For Sam Burns, it was another painful case of 'so close yet so far' at the US Open on Sunday.

The 29-year-old finished one stroke back of champion Wyndham Clark despite posting three-under for the week at Shinnecock Hills and starting the final round seven behind.

Although there was obvious disappointment this time around, Burns' runner-up finish saw him become the only player to have ended inside the top-10 at each of the past three US Opens.

Speaking after, a crestfallen Burns admitted he remained proud of the way he fought to even give himself a chance of victory.

Burns said: "I would say last year at Oakmont I felt more I lost the golf tournament. I certainly don't feel that way today.

"I think I did my best, and I did everything I could to have a chance to win today. Like I said, I started the day seven shots back.

"That's very difficult to overcome, especially someone who is playing as well as Wyndham has been playing. That was really the difference today.

"If I would have been a little bit closer and maybe could have got ahead of him at some point, I think there could have been a different outcome possibly, but at the end of the day, he played amazing, and it was his week. You got to tip your cap to him."

One stroke was as close as Burns came to the lead at Shinnecock Hills, but he had chances to pull alongside the leader - none bigger than a birdie putt on the 18th green from 17 feet which was no more than a few dimples on a golf ball away from dropping.

Burns' reaction at the time was telling. He instinctively cast his putter out in front of him and wore an agonized expression on his face as he fell down to the ground.

Speaking after, he said: "To have the chance on 18, I really thought I made that putt. I hit it exactly how I wanted with the speed I wanted and just didn't go in, but really proud of the way we played today."

The Louisiana native knew that was the moment, if he had any chance of righting the wrongs from Oakmont in 2025.

12 months before, Burns was widely regarded as the victim of a bad break at a sodden Oakmont, with his ball appearing to be sat in standing water following a deluge of rain - but no free drop was forthcoming. From there, Burns ended T7th as JJ Spaun made history.

Having put that difficult day behind him, the five-time PGA Tour winner was excellent in Southampton last week but just ran out of steam when his usually white-hot putter cooled at the key moment.

Revealing his game plan throughout the final round, Burns said: "I think to start the day, I really wanted to try to get to four or five [under]. I thought that's what it would take.

"Then once I three-putted 15, I felt like I needed at least one or two on the last three holes. I holed the put on 16, which was nice, and then hit a really good shot in there on 17 and just a terrible read and not a very good putt.

"But, you know, to Wyndham's credit, he played amazing all week. That was really impressive golf that he played the first three rounds.

"Even [on Sunday], I mean, I know he shot, whatever, a couple over par, but it was playing really difficult this afternoon. You know, he did the right things when he needed to. He's a well-deserved champion."

Clark's reward for clinching a second US Open title was a surprise appearance from his dad Randall on Father's Day. It was a sweet moment and brought a tear to the eye of many onlookers.

It was also a scenario that Burns would have given anything to experience himself, with his own dad watching on with baited breath.

Regardless of his son's near miss, Todd Burns hugged his tearful son afterwards and told him he was proud - a prize surely greater than any Major championship.

Addressing the moment in his press conference, an emotional Burns wiped away tears as he spoke about seeing his dad post-round.

He said: "Yeah, he just said he was really proud. Sorry (tearing up). Just said he was proud, and I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father's Day, but I know he's proud.

"Yeah, I mean, I think it's one of the reasons we work so hard and practice as hard as we do to have chances at winning golf tournaments. It's just not very often we have a chance to win a major on a Father's Day.

"I think just the weight of that and knowing what that memory could have been like, it would have been really special."

Sam Burns is not the biggest, most glamorous name on the PGA Tour, and he's unlikely to be anyone's top pick for any given event. But, he's most certainly a talented golfer.

His performance at the US Open 2026 proved just that, as does his incredible hot streak through 2021 and 2022 where he won four of his five career titles.

That included back-to-back Valspar Championship wins, as well as the Sanderson Farms Championship and the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Things had been a little quieter for Burns until he turned up at Shinnecock Hills this summer, and he's sure to get a bit more attention now.

But, who are the people behind the scenes pushing the 29-year-old in the right direction? Let's get to know team Sam Burns.

Sam Burns' Caddie - Travis Perkins

Burns and his caddie, Travis Perkins, have worked together throughout the entirety of his professional career.

Perkins has been on the bag with the world no. 30 since 2019, but in the past, he worked with the likes of D.A. Points, Scott Piercy, and Aaron Wise.

He wasn't always a caddie, though. Perkins was a great golfer himself back in the day, coming through at Florida Southern College before earning a PGA Tour card of his own in 2008.

Sam Burns' Wife - Caroline Burns

Burns and his wife Caroline are childhood sweethearts and have been together a long time, having met in their hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana.

They started dating during their freshman year at Louisiana State University and got married in 2019. The couple have a young son, named Bear, who was born in 2024.

The pair actually met when they were just five years old, having crossed paths in church. It wasn't until they reconnected at college that the relationship took a romantic turn.

Now, the couple are close friends with Scottie Scheffler and his wife, Meredith. Burns and Scheffler came up together in the junior and collegiate golf circuit and have remained close ever since. The respective families often vacation together, while the golfers share accomodation when they travel on the Tour.

Sam Burns' Swing Coach - Brad Pullin

Interestingly, Sam Burns does not have a putting coach or any other kind of coach aside from Brad Pullin who is his dedicated coach across all elements of his play.

Pullin is the Director of Golf and Instruction at Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, Louisiana. He is also the assistant coach for the Louisiana Tech Bulldog Golf team.

Burns has worked with Pullin since his time at Louisiana State University.

During his time helping Burns, Pullin has put a particular focus on keeping the golf swing wide and ensuring the club head remains outside his hands to avoid an over-the-top swing plane.

Sam Burns is only 29 but he is now a highly experienced pro with almost 200 starts on the PGA Tour since joining the paid ranks in 2017.

In that time, the man from Shreveport has won five titles on the US circuit including a WGC, and he has grown into a genuine Major contender in recent years.

The pro, who is considered to be one of the world's best putters, has also made two appearances for the USA in the Ryder Cup and two in the Presidents Cup.

All of that experience and success comes with a lot of money, and his career has been very lucrative so far.

Since joining the PGA Tour in 2017, Burns has earned in excess of $35m, with five consecutive seasons over $5m in official money. He also won $296,534 on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018.

His best season to date was 2022-23 when he picked up $7.19m to be the PGA Tour's 18th-highest earner.

That was the year he won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, defeating Cameron Young 6&5 in the final to win a mammoth $3.5m - which remains the biggest paycheck of his career.

Burns also picked up around $2.5m in the 2025 FedEx Cup Playoffs, where he finished 7th, and another $990,000 for his 9th-place finish in 2023.

FedEx Cup bonus money does not count in the official total, though, and neither do his endorsement earnings.

Burns has sponsors including Callaway Golf, Mastercard, ADP, RBC, NetJets, Raising Cane's, Peter Millar and Payntr Golf.

So with in excess of $35m in 'official' PGA Tour earnings, a few million extra via FedEx Cup bonuses and a strong list of sponsors, it's safe to say Burns' total career earnings are likely over $50m.

Sam Burns career earnings

Turning professional in 2017, Sam Burns has enjoyed a strong rise through the ranks that includes five PGA Tour wins and two US Ryder Cup appearances.

Along with turning professional that year, he also signed a deal with Callaway to use the brand's clubs, golf ball, bag and glove, with Burns continuing to do so ever since.

Check out his full what's in the bag below...

Driver

Previously, Burns had been using the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S from 2023 but, at the start of 2026, he changed to the brand new Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond.

One of the best Callaway drivers on the market, something Burns hasn't changed is his driver shaft, which is the Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 TX.

Fairway Wood

Like the driver, Burns has moved into the Callaway Triple Diamond fairway wood, with it featuring a 15° head that is adjusted slightly to sit at 16°.

Once again, the golf shaft in his 3-wood hasn't changed either, as the 29-year-old remains in the Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 75 TX.

Hybrid/Utility Wood

The Callaway Apex UW has been in-and-out Burns' bag for some time but, at his most recent start in 2026, the club was back in the bag.

Mixing the performance of a fairway wood and hybrid, this versatile option is set at 21° and features a Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X shaft.

Utility Iron

If Burns doesn't use his Callaway Apex UW he will be using his Callaway X-Forged UT utility iron, which is set at 21° and possesses a Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 X shaft.

Irons

Burns had been using Callaway TCB irons but, at the start of 2026, he changed to Apex MB, with it appearing to be prototype model.

Featuring minimal looks, with only a small Callaway logo on the back of the club, the 4-iron to pitching wedge set-up has remained, as have the Project X 6.5 shafts.

Wedges

Once again, Burns has made a significant change in his set-up for 2026, introducing Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges that are 50°, 56° and 60°.

Previously, he had the SM10 in the same loft configuration, but moved to the newer model at the start of the season. Shaft-wise, True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue are in-play for all three models.

Putter

Ranked as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, Burns has been using an Odyssey Ai-One #7 SB flatstick for some time, with the fang-shaped design providing plenty of forgiveness on off-center strikes.

Golf Ball

Like many Callaway staffer, Burns uses the Callaway Chrome Tour X, which is one of the best premium golf balls money can buy.

Apparel/Shoes

In terms of apparel and footwear, Burns wears Peter Millar clothing and PAYNTR Golf shoes, with the American moving to both brands at the start of 2026.

Sam Burns WITB: Full Specs

Late on in the US Open final round at Oakmont, 54-hole leader Sam Burns found the very right edge of the fairway down the par-4 15th following a 298-yard drive.

However, when he reached his ball, the Louisiana-born pro noticed there was casual water in the area following a significant downpour which affected the area and caused the championship to be delayed by over 90 minutes a couple of hours earlier.

Despite the best efforts of the dedicated green staff and course volunteers, Oakmont was at the very limit of what it could soak up and the continuous showers were threatening to force a Monday finish.

Following the restart, which saw Burns and playing partner Adam Scott begin on the mammoth par-3 eighth, players were regularly being allowed free drops if their ball or stance was in an area of casual (or temporary) water.

Scott was twice allowed to move his golf ball around the turn while eventual winner, JJ Spaun was the beneficiary of a free drop on more than one occasion on Sunday.

However, a particularly controversial denial arose involving Burns at the aforementioned 15th. Once the World No.22 reached his ball, which was 205 yards from the pin, he noticed splashes of water flicking up by his feet.

Burns took a number of practice swings near the landing spot which also lapped water up off the surface of the saturated fairways.

Believing he might be able to earn a free drop, Burns consulted one official but was turned down. The American asked for a second opinion but was also informed he would have to play his ball in its natural condition.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Burns' ball shot left in the air and landed in the thick, juicy rough 50 feet from the hole. Unable to conjure up a miracle recovery, Burns walked away with a double bogey which greatly harmed his chances of a maiden Major victory given he was tied for the lead moments earlier.

Possibly feeling aggrieved by the decision, Burns bogeyed two of his final three holes to finish at four-over for the championship and in a tie for seventh.

A video on X from Normal Sport's Kyle Porter showed the scene shortly after and proved just how close to the surface casual water was.

Following his round, Burns explained the situation from his point of view. He said: "Yeah, that fairway slopes left to right. That's kind of the low part of the fairway there. When I walked into it, clearly you could see water coming up.

"Took practice swings and it's just water splashing every single time. Called a rules official over, they disagreed. I looked at it again. I thought maybe I should get a second opinion. That rules official also disagreed. At the end of the day, it's not up to me, it's up to the rules official. That's kind of that.

"From that point, Travis and I said, Look let's focus on the shot, try to execute. I did the best I could. I was 100 percent locked in on what I was trying to do. Ultimately, it felt like the water just kind of got in the way, and I went left. It is what it is."

Obviously, Burns was disappointed at the decision from USGA officials, with a handful of TV commentators and analysts also confused at the call. But what do you, the golf fans, think? Here's a selection of comments from our Facebook followers...

"Either way, once the first ruling was made, the second official was never going to overrule the first officials ruling. My opinion was that you could practice swing on most of the fairway and get water flying up, so i knew he wasn’t getting relief."

"Shooter McGavin had to play the ball off of Frankensteins fat foot so…"

"If normal foot pressure brings water to surface, it’s casual water. Clear as a bell."

"They said that you actually have to see standing water. I didn't see any. I know it was wet, but there was no standing water that you could see."

"That’s golf."

"Unlucky, no. Robbed, yes."

"Bad call by the official. If I can see the puddle on tv, that man needs glasses."

"Casual water should have been the rule yes he should have gotten a drop."

"You could see his footprints and how wet it was, and see the amount of water when he ticked the grass. Absolutely the worst call in the [US] Open. Other players got relief from mud not even casual water."

"The champion is the one that shows grit and mental toughness. JJ Spaun up at 03:00 with a sick daughter on the last day, then hit the flag and instead of a 6 foot putt finds himself 49 yards back in the fairway, then hit a rake and it bounces into an impossible lie. Awesome attitude and resilience. The CHAMPION won!"

"Watching the water fly off his club on the practice swing was crazy. What did they expect was going to happen when he actually took a divot. The announcers called it immediately that he should get relief from there."

"He had no chance on that shot. that was standing water. If you’ve ever tried to hit a ball out of standing water, you know that it’s nearly impossible.. and that neck shot and that double bogey ended his tournament because of the poor ruling."

"Tough ruling but if he strikes the ball better after it all works out. He put a snappy/chunky pull hook stroke on the ball - probably because his head was back on the ruling."

"If he was that unsure, pitch it out, hit it close with your 3rd, take your par. Go to the next."

"Watch practice swing! Clearly standing water! But that did not lose him the tournament. 8 over par lost him the tourney!"

"Rub of the green, as it were."

"Two officials said no. You have to go with that. As he stood addressing the ball, I did not see him standing in a pool of water. That is not a bad break. The guy that had a bad break was JJ Spaun when he hit the flagstick from 120 years and the ball rolled 50 yards away from the hole."

"From the camera I saw there was no standing water, two officials agreed. Just because water comes up on the practice swing, doesn’t mean it’s too wet."

"The swing he made was worse than the ruling."

"No, might not like the rule but it clearly says "It is not enough for the ground to be merely wet, muddy or soft or for the water to be momentarily visible as you step on the ground; an accumulation of water must remain present either before or after your stance is taken."

"Luck has nothing to do with it…it is what it is. There is the rule and there is what people think the rule is…to meet the rule it has to meet the whole standard of the rule. Let me assure you and every other troll out there, if you are a USGA rules official within a mile of the final pairing on Sunday at a US Open, you will forget more about the actual rule book than most golfers will ever know."

What do you think about Sam Burns' failed drop request at the US Open? Tell us in the comments section at the bottom of this article.

The 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most difficult on the PGA Tour, with the 450-yard par 4 providing an intimidating finish from beginning to end.

With water left of the fairway, the bail out is to the right but, this doesn't mean you're safe, with out of bounds lurking, along with many trees. In the case of Sam Burns, who was sat on the one-under-par cutline number, he would need a par to the make the weekend of the $25 million event.

Fanning his tee shot to the right, Burns was left just a few feet from the hospitality tent and, after the debacle of moving fans out of the way, the American was eventually faced with a shot over the trees some 150-yards away!

Playing at +0.280, the 18th hole has ranked as the second hardest hole all week and, with a par needed, Burns somehow pulled out a miraculous shot that just finished short of the green. His work wasn't done there though...

Now short-sided and with the ball above his feet in thick rough, the Ryder Cup star was faced with a tough up-and-down to make it into the weekend. Burns though, is one of the more laid-back characters on the PGA Tour and, after opening up the face of his wedge, he played a stunning chip to near gimme range to relax the situation.

Rolling in the putt for par, the six-time PGA Tour winner made the cut at TPC Sawgrass for a third consecutive year but will need two big rounds to force himself up the leaderboard at The Players Championship. Burns can take some confidence from his 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge victory, where he overcame a seven stroke deficit on the final day to win. This matched Nick Price in 1994 for largest comeback in a final round to win at Colonial Country Club.

After Hideki Matsuyama claimed $4m for his win at the third of the PGA Tour’s signature events of 2024, the Genesis Invitational, it’s back to a regular event this week with the Mexico Open at Vidanta Vallarta.

As a result, many of the world’s best players have opted not to head south from LA, while the prize fund of $8.1m if significantly lower than the $20m available at the Riviera Country Club tournament.

Despite that, there is still an eye-catching first prize on offer, with the winner set to claim $1.458m – over half of the entire purse of $2.5m for the other big men’s tournament taking place this week, the Magical Kenya Open on the DP World Tour.

The purse is also $400,000 higher than the 2023 edition of the tournament, when Tony Finau held off the challenge of Jon Rahm to win $1.386m. This week’s runner-up will have the consolation of an $882,900 payday. There are also 500 FedEx Cup points for grabs.

Below is the full prize money payout for the 2024 Mexico Open at Vadanta Vallarta.

Mexico Open Prize Money Payout 2024

Who Are The Star Names In The Mexico Open?

Four of the world’s top 50 are competing at the tournament, including defending champion Tony Finau. Last year, the American beat Spaniard Jon Rahm to claim the trophy by three shots, and he will be confident of a similar outcome given he is the highest-ranked player in the field at World No.24.

Ten places beneath Finau in the rankings is Team Europe Ryder Cup player Nicolai Hojgaard, who is still looking for his maiden PGA Tour win. Will this be the occasion?

Emiliano Grillo, who won the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge, and Ryan Fox who was one of 10 DP World Tour players to secure PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season, also play.

Rahm, who won the title in 2022, is unavailable after signing LIV Golf, and that also applies to Mexico’s two best players, Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz, but there is a place in the field for another Mexican, 2021 winner Alvaro Ortiz, whose three-shot win came in the tournament’s last as a PGA Tour Latinoamerica event.

Eight-time DP World Tour winner Thorbjorn Olesen, another member of Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team, Robert MacIntyre, and Charley Hoffman, who finished runner up at the WM Phoenix Open, also play.

The 2023 RBC Canadian Open is set to get underway from Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this week. It’s not a Designated event like we’ve seen in recent weeks, like at the Memorial Tournament, but the RBC Canadian Open still has some big names in its field as we approach the PGA Tour’s third major at the U.S. Open next week. 

From a DFS perspective, Oakdale should cede birdies at a fairly high clip. There are three par 3s and three par 5s, while the greens tend to run on the smaller side of average, especially on the front nine compared to the back nine. Ball striking will continue to be a premium, as we’ve seen all year, with many doglegged fairways and lengthy par 4s with sand bunkers flanking its Bentgrass/Poa Annua greens. Bentgrass has been the primary putting surface at recent PGA Tour events, but it’s been pure Bentgrass, which runs up to 13 feet via the Stimpmeter. However, the mixed surface at Oakdale leads to a slightly reduced speed at 11.5 feet, which could create some tricky conditions when successfully navigating the greens.

Rory McIlroy is the back-to-back defending champion at this event, although his -19-under-par and 22-under-par winning scorecards came at different courses than Oakdale. We just saw McIlroy implode at Muirfield Village last weekend with a share of the lead on Sunday, but his name remains the outright betting favorite at 5/1 odds. Behind McIlroy are Tyrrell Hatton, Sam Burns, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Cameron Young to round out the top five, while other premier ball strikers like Justin Rose, Corey Conners, and Tommy Fleetwood aren’t far behind.

There aren’t as many superstar names as we’ve become accustomed to seeing at Designated events, but there is still more than enough value on this slate to acquire when constructing DFS lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. Let’s find out which six players I’m targeting and why ahead of Thursday’s opening round at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open from Oakdale Golf & Country Club. 

Before we get into our RBC Canadian Open DFS Picks and Targets, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 RBC Canadian Open selections this week.

DraftKings $50,000 Maximum Salary

Sam Burns ($10,500)

Sam Burns fared well at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, even though it was at a different course than Oakdale. The 26-year-old Louisiana native has three T16 or better finishes across his last five events, mixed in with two missed cuts. There’s a bit of risk, but Burns is a decent ball striker in strokes gained off-the-tee while brandishing his putter with confidence, as it ranks eighth in strokes gained putting. Burns has a great driver as well, which blends together to make him one of my favorite blue-chip prospects available on this slate. Plus, Burns ranks eighth in birdie or better conversion percentage at nearly 36 percent, so we can expect over a dozen birdies for the fourth time in Burns’ last six events played. Lock Burns into lineups with confidence.

Tommy Fleetwood ($9,600)

Tommy Fleetwood is undoubtedly one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour this season. While the Englishman is still searching for his first career outright win, Fleetwood logged three consecutive T20 finishes, including a T5 at Wells Fargo Championship, before missing the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge in his last outing. Due to the rare missed cut, we’re landing a discount on Fleetwood, who managed a T6 finish at the RBC Canadian Open during his last appearance at this event back in 2018. Fleetwood is ranked first in strokes gained around the green, 10th tee-to-green, and 37th approaching the green while also ranking inside the top 50 for strokes gained putting. He doesn’t tend to find greens in regulation but is 20th in scrambling, so don’t hesitate to grab Fleetwood at a decent value with his skill set projected to align nicely with the challenges at Oakdale this week.

Harry Hall ($7,600)

Harry Hall is another Englishman who put the PGA Tour on notice with his putting clinic at the Charles Schwab Challenge a couple of weeks ago. Since then, he’s taken a week off to rest and prepare for the RBC Canadian Open, where he’ll attempt to log his third T10 finish in five events. He is ranked 14th in strokes gained around the green, sixth in strokes gained putting, and 55th in scrambling. The driver and irons aren’t his best friend by any stretch, but Hall makes up for it with a 38th-ranked sand save percentage and a red-hot putter. In DFS, birdies are king, and Hall has collected 13 to 20 birdies in four of his past five events played. At just $7,600 on DraftKings, Hall is a great value to acquire in lineups.

FanDuel $60,000 Maximum Salary

Matt Fitzpatrick ($11,600)

The ball strikers continue to be priced highly in DFS, including Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the first RBC event of the season at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina earlier this Spring. Fitzpatrick is ranked 17th in total strokes gained, including 20th around the green, 32nd tee-to-green, 35th off-the-tee, and 34th putting. Plus, he’s also ranked 29th in total driving. He’s a great scrambler, which makes up for his inability to find greens in regulation while averaging 3.81 birdies this season. Fitzpatrick logged a T10 finish at this event in 2022, starting off six-under-par and closing out with three-under-par, so I like his game and how it fits at a precision course like Oakdale this week. Pay up to get Fitzpatrick into your FanDuel lineups. 

Mark Hubbard ($9,100)

I haven’t been prone to recommending Mark Hubbard this season, but there’s a first time for everything. Hubbard has quietly logged five T30 finishes or better in his last six outings, but he did implode, going +7 in the final round at the Memorial Tournament this past weekend. Hubbard is ranked 39th in strokes gained tee-to-green, 27th approaching the green, and 51st in strokes gained around the green. When Hubbard is hot, there’s no stopping him, as he ranks 16th in consecutive birdies streak while also ranking second in best YTD streak without a 3-putt. There’s a reason that Hubbard is only $9,100 on FanDuel, due to his inconsistent play with his driver and hitting greens in regulation, but we’re taking a chance on his upside in a field with less overall talent than we’ve seen in recent events. 

Carson Young ($8,500)

Carson Young is only six years into his PGA Tour career, but he’s been quietly stacking T20 finishes lately. The 28-year-old South Carolina native ranks first in consecutive fairways hit, which will be massive at Oakdale, where bluegrass rough is expected to measure over five inches to punish errant tee shots. Plus, Young is ranked 14th in putting from ten feet or less and 53rd with greens in regulation percentage at a 67.1 percent rate. His previous five finishes go T19, T15, MC, T14, and T21. Young is a huge value flying under the radar on DFS, as he’s only $8,500 on FanDuel, which makes him a quality salary-saving prospect to insert ahead of Thursday’s first round at Oakdale. 

FanDuel $60,000 Maximum Salary

Matt Fitzpatrick ($11,600)

The ball strikers continue to be priced higher in DFS, including Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the first RBC event of the season at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina earlier this Spring. Fitzpatrick is ranked 17th in total strokes gained, including 20th around the green, 32nd tee-to-green, 35th off-the-tee, and 34th putting. Plus, he’s also ranked 29th in total driving. He’s a great scrambler, which makes up for his inability to find greens in regulation while averaging 3.81 birdies this season. Fitzpatrick logged a T10 finish at this event in 2022, starting off six-under-par and closing out with three-under-par, so I like his game and how it fits at a precision course like Oakdale this week. Pay up to get Fitzpatrick into your FanDuel lineups. 

Mark Hubbard ($9,100)

I haven’t been prone to recommending Mark Hubbard this season, but there’s a first time for everything. Hubbard has quietly logged five T30 finishes or better in his last six outings, but he did implode, going +7 in the final round at the Memorial Tournament this past weekend. Hubbard is ranked 39th in strokes gained tee-to-green, 27th approaching the green, and 51st in strokes gained around the green. When Hubbard is hot, there’s no stopping him, as he ranks 16th in consecutive birdies streak while also ranking second in best YTD streak without a 3-putt. There’s a reason that Hubbard is only $9,100 on FanDuel, due to his inconsistent play with his driver and hitting greens in regulation, but we’re taking a chance on his upside in a field with less overall talent than we’ve seen in recent events. 

Carson Young ($8,500)

Carson Young is only six years into his PGA Tour career, but he’s been quietly stacking T20 finishes lately. The 28-year-old South Carolina native ranks first in consecutive fairways hit, which will be massive at Oakdale, where bluegrass rough is expected to measure over five inches to punish errant tee shots. Plus, Young is ranked 14th in putting from ten feet or less and 53rd with greens in regulation percentage at a 67.1 percent rate. His previous five finishes go T19, T15, MC, T14, and T21. Young is a huge value flying under the radar on DFS, as he’s only $8,500 on FanDuel, which makes him a quality salary-saving prospect to insert ahead of Thursday’s first round at Oakdale. 

The PGA Tour heads north to Canada for the RBC Canadian Open, which was first played in 1904, and has been the longest running tournament outside of the Open Championship and U.S. Open. The Canadian Open is a tournament with a ton of history, and it has been won by the likes of Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy, amongst others. The event has moved around on the schedule a fair amount before settling in early June, prior to the U.S. Open. 

It has moved around to a number of different golf courses as well, and has been hosted at Royal Montreal, Toronto Golf Club, Glen Abbey, Hamilton Golf Club, and most recently, St. George’s Golf and Country Club. We will however be presented with a never-before-seen venue for the 2023 event, Oakdale Golf Club. Despite the tough schedule spot, many of the PGA Tour’s top names, including Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Cameron Young, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Sam Burns, and Matt Fitzpatrick, will all be making the trek to just outside of Toronto. McIlroy will be looking to collect his third consecutive Canadian Open title, and fireworks are sure to ensure at one of the liveliest tournaments of the year.

Before we get into our picks for the RBC Canadian Open, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. We have teamed up with OddsChecker to ensure that you turn $6 into $400 worth of guaranteed bonuses, or you can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 RBC Canadian Open selections this week.

RBC Canadian: Course Preview

Oakdale Golf Club

Oakdale Golf Club was founded in 1926 when a group of Toronto businessmen purchased a farm north of Toronto. Oakdale hired famed Canadian designer Stanley Thompson to craft the initial nine holes, and he added another nine a few years later. Canadian designer Robbie Robinson added the final nine in 1957. In recent years, the property has been restored by Ian Andrew. While we have not seen any professional competition at Oakdale, we can certainly draw from last year’s Canadian Open at St. George’s, which was also designed by Stanley Thompson, with work done by Robbie Robinson and Ian Andrew as well. St. George’s is objectively a more challenging golf course than Oakdale, and Rory McIlroy was still able to get to 19 under par last year. 

Depending on weather conditions throughout the tournament, we should certainly prepare for our champion to be crowned at 20-under par or better. Oakdale is a par 72, measuring a touch over 7,300 yards on the scorecard, but it uniquely features just three par fives and three par threes. Oakdale features a large plurality of both very short and very long par fours, which has me honing in on both wedge and long iron play, while I will be more forgiving on middle irons. I will ultimately be looking for players that thrive in easy scoring conditions, are elite inside 100 yards, and can get extremely hot on the greens, particularly those with a preference for Bent-grass.

RBC Canadian Open Key Stats

• Proximity Inside 100 yards
• Birdies or Better Gained
• Bent-grass Putting

Memorial Tournament: Outright Winner

Shane Lowry (+2000) (Bet $100 to collect $2,100) BetMGM has the best Shane Lowry odds

I’ve been riding the Shane Lowry train often this year, and I’m unwilling to give up now as he continues to ball-strike at an elite level, and his putter is beginning to finally show signs of life as well. Lowry is coming off a 16th-place finish at the Memorial, where he gained two strokes off the tee and 3.3 strokes on approach. Lowry has now gained strokes off the tee in six straight starts and on approach in eight straight starts. Yet truly most important is that the flat-stick is improving as well. Lowry has now gained strokes putting in back-to-back starts for the first time since last summer. 

The putter will need to get going this week on a course where we should expect a 20-under par or lower champion, which would be my one concern with the former Open Champion. Yet Lowry ranks second in this field in opportunities gained, 14th in proximity inside 100 yards, and 11th in proximity 175-200 yards. The only player in this field that can consistently generate more birdie looks per round than Lowry is his Northern Irish countryman, Rory McIlroy, and it is also worth noting that Lowry finished 10th last year at the Stanley Thompson-designed St. George’s. There’s little doubt in my mind that Lowry will be there come Sunday afternoon in Toronto.

As you can see from OddsChecker's odds comparison above, Shane Lowry's odds range from +1800 to +2000. This means if you were to bet $100 on Lowry to win at FanDuel or DraftKings, you would be giving up $200 worth of additional profit you could make just from betting with BetMGM or Bet365!

Adrian Meronk (+5000) (Bet $100 to collect $5,100) Get the best Adrian Meronk odds at BetMGM

While I always have some doubts about how play on the DP World Tour will translate to PGA Tour success, it’s absolutely clear to me that Adrian Meronk is ready to win at this level. The three-time DP World Tour winner is coming off a fifth at the KLM Open, and before that, he finished 40th at the PGA Championship, where he gained 4.7 strokes off the tee and 2.4 strokes on approach. Meronk has gained over 4.5 strokes off the tee in three straight starts, and he has gained over seven strokes ball-striking in three straight starts as well. 

I have little concerns about his ability to keep up in a low-scoring affair, as Meronk recently won the Irish Open at 20-under par. I believe that his elite driving ability will provide him with a number of flip wedges on the short par fours and allow him to take full advantage of Oakdale Golf Club. His value in the betting markets is still more than fair, given his lack of sample size on this side of the pond, and this is the perfect breakthrough spot for the big-hitting Pole.

Once again, you can see the power of odds comparison. OddsChecker has flagged that Adrian Meronk is +4000 on FanDuel and DraftKings but +4500 at Bet365 and +5000 at BetMGM. Claim an additional $1000 in profit just by betting your $100 on BetMGM this week rather than other popular sportsbooks.

Rory McIlroy has been confirmed as one of the players who will be in attendance at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open. 

The Northern Irishman will tee it up alongside a list of huge names for the co-sanctioned event. 

Some of those will included World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time Major champion Justin Thomas and Olympic champion Xander Schauffele. 

