Golf: McIlroy named PGA Tour player of the year

MIAMI - Rory McIlroy was named the PGA Tour's Player of the Year on Wednesday, winning the prestigious Jack Nicklaus Award for the third time.

Northern Ireland star McIlroy, who was also handed the accolade in 2012 and 2014, came out on top after a vote by fellow tour professionals.

The 30-year-old beat out competition from Brooks Koepka, Matt Kuchar and Xander Schauffele for the award, which comes just weeks after his victory in the season-ending PGA Tour Championship.

McIlroy, who was presented with the award on Wednesday by golf legend Nicklaus, said he was "at a loss for words" after the accolade.

"I couldn't be more proud of what I've achieved this year," McIlroy said.

"I wanted to try and bring my best every single week that I played and I feel like I did that to the best of my ability.

"The greatest compliment you receive is that your peers feel like you've done something pretty special and for this award to be voted on by my fellow players, I'm very humbled and very honored."

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said McIlroy's season was "a model of consistency punctuated by milestone victories."

"While there are a number of honors one can receive in this game, PGA TOUR Player of the Year has to be among the most satisfying as it comes directly from his peers," Monahan said.

McIlroy meanwhile admitted he had been somewhat surprised to pip PGA Championship winner and world number one Koepka to the award.

"I thought maybe Brooks winning the PGA Championship this year was going to be the difference-maker, but you know, the other players thought differently and I'm very honored that they thought enough of my season to give me this award," McIlroy said.

McIlroy is only the second player after Tiger Woods to win the season-long FedEx Cup race multiple times.

As well as the Tour Championship/FedEx Cup crown, his 2019 season also included victories at The Players Championship and the RBC Canadian Open.

Golf: McIlroy banks $15 million with Tour Championship, FedEx Cup wins
https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/26/19/golf-mcilroy-banks-15-million-with-tour-championship-fedex-cup-wins


Golf: McIlroy captures Canadian Open with career-tying 61
https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/10/19/golf-mcilroy-captures-canadian-open-with-career-tying-61

McIlroy also won the Byron Nelson Award for adjusted scoring average (69.057) for the third time in his career and topped the PGA Tour in top-10 finishes (14).

Im Sung-Jae of South Korea was named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, lifting the renamed Arnold Palmer Award.

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Golf: Koepka shows himself human with final round fade in Atlanta

Brooks Koepka proved himself human after all in the final round at the Tour Championship on Sunday when he was comprehensively outplayed by winner Rory McIlroy in Atlanta.

Four weeks after schooling McIlroy in the final round at the WGC-St. Jude Invitational, the northern Irishman got his revenge and then some at East Lake.

McIlroy shot four-under 66, six strokes better than Koepka, to clinch the tournament and the $15 million payout as FedEx Cup season-long champion.

"Just one of those days where you don't feel comfortable," world number one Koepka told reporters after finishing equal third, five shots behind McIlroy.

"This week, just didn't get it done. I don't think I was going to beat Rory today, even if I had it."

Usually machine-like and impervious to pressure, Koepka hit several wayward drives, including one pulled deep into the woods on the seventh hole that resulted in a lost ball.

The American's putting also betrayed him down the stretch, as he missed a three-footer, a four-footer and a six-footer in quick succession to run up three straight bogeys.

"Those three putts I missed kind of took the air out of everything," Koepka said.

His season will still go down as a great one, due primarily to his major record -- victory at the PGA Championship and runnerup finishes at the Masters and U.S. Open.

But Sunday's result will give his rivals, most notably McIlroy, confidence that he is beatable.

"I mean, I can't bring it every day," Koepka said, something his peers were starting to wonder about.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ian Ransom)

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Golf: McIlroy banks $15 million with Tour Championship, FedEx Cup wins

*Northern Irishman wins by four shots

*Clinches FedEx Cup for second time

*Collects biggest prize in golf history 

Victory at the Tour Championship in Atlanta on Sunday will not completely erase the disappointment of a futile season at the majors for Rory McIlroy, but it may be worth far more than the $15 million he received for winning the FedEx Cup.

The confidence gained from playing his best on a big stage and beating nemesis Brooks Koepka can only help his self-belief after a disappointing final round when paired with Tiger Woods at the same event last year.

