Category: PGA Golf

Ellie Mae Classic: Cone runs away with title

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Photo credit: @TPCStonebrae

By Jeremy Harness

Trevor Cone had not played very much this year and didn’t have much of a chance to make it the next level of professional golf, at least this year.

But all of that changed after Sunday afternoon’s proceedings, and now he’s one solid tournament showing away from setting foot in the major leagues.

He entered Sunday afternoon with a one-shot lead, and he built on it from that point on. Cone executed his game plan to perfection Sunday afternoon, as his bogey-free round of 64 was plenty good enough to take the title at the Ellie Mae Classic, which was held at Hayward’s TPC Stonebrae.

Cone had only played in eight tournaments in his rookie season on the Web.com Tour and started this week way down on the money list, 135th to be exact. He had previously played on the Mackenzie Tour, formerly known as the Canadian Tour. However, this win propelled him all the way to 37th on that list.

He distanced himself on the front nine, running off four birdies, and then adding two more on the back to take the title. He averaged 330 yards off the tee and hit 73 percent of his fairways, which greatly enhances one’s chances to make a good score on a hole. He also 72 percent of his greens in regulation, and when he missed a green, he got up and down for par or better 85 percent of the time, which ranked second in the field.

He also putted extremely well, as he averaged only 1.596 putts per green in regulation, for which he was also second in the field this week.

The top 25 players on the tour’s money list at the end of the season earn the right to play on the PGA Tour next season, and Cone now has a very good chance to do that. There is only one event left in the regular season, and that gets under way on Thursday, and a high finish figures to get him inside that number.

The guys who finished second and third this weekend are now in the top 25. Josh Teater fired a 67 on Sunday to finish four stroked behind the lead and shot up 13 spots to the 13th position on the money list.

Meanwhile, Chris Thompson, a graduate of Kansas University, shot a final-round 64 despite two bogeys to finish in third position at 16-under. With that finish, Thompson also slid into the top 25, jumping 34 spots into the 19th position.

The final tournament of the regular season is the WinCo Foods Portland Open, which will be held at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course in North Plains, Ore.

Ellie Mae Classic: More movement atop the leaderboard

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Photo credit: @WebDotComTour

By Jeremy Harness

Steph Curry may be gone, but there is plenty of good stuff to see, particularly from the guys who are fighting for the lead at the Ellie Mae Classic this weekend.

This tournament, which is held at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward and is part of the Web.com Tour–the minor-league affiliate of the PGA Tour–will conclude Sunday afternoon and currently features more than a handful of players who have a realistic chance to win.

On top of that leaderboard is Trevor Cone, who fired a four-under round of 66 in Saturday’s third round to take a one-stroke lead with an overall score of 17-under par.

One stroke behind him is Sebastian Cappelen, who had the second-lowest round of the day with a 64, as he recorded seven birdies against only one bogey, which he suffered on the par-four seventh, the hardest hole on the golf course.

Cappelen has immediate company as well. There are two guys that he is tied with at 16-under, and one of them has some PGA Tour experience. Josh Teater, who shot a 68 on Saturday, has been at the next level numerous times, and he is in position to get inside the top-25 on the money list at the end of the season, which would mean that he would a full year on the PGA Tour.

There is a little bit of local flavor, as Cal grad Max Homa is just four strokes behind the lead after he shot 64 in the third round. Just like Cappelen, he birdied seven times and had only one bogey, as he, too, was victimized by the seventh hole.

He also bogeyed the seventh hole on Thursday, whereas Cappelen bogeyed it in Friday’s second round.

Friday’s leader, Alex Purgh, took a backward step while everyone else appears to be moving forward. After an eye-popping round of 60 on Friday, he finished Saturday’s round with a two-over 72, thanks to six bogeys and four birdies.

There is another name that is known locally in Stanford grad Maverick McNealy, who shot a third-round 67 and is tied for 16th with an overall score of 10-under.

