Justin Thomas Breaks PGA Tour 72-Hole Scoring Record

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It's one of the biggies not just in golf, but in all of sports and Justin Thomas now holds the PGA Tour's lowest 72-hole scoring record.

Doug Ferguson on Thomas's Sony Open victory that included a 59 and a four day total of, gulp, 253.

Thomas capped off his wonderful week at Waialae that began with a 59 with his second straight victory. He two-putted birdie from 60 feet on the par-5 18th and closed with a 5-under 65 to set the record at 253.
Tommy Armour III shot 254 at the 2003 Texas Open.

"It's been an unbelievable week. Unforgettable," Thomas said before going to sign his historic card.

The final round highlights, in case you were watching something else...

Roundup: Justin Thomas Shoots 59 At Waialae

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There aren't many highlights due to the early nature of the round, here's PGATour.com's package. And GolfChannel.com's recap with Steve Sands and Frank Nobilo.

Doug Ferguson notes this in writing about Justin Thomas's opening-round 59 at the Sony Open.

He was five shots better than anyone in the morning, but his lead was only three shots by the end of the day. Hudson Swafford shot a 62 in the afternoon. Swafford made a birdie on his 12th hole, when his caddie told him, "We've got to make seven birdies on the last six holes to catch Justin."

The average score was 68.26.

Thomas put the round into great perspective, writes GolfDigest.com's Dave Shedloski:

His hard-fought victory over Hideki Matsuyama last week was highly satisfying. But to etch your name in the history books with one magical round has a certain cache and sparkle to it.

“I would say, on paper, it would be today,” Thomas said when he was asked if his win at Kapalua or his 59 at Waialae was more special. “History wise … I have a chance to win a golf tournament every week. I don’t have many chances to shoot 59.”

Rex Hoggard on the last hole decision Thomas made that set up an eagle putt.

Thomas’ drive found the bunker at the par-5 ninth hole. “I wanted to punch something,” he said. He appeared destined for a 10-under round on the par-70 layout, but Berger, who was in the same bunker off the tee, showed him the way.

It’s what friends do.

“It was sitting really good to where it felt like I could get a 6-iron or 7-iron on it and just get it short of the green. And then I hear [Berger’s] caddie say 4-iron for them,” Thomas said. “I was like, man, can I hit it on the green? I'm like, I guess I can hit it on the green, I don't know.”

Thomas said he “flushed” a 5-iron that cleared the lip of the bunker, sailed through the warm air and settled 15 feet left of the pin. He made the putt - of course he did, what else would one expect from a player who has won twice and finished in the top 5 in four of his last five starts?

Here is that last hole with Thomas watching:

 

Speaking of the eagle, Thomas became the first 59 or less shooter to have two in one round. Great stuff from the ShotLink guys comparing the 59s and Furyk's 58. Click to enlarge:

PGA Tour May Add LPGA Winners To Season-Opening TOC?

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Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com says a joint season-opening tournament of champions is one of the main revelations from an extensive Rich Lerner sitdown with new commissioner Jay Monahan.

The interview airs in two parts, Monday on Golf Central and Tuesday on Morning Drive. The key quote:

“You could see men and women here at the Tournament of Champions,” Monahan told Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner as part of a wide-ranging interview that will air Monday on Golf Central and Tuesday on Morning Drive. “That is something we are thinking about and talking to Mike and the LPGA about. We would like to see that happen. We have some interest from sponsors.”

News of efforts to rejuvenate that opening event comes at a good time, as this year's SBS at Kapalua has (so far) felt flat despite a nice field and leaderboard. Perhaps Kapalua playing soft has made the proceedings less compelling. After all, no course on the PGA Tour is more fun to watch when it's firey and players are feeding the ball to the hole.

Perhaps adding the winners of LPGA events and a second tournament conclusion could inject some fun.

The Scheduling And Financial Ramifications Of Tiger's "Return"

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Bob Harig has all sorts of tidbits in this ESPN.com about Tiger's schedule in the wake of his respectable showing at the Hero World Challenge.

