PGA Tour Brunch WGC/Corales Report
@PGATourBrunch Coverage of World Golf Match Play & Corales Championship
World Golf Championship Dell Tech Match Play
Today is the final round of preliminary Group Match Play. One player from each of the 16 (four player) groups will advance by this evening.
The Round of 16 will be played Saturday morning, followed by the Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon. The Semifinals will be Sunday morning, followed by the Championship Match and Consolation Match (third place) on Sunday afternoon.
WGC Opening Round Notes:
Defending champion Kevin Kisner defeated Justin Thomas, 2 and 1. Kisner is 2-0-0 entering today’s final match for “Sweet 16” qualification and has won his last eight matches in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, which represents the longest current streak since Tiger Woods posted the tournament record with 13 straight wins. Thomas is 0-2 in the group.
Ten players are undefeated through two rounds of group play (by seed): Jon Rahm (3), Patrick Cantlay (10), Ryan Palmer (24), Abraham Ancer (27), Kevin Kisner (34), Sergio Garcia (39), Mackenzie Hughes (48), Matt Kuchar (52), Ian Poulter (60) and Dylan Frittelli (64).
Included within those winners, two of the 22 players making their first appearance at the event are undefeated through two rounds of group play. They are: Mackenzie Hughes (48) and Dylan Frittelli (64).
Reigning FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson eagled the par-5 16th and birdied the par-3 17th to pull even with Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre before the two matched pars on No. 18, resulting in a tie for their match. Johnson, the 2017 WGC tournament champion, failed to advance out of group play in 2018 and 2019.
All the Scenarios: (link)
Match Play Recaps:
All of Thursday’s matches recapped: (link)
Tournament Site: (link)
THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: World Golf Championship
COURSE: Austin Country Club, Austin, Texas
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedEXCup @DellMatchPlay
TV COVERAGE: Friday, March 26: 2:00pm to 8:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 - Early coverage on Golf Channel from 10:00am to 2:00pm and the switch to NBC for 2:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Saturday and 3:00pm to 7:00pm EDT on Sunday.
STREAMING: PGA Tour Live will offer streaming coverage of Featured Groups on Friday from 10:15am to 8:00pm (EDT); Saturday from (8:30am-2:00pm (EDT) only.
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Friday - 2:00pm to 8:00pm (EDT); then Saturday, March 27 from 10:00am to 6:00pm EDT and Sunday, March 28: (11:00am to 7:00pm (EDT)) on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.
What They’re Saying About WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play
DJ Rallies for Tie (ESPN/Associated Press)
All the Match Play Scenarios (PGATourCom)
McIlroy Says Travel Reason for New Swing Coach (Associated Press)
Tee Times for Friday
The final round of preliminary Group Match Play begins at 10:42am EDT/9:42am (local) and tee times continue until 4:01pm EDT/3:01pm (local).
All Tee Times and Match-ups: (link)
Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship
Leader Stephan Jaeger’s scorecard includes an ace en route to his 6-under (66), his lowest round on Tour since carding a (65) in R-3 of 2019 Barbasol Championship. Jaeger holed a 206-yard 8-iron at No. 2 (his 11th hole) for his first ace on the tour, the fifth in tournament history and the first at No. 2.
Jaeger hit 11 of 14 fairways, 12 of 18 greens in regulation and holed 24 putts in his opening round.
Andrew Yun (67) was a “Monday Qualifier” who made his first cut of Tour career at this event in 2018 (T-77) in what was his 10th Tour start. This is his 23rd PGA Tour start. In the last 35 years, only two Monday qualifiers have gone on to win (Arjun Atwal/2010 Wyndham Championship, Corey Conners/2019 Valero Texas Open).
Sponsor exemption Justin Suh (T-4) with a (68) made his sixth start this season, with T-14 at this event in 2020 and a T-8 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open being his best results in five prior starts.
Bogey-free rounds were had by: Joel Dahmen (67), Andrew Yun (67), Peter Uihlein (70), Brice Garnett (70), Charles Howell III (70).
Opening Round Leaderboard at Corales Championship
Stephan Jaeger 66 (-6)
Joel Dahmen 67 (-5)
Andrew Yun 67 (-5)
Six players at 4-under
Full Leaderboard: (link)
THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Champ
COURSE: Corales Golf Club, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedEXCup #CoralesChampionship @CoralesChamp
TV COVERAGE: Friday, March 26: 10:00am to 1:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. Saturday, March 27 10:00am to 5:00pm EDT on Golf Channel. and Sunday, March 28 - 2:30pm to 5:30pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. (WGC on NBC during those times).
STREAMING: PGA Tour Live will stream WGC.
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Will cover WGC.
TEE TIMES: (link)
WEATHER: Morning showers give way to mostly sunny skies with winds 14-25 mph.
What They’re Saying About Corales Championship
Tournament Site (PGATourCom)
Stephan Jaeger Makes Ace and Leads (Golf Week/USA Today)
Tee Times (began at 6:45am) (link)
On This Day in Golf History:
March 26, 2000 - Hal Sutton stared down Tiger Woods and defeated him by one stroke at the PLAYERS Championship. “Be the right club, today… YES,” was what Sutton said to himself as he approached the 18th hole with his five-iron and safely placed his shot after Woods missed the green. (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt
Take It to the Bank!
