Return of Tiger Still Unclear

Tiger Woods is confident he is making progress, but remains cautious over setting any date for a potential competitive return to the golf course.

The former world number one has not played since finishing joint 10th in the Wyndham Championship last year, after which he underwent two back operations in the space of six weeks.

Last month Woods, a 14-time major winner, played five holes with former Open and Masters champion Mark O’Meara at the official opening of the course he designed at Bluejack National Golf Club, and has taken part in casual games at Medalist, a club near his Florida home.

However, the 40-year-old American found it tough going on Monday when hitting three successive balls into the water as he took part in a ceremonial hole-in-one competition on the 102-yard 10th tee at the media day for the upcoming Quicken Loans National, which his foundation hosts at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.

Woods, now down to 524 in the rankings, faced the familiar question about his fitness update at the event.

“That’s the overriding question I keep hearing, when are you coming back, when are you playing? I hear it all the time, and if I knew, I would tell you, because it’d be fun to know, it would be nice to know that I am actually going to be playing on such and such a date, but I don’t know,” he said, in a press conference broadcast by www.pgatour.com.

Woods has registered for the US Open at Oakmont in June, although that was something he had to do ahead of the deadline to keep his options open.

“I have been practising at home, and I am progressing nicely, I am hoping to play (again soon),” Woods added.

“I am still trying to get stronger, trying to get more pliable.

“I am hitting the ball better and everything about my game is coming around.

“Now it’s just a matter of being more consistent with it, and then being able to do that not only at home against the boys at Medalist and trying to take their cash — trying to come out here and doing it against the best players in the world is a completely different deal.”

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McIlroy Overcomes Sawgrass with 64

McIlroy at Sawgrass R2 - Getty Images

Rory McIlroy’s second round in The Players produced a career-best 64, to move to eight-under-par at TPC Sawgrass, and some satisfaction over course that has over the years has caused the Holywood golfer grief.

McIlroy wasted no time in making his move, an opening with a 25 foot for birdie on the 10th, his first of the day, which was followed by four birdies in a row. There was a six-footer on 15 for his fifth birdie and then rolled in a 55 footer from off the green for eagle on the Par 5 16th.

That run on his front nine enabled him to match the day-old record of 29 strokes set by Shane Lowry on Thursday. “The back nine could not have played any easier,” admitted McIlroy.

However the fireworks of that stretch didn’t continue into the homeward run,  with further birdies at the second and seventh only to come unstuck on the Par 5 ninth where McIlroy opted to lay-up with his approach. 

Having left 270 yards to the front of the green he played a poor third shot into the grassy bank of a greenside bunker and ran up a bogey six.

“I guess I have got it in my head that any time I have went for the green it hasn’t really worked out that well for me. With hindsight, that pin being on the left side, (hitting it) anywhere on the right and I would have had a chance to get up and down. But I thought if I get it within 100 yards and take my chance from there. I didn’t hit a great third shot. Maybe if I had it back, I would go for the green,” explained McIlroy, who had eyed a possible 62 if he’d managed to birdie his closing hole.

A round of 64 moved him into contention and into a position far removed from his early years in playing at Sawgrass when he missed the cut in his first three appearances in the tournament. 

“I hit a lot of quality shots, hopefully I’ll continue to see that over the weekend.”

McIlroy wasn’t the only one to take advantage of benign conditions and soft greens, as Colt Knost hit all 18 greens in regulation and shot a course record equalling 63 to leapfrog through the field to lie on 135 at the halfway stage.

Knost even had a chance to set a new course record, but three-putted the 18th for a bogey. “I was fine over the first putt. I was trying to two-putt it, which is probably the problem instead of trying to make it. I was a little nervous over the second one. I knew what it was for. But I didn’t hit a bad putt, I hit it on the left lip and it just stayed there and lipped out.”

Graeme McDowell fired a second round 70 for 142 to at least survive the midway cut.

Pádraig Harrington’s 74 means he missed back-to-back cuts after also failing to survive at the Wells Fargo last week.

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McIlroy Fires Final 66 at Wells Fargo

McIlroy Round 4 - Getty Images

For Rory McIlroy the 18th hole ultimately proved to be his undoing at the Wells Fargo Championship as he played the 493-yard hole in 4 over par for the week. This included a bogey Sunday when his approach shot landed behind a rock on the other side of the creek that runs along the left side of the hole. 

McIlroy had seven birdies in between his bogeys on the first and last holes.

"Anytime you walk off the golf course and shoot 66, you can't be too disappointed," McIlroy said. "But I think in the circumstances, having a feeling like I had a chance on the back nine to post a number for the guys to at least think about it and I didn't."

The final winner James Hahn said the anxiety was creeping in after missing eight straight cuts on the PGA TOUR, causing him to wonder if he'd ever get his game straightened out.

But after a long talk with caddie Mark Urbanek last week, Hahn came to Quail Hollow Club with a renewed confidence and determination to end the streak. He did that and more.

Hahn beat Roberto Castro with a par on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday in the Wells Fargo Championship to snap the three-month slump and earn his second PGA TOUR title.

