Golf: Jason Day in hunt at Houston Open

WASHINGTON -- Sam Burns fired a two-under par 68 on Saturday at the Houston Open to maintain a one-stroke lead heading into the final round of the US PGA Tour event in Texas.

The 24-year-old American sits at nine-under 201 for a one-shot cushion over Australia's Jason Day and Carlos Ortiz of Mexico at the difficult Memorial Park Golf Course.

“I think this golf course, it’s not a matter of if, it it’s a matter of when this golf course will hit you,” Burns said. “I think for me, just being able to hang in there.”

Day, who will turn 33 next week, and Ortiz both shot a three-under 67s to reach eight-under 202.

Austria's Sepp Straka was one shot back in fourth after a 66 as both he and Burns are seeking their first PGA Tour titles.

With the global pandemic still gripping the United States, organizers are using the Houston Open as a testing ground for the return of spectators with some 2,000 a day being allowed on the grounds.

World number one Dustin Johnson, who is playing in his first event since getting the coronavirus and missing October tournaments, was alone in fifth place after shooting a second straight 66. He had an uncharacteristic 72 in his opening round.

South Africa's two-time European Tour winner Dawie van der Walt and Aaron Wise of the United States were tied for sixth at five-under 205, four shots back of Burns.

Day has been battling some health issues of late but his play this week has been very consistent.

"Right now I'm in contention, I'm one back going into tomorrow's round, so it's positive in regards to how I feel like I'm playing," Day said. "I think the golf swing is holding up quite nicely and the body is, too."

Burns, ranked 179th in the world, opened his round with back-to-back bogeys on the second and third holes but clawed that back with a birdie on the par-four No. 4 and an eagle on the par-five eighth, where he chipped in from a greenside bunker.

"I kind of necked the tee shot, but fortunately it stayed in the first cut," Burns said.

He had two more bogeys on the ninth and the 11th holes and then finished strong with three birdies in a four hole stretch, beginning at the par-four 13th. 

Burns landed his 181-yard approach shot on the 14th just two feet from the cup then made the easy putt.

He two-putted for birdie on 16 after landing a 230-yard second shot onto the green.

Agence France-Presse

Poulter wins Houston playoff to secure final Masters spot

Ian Poulter resurrected his stagnant career by winning the Houston Open in a playoff on Sunday, the victory coming with an added bonus of earning the final invitation to the U.S. Masters and throwing his hat into the ring for Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Poulter was always heading to Augusta to work on the tournament for British television, but the 42-year-old Englishman will now be inside the ropes instead when the first major championship of the year starts on Thursday.

"There's life in the old dog yet," Poulter said after beating American Beau Hossler on the first hole of a sudden death playoff at Golf Club of Houston.

Poulter, without a win since 2012, arrived in Houston needing nothing less than victory to qualify for the Masters after missing out by a whisker when he found himself 51st in the world rankings last week.

The top 50 at last Monday's cutoff earned exemption to Augusta and Poulter was so dejected after being initially misinformed he was in the Masters field that he considered skipping Houston.

"Tuesday morning I made the decision to come and play. It was a good decision," he added. "The win doesn't just mean getting to Augusta. There's a lot bigger things on the horizon."

Such as, hopefully, the Ryder Cup in France this autumn. Poulter, a five-times European team member, said his win would tell captain Thomas Bjorn: "Hey, I'm here, my game is in good shape."

But more immediately is the Masters, to which Poulter will go after returning to his Orlando, Florida home for a brief reunion with his family.

"I need to unpack, have some chocolate with the kids tonight and repack for Augusta," he said.

CHEST-BEATING PUTT

The stars aligned for Poulter at the final hole in regulation play on Sunday, when Hossler grazed the hole with a birdie attempt that would have clinched victory.

"He thought he had holed it. I thought he holed it," said Poulter, whose 20-foot birdie putt was on a similar line.

Using the same putter he wielded so effectively to lead Europe to victory in the 2012 Ryder Cup, he came through in the clutch yet again to force the playoff.