There was this gem of a quote from Mark Steinberg, who no doubt has seen some UAE numbers pop up on his phone screen and is enjoying .

"My phone was pretty heated this week leading up to the first round,'' Steinberg said Friday at Albany Golf Club, where the second round of the Hero World Challenge was underway. "But it went from heated to hot.

Heated to hot!

Tiger seems likely to start 2017 in Abu Dhabi or the Omega Dubai Desert Classic (January 30-February 5th) depending on the appearance fee winner and other dynamics (can a Rolex man take Omega's money, or does Shaikh Mohammed have final say?).

There is also the question of Tiger's willingness to fly across the world to reach Torrey Pines in time for the Farmers while asking a lot of his surgically repaired back.

With the Woods Foundation running and benefiting from the rebranded Genesis Open at Riviera, the Dubai option would allow for a week off after Dubai and more sensible start to the season. Tiger would also be able to make his return to Los Angeles even grander by making it his first domestic start.

Harig makes this point about scheduling influences and differences for Woods.

Regardless of what Woods chooses to do, it is unlikely he will be eligible for the WGC-Mexico Championship or the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship, meaning he might play in some events he normally does not play. Woods is likely to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he has won eight times.

The story also delves into Tiger's more promising leverage in negotiating equipment deals, with Harig predicting Bridgestone as his first choice for a golf ball.

Finally, there is the timing of Tiger's return and the big ratings that came with it: the PGA Tour is believed to be ready to re-open their weekend television rights. Commissioner Ironclad steps down December 31st and hands Jay Monahan the keys to the PGA Tour Citation, re-working the weekend television rights may be priority number one. A resurgent Tiger certainly improves their leverage after dreadful fall ratings and mostly flat or down weekend numbers in 2016.

But will the major networks or potential new blood in the streaming world be enticed to pay more given Tiger's spotty playing record?

Roundup: Tiger's 24-Birdie, Final Round 76-Shooting Week Back

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As we noted today on Morning Drive in assessing the reation to Tiger's week, the views on his return seem to be split between respectful empathy celebrating the obvious positives, to continued apathy over an imperfect performance. But how could any golfer expect perfection after surgeries, yips and even signs of stage fright?

Both Doug Ferguson and Steve DiMeglio worked the red shirt into their ledes and then assessed.

Ferguson for the AP:

Woods showed no stress in his swing or in walking five straight rounds, starting with the pro-am. He had plenty of length, at times going after his driver with a little more pop to clear a bunker. He holed a few long putts . He missed a few short ones. At times, he looked like he had never been away for that long.

And at times it did.

After a lede with Rickie Fowler celebrating the return of the red shirt, DiMeglio for USA Today in nearly identical words to Ferguson's:

His return to competitive golf after an absence of nearly 16 months — which included two surgeries to his troublesome back — was a success on nearly all counts as the positives far outweighed the negatives. This despite the final-round 76 and the final-hole double bogey as he finished 15th in the elite 17-man field, 14 shots behind Hideki Matsuyama, who won at 18 under and was two clear of Henrik Stenson. It was Matsuyama’s fourth victory in five starts and he was a staggering 90 under during that stretch.

Bob Harig for ESPN.com offered a measured tone in an overall positive take that also included assessments from Tiger's last two instructors pre-Chris Como:

"I really like how much longer his backswing is -- especially with the driver,'' said Sean Foley, Woods' former coach. "I like that his lower body and pelvis are moving more. The movement is not restricted; it is much more free. He looks great.''

Another former coach, Haney Haney, said: "The swing is smooth; there are no apparent issues.''

Golf World's Jaime Diaz offered this:

Most of all, there was a palpable and overdue ease to his game. Woods looked leaner, which seemed to aid in more swinging of the clubhead and less straining of the body. Along with his speed, he had rhythm and flow and balance. Technically, his stance was narrower, posture taller, hip turn bigger and his once rigid left leg softer through impact. There seemed to be less thinking over the ball, and more of a subconscious freedom.