"It was going bad for a while," Hahn said. "Just didn't have the confidence, didn't believe in myself. I felt like I was putting in the work but wasn't getting any reward for it. ... You're playing bad and you're missing cuts and there's nothing funny about that."

The anxiety appeared a distant memory Sunday as a smiling Hahn cracked open a can of Bud Light as he sat behind the podium and asked the media, "You want one?"

Hahn, perhaps best known for his "Gangnam Style" birdie celebration three years ago on the Waste Management Phoenix Open's rowdy 16th hole, said when things got bad he remained motivated by never wanting to lose his PGA TOUR card and having to play on the Web.com Tour.

"I just told my wife, I can't play there -- I can't," Hahn said. "It's not an option for me. I feel like I'm good enough and I need to put in more work to stay on this level, and it's worth every minute of it. ... I have a lot of people counting on me."

He won't have to worry about that now for quite a while.

In winning, Hahn picked up the $1.3 million prize and an automatic two-year extension on the PGA TOUR, not bad for a former Bay Area women's shoes salesman.

"You have to keep believing in yourself and keep grinding. I constantly remind myself that I am good enough and belong out there," Hahn said.

Hahn said he never looked at the scoreboard all day and didn't know that if he'd made par on the 72nd hole that he would have likely sealed the tournament. Instead, he three-putted and made bogey, opening the door for Castro.

Castro, playing in the final group behind Hahn, made par to force a playoff.

But Castro's tee shot on the playoff hole found the creek on the left side of the fairway and his third shot landed in a spectator's shoe on the side of the green, leading to a bogey. The ball hit a spectator in the head before landing in the loafer.

"I was worried he was going to be laid out when we got up there," Castro said. "He'll ice it down and he'll be OK, I hope. But I felt bad about that."

Hahn shot 2-under 70 on Sunday, and Castro had a 71 to finish at 9 under, one shot ahead of Justin Rose (71). Hahn also won the 2015 Northern Trust Open at Riviera.

McIlroy and Phil Mickelson both shot 66 to tie for fourth at 7 under with third-round leader Rickie Fowler (74) and Andrew Loupe (71).

Both Castro and Hahn had chances to win in regulation.

Castro broke a tie when he rolled in a birdie putt from 6 feet on the 15th hole to get to 11 under. But he quickly gave the lead up with bogeys at 16 and 17 on the "Green Mile," the toughest closing holes on the PGA TOUR.

Despite the playoff loss, Castro refused to the dwell on the negative.

"Sure, it hurts to let this tournament specifically slip away, but there are 154 guys that didn't have a chance in that playoff and I feel grateful to have had a chance," Castro said.

"I hit a lot of good shots over the weekend, but unfortunately one bad hole yesterday kind of cost me," Mickelson said.

Fowler got off to a poor start, shooting 39 on the front nine and never mounting a challenge.

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McIlroy Mixed Day at Wells Fargo

McIlroy at Wells Fargo - Getty Images

Rory McIlroy moved into contention midway through his second round at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina on Friday before dropping down the field at Quail Hollow by the last hole.

The world number three did well to avoid a double-bogey on the 18th hole – when he pitched to within a couple of feet of the pin having had to take a penalty drop after finding water with his second shot – to card a three-under 69 that moved him to two under, six shots behind clubhouse leader Andrew Loupe.

McIlroy’s wedge play was the key to his success, a brilliant chip-in eagle from 80 feet at the seventh kick-starting a run that saw him knock in three straight birdies to get to five under for his round after 10 holes

He was within four shots of Loupe at that stage, the American having earlier carded a one-under 71 to post a mark of eight under. But McIlroy failed to keep the foot down, making three bogeys on the final seven holes, with just one more birdie coming on the 14th.

Shane Lowry was two shots outside the cut after carding a a one-over second round of 73.

Pádraig Harrington also missed the weekend with five-over par 77 second round left him on seven over.

Phil Mickelson used his short game pedigree to claw his way within three strokes of Loupe.

The five-times Major champion hit only nine greens in regulation but used his vaunted touch around the greens to piece together a two-under 70.

He got up-and-down to save par on eight occasions, his lone bogey coming at his final hole, where he drove into a bunker.

“I scrapped it around,” said Mickelson. “My short game was sharp. I hit a lot of good iron shots, but I had to play for par a little too many times because I didn’t put it in play off the tee,” he said.

Loupe, who shared the first-round lead with fellow American Steve Wheatcroft, had a chance to build a substantial advantage, only to bogey two of his final three holes for a 71.

“It’s half-time,” said the long-hitting Loupe, who is without a win in 53 starts on the PGA Tour and understands a 36-hole lead counts for little.

American Roberto Castro was one shot behind Loupe on seven under after a fine six-under 66.

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Irish PGA Honour Christy O'Connor

The Irish PGA Championship 2016 will be hosted on the Twin Oaks championship course at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort from September 21-25.

As a mark of respect to a golfing legend that was lost this year, the PGA in Ireland will host the inaugural Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial PGA Championship Pro-Am on the opening Wednesday.