Plenty of golfers from the UK and Ireland will also be in the field, with Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Seamus Power all set to add to the stellar cast of names. 

McIlroy is the latest addition to that list, after it was announced today that he will compete at The Renaissance Club on July 13, just a week before the Open Championship kicks off on July 20.

After it was announced this morning, McIlroy said: “I’m pleased to be able to add the Genesis Scottish Open to my schedule again this season. 

"The Scottish fans have always been very supportive of me and it would be great to win a title in the home of golf.”

A press release said: "The four-time Major winner brings further excitement to a stellar field that includes World Number One Scottie Scheffler, fellow Major champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and Justin Thomas, defending champion Xander Schauffele, European Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, PGA TOUR winners Sam Burns, Max Homa, Im Sungjae and Seamus Power and Scotland’s number one, Robert MacIntyre."

His attendance at the Rolex Series event was teased this morning on Twitter, with the Scottish Open posting a picture of a golf bag featured the 34-year-old's trade-mark St Bernard dog head cover sitting in front of a grand stand at a previous tournament. 

The four-time Major winner was not in attendance at last year's event as Xander Schauffele, who despite hitting a bogey on the 18th, held on to beat Kurt Kitayama by one stroke. 

The Northern Irishman, meanwhile, had previously excluded himself from that event claiming he "hadn't got what he had been looking for" in his past two outings at the Scottish Open. 

After missing the cut in 2021 placing T88, McIlroy admitted that he was left with "more questions than answers" going into the Open Championship that season, and decided that he would abstain from the tournament in 2022. 

He has only played the Scottish open four times in the last 13 years, with his best finish coming in 2014 where he placed T14. 

But he will return this season to take on the North Berwick golf course, as he hopes to find his groove ahead of the Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club the following week.

Despite having won at the CJ Cup earlier this season, it's been a very difficult few months for the World No 3. 

He came into the season bounding in form after clinching both the FedEx Cup and the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai title. 

And it looked like McIlroy could end his career grand slam woes and finally claim a coveted green jacket too, after he came second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before coming third at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play. 

But after a disappointing opening two rounds at Augusta National, he missed the cut at the Masters and that knocked him off his stride, with the 34-year-old taking some time away from the game to focus on his wellbeing, notably missing out on one of his designated events. 

He rallied at the PGA Championship to card a solid T7 finish and will now participate in this weekend's Memorial Tournament at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio.

Charles Schwab Challenge 2023 Live Stream

The PGA Tour heads to Texas his week for the Charles Schwab Challenge and despite being a few days after the PGA Championship there is an excellent field for the event. Defending champion Sam Burns returns as does PGA Championship runner-up and world number one Scottie Scheffler. 

Viktor Hovland is looking to get over PGA Championship disappointment as well and some other big names in the field are; Jordan Spieth, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler. Of course PGA Professional Michael Block is also in the field after a stunning performance at the PGA Championship. 

The PGA Tour is playing the John Bredemus/Perry Maxwell design for the 78th time this week and the club will undergo a $20 million renovation, led by Gil Hanse, after the tournament.

Additionally the winner of this year's event will get a 1973 Ford Bronco. Previous winners got a 1973 Dodge Challenger, a 1946 Power Wagon, and 1979 Pontiac Firebird. Below are all the broadcast and streaming details for the event.

Charles Schwab Challenge Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs.

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

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US TV Schedule - 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge

All times EST

Thursday, May 25: 4pm-7pm (Golf Channel)

Friday, May 26: 4pm-7pm (Golf Channel)

Saturday, May 27: 1pm-3pm (Golf Channel), 3pm-6pm (CBS)

Sunday, May 28: 1pm-3pm (Golf Channel), 3pm-6pm (CBS)

NBC's Golf Channel will televise action during the week and CBS will takeover when the tournament heats up over the weekend. Bearing this in mind you can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial. While fuboTV also offers the Golf Channel and 100+ other channels and also has a 7-day free trial.

We also recommend Sling TV in the US as well. At $51 per month, Sling Blue with the Sports add-on brings NBC and Golf Channel, and it is also half price for your first month.

UK TV Schedule - 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge

Thursday, May 25: 5.30pm-midnight (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, May 26: 5.30pm-midnight (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, May 27: 4pm-11pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, May 28: 4pm-11.30pm (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge

Thursday, May 25: 11pm-9am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Friday, May 26: 11pm-9am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, May 27: 3am-8am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Monday, May 28: 3am-8am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The PGA Tour coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch early in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from Texas here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $30 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

Charles Schwab Challenge Tee Times

(Selected)

• 8.53am - Nick Hardy, Si Woo Kim, Billy Horschel (10)
• 9.04am - Davis Riley, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler (10)
• 9.15am - Chris Kirk, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth (10)
• 9.26am - Tom Hoge, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood (10)
• 1.33pm - Taylor Moore, J.T. Poston, Joel Dahmen (1)
• 1.44pm - Kurt Kitayama, Viktor Hovland, Cam Davis (1)
• 1.55pm - Tony Finau, Sungjae Im, Collin Morikawa (1)
• 2.06pm - Max Homa, Kevin Kisner, Zach Johnson (1)
• 2.28pm - Michael Block, Min Woo Lee, Pierceson Coody (1)

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After what became the Michael Block show late into Sunday, the second major of the year has now come and gone as we turn our attention to Fort Worth, Texas, for the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge. In what will be the 77th time the event has been played at Colonial Country Club, this event is the longest-standing on Tour and, as always, attracts big names despite being just after the PGA Championship. 

Let’s take a closer look at the course and the top five guys according to my PGA Power Rankings for the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge.

Before we get into our Charles Schwab Challenge power rankings, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge selections this week.

Charles Schwab Challenge Odds

Charles Schwab Challenge Course - Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, TX

While it might not be as long as last week’s challenge at Oak Hill Country Club, the Colonial CC still offers plenty of challenges as it is notoriously amongst the hardest these PGA Tour pros see every year.

Charles Schwab Challenge Power Rankings

Scottie Scheffler (+400) (Bet $100 to collect $500) The best Scottie Scheffler odds are at DraftKings

Even when he plays seemingly poorly, Scottie Scheffler finds a way to compete, finishing top 3 last week after a strong finish. The No. 2 player in the world behind only Jon Rahm, Scheffler is the heavy favorite this week for a good reason. 

Viktor Hovland (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) Go to DraftKings for the best Viktor Hovland odds

If not for an errant shot that required a drop on 16 last week, Viktor Hovland very well could have been in, at the very least, a playoff with Brooks Koepka last week. With two top 25s here, Hovland has all the tools to compete.

Jordan Spieth (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) Head to DraftKings for the best Jordan Spieth odds

Despite dealing with an injury, Jordan Spieth played admirably last week at Oak Hill, proving to most his injury isn’t as bad as many had thought. With nine top-15 finishes in 10 appearances here, look for another strong showing this week from Spieth.

Tony Finau (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) For the best Tony Finau odds head over to DraftKings

In what will be his eighth time here, Tony Finau has never missed a cut and has finished as high as T4 (last year).

Collin Morikawa (+1600) Bet $100 to collect $1,700 DraftKings has the best Collin Morikawa odds

Collin Morikawa hasn’t been in the winner’s circle in quite some time, the 2021 Open Championship being the last. Even still, this is a two-time Major winner who is finally starting to strike the ball well again.

This week, The PGA Tour returns to Fort Worth, Texas, for the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge. Played at the historic Colonial Country Club, the course will test a loaded field as a par 70 with Bermudagrass fairways and Bentgrass greens. Sam Burns will look to defend his title successfully for only the second time ever at this event, which will be a tall task against the likes of World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler and Jordan Spieth are both from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and will have a ton of support from the crowd when they tee off at Colonial this week. Scheffler has been dominant this season and has heated up lately, racking up T5 and T2 finishes at the AT&T Byron Nelson and PGA Championship this past weekend. Spieth has already won this event, albeit in 2016, while placing subsequent finishes inside of the top ten consistently. A wrist injury has been ailing Spieth, but he has a historically good track record at this course, so his performance will be interesting to monitor. 

The DFS slate is filled with value for the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge. Ranging from blue chip prospects to cheap salary savers, I’ve identified six of my favorite players to prioritize when constructing DraftKings and FanDuel lineups ahead of Thursday’s opening round at Colonial Country Club. 

Before we get into our Charles Schwab Challenge DFS Picks and Targets, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 Charles Schwab selections this week.

DraftKings $50,000 Maximum Salary

Viktor Hovland ($10,600)

I opted to roll with Viktor Hovland because he’s consistently finished inside of the top ten in most of his recent events. He logged a T21 at the Charles Schwab Challenge in 2022, but Hovland is ranked inside of the top ten for multiple strokes gained categories, including off-the-tee and around-the-green, plus 11th tee-to-green. Hovland also is one of the best drivers on the PGA Tour, ranking fourth in total driving, which accounts for distance and accuracy. He’s delivered 17 birdies or more in consecutive events and is worth every penny of his salary on DraftKings at a course he won while playing as an amateur.

Justin Rose ($9,300)

We’re getting some good value with Justin Rose at $9,300 at this event. Rose won here in 2018 and has already secured one outright win earlier this season at Pebble Beach. Plus, the Englishman is fresh off of a T9 at the PGA Championship, where he only went above 70 once during the final round. Rose has a solid putter and great irons, plus he’s a quality scrambler, which makes him a valuable asset in DraftKings lineups at $9,300 this weekend.

Cam Davis ($8,600)

We’re landing quite a bit of value with Cam Davis at $8,600. The Aussie logged a T7 here a year ago and also has a T7 and T4 finish in two of his past three events, including last weekend at Oak Hills against a loaded field with Bentgrass greens. Davis has delivered 13 or more birdies in four of his past five events played, which is the stat that matters the most in DFS contests. He also has 85 DraftKings fantasy points or more in three of the past five events, plus some nice iron play off the tee and tee-to-green. Invest confidently in Davis’ outlook and potential upside based on his historical results and current form. 

FanDuel $60,000 Maximum Salary

Collin Morikawa ($11,300)

Collin Morikawa nearly won here in 2020, logging a runner-up finish instead. Morikawa is among the most accurate golfers on the PGA Tour when it comes to irons; plus, he can show up above or near the top 25 consistently. Two missed cuts in the last six are a bit concerning, but Morikawa’s game fits nicely with this precision shot course. It’s much riskier than Scheffler or Hovland. Still, Morikawa could be the way to cash out big in contests with other DFS managers fading Morikawa over his recent mediocre T31, MC, and T26 finishes. 

Hayden Buckley ($9,500)

Now we’re getting into the high-value prospects on FanDuel, led by Hayden Buckley. He has shown he can play premium golf, logging consecutive T10 finishes at the Valero Texas Open and RBC Heritage. He averages 63.1 FPPG on FanDuel and has not missed the cut in four consecutive events. Buckley is ranked eighth in total driving, fourth in strokes gained off-the-tee, and 11th in greens in regulation percentage. He’s not a horrible putter, but it’s certainly not a strength, so we’re banking on Buckley to continue his dominance off the tee and extend his current form into a T25 finish or higher. A missed cut here in 2022 doesn’t inspire positivity, but I’m valuing current form over historical results for Buckley in this scenario.

Joseph Bramlett ($8,900)

Joseph Bramlett has collected three T10 finishes this season and is ranked 14th in driving distance, 15th in greens in regulation percentage, and 31st in birdie average. This last stat is particularly enticing since FanDuel weighs birdies 6x more than pars and 7x more than bogeys. Bramlett has gone T10, T40, and T19 in his last three events, including his last one at AT&T Byron Nelson, which was also featured in Dallas, Texas. Bramlett is a good value at under $9,000, especially since he’s exceeded 100 FD fantasy points in two of his past three events. He’s a no-brainer when it comes to being a salary-saver in your FanDuel DFS lineups this weekend. 

Scottie Scheffler may have failed to add a second Major title to his name after finishing tied for second at last week’s PGA Championship, but it didn’t stop him moving back to the World No.1 position.

He appears in the Charles Schwab Challenge this week, hoping to build on that achievement at Colonial Country Club.

The 26-year-old’s finish at Oak Hill was the latest in a string of impressive performances in 2023, including victories in two of the year’s highest-profile tournaments to date, the WM Phoenix Open and The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

While Scheffler is looking put the disappointment of last week’s near miss in the past with victory here, the player who shared his finishing position in the PGA Championship had even more reason for despondency. 

Scheffler trailed eventual winner Brooks Koepka by four going into the final round. That’s in contrast to Viktor Hovland, who needed to claw back just one shot on the LIV Golf player as they teed it up on Sunday.

At times, it had looked as though momentum was swinging in Hovland’s favour, too. However, disaster struck on the 16th when he failed to get a shot out of the bunker, which left Koepka and opening he took with both hands. Still, the performance was enough to see Hovland leap five places in the rankings to World No.6, and he’s the second-ranked player behind Scheffler this week.

It takes something special to steal the headlines from the eventual winner of a Major, but Michael Block managed just that. The club pro defied the odds to finish tied for 15th at the tournament, guaranteeing not just a raft of new fans, a handsome pay cheque, and a place in next year’s tournament, but also an invite to this week's event. There will be plenty of attention on the 46-year-old as he attempts to prove those heroics, which included an outrageous slam dunk hole-in-one, were not a one-off.

Scheffler, Hovland and Block take big enough stories into the week, but that’s before we even get to the defending champion, Sam Burns, who beat Scheffler in a playoff in 2022. The American missed the cut at last week’s tournament but could barely have hoped for a better opportunity to get back on track after his victory a year ago.

Nevertheless, if overcoming the World No.1 and World No.6 isn’t enough, not to mention the potential for Block to cause another big upset, Burns also has to contend with the challenges of World No.7 Max Homa, 2016 Charles Schwab Challenge victor Jordan Spieth, and World No.12 Tony Finau, who recently saw off Jon Rahm to win the Mexico Open. 

Other strong contenders are likely to be World No.19 Sungjae Im and the man four places behind him in the rankings, Tommy Fleetwood. 

When you include other notable names including two-time Major winner Collin Morikawa, Arnold Palmer Invitational champion Kurt Kitayama, and Justin Rose, who not only finished tied for ninth at Oak Hill but also won the Charles Schwab Challenge in 2018, this is a field to be reckoned with, even for a tournament without designated event status.

There are other former winners to look out for, too, including Kevin Kisner, who won in 2017, 2015 winner Chris Kirk, and US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, who won in 2010 and 2012.

Players are competing for a purse of $8.7m, an identical sum to the Farmers Insurance Open. The winner will receive $1.56m.

Below is the prize breakdown and field for the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.

Charles Schwab Challenge Prize Money

Charles Schwab Challenge Field

• Alexander, Tyson 
• An, Byeong Hun 
• Baddeley, Aaron
• Bezuidenhout, Christiaan 
• Bhatia, Akshay
• Blair, Zac
• Block, Michael
• Bramlett, Joseph 
• Buckley, Hayden 
• Burns, Sam
• Champ, Cameron
• Cole, Eric 
• Compton, Erik
• Coody, Pierceson 
• Daffue, MJ 
• Dahmen, Joel
• Davis, Cam 
• Detry, Thomas 
• Donald, Luke
• Dou, Zecheng 
• Duncan, Tyler 
• Eckroat, Austin
• Endycott, Harrison 
• English, Harris 
• Finau, Tony 
• Fleetwood, Tommy 
• Fowler, Rickie 
• Fox, Ryan
• Frittelli, Dylan 
• Gordon, Will 
• Gribble, Cody 
• Griffin, Ben 
• Grillo, Emiliano 
• Haley II, Paul
• Hall, Harry 
• Hammer, Cole 
• Hardy, Nick 
• Harman, Brian 
• Henley, Russell 
• Herbert, Lucas
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgo, Garrick 
• Higgs, Harry 
• Hodges, Lee 
• Hoge, Tom
• Homa, Max
• Horschel, Billy 
• Hossler, Beau 
• Hovland, Viktor 
• Hubbard, Mark 
• Im, Sungjae 
• Jaeger, Stephan 
• Johnson, Zach 
• Kim, Michael 
• Kim, S.H.
• Kim, Si Woo 
• Kirk, Chris 
• Kisner, Kevin 
• Kitayama, Kurt 
• Kizzire, Patton
• Knox, Russell 
• Lashley, Nate 
• Lee, K.H.
• Lee, Min Woo
• Lingmerth, David
• Lipsky, David 
• List, Luke
• Long, Adam 
• Lower, Justin 
• Malnati, Peter 
• Martin, Ben 
• McCarthy, Denny 
• McNealy, Maverick 
• Merritt, Troy 
• Moore, Taylor 
• Morikawa, Collin 
• NeSmith, Matt 
• Noren, Alex 
• Norlander, Henrik 
• Norrman, Vincent 
• Novak, Andrew 
• Palmer, Ryan 
• Piercy, Scott 
• Poston, J.T. 
• Putnam, Andrew 
• Rai, Aaron 
• Ramey, Chad 
• Reavie, Chez 
• Riley, Davis 
• Rodgers, Patrick 
• Rose, Justin 
• Ryder, Sam 
• Sabbatini, Rory 
• Scheffler, Scottie 
• Schenk, Adam 
• Schwab, Matthias 
• Shelton, Robby 
• Sigg, Greyson 
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin 
• Spaun, J.J.
• Spieth, Jordan 
• Stallings, Scott 
• Stevens, Sam 
• Straka, Sepp 
• Streelman, Kevin 
• Suh, Justin 
• Tarren, Callum 
• Taylor, Ben 
• Taylor, Nick 
• Todd, Brendon 
• Tway, Kevin 
• Van Rooyen, Erik 
• Walker, Jimmy 
• Wallace, Matt 
• Werenski, Richy
• Westmoreland, Kyle
• Willett, Danny 
• Wu, Dylan 
• Young, Carson

After an absolutely thrilling week in Rochester at the PGA Championship, the PGA Tour now heads south to Texas for the Charles Schwab Challenge, one of the longest-standing events of the PGA Tour. Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, remains one of the most iconic golf courses on the PGA Tour, and its narrow corridors and a large plurality of short to middle iron approaches will provide a far different test than what many of the world’s best were tasked with last week at Oak Hill. 

While this will be a natural off week for many that were competing at the year’s second major, the Charles Schwab Challenge still boasts an incredibly strong field. Coming off a disappointing missed cut at Oak Hill, Sam Burns will return to defend his title. Both of last week’s second-place finishers, Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland, will also attend. Former champion Jordan Spieth and top-25 players such as Max Homa, Sungjae Im, and Tommy Fleetwood will all be making the trek to the Lone Star State.

Before we get into our picks for the Charles Schwab Challenge, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. With the offers below, you can turn $6 into $350 worth of bonuses or you can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge selections this week.

Charles Schwab Challenge: Course Preview

Colonial

Colonial Country Club is an old-school, classical golf course designed in 1935 by the great Perry Maxwell. Despite advances in modern technology, Colonial is one of the only sub-7,200 yard golf courses that can still truly challenge the world’s best. Is it in need of some updates? Absolutely, and I cannot wait to see the restorative work that Gil Hanse is in the midst of completing. 

Unfortunately, we will not get to see the finished product until the 2024 event. Yet still, Colonial manages to provide an astute test. Colonial annually ranks as one of the harder courses on Tour despite its less than imposing length. Narrow tree-lined fairways and small, heavily bunkered greens play a role in that. Yet the amount of wind and rainfall that the course gets remain the true determining factor. Last year, we saw Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns battle it out on an extremely baked out and windy Colonial. I’m not sure I would bank on this year being as threatful as last, but the weather forecast is always something to pay keen attention to in Texas. 

This week, I will primarily be looking for players with strong course history, as Colonial has some of the stickiest year to year results on Tour. I will also be looking for players that have a proven track record of success on shorter, positional golf courses. Colonial is the type of course that has allowed players such as Zach Johnson, Kevin Kisner, and Kevin Na, amongst others, to find repeated success. 

With that being said, we’ve also seen Jason Kokrak, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler, and Tony Finau take a more aggressive driver heavy approach in recent years that has also led to considerable success. There are many roadmaps to success off the tee at the Perry Maxwell classic, but the second shot still remains of upmost importance. Short to middle iron play this week is absolutely crucial, and I will also be looking for those that excel from 125-200 yards.

Charles Schwab Challenge Key Stats

• Strokes Gained Total: Short Par 70 Courses
• Long-term Proximity 150-200 yards
• Strokes Gained Off the Tee: Short Courses

Charles Schwab Challenge: Outright Winner

Jordan Spieth (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) BetMGM has the best Jordan Spieth odds

I’m not quite sure what others will make of Jordan Spieth’s PGA Championship, but I view it as a resounding positive. How Spieth, with slightly above-average distance, was able to gain nearly six strokes off the tee at Oak Hill is beyond me, but here we are. The three-time major winner entered the year’s second major with a serious injury concern, and he was coming to an extremely poor ball-striking performance at the Wells Fargo. He then withdrew from an event in his hometown, with whom he shared the presenting sponsor. 

While the result at Oak Hill may not look as impressive on the surface, Spieth completely answered the bell from a ball-striking standpoint and fell victim to a faulty short game and putter. I would not expect that to continue this week at Colonial, where Spieth has gained around the green in nine of ten appearances, as well as a combined 23 strokes putting in his last four times on these greens. In 10 appearances at Colonial, Spieth has nine top-15 finishes, with a win and three runner-ups. He has by far the best course history in this field, he’s due for a win, and he’s in peak ball-striking form. I know that it’s a steep price to pay, but sometimes it’s wise not to overthink it.

Collin Morikawa (+1600) (Bet $100 to collect $1,700) FanDuel has the best Collin Morikawa odds

It’s hard to believe that a player of Collin Morikawa’s caliber has not found the winner’s circle since the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. While he is elite enough to be judged on his victories, this has still been an incredibly impressive season for the two-time major winner. Morikawa is coming off a 26th at the PGA Championship, where he gained over four strokes on approach, and he put together one of the best ball-striking rounds on the course on Sunday. 

Now he travels to a course that is far better suited for his skill set. Morikawa is an incredibly accurate driver of the ball, and he remains the best short-to-middle iron player in this field. While the short game and putting have certainly been a problem for him this season, he gained in both short game categories at the PGA Championship, an encouraging sign as he now heads to a golf course that should offer far more benign greenside areas and putting surfaces. Morikawa is simply too strong of a player to stay down for this long, and Colonial is the perfect spot for him to end his winless drought.

In his relatively short career so far, Sam Burns has experienced some memorable moments, including five PGA Tour wins and several Major appearances.

However, the time he was paired with 15-time Major winner Tiger Woods surely ranks as one of the most nerve-wracking. The World No.14 appeared on PGA Tour winner Sam Kaufman’s new Smylie Show podcast, where he described the feeling of being paired with Woods for the final round of the 2018 Honda Classic. 

Burns explained that he received the news he'd be playing with Woods when he was out to dinner. He said: “Go to dinner that night and I get a text halfway through dinner. It’s like: ‘1240. Sam Burns. Tiger Woods.’ And I’m like: ‘Oh, my gosh. So, I don’t eat anything the rest of the night.”

It wasn’t just Burns’ meal that was affected by the news. He also explained he couldn’t sleep. He continued: “Go out the next day and I get to the golf course probably way earlier than I should have. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t do anything.”

Burns then described the daunting scene awaiting him at the first tee at PGA National. He said: “So I go to the tee, we warm up and walk up to the first tee and it seemed like 10,000 people were standing up there. Maybe, like, Caroline [Campbell, Burns' wife] and my parents clapped for me and everybody else has no idea who I am. And then Tiger walks on the tee and it’s just like Death Valley just scored a touchdown. It’s so loud.”

The American then described the dilemma over which shot to play. He said: “The first hole at the Honda Classic, you can hit a four iron or a five iron. I’ve missed the fairway every day with a four iron so I look at my caddie and I’m like: ‘Hey man, what you think about that five iron? He’s like: ‘Well, it may leave you a little further.’ I’m like: ‘I’m going to hit the five iron.’ I pretty much just aim it in the left rough. I’m just going to try to block cut it. So, I hit this block cut into the fairway.”

With the ice still not broken with Woods, though, Burns realised he needed to find a good way to open up a dialogue with him. His solution was hilarious, and thankfully, Woods thought so too. He continued: “We were walking off the tee and I’m still so nervous, like: ‘I’ve got to say something to him. What do I say?’ So he’s kind of walking next to me and I kind of put my arm on his shoulder. I was like: ‘Man, it’s crazy all these people came out to watch me play golf today, huh?’ and he just started laughing."

It soon got even better for Burns. he birdied the first hole as his nerves finally settled before finishing tied for eighth, two shots ahead of Woods, who finished 12th.

PGA Championship 2023 Live Stream

The world of golf turns its attention to the PGA Championship this week for the 2nd men's Major of the year. 

Brooks Koepka currently leads by one stroke from Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners. Two back of them sits Bryson DeChambeau at three-under, then Justin Rose Scottie Scheffler at two. Rory McIlroy is at one-under on his own despite not having his best stuff and he will play alongside PGA Professional Michael Block who is at level on the final day.

Oak Hill Country Club is the location of the event and it looks very different from the PGA Championship 10 years ago won by Jason Dufner. This is because of a huge restoration that took place which has seen it be a very stern test this week.

As such, below are all the broadcast and streaming details for the event to make sure you miss none of the action.

PGA Championship Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs. 

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule - 2023 PGA Championship

All times EST

Sunday, May 21: 8am-10am ESPN+, 10am-1pm ESPN, 1pm-7pm CBS

ESPN and ESPN+ will televise the action for the start of Sunday's coverage before CBS takes over as the tournament heats up over the final stretch.

UK TV Schedule - 2023 PGA Championship

Sunday, May 21: 2pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2023 PGA Championship

Sunday, May 21: 11pm-11am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The PGA Tour coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch early in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from Oak Hill here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $30 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

PGA Championship Tee Times

All times local (EDT). Add five hours on for BST, minus three hours for PT.

• 7.50am: Ben Taylor, Mark Hubbard
• 8.00am: Joel Dahmen, Kazuki Higa
• 8.10am: Taylor Montgomery, Taylor Moore
• 8.20am: Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson
• 8.30am: Rikuya Hoshino, Lee Hodges
• 8.40am: Sihwan Kim, Zach Johnson
• 8.50am: Padraig Harrington, Matt Wallace
• 9.00am: Adrian Meronk, Pablo Larrazabal
• 9.10am: Thomas Detry, Tony Finau
• 9.20am: Callum Tarren, Yannik Paul
• 9.30am: Max Homa, J.T Poston
• 9.40am: Patrick Rodgers, Thriston Lawrence
• 9.50am: K.H. Lee, Denny McCarthy
• 10.10am: Adam Hadwin, Adam Scott
• 10.20am: Sam Stevens, Nicolai Hojgaard
• 10.30am: Tom Hoge, Lucas Herbert
• 10.40am: Dean Burmester, Jon Rahm
• 10.50am: Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
• 11.00am: Harold Varner III, Mito Pereira
• 11.10am: Collin Morikawa, Beau Hossler
• 11.20am: Xander Schauffele, Chez Reavie
• 11.30am: Alex Smalley, Thomas Pieters
• 11.40am: Keegan Bradley, Matt NeSmith
• 12.00pm: Cameron Smith, Hayden Buckley
• 12.10pm: Tyrrell Hatton, Chris Kirk
• 12.20pm: Keith Mitchell, Taylor Pendrith
• 12.30pm: Adam Svensson, Sepp Straka
• 12.40pm: Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay
• 12.50pm: Cam Davis, Hideki Matsuyama
• 13.00pm: Kurt Kitayama, Ryan Fox
• 13.10pm: Min Woo Lee, Patrick Reed
• 13.20pm: Eric Cole, Shane Lowry
• 13.30pm: Stephan Jaeger, Victor Perez
• 13.50pm: Justin Suh, Tommy Fleetwood
• 14.00pm: Rory McIlroy, Michael Block
• 14.10pm: Justin Rose, Scottie Scheffler
• 14.20pm: Corey Conners, Bryson DeChambeau
• 14.30pm: Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland

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Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2023 Live Stream

This week on the PGA Tour we have something slightly different. Instead of the usual tournament of individual competitors we have teams of two. There are eighty teams with 160 golfers and some of the world's best have teamed up, including last year's winners Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. We also have Max Homa teaming up with Collin Morikawa, Billy Horschel with Sam Burns, Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim, and also a cool pairing of RBC Heritage winner Matt Fitzpatrick with his brother Alex.

A pair of major champions John Daly and David Duval will be paired together too!

Format wise this is something to be aware of. Each two-man team will start by playing Four-ball (best ball) on Thursday, followed by Foursomes on Friday. After the cut is made – only 33 teams and ties find the weekend – they will play Four-ball again before the Sunday drama unfolds with Foursomes.

Below are all the broadcast and streaming details for the event.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs.

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule - 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

All times EST

Thursday, April 20: 3pm-6pm (Golf Channel)

Friday, April 21: 3pm-6pm (Golf Channel)

Saturday, April 22: 1pm-3pm (Golf Channel), 3pm-6pm (CBS)

Sunday, April 23: 1pm-3pm (Golf Channel), 3pm-6pm (CBS)

NBC's Golf Channel will televise action during the week and CBS will takeover when the tournament heats up over the weekend. Bearing this in mind you can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial. While fuboTV also offers the Golf Channel and 100+ other channels and also has a 7-day free trial.

We also recommend Sling TV in the US as well. At $51 per month, Sling Blue with the Sports add-on brings NBC and Golf Channel, and it is also half price for your first month.

UK TV Schedule - 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Thursday, April 20: 8pm-11pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, April 21: 8pm-11pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, April 22: 1.45pm-11pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, April 23: 3.30pm-11pm (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Thursday, April 20: 10.30pm-8am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Friday, April 21: 10.30pm-8am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, April 23: 3am-8am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Monday, April 24: 3am-8am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The PGA Tour coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch early in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from Louisiana here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $30 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Teams

(Selected)

• Patrick Cantlay – Xander Schauffele
• Collin Morikawa – Max Homa
• Billy Horschel – Sam Burns
• Matt Fitzpatrick – Alex Fitzpatrick
• Si Woo Kim – Tom Kim
• Sahith Theegala – Justin Suh
• Kurt Kitayama – Taylor Montgomery
• Sungjae Im – Keith Mitchell
• Zach Johnson – Steve Stricker
• Tom Hoge – Harris English

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service) 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. 

Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. 

The PGA Tour returns this week to the New Orleans area for its annual team event, the Zurich Classic. Located at TPC Louisiana, the course has hosted this event for the past six years. In this year’s edition, 16 of the top 50 in the world are in the field, with the (pair of) winners competing for a $2.485 million top prize to split amongst them. 

With the different format, the field is also largely expanded, featuring 80 teams of two players each, with the top 33 teams (and ties) advancing to play the weekend. Let’s take a closer look at the course they’ll be competing on and my power rankings heading into this unique event

Zurich Classic Odds

Zurich Classic Course - TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana

The Par 72 Pete Dye-designed course comes in 200+ yards above the Tour average at 7,425 yards and is one of the longest on Tour each season. It also features plenty of hazards on both sides of the fairways, as accurate drivers will be more rewarded than guys who simply crush the ball. 

