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Jordan Spieth watches his putt miss the cup on the 16th green during the first round of the Sony Open golf tournament, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Jordan Spieth part of 3-way tie for the lead at Sony Open

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

HONOLULU (AP) — Jordan Spieth played about the way he expected Thursday, another sign of growing confidence in his game, as he opened with a 6-under 64 and a share of the lead at the Sony Open with Chris Kirk and Taylor Montgomery.

Harris English had a 65 on a gorgeous day at Waialae Country Club, with a blazing sun and just enough wind to make players think every now and then. The large group one behind also included Olympic silver medalist Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia.

S.H. Kim of South Korea was 5 under with two holes to play when the opening round was halted by darkness.

Spieth ended nearly four years without a victory when he won the Texas Open in 2021, and then added another win at Hilton Head last year. Missing on this day was the slow swing rehearsal to ingrain the changes he made to his swing.

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Fuenmayor opens with 66 to lead Latin America Amateur

The Associated Press 2 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Mateo Fuenmayor of Colombia opened with a 6-under 66 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead in the Latin America Amateur Championship.

Fuenmayor, a junior at Oregon State, arrived at the Grand Reserve Golf Club having tied for seventh last week in the South American Amateur in Ecuador. He made seven birdies, dropping one shot on the 12th hole.

Fuenmayor had a one-shot lead over Vicente Marzilio of Argentina, Martin Cancino of Chile and the Mexican duo of Santiago de la Fuente and Luis Carera.

The winner gets an invitation to the Masters, and the USGA this year is offering an exemption to the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

Fleetwood to lead from front in Hero Cup match-play event

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Fleetwood to lead from front in Hero Cup match-play event

The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Britain and Ireland captain Tommy Fleetwood will lead from the front after deciding to join Shane Lowry in the opening fourballs match against Continental Europe's Alex Noren and Thomas Pieters in the Hero Cup on Friday.

Continental Europe captain Francesco Molinari has split up the different nationalities in his team, deciding against partnering with fellow Italian Guido Migliozzi while Frenchmen Antoine Rozner and Victor Perez are also in different pairings.

There are two all-English pairings for Britain and Ireland: Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Smith, and Callum Shinkwin and Matt Wallace.

The Hero Cup, a match-play competition being played in Abu Dhabi, is a renewal of The Seve Trophy event that had eight editions from 2000-13 and gives European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald a chance to assess his options ahead of the contest with the United States outside Rome in September.

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Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

FILE - England's Tommy Fleetwood plays from the 3rd tee during the final round of the British Open golf championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, on July 17, 2022. This year’s Ryder Cup is set to mark a break from the past for European golf and this week might provide a hint as to who is part of the future. The Hero Cup match-play event takes place in Abu Dhabi from Friday Jan. 13, to Sunday Jan. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - England's Tommy Fleetwood plays from the 3rd tee during the final round of the British Open golf championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, on July 17, 2022. This year’s Ryder Cup is set to mark a break from the past for European golf and this week might provide a hint as to who is part of the future. The Hero Cup match-play event takes place in Abu Dhabi from Friday Jan. 13, to Sunday Jan. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

An old-school Sony Open and questions about 36-hole cuts

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

An old-school Sony Open and questions about 36-hole cuts

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

HONOLULU (AP) — No two tournaments held in consecutive weeks in the same state have so little in common as Kapalua on Maui and the Sony Open on Oahu.

One is an elite field of 39 players, the other a full field of 144. The prize money this week is $7.9 million, compared with $15 million last week. The Plantation Course at Kapalua was built on a small mountain that requires players to get into vans twice to reach the next tee. The other is a flat walk along the ocean and royal palms.

“I think guys who play Kapalua also enjoy coming here with an easier walk around the golf course,” said Adam Scott, among 19 players from Kapalua who are playing the Sony Open. “It feels like a little calmer week than tackling that mountain over there.”

One big difference — and a key point going forward on the PGA Tour — is that roughly half the field will be going home on Friday.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

Jordan Spieth plays his shot from the second tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Jordan Spieth plays his shot from the second tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Canada’s Gligic recalibrated for Sony Open, 1st full-field event of PGA Tour in 2023

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

Michael Gligic has only taken a few days off since his last PGA Tour event in November. He's been working hard during the circuit's six-week winter break, even getting reps in during a heavy snowfall in Kitchener, Ont.

Gligic is one of five Canadians in the field at this week's Sony Open, the first full-field PGA Tour event of 2023. The Burlington, Ont., native worked closely with coach Sean Foley for the lengthy break between November's RSM Classic and the Sony Open to ensure that he has a strong start to the new year.

"I wanted to take advantage of that six weeks to try and really put in some good work," said Gligic on Monday, a day after arriving in Honolulu, Hawaii for the tournament. "I feel like I got a lot better and made some good changes."