Ellie Mae Classic: New leaders come to the top; Steph Curry struggles

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Photo credit: pgatour.com

By Jeremy Harness

Friday’s second round saw a ton of movement at the top of the leaderboard, and one player in particular had a chance to touch a bit of history.

Alex Purgh, who is from Spokane, Wash., grabbed a two-stroke lead at the Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic after an eye-popping round, and his 10-under round of 60 was only two shots shy of the tour’s single-round scoring record of 58, which was set by Stephan Jaeger in this tournament two years ago.

Two behind him is Josh Teater, a Lexington, Ky. native who has had numerous stints on the PGA Tour. Teater followed up an opening round of 64 with a round of 62.

Despite being a stroke worse than he was on Thursday, Spaniard Samuel Del Valle didn’t lose too much ground, as his second-round score of 64 put him three shots behind the lead. He is currently tied with Trevor Cone, who also recorded rounds of 63 and 64 for the first two days.

Now here comes the bad news. Let’s all take a moment…

If you waited until the weekend to see Stephen Curry up close and personal at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, unfortunately you missed your shot.

That’s because unlike what Curry’s used to on the basketball court, the Warriors’ star guard was off target a lot on Friday, and his front nine alone took him out of any chance to make the cut, which was projected at four-under at press time.

After giving himself a fighting chance on Thursday with an opening round of 71, which is good for one-over par, Curry got off on the wrong foot almost immediately. After parring the first hole, Curry bogeyed the par-3 second before the par-5 third ate him alive.

By the time Curry walked off the third green, he was forced to write a nine–a quadruple bogey–on the scorecard. It didn’t get much better on the front nine, as Curry would go on to record a bogey, a double bogey and even a triple bogey to finish the front side 11-over par.

Curry started to piece things together on the back side with a birdie at the 10th and also recorded a birdie at the par-four 14th. However, Curry was plagued with a bogey and a triple in between those birdies, but the damage was already done by this point.

When it was all said and done on Friday, Curry signed a card that read a Friday score of 86, or 16-over par. But looking at this another way, Curry didn’t become a worldwide star and a cultural icon for his golf game.

Ellie Mae Classic: Curry opens with 71, still can make cut

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Photo credit: @gswdubnation_

By Jeremy Harness

The first round of the Ellie Mae Classic is in the books, and there are some new faces on top of the leaderboard, and those guys hope to use this tournament to get–or stay–inside the top-25 of the Web.com Tour.

One of those names is Seth Reeves, who started Thursday’s play ranked 88th on the tour’s money list, and he could get inside the top-25 list with a win. He is tied for the lead after shooting an opening-round seven-under 63.

Among those also tied at the top are Adam Long, who is currently No. 23 on that list and could rise up to fourth with a win, and Spaniard Samuel Del Val, who could jump 82 spots from his current position at No. 117.

The main attraction, of course, has been Golden State Warriors’ star Stephen Curry, and he made an even bigger impression than he did in last year’s event. And, of course, he drew the much bigger crowds than the other group that took to the course on Thursday.

Starting on the 10th hole Thursday morning, Curry stumbled a bit out of the gate. He parred his first three holes but then bogeyed three of the next four holes.

However, Curry rallied very nicely on his second nine. After bogeying the second hole, he began turning things around with a birdie at the par-five third. He then got two birdies in a row at the seven and eighth to walk into the clubhouse with a first-round score of 71, which is three strokes better than his opening-round 74 from last year.

Technically, Curry can still make the cut, but he will have to have a dynamite round on Friday to do it. The cut line, which will be determined at some point Friday, figures to be at least two-under par. So, in other words, his showing has certainly improved over the past year, but he will need to do much more if the crowds that have flocked to TPC Stonebrae hope to see him through the weekend.

Ellie May Classic preview: Large crowds expected to come out for Curry

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Photo credit: @gswdubnation_

By Jeremy Harness

There is a possibility that the PGA Tour could be heading to the Bay Area–closer than Napa or Monterey–soon. In the meantime, however, the Web.com Tour–the minor-league affiliate of the PGA Tour–is here, and it is getting ready to kick off again.