"I hit a great putt, good read and it obviously was very helpful seeing his putt," Poulter added.

He punched his chest with his right fist five times in excitement after matching Hossler's 67 after the pair tied at 19-under-par 269, three shots clear of Jordan Spieth and Emiliano Grillo.

Hossler then handed Poulter the tournament at the first extra hole, the par-four 18th, where the American hit his third shot from a greenside bunker into a water hazard.

Poulter's third victory on the PGA Tour followed previous wins at World Golf Championships events -- the 2010 Match Play and the 2012 HSBC Champions in Shenzhen.

His chances of winning looked remote after he shot 73 on Thursday but rounds of 64, 65, 67 followed after he flicked what he described as a "mental switch".

"Last week was painful," Poulter said. "To come here this week, I was tired, frustrated on Thursday. I didn't play my best stuff. I packed my bags to leave on Friday."

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Nick Mulvenney/John O'Brien)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

McIlroy excited about game, extra Masters tuneup

HOUSTON, Texas - Rory McIlroy failed to recapture the World No. 1 ranking from Tiger Woods with a victory at the Houston Open, but he is excited about progress in his shotmaking and one last Masters tuneup event.

McIlroy fired a two-under par 70 to finish on four-under 284 for 72 holes at the $6.2 million PGA event, making birdies on the last two holes on both the front and back nines but taking consecutive bogeys at 11 and 12.

"I'm excited about my game and excited about how I'm hitting the ball," McIlroy said. "It has been a good week. Lot of positives to take from it.

"Definitely steps forward. The scores haven't reflected how I've played. It was pretty solid. I hit the ball reasonably well, my short game is sharp and putted it pretty nice. If I can limit the sloppy mistakes I'll be fine."

McIlroy has added next week's Texas Open to his schedule to give himself more competitive rounds ahead of the following week's Masters, the first major championship of the year at Augusta National.

"I've learned a few things that I can bring into next week and obviously looking ahead to Augusta, too," McIlroy said.

"It has been a productive week -- obviously not the finish that I would have wanted, but there are still a lot of things I can take from it."

Early season struggles by McIlroy and an adjustment to new equipment opened the door for him to be overtaken by Woods, who won his third event of the year a week ago at Bay Hill to reclaim the top spot for the first time since 2010.

But McIlroy says he is getting better with every round as he tests himself for the Masters.

"How I'm striking the ball and how I'm feeling with my swing and short game and stuff, that's fine, but it's a matter of playing," McIlroy said.

"In the summer you played a lot of golf and you're used to keeping score. This year, I guess it's only my 13th, 14th competitive round, so it's not quite there, but it's getting close."

The question is will his top form arrive in time for his journey to Magnolia Lane and give him a chance to add the Masters to a major win list that includes the 2011 US Open and 2012 PGA Championship.

"Four more competitive rounds will do me do me a world of good," McIlroy said. "I'll be in good shape going into the first major of the year.

"I need to go and just play competitive golf. If it was a par-3 course, I would go and play it just because that's what I need. I need competitive golf and I need committing to targets and it doesn't matter if it's a short course or long course or wide course or whatever.

"As long as I have a scorecard in my hand, that's what I need."

Building in confidence, McIlroy said he needs to be better at missing in the proper places, especially when it comes to Augusta National.

"The way I've struck the ball for the most part has been really good. My short game has been sharp. That has been a very positive sign this week," said McIlroy.

"Everyone hits bad shots. I've just got to hit the bad shots in the right places and not short side myself and hit them in hazards, sort of give myself a little more margin for error."

McIlroy said he might have been smarter to schedule another Middle East event and not take a four-week break after Abu Dhabi, although his round count dropped after a first-round ouster at the WGC Match-Play and a walkout in the middle of his second round at the Honda Classic.

"All of a sudden you haven't played a lot of golf," McIlroy said.

source: abs-cbnnews.com