The Northern Irishman emphatically outdueled Americans Koepka and Xander Schauffele with a closing four-under 66 at East Lake en route to the biggest prize in the sport.

He finished at 18-under, four shots ahead of Schauffele to claim the season-long FedEx Cup for the second time on the PGA Tour, after his 2016 win.

It was a sweet stroll up the final hole for McIlroy, who last year had to endure the walk alongside a victorious Woods as the heaving gallery chanted, "Tiger, Tiger."

This time, chants of "Rory, Rory" rang out from the crowd.

"I must say I didn't enjoy that walk last year like everyone else did," McIlroy said. "I never took the fight to Tiger.

"It's amazing how different things can be in a year."

McIlroy took the fight to Koepka just four weeks after being given a lesson by the American when they were paired in the final round at a World Golf Championships event in Memphis.

"Going up against the number one player in the world today, he got one over me in Memphis and I wanted to get some revenge," McIlroy said.

"To play like that alongside Brooks, get the win, win the FedEx Cup, it's awesome."

Schauffele shot a closing 70, while Koepka was unusually error-prone in a 72 to tie for third with Justin Thomas, five shots behind.

McIlroy, who teed off one stroke behind Koepka, hit the ball long and straight as he split fairway after fairway.

Koepka, on the other hand, was often wayward. At the par-four seventh he lost a ball after hooking a tee shot into the trees and took a double-bogey.

McIlroy picked up three shots there with a birdie and from that point Schauffele was his main challenger.

The Northern Irishman opened the door slightly with bogeys at the 14th and 15th holes, but slammed it shut again with a clutch eight-foot par putt at the 16th.

THIRD WIN

McIlroy's third win of the year followed triumphs at the Players Championship and Canadian Open.

His major results were disappointing, however, particularly a missed cut at the British Open in his homeland at Royal Portrush.

"To win three times is awesome," he said.

"I feel like I could have won more but to win the FedEx cup again, to persist the whole way throughout the year, to keep giving myself chances, even when I was getting knocked back and not be denied, I'm very proud of myself."

The Tour Championship used a staggered scoring system for the first time, based on accumulated points.

Hence, top seed Thomas started at 10-under, the second seed at eight-under and so on down to even par for the 26th-to-30th ranked players in the field.

This was done to ensure that the winner of the season-long FedEx Cup points race and the winner of the Tour Championship were guaranteed to be the same person.

Fifth seed McIlroy, who started on five-under, shot the best score of the field anyway, 13-under-par 267.

"My goal was to shoot the lowest score of the week," he said.

Mission accomplished.

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Golf: Koepka dominates one-sided bout with McIlroy in Memphis

What loomed as a blockbuster bout between two four-times major champions ended up a technical knockout as Brooks Koepka floored Rory McIlroy on the way to a three-stroke victory at the WGC-St. Jude Invitational in Memphis on Sunday.

Koepka had McIlroy reeling with early blows in the final round and never eased up on his out-of-sorts rival at TPC Southwind as he underlined his world number one status.

The American sank a series of clutch putts and carded a five-under 65 for his first victory in the World Golf Championships series.

"I've been playing so well as of late and everything just kind of comes if you let it happen and stay patient," said Koepka.

After starting the final round a stroke behind McIlroy, Koepka finished at 16-under 264, notching his third PGA Tour victory outside the majors.

On top of the $1.745 million winner's cheque, he also picked up a $2 million bonus as winner of the regular season points race.

It was the first time Koepka and McIlroy had been paired in a final round, raising hopes of a day-long duel.

But McIlroy missed a short birdie putt at the third hole from inside four feet and never recovered.

The Northern Irishman failed to birdie until the 14th hole in his round of 71 and finished equal fourth, five shots adrift of Koepka.

American Webb Simpson (64) claimed second place on 13-under, a stroke ahead of Australian Marc Leishman (67).

Koepka won the PGA Championship in May for his fourth major title in less than two years, and if not for an uncooperative putter, he might have challenged Shane Lowry at last week's British Open.

The 29-year-old hit a couple of loose shots early on Sunday but chipped and putted precisely, and three birdies were enough for a three-shot lead over McIlroy at the turn.

"These last few years have been unbelievable. It's been an incredible run," said Koepka, who spoke of his record of nine runnerup finishes.

"Every time I come second I'm learning something, watching the guy who wins if I'm playing with him, or trying to figure out how I handle shots under pressure.

