NASSAU (AP) — Sepp Strka was back in Alabama preparing for a week of big golf matches at his club as well as a friend’s wedding. Straka made a change of plans after Tiger Woods was unable to play in The Bahamas due to a foot injury. He was happy with the outcome. Woods’ replacement managed six birdies in Albany, a rain-soaked course. This gave him a 3-under 69 and a share of first place at the Hero World Challenge. Collin Morikawa, Tom Kim, and Viktor Hovland were the defending champions. Straka won the pro-am at the same time Woods did. He was paired up with Justin Thomas, who usually plays the first round alongside Woods. Was there anything else he got from the tournament host, or was it just a coincidence? Straka said that the iron game was not as good as his but it may have rubbed off on him a bit. “So yeah, that was nice. Hovland was also the only player to score 4 under at any stage before the 16th. Woods is his only competitor in this holiday event. Hovland wants to be able to match Woods. Hovland will be staying with Morikawa once again. Morikawa held a lead of five shots and needed to win to become No. Morikawa shot 76 in round three and was ranked No. 1 in the world. Hovland won with a score of 66. Kim, a rising star from South Korea at 20 years old, has already won two times on the PGA TOUR. He also delivered on a large stage in the Presidents Cup. It was his first meeting with Woods. He said that he had to pinch himself a bit. Then he went bogey-free at Albany. The course is usually low scoring, with the exception of rain that caused foot-deep puddles to form in sandy areas. This made it difficult to chip from tight lies on soggy grass. Kim played a short game that was flawless. Kim was in the front bunker of the par-3 17th hole and he clipped the shot with such speed that it measured three feet from the hole. Cameron Young, who was just inches away from an ace on the hole’s par-3 17th, smiled at him and said, “He is allergic to bogeys.” Young was the PGA TOUR Rookie-of-the Year. He was one of seven newcomers in the elite 20-man field. His 71 score was the best among eight players to break par. Straka is the only player who has never played in a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup at Albany. He is currently No. He is No. 29 in the world. He was a winner at The Honda Classic earlier in the year and didn’t intend to be in The Bahamas. Shoal Creek is his club, and this week was his match against Greystone. J.T. J.T. Saturday was the big day, as Georgia played LSU in Atlanta. As he was getting ready to play, Woods called to inform him that he had plantar fasciitis and would not be playing. Straka, who was raised in Austria, moved to Valdosta in Georgia at the age of 14 and speaks fluently between German and Southern languages, made the right decision. He said, “It was an amazing opportunity and it was just awesome to be there.” Scottie Scheffler was the Masters champion and runner-up in Hero World Challenge. He had a 72. To get back at No.1, he must win. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. Woods was still present at the tournament, spending much of his time in the TV booth. Since July’s The Open, he has not played.
Title: Four tied for lead after Thursday at Hero World Challenge
Sourced From: www.pgatour.com/daily-wrapup/2022/12/01/hero-world-challenge-round-1-albany-viktor-hovland-tom-kim-sepp-straka-collin-morikawa-tiger-woods.html
Published Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:30:00 -0500
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