The Ellie Mae Classic will commence play Thursday morning at Hayward’s TPC Stonebrae, and there will be a familiar face on the course, at least for the first two days.

Warriors’ guard Stephen Curry, who is a scratch golfer, will make his second appearance at this event. He is not expected to make the cut, but that will not stop fans from coming out on Thursday and Friday to get an up-close glimpse of the NBA star.

Curry will tee it up alongside Northern California natives Martin Trainer and Cameron Champ, who won the Utah Championship just three weeks ago. The group will begin Thursday’s first round at 9:06 am PST and will start on the 10th hole.

The group will play later on in the day on Friday, as the threesome will go off at 2:26 pm PST, as the tour gives players one morning tee time and one in the afternoon for the first two days, after which the cut line will be established.

Curry did not make the cut last year, but he did give a good account of himself after shooting a pair of 74’s.

He is playing on a sponsor’s exemption, which means that he did not have to go through local qualifying for the event. NFL Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice, on the other hand, went through local qualifying, but it did not go very well at all, as he withdrew after only 10 holes in the Monday qualifier.

Last year’s event was won by Martin Piller, who is now on the PGA Tour.

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Giants’ Longoria out 6-8 weeks; Twins’ Sano sent down to single-A; Crash Davis–Will O’s let Davis have worse season ever?

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants hitter Evan Longoria grimaces after being hit in the hand last Thursday in Miami is expected back in action 6-8 weeks following hand surgery.

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:

1 Giants’ Evan Longoria to miss 6-8 weeks after hand surgery.

2 Twins send Sano to Single-A, Buxton to Triple-A for rehab-plus.

3 Will the Orioles let Chris Davis have worst season by a regular ever?

4 Astros are red-hot on their current road trip.

5 Old-Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium – Yanks know how to do it!

Daniel Dullum does the MLB The Show podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony Renteria: AT&T Pro Am expecting top notch weather through tournament; Will MLB players really boycott spring training over unsigned free agents?

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Photo credit: @SkySportsGolf

On the Sports Headlines with Tony Renteria:

1 The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am couldn’t have timed the tournament for a better week for perfect weather as there is no rain in the forecast. A great forecast at the AT&T for this week’s AT&T.

2 The favorite things about playing in the AT&T according to the players is the two different courses including Spy Glass Hill. The Tournament is set up in four  different classes of players, Team 1 Pros, Team 1 Amateur, Team 2 Pro, and Team 2 Amateur.

3 Rory McIlroy is amongst the favorites to win the tournament by the oddsmakers. McIlroy is making his first AT&T appearance and is considered a well known experienced player who no one would really be surprised to be on the top of the leaderboard this week.

4 MLB Players Association are rumored to be considering a boycott of spring training over baseball’s lack of signing free agents. According to Players Union Representative Tony Clark there is a record number of players who have not been signed going into this spring training. MLB clubs are going to see their revenue sharing shrink and clubs are now cutting back and working with less thus cutting expenses and even player salaries and that would free agents.

5 It’s been since 1994-95 that MLB has had a strike Tony takes a look at what a boycott would do to the game if the players walked out as there’s four more years left on the MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Tony talks Sports Headlines each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

https://soundcloud.com/sports-radio-service/sports-headlines-with-tony-renteria-thu-feb-7-2018

 

Headline Sports with Tony Renteria: Are opposing teams close to decoding Warriors?; Kings still snake bitten on home floor; Tiger four short of major record; plus more

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Photo credit: @jacknicklaus

On Headline Sports with Tony Renteria:

1 The Warriors who lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday and just got by the Mavericks on Wednesday. We ask Tony if opposing teams are decoding the Warriors and can they finally break through in figuring out how this team keeps winning each night?