"I've come into my own, figuring out my game, especially under the gun." 

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Toby Davis / Ian Ransom)

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Golf: Koepka avoids collapse to win PGA for fourth major title

BETHPAGE -- Brooks Koepka held off a late charge from Dustin Johnson to capture his second consecutive PGA Championship on Sunday, completing a wire-to-wire victory for his fourth major title in nerve-wracking fashion.

A near-collapse saw Koepka's record seven-stroke lead reduced to a single shot, but he withstood making four bogeys in a row on the back nine and another at 17 for an unexpectedly narrow triumph.

"This is probably the most satisfied I've been with all the majors," said Koepka. "This one's definitely at the top of the list of how emotionally and how mentally spent I am."

Koepka fired a four-over par 74 final round at windy Bethpage Black to finish 72 holes on eight-under 272 and defeat Johnson by two strokes, replacing him as world number one as a result.

"I'm just glad we don't have any more holes to play," Koepka said. "That was a stressful round of golf."

Bogeys by Johnson at 16 and 17 made the difference but Koepka made bogey at the par-3 17th, then escaped sand and weeds off the 18th tee by finding the fairway and green then sinking a six-foot putt for the victory.

"DJ played a hell of a round to come back and to grind it out," Koepka said. "He did a great job putting pressure on me, making me play some solid golf down the stretch."

The usually poker-faced Koepka admitted the moment got to him on the final hole, where he fired a fist pump after his winning putt.

"That was the most excited I've ever been in my life there on 18," Koepka said.

Koepka, who seeks his third US Open win in a row next month at Pebble Beach, became the first man to own back-to-back titles at two majors simultaneously by capturing the Wanamaker Trophy and the $1.98 million (1.77 million euro) top prize.

"This is unbelievable," Koepka said. "I don't know if I even dreamed this. It's amazing."

The 29-year-old American became the PGA's fifth wire-to-wire winner after Hal Sutton in 1983, Ray Floyd in 1982, Jack Nicklaus in 1971 and Bobby Nichols in 1964.

Koepka joined Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back stroke-play winners of the PGA, Woods having done it in 2006-07 as well as 1999-2000.

- DJ's Runner-up Slam -

Koepka seized a tournament-record lead of seven strokes after 54 holes on 12-under par 198.

No man has led a major by so much so late and lost. But Koepka came close.

Johnson, who shot 69, shrank the margin to four shots at the turn and just one with four holes to play, only for Koepka to outlast his US compatriot.

Johnson, seeking his second major title after the 2016 US Open, was hoping to match the best final-round win comeback in PGA history, John Mahaffey's seven-shot rally in 1978.

Instead, he completed a career "runner-up" Grand Slam, having placed second at the 2011 British Open, 2015 US Open and last month's Masters.

"I'm pleased with the way I played. I gave myself a chance," Johnson said.

"The golf course played extremely difficult. The wind was really blowing. I played really well."

- Shock back-nine drama -

Koepka made the turn on 12-under, answering an opening bogey with a birdie at the par-5 fourth, while Johnson made birdies at the fourth, sixth and nine holes to reach 8-under, shrinking Koepka's lead to its lowest since Friday afternoon.

Koepka hit a gap wedge to two feet at the 10th hole and tapped in for birdie while Johnson took a bogey at 11 to stretch Koepka's margin back to six strokes.

Then came Koepka's four consecutive bogeys while Johnson birdied the 15th for the fourth day in a row, trimming the margin to a single shot as an electric atmosphere began to build among a vocal New York crowd.

"How could you not know with the DJ chants," Koepka said. "I heard everything."

Johnson missed an eight-foot par putt at 16, giving Koepka a two-shot edge, and Johnson went over the green at the par-3 17th on the way to another bogey, boosting Koepka's margin back to three shots.

"I knew I needed to do something on the last three holes," Johnson said.

Koepka ended his bogey run by parring 15 and 16, the latter on a tense three-foot putt, but missed a four-foot par putt at the par-3 17th while Johnson closed with a par, setting up the 18th-hole drama.

"The putt on 16 gave me a little bit more confidence coming down the stretch," he said. "I know I missed one on 17, but I think 16 helped me make 18."

Koepka became the first player to win his first four majors in less than two years, joined by Woods, Nicklaus and Hogan for winning four in eight starts.