Zurich Classic Power Rankings

Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay (+850) (Bet $100 to collect $950) Get the best Schauffele/Cantlay odds at DraftKings

Even at this price, it’s tough to look away from this one, with both guys finishing in the top four last week. Playing together last year, they had two rounds at 60 or under. 

Max Homa/Collin Morikawa (+900) (Bet $100 to collect $1,000) DraftKings has the best Homa/Morikawa odds

Ball striking city with this duo. Max Homa is coming off a missed cut last week as well and will be eager to get after it early and often. 

Tom Kim/Si Woo Kim (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) Head to DraftKings for the best Kim/Kim odds

Hard not to love a team with two guys who have already won this season. Friends off the course, the chemistry shouldn’t hurt either. 

Sam Burns and Billy Horschel (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) Get the best Burns/Horschel odds at DraftKings

It’s well documented, if by nothing else his results, that Billy Horschel loves this event. A winner here in 2018, he’s now joined by the red-hot Sam Burns who is coming off a statement win in Austin a few weeks ago. 

Joel Dahmen/Denny McCarthy (+3500) (Bet $100 to collect $3,600) Head to DraftKings for the best Dahmen/McCarthy odds

These odds seem long for this spot, but these two guys’ strengths complement each other well coming into this event. If Joel Dahmen can get his putter going, know his drive will be there early and often.

A unique tournament in the PGA Tour calendar takes place at TPC Louisiana as 80 teams of two compete in fourballs (best ball) in the first and third rounds and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and final rounds.

Last year, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele cruised to victory over Sam Burns and Billy Horschel by two shots to claim the title, and the World No.4 and World No.5 rekindle that partnership this week. Undeterred by that narrow defeat in 2022, Burns and Horschel also team up again, hoping to go one better this year.

In last week’s RBC Heritage, Matt Fitzpatrick won a thrilling playoff to edge out Jordan Spieth for his first win since last year’s US Open, and the new World No.8 joins forces with brother Alex.

Two years ago, players now on the LIV Golf circuit dominated as Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman beat Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. However, following their decision to join the PGA Tour's rival, they will instead be teeing it up in Australia this week. 

The tournament was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, meaning you need to go back to 2019 to find the most recent winner before Cantlay and Schauffele in this week’s field. That man was Ryan Palmer, who teamed up with Jon Rahm back then as they claimed a three-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood and another player who has since joined LIV Golf, Sergio Garcia. 

There’s no Rahm this week following his appearances in successive tournaments The Masters and RBC Heritage. Palmer instead teams up with Scott Piercy, who won the tournament in 2018 alongside Horschel. 

As well as Cantlay, Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick, another player in the world’s top 10 also plays this week, World No.7 Max Homa. He’ll fancy his chances of success too, as he plays alongside two-time Major winner Collin Morikawa.

Another intriguing team will be the one comprising World No.17 Sungjae Im and World No.58 Keith Mitchell, while World No.19 Tom Kim will also be confident of success alongside World No.40 Si Woo Kim. Arnold Palmer Invitational champion Kurt Kitayama also plays, alongside Taylor Montgomery.

Away from the most recognisable names, another team to look out for will be the one made up of Michael Thompson and a man making his PGA Tour debut, 43-year-old former US army soldier Paresh Amin, who appears on a sponsor exemption.

Teams are competing for a purse of $8.6m, with the winners earning $1,242,700 each.

Below is the breakdown of the prize money and field for the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Prize Money 2023

Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Teams 2023

• Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick
• Collin Morikawa and Max Homa
• Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim
• Sam Burns and Billy Horschel
• Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay
• Kurt Kitayama and Taylor Montgomery
• Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard
• Joel Dahmen and Denny McCarthy
• Tyler Duncan and Hank Lebioda
• Harris English and Tom Hoge
• Jim Herman and Ryan Armour
• Sungjae Im and Keith Mitchell
• Andrew Landry and Austin Cook
• Luke List and Henrik Norlander
• Taylor Moore and Matthew NeSmith
• Trey Mullinax and Scott Stallings
• Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer
• JJ Spaun and Hayden Buckley
• Robert Streb and Troy Merritt
• Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin
• Michael Thompson and Paresh Amin
• Brendon Todd and Patton Kizzire
• Erik Van Rooyen and MJ Daffue
• Matt Wallace and Callum Shinkwin
• Richy Werenski and Scott Brown
• Jason Dufner and Kevin Chappell
• Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker
• Jimmy Walker and DA Points
• Thorbjørn Olesen and Nicolai Hojgaard
• John Daly and David Duval
• Edoardo Molinari and Luke Donald
• Sam Saunders and Eric Cole
• Victor Perez and Thomas Detry
• Ryan Palmer and Scott Piercy
• Sahith Theegala and Justin Suh
• Davis Riley and Nick Hardy
• Taylor Pendrith and Michael Gligic
• Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler
• Lee Hodges and Robby Shelton
• Brandon Wu and Joseph Bramlett
• Dylan Frittelli and Matti Schmid
• David Lipsky and Aaron Rai
• Russell Knox and Brian Stuard
• Sam Ryder and Doc Redman
• Greyson Sigg and Brice Garnett
• Callum Tarren and Ben Taylor
• Max McGreevy and Sam Stevens
• Chesson Hadley and Ben Martin
• Nick Watney and Charley Hoffman
• Doug Ghim and Kramer Hickok
• Kevin Tway and Kelly Kraft
• Matthias Schwab and Vincent Norrman
• Austin Smotherman and Harry Higgs
• Justin Lower and Dylan Wu
• Zac Blair and Zecheng Dou
• Ben Griffin and Ryan Gerard
• Davis Thompson and Will Gordon
• Byeong Hun An and SH Kim
• David Lingmerth and Jonas Blixt
• Tyson Alexander and Carl Yuan
• Harry Hall and Akshay Bhatia
• Harrison Endycott and Aaron Baddeley
• Michael Kim and SY Noh
• Austin Eckroat and Scott Harrington
• Brent Grant and Kevin Roy
• Paul Haley II and Cody Gribble
• Carson Young and Kyle Westmoreland
• Tano Goya and Trevor Werbylo
• Augusto Núñez and Fabián Gómez
• Brandon Matthews and Sean O'Hair
• Trevor Cone and Andrew Novak
• Chad Collins and DJ Trahan
• Cameron Percy and Greg Chalmers
• Bill Haas and Jonathan Byrd
• Chris Stroud and William McGirt
• Ricky Barnes and Kyle Stanley
• Wesley Bryan and Grayson Murray
• Geoff Ogilvy and Kevin Stadler
• Sung Kang and Sangmoon Bae
• Derek Ernst and Robert Garrigus

The Zurich Classic is a unique tournament on the PGA Tour, as while it used to be a regular individual stroke play event, it shifted formats in 2017. The field now consists of 80 two-man teams who play better ball in rounds one and three and alternate shots in rounds two and four. The top 33 teams plus ties will advance to the weekend. 

The tournament has been held at the Pete Dye-designed TPC Louisiana since 2004. Super team Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will return to defend their title. Still, they will be met this year by an interesting crop of challengers, including returning tandems such as Sam Burns and Billy Horschel, as well as new duos such as Max Homa and Collin Morikawa and Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim. A change of pace is always welcome on the PGA Tour, and the Zurich Classic always seems to deliver.

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Zurich Classic: Course Preview

TPC Louisiana

TPC Louisiana was designed in 2004 by Pete Dye, and although we do not have strokes gained at this event for obvious reasons, we still possess some limited data from when a stroke play event was held here prior to 2017. There have been some notable changes to the course since 2017, including a lengthening of over 200 yards. Truth be told, the extra length didn’t change much of the character of the course, but it’s certainly worth mentioning. There are ample opportunities for players to take advantage of TPC Louisiana, which is by no means a difficult golf course despite the added length and high volume of long iron shots. 

In 2015 and 2016, TPC Louisiana ranked as one of the seven easiest courses on the PGA Tour. There is not a ton of trouble off the tee, the rough is nearly non-existent, the course is extremely flat, and there is very little undulation to the greens and surrounding greenside areas. For this reason, teams will need to be incredibly comfortable going low, especially on Thursday and Saturday in the best ball format. I will be focused this week on identifying the teams that are the best overall long iron tandems, are comfortable in easy scoring conditions, and generate the most birdie opportunities per round.

Zurich Classic Key Stats

• Proximity 200 yards plus
• Opportunities Gained
• Birdies or Better Gained

Zurich Classic: Outright Winner

Sungjae Im & Keith Mitchell (+1400) (Bet $100 to collect $1,500) Head to DraftKings for the best Sungjae Im & Keith Mitchell odds

While Sungjae Im and Keith Mitchell have never played this event together before, both players are well antiquated with TPC Louisiana and fit this course ideally from a numbers standpoint. Sungjae Im is clearly one of the best talents in this field and playing some of the best golf of his career. The World No. 17 is coming off a contending seventh-place finish at the Heritage, where he gained 4.8 strokes off the tee and 2.5 strokes on approach, good for his sixth top-25 finish in a row. Im has done just about everything but finds the winner’s circle this year. He has already recorded top-six finishes at the Farmer’s Insurance Open, Waste Management Open, and Players Championship. 

The possibility of a different format and a worthy partner may help him cross the finish line. While Keith Mitchell may not have the pedigree of Im, he is a player I have been high on all season that I fully expect to break through at this level. The University of Georgia product remains one of the best drivers of the ball in this entire field, and he also ranks top-15 in both opportunities gained and birdies or better gained. Both players combine to rank as the third most formidable duo in my team rankings and present a fair amount of value in the outright market.

Davis Riley & Nick Hardy (+4000) (Bet $100 to collect $4,100) Get the best Davis Riley & Nick Hardy odds at DraftKings

Davis Riley and Nick Hardy are a new duo this year, but both players fared incredibly well at this event last year, with Riley finishing fourth alongside Will Zalatoris and Hardy finishing 21st alongside Curtis Thompson. Both players have elevated their games since then and now enter as a worthy duo at an appetizing price. Riley and Hardy are certainly undervalued in the market, coming off near-missed cuts at the RBC Heritage. 

My numbers suggest that the tandem are the fourth most formidable pairing in this field and course fit for TPC Louisiana. Riley is one of the absolute best in the field at generating birdie opportunities and an incredibly worthy long-iron player as well. Hardy, on the other hand, is an excellent long iron player as well, provides plenty of pop off the tee, and is one of the biggest risers in easier scoring conditions. Ultimately, I believe this team, at their current number, presents the most value in the entire field, and I will gladly take my chances on a breakthrough performance from two young talents.

There were several standout performances from LIV Golf players at The Masters, most notably joint runners-up Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed, who tied for fourth.

As well as the advantages that came with those displays, including prestige, prize money and Official World Golf Ranking points, they also accumulated precious Ryder Cup points, which are unavailable to them in LIV Golf tournaments.

However, is it realistic that one or more LIV Golf players could yet qualify for Zach Johnson’s team for the biennial tournament at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club later this year? It certainly looks more likely after last week.

There are two ways to qualify for Team USA - as one of six Captain’s Selections or finishing in the top six of the points list, with points available in tournaments until the end of the BMW Championship on 20 August.

While US LIV Golf players are suspended from the PGA Tour, some are eligible for Majors, and those tournaments offer the chance to earn the most points. The qualifying system awards one point per $1,000 earned in PGA Tour events, but that increases to 1.5 points in Majors and double for winning one of the big four tournaments.

Those performances from the three LIV Golf players at Augusta National have helped move them up the points list significantly. Unsurprisingly, it is currently headed by World No.2 Scottie Scheffler, while beneath him are fellow PGA Tour players Max Homa, Cameron Young, Sam Burns, Will Zalatoris and Collin Morikawa.

You don’t need to go too much further down the list to find the first LIV Golf player, though. Brooks Koepka jumped up 81 places to 16 following last week’s tournament. Given his excellent form after returning to full health and the fact he is eligible for the remaining three Majors this year, more strong performances in them would give him a fantastic chance to breach the top six.

Further down the list, but not by much, is Phil Mickelson at number 20, who is also eligible for the remaining three Majors this year. The 52-year-old rolled back the years in the final round of The Masters shooting a historic 65, the lowest score ever recorded by an over 50 at the tournament.

It’s only two years since Lefty won the PGA Championship, while he’s one US Open win from a career Grand Slam having finished runner-up in the tournament six times. He will surely have his sights set on those two events in particular as he aims accumulate plenty more Ryder Cup points.

Dustin Johnson is at number 27 on the list despite his disappointing tie for 48th in The Masters. Meanwhile, Reed is at 33. Thanks to Johnson’s win in the 2020 Masters, he, in particular, will fancy his chances of reaching the all-important threshold as he qualifies for all three remaining Majors in 2023.

Before last year’s John Deere Classic, Team USA captain Zach Johnson outlined how players can qualify for his team. He said: "So what I know is this: in order to play on the Ryder Cup team whether you're top 6 or a pick, you must garner Ryder Cup points through the PGA of America. In order to garner Ryder Cup points through the PGA of America you have to be a member of the PGA of America. 

"The way that we're members of the PGA of America is through the PGA Tour. I'll let you connect the dots from there."

Following that statement, the outlook appeared dire for the qualification chances of LIV Golf players, but good news came from Barstool Sports' Dan Rapaport after Koepka's Masters finish. He wrote on Twitter: "PGA of America confirms Brooks will get his full Ryder Cup points for this finish. If he follows this up with good play in the other three majors, he could well qualify for the team on points. Either way, if we want the 12 best from each, it’s hard to imagine he’s not in Rome…"

So there we have it. The door is open for LIV Golf players to make the team if they accumulate enough points in the remaining Majors. Will at least one walk through it? After some encouraging performances last week, it seems increasingly likely.

What Is Sam Burns' Net Worth?

A player with multiple wins on the PGA Tour and a Presidents Cup appearance in 2022, the only two things missing from Sam Burns' resume are a Major win and a Ryder Cup appearance. Given his quality of play, it would not be surprising to see him tick off both of those as he is a few years off from his 30's as well. But how much is his net worth? Well like with all these kinds of questions, it is hard to come up with a definitive number, however we believe it may be around the $5 million mark.

Burns has currently played more than 120 events on the PGA Tour and despite being so young has made around $20m in his official earnings so far. 

He is a five-time PGA Tour winner and the tournaments in question are the Valspar Championship (twice) in 2021 and 2022 in which he won $1,242,000 and $1,404,000 respectively. He won the 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship for $1,260,000 and then the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge in a playoff over Scottie Scheffler to win $1,512,000.

Finally his biggest paycheck came from the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Matchplay. Throughout the event he undefeated and beat high quality players like Patrick Cantlay, Scheffler, Adam Scott and also Cameron Young in the final. As a result he won the $3,500,000 up for grabs.

Moving onto sponsors, currently Burns has a full bag of clubs from Callaway (along with an Odyssey putter). He then wears TravisMathew apparel along with Cuater golf shoes. 

As you can see on his polo shirt and hat above, he then has several other sponsors too, including ADP, TopGolf, Mastercard, RBC and Discovery Land Company. Obviously it goes without saying that we do not know the financial details of these partnerships but all of these will have an undeniable impact on his net worth. 

For more content on Burns, learn about his caddie Travis Perkins, and his wife Caroline Campbell.

Justin Thomas was one of two high profile players to skip last week's WGC-Match Play and was ultimately replaced in the world's top 10 by winner Sam Burns.

Burns took down Cameron Young in the final 6&5 to win his fifth PGA Tour title and return to the world's top 10, at the expense of Justin Thomas.

Thomas had been a mainstay inside the top 10 since August 2017. In that period he has spent weeks as World No.1. The Kentucky native first moved inside the top 10 in January 2017 after winning in back-to-back weeks at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Sony Open.

His Sony Open win saw him open with a 59, becoming the PGA Tour's youngest ever player to break 60 at the age of 23. He won a total of five times in 2017, including his first Major at the PGA Championship staged at Quail Hollow. 

The American has played seven times so far in 2023, with his best finishing a 4th at the WM Phoenix Open.

He decided to skip the WGC-Match Play due to a lack of course form and is also not featuring in this week's Valero Texas Open, meaning he'll have had two weeks of practice heading into next week's Masters.

The two-time Major champion has played in seven Masters tournaments and has never missed the cut at Augusta National. His best finish was a 4th in 2020.

Elsewhere in the rankings this week, Rory McIlroy is back up to 2nd in the world after his 3rd-place finish in the Match Play. Runner-up Cameron Young has moved to a career-high 14th after his sixth second-place finish on the PGA Tour.

Max Homa is also set to rise to a career-high 5th in the world next week ahead of The Masters.

CURRENT MEN'S TOP 10

• 1. Scottie Scheffler
• 2. Rory McIlroy
• 3. Jon Rahm
• 4. Patrick Cantlay
• 5. Cameron Smith
• 6. Max Homa
• 7. Xander Schauffele
• 8. Will Zalatoris
• 9. Viktor Hovland
• 10. Sam Burns

Sam Burns came through 119 holes to capture the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play, his fifth and biggest win on the PGA Tour. In the final he thumped Cameron Young by 6&5 after a slow start before then recording a whopping eight birdies in the final 10 holes.

For part of the day it looked like we’d be treated to a Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy final but they had to settle for a consolation match in which McIlroy sneaked past the World No. 1 by 2&1.

Burns picked up an incredible $3.5m for his efforts while for Young it was his sixth runners-up spot which includes The Open at St Andrews last year.

The 26-year-old Burns, who holed a 15-footer to beat Scheffler at the 21st hole earlier, was pretty much faultless after the first few holes and a hat-trick of birdies from the 4th moved him ahead for the first time. 

From there Young couldn't get near him. The birdie at the 8th was maybe the pick of the bunch and he closed out the match with four straight birdies, reducing par 5s into very comfortable two-shotters while also rolling in putts from distance elsewhere.

He has already played on one Presidents Cup side and he will now be a banker to make his Ryder Cup debut later this year in Italy.

“What a week. I’m so tired,” Burns said after the victory. "I felt like I found something towards the end of my match with Scottie and was able to carry that on this afternoon. It means a lot. I’ve been in a play-off in a WGC before and I ultimately didn’t get it done.

“I knew that it was going to be a great match against Cam, he’s been playing so well all week. He probably played the best of anyone all week. To be able to battle with him today, it was a blast.”

Burns becomes the first player to win the on his debut appearance since Geoff Ogilvy in 2006.

For McIlroy he will head to Augusta National in good spirits with just one defeat in seven outings – Young beat him at the first extra hole in the sem-finals – and with a new driver and putter working well, his sights will now quickly turn to completing that Grand Slam.

WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Day 5 Results

SUNDAY'S FINAL AND CONSOLATION MATCHES

- CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Cameron Young (15) vs Sam Burns (13) 6&5

- CONSOLATION MATCH: Rory McIlroy (3) vs Scottie Scheffler (1) 2&1

SUNDAY'S SEMI-FINAL MATCHES

- Winners in bold followed by the score

- Scottie Scheffler (1) vs Sam Burns (13)  21 holes

- Rory McIlroy (3) vs Cameron Young (15) 19 holes

*Numbers indicate ranking positions.

WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Day 4 Results

SATURDAY'S ROUND OF 16 MATCHES

- Winners in bold followed by the score

- Max Homa (5) vs Mackenzie Hughes (50) 3&2

- Patrick Cantlay (4) vs Sam Burns (13) 2&1

- Matt Kuchar (59) vs Jason Day (32) 1up

- Scottie Scheffler (1) vs J.T. Poston (43) 1up

- Xander Schauffele (6) vs J.J. Spaun (61) 3&2

- Rory McIlroy (3) vs Lucas Herbert (46) 2up

- Andrew Putnam (56) vs Kurt Kitayama (19) 6&5

- Billy Horschel (22) vs Cameron Young (15) 5&4

*Numbers indicate ranking positions.

SATURDAY'S QUARTER FINAL MATCHES

- Winners in bold followed by the score

- Sam Burns (13) vs Mackenzie Hughes (50) 3&2

- Scottie Scheffler (1) vs Jason Day (32) 2&1

- Rory McIlroy (3) vs Xander Schauffele (6) 1up

- Cameron Young (15) vs Kurt Kitayama (19) 1up

*Numbers indicate ranking positions.

USEFUL LINKS

• WGC Match Play Purse and Prize Money
• WGC Dell Technologies Betting Picks
• WGC Match Play Power Rankings
• How can you play Austin Country Club?

BIG DAY AHEAD

We have reached the knockout stages of the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play - with both the round of 16 and Quarter-Final Matches to be played on Saturday.

WEATHER FOR SATURDAY

The good news is that the weather looks great for the weekend, so the action should not be interrupted. 

SATURDAY MORNING TEE TIMES (CDT/GMT)

• 7.35am/12.35pm Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes
• 7.46am/12.46pm Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns
• 7.57am/12.57pm Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day 
• 8.08am/1.08pm Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston
• 8.19am/1.19pm Xander Schauffele vs J.J. Spaun
• 8.30am/1.30pm Rory McIlroy vs Lucas Herbert 
• 8.41am/1.41pm Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama 
• 8.52am/1.52pm Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young 

WHO WILL WIN?

No huge surprise in the odds on Saturday morning, with world number one Scottie Scheffler just favourite ahead of Rory McIlroy.

MATCH OF THE DAY (MORNING)

Billy Horschel v Cameron Young - Young shot 27 on the front nine on Wednesday and is playing very well. Horschel is always a danger round this course having won at Austin Country Club in 2021. This should be a cracker.

Not playing to the max

First game out is Max Homa against Mackenzie Hughes, which will be in around half an hour. Perhaps the organisers thought Homa would be raring to get going, having sat out the third day. Homa’s match with Hideki Matsuyama did not take place as Matsuyama withdrew with a neck injury. Will this lack of action hinder or help Homa? He has less experience of the course than his opponent, but he is fresher. At least Homa gets a third game. Ryan Fox did not get to play his final group game, and he hasn’t qualified for the knockouts.

Who were the top seeded players in the groups who did not get through and who qualified instead?

Group 2: Jon Rahm & Billy Horschel (22)
Group 7: Will Zalatoris & Andrew Putnam (56)
Group 8: Viktor Hovland & Matt Kuchar (59)
Group 9: Collin Morikawa & Jason Day (32)
Group 10: Tony Finau & Kurt Kitayama (19)
Group 11: Matt Fitzpatrick & J.J. Spaun (61)
Group 12: Jordan Spieth & Mackenzie Hughes (50)
Group 14: Tyrrell Hatton & Lucas Herbert (46)
Group 16: Sungjae Im & J.T. Poston (43)

Pools winners

The draw for the four-man groups were divided into pools, based upon the player’s ranking: 1-16 seeded players in Pool A, 17-32 in B, 33-48 in C, and 49-64 in Pool D. Here’s where the last 16 qualifiers have come from:
Pool A – 7
Pool B – 3
Pool C – 2
Pool D – 4

Which combinations can and cannot make a final pairing?

The draw has separated the competitors into two halves, and one player from each half will make it through to the final tomorrow afternoon.

The first half of the draw is: Max Homa, Mackenzie Hughes, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Matt Kuchar, Jason Day, Scottie Scheffler and J.T. Poston.

The second half of the draw is: Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Rory McIlroy, Lucas Herbert, Andrew Putnam, Kurt Kitayama, Billy Horschel and Cameron Young

Hundred percent records

Twelve players have these thus far; in addition, Billy Horschel and Matt Kuchar are undefeated. Only playoff victors, Kurt Kitayama and Mackenzie Hughes have lost a match. Previously the highest number of undefeated players to go through to the Last 16 at Austin had been 8. A dozen players had also gone through undefeated ot the Last 16 in 2015, at TPC Harding Park, but in those days all matches were played out to victory, halves were not possible.

And we’re underway

The first match of the knockout stage has teed off, Max Homa is playing the hole for the third time at this year’s WGC Match Play; Mackenzie Hughes for the fifth time.

Homa missed the fairway left. Hughes is on the right-hand side of the fairway, running down onto it from a small bank.

'Great shot!' says Homa's caddie

As his man finds the green from a tricky position an inch or two above a bunker and in the rough. Hughes plays next and hits his approach inside Homa's.

Homa and Hughes both birdie first hole

Decent putt that by Homa, which will have helped his confidence. Cantlay and Burns are now on the 1st tee.

Cantlay drives way off to the right on 1st

Sam Burns then hits his opening shot right down the middle of the fairway.

Haven't we seen you here before?

Matt Kuchar is now on the 1st tee, playing Jason Day. Kuchar is the only player to reach the round of 16 five times since this tournament moved to Austin Country Club in 2016. That is despite not playing in this event last year. A win for Kuchar would be record-breaking 37th one at the WGC Match Play. Currently he is tied on 36 with Tiger Woods. Ian Poulter is third on that list with 32.

'Good shot,' remarks Day to Kuchar...

...as he walks onto the tee to play his opening drive. 'Thank you,' replies Kuchar. Day then bombs one down the fairway.

Day and Kuchar halve first hole

Kuchar misses his birdie putt from 13ft and it goes so far beyond the hole that he has to putt again after Day misses a 5-footer for the win.

Scheffler becomes the first to win a hole on day 4

Scheffler holes from 23ft for a birdie on the 1st.

Homa goes 1up on 4

Max knocks in his birdie putt from the back of the green. 

Reflection

Rory McIlroy sees a reflection in himself in his opponent today. “I know Lucas through the European Tour and him coming through there. He is a really good player – he has got a ton of length, a ton of speed. He can be quite explosive at times which lends itself to this type of golf course – the par 5s, the drivable par 4s. I feel like he has got a slightly similar game to me and I think course sets up well for that and it should be a good match." This game is next up on the 1st tee.

Herbert has been playing down his chances

Mind games or just a honest assessment?

Poston levels on the 2nd

Scheffler's curling 22ft birdie attempt just shaves the hole. Poston then sinks his birdie putt from 14ft. 

McIlroy wins opening hole

Herbert took a 3-wood off the tee, and had an approach from 87 yards, McIlroy took driver and got within 50 yards of the hole. Putts were of similarish length, Rory's nearer. Hughes missed;, Mcilroy didn't. 

McIlroy and Herbert trade birdies on the 2nd

Rory putted second. He remains 1up.

How the quarter-final draw is arranged

The winner of the first match out today will play the winner of the second; the winner of the third match plays the victor of the fourth match and so on. All the matches are now out on the course.

Kitayama goes 2up after 2

Two birdies have beaten two pars, so the 19th seed is 2up on the 56th seed. The winner of this match plays the victor from the Horschel-Young clash. 

Cantlay birdies par-3 7th after missing green

First blood to Cantlay in his match with Sam Burns after the first six holes were halved. It is also Cantlay's third successive birdie.

How y'all doing?

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes (2up) after 8
Patrick Cantlay (1up) vs Sam Burns after 7
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day (2up) after 6
Scottie Scheffler (2up) vs J.T. Poston after 5
Xander Schauffele (1up) vs J.J. Spaun after 4
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert after 4
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (2up) after 2
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (1up) after 2

Kuchar pulls one back at 7th

A par is enough for the oldest man left in the competition. He is now only 1 down to Day.

Which golfer is this?

The first pictures from day four are coming through to Golf Monthly Towers. Can you spot who this is? Answer in next post.

And the pictured golfer was....

....Matt Kuchar. And just in case you didn't recognise where he was, it was taken on the 6th hole.

Horschel in an unfamiliar position

He is trailing in a match for the first time this week. He is 2 down to Cam Young after 4 holes.

Latest standings

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes (2up) after 9
Patrick Cantlay (1up) vs Sam Burns after 8
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day (2up) after 8
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston all square after 7
Xander Schauffele (2up) vs J.J. Spaun after 6
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert after 5
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (2up) after 4
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (2up) square after 4

World Golf Championship?

There are 12 Americans in the last 16; two Australians, a Northern Irishman and a Canadian. Never before has only one European made it through to this stage – not a great stat for Europe in a Ryder Cup year.

Poston goes one up on the world No.1 

Scottie Scheffler makes a right horlicks of the 8th hole and that is his third loss in a row: 2up has become 1 down.

Latest standings 

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes (1up) thru 11
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns tied thru 10
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day (1up) thru 9
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston tied thru 8
Xander Schauffele (2up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 7 
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 7 
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (4up) thru 6 
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (2up) thru 5 

Cantlay finds the water 

Patrick Cantlay looks like he's about to lose consecutive holes against Sam Burns after finding the water on the 11th. That's three bogeys in four holes for Cantlay who will shortly go one down. 

High quality start 

There's some fantastic golf being played in the McIlory vs Herbert match that is currently on the 8th hole. McIlory has birdied four of the seven holes he's played so far today and only finds himself one up. Herbert is matching him shot-for-shot so far

Day follows Kuchar into the water

Clumsy, clumsy golf from this pair on the 11th hole. Kuchar with the honor finds the water, and Jason Day follows him in - terrible match play golf. They'll shoot out from the drop zone now...

J.T Poston leads Scheffler

Do we have a potential surprise on our hands? J.T Poston has just gone 1up against defending champ and tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler. Lots of golf still to play, but it's good to see someone putting up a fight against the world number one. 

Halved with bogeys

After finding the water with their respective tee shots, Kuchar and Day both make up-and-down from the drop zone to halve the hole. Day still leads 1up. 

Latest standings

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes (1up) thru 12
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns (1up) thru 12
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day (1up) thru 11
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston (1up) thru 10
Xander Schauffele (1up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 9 
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 8
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (3up) thru 7
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (3up) thru 7

Close stuff

Six of our eight morning matches are separated by just one hole currently. I think the 17th and 18th holes will be seeing a lot of action later today...

McIlroy hits the turn 2up

A brilliant putt by McIlroy sees him go 2up on Lucas Herbert has they hit the turn. He's five-under-par against the card this morning and is looking in his best form of the week so far. Can the last European left in the draw go deep this weekend? 

Scottie Splashes

We've seen a lot of water action so far this morning. Next up is Scottie Scheffler who finds the drink to the left of the 12th green - he's still one down to J.T Poston. 

Herbert takes one back

Lucas Herbert is playing some stunning golf to stay in this match against Rory McIlory. He's just nailed a long birdie putt on the 10th that McIlory can't respond to - Rory is now just 1up against the Aussue. 

Latest Standings

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes (2up) thru 14
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns (1up) thru 13
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day (1up) thru 12
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston (2up) thru 12
Xander Schauffele (2up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 11
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 10
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (5up) thru 9
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (4up) thru 8

Scheffler falls two down

That mistake on the 12th has cost the world number one another hole. He's now two down against J.T Poston and he's quickly running out of holes. 

Kurt's Kruising 

Going slightly under the radar this morning is Kurt Kitayama who is currently 5up against Andrew Putnam in what was the penultimate tee time of the morning. Also in complete control is Cam Young who is 4up against Billy Horschel. 

Kuch Ties It Up

It's all tied up again between Jason Day and Matt Kuchar as they head to the 14th tee. These two have won this event three times between them, so it's perhaps no surprise to see this one so close. 

Burns In a commanding spot

Sam Burns has piled the pressure on Patrick Cantlay - Burns is now 2up with four holes to play. Meanwhile Cam Young has just gone 5up against Billy Horschel in the last group of the morning. 