Jeff Babineau in Golfweek's on-site assessment was broken into five areas of interest related to Woods' game:

But he showed he has plenty of game. Sure, four rounds isn’t very much to go on. But with more chances to compete and if he can get back to some semblance of a normal schedule, Woods should be able not only to contend again, but win again.

Definitely.

Mark Cannizzaro in the New York Post:

Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, had a modest goal for his man for the week.

“I thought it was good, a lot of positives,’’ LaCava said. “He’s upright, No. 1. Seriously. You laugh, but I think that’s good. I love the fact that he was hitting a lot of shots that he was kind of picturing in his mind. There were a few loose ones, obviously, but he hit plenty of good shots, plenty of good things to take away from it. And he made some putts.

“The fact that’s he’s making birdies is a good sign. I wasn’t going to compare him to the rest of the field. It’s a great field, they’ve been playing all year and they’ve all been playing great.

Michael Bamberger writing for Golf.com:

No player made more birdies than Woods over the four rounds -- he had 24 of them -- and nobody had more double bogeys than Woods, who had six, half of them on the par-4 18th. Woods's has been the greatest closer in golf history, but those three doubles suggest a certain mental frailty.
That's golf. You can say whatever you want to yourself and to reporters and to your caddie but the little boxes on a scorecard leave no room for self-talk.

Gary Koch broke down Tiger's swing on the broadcast and it's worth a look.

From the detractor side, Brandel Chamblee on Golf Central (16 minute mark) didn't see an improvement in the swing or chip yips Woods has suffered.

Roundup: Tiger Returns In Thrilling Style, Fades To 73

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This comeback was definitely different in tone. Just look at Doug Ferguson's list of previous Tiger Woods comebacks and you recall how many were forced, premature or just downright edgy.

This time around anyone with an ounce of soul did not want to see another boondoggle. Mercifully for golf and Tiger, the 14-time major winner put on a strong early show before succumbing to the fatigue of a hot day, enormous pressure and a lack of tournament seasoning after a long layoff.

Of course, in classic Tiger fashion, he refused to admit to fatigue. That might just be the best evidence he's his ownself again.

Jason Sobel noted this classic stubbornness in his account for ESPN.com:

This was a textbook round for someone who hadn't played in a while: Make a few nervy pars just to ease away the tension; ride the wave of adrenaline up the leaderboard; get overtaken by fatigue down the stretch.

If we needed further proof, though, of Woods' return to familiarity, it came after the round, when he wouldn't acquiesce to that last observation.

He was asked a reasonable question about whether he'd run out of gas before making those two doubles.

"I wouldn't say that," he offered. "I just made some mistakes."

Michael Collins, talking to Sportscenter, also pointed out that post-round, Tiger did not come across as someone physically compromised.

Will Gray at GolfChannel.com makes the shrewd point that the strong start to the round makes this a much better feeling 73 than one in which Woods was just so-so all day.

Had Woods more evenly dispersed his scorecard, had one of his closing doubles instead come amid the three-birdie run that highlighted his opening nine, perhaps the tinge of disappointment might have evaporated. But he didn’t, and they didn’t, and a 73 is more difficult to stomach after Woods appeared on his way to something in the mid-60s.

In case you have a real job and missed it, here is Golf Channel's highlight package.

Alan Shipnuck, writing for Golf.com, offers his overall assessment as a long time Tiger observer, some more elaborate comments from former swing coach Hank Haney and this on the first tee mood scene:

He was dressed in a badass all-black ensemble, befitting the high noon tee time. The World Challenge is a mostly meaningless hit-and-giggle event, but the tee was crowded with reporters, cameramen and assorted rubberneckers. The most dominant golfer of all time does not have the luxury of easing back into competition. The mood was tense, even fraught. As Woods settled over the ball, waggling his discordant new TaylorMade driver, it was so funereal quiet you could hear decorative flags flapping in the distance.

Former swing coach Haney also offered this Tweet:

Steve DiMeglio of USA Today saw enough to declare more wins in Tiger's future.