Gligic struggled through the first seven events of the 2022-23 season, missing the cut six times with his best result a tie for 45th at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 2. He said that the adjustments he made with Foley were minute changes to his swing — "technical things" — to find more consistency.

Brehm enjoying paradise without forgetting what got him here

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Brehm enjoying paradise without forgetting what got him here

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

HONOLULU (AP) — Ryan Brehm's two weeks in Hawaii to start the year is an amazing tale of perseverance and opportunity. Even better is that Brehm made sure paradise didn't belong only to him.

He brought more than a dozen family and friends to Kapalua.

And then he met Borislav Tomas.

Tomas fled with his family to Germany during the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s and eventually made it to Chicago. He was on Maui because a friend was getting engaged, and he spent New Year's Eve at Spanky's Riptide, a bar in Lahaina.

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Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

Ryan Brehm reacts to his missed birdie putt on the third green during the first round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Ryan Brehm reacts to his missed birdie putt on the third green during the first round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Hawaii club pro battling cancer makes Sony Open debut at 60

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 8 minute read Preview

Hawaii club pro battling cancer makes Sony Open debut at 60

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 8 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Michael Castillo comes from a rich heritage of golf in Hawaii, now the head pro at Kapalua and formerly president of the Aloha Section. He had reason to believe his hope of ever playing the Sony Open was long gone.

But his assistants at Kapalua talked him into playing this year, mainly because the Aloha Section PGA Championship was at Poipu Bay, where he spent 12 years as the head pro.

Never mind that he faced radiation in November for cancer that returned to his liver. Or that he was 60 and mostly competed in senior divisions. He can still putt great, and Castillo birdied the last hole to win by one.

Now he's at the Sony Open, the oldest player in a field that includes 20-year-old Tom Kim and three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, who upon finishing at Kapalua thanked Castillo for last week and wished him the best this week at Waialae.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

Max Homa acknowledges the gallery from the 18th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Max Homa acknowledges the gallery from the 18th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Column: Morikawa the latest case study in a bizarre collapse

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Column: Morikawa the latest case study in a bizarre collapse

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — State-of-the-art video boards on the PGA Tour don't tell the whole story. The numbers were enough to tell Jordan Spieth what happened to Collin Morikawa at Kapalua.

He just didn't know how.

Morikawa was leading the Sentry Tournament of Champions by six shots at the start of the final round. He was leading by six at the turn. And then he wasn't.

Spieth has seen this before, even if he didn't see this particular one.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

Jon Rahm, of Spain, celebrates his birdie putt with his caddie on the 18th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Jon Rahm, of Spain, celebrates his birdie putt with his caddie on the 18th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Hero Cup gives Europe chance to assess options for Ryder Cup

Steve Douglas, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Hero Cup gives Europe chance to assess options for Ryder Cup

Steve Douglas, The Associated Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

For European golf, this year’s Ryder Cup is set to mark a break from the past.

This week might provide a hint as to who is part of the future.

The Hero Cup match-play event takes place in Abu Dhabi from Friday to Sunday, pitting Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe in a competition that allows European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald a chance to assess his options eight months out from the contest with the United States outside Rome.

New blood will be needed in Donald’s Ryder Cup team because of the likely absence of veteran players — such as Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who all play in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league — who have long been the backbone of Europe’s lineup.

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Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

FILE - Luke Donald, of England, acknowledges the gallery after his putt on the 18th green during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament, on May 5, 2022, at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm golf club in Potomac, Md. This year’s Ryder Cup is set to mark a break from the past for European golf and this week might provide a hint as to who is part of the future. The Hero Cup match-play event takes place in Abu Dhabi from Friday Jan. 13, to Sunday Jan. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
FILE - Luke Donald, of England, acknowledges the gallery after his putt on the 18th green during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament, on May 5, 2022, at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm golf club in Potomac, Md. This year’s Ryder Cup is set to mark a break from the past for European golf and this week might provide a hint as to who is part of the future. The Hero Cup match-play event takes place in Abu Dhabi from Friday Jan. 13, to Sunday Jan. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)

Jon Rahm gets another trophy and this one surprised even him

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Jon Rahm gets another trophy and this one surprised even him

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Monday, Jan. 9, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Jon Rahm thinks he has played as well as anyone of late, and he has three victories worldwide in his last five tournaments to show for it.

The latest was one he never saw coming.

Never mind that Rahm was seven shots behind Collin Morikawa at the start of the final round in the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Morikawa was playing so cleanly that he had yet to make a bogey at Kapalua.

“I'm going to need a small miracle,” Rahm said, and then when the Spaniard made bogey on the opening hole he said, “I was going to need somewhat of a larger miracle.”

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Monday, Jan. 9, 2023

Collin Morikawa plays his shot from the 13th tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Collin Morikawa plays his shot from the 13th tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Jon Rahm wins a stunner at Kapalua after Morikawa wipeout

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Jon Rahm wins a stunner at Kapalua after Morikawa wipeout

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Jon Rahm left Maui with a trophy he wasn't expecting, all because of a collapse from Collin Morikawa no one saw coming.

