at Bay Hill belonged to Bryson DeChambeau. You've got to be top 50 in the world,” Westwood said. He grabbed the lead by holing a 30-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole (DeChambeau made birdie) and a 30-foot birdie putt on the closing hole (DeChambeau made par) to reach 11-under 205. Conners, who started the third round with a one-shot lead, could only manage a 71 on a cool, breezy day at Bay Hill with only a few drops of rain. Sunday was shaping up as another thriller at Bay Hill.

PGA Tour's top 2 rules officials retiring after long careers

White’s father was a stickler for the rules, and White thought he knew them well when he decided to join the PGA Tour. His most memorable ruling was among the more famous on the PGA Tour. Also, Mike Peterson, Pete Lis and Jordan Harris are moving from the Korn Ferry Tour to the PGA Tour as rules officials. The tour said that became the top-performing tweet for the PGA Tour, also surpassing the Masters graphic. Im then finished out his year by flying to Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship on the European Tour.

Morikawa, Reed bid to become America's first European No 1

Collin Morikawa hasn’t hit a golf shot in Europe this year. On Sunday, the American could be crowned as European No. “There’s a lot in between now and Sunday that has to happen,” Morikawa said Wednesday, “but winning the Race to Dubai would mean a lot because I want my game to travel. Such are the many strands and quirks to a European Tour season that has become very global in recent years. Reed leads the Race to Dubai standings with 2,427.7 points heading into the 38th and final event of a European Tour season like no other.