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Golf: Koepka has record 7-stroke advantage after third round at PGA

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Brooks Koepka said his "tunnel-vision focus" was key to his success in major tournaments as he held onto his record seven-stroke lead going into Sunday's final round of the PGA Championship.

Koepka ended the third round on Saturday with the same lead as he started it, combining the strength of tungsten with the precision of a calligrapher in a near-clinical even-par 70 in brilliant sunshine at the demanding Bethpage Black.

"I'm definitely not going to let up, I promise you that," he said after posting a 12-under 198 total. "I feel confident going into tomorrow. If I can get off to a good start, these first six holes are very scorable."

Long-hitting fellow Americans Dustin Johnson (69), Harold Varner III (67) and Luke List (69), and Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond (67) were locked in second place on five under.

The largest 54-hole lead in championship history left Koepka needing only to avoid a disastrous Sunday to retain the title. He has also won the past two U.S. Opens.

"I'm more focused than anybody out there," Koepka said, when asked why he performs better in majors than regular PGA Tour events.

"I think I'm tunnel-visioned. My focus probably goes up, I don't know, tenfold of what it does in a tour event."

COMEBACK POSSIBLE?

The engraver is not quite ready to etch Koepka's name into the Wanamaker Trophy just yet with the largest PGA Championship comeback after 54 holes was American John Mahaffey coming from seven behind to beat Tom Watson in a playoff in 1978.

Johnson has not given up hope of a similar fightback.

"It's going to take something special to catch Brooks but it's definitely doable on this course because it's so difficult," said Johnson.

List, who has yet to win PGA Tour title, was less optimistic.

"I think we're all pretty much playing for second," he said. "It seems like that hasn't been said since Tiger (Woods) back in his heyday."

Koepka was relentless on Saturday, smashing his drives more than 300 yards and hitting soaring iron shots that honed in on the pins.

He limited his damage to three bogeys, using his power to muscle his ball out of the lush rough on the odd occasion when he strayed from the fairway.

His rivals did not play badly, but the damage had been done in the first 36 holes.

They simply had too much ground to make up with their cause made all the more difficult by the rough that gobbled up errant shots, while the wind whipped up over the final hour of play.

Johnson had six birdies, but littered his card with five bogeys, while List bogeyed the final two holes.

Koepka, however, gave his rivals a tip on how to deal with their final day chase.

"It's grind it out, suck it up, and move on," he said.

"You're going to make a lot of mistakes; it's a major championship. You know that's going to happen and guys have a hard time letting that go."

(Reporting by Andrew Both; editing by Clare Fallon and Ed Osmond and Greg Stutchbury)

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Golf: Koepka warms up for PGA Championship defense at Byron Nelson

LOS ANGELES -- One week out from his PGA Championship title defense at Bethpage Black, Brooks Koepka is tuning up his game at the US PGA Tour's Byron Nelson in Dallas, Texas.

Koepka is making his fifth career start in the tournament, but his first since it moved to the course located in the southern outskirts of Dallas last year.

He said he'll be giving the course his full attention, despite the fact that he's got a major title defense coming up.

"I'm here to play this golf course," Koepka said. "You're not trying to blow this week off just to make sure you got a shot you might hit two, three times for next week. That doesn't make any sense to me."

But Koepka admits that Bethpage Black won't be far from his mind.

He'll be defending a major title for the second time. His first major defense turned out well -- with a second straight US Open title at Shinnecock Hills last year.

"I like building a little bit of rhythm, finding your game, figuring out how to score, to manage your game," Koepka said of playing the week before a major -- when many top players opt to rest and practice.

"We've looked at stats and usually my second week out is my best week."

It's been only nine months since Koepka hoisted the PGA's Wanamaker Trophy, after holding off Tiger Woods and Australian Adam Scott to win at Bellerive in St. Louis.

This year the event has moved from August to May, making it the second major of the year after the Masters -- where Koepka finished second -- just a stroke behind resurgent Tiger Woods.

Shortly before the Masters he went back to former putting coach Jeff Pierce, and he thinks the move is paying off.

"Feel pretty confident," Koepka said. "Augusta was the first week we started working together. It feels good. I'm happy."