Shock result on the cards

J.T Poston is still 2up on Scottie Scheffler, now with just five holes to play. It was so nearly 3up, but Poston missed his 10ft birdie putt that could've put even more space between him and the world number one. Lots and lots of work to do now for the defending champion. 

Latest Standings

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes (2up) thru 15
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns (2up) thru 14
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day Tied thru 14
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston (2up) thru 13
Xander Schauffele (3up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 12
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 11
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (4up) thru 10
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (4up) thru 10

Homa going home?

Max Homa is two down against Mackenzie Hughes with just three holes to play. His drive on the 16th is in trouble and he won't be able to reach the par-5 green in two. Is this another shock result on the cards in Austin? 

Xander 3up on Spaun

Quietly going about his business, Xander Schauffele is a comfortable 3up on J.J Spaun. With just six holes to play in that match, expect to see Xander in the quarter finals later this afternoon. He'll play the winner of the McIlroy vs Herbert match. 

McIlory moves back to 2up

The first mistake today from Lucas Herbert. Up against the wooden sleepers to the left of the 12th green, Herbert duffed his chip and handed the hole on a plate to Rory McIlory. Herbert is playing good enough golf today to claw back this deficit, but Rory is playing equally well and I don't see him throwing away this two hole lead with six holes to play. 

Mackenzie Hughes beats Max Homa 3&2

We have out first quarter finalist and it's a shock result in the opening match of the day. Max Homa, the number five seed, could only make a six on the 16th hole and shakes hands with Mackenzie Hughes to see the Canadian through to his first quarter final appearance at the WGC Matchplay. 

Latest Standings 

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes 3&2
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns (2up) thru 15
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day Tied thru 14
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston (2up) thru 14
Xander Schauffele (3up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 13
Rory McIlroy (2up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 12
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama (4up) thru 11
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (4up) thru 11

Herbert finds the hospitality 

Lucas Herbert's ball has just cannoned into the top deck of the hospitality stands to the right of the 13th hole. It's that bad, he might yet be able to play it off the carpet. 

Ice Man get one back

Patty Ice (Patrick Cantlay to you and I) has won a vital hole on the 16th to halve his deficit to Sam Burns. He'll have the honor on the 17th tee now with Sam Burns holding on to slender 1up lead. 

Herbert birdies, Rory pars

Despite his adventure into the hospitality stands, Lucas Herbert takes full advantage of his free drop to make a birdie on the 13th. McIlroy, who should've made a similarly crisp up-and-down, misses a 3ft putt to gift the hole to Herbert. Rory's short putt didn't even look at the hole - very out of character and he now sits just 1up. 

Scheffler claws one back

Another vital win for a high ranking seed on the 16th hole. After Cantlay did it in the group in front, Scottie Scheffler has just won the 16th hole to go just one down against J.T Poston. They head to the 17th hole with the match hanging in the balance. 

Burns beats Cantlay 2&1

Despite his win on the 16th hole, Patrick Cantlay has succumbed to Sam Burns after the latter made a birdie two on the 17th. Another high seed drops out and Burns will face Mackenzie Hughes in the quarter final later today. 

Latest Standings

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes 3&2
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns 2&1
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day (1up) thru 15
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston (1up) thru 15
Xander Schauffele (4up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 14
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 13
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama 6&5
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young (5up) thru 12

Kitayama beats Putnam 6&5

A convincing win for Kurt Kitayama sees him shaking hands with Andrew Putnam as early as the 13th green. He'll likely face Cam Young later today, who is 5up against Billy Horschel. 

Day and Kuchar go down the last

Jason Day is 1up as he and Matt Kuchar head to the 18th tee. Remember, there's no halves at this stage of the competition, so if Kuchar can win the 18th they will go back down the first for a sudden death playoff. 

Scheffler wins 17, Goes down the last tied 

This is why he is world number one. Scheffler birdies the 17th to take his match against J.T Poston down the last all tied up. He was two down on the 13th hole, can he pinch this match on the 18th or will we need extra holes to decide this match? 

Jason Day Wins 1up

Kuchar couldn't find the miracle he needed down the last and Jason Day triumphs in a well-fought match. Day will play the winner of the Scheffler vs Poston match with the pair having just teed off on the 18th. 

Kuchar will remain tied alongside Tiger Woods for all time wins at the WGC Matchplay with 36 individual matches won. With the tournament not returning next year, it looks like those two could remain tied atop that specific stat 

Latest standings and results

Winner are in bold followed the result:

Max Homa vs Mackenzie Hughes 3&2
Patrick Cantlay vs Sam Burns 2&1
Matt Kuchar vs Jason Day 1up
Scottie Scheffler vs J.T. Poston Tied thru 17
Xander Schauffele (3up) vs J.J. Spaun thru 15
Rory McIlroy (1up) vs Lucas Herbert thru 14
Andrew Putnam vs Kurt Kitayama 6&5
Billy Horschel vs Cameron Young 5&4

Xander Schauffele advances

A comfortable 3&2 win against J.J Spaun sees Xander Schauffele through to the quarter finals. That's an impressive win considering the form Spaun has been in this week. Xander will play the winner of the McIlroy vs Herbert match which is half way down the 16th hole. 

Scheffler Wins 1Up

From two down to 1up, the world number one gets through a tough match against J.T Poston to advance to the quarter finals. Poston had an 8ft putt to send the match to extra holes, but he pushed it slightly to hand Scheffler the win. Gritty stuff from Scottie, who hasn't had his best stuff this morning. He will play Day in a mouthwatering quarter final tie this afternoon. 

One match left in the morning session 

Just one more match from the morning session is out on course - Rory McIlroy vs Lucas Herbert. McIlroy is still holding on to his 1up lead and the pair of currently battling it out on the 16th green. 

Current quarter final matchups 

While McIlroy and Herbert continue, let's take a look at our confirmed quarter finals:

Mackenzie Hughes vs Sam Burns
Jason Day vs Scottie Scheffler
Kurt Kitayama vs Cameron Young

Xander Schauffele will take on the winner of the McIlroy Herbert match with tee times to be released shortly. 

McIlroy 1up, Two to play

McIlroy and Herbert halve the 16th and McIlroy takes his slender advantage onto the 17th tee with him. This match is starting to feel very nervy now and it's all still to play for...

Herbert's last throw of the dice 

The wonders on matchplay golf. Lucas Herbert holes a monster putt on the 17th to pile the pressure on Rory McIlroy, who stuffed his tee shot to about 10ft. Herbert's putt went in with so much pace, he knew he had to hole that.

McIlory responds with a much more conventional birdie of his own, and walks in the putt for good measure. They go down the last with McIlroy holding on to a 1up lead. Herbert has to win the last to take this match to extra holes. 

McIlory Eight Under Par

Rory McIlroy has played his best golf of the week today - he's eight-under par on the card today. The fact he is only 1up is a huge credit to Lucas Herbert who has matched Rory blow-for-blow all morning. 

Job done for Rory?

Rory will have a putt from about 5ft to win his match. He'll have two putts from that range if Herbert fails to convert his 30ft putt. Surely Rory will be advancing from here? 

Rory McIlroy wins 2up

And it is indeed enough for Rory to win his match as Herbert's putt falls short. He was nine-under par on the day in a match he never got more than 2up in. 

Massive credit to Lucas Herbert who hung around all day with Rory in full flow. McIlroy now faces Xander Schauffele in the quarter finals. 

Qaurter Final Matches & Tee Times

- 12:35pm/5:35pm Sam Burns (13) vs Mackenzie Hughes (50)

- 12:50pm/5:50pm Scottie Scheffler (1) vs Jason Day (32)

- 1:05pm/6:05pm Rory McIlroy (3) vs Xander Schauffele (6)

- 1:20pm/6:20pm Cameron Young (15) vs Kurt Kitayama (19)

Straight back at it

There's no messing around here in Austin, and the afternoon session is already underway. Sam Burns and Mackenzie Hughes have teed off and we've got four excellent matches to look forward to. 

Day and Scheffler tee off

The second match of the afternoon session is now underway. Both Jason Day and Scottie Scheffler's morning matches went down to the final hole and it's been a quick turnaround into this match. 

Hughes Two Up Through Two

A dream start for Mackenzie Hughes in his first-ever Matchplay quarter final. A birdie at the first and a birdie at the second courtesy of a chip-in means he's off to the best possible start against Sam Burns. 

Pools winners revisited

The draw for the four-man groups were divided into pools, based upon the player’s ranking, 1-16 seeded players in Pool A, 17-32 in B, 33-48 in C, and 49-64 in Pool D. Here’s where the quarter-finalists have come from:
Pool A – 5
Pool B – 2
Pool C – 0
Pool D – 1

Day has a 70% chance of beating Scheffler now

Paul McGinley on comms has just told us that golfers who have won the 1st hole have won 70% of their matches. Jason Day has just curled in birdie putt on the 1st to win the opening hole.  

Ryder Cup revisited

The quarter final between Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele is an echo of the last  Ryder Cup, as they met in the singles, Rory won that Ryder Cup singles match 3&2.

Hundred percent records

Six of the quarter finalists have these this year; Kurt Kitayama and Mackenzie Hughes both lost a group match.

That Day birdie putt on the 1st hole

Xander Schauffele wins 1st hole

So now he has that 70% chance of winning. Rory McIlroy has the other 30%.

Make birdie, win hole

That is has the first quarter final out has gone so far. Hughes won the first two holes with birdies, and the 4th has just been won by a Burns birdie. Both players made par on 3.

Luck favours Kitayama

His opening drive was miles off target and in the woods. But he had a clear line to the green, He was miles off target with his approach, also; then the ball bounced, turned almost 90 degrees and ended up next to the hole. That's the way to make birdie and win the hole. Gotta feel sorry for Young, 

Tiger’s records

If this is the last WGC Match Play ever, time is running out to beat any existing records. Following Matt Kuchar’s 1 down defeat to Jason Day, Tiger and Kuch look destined to remain tied for eternity for the most match wins.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, at stages 2up and 2 down in his match, rallied to win, so he can still match Tiger in being the only WGC Match Play champion successfully to defend his title. Woods did so in 2004.

Tiger is the only man to have won three WGC Match plays. But Scheffler's quarter-final opponent Jason Day, the winner in 2014 and 2016, has a chance to match this.

One record unlikely to be broken is Tiger’s 9&8 win over Steve Ames in the first round in 2006, when all matches wre knockouts. Ames’ defeat is well remembered, less so that the following year in the first round he beat Robert Karlsson 8&7. (He would have replicated the 9&8 score had he won the 10th hole.) 

So the story goes, Ames phoned home after the Karlsson match and his wife was surprised as she thought he would still be on the course. When he explained his match had ended early, she asked if he would be able to get a flight home that evening. He had to explain that he had won the match not lost it.

How the matches stand

Mackenzie Hughes vs Sam Burns all square after 5
Jason Day (2up) vs Scottie Scheffler after 5
Xander Schauffele (1up) vs Rory McIlroy after 4
Kurt Kitayama (1up) vs Cameron Young after 2

That bounce for Kitayama on the 1st hole

Burns makes a brilliant long birdie putt on 7

Then Hughes misses his short one. Burns goes 1up.

Nationalities of the quarter finalists

There are five Americans in the quarter finals, an Australian, a Northern Irishman and a Canadian. Seven Americans and an Aussie were knocked out in the previous round.

Big-hitting Rory

He has hit 28 of his drives more than 330 yards this week, the most by any player.

McIlroy's approach to 6 goes a wandering 

He can only make a par 5 as his recovery shot runs through the green. Xander Schauffele goes 1up again after Rory's birdie on the previous hole had brought the match back to all square.

Jason Day calls for the PGA Tour doctor

Not sure why, but Day has had problems in past with vertigo/labyrinthitis. This is when the labyrinth deep inside the ear becomes inflamed, affecting hearing and balance. Common symptoms include dizziness and vertigo. But do stress I am just speculating as to why Day may have called the doc. Day is playing some superb golf at the moment.

Schauffele goes 2up

He has made four birdies in the opening seven holes.

Rory does interview on course during his match

How the quarter finals stand

Mackenzie Hughes vs Sam Burns (1up) after 9
Jason Day (2up) vs Scottie Scheffler after 8
Xander Schauffele (2up) vs Rory McIlroy after 7
Kurt Kitayama vs Cameron Young (2up) after 6

Medical update on Jason Day

No problems with labyrinthitis - it's his allergies which are causing him problems. The doc has sorted out some medicine for him which apparently awaits him at the turn.

Day 1up at the turn

And now it is time for him to take his medicine - quite literally.  He was 3up two holes ago, but lost 8 to a par and 9 to a birdie.

How Scheffler brought it back to 1 down at the turn

Reverse the nines for a round or two?

I know there may be some logistical knock-on effects in doing this, but how about it? If so, today would have been the day. Match Play events often don’t go the full 18 holes so television viewers have been getting a lot of coverage of the front nine, less so of the back nine and precious little of the final few holes. It would vary the scenery a bit. 

So far this event has been a tad reminiscent of watching the US Masters in the days when Augusta National only allowed the back nine to be filmed. But all the quarter-final action has now moved to the back nine at Austin Country Club.

Going down the back nine

Mackenzie Hughes vs Sam Burns (1up) after 12
Jason Day (1up) vs Scottie Scheffler after 11
Xander Schauffele vs Rory McIlroy all square after 10
Kurt Kitayama vs Cameron Young (3up) after 9

Schauffele versus McIlroy tied through 11

Speaking after the third round, Rory said: “The ball striking is what has got me to this point. I am lot more confident off the tee than I have been the previous few weeks and I’m following that up with good iron play and good wedges.” But it is his putter that has been keeping him in it today. He is hanging on against Schauffele at the mo.

Hughes misses a highly makeable putt on 13 so stays 1 down

It cannot have been much more than 4ft, if it was even that.

Scheffler fights back morning and afternoon

Scheffler was 2 down with 4 to play in the last round and came through to win 1up. He was 3 down in his quarter final after 7 holes, but now has pulled the match back to all square on the 13th tee. He has just hit a cracker on a drive onto the green, what’s more. Wind in his sails. Day groans after he hits his own shot, unhappy at the result, which is short and right of the green.

Fashion notes

No-one should listen to me on fashion, I know, but Rory McIlroy’s outfit is my favourite of those today. For starters in has a theme and looks co-ordinated, whereas many golfer’s outfit just seem to be a random top and trousers. Also it avoids the oh-so-dull grey; and black trousers always conjure up images of offices to me, not of fairways. Mind you, I suppose fairways are the top professionals’ offices.

But paisley shirts are not to all tastes. At one highly exclusive club, where you have to change in a jacket for lunch, as we were running late, I only changed my top half clothing. This did leave me, as I realised when catching sight of myself in mirror, a rather startling combo of a bright blue corduroy jacket and some bright red tartan golf trews. A chap in paisley shirt called waitress over: “Should you be allowing people in to dining room dressed like that?” She replied: “I am not sure someone who appears to be wearing their pyjamas can comment on others’ clothing choices.”

Rory hits drive out of bounds

Then sticks his provisional into a bunker. He makes 6 on the par-5 12th as a result and loses the hole to his opponent's 4. Schauffele 1up.

Scheffler goes up in his match for the first time

He turns that drive on 13 into a birdie. Jason Day can only make par. Day has not won now for seven holes, having been 3up. 

Schauffele drowns tee shot on par-4 13th

It was straight at the flag, just a couple of yards short. McIlroy finds dry land behind the right-hand side of the green.  

State of the matches

Mackenzie Hughes vs Sam Burns (2up) after 15
Jason Day vs Scottie Scheffler (1up) after 13
Xander Schauffele vs Rory McIlroy all square after 13
Kurt Kitayama vs Cameron Young (3up) after 11

Can Day respond?

After a pretty dismal run, Day needs to respond at the 15th being two down. He does just that, arrowing his second into around six feet. Scheffler responds to around 15 feet. A classic matchplay situation.

Burns too hot for Hughes

We have our first semi-finalist as Sam Burns completes a 3&2 win over Mackenzie Hughes. He'll play either Scottie Scheffler or Jason Day in the next round, although it's looking like the former, who is two up with three to play after the pair halved 15 in birdie.

Clutch!

McIlroy drove it into the bunker but recovered brilliantly to leave himself around 20 feet for birdie. After a lap of honour, his ball finds the bottom of the cup bu Schauffele responds from half the distance to match the Northern Irishman and head to the 16th all square.

Latest scores

A quick update on the semis...

- Burns (3&2) vs Hughes
- Scheffler (2up) vs Day thru 15
- McIlroy (A/S) vs Schauffele thru 15
- Young (2up) vs Kitayama thru 13

Kurt clawing his way back

Kitayama was three down through 12 and in serious trouble but back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14 have reduced his arrears to one with four holes to play. Game well and truly on against Cam Young. 

Master Scheff

Scottie Scheffler is relentless. Day finds the par-5 16th green in two and cosies his eagle putt to withing a few feet to pile the pressure on the World No. 1, but he is equal to the task and almost holes his chip to close out the match.

The half in birdies means he is dormie two ahead. 

Scheffler gets it done

An incredible tee shot on 17 earns Scottie Scheffler a hard-fought 2&1 victory over Jason Day. The Aussie was three up through seven but the World No. 1 chipped away at the lead and eventually took control and booked his place in Sunday's semi-finals.

He birdied five of his last six holes and played the 17 holes in eight-under. Seriously impressive stuff.

McIlroy over the green on 17

The Northern Irishman is locked in a titanic tussle with Xander Schauffele. He's up first but can't find the par-3 17th green and gives the advantage to his Californian counterpart. 

Scheuffele has 9ft for a birdie two, while McIlroy is more than 30ft away.

That's how you win a match...

McIlroy and Schauffele go the distance

Xander Schauffele misses his birdie putt against Rory McIlroy and the pair agree to the good-good and head to the 18th all square. 

McIlroy is up first but can't repeat Thursday's heroics and pulls it well left. Schauffele's response is a little better but not by much. It's still all to play for.

Half in birdies

Kitayama and Young both find the par-5 16th in two, albeit the latter is well closer. Kitayama lags his eagle attempt to 4ft and Young can't pounce from 16ft. The pair half in birdies and Young remains one up heading to 17.

Advantage McIlroy

Schauffele is actually a little stymied behind a tree on the left but does very well to nudge his second onto the fringe, pin high left of the green.

No such issues for McIlroy, who pitches his second to around 20ft. The Northern Irishman has the advantage, but not by much.

Roaring Rory

And that's why he is the man. Schauffele can't convert from the fringe and McIlroy makes him pay, sinking the winning putt with his new wand to book a spot in the last four and a match-up against either Cam Young or Kurt Kitayama,

"I feel great," he said. "If someone told me I'd be a combined 16-under for two rounds there's no way I'd have thought I'd play this 18th twice."

Young and Kitayama on 18

There's just one game left on the course at Austin Country Club after a great day of golf. Cam Young is one up against Kurt Kitayama as the pair slug it out for the right to face McIlroy in the semis.

Both find the left rough off the tee - a popular spot - so it remains in the balance.

Advantage Young

Up first, Kitayama fails to apply any pressure, pitching his second to 41ft. Young responds by chipping to 15ft, meaning Kitayama will likely have to hole a monster to have any hope.

Young completes semi-final line-up

Kitayama can't convert and Young eases his birdie effort down to within a few inches, which is enough to advance to the semi-finals. It was one-way traffic for a while but Kitayama did brilliantly to make a match of it and take it the distance.

Here's tomorrow's mouth-watering semi-finals...

- Sam Burns v Scottie Scheffler
- Rory McIlroy v Cameron Young

Goodnight!

Thanks again for following along with what was a superb day of golf as the WGC Match Play entered the knockout phase. We saw upsets and no shortage of world class golf and are left with two cracking semi-finals. It's crazy to think this event might not be on the PGA Tour schedule next year.

Anyway, that's a matter for another day. We'll be back tomorrow to guide you through the final day of action. Until then, goodnight!

MORNING ALL!

Final day of the 2023 WGC Match Play, with the potential for a monumental clash between Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy on the cards. But Sam Burns and Cameron Young are hoping to spoil that party!

SATURDAY MORNING TEE TIMES

• 9.05am/3.05pm Scottie Scheffler vs Sam Burns
• 9.20am/3.20pm Cameron Young vs Rory McIlroy

The tee times are out, for those people watching in the UK the clocks went forward this morning, so it means they start a little bit later than the first few days.

WEATHER LOOKS PERFECT

Very chance of rain, little wind - conditions are perfect for scoring.

WHO WILL WIN?

No shocks that the bookmakers have Scheffler and McIlroy as the favourites. 

Let's look at the remaining players

WHO IS SAM BURNS

• Samuel Holland Burns was born on the 23rd July 1996 in Shreveport, Louisiana
• Burns was a three-time individual state champion and was named AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2014.
• In 2018, playing the Honda Classic on a sponsor's exemption, Burns was paired with Tiger Woods(opens in new tab) in the final round. He actually beat Woods on the day by two-shots.
• His best calendar year on Tour so far was 2021, in which he won twice, at the Valspar Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship

To find out more go to our Things You Don't Know About Sam Burns post

WHO IS RORY MCILROY?

• McIlroy is from Holywood, Northern Ireland, near Belfast.
• He named his first dog after Ernie Els, calling it Theo (Els' first name).
• Reportedly McIlroy made his first hole-in-one at the age of 10.
• He is one of three men (along with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus) to have won four Majors by the age of 25.
• He won the WGC Match Play in 2015.

For more info check out our Things You Don't Know About Rory McIlroy post

WHO IS CAMERON YOUNG?

• Young was born in Scarborough, New York on May 07, 1997.
• His father David Young was and still is the head professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Westchester County, New York.
• Young was a member of both the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup team and Junior World Cup team.
• He has never won on the PGA Tour, but has had multiple 2nd-place finishes, including at The Open 2022.

To find out more info check out our Things You Don't About Cameron Young post.

WHO IS SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER?

• Scottie's hometown is Dallas, Texas, but he was born in New Jersey.
• He is very afraid of heights.
• He started 2022 with zero PGA Tour wins and at 13th in the world, but by April he had won four PGA Tour titles, including The Masters, and was World No.1.
• He is the defending WGC Match Play Champion.

For more info check out our Things You Don't Know About Scottie Scheffler post

LIV GOLFERS LEFT OFF WGC MATCH PLAY PAST CHAMPIONS

Strange story that happened yesterday, when all the LIV golfers who have previously won the WGC Match Play were omitted from a list of former champions. Social Media went bananas over it.

Read the full story Social Media Reacts After WGC Graphic Leaves Out LIV Past Champions

MCILROY AND SCHAUFFELE SHOOT 59

Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele has an instant classic on Saturday evening. In a better ball format, the two golfing titans shot an impressive 12-under-par round of 59. Rory was only leading in the match when he holed his birdie putt on 18.

Read the full story at Rory McIlroy And Xander Schauffele Shoot 59 At WGC Match Play

MATCH ODDS

The bookies clearly have very short-priced favourites for the semi-finals - with both McIlroy and Scheffler odds on to win. Whether it will be that clear cut, we will have to wait and see.

HOW CAN YOU PLAY AUSTIN COUNTRY CLUB?

This will be the final WGC Match Play at Austin Country Club (for the moment) - with the event not currently on the 2023/24 season calendar.  It does look like great fun to play.  Founded in 1899, Austin Country Club is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in Texas. Not surprisingly, then, securing a round there isn’t easy. 

We give details in How Can I Play Austin Country Club?

GOOD MORNING ALL! 

Good morning everyone! 

Eddie Carruthers here to take you through to tee off times! 

We're building up for a massive day of action in the final day of the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play so stay here for all the latest updates, reaction and analysis from the tournament.

Both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have made their way through to the semi-finals today and they'll take on Sam Burns and Cameron Young, respectively, as they look to book their place in the final which will take place later this afternoon. 

TODAY's TEE TIMES

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler will kick things off later today against No 15 ranked Sam Burns. 

Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy are set to follow them 15 minutes later. 

The weather is looking perfect in Austin too! Light breezes and 15º heat is expected this morning, while things are set to heat up later on in the day. 

Tee times below...

• 9.05am (US)/3.05pm (UK) Scottie Scheffler vs Sam Burns
• 9.20am (US) /3.20pm (UK) Cameron Young vs Rory McIlroy

CLASH OF THE TITANS

We've been treated to a mouthwatering exhibition of match play golf over the last few days, with plenty of thrills, spills and upsets to recap on. 

But the big story from the week is that Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, two of the top ranked golfers in the world, remain on track for a BIG collision in the final later today. 

That is only if they can defeat Sam Burns and Cameron Young in this morning's semi-finals, which will not be an easy task. 

Yesterday was an enthralling day of golf for Scheffler and McIlroy who both showed their tenacity to come back late on in the day to secure their spot in the final day. 

They will need to be on top form from the off today if they are to make it to the final with Burns and Young no doubt very consistent players who, as they proved yesterday can fend off the advances of some tough opponents. 

Let's recap on some of the biggest stories from yesterday's quarter-finals!

SCHEFFLER COMES BACK TO BEAT DAY

The best golfer's in the world never say die, and that was certainly the case yesterday with Scottie Scheffler's late comeback against Jason Day. 

It was an up and down day for the American, who had also come back to defeat J.T. Poston in Saturday morning's round of 16 matches, going down by two holes with four to play. But in incredible fashion, he bounced back to make three consecutive birdies to book his place in the quarter-finals, winning the match by a hole. 

He then started poorly against the Australian, who was searching for his first win on the PGA Tour since 2018. Day, who has previously won a match play tournament back in 2014, took an early lead with a birdie on the first, before Scheffler brought the scores back to level. He then pushed again taking a three hole lead heading into the 6th hole but couldn't hold onto his lead. 

A slip up at the 8th proved costly for Day and gave the American the opening he needed to, for the second time in the day, rally a late charge. Scheffler would go on to birdie the 9th to cut his deficit to one hole, before mounting a late charge, making birdies on five of the last six holes, with the Australian keeping the pressure on Scheffler, also making birdies on the final three holes.

Yet, it was Scheffler who would be victorious, winning the match 2&1 and booking his place in the quarter-finals.

WHAT DRIVER DOES SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER USE? 

Scottie Scheffler is one of several golfers running the brand new TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus drivers. He is one of the most consistent ball strikers on the tour at the moment and currently leads the PGA Tour for shots gained from the tee. And there's no doubt that his new driver has had a say in his performances this season. An upgrade on last year's Stealth driver, we've had the pleasure of taking the new Stealth 2 Plus out for a few testing sessions out on the course, and we've loved the feedback this driver has given us. Check out our review below - but here's a brief snippet of what we've found...

We see a fair few changes in the Stealth 2 this year, with a 2-gram lighter carbon face being introduced, as well as an advanced ‘Inverted Cone Technology’ that the brand says, has helped designers improve the forgiveness on offer. Like the standard Stealth 2, you get the refined, more confidence-inspiring looks, as well as slightly more head and ball speed than its predecessor. Notably though, the focus has been on forgiveness, and with the carbon composite ring at the back of the head, it has allowed weight to be saved and used to aid performance. 

One notable difference is the pitch of the driver which, for this year, has been ever so slightly muted. You still get that powerful feel through impact but, if you prefer a higher-pitched contact sound, you might find this isn’t lively enough for you.

• Read our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus Driver Review

MATCH OF THE DAY: MCILROY BEATS SCHAUFFELE IN A CLASSIC

Perhaps one of the matches of the tournament thus far, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele put on a mouth-watering exhibition of why match play golf needs to remain on the PGA Tour for the seasons to come. 

The American booked his place in the quarter-finals on Saturday morning defeating fellow San Diego State alum J.J. Spaun with a 3-and-2 win, with a dominant showing that saw the Olympic champion hold the lead throughout pretty much all of the match. McIlroy, meanwhile, clocked up a whopping NINE birdies to defeat Australian Lucas Herbert in a driving masterclass to book his place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2016.

The pair came together in the afternoon, with the American coming out of the blocks early to put the World No 3 on the back foot with a birdie on the first. It was neck and neck through the next three holes, with McIlroy claiming a hole back at the fourth. 

The tension was palpable as the pair traded blows, with Schauffele again taking the lead to go 2up through seven, but the Northern Irishman would rally to bring the scores back to level heading into the 18th hole. In front of the grand stand of patrons, the four-time major winner would hold his nerve with the pressure mounting, to nail a 12-foot birdie putt to win the match by a hole. 

Prior to the final hole, the former World No 1 had amazingly not led at any stage in the match. 

He showed his class afterwards shaking hands with Schauffele after what was a rollercoaster of a match. 

McilRoy: "Winning the Match Play is always a massive accomplishment"

After defeating Xander Schauffele in an epic clash, Rory McIlroy will advance to the semi-finals of the WGC Match Play and has revealed how much of a big deal winning this competition really is. 

The Northern Irishman won the tournament back in 2015, dispatching all of Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey, Jim Furyk and Gary Woodland on his way to victory. 

But the four-time major winner, who has 23 PGA Tour victories to his name said he would relish another win at the tournament this week, emphasising how great the satisfaction of winning at the tournament is after playing seven rounds of intense golf.

"I think winning the Match Play is always a massive accomplishment because of what you have to go through," said McIlroy, who has won already on Tour this season at the CJ Cup. 

"It's seven rounds and, especially this week, I feel like a lot of my matches have been really, really close, so to be able to pull them out when I've needed to has been very gratifying.

"Maybe there's a higher sense of satisfaction when you get through on Sunday night and you're able to win. I feel like it's maybe just more of an achievement mentally to do it rather than just winning a four-round stroke-play event."

MCILROY'S NEW PUTTER LOOKS THE BUSINESS

It seems Rory McIlroy's equipment changes are starting to pay off after he sunk a clutch 12-foot putt on the 18th hole yesterday to claim an epic victory against Xander Schauffele. 

The four-time major winner had previously changed his putter set up around right before the event to a Scotty Cameron blade, and it seems to be paying off! 

Read the full story on his new putter: Rory McIlroy Testing Scotty Cameron Putter Ahead Of WGC-Match Play

And if you want to play like Rory, why not check out our guide to the best Scotty Cameron Putters! 

BURNS BATTLES THROUGH

Sam Burns also had a big day on the course, toppling World No 4 and former FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, coming from behind to shoot four birdies in the last five holes of the match to win 2&1. 

The American would advance to the quarters on Saturday where he bested Mackenzie Hughes with a dominant display of golf, despite having to again rally after losing the opening two holes. 

It was a fantastic day on the course for 26-year-old, who took the lead against burns with an INCREDIBLE 51-foot birdie putt on the seventh hole to swing the match. 

Burns, who has four wins on the PGA Tour for his career, shot four birdies during the match to win 3&2.

Speaking after the round, Burns who sits 15th in the Official World Golf Rankings spoke of his reslience to keep pushing at Hughes to get the win.

“That’s kind of the nature of match play,” he said, after the round.

“You just kind of have to weather the storm sometimes, and he got off to a fantastic start there birdieing the first two holes, and we just kind of kept scratching and clawing and got ourselves back in it.

"I hit a lot of really good shots today and was able to come out on the good side.”

BURNS VS SCHEFFLER: FROM PICKLEBALL TO THE GOLF COURSE

Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns are set to go head-to-head in the WGC Match Play later today, but did you know the pair are good friends?

In fact, the pair and their partners reportedly spend a lot of time together, with Burns taking Scheffler to play pickleball recently! 