As long as his body — and especially his back — holds up, Woods will lift championship hardware again. Doesn’t matter if he’ll turn 41 on Dec. 31. The game’s needle will trigger appreciative cheers in trophy ceremonies on the 18th green in the future.

Another longtime Tiger watcher who has seen his share of antics, also had a positive assessment.

Jeff Babineau at Golfweek includes a lot of Tiger playing partner Patrick "Pat" Reed, as well as this:

Cool to see, yes. Tiger Woods, back in action, the round moving like a movie reel, giving us glimpses of the familiar. He pounded a drive 20 yards past Reed, a long knocker, at the third, and roped a 5-iron from 235 yards on the same hole that soared through the air on a string. He enjoyed that one. The ball would run out over the green, but it gave Woods some confidence. When he poured in a 16-foot left-to-righter at the short 14th to save par after being in a sandy area AND a bunker, there was a fist pump. The adrenaline was pumping.

And for Tigerphiles, in case you missed it, Mike Johnson filed an interesting GolfDigest.com look at what it's like to work with Tiger when he's club testing.

Tiger tees off at 11:12 am ET Friday, with Morning Drive and Golf Central bringing early play highlights before the 1 pm telecast.

Roundup: Tiger To Begin "Phase Two" Of His Career

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Euphoria, multiple eagles and high-level anticipation! it's all in the Bahamas air as Tiger is finally back! Shoot, the first birdie back may lower his Masters win odds to 5-1. Even the jargon (ballistics!) has been sharp and the almost-funny one liners are back.

All is right with the world!

Oh sure there is a long way to go. The body looks understandably tight (see Tripp Isenhour's breakdown at the 6 minute mark of today's Golf Central). But the swing rhythm and reports like this one from Jeff Babineau sound promising:

Maybe more impressive were some of the low, laser-like long irons he hit into the teeth of the wind on a few of Albany’s difficult par 3s, such as the eighth, playing about 230 yards, where he knocked a tee shot 12 feet past the flag and missed the putt.

As Tiger prepares to launch what is apparently been dubbed "Phase Two", Will Gray notes at GolfChannel.com that there will be entertaining mood swings that may prove more entertaining than the golf.

Sure, some feedback will be gleaned. His swing will inevitably be dissected from all angles, and the short game that bogged him down so often last year will be on full display, for better or worse.

And given such a small sample size, dangerous levels of extrapolation are sure to follow. Every made birdie will mean a 15th major is a fait accompli; every flubbed chip will lead others to question if his career has officially run its course.

Tiger is feeling the good vibes of his time at Hazeltine, as the U.S.A. Ryder Cup team wore onesies and red t-shirts emblazoned with "Make Tiger Great Again" to honor their assistant captain, writes Jason Sobel at ESPN.com. More fascinating may be how much the players want to see him play well again:

"We want our champion back," Bubba Watson said. "We want our Tiger Woods back. We want him playing again."

"He's still just turning every head when he walks into the dining area," added Spieth. "Or if he's on the driving range, I mean, everybody's looking up to see him hit some shots. I was doing it this morning, interested obviously."

Given how long he's been away and how many surgeries Tiger has been through, expectations probably need to be tempered though, as Paige Mackenzie and I discussed today on Morning Drive with Whit Watson.

Tiger will pass 150 or so players just by finishing the Hero World Challenge, even if he finishes last, Bob Harig notes at ESPN.com. Shouldn't there be some sort of ranking points penalty for tournaments of a certain (miniscule) size?

The subdued energy level from his post-pro-am round interview could be read one of two ways: this is just another Hero World Challenge and I've been doing this too long, or, I'm trying to make it sound like this is another Hero World Challenge and that I've been doing this too long.

Tiger tees off at noon ET Thursday. Golf Channel will present Morning Drive starting at 10:30 am. The show will include live shots of Tiger warming up, along with more of our Design Week coverage. At 11:55 Golf Central will take over and provide bonus coverage before the regularly scheduled 12:30 ET start.