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Golf: Roars return as Tiger takes the Masters spotlight

Major winners Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day and Adam Scott shared top spot at the Masters on Friday at the end of the second round, but it was Tiger Woods who commanded the spotlight once again at Augusta National.

Woods brought the roars back to the famed venue with a brilliant four-under-par 68, putting himself on track for a fifth Green Jacket. At six-under-par 138, the American is just one shot off the leaders heading into 'moving day.'

After an ordinary outward nine featuring three birdies offset by a pair of bogeys, Woods embarked on one of his trademark charges, carding three birdies after the turn to shoot up the leaderboard.

"I feel like I played my own way back into the tournament," said Woods. "I was just very patient today, felt very good to be out there doing what I was doing.

"This is now three straight majors that I've been in the mix and so it's good stuff."

The stage is now set for an extraordinary weekend as Woods attempts to slip into his first Green Jacket since 2005 and claim his first major since 2008.

Woods has made huge strides since returning from back fusion surgery nearly two years ago, collecting his 80th career PGA Tour title at last season's ending Tour Championships.

However, nothing less than a 15th major victory will quell talk of an unfulfilled comeback.

It would also reignite his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus's record haul of 18 majors.

On Friday, it was like old times as the 43-year-old turned up the buzz with each shot, the roars echoing across Augusta National when Woods rolled in a long birdie putt at 15 and continued until he walked off the 18th where his birdie putt clung to the lip leaving him a tap-in par.

The Woods show overshadowed everything else.

Any other time, a hobbled Day might have been the story after getting up off the deck to shoot five-under 67.

Barely able to walk after throwing out his back bending over to kiss his daughter on the practice range on Thursday, the battling Australian somehow turned in a near flawless scorecard, with six birdies and a single bogey.

"Pain is a funny thing, it goes up and down, and everybody's pain threshold is different," said Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner.

"Someone that is in a lot of pain might feel something totally different compared to me, so it's hard.

"Every day I feel like I wake up with some sort of aches, you know, and I think you just kind of learn to live with it and you just go along the way."

Italian Molinari carded an error-free 67 for his best round in eight Masters that put the British Open champion in contention for a Green Jacket to go along with the Claret Jug he hoisted last year.

Koepka, who had shared a one-shot overnight lead, also deserved applause, staging a back nine recovery after a stumbling start to the second round. 

After a flawless opening round, Koepka had two bogeys and a double in his first six holes on Friday but the twice U.S. Open champion was able to regain his composure, steadying himself with six straight pars from the ninth.

He followed that with birdies at 15 and 18 to salvage a 71 and join the leaders at seven-under 137.

It also looked like old times for Australian Scott, the 2013 champion, who moved up the leaderboard with a four-under 68.

British Open winner Oosthuizen also joined the party with a 68, while world number two Dustin Johnson returned a two-under 70 to join Woods at six-under.

There was drama up and down the leaderboard.

Patrick Reed kept his Green Jacket defense alive, making the cut with a two-under 70, but Spain's Sergio Garcia, the 2017 champion, made an early exit for the second straight year after returning a 73.

World number one Justin Rose also headed for the exit after he bogeyed the final two holes to miss the cut by one shot. 

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Koepka named PGA of America's player of the year

Brooks Koepka added a further accolade to a stellar campaign when he was named the PGA of America Player of the Year on Wednesday, while Dustin Johnson won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average.

Koepka, who overcame a serious wrist injury prior to the season, won a second consecutive U.S. Open championship in June and then triumphed at the PGA Championship in August.

Justin Thomas, who picked up the award last year, finished second to Koepka for Player of the Year, which is based on a points system. World number one Dustin Johnson was third followed by FedEx Cup winner Justin Rose.

Johnson posted an adjusted scoring average of 68.698 through 77 complete rounds to edge out Rose (68.993), who had 70 rounds, for the Vardon Trophy.

Koepka is widely regarded as the front-runner to win the PGA Tour Player of the Year award, which will be announced later this year.

Decided by a ballot of tour members, the PGA Tour award is perhaps the most cherished by the players as it reflects their standing among their peers.

Vying with Koepka for this award are Rose, Johnson, Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau and British Open winner Francesco Molinari, each of whom are competing at this week's Ryder Cup in Paris. 

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto Editing by Toby Davis)

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Koepka holds off Woods to win 100th PGA Championship

ST. LOUIS -- Brooks Koepka, holding his nerve to fight off dramatic challenges from Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, won a thrilling back-nine battle Sunday to capture the 100th PGA Championship.