2 The Sacramento Kings, who faced a Charlotte Hornets team who beat the Warriors Friday, got laid out 131-111. The Kings continue to struggle at home and now are 12-25 for the season

3 Tiger Woods, who’s had his personal struggles and worries, is making his return January 26th in the Bahamas for a major. Woods, who played well in another tournament last month, is just four short of the all-time record of 18 held by Jack Nicklaus for majors won.

4 Is the Rooney rule a sham? Tony comments on the Oakland Raiders almost certain hiring of Jon Gruden as they will go through the motions of interviewing a minority coach and then give the job to Gruden.

5  Also, after leaving the Raiders the last time in 2001, the situation is totally different with Gruden coming back in 2018

Tony Renteria does Headline Sports each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

PGA Golf Podcast with Jeremy Harness: My experience at the Napa Safeway Open and how everyone got out ahead of the fire

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photo golf.com: A hospitality tent burns the morning after the conclusion of the Safeway Open on Sunday October 8th in Napa

On the PGA Golf Safeway Open/Napa Fire this week:

1 The Safeway Open finished on Sunday afternoon just to get a timeline from J as the Open was done around 7PM and the Napa Fire started around 10:30PM

2 It was beautiful weather and a great week at the Safeway Open who would ever think it would end with the great Sonoma/Napa Valley in flames and destruction at the cost of over 20 lives.

3 For Jeremy personally it was mind blowing that he worked the Open and then after he filed his story left and that same evening all that he and thousands enjoyed was all gone

4 Will  the fire from this year’s Safeway Open be it’s legacy?

Jeremy Harness covers the PGA for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

SAFEWAY OPEN: Steele goes back-to-back at Silverado

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Photo credit: Golf.com

By Jeremy Harness

NAPA–The one word that can describe Brendan Steele throughout the years is consistent. And he was just that this week, and that got him back-to-back titles.

Steele birdied two of the last three holes, including the par-5 18th, to withstand the charge of runner-up Tony Finau to take home the Safeway Open crown for the second straight year, the first time anyone has accomplished that feat.

He finished with an overall score of 15-under, but in the early going, it appeared that the margin would be even wider than the two shots that he won by on Sunday. He played a bogey-free front nine that saw him make three birdies.

However, he ran into some trouble on the back nine, as he dropped shots on both the 12th and 14th holes to go back down to 13-under. He righted the ship quickly, however, with two more birdies to offset that and take home the trophy.

“This place is so great for me,” Steele said. “I feel so comfortable here, and it’s been a great run. This will definitely set up my season and hopefully springboard me into another really good year.

“That was probably about as good a round of golf as I’ve ever played.”

Finau started the day at 10-under but moved up the leaderboard quickly, as he eagled the par-5 fifth hole and followed that up with a birdie at the ninth.

He got a huge break at the 12th, as his approach shot ended up plugged in the greenside bunker, leaving him with a minimal chance to make par. However, his sand shot ended up hitting another ball – which is legal – and left him with only a two-foot par putt, which he made.

“The funny thing is, I forgot he hit,” Finau said of the player whose ball the sand shot hit. “I was so focused on what I needed to do and how hard my shot was. I hit a perfect shot, but it was still going to be 20-30 feet past (the hole).

“It was a bonus to hit his ball, and I used the rules to my advantage, I guess, not knowing.”

He seemed to carry that momentum to the next hole, as he made birdie there. That surge was thwarted, though, as he made a damaging double bogey at the 14th.

He could not make up any ground until he birdied the 18th, and he finished two shots behind the lead.

Finishing one shot behind him was Phil Mickelson, who shot a two-under 70, picking up major steam on the back nine with four birdies against only one bogey after an underwhelming front nine.

Tyler Duncan entered Sunday with the lead, but the high winds that kicked up during the final round wreaked havoc on his game. He bogeyed his first three holes of the day, and when it seemed like he righted the ship a bit with a birdie at the fifth, he dropped two more shots at the seventh and eighth before a birdie at the ninth.

He offset a bogey with a birdie on the back nine, but by that point, the damage had already been done, as he finished at 11-under and tied for fifth.