Today they'll swap their rackets for their golf clubs with the two friends set to tee off at 9.05am (US) /3.05pm (UK), and while the world No 15 claimed he beats Scheffler at pickleball, he admitted today's match will be a lot tougher.

“He is pretty competitive,” Scheffler said of Burns. “I’ve been taking him on my team in pickleball recently. 

"Usually, when he gets on the other team I’ll beat him pretty handily in that one, so pickleball for me is not much of a challenge. The match tomorrow is going to be a lot harder than me beating him in pickleball.

“He’s a fantastic person and he’s a great golfer, and I like him because he’s a person, great guy. We have a lot of fun together.”

CAMERON YOUNG SHOWS HIS DOMINANCE 

Cameron Young is going to be a very tough opponent for Rory McIlroy later today considering how he's played throughout the week. Breaking onto the PGA Tour last season, Young's excellent performances have seen him rise to 17th in the OWGR rankings and this week he's proved he is definitely not far off claiming his first PGA Tour win. 

Undefeated in the group stages, Young bested Billy Horschel in a dominant display on Saturday morning. Horschel had staged one of the upsets of the tournament, knocking World No 2 Jon Rahm out of the tournament at the group stages, but failed to replicate his impressive performance against Young, who stole the show on Saturday morning. Young posted six birdies to defeat Horschel by a whopping five holes, and didn't once drop the lead during the round. 

He advanced to play against Kurt Kitayama, who recently won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and advanced to the round of 16 on Friday night beating Tony Finau and Adrian Meronk in a three-way playoff. Kitayama took the lead in the quarter-final tie against Young, with a birdie on the first. 

It was an exhibition of pure golfing prowess with Young nearly holing out on the 11th from his tee shot, while Kitayama showed some amazing control of the golf ball during the day to bend shots round the trees on the course.

Young would turn on the gas at the fourth to overturn his deficit and take the lead, and would clock up six birdies to hold out against Kitayama, who continued to press late on in the match, taking the game right up to the 18th hole. Young would ultimately be victorious and book his place in the final four. 

T-MINUS 1 HOUR TILL TEE OFF

So we're an hour away until the first tee off time! 

Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns will get us underway at 9:05am (US) / 3:05pm (UK). 

Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young will follow after. 

SCHEFFLER VS BURNS: CAN BURNS GO TWO FOR TWO AGAINST HIS FRIEND?

Scottie Scheffler comes into this match with the hope that he can go back-to-back with wins at this event. The World No 1 is the man to beat on the PGA Tour this season and has continued his dominant form from last year where he claimed his first Masters title, before bounding into this season winning his second consecutive WM Phoenix Open title, before the Players Championships last week. 

Everything he touches at the moment turns to gold, yet it's been an up and down tournament so far for the 26-year-old, who has had to battle back twice to advance to the final day of the tournament. The problem Sam Burns today will be Scheffler's consistency and his tenacity to get results. Scheffler currently ranks highest on the PGA Tour with the most shots gained from tee-to-green and the best GIR percentage. That means, in approach Scottie is unmatched, and he'll be looking to hone in on his precision accuracy again today, in his home state of Texas. 

Burns meanwhile has been in brilliant form this week. Over his last two rounds, he's clocked up 11 birdies, notably dispatching former FedEx Cup Patrick Cantlay yesterday morning. He can be dominant when he builds up a head of steam and seems to be a hard man to topple when he's in the lead. His strength is his putting, so if he can get his flat stick in the groove today, expect him to put some pressure on his playing partner.

Burns is no stranger to winning on Tour either, having triumphed at three events last season including where he beat his friend, Scheffler, in a playoff at the Charles Schwab challenge last year. He'll be looking to go two-for-two against his good friend Scheffler later today. 

YOUNG VS MCILROY: BATTLE OF THE BIG HITTERS

We've seen some amazing shots being played this week already at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play, but we could be in for a driving masterclass here on the final day as two of the PGA Tours biggest hitters go at it as they look to book their place in the final round. While this match will not wholly be won by their driving, as we've already seen both utilise their putters to great effect this week, expect some jaw-dropping big hits in this match that could tee us up for a very exciting finish. 

Cameron Young currently ranks second on the PGA Tour for driving distance (all drives) and is 12th on tour for strokes gained off the tee. He nearly came close to shooting an ace yesterday with a tee shot on the 11th that took a lucky kick off coming within a couple of feet of the hole. 

Overall, his performances this week have been very impressive. He outclassed Billy Horschel taking a whopping 5&4 win yesterday, clocking up six birdies, before showing his cool to hold out against an advancing Kurt Kitayama yesterday. He will be the underdog today against the Northern Irishman, but will be a big threat to McIlroy, who missed the cut last week at the Players Championship two weeks ago. 

The four-time major winner doesn't need an introduction on the power and brilliance he possess off the tee. Just look at this shot he hit earlier in the week...

Maybe the shot of the week so far? It's certainly up there and it's clear the Northern Irishman, despite some skepticism around his equipment changes earlier in the week, is starting to bound his way into a very promising patch of form. 

He showed his dominance against Lucas Herbert yesterday morning, hitting a whopping NINE birdies to progress to the quarter-finals, where he showed his resilience to keep fighting against Xander Schauffele to win with a monster putt on the last hole. McIlroy really has showed us all parts of his game this week, delivering with the driver and flat stick this week. He currently stands in good favour against Young, having experience of winning this event before in 2015. But the pressure will be on the World No 3 to defeat Young, who is out to claim his first win on the PGA Tour. 

TOP SHOTS FROM THE SEMI-FINALISTS

Take a look at some of the top shots from our four semi-finalists this week...

THE STATS DON'T LIE

Here are some key figures to keep in mind during today's matches. 

Match Win Percentage Through 9 Holes

5 MINUTES TO GO! 

Stay up-to-date with all the latest updates here and on our Twitter channel @GolfMonthly as the players gear up to take the course! 

Semi-finals are underway

Scheffler and Burns have both found the fairway. Scheffler has made four pars and a birdie so far on this hole. Burns has made a birdie, three pars and a bogey.

Something’s gotta give

All the semi-finalists won all their group games, so all of them have one hundred percent records so far in this year's Match Play.

Burns wins first hole

Burns plays a gorgeous chip right by the pin and putt is conceded. Scheffler's chip  was a bit scruffy and low and just made it to the dance floor. Scheffler misses his putt.

Second semi final about to begin

Rory McIlroy has made two birdies and three pars on the 1st hole so far. Sam Young made birdies here in his three group matches, but pars in the knockouts.

Last look

Has to be said, the view from behind the 1st tee has not been attractive when they have been playing from the backmost tees. It’s the combination of the hospitality area jutting out in front of the tee on the left and the netting down the right side that jars. But they are playing slightly forward of this today and so we were treated to a more scenic view.

If it had happened as planned...

If the Match Play had panned out according to the seeds, Rory McIlroy would have been playing Jon Rahm. But instead of Rahm progressing from Group 2 it was Bill Horschel, who was then defeated by Cameron Young. Scottie Scheffler’s opponent would have been number four seed Patrick Cantlay. But Cantlay was beaten by Burns in the Last 16 round.

Burns goes 2up on 2nd

Scottie Scheffler has come back from behind well in the knockouts, and he'll need to do so again if the World No. 1 is to make the final. Incidentally, Burns has done well coming from behind, too, as he has been behind in four of his five matches and won them all.

McIlroy and Young tie 1st hole

Birdies apiece. Both set up by deft chips which made the putts litle more than fomalities. Young's chip looked like it might roll in at one stage, but it trundled past.

Scheffler goes 3 down for third consecutive match

Burns holes a long putt for birdie on 3. Scheffler misses his putt from roughly half the length of Burns' one.

McIlroy and Young both par 2nd hole

McIlroy's birdie putt misses - line was right, but pace a little too aggressive. Young also misses from similiar range. Two gimmies follow.

Scheff & Burns halve 4th 

Both make par, Scheffler had by far the longer birdie putt. Burns is playing the better golf here for sure. But Scottie has taken his time to warm up this week.

All from Pool A

With 1st seed Scottie Scheffler playing 13th seed Sam Burns, and 3rd seed Rory McIlroy taking on 15th seed Cam Young, this is the first time since the group stage was introduced that the semi-finalists were all players who had been seeded top of their group. If you add up the seed numbers, it totals 36, the lowest such total since 2000. That year the semi finalists had been the top three seeds and Darren Clarke (20). Clarke beat Tiger Woods 4&3 in a 36-hole final.

First blood in McIlroy-Young

The 3rd hole goes Young's way.

Scheffler pulls one back

Burns had to take a drop when this wayward drive on 5 nestled up against a fallen tree in the undergrowth. His approach made the green. Scheffler putted first and missed. Then Burns missed. So Scottie wins with a par. 

Second semi final: a half on first par 3 on course

Looks like it could have been a Rory win when his 8-iron went to 7ft leaving him with a putt to seal it. 

Harvey Penick’s Big Bronze Statue

Famed golf instructor and author of Harvey Penick's Little Red Book, Harvey Penick was born in Austin. He started caddying at Austin Country Club aged 8. He became the club’s assistant professional and then, in 1923, its head professional, a position he held until 1971. His pupils included Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls and Kathy Whitworth. There is a statue at the club of Kite, an Austin Country Club member, driving with Penick watching.

Rory-Cam all square

Young loses the 5th hole. He has a chip from beyond the ropes up a steep bank. His chip does not make the green so he is left having to chip in to tie McIlroy, whose birdie putt had been conceded.

Scheffler with back-to-back hole wins

He is now only 1 down.

Rory being creative

Rory goes 1up

A feature of Young's week has been his fast starts, but this morning is not following that pattern.

They have stats for everything these days

Up has popped on the telly screen the approximate miles walked by the players so far in the tournament, Rory heads this with 19.2 miles. Mind you, he has also played the most holes, with 87. In second is Sam Burns at 18.9 miles. Young has played the least and walked the least - 81 holes and 17.9 miles. 

On the subject of useless bits of information...

As a collector of useless information, I was delighted to learn from this blog and Ed that Rory McIlroy named his dog after Ernie Els. What would you name a dog if its after someone called Ernie and Els? Theo. After Mr Theodore Ernest Els. With regard to golfers and dogs, Tiger Woods cured his childhood stammer by talking to his dog. This is the answer, by the way, to one of the questions in our Tiger Woods quiz.

Scheffler birdie brings it back to all square

This match has gone, hole-by-hole, with Burns 1up; 2up; 3up; 3up; 2up, 1up; 1up; tied. 

Scheffler ahead at the turn 

Scheffler from 107 yards out plonks his second shot next to the 9th flag. Burns, after bunker trouble, then played his fourth shot from 97 yards out. So far this week, those 1up at the turn, as Scottie now is, have won 58.5% of the time, and lost 22.6%, with the rest being tied group matches.

The Pennybacker Bridge

This has loomed large throughout the television coverage this week. The official name of the bridge is the Percy V. Pennybacker Jr Bridge, named in honour of a Texan civil engineer who was born in 1895 and who had worked for the Texas Highway Department. He had pioneered the use of welded construction as an alternative to rivets in heavy stress bridge design. The bridge is also known as the 360 Bridge as it connects the northern and southern sections of the Loop 360 highway.

It is made from steel from Japan, and the sections were made in Korea. The bridge's total length is 350m and its arch span is 183m. The bridge opened in December 1982 and in 1984 it won first place in won the Federal Highway Administration Excellence In Highway Design Competition.

Scheffler 2up after 10

Sam Burns, who was 3up after three holes, is now playing some ragged golf. Scottie Scheffler on the other hand is now playing some fine golf and has made four birdies in the last five holes. This match looks to be going only one way. Burns has not made a birdie since the 3rd hole. They have now teed off on the par-3 11th and Scheffler's ball is well inside Burn's one, both on the green.

McIlroy 2up at turn

The stats this week say that those 2up after 9 holes have won 78% of these games, and lost 14.3% of the time. 

Scheffler has been playing darts

MacIlroy ties 11th hole

The Northern Irishman holes a decent-lsized putt when it looked to be advantage Young on this hole. Young then knocks his putt in from under 8ft. 

Dye Cast

Pete Dye designed the course at Austin Country Club. Dye, often in conjunction with his wife, Alice, designed several of the courses the top tournaments play at. Sam Tremlett has profiled some of Pete Dye’s most famous designs for us..

Young pulls one back

McIlroy finds water with his second shot on the par-5 12th, then hits his 4th over the green. 

Young is now only 1 down. Five times a runner-up, he has yet to win on the PGA Tour. The last American to get his debut PGA Tour victory at the WGC Match Play was Kevin Sutherland, in 2002. The last time it happened was in 2010, when Ian Poulter beat Paul Casey 4&2. But Poulter already had eight wins on the European Tour.

Want to become a member of Austin Country Club? Here's what you'll need

Plenty of patience and deep pockets. It is rumoured to take 17 years to get to the top of the waiting list and the joining fee is $100,000.

Both semi finals stand at 1up to the favourites

The matches are now on the 14th and 13th holes. Burns has just won the 13th hole with an overdue birdie, his first for eight holes.

BURNS MISSES OPPORTUNITY TO TIE MATCH 

Good morning/afternoon everyone! 

Eddie C here again to take you through the end of the semi-finals today! 

Big shout out to Roderick who's coverage has been fantastic so far this afternoon!

Things are heating up in Austin with temperatures hitting 22º, but things are also heating up on the course, particularly with the putter.

Sam Burns has just missed an opportunity to level on the 13th as him and Scottie Scheffler have just tee'd off on the 14th. 

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is in control of his game against Cameron Young, sitting 2 up with through 13. 

BURNS GOES WITHIN TWO FEET

Sam Burns puts the pressure on Scheffler with a stunning approach shot to within three feet at the 14th as he looks to claw one back. 

Scottie's up...

...AND HE FAILS TO KEEP IT ON THE DANCEFLOOR

Scottie Scheffler succumbs to the pressure and can't keep the ball on the green, flying it far too long onto the first cut. 

It is surprising considering Scheffler's stats ranking first on the PGA Tour for GIR percentage and first for strokes gained tee-to-green. 

Advantage Burns, can he putt out to level the match? 

SCHEFFLER NEARLY CHIPS IN!

But Scheffler hits back after his poor shot on fourteenth with a bit of wizardry with his wedge, bumping the ball onto the green with some superb accuracy before his shot lips out of the hole. 

Burns holes out for a Birdie to level the hole. 

BURNS TAKES THE REINS

Two of the last three holes have gone to Sam Burns, and this match is definitely set to go to 17. 

MCILROY STAYS 2 UP

Cameron Young putts out for par, putting the pressure back on the four-time major winner at 14, but Rory McIlroy replies strongly, putting out for a par to stay 2 UP. 

ELEVEN DAYS UNTIL THE MASTERS AND THERE'S FOUR SPOTS UP FOR GRABS FOR THE TOP 50 

The Masters is fast approaching and it seems there's still some places up for grabs at arguably the most prestigious major on the calendar. 

With eleven days to go, we're getting a better idea of who might be in the running to claim the final four spots up for grabs. 

The top 50 golfers inside the Official World Golf Rankings will qualify, with Jason Day's performances this week projecting him inside that bracket of players which which could give him a berth at the tournament on April 6. 

According to projections made by the Official World Golf Ranking after the Quarter Finals at Austin Country Club, Harris English is projected to be No 44, Keith Mitchell No 46 and Min Woo Lee No 47, with Jason Day also qualifying after a strong showing on Saturday.

The final spot for the Masters will go to the winner of the Valero Texas Open next week. 

YOUNG FOLLOWS SCHEFFLER AND GOES TOO LONG

Cameron Young has followed suit of Scottie Scheffler going too long with his approach on the 15th, going off the back of the green and down the ditch.

He'll have a tough chip on to follow, but as the World No 1 has just shown us, he's still in with a shout of chipping in. 

McIlroy leaves his approach just short of the green but is on the dancefloor. 

SCOTTIE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!

... and Scheffler couldn't believe his chip didn't go in on 15th! 

Fine margins. 

His chipping has been on fire today and has just put another bump and run on 16 very close to the hole. 

YOUNG TIES THE HOLE AS MCILROY FAILS TO GO 3 UP

Rory McIlroy can't quite increase his lead, just failing to drain a long birdie putt. 

Cameron Young keeps the pressure on though, making a par to halve the hole. 

The Northern Irishman holds a two hole lead with three to play. 

WHAT DRIVER IS MCILROY USING? 

Rory McIlroy has just found the sand on the 16th with a monster 300-yard drive. 

But what driver does he use? 

We see a fair few changes in the Stealth 2 this year, with a 2-gram lighter carbon face  being introduced, as well as an advanced ‘Inverted Cone Technology’ that the brand says, has helped designers improve the forgiveness on offer.

Like the standard Stealth 2, you get the refined, more confidence-inspiring looks, as well as slightly more head and ball speed than its predecessor. Notably though, the focus has been on forgiveness, and with the carbon composite ring at the back of the head, it has allowed weight to be saved and used to aid performance. 

One notable difference is the pitch of the driver which, for this year, has been ever so slightly muted. You still get that powerful feel through impact but, if you prefer a higher-pitched contact sound, you might find this isn’t lively enough for you.

• Read our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus Driver Review

BURNS GOES WITHIN 3 FEET!! 

Sam Burns puts the pressure back on Scottie Scheffler just when he needed to, teeing off on the 17th to put the ball within three feet of the hole. He'll surely putt this one out for birdie to go one up heading into 18.

Scheffler can still halve the hole after he found the green too, but he'll be putting from over 11 yards out. 

Can he clinch a clutch birdie to take things to the 18th?

SCHEFFLER GOES WITHIN INCHES WITH HIS PUTT

Scottie Scheffler rolls his putt within inches of the hole, but can't make birdie, conceding the 17th to give Sam Burns a one-hole lead heading to 18. 

Can Scottie take this to a playoff?

BURNS BIRDIES AGAIN

What a sensational shot that was from Burns on the par 3 17th though, pinpoint accuracy. 

His late charge sees him take a one-hole lead heading into the 18th hole, and has just striped his drive 329 yards down the middle of the fairway on 18. 

Scheffler's up now and he puts everything behind this drive, but has landed just short of Burn's driver. 

It's nail-biting stuff this! 

BURNS LATE CHARGE

Sam Burns has played some stunning golf in this back nine. He's birdied four of the last five holes to mount a last-gasp challenge on the World No 1, who had a two-hole lead at the 12th. 

MCILROY DROPS A HOLE

Young is still very much in this match. With two left to play he puts the pressure back on McIlroy who can't find a par on the 16th after a poor approach to the back of the green. 

The Northern Irishman now holds only a one-hole lead.

BURNS NEARLY HOLES OUT! 

Sam Burns has just come within millimetres of winning this match with the most amazing chip onto the green, but the ball doesn't quite grab in time and rolls on past Scheffler's ball on the green. 

PLAYOFF: SCOTTIE COMES BACK TO TIE THE MATCH! WE'RE HEADING TO A PLAYOFF

We're heading to a playoff! Sam Burns can't nail his putt, and taps in with two strokes giving Scheffler the advantage. 

The Masters champion takes his time over the ball considering what's on the line and as expected, drains his putt from four feet to birdie the last. 

We'll go to a playoff! 

MCILROY GETS A REPRIEVE

Young can't birdie the 17th and McIlroy gets a reprieve after a poor tee-shot that found the first cut at the back of the green. He's one up with one to play.

BURNS FINDS A GRATE ON THE FIRST PLAYOFF

What a game of golf this has been. Scheffler and Burns have both tee'd off on the Par 5 12th to start the playoff. 

Scheffler pumps his drive 329 yards down the middle while Burns has found a man hole cover on the fairway! He'll likely get a drop from there. 

SCOTTIE'S CLUTCH PUTT

Here's Scheffler's clutch putt on the last that took the game to a playoff decider! 

PAR 5 12TH: THE STATS

So far this week there have been 10 eagles and a whopping 107 birdies on the Par 5 12th this week. 

Just one mistake here and either player will take advantage on this hole. 

Burns is up first after fishing his ball out of the grill, and he has around 198yards to the hole, but he comfortably finds the green. 

YOUNG HAS A CHANCE 

A fantastic approach shot from Cameron Young leaves him within a decent chance of getting down for a birdie at 18. He needs to win this hole to take his match to a playoff! 

MCILROY MAKES THE GREEN FROM AN AWKWARD ANGLE 

After his tee shot finds the top rim of the bunker, McIlroy manages to rescue the ball from a very difficult lie, but his tee shot is still further away from the green than Young's. 

PLAYOFF! YOUNG TIES THE MATCH!

Young wins the final hole on 18th after a late surge. We're going to another playoff! McIlroy's poor chip from the bunker left him too much to do at the last and he fails to close out the tie! 

CAGEY FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE

There's very little between Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns here with both hitting pars on the first playoff hole. 

It's neck-and-neck! 

SCHEFFLER GOES WITHIN THREE FEET

Scottie Scheffler's distance control with his wedges is phenomenal and he goes within three feet on the second playoff hole. 

Sam Burns is up next from pretty much the same position and pushes his shot out left. 

Advantage Scheffler...

YOUNG RESCUES FROM A BRUTAL LIE

Cameron Young found the sand off the tee, with his ball sitting up next to the lip of the bunker. He chips out as best as he can onto the fairway. 

Rory McIlroy looked as though he had found the bunker with his drive too, but he's got lucky with his ball sitting up on the grass right next to the hazard. Pressure's on as he can capitalise here with a good shot. 

... and he hits a clever strike to the right of the green away from the water on the left. 

CHANCE FOR SCHEFFLER: BURNS GOES TOO SHORT

Sam Burns goes too short with his putt and looks dejected as he rests on his haunches off the side of the green. It's been a fantastic comeback for Burns but Scheffler still needs to putt out to win. 

SCHEFFLER MISSES!

Scottie Scheffler misses from within four feet! 

We're tied through 20 holes now and Sam Burns, who looked dejected off the green, is still in this! 

What a game of golf! 

THE PRESSURE IS STARTING TO SHOW WITH BIG MONEY ON THE LINE

The nerves are running high on the course at the moment and considering the prize funds left to be claimed it's no wonder why! 

The winner will receive a whopping $3.5m from a huge $20m prize pot. There's no doubt though whoever snags that pay check will have worked for it. 

Here's what our final four players could be winning. 

1. $3,500,000

2. $2,200,000

3. $1,420,000

4. $1,145,000

CAMERON YOUNG BEATS RORY MCILROY

Cameron Young knocks in to put the pressure back on McIlroy, but the Northern Irishman can't hit back, with Young claiming the 19th hole in dramatic fashion. He'll advance to the finals with a chance of claiming his first win on the PGA Tour!

'I kept pounding away and kept doing what we wanted to do,' he said.

'I feel like i can hang with anybody in the world.

'Rory is one of the best in the world. Anytime you get to go out to play 19 holes with him is a lot of fun.'

CAMERON YOUNG MOUNTS A HUGE COMEBACK

What a sensational comeback that was from Cameron Young. He held on right to the end to push Rory McIlroy to the 18th, halving the hole to take this match to a playoff even when the four-time major winner looked in command of this game for so long. 

Despite taking a one-hole lead after the fourth, Young slipped behind McIlroy who skirted ahead to take a two-hole lead on the ninth. He held on up until the 15th where Young mounted a stirring comeback before beating McIlroy on the 19th. 

SAM BURNS UPSETS THE ODDS TO DEFEAT SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

Sam Burns birdies the 21st hole to cause the second big upset of the semi-finals to defeat World No 1 Scottie Scheffler in their playoff! 

What a dramatic finish to the semi-finals! 

WE HAVE OUR FINALISTS: CAMERON YOUNG VS SAM BURNS

Wow! What a day! It's been breathless but we now have our two finalists after Sam Burns and Cameron Young upset the odds to defeat the World No 1 and the World No 3 to claim their spots in the final of the WGC Match Play. 

There will now be a little breather as the players prepare for final and the 3rd and 4th place playoff between Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. 

But don't go anywhere as there's still plenty of analysis, reaction and previews to get through before we tee off for the finals. 

SO THE DEFENDING CHAMPION IS OUT! 

So Scottie Scheffler will not go back-to-back for the second time this year after he won the WM Phoenix Open earlier in the season. 

But how good was Sam Burns coming through in the end there. His resilience scoring a whopping SIX birdies in 11 holes see's him advance to the final. 

He's defeated some big opposition to get here though including, Adam Hadwin, Adam Scott, Seamus Power, Patrick Cantlay, Mckenzie Hughes and now the World No 1. 

PAUL MCGINLEY BACKS CAMERON YOUNG

Former Ryder Cup captain is backing Cameron Young to win, but still thinks this is going to be a close finish. 

Paul McGinley: "Expect this to be a really good close final and as we saw as of this morning, the competitiveness of Burns he got right up in the game, he lost it all and then he managed to draw himself back into it against Scottie Scheffler. A lot of credit for that."

TEE TIMES ARE IN!

The tee times are in...

PREVIEW: WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY FINAL 

So after an incredible week of golf, we're here at the last stage of the tournament and we have our finalists: Cameron Young and Sam Burns. 

We're edging closer to tee off time, with Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler to tee off in five minutes in the consolation match. 

But let's quickly look at the final with Young looking like the favourite going into this one as he looks to claim his first ever win on the PGA Tour. 

His form this week has been impressive but the 25-year-old does lack in some experience compared to Burns who has four wins on the PGA Tour for his career. 

Like Burns, Cameron Young has beaten some tough opposition this week including Corey Conners, Davis Thompson, Sepp Straka, Billy Horschel and Kurt Kitayama and now Rory McIlroy. 

He'll come into the playoff having birdied five of the last nine holes to turn the tide on the World No 3. 

He'll take a lot of confidence into the final from that, yet so will Burns, who looked to be out of the game against Scheffler on several occasions but continued to make birdies, six in nine holes to be precise, to take this to the final. 

He too showed his resilience, but after what was an enthralling battle against his good friend Scheffler, arguably, he may fatigue earlier than Young, who has certainly been on the ascendency towards the end of the day. 

Ultimately, this is a very tough one to call, but there is one thing that is certain, this will be a battle of resilience, tenacity and concentration. 

MCILROY VS SCHEFFLER: STILL A LOT TO PLAY FOR

So we're underway in the consolation match as the two finalists head to the range to warm up ahead of their tee off time later. 

But there's still a lot to play for as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy go head-to-head. While this will perhaps be a pretty brisk round of golf, with the masters just 11 days away, both golfers will be eager to get one over the other as a confidence boost heading into the tournament. 

The difference between prize money here is $275,000 but more important is World Ranking points. 

Scheffler will be the defending champion and for the third time this season will have a chance to win back-to-back tournaments. 

McIlroy will be looking to claim his first Green Jacket at Augusta National to win the career grand slam.

MCILROY TAKES FIRST BLOOD

Scheffler misses his putt on the first with the Northern Irishman taking the first win of the round! He's one up through one as the Finalists arrive at the first tee ready to commence battle. 

THE FINAL IS UNDERWAY!

Sam Burns and Cameron Young have teed off on the first hole. 

There have been 55 birdies and 134 pars on this hole, making it the ninth easiest hole to play this week. Both players birdied it last time out so let's see if it goes down to the wire again! 

THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF GOLF

Perhaps one of the photos of the tournament capturing the highs and lows of match play golf. Sam Burns sank to his haunches after Scottie Scheffler looked to be within a very strong chance of winning the second playoff hole. Burns looked beside himself but Scheffler missed his putt, sending the match to the 21st hole. 

CAMERON YOUNG SHOOTS FROM THE TREES

Cameron Young found himself in a tricky lie in the trees after his wayward tee shot. But he manages to cut his ball out of the tough lie with a low shot. Yet he'll have another difficult shot with it bouncing over the back of the green. 

YOUNG GETS OUT OF TROUBLE

Young gives himself a chance in the first, and has dominated the front nine over the course of the week playing it in 24 under par. He chips up over the hill to put his ball within a chance of scoring a par, which he will likely need in order to halve the hole here. 

...AND HE TAPS HOME, BRILLIANT UP AND DOWN

Young taps in to complete a superb up and down. His chipping game certainly rescued him there! 

RESPECT BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS 

Despite squaring off in the semi-final Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns are known to be great friends. After a tough ending for Scheffler, there was a lot of respect on the course with the two players embracing in a big hug. 

PHENOMENAL WEDGE PLAY FROM RORY MCILROY

A stunning approach shot from the left of the fairway sees the World No.3 float the ball with his wedge to within a couple of yards of the hole. He'll have a putt to win the hole here again, as Scheffler also finds the green from a similar distance but can't quite put the ball as close as the four-time major winner. 

CAMERON YOUNG, WHAT'S IN THE BAG? 

Cameron Young is currently playing a Titleist TSR3 Driver. He's a big hitter as he has proved this week. Take a look at our TSR3 review below...

Be sure to also check out his full set up here: Cameron Young What's In The Bag?

Like the TSR2, the TSR3 features the classic-shaped head at address, with the main aim of the driver being to make it faster through the air. Titleist have done this by installing a smoother sole, smaller hosel opening and a taller back section, which is actually more noticeable on the TSR2. 

However, looks wise, it is certainly slick and almost Tesla-inspired with how the weight track and silver strip form a T-shape on the sole. What's more, the five-position SureFit CG track has been neatened up so the weight sits more flush in the extreme positions and a new Variable Thickness Face (VFT) pattern, which Titleist is calling Speed Ring, is tailored towards slightly better players that strike the ball within a more centred area on the face. 

In testing, the numbers were extremely consistent, with the TSR3 minimising drop offs in speed even from off-centre strikes. However, it's the playability that is the most impressive aspect, as it is the easiest driver to manipulate the flight of. Arguably, it's one of the best drivers for slicers.

• Read our full Titleist TSR3 Driver Review

MCILROY GOES TWO UP

Scheffler cannot match him and fails to hole out from his approach. 

McIlroy will now take a two hole lead heading into the fourth hole. 

WHAT A PUTT! 

We're on the fourth green now and McIlroy drains a winding long putt to put the pressure back on Scheffler who holds his nerve to match the Northern Irish golfer with a birdie.

YOUNG TAKES FIRST BLOOD

Things are starting to come together for Cameron Young, who goes one hole up on the second, after Sam Burns finishes with a bogey. 

MCILROY TAKES AN EARLY LEAD WHILE YOUNG EDGES PAST BURNS

The latest scores:

Championship Match: Cameron Young 1 up vs Sam Burns - Through two

Consolation Match: Rory McIlroy 2 up vs Scottie Scheffler - Through five

351 YARDS... NOT A PROBLEM

The 5th hole is a par 4 at a nudge of 350 yards. Rory drives it the back of the green, Scottie to the middle for eagle. Pin is cut right on the front which is its only defence. Scheffler three putts after coming up well short while Rory knocks in an eight-footer to go three up.

Sam Burns very nearly curls one in at the 3rd but can't square the match up.

LOTS OF BIRDIES FLYING AROUND

Needless to say the TV cameras are showing a lot more than they would likely do given who's involved. Never before has a consolation match been so interesting.

But the main event is going on three holes behind them and both players knock it in close at the short 4th and roll in their birdies. Not many signs of nerves given what they're playing for. 