Shabra Charity is the official charity of the 2016 championship.

Michael McCumiskey, secretary of PGA in Ireland, said: “We are pleased that this year’s event will not only be staged at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort but also sponsored by the venue and we thank the directors for their generous support of the tournament. The commitment is for three years, and the directors of Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort have given their clear intention to support and host this historic tournament until 2018.”

“Following the sad passing of Christy O’Connor Jnr, it is fitting that, in agreement with his family and the directors at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort, the championship pro-am will bear his name and be titled The Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Irish Championship PGA Pro-Am.”

The O’Connor family have welcomed the announcement and stated it was “a very fitting mark of respect which we hope will help to continue his legacy and commitment to the game of golf.”

The Irish PGA Championship has been staged since 1907.

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Player Sparked McIlroy Improved Fitness

Rory McIlroy - Getty Images

Nine-time major winner Gary Player has revealed he sparked Rory McIlroy's improved fitness by telling the Northern Irishman he was carrying too much weight.

World No 3 McIlroy, bidding to complete a career grand slam by claiming a first Masters title this week, has said he tries to follow the "fine example" set by the 80-year-old South African, who is a pioneer of diet, health and fitness.

Player did not mince his words when advising the Ryder Cup star a few years ago.

He told McIlroy, according to the Daily Mail: "You need to get fit Rory, look at that weight you're carrying. You need to strengthen your core."

McIlroy was then invited by Player to punch him in the stomach, and was shocked when - after a couple of tentative attempts - he landed a harder blow on the veteran, admitting: "It's like punching a wall. You're right, I do need to get fitter."

Player expects the 26-year-old's new gym-honed physique to serve him well in his future career.

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GMAC Fires 67 at Sea Island

Graeme McDowell made a fine start at The RSM Classic at Sea Island in Georgia on Thursday.

Fresh from his playoff victory at the OHLClassic in Mexico last Monday, McDowell carded a three-under 67 on the Seaside Course, one of two layouts being used over the opening two rounds of the €5.3 million event.

McDowell started where he left off at Mayakoba, rolling in birdies putts from eight and five feet to go to two under early in his round.

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He followed that with four straight pars before pitching to three feet at the par-five seventh to make his third birdie of the day.

McDowell’s round hit a speed bump around the turn, with back to back bogeys dropping him back to one under par.

His putter had been superb in sealing his third PGA Tour victory in Mexico, but it went cold when he failed with par putts from 19 feet and 11 feet on the ninth and 10th.

McDowell steadied the ship with a run of four pars before making a birdie on the par-five 15th after he made the green in two.

Further chances presented themselves on the closing holes, but McDowell’s putter let him down, pushing a birdie chance to the right after a stunning iron to five feet on the par-three 17th.

He would leave the course on a high note though, rattling home a final birdie from all of 25 feet on the 18th.

McDowell will play the Plantation Course in his second round, the par-five 72 layout offering more scoring chances, with four par-fives.

American Kevin Kisner took the clubhouse lead in the tournament after he carded an eagle and five birdies on the Plantation Course to make it to seven under, one shot clear of the field.

A total of eight players made it to six under, with American duo Jeff Overton and Tom Hoge joined by Canada’s David Hearn in making 64s on the Seaside Course.

The American quarter of Jim Herman, Kyle Stanley Kevin Chappell and Scott Stallings were joined by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim in carding rounds of 66 at the Plantation Course.

American Ryder Cup captain Davis Love is the host of the event and he carded a level-par 70 on the Seaside Course. Love was playing alongside his son Dru, the amateur player also carding a 70.

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Spieth Second Tops World

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Jordan Spieth was still smiling after his second place finish in the 97th PGA Championship as it saw him take Rory McIlroy's place as world No 1.

Spieth concluded his remarkable season in the major championships by finishing three shots behind Jason Day at Whistling Straits, but that result was enough to lift him to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.

The 22-year-old won the Masters and US Open before finishing in a tie for fourth in the 144th Open at St Andrews, where his dreams of a Grand Slam finally came to an end.

Asked by Sky Sports' Rich Beem if the No 1 spot was a nice consolation prize, Spieth said: "Sure it is. That's as good of a consolation prize as I have ever had.

"I'm really pleased. It was not easy to get out there and try to dethrone Rory, and it's going to be even harder to try and stay on top.

"But this year, the way we have played I think we've earned it as a team and we are going to work our butts off to stay in this position."

Spieth started the day two behind Day but could never quite get close enough to put pressure on the Australian, who was winning his first major championship after a number of near misses.

A dropped shot at the ninth proved particularly costly and Spieth said that was the key part of the round where he should really have been making up ground.

He added: "The middle of the round, really eight through 12, I had a really good opportunity to shoot three-under and I played those holes even par.

"That was killer because at that point I would have got it to about square and it would have been a different story coming down the stretch. 

"But it was Jason's day today and he really didn't miss many shots, and when he did it ended in a good spot and he made plenty of putts."

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