The 28-year-old two-time US Open champion sealed his third major title by firing a four-under-par 66 to finish 72 holes on 16-under 264, edging Woods by two strokes at Bellerive Country Club with Australia's Scott another shot adrift.

"To do this is truly incredible," Koepka said.

As Woods electrified spectators by displaying the form that made him a 14-time major champion, American rival Koepka stayed calm and persevered under intense pressure to claim the Wanamaker Trophy and a top prize of $1.98 million (1.73 million euros).

"I heard all the roars when Tiger made his run," Koepka said. "It was the first time Tiger has been in contention and I've been in contention at the same time, so the fans definitely let you know what he was doing.

"Scotty played unbelievably well and so did Tiger. They definitely made me question it there for a bit, for sure."

Koepka fired the lowest 72-hole score in tournament history, one shot under the old mark set by American David Toms in 2001 at Atlanta Athletic Club.

Deadlocked for the lead with Scott -- who began the back nine with three birdies in four holes -- and only one stroke ahead of Woods, Koepka sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4 15th and a six-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th then parred the last two holes to secure the victory.

"I missed putts on 14 and 15 and Brooks didn't and my momentum was gone," Scott said. "I'm definitely playing better and in the right direction and that's a positive."

Woods, who hasn't won a major title since the 2008 US Open and hasn't won any title in five years, proved he is a legitimate major title contender once again at age 42 with an epic 64, his low final round in a major, which he concluded with a 20-foot birdie putt at 18, the crowd roaring as he walked off.

"These fans were so positive all week," Woods said. "I can't thank them enough for what they were saying out there and what it meant to me coming back trying to win a major championship again."

- 'Mind-blowing' -

Koepka, who defended his US Open crown in June at Shinnecock, became only the fifth player to win the US Open and PGA Championship in the same year, joining Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan.

And it came in a season where he missed the Masters with a left wrist injury.

"Going from that to even being able to play this year to this, it's absolutely mind blowing," Koepka said.

In his eighth month of a comeback season after spinal fusion surgery, Woods ground out four birdies against a lone bogey on both the front and back nines but could never draw level with Koepka, settling for his seventh career major runner-up finish.

"I played hard," Woods said. "Bit of a struggle with my game. I was hanging in there, grinding it out trying to make as many birdies as possible."

Crowds cheered the veteran through a thrilling round that saw him miss every front-nine fairway but take only 10 putts, scrambling from dirt, trees and bunkers to stay in the hunt.

Woods, who said he wants to be chosen as a captain's pick for the US Ryder Cup team, was pleased he was able to contend at the PGA and lead in the last round of last month's British Open.

"I would never have forseen that a year ago," Woods said.

The impact was dramatic for rivals as well.

"The roars were pretty unbelievable," second-ranked 2017 PGA winner Justin Thomas said. "Any birdie he made everyone went nuts. This was the first real Tiger effect I've experienced with that many people."

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, missed a short birdie putt at the par-5 17th and made bogey 18 to finish third but was pleased with his overall effort.

"I was feeling really good out there, especially as he back nine got going," Scott said. "I didn't play the last two holes very well."

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Koepka leads by two strokes after third round at PGA Championship

ST. LOUIS - Brooks Koepka had his rivals on the ropes but could not deliver a knockout punch and had his lead whittled to two strokes over Adam Scott after the third round at the PGA Championship on Saturday.

The quiet American looked set to match the largest 54-hole lead in tournament history when he bolted five shots clear after 13 holes from a large group including Tiger Woods at Bellerive.

But a couple of loose swings led to consecutive bogeys and suddenly it was game on, a four-under-par 66 not exactly what Koepka had in mind a couple of hours earlier at Bellerive.

A 12-under 198 total still left Koepka within sight of his third major title in 14 months, but the two-times U.S. Open champion's grip on the Wanamaker Trophy had loosened.

Australian Scott produced a ball-striking round of impeccable quality, a 65 the best score of the afternoon, marred only by a couple of missed putts, including a seven-footer at the last.

A former world number one and the 2013 Masters winner, Scott muscled his way into second place on 10-under, while Spaniard Jon Rahm (66) and Americans Rickie Fowler (69) and Gary Woodland (71) were three behind.