BURNS CHIPPING FOR EAGLE

Sam Burns hits a beauty of a drive to leave himself a very straightforward chip from the uphill fringe at the 5th. 

Rory's lead looks like being trimmed with Scheffler chipping up close at the par-5 6th. 

YOUNG SQUARES THINGS UP

Compliments all round for Young's chip and run... but it just runs too far and tumbles off the green. Burns tidies up beautifully with that eagle chip and the final is levelled. 

MONEY TALKS

A quick reminder of the filthy subject of money...

Final: $3.5M for win, $2.2M for runner-up

Consolation: $1.42M for 3rd, $1.145M for 4th

Not sure why the 3rd and 4th is quite so close (not that 275k is particularly close) 

QUITE THE FINALE

On the upside of there being so much interest in the 3rd/4th match this does feel more interesting than normal when a Match Play Sunday can be a bit of a yawn. This is all ticking along nicely.

Burns has 236 yards in to the 6th and leaves it 30 yards shy. Young is in a greenside bunker...

BURNS NIGHT?

We're going to be using that headline quite a bit even though it's mid afternoon in Texas. Burns pitches in stiff while Young is a bit further away than 'greenside' but comes out nicely to about 12 feet.

BURNS AHEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME

Young's birdie putt is weak and wide so Burns takes the lead.

Am trying to locate a leaderboard, which should be fairly easy in this day and age, for the Corales Puntacana which is something that I've never typed before. Matt Wallace is two clear playing the last, with Nicolai Hojgaard in a tie for second. Who says the Strategic Alliance isn't working? 

WATCH: THAT RORY DRIVE (NOT THAT ONE)

Here he is unleashing one at the short par 4. It's been a good week for Rory and his driver relationship

FINAL SWINGS BURNS' WAY

Burns and Young both just run off the short 7th. Burns hits a lovely deft shot while Young comes up six feet shy. The par putt slides across the hole and it's another hole to Burns.

McIlroy's lead is also trimmed to just one as they head to the 9th tee. 

COUPLE OF BOMBS DOWN THE 8TH

Burns carries it 318 off the 8th tee and into the perfect spot. Young carries it 330... the hole plays a par 5 for the members but the members don't have ball speeds of 189mph.

SLING SHOT

McIlroy slings one around the corner (of the trees that he put himself in) and finds the front fringe with a wonder shot. This is the hole that he got particularly lucky on when it stopped on the brickwork.

FANCY A PINT?

Who would you rather go for a pint with out of Rory or Scottie? The latter seems a nice bloke but not sure you'd want to be stuck with him for too long. Think Rory might be either quite intense or a bit preoccupied and might benefit from a third party eg Harry Diamond.  

BURNS ON FIRE

Sam Burns is turning this final around very nicely. Hits a very pure birdie putt on the 8th and rolls it in dead centre and he's now three up. Four birdies in the last five.

RORY AHEAD AT HALFWAY

The former Boy Wonder rolls in a beauty of a par putt to stem the bleeding a bit and he'll head into the back nine on Sunday, albeit in a consolation match, with a one-hole lead.

MATT FINISHES FIRST

Blimey...

DIVOT: FREE RELIEF?

Cam Young's ball finishes in a divot on the 9th fairway. He has 98 yards to the pin played over a huge chasm. Not a problem, he comes up about 12 feet away,  and further proof that anyone who wants a free drop from such a position is very, very wrong. 

McIlroy and Scheffler both in tight on the 10th.

FORMER TEAM-MATES

We've just been reminded that Burns and Young were team-mates at the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup. This is how Burns was described in the build up.. the final line is a good one.

'The LSU commit is arguably the hottest player right now in boys junior golf. He advanced to the Round of 32 at the US Amateur shortly after winning the Junior PGA Championship. He has a solid all-around game and his near-upset of top-ranked amateur Ollie Schniederjans at Atlanta Athletic Club shows that he doesn’t get intimidated in match play.'

'THE PERFECT MINDSET FOR MATCH PLAY'

And this is Young's blurb..

'The Wake Forest commit comes from a good golf background – his dad, David, is a PGA professional at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club and is Cameron’s teacher. He also has the perfect mindset for match play and his results back that up – won Polo Golf Junior Classic and made the quarterfinals of the 2014 U.S. Amateur.

PAIR OF PARS

You would have thought that we would have had at least one birdie at the 10th but Rory misses and Scheffler lips out.

The final heads into the back nine Burns three up, only two holes have been halved.

BURNS WELL IN CONTROL

McIlroy's hand comes off the club but his pitching wedge clears the water and he has a great chance to double his lead from around seven feet. Which he misses on the high side, big chance gone.

Burns knocks his wedge pretty close at the 10th and, with Young through the green, he should have two chances to win the hole.

BURNS TURNS THE SCREW

Young chips up well off a poor lie but Burns doesn't give him a second chance and he knocks in another birdie. He was one down after four holes, he's now four up with just eight to play.

Rory, up ahead, is absolutely miles down the 12th fairway.

PAR 5 - DRIVE AND A... WEDGE! 

The 12th is 571 yards, admittedly downhill off, but Rory has just hit a very comfy wedge pin high. You do the math.

PUTTS ARE FLYING IN

Sam Burns has a 24-foot birdie putt on the 11th which he makes. Young follows him in to hold on to his coat tails. Cracking response.

Rory holed that eagle putt... good few minutes for the new driver-putter combo.

WET AND WILD

Rory hits a 3-wood off the 13th tee and it's wet from the moment that it came off the clubface. Hence why Scheffler hits an iron which is very tight to the edge of the drink.

Young blocks his tee shot at 12 and uses some adult language and there follows a few apologies.

WALLACE IN WONDERLAND

Matt Wallace, who's just won in the alternate event, admits that he hit two shots out of 145 with a positive mindset at Sawgrass. Which is unlikely to end well.

SLAMMIN' SAM

Young hasn't helped himself by tugging his second to the par-5 12th into the water. Burns plays a commercial shot pin high and he's been faultless for the past couple of hours. Looks like going five up.

BURNS' NIGHT (SORRY)?

A couple of quick wins with Burns and Scheffler closing out wins. Burns could now finish the job at the short par-4 13th. 

BURNS SITTING VERY PRETTY

Young's tee shot at the 13th is bang on line but falls five yards short and this could be a slow ending to his week. Burns is in a great spot, just to the right of the par 4. We could see them shake hands very soon.

SAM BURNS WINS THE MATCH PLAY!

Burns has chipped up to about three feet and Young makes his way round from the drop zone and it's caps off and Sam Burns is your new Match Play champ!

RORY SNEAKS ANOTHER

Rory rolls one in at the 14th for a birdie and it slips in the side. Scheffler can't follow him in and this match takes a (welcome) turn and he goes two up.

BURNS ENJOYS HIS BIGGEST WEEK

A lot of noticeable scalps in here...

BURNS ON FIRE

Sam Burns played his first three holes in one over and then played his next 10 holes in EIGHT under. In the final of the Match Play. There might be lots of birdies knocking about this course but that's some effort after an exhausting week.

BACK TO ONE..

Scheffler makes a birdie at the 15th which is fantastic news for him but you would imagine caused an audible groan in the press tent. It's been a long week and they'll want to get home.

IT'S ALL GONE A BIT SURREAL

Prize givings and golf don't really work, do they? A lot of people in suits and blazers and a lot of shoehorning in of title sponsors.

Up ahead Rory and Scottie continue to slug it out.  

STILL GOING STRONG

McIlroy's chipping is very solid, Scheffler's seems to be slightly more spectacular in terms of holing more. Both players have chipped up to about four feet over an awkward slope at the 16th and you would think that both players will make birdies.

THE COMMENTATOR'S CURSE

Scheffler lips out... Rory is less than three feet away and he knocks it in and that's now dormie two.

JUST SEVENTEEN

Scheffler is well inside McIlroy's ball at the short par 3. He'll likely need to hole that to keep this championship chugging along.

RORY TAKES THIRD

After seeing his putt run five feet past the hole McIlroy sinks it and we're all done - a 2&1 victory and the next time we'll see these two is at Augusta National.

Valspar Championship 2023 Live Stream

The PGA Tour stays in Florida this week for the Valspar Championship, with American Sam Burns is looking to become the first player to win the same event in three consecutive years since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009-11.

Last year he beat Davis Riley in a playoff and he will have to beat several big stars competing this week including Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood. 

The venue is the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, a design that puts a lot of focus on positioning off the tee. It also features an extremely tricky closing stretch known as the 'Snake Pit', which is made up of two tough par-4's as well as a long par-3. 

In short, the tournament is must-see television so below are all the broadcast and streaming details for the event.

Valspar Championship Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs.

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule - 2023 Valspar Championship

All times EST

Thursday, March 16: 2pm-6pm (Golf Channel)

Friday, March 17: 2pm-6pm (Golf Channel)

Saturday, March 18: 1pm-3pm (Golf Channel), 3pm-6pm (NBC)

Sunday, March 19: 1pm-3pm (Golf Channel), 3pm-6pm (NBC)

NBC's Golf Channel will televise action during the week as will NBC when the tournament heats up over the weekend. Bearing this in mind you can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial. While fuboTV also offers the Golf Channel and 100+ other channels and also has a 7-day free trial.

We also recommend Sling TV in the US as well. At $51 per month, Sling Blue with the Sports add-on brings NBC and Golf Channel, and it is also half price for your first month.

UK TV Schedule - 2023 Valspar Championship

Thursday, March 16: 11.30am-10pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, March 17: 11.30am-10pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, March 18: 12pm-10pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, March 19: 12pm-10pm (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2023 Valspar Championship

Friday, March 17: 1am-9am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Saturday, March 18: 1am-9am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, March 19: 4am-9am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Monday, March 20: 4am-9am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The PGA Tour coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch early in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from Innisbrook here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $30 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

Valspar Championship Tee Times

(Selected)

• 8:18am - Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth, Gary Woodland (10)
• 8:29am - J.T. Poston, Justin Thomas, Joel Dahmen (10)
• 8:40am - Keegan Bradley, K.H. Lee, Webb Simpson (10)
• 1:08pm - Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood (1)
• 1:19pm - Kevin Kisner, Brian Harman, Zach Johnson (1)

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service) 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. 

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After watching Scottie Scheffler dominate another loaded field at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, we’ll see the PGA Tour shift from the northern shores of Jacksonville to the Gulf Coast for the 2023 Valspar Championship. Players will spend four rounds competing at the Innisbrook Golf Resort Copperhead Course, which is a par 71 that runs roughly 7,300 yards in length. Like most of the golf courses we see during the Florida leg, it’s abundant with water hazards, sand bunkers, and doglegged fairways that are narrow and flanked by tall rough and sand. Accuracy with driver and irons will remain at a premium toward staying atop the leaderboard at Copperhead, per usual. Still, it doesn’t have nearly as many undulations in its fairways and greens, creating a slightly easier surface for players to stay at or below par.

We haven’t seen a new winner at Valspar, excluding Paul Casey and Sam Burns, since 2017, when Adam Hadwin went -14-under-par to win by one stroke over Patrick Cantlay. Cantlay and many other notable players will be absent from the field, including Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Max Homa, which creates ample opportunities for other players heating up as of late to make a push at securing an outright win. Burns has won back-to-back events at Valspar in 2021 and 2022, but he’s looked out of sorts lately, going T35 at TPC Sawgrass and missing the cut in two previous events, making him far from a lock to bet on at a course he’s historically dominated. 

Don’t fret about the field. It’s still loaded with talent that includes outright betting favorite Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and Keegan Bradley, alongside many other players who have been close to hoisting the winning hardware and collecting the champion purse in previous events this season. We’ll get into one of my high-value prospects during the outright winner prediction section, along with previewing the course and a couple of key stats to stay ahead of the field at Copperhead.

Valspar Championship Course Preview

Innisbrook Golf Resort Copperhead Course

Designed by Larry Packard back in the 1970s, Copperhead is a course that prominently features an abundance of water hazards and sand bunkers. It’s comprised of Bermudagrass fairways and greens, which tend to run slower on the Stimpmeter than Bentgrass surfaces, so players will need to find a balance between their normal putting stroke and the reduced velocity of the greens. Weather will play a big factor in determining the speed as well, with drier conditions creating faster surfaces, while rainfall can reduce putting speeds even more. 

Valspar opens with either a par 5, 558-yarder on the front nine or a challenging par 4, 446-yarder on its back nine. It ends the back-nine with a three-hole segment referred to as the “Snake Pit,” which is two par 4s that book-end a difficult par 3 that stretches over 200 yards with four hefty sand bunkers flanking its green. The 18th hole doesn’t have water hazards, but it's a slight dogleg left and will require a strong tee shot and approach shot to avoid a bogey. The 16th hole is the only one in the Snake pit that features a water hazard, eating into the fairway from the right and jutting into the fairway closer to the small Bermudagrass green. 

There are four par 5s at Copperhead, evenly distributed on the front and back-nine; however, there are five par 3s, with three of them occurring between holes 13-18. 13 and 15 both feature water hazards, along with greens that are small but lengthy, which means finding the green in regulation does not necessarily equate to setting up for an easy birdie attempt. Strokes gained tee-to-green will be a massive piece to solving the puzzle, along with maintaining an accurate driver or tee shot. Of course, scrambling remains a premium at Copperhead, too, as there will be plenty of approach shots that wind up in any of the sand bunkers or tall rough that flank the greens. 

Driving strength will be nearly as important as accuracy, as two of the par 5s at Copperhead run 590 yards and 611 yards, respectively. Power is important, but this will inevitably lead to errant lies, which is why scrambling and sand save percentages are key statistics toward staying under par. Putting velocity will be reduced a bit, but without a lot of wet conditions forecasted, they should gain some speed, at least during the first two rounds prior to the cut being enforced. This narrows down the field quite a bit, especially without as many big names as we’re accustomed to seeing lately. However, there is still plenty of value to acquire when finding players who match these criteria entering the first round at the Valspar Championship. 

Copperhead Key Stats

• Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green
• Driving Accuracy percentage
• Scrambling

Valspar Predictions: Outright Winner

Jordan Spieth (+1200) (Bet $100 to collect $1,300) Head to FanDuel for the best odds for this pick
Jordan Spieth hasn’t competed at Valspar since 2018, but he’s had success here in the past, winning outright back in 2015 to kickstart a massively successful run that would make the Texas native a household name. While we haven’t seen that same level of success sustained in recent years, the 29-year-old has a T6, and T4 finish in two of his past four events played in much more loaded fields, including a three-under-par opening round at TPC Sawgrass last weekend. Spieth seems to always deliver creativity with his approach shots, which is why he’s ranked third in scrambling from 20-30 yards, fourth in approaches from 125-150 yards, and top-ten in approaches from 150-275 yards. Spieth is also 28th in strokes gained tee-to-green and 15th in strokes gained around the green. It’s his putter that tends to be inconsistent. 

On the one hand, Spieth is 114th in strokes gained putting, which is far from ideal. However, he also ranks 15th in Round 1 putts and converts 40.8 percent of one-putt attempts, ranking 74th out of over 200 golfers on the PGA Tour. It will depend on how his flat stick handles at Copperhead, along with remaining consistent in staying under par in all four rounds, but there’s a reason why Spieth is currently second in odds for the outright winner at 12/1. I like him a lot more than Justin Thomas, who is the betting favorite at 11/1, which could be due to finishing T3 at Valspar in 2022. 

Spieth hasn’t played this course in an event in half a decade, but he’s gaining momentum and has the ability to scramble, keeps his irons dialed in, and is among the strongest drivers on the Tour. It’ll definitely be a rollercoaster ride, and it’s not sweat-free, but betting Spieth to win his first outright event of the season feels good, considering the field and his recent form since returning from the holiday hiatus.

Right now, Jordan Spieth is +1200 across the board, but if the money keeps coming in on him, he is going to dip to +1100 or even +1000 in spots. Get in now whilst he is still +1200, and ensure you are comparing odds before tee off, to see if his price changes.

Tommy Fleetwood (+2500) (Bet $100 to collect $2,600) DraftKings has the best odds for this Tommy Fleetwood pick

We’ve seen flashes of greatness from 32-year-old Englishman Tommy Fleetwood this season. That includes his seven-under-par third round at TPC Sawgrass, where he seemingly couldn’t miss a putt. The statistics back this up. Fleetwood is ranked second in overall putting average, second in one-putt percentage (47.4%), and second in putts per round.

He has great touch and accuracy with his irons too, which is a vital piece of the bag that will help him climb the leaderboard at Valspar, as he’s ranked 15th in total strokes gained, including 17th in tee-to-green, 22nd approaching the green, and sixth around the green. He’s decent at scrambling, ranking 91st, but he’s a birdie machine thanks to the flat stick, converting 38.9 percent of birdies or better out of 236 greens hit this season. 

Fleetwood particularly shows his putting prowess in the second and fourth rounds, ranking inside the top 20 in both metrics while being second-best in delivering one-putts. He’s collected 96 birdies or eagles on 396 holes played across only six events this season, meaning Fleetwood is fresh and prepped to make a run in a slightly lighter field than the one he’s been competing in since missing the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open a month ago. 

Fleetwood imploded with a four-over-par final round at TPC Sawgrass last weekend, erasing how impressive he fared during the third round, but he’s hungry and seeking his first outright win on the PGA Tour. That has to account for something, and in this case, I believe possessing one of the best putters on the Tour will give Fleetwood an edge that few other players have to enter Valspar’s opening round. Last year, Fleetwood logged a T16 finish at Copperhead, which was his debut at the course. The key will be whether or not Fleetwood can improve his final-round scoring average, which currently sits at 70.6 on the year, as he tends to deliver strong performances in the middle rounds. 

Despite never winning on the PGA Tour, 25/1 is great value to acquire from a player who has accurate irons, a red-hot putter, along with six finishes inside of the top three since becoming a professional in 2010. Oddsmakers believe in Fleetwood enough to designate him as the fifth most likely player to win outright at Valspar during his second stint at the course, tied with Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose at 25/1. The flat stick is humming, and Fleetwood is extremely accurate with his approach shots, so on a course filled with holes that test a player’s accuracy, let’s invest in Fleetwood to deliver a healthy outright winner payout at +2500 and enjoy watching his ascent up the leaderboard throughout the weekend.

As you can see from our odds comparison table above, it is important to take the +2500 odds on Fleetwood at DraftKings or BetMGM, rather than at Bet365, where he is +2200. There is a $300 difference on your return, based on where you bet on Fleetwood this week.

The 2023 Valspar Championship has arrived! After watching Scottie Scheffler regain No. 1 status in the OWGR with a dominant five-stroke win at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass this past weekend, we’re in store for another thrilling event on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Players will travel from Jacksonville to Palm Harbor, Florida, outside Tampa Bay, to compete at the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Golf Resort Copperhead Course. Like many of the courses in Florida, it’s filled with water hazards, doglegged fairways, sand bunkers, and small Bermudagrass greens that will challenge even the most confident putters. 

The field won’t feature names like Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Max Homa, or Patrick Cantlay, but we’re still getting plenty of heavy hitters with hopes of dethroning the two-time defending Valspar champion, Sam Burns. That’s right, Burns won at Copperhead in 2022 and 2021, performing the same feat that Paul Casey did in 2018 and 2019. There’s a lot of reasoning to support betting on Burns in an event that he’s dominated in recent years, especially when he’s being valued at 16/1 to win outright, which is better value compared to Justin Thomas (+1100) and Jordan Spieth (+1400), who oddsmakers are showing confidence in ahead of Thursday’s opening round. 

Let’s look at the top-ten betting odds, course layout, and a few players who possess the experience, skill set, and confidence to win outright ahead of Thursday’s opening round at The PLAYERS Championship.

Valspar Championship Betting Odds

Right now, Justin Thomas is getting the highest odds to win outright at Valspar at 11/1, while Spieth is a close second at 12/1. Thomas logged a T3 finish in 2022 at Copperhead, delivering -5-under-par rounds during the first three days before settling with a one-under-par finish on Sunday, eliminating him from the two-hole sudden-death playoff that featured Burns outperforming Davis Riley for his second straight outright win at Valspar. Meanwhile, the last time Spieth competed at Valspar in 2018, he missed the cut, going five-over-par in the opening round. However, Spieth won here back in 2015 and logged a T18 finish the following year in 2016. A couple of my favorite sleepers rounding out the top ten outright odds are Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, two Englishman with great putters and the ability to keep their irons dialed in with precision. Canadian Adam Hadwin is a former winner, while Matt Fitzpatrick logged a T5 finish in 2022. 

Let’s explore the course layout more, along with previous winners, relevant betting stats, and a few of my favorite golfers to bet on as outright winners ahead of the 2023 Valspar Championship. 

Valspar Championship Betting Preview

Previous Winners

• 2022 - Sam Burns (-17)
• 2021 - Sam Burns (-17)
• 2020 - Cancelled
• 2019 - Paul Casey (-8)
• 2018 - Paul Casey (-10) 
• 2017 - Adam Hadwin (-14)

Relevant Betting Stats

• Scrambling
• Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green
• Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee
• Driving Accuracy percentage
• Sand save percentage

Course Layout

Innisbrook Golf Resort Copperhead Course is a par 71 that stretches to roughly 7,300 yards. The surfaces are Bermudagrass, including the greens, which tend to run slower than their Bengtrass counterparts. There are four par 5s and five par 3s at Copperhead, with the final three-hole sequence consisting of two par 4s and a difficult par 3, more commonly referred to as the ‘Snake Pit’ due to the precision and numerous hazards that will present themselves to players off of the tee box.

Designed by Larry Packard back in the 1970s, Copperhead demands strong drives and accurate tee shots, as there is abundant rough and tree-lined fairways that tend to dogleg, meaning the greens are obscured during most approach shots on par 4 and par 5 holes. Being able to scramble is a vital component to winning here, along with sand save percentage, as there are dozens of sand bunkers that are strategically placed along the fairways and around the greens to make it even more difficult to stay at par or lower.

Top Players to Bet for Outright Winner at the Valspar Championship

Jordan Spieth (+1200) (Bet $100 to collect $1,300) Get the best Jordan Spieth odds at FanDuel

I really like what I’ve seen from Jordan Spieth in 2023. While he is still searching for his first outright win on the PGA Tour this season, the 29-year-old native of Texas has logged a T4, and T6 finish in two of his previous four events played since mid-February. Spieth won at Copperhead, albeit eight years ago, but he’s playing great around the green, ranking third in scrambling from 20-30 yards, fourth in approaches from 125-150 yards, and 15th in strokes gained around the green. Spieth punishes the golf ball with his driver, too, averaging over 300 yards per swing, so the only question will be whether or not he can stay under par in all four rounds to position himself for a push to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday. He’s my favorite player with the lowest odds to bet on, as he’s done it here to kickstart his career and is playing well enough to transfer his momentum into Valspar for his first outright of the season in a field that is lightened a bit from the past few events that we’ve watched. 

Tommy Fleetwood (+2500) (Bet $100 to collect $2,600) Go to DraftKings for the best odds for this pick

Tommy Fleetwood is one of my favorite players to bet outright at Valspar this weekend. The 32-year-old Englishman drew a T16 finish at Copperhead in 2022, faltering in the final round by going even par, but he’s equipped with one of the best putters in the game right now. Fleetwood ranks second in overall putting average, one-putt percentage, and putts per round. Anyone who has this much talent with the flat stick will have an edge over the majority of the field, but Fleetwood is also ranked 17th in strokes gained tee-to-green, and 22nd in strokes gained approaching the green. His irons are accurate, so paired with his putter, I love Fleetwood to make a significant run at Copperhead as he seeks the first outright win of his 13-year career on the PGA Tour. 

Adam Hadwin (+2800) (Bet $100 to collect $2,900) Head to DraftKings for the best Adam Hadwin odds

We’re landing 28/1 odds for one of Valspar’s previous outright winners with 35-year-old Canadian Adam Hadwin. He missed the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational a couple of weeks ago. Still, he bounced back with a solid T13 finish at TPC Sawgrass this past weekend, staying below par in every round despite difficult conditions and a loaded field. Hadwin won at Copperhead in 2017, is ranked fifth in par 3 scoring average, 12th at putting inside of ten feet, and 14th in approaches between 175 and 200 yards. Hadwin also is equipped with an accurate driver, ranking 24th on the PGA Tour, so he’ll have a sizable advantage by evading the rough and bunkers, giving plenty of room to set up quality approach shots onto the greens. Players tend to perform well at courses they’ve had previous success at. Still, unlike Sam Burns, who is struggling to crack a T25 finish lately, Hadwin has two finishes inside of the top 15 in two of his four previous events played since mid-February. At 28/1, we’re getting a solid payout if the veteran Canadian can rise to the occasion for his second outright at Valspar in a field that isn’t nearly as daunting compared to the past couple of events.

The final tournament of the Florida Swing takes place at the Copperhead Course for the Valspar Championship, where Sam Burns returns to defend the title he won last year as he bids for his third successive victory in the event.

In 2022, Burns won in thrilling style with a 33-foot putt for birdie in the second playoff hole to edge out Davis Riley. The runner-up also returns to Innisbrook this year as he goes in search of his maiden PGA Tour win.

Before Burns’ run of wins in the tournament, players now with LIV Golf enjoyed the most recent success in the event. After Charl Schwartzel won in 2016, Paul Casey claimed victory in 2018 and 2019, but now each player is with the Tour’s rival, they are ineligible for this year’s tournament. Another former winner in the field, though, is 2017 victor Adam Hadwin, who beat Patrick Cantlay by one shot six years ago.

A playoff saw Jordan Spieth win in 2015, and the American will be hopeful of a similar performance this week as he goes in search of his first win since last April in the RBC Heritage. 

Other former winners include Kevin Streelman, who triumphed a decade ago when the tournament was called the Tampa Bay Championship and Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who won in 2012 when the tournament was named the Transitions Championship.

After successive designated events, it’s not surprising that many of the world’s top players opted out of this week’s tournament, but as well as the likes of Burns and Spieth, there are a handful of other high-profile players to look out for, including Justin Rose, who recently won his first title in four years at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, PGA Champion Justin Thomas, World No.22 Keegan Bradley and World No.27 Tommy Fleetwood.

Players are competing for a purse of $8.1 million, with the winner claiming $1.458m. To be in with a chance of earning some of the top prizes, players will need to navigate a series of narrow fairways with acute angles. That includes the notorious Snake Pit, which encompasses holes 16 through 18. Of those, the 16th, a par-4 dogleg right, is considered one of the hardest on the PGA Tour. 

Below is the prize money breakdown and field for the 2023 Valspar Championship at the Copperhead Course. 

Valspar Championship Prize Money

Valspar Championship Field

• Aberg, Ludvig
• Albertson, Anders
• Alexander, Tyson
• An, Byeong Hun
• Armour, Ryan
• Barnes, Erik
• Bhatia, Akshay
• Blair, Zac
• Bradley, Keegan
• Bramlett, Joseph
• Brehm, Ryan
• Bryan, Wesley
• Burns, Sam
• Champ, Cameron
• Cink, Stewart
• Clark, Wyndham
• Cole, Eric
• Cone, Trevor
• Coody, Pierceson
• Cook, Austin
• Daffue, MJ
• Dahmen, Joel
• Donald, Luke
• Dou, Zecheng
• Dufner, Jason
• Duncan, Tyler
• Echavarria, Nico
• Eckroat, Austin
• Endycott, Harrison
• Fitzpatrick, Matt
• Fleetwood, Tommy
• Fratelli, Dylan
• Gabrelcik, Nick
• Garnett, Brice
• Gerard, Ryan
• Ghim, Doug
• Gligic, Michael
• Glover, Lucas
• Gordon, Will
• Goya, Tano
• Grant, Brent
• Gribble, Cody
• Griffin, Ben
• Hadley, Chesson
• Hadwin, Adam
• Hahn, James
• Haley II, Paul
• Hall, Harry
• Hammer, Cole
• Hardy, Nick
• Harman, Brian
• Harrington, Scott
• Herman, Jim
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgo, Garrick
• Higgs, Harry
• Hodges, Lee
• Hoffman, Charley
• Holmes, J.B.
• Hossler, Beau
• Hubbard, Mark
• Jaeger, Stephan
• Johnson, Zach
• Kim, Michael
• Kim, S.H.
• Kisner, Kevin
• Kizzire, Patton
• Knox, Russell
• Koch, Greg
• Kraft, Kelly
• Laird, Martin
• Landry, Andrew
• Lashley, Nate
• Lee, K.H.
• Lingmerth, David
• Lipsky, David
• List, Luke
• Long, Adam
• Lower, Justin
• Malnati, Peter
• Martin, Ben
• Matthews, Brandon
• McCarthy, Denny
• McGreevy, Max
• McNealy, Maverick
• Merritt, Troy
• Moore, Ryan
• Moore, Taylor
• Mullinax, Trey
• NeSmith, Matthew
• Norlander, Henrik
• Norrman, Vincent
• Novak, Andrew
• Núñez, Augusto
• Perez, Victor
• Poston, J.T.
• Rai, Aaron
• Ramey, Chad
• Reavie, Chez
• Redman, Doc
• Riley, Davis
• Rodgers, Patrick
• Rose, Justin
• Roy, Kevin
• Ryder, Sam
• Sabbatini, Rory
• Schenk, Adam
• Schmid, Matti
• Schwab, Matthias
• Shelton, Robby
• Sigg, Greyson
• Simpson, Webb
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin
• Spieth, Jordan
• Stanley, Kyle
• Stevens, Sam
• Streb, Robert
• Streelman, Kevin
• Stuard, Brian
• Suh, Justin
• Taylor, Ben
• Taylor, Nick
• Thomas, Justin
• Thompson, Michael
• Tway, Kevin
• Van Rooyen, Erik
• VanDerLaan, John
• Vegas, Jhonattan
• Walker, Jimmy
• Wallace, Matt
• Webelo, Trevor
• Werenski, Richy
• Westmoreland, Kyle
• Woodland, Gary
• Wu, Brandon
• Wu, Dylan
• Young, Carson
• Yuan, Carl

The American Express 2023 Live Stream

The PGA Tour moves to California this week for The American Express, a tournament which will see some big names back in action after a weeks rest. Top of the tree sits Scottie Scheffler along with nine more of the top 20 players in the world rankings, such as Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, Sam Burns, Cameron Young, Tom Kim and Sahith Theegala.

Three courses will be in use for the tournament, while those who make the 54-hole cut will play PGA West’s Stadium Course for the final round. The other two courses are the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club.

Below are all the broadcast and streaming details you need to make sure you miss none of the action.

The American Express Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs.

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule - 2023 The American Express

All times EST

Thursday, January 19: 3pm-7pm (Golf Channel)

Friday, January 20: 3pm-7pm (Golf Channel)

Saturday, January 21: 3pm-7pm (Golf Channel)

Sunday, January 22: 3pm-7pm (Golf Channel)

NBC's Golf Channel will televise action during the week. Bearing this in mind you can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial. While fuboTV also offers the Golf Channel and 100+ other channels and also has a 7-day free trial.

UK TV Schedule - 2023 The American Express

Thursday, January 19: 8pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, January 20: 8pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, January 21: 4.30pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, January 22: 4.30pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2023 The American Express

Friday, January 20: 2am-11am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Saturday, January 21: 2am-11am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, January 22: 7am-11am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Monday, January 23: 7am-11am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The PGA Tour coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch early in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from La Quinta here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $25 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service) 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. 

Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. 

The 2022 QBE Shootout sees a field of 24 competing in 12 groups of two over 54 holes in an event that began in 1989 as the RMCC Invitational.

Nowadays, the event is played at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, and this year’s tournament sees two LPGA players, Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda, appear alongside 22 players from the PGA Tour. 

World No.2 Korda and World No.7 Thompson will be confident of performing strongly, not least because it is only three weeks since they last played competitively at the course, for the LPGA Tour’s season-closing CME Group Tour Championship. On that occasion, Korda finished tied for 10th while Thompson finished tied for 21st. They are teamed with Denny McCarthy and Maverick McNealy, respectively. Between Korda and Thompson, the latter has by far the most experience in the tournament. This will be her sixth appearance, while Korda is making her debut.

Last year, Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na edged out Billy Horschel and Sam Burns by one shot. However, as the champions now play for LIV Golf, they are not eligible for this year’s tournament. Horschel is in the field as he aims to go one better this year and he will team up with Jason Day.

One of the most successful players in the tournament’s history is Harris English. He returns looking for his fourth victory having last won the tournament in 2020 alongside Matt Kuchar. Both players team up again in a bid to repeat their success. Elsewhere, Brian Harman, who claimed the title in 2018 with Patton Kizzire, also returns, while Steve Stricker, who has won the tournament twice, plays too. Other notable players in the field include World No.16 Max Homa, who teams up with Kevin Kisner, and PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Cameron Young, who is alongside KH Lee.

Players will compete in a scramble in the opening round, followed by a modified form of alternate shot on the Saturday and fourballs for Sunday's closing round. Meanwhile, Korda and Thompson will play off the men’s tees along with the other players. The teams will be competing for a purse of $3.8m, with the winning team claiming $950,000.

Below is the full breakdown of the prize money and teams for the 2022 QBE Shootout.

QBE Shootout Prize Money

QBE Shootout Field/Teams

• Max Homa – Kevin Kisner
• Harris English – Matt Kuchar
• Nelly Korda – Denny McCarthy
• Trey Mullinax – Scott Stallings
• Brian Harman – Sepp Straka
• Jason Day – Billy Horschel
• Steve Stricker – Cameron Young
• Maverick McNealy – Lexi Thompson
• Tom Hoge – Sahith Theegala
• Charley Hoffman – Ryan Palmer
• Corey Conners – KH Lee
• Keith Mitchell – JJ Spaun

The latest leg of the PGA Tour season moves to Texas for the 2022  Houston Open at Memorial Park, where the local crowd will be cheering on World No.2 Scottie Scheffler. 

The American, who attended the University of Texas after growing up in the state, recently lost the World No.1 position to Rory McIlroy following the Northern Irishman’s win in last month’s CJ Cup. 

Even though Scheffler has failed to win a tournament since claiming his first Major in April’s Masters at Augusta National, he has still shown plenty of encouraging form, including finishing tied for third at last week’s World Wide Technology Championship at El Camaleon Golf Club. That included a final round of 62, and if he takes similar form into this week, he could regain the World No.1 position with a win. 

There are some other standout names in the field including World No.12 Sam Burns and World No.15 Tony Finau. The latter, in particular, has been in excellent form in recent months. As well as winning back-to-back tournaments in the summer’s 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic, he also performed admirably in the season-closing FedEx Cup playoffs, with top-10 finishes in two of the three tournaments. However, Finau missed the cut in Mexico last week, but he will be keen to prove it was a blip in an otherwise solid run of results.

Former World No.1 Jason Day also appears along with US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson. World No.19 Hideki Matsuyama is also in the field. He finished tied for second behind Carlos Ortiz in the 2020 tournament and will be hopeful of going one better this year. Meanwhile, Russell Henley, who won in Mexico last week, also participates as he aims to replicate his 2017 triumph. One player who misses out is 2021 winner Jason Kokrak. Nowadays, the American plays for LIV Golf so is currently ineligible for PGA Tour events.

There is an increased purse for this season’s event. Last year, players battled for a $7.5m purse. However, for 2022 it has increased by $900,000 to $8.4m. The winner will claim $1.512m, but to do so, he'll need to get to grips with tree-lined parkland course with contoured greens and strategic bunkering. 

Below is a full breakdown of the prize money and field for the 2022 Houston Open. 

Houston Open 2022 Prize Money

Houston Open 2022 Field

• Alexander, Tyson
• An, Byeong Hun
• Armour, Ryan
• Barnes, Erik
• Blair, Zac
• Bramlett, Joseph
• Brehm, Ryan
• Burmester, Dean
• Burns, Sam
• Champ, Cameron
• Cink, Stewart
• Clark, Wyndham
• Cole, Eric
• Cook, Austin
• Daffue, MJ
• Dahmen, Joel
• Day, Jason
• Dou, Zecheng
• Dufner, Jason
• Duncan, Tyler
• Echavarria, Nico
• Eckroat, Austin
• English, Harris
• Finau, Tony
• Frittelli, Dylan
• Gligic, Michael
• Gordon, Will
• Grant, Brent
• Griffin, Ben
• Grillo, Emiliano
• Hadley, Chesson
• Hadwin, Adam
• Hahn, James
• Haley II, Paul
• Hall, Harry
• Hammer, Cole
• Henley, Russell
• Herman, Jim
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgo, Garrick
• Hodges, Lee
• Hoffman, Charley
• Hossler, Beau
• Hubbard, Mark
• Hughes, Mackenzie
• Huh, John
• Jaeger, Stephan
• Johnson, Zach
• Kern, Ben
• Kim, Michael
• Kim, S.H.
• Kim, Si Woo
• Knowles, Philip
• Knox, Russell
• Kraft, Kelly
• Laird, Martin
• Lashley, Nate
• Lee, Danny
• Lee, Walker
• Lingmerth, David
• Lipsky, David
• List, Luke
• Long, Adam
• Lower, Justin
• Malnati, Peter
• Martin, Ben
• Matsuyama, Hideki
• Matthews, Brandon
• McCarthy, Denny
• McGreevy, Max
• McNealy, Maverick
• Mitchell, Keith
• Molinari, Francesco
• Montgomery, Taylor
• Moore, Taylor
• Mullinax, Trey
• Muñoz, Sebastián
• NeSmith, Matthew
• Noren, Alex
• Norlander, Henrik
• Núñez, Augusto
• Palmer, Ryan
• Pan, C.T.
• Pendrith, Taylor
• Piercy, Scott
• Putnam, Andrew
• Rai, Aaron
• Ramey, Chad
• Redman, Doc
• Riley, Davis
• Rodgers, Patrick
• Rose, Justin
• Ryder, Sam
• Scheffler, Scottie
• Schenk, Adam
• Schwab, Matthias
• Shelton, Robby
• Sigg, Greyson
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin
• Steele, Brendan
• Straka, Sepp
• Streb, Robert
• Streelman, Kevin
• Stroud, Chris
• Suh, Justin
• Svensson, Adam
• Tarren, Callum
• Taylor, Ben
• Taylor, Nick
• Theegala, Sahith
• Thompson, Davis
• Tway, Kevin
• van Rooyen, Erik
• Veerman, Johannes
• Vick, Travis
• Walker, Jimmy
• Wallace, Matt
• Watney, Nick
• Werenski, Richy
• Westmoreland, Kyle
• Whaley, Vince
• Willett, Danny
• Wise, Aaron
• Woodland, Gary
• Wu, Brandon
• Young, Carson
• Yuan, Carl

After the drama of last week’s Presidents Cup, the new PGA Tour season moves on to the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi with the Sanderson Farms Championship.

A handful of the best PGA Tour players, including Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick, are in Scotland this week for the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, while many other big names are sitting out this tournament. However, there are still some relatively high-profile players among the Tour’s lesser names in this week's field.

One is defending champion Sam Burns, fresh from his exploits at Quail Hollow last week. Burns’ final round last year included four birdies in a five-hole run over the back nine to hold off the challenges of Nick Watney and Cameron Young for his second PGA Tour title. The overnight leader going into the final round was Sahith Theegala. However, his challenge faded as the day progressed and he finished tied for eighth – a position the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year nominee will be looking to improve on this week.

As well as Burns, another player who competed in the Presidents Cup, the International team's Christiaan Bezuidenhout, also appears. World No.45 Harris English participates too, as does the man three places beneath him in the Official World Golf Ranking, Keegan Bradley. Ryan Armour, who won the tournament in 2017, will be hoping for similar success this year. Other former winners appearing include 2015 victor Peter Malnati and Cody Gribble, who won in 2016.

The players will compete for a record purse of $7.9m, an increase of $900,000 last year, with the winner earning $1.42m. Whoever does claim the first prize will need to negotiate a parkland course known for its small and challenging greens.

Below is a full breakdown of the prize money and field.

Sanderson Farms Championship 2022 Prize Money

Sanderson Farms Championship 2022 Field

• Albertson, Anders
• Alexander, Tyson
• An, Byeong Hun
• Armour, Ryan
• Barnes, Erik
• Bezuidenhout, Christiaan
• Blair, Zac
• Bradley, Keegan
• Bramlett, Joseph
• Brehm, Ryan
• Buckley, Hayden
• Burmester, Dean
• Burns, Sam
• Cink, Stewart
• Clark, Wyndham
• Cole, Eric
• Cone, Trevor
• Cook, Austin
• Cummins, Quade
• Daffue, MJ
• Dahmen, Joel
• Detry, Thomas
• Dou, Zecheng
• Dufner, Jason
• Duncan, Tyler
• Echavarria, Nico
• Eckroat, Austin
• Endycott, Harrison
• English, Harris
• Frittelli, Dylan
• Furr, Wilson
• Garnett, Brice
• Gligic, Michael
• Glover, Lucas
• Gordon, Will
• Goya, Tano
• Grant, Brent
• Gribble, Cody
• Griffin, Ben
• Grillo, Emiliano
• Hadley, Chesson
• Hadwin, Adam
• Haley II, Paul
• Hall, Harry
• Hammer, Cole
• Hanko, Joseph
• Hardy, Nick
• Harrington, Scott
• Henley, Russell
• Herman, Jim
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgo, Garrick
• Hodges, Lee
• Hubbard, Mark
• Hughes, Mackenzie
• Huh, John
• Jaeger, Stephan
• Kim, Michael
• Kim, S.H.
• Kirk, Chris
• Kizzire, Patton
• Knowles, Philip
• Knox, Russell
• Laird, Martin
• Landry, Andrew
• Lashley, Nate
• Lee, Danny
• Lindheim, Nicholas
• Lingmerth, David
• Lipsky, David
• List, Luke
• Long, Adam
• Lower, Justin
• Malnati, Peter
• Martin, Ben
• Matthews, Brandon
• McCarthy, Denny
• McGirt, William
• McGreevy, Max
• Montgomery, Taylor
• Moore, Ryan
• Moore, Taylor
• Mullinax, Trey
• Murphy, Sam
• NeSmith, Matthew
• Norlander, Henrik
• Norrman, Vincent
• Núñez, Augusto
• Pan, C.T.
• Piercy, Scott
• Poston, J.T.
• Power, Seamus
• Putnam, Andrew
• Rai, Aaron
• Ramey, Chad
• Reavie, Chez
• Riley, Davis
• Rodgers, Patrick
• Roy, Kevin
• Ryder, Sam
• Sabbatini, Rory
• Schenk, Adam
• Schmid, Matti
• Schwab, Matthias
• Shelton, Robby
• Sigg, Greyson
• Silverman, Ben
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin
• Stallings, Scott
• Steele, Brendan
• Stevens, Sam
• Straka, Sepp
• Streb, Robert
• Streelman, Kevin
• Stroud, Chris
• Stuard, Brian
• Suber, Jackson
• Suh, Justin
• Svensson, Adam
• Tarren, Callum
• Taylor, Ben
• Taylor, Nick
• Taylor, Vaughn
• Theegala, Sahith
• Thompson, Davis
• Thompson, Michael
• Todd, Brendon
• Tosti, Alejandro
• Trainer, Martin
• Tway, Kevin
• Walker, Jimmy
• Watney, Nick
• Werbylo, Trevor
• Werenski, Richy
• Westmoreland, Kyle
• Whaley, Vince
• Wilkinson, Brice
• Woodland, Gary
• Wu, Brandon
• We, Dylan
• Young, Carson
• Yu, Kevin
• Yuan, Carl

Davis Love III’s Team USA are likely to start as strong favourites to retain the Presidents Cup when they take on Trevor Immelman’s Internationals, with both line-ups now finalised ahead of the Quail Hollow clash later this month.

The two teams were finalised this week with the captain’s picks, and while both have had to cope without some big names defecting to LIV Golf, the USA team still looks much stronger. Headed by World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, the American side contains five of the top 10 ranked players in the world, with Collin Morikawa (8th) added to automatic qualifiers Patrick Cantlay (4th), Xander Schauffele (5th) and Justin Thomas (7th). 

Will Zalatoris (9th) is unavailable through injury, but Sam Burns (12th), Jordan Spieth (13th), Tony Finau (14th) and Billy Horschel (15th) are all on the cusp of a top-10 spot too. Cam Young, Max Homa and Kevin Kisner, ranked 17th, 20th and 26th respectively, make up the rest of Davis Love III’s roster, giving Team USA an average world ranking of 11.8.

While Dustin Johnson, currently ranked 22nd, would have brought that average down slightly, and he and Brooks Koepka (28th) would arguably have maintained spots in the top 20 if they had stayed on the PGA Tour and not moved to LIV, where ranking points are not awarded, the strength of Love’s side is largely unaffected by Greg Norman’s new tour.

The same cannot be said of Immelman’s International Team. The South African has no top-10 ranked players, with Hideki Matsuyama (16th), Sungjae Im (18th), Tom Kim (21st) and Corey Conners (25th) the only players ranked above the USA’s lowest player, Kevin Kisner. Open champion Cameron Smith, the World No.2, was among the latest group of LIV defections, and, along with Joaquin Niemann (19th) and possibly Marc Leishman (62nd), was likely to be part of Immelman’s team. With the likes of LIV’s Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Carlos Ortiz and Abraham Ancer already sidelined, all three became unavailable the moment they teed off last week at LIV Boston.

The average ranking of the International Team is 48.75, showing the gulf in class, at least on paper. The two sides meet in Charlotte, North Carolina, between 20-25 September in the biennial four-day team event. Tiger Woods led the US to a 16-14 win in 2019 at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia, extending the American lead to 11 wins, one loss and one tie.

Team USA - Presidents Cup

• Scottie Scheffler
• Patrick Cantlay
• Xander Schauffele
• Sam Burns
• Justin Thomas
• Tony Finau
• Collin Morikawa
• Jordan Spieth
• Billy Horschel
• Cameron Young
• Max Homa
• Kevin Kisner

International Team - Presidents Cup

• Hideki Matsuyama
• Adam Scott
• Sungjae Im
• Tom Kim
• Corey Conners
• Mito Pereira
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout
• Cam Davis
• Si Woo Kim
• K.H Lee
• Sebastian Muñoz
• Taylor Pendrith

Sam Burns What's In The Bag?

After earning his PGA Tour card for 2019, Sam Burns has been on a progressive rise through golf's world rankings, cracking the top-100 at the start of 2021 and making it into the world's top-10 just a year later. He joined the winner's circle on the PGA Tour in 2021 at the Valspar Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship. He got his 3rd and 4th wins in 2022 as well. Arguably his biggest win came at the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Matchplay where he smashed Cameron Young in the final. Now regularly featuring at the top of the leaderboard on the PGA Tour, we take a look at what the young American has in his bag.

Driver

What Driver Does Sam Burns Use?

Starting at the top of the bag, Burns switched from his Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond to a Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond model. This model is the lowest spinning of the three Paradym heads and his driver is setup for high launch and low spin. Additionally with its 450cc clubhead, the TD driver is the smallest of the three in the range and there is no alignment aid on this version of the driver either so it is clearly designed for the proficient players out there. 

Burns' model is fitted with a Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X shaft which is a popular model out on Tour at the moment, and his head has 10.5 degrees of loft as well.

Fairway Wood

What Fairway Wood Does Sam Burns Use?

Currently, Burns is using a Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond three-wood which has 15.5 degrees of loft. It includes a deeper face, which is perfectly suited for the golfer who is looking to reduce spin and hit a lower and more penetrating ball flight.

The Triple Diamond is still crammed with technology like the Jailbreak Batwing Technology, but the head of the wood is noticeably more compact and features no alignment aids on the crown which presents a clean, stripped-back look, one we really enjoyed in testing. 

This club is fitted with a Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X shaft rather than the Blue model in his driver and other wood.

Hybrid

What Hybrid Does Sam Burns Use?

He then carries a Callaway Apex UW hybrid. The club has been finding its way into several players' bags at the moment and it isn't hard to see why. Phil Mickelson was involved in its development and joined other Callaway staffers in calling for a “go to” club that better players can count on from the tee, fairway, or rough. This club is fitted with a Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X shaft and we believe the head has around 21 degrees of loft.

Irons

What Irons Does Sam Burns Use?

Shifting to the irons, Burns uses a set of Callaway Apex TCBs which go from four-iron down to A-wedge. It's only recently that Burns has introduced an Apex TCB pitching wedge, previously using a Callaway MD5 Jaws Raw which had 46 degrees of loft. The shafts in Burns' irons are the Project X Rifle 6.5, a shaft which the young American has used for many, many years, with his irons apparently sitting a degree upright. The A-Wedge is a reasonably new addition and is a rare club to see. Speaking about the club to GolfWRX, Burns said; “I think it was just a better transition from the irons into the wedges, and also the A-wedge is just a little bit better through the turf. I was looking for a little more consistency, and those clubs provide that very well … I think there’s more forgiveness in those for sure than with the other wedges.”

Wedges

What Wedges Does Sam Burns Use?

We get to the scoring section of the bag now with some of the best wedges on the market. Armed with a 56-degree and 60-degree models, the former is a Titleist Vokey SM10 whilst the latter is a Titleist WedgeWorks B7 Proto. This is a move away from the Callaway Jaws MD5 models he was using and both are fitted with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue shafts.

Putter

What Putter Does Sam Burns Use?

Burns has switched out of his long term gamer, the Odyssey O-Works 7S putter, which, just like a number of other clubs in Burns' bag, had been in for a while. He has switched to another Odyssey model, the Ai-One but still the 7S shape that he has had so much success with.

Ball

Callaway Chrome Tour X

The golf ball of choice for Burns is the Callaway Chrome Tour X, one of the best new balls on the market. It spins a touch more through the bag than its sibling the Chrome Tour but still provided great distance and feel in our testing.

Sam Burns WITB: Full Specs

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees at 10.3, 6 GB, 60.2 lie) with Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X shaft

4-wood: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (17 degrees at 15.5) with Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X shaft

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21.6 degrees) with Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X shaft

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-AW) all with Project X 6.5 shafts

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F), Titleist WedgeWorks B7 Proto (60-T) both with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue shafts

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One #7S

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X

The FedEx Cup playoffs begin this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at the famed TPC Southwind course in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Tony Finau is the defending champion and he enters fresh off the back of consecutive victories at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic. The American, now a four time winner on the PGA Tour, is joined by a strong field in Memphis that includes newly-crowned Champion Golfer of the Year, Cameron Smith.

The Australian is set to tee it up for the first time since his impressive bogey free final round 64 at St Andrews secured the Claret Jug.

Like Smith, Rory McIlroy will tee it up for the first time since the 150th Open Championship. The Northern Irishman looked poised to end an eight year Major drought until Smith produced one of the best back 9 performances in Open Championship history. 

Although disappointed not to claim victory, McIlroy has the opportunity to become the first three-time winner of the FedEx Cup. A strong performance in Memphis could well be the catalyst to hunt down FedEx Cup points leader and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler. 

Justin Thomas tasted success at TPC Southwind in 2020 and arrives at the FedEx St. Jude Championship looking for a repeat. The PGA Champion is joined by Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns, who both lost in a playoff when TPC Southwind hosted the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Both will be looking to add to their multiple-win seasons. 

Joohyung Kim will make his FedEx Cup debut after taking full advantage of temporary special membership status. With his emphatic victory at the Wyndham Championship Kim, a South Korean native, became the youngest PGA Tour winner born outside the United States since Harry Cooper at the 1932 Galveston Open. The 20-year-old has climbed to 21st in the Official World Golf Ranking and cemented his place as one of golf's rising stars. 

With just two days until the opening tee shot is hit, the field is ordinarily determined but the future of Taylor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones has not yet been decided. The trio were suspended by the PGA Tour for their involvement in the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf Series and have since filed temporary restraining orders against the PGA Tour in a bid to take part in the Playoffs. A ruling is expected imminently. 

Once play is underway, all eyes will be on the iconic 11th hole at TPC Southwind. With a striking resemblance to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, the par 3 is deceptively difficult and can measure as long as 160 yards. Only a small bunker offers any form of protection from the watery grave that guards the green.

Last year, Si Woo Kim recorded a 13 - the highest par 3 score in a non-Major since the PGA Tour retained statistics in 1983. Since 2003, TPC Southwind also boasts the record for the most balls in the water. Expect much more of the same this week!

Players will compete for a tournament-record purse of $15m, with $2.7m awarded to the winner. 

2022 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD

• Aaron Rai
• Aaron Wise
• Adam Hadwin
• Adam Long
• Adam Schenk
• Adam Scott
• Adam Svensson
• Alex Noren
• Alex Smalley
• Andrew Putnam
• Anirban Lahiri
• Beau Hossler
• Billy Horschel
• Brandon Wu
• Brendan Steele
• Brendon Todd
• Brian Harman
• C.T. Pan
• Callum Tarren
• Cam Davis
• Cameron Smith
• Cameron Tringale
• Cameron Young
• Chad Ramey
• Chesson Hadley
• Chez Reavie
• Chris Kirk
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout
• Collin Morikawa
• Corey Conners
• Daniel Berger
• Danny Lee
• David Lipsky
• Davis Riley
• Denny McCarthy
• Doug Ghim
• Dylan Frittelli
• Emiliano Grillo
• Gary Woodland
• Greyson Sigg
• Harold Varner III
• Hayden Buckley
• Hideki Matsuyama
• J.J. Spaun
• J.T. Poston
• James Hahn
• Jason Day
• Jhonattan Vegas
• Joaquin Niemann
• Joel Dahmen
• John Huh
• Jon Rahm
• Joohyung Kim
• Jordan Spieth
• Justin Rose
• Justin Thomas
• K.H. Lee
• Keegan Bradley
• Keith Mitchell
• Kevin Kisner
• Kevin Streelman
• Kevin Tway
• Kramer Hickok
• Kurt Kitayama
• Lanto Griffin
• Lee Hodges
• Lucas Glover
• Lucas Herbert
• Luke List
• Mackenzie Hughes
• Marc Leishman
• Mark Hubbard
• Martin Laird
• Matt Fitzpatrick
• Matt Kuchar
• Matthew NeSmith
• Matthias Schwab
• Maverick McNealy
• Max Homa
• Max McGreevy
• Michael Thompson
• Mito Pereira
• Nate Lashley
• Nick Taylor
• Nick Watney
• Patrick Cantlay
• Patrick Rodgers
• Patton Kizzire
• Peter Malnati
• Rickie Fowler
• Robert Streb
• Rory McIlroy
• Russell Henley
• Russell Knox
• Ryan Brehm
• Ryan Palmer
• Sahith Theegala
• Sam Burns
• Sam Ryder
• Scott Piercy
• Scott Stallings
• Scottie Scheffler
• Seamus Power
• Sebastián Muñoz
• Sepp Straka
• Shane Lowry
• Si Woo Kim
• Stephan Jaeger
• Stewart Cink
• Sungjae Im
• Taylor Moore
• Taylor Pendrith
• Tom Hoge
• Tommy Fleetwood
• Tony Finau
• Trey Mullinax
• Troy Merritt
• Tyler Duncan
• Tyrrell Hatton
• Viktor Hovland
• Vince Whaley
• Webb Simpson
• Will Zalatoris
• Wyndham Clark
• Xander Schauffele

WHERE IS THE FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP BEING PLAYED?

The FedEx St. Jude Championship is being held at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. 

The par-70 course was designed by Ron Pritchard and first opened its doors in 1988. PGA Tour winners Hubert Green and Fuzzy Zoeller have since made their impact in a consultant capacity.

Although this is the first time TPC Southwind has hosted a FedEx Cup Playoff event, it has been a regular on the PGA Tour circuit. 

WHO WON THE 2021 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP?

Tony Finau was victorious at the 2021 St. Jude Championship. Prior to a title sponsor change, the tournament was then referred as The Northern Trust. 

The American posted a final round 65 to tie newly-crowned Open Champion Cameron Smith and overtake then-World No.1 Jon Rahm. The playoff was relatively short lived after Smith hit his tee shot out of bounds. A regulation par for Finau was enough to secure the title. 

HOW MUCH IS THE PURSE FOR THE 2022 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP?

Players will compete this week for a tournament-record purse of $15m, with $2.7m awarded to the winner.

Over the next few weeks, golf fans in the UK and Ireland will get to see the World's top players play on their shores as the JP McManus Pro-Am, Scottish Open and Open Championship get underway.

With such a bumper-filled procession of golf lined-up, a number of the game's stars have already hot-footed it over the pond to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead, with Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott just some of the names pictured and video'd playing golf in Ireland.

Playing at Lahinch, three-time Major winner, Spieth, was recorded playing a shot whilst a goat casually chomps at the grass behind him, whilst one Twitter user, Andrew Horgan, actually saw Spieth, World No.1 Scheffler and World No. 9 Burns playing a round at the links course.

As well as the American trio, Adam Scott was also spotted at Lahinch, with the former Masters winner getting some practice in ahead of the busy two week stretch.

After the buzz on Saturday, there were yet more sightings of the World's elite on Sunday, with close friends, Spieth, Thomas and Fowler playing Tralee on a rather chilly-looking Sunday morning. What's more, all three were spotted sampling some local beverages, with the golfers enjoying a pint of Guinness following their round.

On Monday, all will be featuring at the JP McManus Pro-Am, which has announced a stacked line-up that also includes Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. From there, they head to the Genesis Scottish Open, with 14 of the World's top 15 featuring at The Renaissance Club, making it the strongest field in DP World Tour history.

The final event of the two-week stretch is then none other than the 150th Open Championship at the Home of Golf, St Andrews, where the World's best will be vying for the iconic Claret Jug.

The RBC Canadian Open returns to the PGA Tour schedule for the first time since 2019 after Covid-related restrictions thwarted plans to stage it in 2020 and 2021.

Three years ago, Rory McIlroy shot 61 as he cruised to victory, finishing seven shots ahead of runners-up Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson to claim the $1.36m first prize from a purse of $7.6m. The Northern Irishman will be back to defend his title this year as part of a strong field including World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, PGA Champion Justin Thomas, Players Champion Cameron Smith and Sam Burns, who has two PGA Tour wins in 2022 so far, including the recent Charles Schwab Challenge.

McIlroy’s win in 2019 came at Hamilton, but if he’s to successfully defend his title, he’ll have to do it at a different venue – St George’s. The course first hosted the Canadian Open in 1933, but it’s only been the venue for the tournament a handful of times, most recently in 2010. That’s largely thanks to the tricky logistics of its location in a densely populated neighbourhood of Toronto.

Not that you’d know the course was so close to city life once you’re on it. Undulating greens and picturesque, winding fairways abound. Meanwhile, highlighting its rare beauty, the course also has sanctuary status, having been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 2010.

Whoever wins the tournament will have to reckon with four of the toughest finishing holes they'll find anywhere. The long 15th features a hilltop green. Next, the par 3 16th has rear bunkers at the back of the green, meaning accuracy is crucial. The par 4 17th has a narrow green and bunkers to challenge any level of golfer. Finally, the 18th par 4 is uphill all the way, with a sloping green surrounded by bunkers against the backdrop of the stately and historic clubhouse. 

As well as the memorable venue and strong field, there is also a sizeable tournament purse, with the overall prize money increasing to $8.7m. The player who wins the tournament will earn $1.56m. Usually the PGA Tour would offer the largest prize money of the week by some way but not this week. That's because of the opening LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament taking place at London's Centurion Club at the same time, with a huge $25m prize money up for grabs.

The full tournament prize money breakdown is below.

2022 RBC Canadian Open Prize Money

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. For the second week running a golfer came from seven back to win on the PGA Tour. Only in the case of Sam Burns and the Charles Schwab Challenge, the man he overturned was the world No.1.

The previous week’s PGA Championship had at least been predictable because the 54-hole leader was the barely-known Mito Pereira. At Colonial it was the all-conquering Masters hero Scottie Scheffler, odds-on starting the final round two ahead, who couldn’t get it done.

A 65 for a nine-under total by early finisher Burns, a 30/1 shot at the start of the week but three times those odds when he teed off on Sunday with 17 players in front of him, held up for two hours, to be matched only by Scheffler whose gutsy par-saving putts on the last three holes nudged him into a shootout.

Then his best friend proceeded to sink a 38-footer at the first extra hole to halt what would have Scheffler’s fifth win in ten outings. Now Burns is catching him up. Following the Sanderson Farms last October and the Valspar in March this was Sam’s third victory of the 21-22 wrap-around season.

The man Burns beat in that Valspar playoff, Davis Riley, led Colonial with six to play and looked like justifying our 45/1 advice but blew his chance in the gusting wind. A first win cannot be far away as this Dallas-based rookie has now gone 4-5-9-13-4 for his last five starts.

Maybe the breakthrough will come at Memorial this week when Scheffler and Burns, along with PGA champion Justin Thomas, are missing from an otherwise strong cast headed by Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth and defending champion Patrick Cantlay.

We always get a good turn-out in Ohio for Jack Nicklaus’s tournament at Muirfield Village, a course that holds great memories as it was the scene of Europe’s first Ryder Cup victory on US soil in 1987.

A European win this week would not come amiss with the US Open just two weeks away but it’s hard to get carried away by anything Rahm and McIlroy have done in the last few weeks while Matt Fitzpatrick surrendered a golden chance with a sloppy final round at Southern Hills and Shane Lowry isn’t finishing off some tremendous play.

Yet there are grounds for thinking this week might see Rahm in a better light. He was the moral winner at Jack’s Place last year when he led by six going into Sunday only to have to withdraw after testing positive with Covid. That wretched luck left Cantlay to pick up the pieces and defeat Morikawa in a playoff. And Rahm’s victory the previous year lifted him to the No.1 spot on the rankings so the Spaniard has quite a history at Muirfield Village.

So comprehensive has been Rahm’s domination of this tournament - winner by three in 2020 and goodness knows how many last year if Covid hadn’t been around - that it would be foolhardy to overlook him even though he does not arrive with his short game in the best or order.

The 7543-yard par 72 course, named after Muirfield where Nicklaus won his first Open, clearly suits Rahm’s eye and it is not as if his golf has been disastrous, only disappointing on the big occasions by his own high standards. He did, after all, win in Mexico, weak though the opposition was.

And it’s not as if his main rivals are going great guns: Morikawa’s last four outings (26-29-55–40) suggest he has his own problems, Cantlay missed the cut at the PGA, McIroy (never better than 4th in ten Memorials) plays like a million dollars one day and a dud fiver the next.