Rahm started the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions seven shots behind. He bogeyed his first hole. He was six shots back at the turn to Morikawa, who had yet to make a bogey the entire week at Kapalua.

“Bit of a crazy day, I’m not going to lie,” Rahm said.

A wild hour featured a seven-shot swing in four holes when Rahm ran off three straight birdies and an eagle and Morikawa, playing two groups behind him, made three straight bogeys on holes the rest of the field collectively played in 44-under par.

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Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023

Collin Morikawa smiles after his shot from the 13th tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Collin Morikawa smiles after his shot from the 13th tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

PGA Tour commissioner on LIV: ‘It’s product versus product’

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

PGA Tour commissioner on LIV: ‘It’s product versus product’

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 4 minute read Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan described a landscape Sunday of two rival leagues going down different paths, even as the PGA Tour is still trying to formulate plans for a revamped structure in 2024.

“We're at a point now where it's product versus product,” Monahan said.

He spoke in a formal setting for the first time since the Tour Championship in August, when he outlined a 2023 schedule of elevated tournaments that average $20 million in prize money.

The PGA Tour began its year at Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded league that Greg Norman launched in June, finished its inaugural year with eight tournaments.

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Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023

Jon Rahm, of Spain, walks across the 10th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Jon Rahm, of Spain, walks across the 10th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Morikawa pulls away with late run of birdies at Kapalua

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Morikawa pulls away with late run of birdies at Kapalua

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Collin Morikawa can make golf look simple. He has a shot in mind and the ball is going where he's looking. The difference at the Sentry Tournament of Champions is that includes shots on the green.

He was particularly effective Saturday on the stretch of scoring holes on the back nine of Kapalua, typically a chance for players to make up ground in a hurry. Morikawa birdied four of the last five holes and pulled away.

He finished with a 15-foot birdie putt for an 8-under 65, giving him a six-shot lead going into the final round and an excellent chance to get rid of the sour taste from last year.

Asked if he was hungry to win again — his last victory was the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November 2021 — Morikawa smiled.

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Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

Collin Morikawa acknowledges the gallery after making his birdie putt on the ninth green during the third round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Collin Morikawa acknowledges the gallery after making his birdie putt on the ninth green during the third round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Maui musings: Golf a learning curve for some players’ ‘wives

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Maui musings: Golf a learning curve for some players’ ‘wives

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — They had been dating for three months when Jon Rahm's wife attended her first golf tournament. He was a senior at Arizona State and had already won the Ben Hogan Award as the nation's best college player.

Her knowledge of golf?

“Zero,” Rahm said.

That much was evident to hear Kelley Rahm, who played tennis as a junior and threw the javelin at Arizona State, talk about that tournament.

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Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

FILE - Scottie Scheffler, left, reacts as he gets a hug from his wife, Meredith, after winning the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament March 27, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Scheffler says his wife has come to understand golf a little better in their nine years together. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
FILE - Scottie Scheffler, left, reacts as he gets a hug from his wife, Meredith, after winning the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament March 27, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Scheffler says his wife has come to understand golf a little better in their nine years together. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

Morikawa builds 2-shot lead going to weekend at Kapalua

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Morikawa builds 2-shot lead going to weekend at Kapalua

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 5 minute read Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Winless last year for the first time in his young career, Collin Morikawa is playing as though he wants to put that behind him quickly.

Morikawa was dialed in with his irons early and took advantage of some of the scoring holes late in his second round Friday for a 7-under 66 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

He was at 16-under 130 and without a bogey over two rounds on the Plantation Course at Kapalua.

“With conditions where it's windy and pins are kind of in sports where you've got to be really precise with your distance control and trajectory, it's tailor-made for him,” said J.J. Spaun, who played with Morikawa and posted a 68 to fall two behind.

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Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

J.J. Spaun hits from the bunker on the 12th fairway during the second round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
J.J. Spaun hits from the bunker on the 12th fairway during the second round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Xander Schauffele withdraws from Kapalua with back injury

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Xander Schauffele withdraws from Kapalua with back injury

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — A nagging back injury in the Bahamas has turned into something more mysterious for Xander Schauffele, who withdrew from the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Friday and plans to get an MRI to see what's wrong.

Schauffele, the No. 6 player in the world and a three-time winner last year on the PGA Tour, felt he couldn't swing at full speed and stopped on the par-5 ninth hole.

Schauffele had no issues after the Hero World Challenge, which ended Dec. 4, and through his practice until arriving at Kapalua. But he felt pain again Monday, withdrew from the pro-am Wednesday and struggled through the opening round.

“It feels like a very similar deal to the Bahamas,” Schauffele said. “In the Bahamas, I started to feel better each day. ... This is not getting any better. It actually feels worse when I swing.”

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Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

Xander Schauffele reacts after his shot on the 14th green during the second round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Xander Schauffele reacts after his shot on the 14th green during the second round of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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