Woods, whose earlier charge on the easier front nine raised the massive gallery's excitement to fever pitch, was among a logjam of six trailing by four shots.

He parred every hole on the back nine and his 66 matched his lowest round in a major this year, but he was a little disappointed, not least with a three-putt at the par-five 17th.

"It could have been a little bit closer but I've got a shot going into tomorrow," he said.

Earlier, Koepka brought Bellerive to its proverbial knees with five birdies in an outward half of 30 strokes.

And he made it look ever so easy, bludgeoning his drives massive distances and honing in on the pins with unerring accuracy.

He holed only one lengthy putt, the other four birdies coming from tap-in range, or close to it.

Koepka seemed an unlikely candidate to falter, but falter he did.

A bogey at the 14th, where he found a greenside bunker, ended a run of 43 holes without a dropped shot, and he promptly bogeyed the next too after his drive ended behind a tree, from where he took a penalty drop.

Those errors brought Woods back into contention.

Ten years removed from his 14th and most recent major title, he displayed shades of his pre-back surgery greatness with a near-flawless front nine on the rain-soaked layout.

Taking advantage of the marshmallow-soft greens, he hit a series of precise approach shots and converted with the putter to plunder five birdies.

Only a three-putt bogey at the fifth hole halted his progress, though he put the setback quickly behind him to birdie the next three holes.

WEATHER DELAYS

Woods was among 77 players who returned early on Saturday to complete the weather-delayed second round.

Woodland was not among them, having finished his round on Friday morning.

His 10-under-par 130 score matched the lowest halfway total in major championship history, and he enjoyed a one-shot halfway lead over Kevin Kisner, and a two-shot cushion over Koepka.

(Additional reporting by Steve Keating; Editing by Ed Osmond, Neville Dalton, Ian Ransom)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Fil-Aussie Jason Day back as world's No. 1 golfer

Day to leapfrog Spieth at top of rankings

Fil-Australian Jason Day will replace Jordan Spieth as world number one on Sunday after advancing to a mouth-watering WGC-Dell Match Play semi-final against Rory McIlroy, while the Texan was beaten in the last 16 by Louis Oosthuizen.

Day, who has been bothered by a back problem, beat Brandt Snedeker, 3&2, in the last 16 and then Brooks Koepka in the quarter-final by the same score on Saturday at Austin Country Club.

Northern Irishman McIlroy, the defending champion, followed a one-up win over British Open winner Zach Johnson by defeating Chris Kirk, 4&3, to set up the first-ever match play encounter between the pair.

South African Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, will face Spain's Rafa Cabrera-Bello in the other semi-final.

Day said his return to world number one -- he occupied the top spot for four weeks late last year -- was reward for all the hard work he has been putting in.

"It's not so much the number one ranking that gets me excited, it's more the journey and the process," he said.

"It's that delayed gratification I'm really thankful for because I have been busting my butt.

"Tomorrow I know I've got a really tough one. My back is a little shot right now."

Four-times major winner McIlroy is bidding to become the second player to retain the Match Play title after Tiger Woods won it in 2003 and 2004.

"My record in match play as a pro is pretty good and it was pretty good as an amateur as well," he said. "To get to the last day for the second year in a row is great for your confidence.

"Especially with the U.S. Masters only a couple of weeks away, to get a good run in this tournament, which is my last competitive start before Augusta, is really pleasing."

An out-of-sorts Spieth, who will be defending champion at Augusta, battled his swing from the moment he stepped on to the range to warm up and lost 4&2 to Oosthuizen.

"I had great ball control the last three days, played very, very solid rounds, and I got to the range this morning and I was hitting some slices with my irons, which is bizarre," the 22-year-old told Golf Channel.

After taking out Spieth, Oosthuizen beat Dustin Johnson, 2&1, in the last eight and said a reprieve at the par-five 12th had been the key to his win over the long-hitting American.

"He gave me a bit of a chance on 12 when I knocked it in the water and he followed me in there. That was a bit of a save for me," said Oosthuizen.

Spaniard Cabrera-Bello, who came into the tournament on the back of two runner-up finishes on the European Tour in the Middle East, beat Ryan Moore 2&1 to reach the semis.

"I enjoy a lot match play and feeling confident this week," said the 52nd seed. "I'm really proud to be in the semi finals."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com