Only the revived Spieth (1-2-34-7 for last four tournaments) has been looking the part but his Memorial record, only one top-five in nine attempts, is nothing special.
Bryson DeChambeau and Hideki Matsuyama are both past winners but, if he plays after a long injury lay-off, DeChambeau has to be rusty. Matsuyama, an early-year winner in Hawaii and third at the Byron Nelson after shooting a 62 on Sunday, looks a betting proposition despite making no show at the PGA.

If you can forgive Cantlay that blip last time out, he looks the most likely winner on current and course form. Pre-Southern Hills, he was brilliant with pal Xander Schauffele as his partner at the Zurich Classic pairs and runner-up to Spieth at Hilton Head the previous week. True, his second Memorial triumph was by default last year but there was no fluke about his first victory there two years earlier and he’d been only a shot outside the playoff when DeChambeau prevailed in 2018.

Schauffele, without a solo victory since taking gold at the 2020 Olympics, has been lifted by that team success in New Orleans, following up with fifth at the Nelson and 13th in Tulsa. A week’s rest and he should be good to go on a course where he’s been 11-13-13 the last three years.

Good to see Patrick Reed returning to something like his best after a torrid spell and last year’s fifth must have an each-way shout after his seventh at Colonial, while Kevin Na, beaten by Matsuyama in a 2014 playoff, continues to pile up the dollars. He shared seventh with Reed and Spieth on Sunday and won’t be far away either.

Memorial is prone to throwing up a winner out of left field. Will McGirt beating Jon Curran in a 2016 playoff? What’s all that about and where are they now? Ditto David Lingmerth, conqueror of Justin Rose the previous year.

Victory for Riley, PGA runner-up Will Zalatoris (but still winless) or Cameron Young (five times a top-three finisher in his rookie season) would hardly qualify as shock winners but they are the ones the big names will be fearing. All three only need to brush up their putting to become multiple winners.

Cam Smith has a woeful Memorial record and looks one to avoid. Recent winner Max Homa and ultra-consistent Lowry, who shared sixth place last year, both have a solid chance although Cantlay is the man to beat.

After a showery start on Thursday, the rest of the week should be dry and warm.

Memorial Tournament Golf Betting Tips 2022

• 2pts each-way Patrick Cantlay at 16/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• 1pt each-way Xander Schauffele at 22/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• 1pt each-way Hideki Matsuyama at 28/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• 1pt each-way Jon Rahm at 11/1 with William Hill (8 places)
• 0.5pt each-way Cameron Young at 35/1 with Bet365 (5 places)
• 0.5pt each-way Max Homa @ 40/1 with Bet365 (5 places)

Golf Betting Offers: 

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Scottie Scheffler may not have enjoyed seeing Sam Burns sink a 38-foot birdie putt at their first playoff hole to win the Charles Schwab Challenge, but after a protracted final round at Colonial Country Club, at least it meant he made it to his sister-in-law’s wedding on time. The World No.1 dug in with some clutch putting to card a final round two-over-par 72 to force a playoff with his close friend Burns, but couldn’t live with him at the first extra hole.

For Scheffler though it was a blessing in disguise - or at least better than losing after a lengthy playoff - given he was due at his wife Meredith’s sister Stephanie’s wedding in Quinlan, Texas, 75 miles from Colonial. The wedding was due to start at 6pm, which should have been fine given Scheffler’s 1.15pm tee time, and while he encountered all kinds of delays, the quick end to the playoff meant he made it to the ceremony on time.

Scheffler played just one hole and a tee shot in one 45-minute period of his final round as play all but ground to a halt. Co-leader Scott Stallings managed to leave his ball behind a camera tower after sending his approach at the 12th through the green. He called in an official who offered him a drop on a slope that gave a view of the pin but looked tough. After lengthy discussions and some deep thought, including his caddy running up and down to report back what was on the other side of the tower, Stallings decided to play the ball from its original position. But his stance was affected by a sprinkler head, so he was allowed a drop in the other direction. This brought the Fedex advertising sign into play, so he was allowed a further drop away from that before eventually playing his shot.

Stephanie and her new husband Matt would no doubt have forgiven the World No.1 if he had been late for the nuptials in chasing a fifth PGA Tour win of the season, given they’re both seasoned golf fans. In fact, according to their wedding website, the pair got together after Matt asked her on a date after a weekend spent at the Byron Nelson golf tournament.

Scheffler missed the chance to win his fifth tournament in his last 10 starts, which would have seen him become the first player since Tom Watson in 1980 to notch five PGA Tour wins before the start of June. Instead it was best friend Burns who took his own third win of the season, and fourth in his last 27 starts.

Starting the day seven shots back, you may have been forgiven for thinking that Sam Burns had no chance of winning the Charles Schwab Challenge. However, following a final round 65, the American moved into contention as he set the clubhouse target at nine-under-par.

At the time, it seemed that the target wasn't enough, especially after World No.1 and overnight leader, Scottie Scheffler, began his day at 11-under. But the 25-year-old struggled over his final round, with two bogies and 16 pars meaning he dropped down into a playoff with his fellow countryman.

Enduring a near two hour wait, it didn't seem that Burns was bothered by his lengthy spell away from the Colonial Country Club course, as the American rolled in a 38-foot birdie putt at the very first playoff hole to secure his fourth PGA Tour title in just 12 months.

It was World No.1, Scottie Scheffler, who led going into the final day, with the 25-year-old firing rounds of 66, 65 and 68 to sit two shots clear. However, in a round that saw multiple changes at the top of the leaderboard, he was soon joined by fellow American, Brendon Todd, after just two holes, with Todd finding birdies at the first and second.

Throughout the front nine many players duelled for the top spot, but it was another American, Davis Riley, who found himself leading, with the the 25-year-old five-under-par through 11 holes as he forced a bid for a first PGA Tour title.

That bid soon stalled at the 13th and 14th though, as he produced a bogey and a double to drop well back. That left the gate open for Burns who, following a bogey at the 12th, parred in to set the target at nine-under-par.

Amazingly, nobody was passing the target set by Burns, with many falling short of the tournament total. Had it not been for Scheffler holing a five-footer at the last, the title would of actually been Burns'!

Because of the par, we were heading to a playoff and, thanks to superb tee shot, it was Burns who had the advantage. However, Scheffler has already claimed four PGA Tour titles in 2022 and wasn't backing down, with his approach finishing safely on green.

Failing to follow him in, Burns was faced with a putt from off the green which, if he two-putted, would likely take the playoff to further holes. The American went one better though, with his 38-foot putt finding the bottom of the cup in dramatic circumstances.

Now needing to hole his birdie attempt, Scheffler couldn't follow, handing the trophy to his fellow American who also moved up to ninth in the World Rankings.

Davis Riley has enjoyed a relatively quick rise up the professional ranks after turning pro in 2019 and earning his PGA Tour card just three years later.

It didn't take long for more success to follow, but what else is there to know about the star? Here are 15 facts about the American.

Davis Riley Facts

1. Davis Riley was born on 17th December 1996, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

2. He took up the game early, helped by growing up just a couple of hundred yards from a golf course, Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg.

3. Growing up, he also loved fishing at a pond behind his home.

4. Back in October 2013, at the age of just 17, Riley shot a 13-under-par round of 58, his lowest to date.

5. He demonstrated his integrity early in his career, calling a penalty on himself on the last hole of the 2013 US Junior Amateur, allowing Scottie Scheffler to win.

6. Another moment of sportsmanship came in the 2025 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, where he again called a penalty on himself, on that occasion for using the slope feature on his rangefinder. In doing so, he became the first player to be penalized for a rangefinder-related incident on the PGA Tour.

7. He enjoyed a successful amateur career overall and represented the US at the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup and 2018 Palmer Cup.

8. He attended the University of Alabama, where he claimed a number of accolades. During the 2017/18 season, he finished as the top collegiate golfer in the nation.

9. At the 2016 US Amateur, Riley matched the course record of 64 at Oakland Hills Country Club.

10. After turning professional in 2019, Riley enjoyed a number of good finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour, before earning his PGA Tour card after finishing ninth on the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour Points List.

11. His maiden professional win came in the 2020 Panama Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour.

12. During his career on the Korn Ferry Tour, he was roommates with Will Zalatoris, who had previously beaten him in the US Junior Amateur.

13. Riley is married to Alexandra Patton. The pair tied the knot in December 2022.

14. She was there to witness Davis win his first individual PGA Tour event at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge (a year earlier, he'd won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans along with Nick Hardy).

15. His Charles Schwab Challenge win banked him $1.638m - and he also won a 1975 Schwab Stingray car.

Another day and another drop debacle, this time, involving the trio of Billy Horschel, Jason Day and Sam Burns at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. 

Playing an alternate shot format during the final day, the paring of Horschel and Burns were attempting to chase down eventual winners, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, as the duo looked to add yet another title to their CV's.

However, playing the driveable par 4 16th, Burns was forced in to having a go at the green, with the pair realistically needing an eagle to make any sizeable gain on their fellow countryman. Although Burns caught his tee shot sweet, he turned it over, with the drive finding a watery grave to the left of the green.

What followed was a slightly lengthy discussion on where the ball had crossed the hazard mark, with neither player unsure on where it had indeed gone in. 

Watch the video below to see what happened.

In the video, you can hear Horschel doing most of the talking, with the American stating: "I had it here and I had it bouncing." He goes on to say: "I don't think I could of seen the ball land below the red line from back there because of the elevation change and being blocked out by the bunker. For me to see it land, it would of had to  of been above the red line."

As the trio ask the cameramen on site if the TV broadcast have footage, a rules official comes over to the players to explain the situation, with Golf Rules Analyst, Craig Winter, stating that: "If this is the only (camera) angle we have - It's not definitive, so we are probably going to have to go with the players and what they would be able to see, as well as what any other volunteers would be able to see." 

What we do hear is a rules official state on the radio that: "We cannot see down the embankment far enough on that camera angle," before Horschel then repeats what he essentially said earlier to his playing partner, Jason Day.

The rules on penalty areas state that you must drop your ball back in line with where it crossed the penalty area, or within two club lengths of where it crossed. You also have the option to go back to where you originally played the shot from.

As the official on-site voices back to his colleague that: "Billy said he saw the ball bounce and it kicked left going just right of a red stake. They believe it crossed up here." Horschel was allowed to drop it by the green instead of having to go a number of yards back.

"What we are going to do here is use the players reasonable judgement," states Winter, who then adds: "This is just reasonable judgement. Billy said he saw it bounce. The video isn't telling us one way or the other exactly what happened. It did bounce, but ultimately, we are going to use the players reasonable judgement."

Following the drop, Horschel would stick his chip to near gimme range, with Burns tapping-in for a saved par at TPC Louisiana. As the duo remained two shots back of the leaders, they would go on to bogey the 17th, with a closing par meaning the pair finished two shots back of Schauffele and Cantlay.

Over the past few months, incidents like these seem to be happening more and more often on the PGA Tour. In March, Daniel Berger was involved in an altercation at The Players Championship when his playing partners, Viktor Hovland and Joel Dahmen, disagreed on where his ball had actually crossed the hazard line.

Just a few weeks later, Berger was involved in yet another incident, this time with Tyrrell Hatton who, at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, was unsure if his ball had crossed the wasteland area up by the green or a lot further back. 

The result? Well, Hatton had to walk some 120-yards down the fairway to play his fourth shot, as the duo couldn't agree on where the ball had gone in to the penalty area.

Sam Burns let out a huge cry of 'fore' during The Masters Par-3 Contest when his ball went flying into the patrons on Augusta National's short course.

Burns' ball then nearly ended up in the hole after a patron caught it and threw it onto the green in a quite bizarre, and hilarious, scene.

Watch the incident below:

Burns did not replace his ball so therefore forfeited his score for the Par-3 Contest, with the American officially listed as a 'WD' on the leaderboard along with many other pros. If a professional's golf ball is moved by a fan during a tournament they must replace it back to where it came to rest under no penalty.

"If your ball is moved by an outside influence, such as an animal or a spectator, there is no penalty to anyone and the ball must be replaced," the Rule states via the USGA.

Sam Burns makes his Masters Tournament debut this week despite having won three times on the PGA Tour. He currently ranks 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Play was suspended around 3.45pm local time on Wednesday due to the threat of lightning in the Augusta area. It's the second day of storms after Tuesday's action was suspended before 11am.

It means the golf course will be playing much softer during the tournament compared to how the players saw it on Monday.

The winner of the WGC-Match Play will take home $2.1million from a total prize pool of $12million this week at Austin Country Club in Texas. Each of the 64 participants will earn a minimum of $40,000, even if they lose every game of the round-robin group stage.

Those who make it out of the group and into the round of 16 are guaranteed $220,000, while those who bow out in the quarter-finals get $386,000. The top four finishers will split nearly $5million between them, with $2.1million for 1st, $1.32million for 2nd, $852,000 for 3rd and $685,000 for 4th. The winner also receives 550 FedEx Cup points and 74 Official World Golf Ranking points.

Losers in the group stage are paid more depending on how well they did, even though they haven’t progressed to the round of 16. This means that even dead rubbers should remain competitive, with payouts dependent on how many points are earned. The payouts, which will be determined once it’s known how many players fall into each category, are different for those who earned 0 points, 0.5 points, 1 point, 1.5 points and 2 points. 

Billy Horschel is the defending champion, having earned $1.82million for beating Scottie Scheffler 2&1 in last year’s final. He will be looking to join Jason Day and Geoff Ogilvy as two-time winners of this event, with Tiger Woods the only three-time champion.

The WGC-Match Play first became a PGA Tour event in 1999, when it was a 64-player straight knockout tournament. Since 2015, the format has been adjusted so the 64 players are divided into 16 groups of 4 players, who face each other in a round-robin format, with all group winners advancing to the round of 16.

The top 64 players in the world rankings are invited to take part, though some have pulled out for various reasons. Cameron Smith withdrew soon after his victory at The Players Championship, wanting to spend more time with his family after a couple of years apart due to the pandemic. Sam Burns also pulled out straight after winning, having taken down the Valspar Championship last week. Rory McIlroy decided to take a rest this week, while Phil Mickelson is on an extended break from golf. Harris English and Hideki Matsuyama are both injured.

This is one of only two World Golf Championship events on the PGA Tour this year, down from the usual four, with the WGC-HSBC Champions event in November the only other WGC event in 2022.

 WGC-MATCH PLAY PRIZE MONEY FULL BREAKDOWN 

1 $2,100,000

2 $1,320,000

3 $852,000

4 $685,000

5 $386,000

6 $386,000

7 $386,000

8 $386,000

9 $220,000

10 $220,000

11 $220,000

12 $220,000

13 $220,000

14 $220,000

15 $220,000

16 $220,000

17 $164,000

18 $154,000

19 $148,000

20 $142,000

21 $136,000

22 $130,000

23 $125,000

24 $120,000

25 $116,000

26 $112,000

27 $108,000

28 $104,000

29 $100,000

30 $96,000

31 $93,000

32 $90,000

33 $87,000

34 $84,000

35 $81,000

36 $78,000

37 $75,000

38 $72,000

39 $70,000

40 $68,000

41 $66,000

42 $64,000

43 $62,000

44 $60,000

45 $58,000

46 $56,000

47 $54,000

48 $52,000

49 $51,000

50 $50,000

51 $49,000

52 $48,000

53 $47,000

54 $46,000

55 $45,000

56 $44,000

57 $43,500

58 $43,000

59 $42,500

60 $42,000

61 $41,500

62 $41,000

63 $40,500

64 $40,000

Sam Burns says he has made the "difficult decision" to withdraw from this week's WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas. 

The American cited a need to rest ahead of a busy stretch on the PGA Tour that includes the year's opening Major at Augusta National in just two weeks' time.

"I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play," Burns said in a statement. "After 3 long weeks of golf, I feel that taking this week to rest and prepare for the busy stretch is best. I appreciate the support and look forward to seeing everyone soon."

The withdrawals continue from the Match Play after both World No.8 Rory McIlroy and No.6 Cameron Smith decided to miss the event. It is a five day tournament which sees the top four finishers all play seven rounds of golf, with the last-16, quarter finals, semi finals and final all taking place over Saturday and Sunday after the three day round-robin format.

The Match Play comes just nine days after the final round of the Players Championship, which was delayed to a Monday finish after bad weather disrupted play at TPC Sawgrass.

Burns, now World No.10, won his third PGA Tour title in the space of a year with his successful title defence at the Valspar Championship. He overcame Davis Riley in a playoff after shooting a final round of 69 on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook. The 25-year-old also won the Sanderson Farms Championship in October.

Billy Horschel defends his Match Play title this week after defeating Scottie Scheffler in the final last year. It is the only World Golf Championship on the PGA Tour schedule this year, although the European Tour still has the WGC-HSBC Champions in China on its schedule for November. The WGC-Mexico Championship and WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational both no longer exist.

In an enthralling and dramatic final day at the Valspar Championship, it was defending champion, Sam Burns, who came out on top, with a lengthy birdie putt at the second playoff hole giving him a third PGA Tour title.

Following a superb finish from Davis Riley in regulation play, the two 25-year-old's headed back to the 'Snake Pit' and, following two pars at the first, it was Burns who got the better of his fellow countryman, with his clinical putting being the difference at the par-4 16th.

"This win is crazy," explained Burns following his victory. "Davis played really well today, especially with the way he finished, so hats off to him, he played great.

"But Travis (his caddie) and I just tried to stay straight today. We didn't make a lot of mistakes and a lot of the time, on Sunday, if you can plot your way around the course and make a load of pars and a few birdies, then it works well."

Beginning the final day, it was Riley who started with a two-shot lead over fellow countryman, Matthew NeSmith. However, amongst the chasing pack was also the likes of Burns and Justin Thomas, with the multiple time PGA Tour winners looking to add their impressive resumes.

Over the first four holes though, nobody seemed to making any inroads to Riley's lead. That was until a triple bogey from the American at the par-5 fifth, dropped him from two shots ahead to one shot back.

With Riley struggling, it was the duo of Burns and Thomas who shared the lead at Innisbrook. However, following a bogey at the eighth from Thomas, it was Burns who took the advantage going into the back nine.

Now one shot clear with nine holes to go, the 25-year-old showed his class, with back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th extending his lead to two. For Burns though, his solid golf soon grinded to a halt, with the American having to hole a 10-footer at the 17th just for a bogey!

A safe par at the last followed for Burns though, but it was Riley who sprung out of the pack to mount a charge. Having made an eight at his fifth hole of the day, the young American had recovered superbly, but it was his shot at 17 which really showed his talents as his long-iron approach rested just a few feet from the hole.

Coming to the last hole of the deadly 'Snake Pit,' Riley had the wind in his sails and, after two great shots into the 18th, he was left with a 15-footer for the win. However, his attempt was timid and never threatened the hole. After tapping-in for par, we were heading for a play-off.

Sharing the first playoff hole with pars, it was Burns who was out of position with the tee shots on the second, the par-4 16th. With the American in the rough, Riley would stripe one down the fairway, with the advantage firmly in the 25-year-old's court as they approached their second shots.

Burns though produced a superb recovery into the heart of the green, while Riley would find the back edge from the middle of the fairway. However, it was the consistent and impressive putting of Burns that would ultimately seal the title, with the 25-year-old holing his 33-foot putt for just the fifth birdie of the day at the par-4 16th.

With the win, Burns now moves into the world's top 10 and also second in the FedEx Cup standings, with his victory giving him some serious momentum as we head to the busiest part of the PGA Tour schedule.

Sam Burns' PGA Tour career began in 2019, two years after turning professional, and he's only had one full-time caddie since leaving the amateur world behind – Travis Perkins.

Perkins is from Lewis Center in Ohio, and he was a big golf enthusiast from an early age, counting Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples as childhood heroes.

He's also a talented player, and competed for Florida Southern College before receiving his PGA Tour card in 2008. Despite making three cuts in that season, including a T62 in his home state at the Memorial Tournament, he struggled to maintain his status.

Perkins' last world ranking event came on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2009, but within two years, he had begun to focus on caddying, initially teaming up with his friend, Kris Blanks. Perkins' caddying breakthrough came working alongside DA Points, and he helped him claim victory at the 2013 Shell Houston Open.

Perkins, who has also caddied for Scott Piercy, Aaron Wise, Brandt Snedeker and Cameron Tringale, teamed up with Burns when he turned professional four years later, and the pair have barely looked back since.

Burns’ maiden PGA Tour win came at the 2021 Valspar Championship, and afterwards, Perkins was full of praise for the player, saying: “Sam played amazing golf for 72 holes. He putted unbelievably. It made my job easy – just get him on the green.”

With Perkins' assistance, Burns' career has kicked on from there. He claimed his second PGA Tour title that October at the Sanderson Farms Championship, and enjoyed two more wins in 2022. He followed that with victory at the 2023 WGC-Match Play at Austin Country Club.

It got even better for Burns when he was picked as a wildcard for the US Ryder Cup team, where he had an overall record of 1-2-0 as the Europeans ultimately claimed victory at Marco Simone.

With five PGA Tour wins in less than two years, it seemed as though the sky was the limit for the partnership, but then Burns hit a dry spell where victories were concerned. However, even then, he stuck by Perkins, and it's easy to see why, with some impressive performances including several top-five placings, even if that sixth PGA Tour win proved elusive.

After some indifferent Major performances throughout his career, Burns, helped by Perkins, began to shine in the big events, first with a T9 at the 2024 Open at Royal Troon, before holding a one-shot lead with one round to play at the 2025 US Open at Oakmont.

Needless to say, Burns' success is in no small part because of Perkins, and an insight into his abilities came in a 2021 article in The Ledger, where a former college teammate of Perkins said: “He really knows the game. I’m not surprised he is so successful as a caddie. Great players need a caddie who is detailed and calculated with a strong work ethic. He has all of those. Bottom line - he has everything to partner well with world class PGA Players.”

His work didn't go unnoticed during the US Open either, with SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio host Jason Sobel noting: "Other than a flatstick that rarely seems to miss, one of Sam Burns’ greatest assets is caddie Travis Perkins, a former PGA Tour pro himself. They strategize their way around the course together really well."

Given Burns' eye-catching performance at the US Open, it could even be the case that the pair are just getting started.

The Florida swing culminates this week as the PGA Tour moves from a wet and windy TPC Sawgrass to the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club for the Valspar Championship.

Sam Burns earned his maiden PGA Tour victory in 2021, where he finished three shots clear of Keegan Bradley. Burns fired a best of the week 63 (-8) in the second round en route to the title. The American returns this week to defend.

Several weather delays hampered the Players Championship and it was late into Monday evening before Australian Cam Smith secured the title, the biggest in his career to date. All eyes will now be on the field this week as several of the world’s leading stars are declared to tee it up.

Five of the top-10 in the Official World Golf Ranking are scheduled to tee it up at the Valspar Championship, led by second-ranked Collin Morikawa. The American is set to make his debut this week and will be looking to bounce back after a missed cut at the Players Championship.

World No.3, Viktor Hovland, is also scheduled to take part. The Norwegian finished in a tie for third last year, only three shots back from Sam Burns. Hovland will also be buoyed by his T9 finish at the Players Championship, which saw him climb eleven places on the final day. Xander Schauffele and former FedEx Cup champions, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson, are the other top-10 in the world scheduled to take part. Johnson finished T9 at the Players Championship after a course record equalling 63 in the final round. 

Paul Casey was the first back-to-back winner in tournament history in 2018 and 2019 and was scheduled to be in the field this week. The Englishman came within two shots of Cam Smith at the Players Championship, finishing in third place. It would seem the continuous delay at the tournament has taken its toll on Casey, who has withdrawn from the event - he is replaced by Bronson Burgoon. Henrik Stenson will tee it up, fresh from reports that he is understood to have edged out Luke Donald for the vacant Ryder Cup captain position. 

Alex Fitzpatrick, brother of Matt Fitzpatrick, has earned a sponsor exemption in the field after his victory at the Valspar Intercollegiate. Fitzpatrick is ranked No.5 in the PGA Tour University Ranking and No.6 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He has represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup twice.

See the full field below:

VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD 2022

• Ancer, Abraham
• Aphibarnrat, Kiradech
• Barjon, Paul
• Bezuidenhout, Christiaan
• Blixt, Jonas
• Bradley, Keegan
• Bramlett, Joseph
• Brehm, Ryan
• Bryan, Wesley
• Buckley, Hayden
• Burgoon, Bronson
• Burns, Sam
• Cook, Austin
• Cink, Stewart
• Clark, Wyndham
• Dahmen, Joel
• Day, Jason
• Donald, Luke
• Duncan, Tyler
• Fitzpatrick, Alex
• Fitzpatrick, Matt
• Fleetwood, Tommy
• Gainey, Tommy
• Garnett, Brice
• Gay, Brian
• Grace, Branden
• Griffin, Lanto
• Grillo, Emiliano
• Guthrie, Luke
• Haas, Bill
• Hadley, Chesson
• Hadwin, Adam
• Hagy, Brandon
• Hahn, James
• Harman, Brian
• Hatton, Tyrrell
• Hensby, Mark
• Herman, Jim
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgs, Harry
• Hodges, Lee
• Hoffman, Charley
• Hovland, Viktor
• Hughes, Mackenzie
• Huh, John
• Jaeger, Stephan
• Johnson, Dustin
• Johnson, Zach
• Kang, Sung
• Kaymer, Martin
• Kennedy, Blake
• Kisner, Kevin
• Kitayama, Kurt
• Kizzire, Patton
• Knox, Russell
• Koch, Greg
• Koepka, Brooks
• Kokrak, Jason
• Kraft, Kelly
• Kuchar, Matt
• Laird, Martin
• Landry, Andrew
• Lashley, Nate
• Lebioda, Hank
• Lee, Danny
• Lipsky, David
• Long, Adam
• Love III, Davis
• Lowry, Shane
• Malnati, Peter
• McCain, Andrew
• McCarthy, Denny
• McDowell, Graeme
• McGirt, William
• McGreevy, Max
• Merritt, Troy
• Molinari, Francesco
• Moore, Taylor
• Morikawa, Collin
• Mullinax, Trey
• NeSmith, Matthew
• Noh, Seung-Yul
• Noren, Alex
• Norlander, Henrik
• Novak, Andrew
• O'Hair, Sean
• Oosthuizen, Louis
• Ortiz, Carlos
• Pan, C.T.
• Percy, Cameron
• Pereira, Mito
• Perez, Pat
• Piercy, Scott
• Poston, J.T.
• Putnam, Andrew
• Ramey, Chad
• Reavie, Chez
• Redman, Doc
• Reeves, Seth
• Riley, Davis
• Ryder, Sam
• Schauffele, Xander
• Schenk, Adam
• Schwab, Matthias
• Schwartzel, Charl
• Sigg, Greyson
• Simpson, Webb
• Sloan, Roger
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin
• Spaun, J.J.
• Stallings, Scott
• Stanley, Kyle
• Stenson, Henrik
• Streb, Robert
• Streelman, Kevin
• Stuard, Brian
• Suber, Jackson
• Svensson, Adam
• Tarren, Callum
• Taylor, Nick
• Taylor, Vaughn
• Theegala, Sahith
• Thomas, Justin
• Thompson, Curtis
• Thompson, Michael
• Todd, Brendon
• Trainer, Martin
• Tringale, Cameron
• Uresti, Omar
• Varner III, Harold
• Vegas, Jhonattan
• Walker, Jimmy
• Wallace, Matt
• Watson, Bubba
• Werenski, Richy
• Whaley, Vince
• Wiesberger, Bernd
• Willett, Danny
• Wise, Aaron
• Woodland, Gary
• Wu, Brandon
• Wu, Dylan
• Yu, Kevin

WHERE IS THE VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP?

The tournament will be played at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbour, Florida. The Copperhead Course is a lengthy challenge for even the longest hitters at more than 7,200 yards.

WHO WON THE VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP LAST YEAR?

Sam Burns earned his maiden victory at the 2021 Valspar Championship. He finished 17-under par and three shots clear of Keegan Bradley. The American fired a best of the week 63 (-8) in the second round en route to the title.

WHAT IS THE PRIZE FUND AT THE VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP?

Whilst a little less than the eye-watering figures on offer at the Players Championship, the purse this week is $7.8m with the winner pocketing $1.4m. 

Sam Burns has been a PGA Tour player since 2019 and has won multiple times on the historic circuit since. Get to know the American a little bit better with these facts.

SAM BURNS FACTS

1. His full name is Samuel Holland Burns.

2. Burns was born on the July 23, 1996 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

3. The American went to Calvary Baptist Academy and then Louisiana State University.

4. Burns was a three-time individual state champion and was named AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2014.

5. In his sophomore season, he won four tournaments in 15 collegiate starts, and was named the NCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year for the 2016-17 season.

6. The American made his PGA Tour debut at the Sanderson Farms Championship in 2017, where he finished T43rd.

7. In 2018, playing the Honda Classic on a sponsor's exemption, Burns was paired with Tiger Woods in the final round. He actually beat Woods on the day by two shots.

8. In his debut year on the Korn Ferry Tour, Burns won the Savannah Golf Championship and sealed his spot on the PGA Tour.

9. His best season on tour so far was 2021-22, in which he won three times at the Valspar Championship, Sanderson Farms Championship and Charles Schwab Challenge. Burns had claimed the Valspar Championship once before during the previous season for his maiden PGA Tour success.

10. His favorite golf memory was watching David Toms win the 2011 Crowne Plaza Invitational.

11. Burns' hobbies include fishing, hunting and watching American football.

12. Burns has multiple sponsors, including Callaway, Adidas, Netjets and Mastercard. The American has a full Callaway bag, including an Odyssey putter.

13. In December 2019, Burns married his lifelong partner, Caroline Campbell. They now have a son called Bear who was born in 2024.

14. He is an excellent putter and has been inside the top-10 for SG: Putting in all but one full season since the 2020-21 campaign began. In 2025, he led the way through the US Open.

15. He made his Ryder Cup debut in 2023 as one of Zach Johnson’s six captain picks, representing the USA in their loss to Europe in Rome. He also represented America in the 2022 Presidents Cup.

16. Burns is close friends with three-time Major winner and World No.1, Scottie Scheffler, with whom he regularly stays with on tour along with their families. They have known each other since they were teenagers. 

17. His caddie is Travis Perkins, a former professional who himself had a short spell on the PGA Tour. 

18. He has earned over $31 million on the PGA Tour. 

19. His best finish at a Major was a T9th at the 2024 US Open. That was his first Major top-10.

20. Burns is a Christian. The first thing listed in Burns’ X/Twitter and Instagram bios is “Christ’s Follower”. 

21. Burns has come close to winning a sixth PGA Tour title on several occasions since landing the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. He was T2nd at the 2024 BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup Playofffs while he also lost in a playoff to Ryan Fox at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.

22. Burns made his second Presidents Cup appearance in 2024 as Team USA defeated Team International 18.5 - 11.5. Burns won 3.5 points out of a possible four.

23. Burns has played golf with US President Donald Trump on multiple occasions - most recently in November 2024.

24. In January 2024, Burns shot a career low 61 (11-under) during the second round of the American Express at the Nicklaus Tournament Course.

SAM BURNS BIO

Sam Burns Pro Wins