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HIGHLIGHTS
Kyle Stanley triumphs in playoff at Quicken Loans
Rickie Fowler and Marc Leishman also highlight the lineup coming to TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, where Kyle Stanley defends after tearfully ending five years of searching with last year’s trip back to the winner’s circle.
FIELD NOTES: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who placed 15th at Shinnecock Hills, and Italy’s Francesco Molinari help give the roster four of the top 30 in the current world rankings. … Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, who needed just five pro starts to earn Special Temporary status for the rest of the season, tees it up after a two-week layoff. … Woods is joined by three other former major winners in Jimmy Walker (2016 PGA), Stewart Cink (2009 Open Championship) and Geoff Ogilvy (2006 U.S. Open). … The National will be the second professional start for both of last year’s U.S. Amateur finalists – champion Doc Redman and runner-up Doug Ghim. Likewise, it’s also the third pro start for former Illinois standout Dylan Meyer, who tied for 20th at Shinnecock Hills.
FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
STORYLINES: Woods, who established the National to great fanfare in 2007, rejoins the competition side with hopes of putting his name on the trophy for a third time. He endured a rough week at Shinnecock Hills, starting with a triple bogey on the way to missing the cut at 10-over par. … Fowler tries again in his first start since a share of 20th at Shinnecock. He closed with a 65, less than 24 hours after shooting 84. … Stanley takes his shot at becoming the first back-to-back winner in the National’s 12-year history. Anthony Kim came closest, following his 2008 victory by finishing third in ’09.
COURSE: TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, 7,107 yards, par 70. Back for a second bite of the National, the revamped former Kemper Open home played to positive reviews in its return to the PGA TOUR stage. A two-year, $20 million overhaul with input from such names as Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Fred Funk and Davis Love III left no hole untouched and made major changes to at least a dozen. A new name accompanied its 2009 reopening and the Senior PLAYERS Championship arrived a year later, with Mark O’Meara defeating Michael Allen on the first hole of a playoff. The original 1986 layout was one of the first clubs built under the TPC umbrella, but Kemper Open entrants never warmed to the course as it repeatedly dealt with drainage and turf issues.
72-HOLE RECORD: 266, Troy Merritt (2015 at Robert Trent Jones GC). TPC Potomac record: 273, Kyle Stanley and Charles Howell III (2017).
18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Troy Merritt (3rd round, 2015 at Robert Trent Jones GC). TPC Potomac record: 64, Nick Watney (4th round, 2017).
LAST YEAR: Stanley prevailed over Charles Howell III in a playoff duel of lengthy victory droughts, coaxing home a par on the first extra hole that sealed his first win since 2012. Both men carded 4-under-par 66s on the final day to finish deadlocked at 7-under 273, and neither hit the green in regulation as they replayed No.18. Howell’s chip, though, checked up short and he missed an 11-foot par save, while Stanley managed to set up a 5-footer for the win. The former Clemson standout won for the first time since Phoenix in 2012, a journey that included having to win his PGA TOUR card back via the Web.com Tour Finals in 2015. Howell was seeking his first win in a decade, going back to a rain-shortened Riviera stop in 2007.
HOW TO FOLLOW
TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS).
PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-7 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (featured holes).
RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, 1-6 p.m.; Sunday, 1-6:30 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).
In the PGSF, Congratulations to @NoleLizards who uses his sixth win of the year to extend his overall lead
Good Luck to everyone this week
