Tag: Boeing Classic

Fred Couples returns to action on PGA Tour Champions with six woods in his ‘old man’s bag’

The Seattle native’s back is feeling good enough to play in his hometown event this week.

We haven’t seen Fred Couples on the PGA Tour Champions since late March in Newport Beach, California, where he withdrew during the second round. He tried to play the next week at the Galleri Classic in Palm Springs but pulled out just hours before the action started with a lingering back issue.

Couples did play at Augusta National for the Masters in April (did you ever think he was going to miss that?) but he shot 80-76, missed the cut but vowed to return in 2025.

This week, the Seattle native is feeling good enough to play his hometown event, the Boeing Classic at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge in Snoqualmie, Washington.

Friday’s first round will be just his 10th on the season and he’s brought with him a unique mix of clubs.

“I have six woods,” he said in a PGA Tour Champions video on X. “Driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, 4-rescue, 5-rescue and a 6-rescue.”

You might call that an old man’s bag but he was quick to add that he’s “loving life” with this set up.

Couples tied for 26th at the Boeing a year ago. It’s been since March of 2023 that he’s posted a top 10. He’s playing alongside Steve Flesch and David Duval in Friday’s first round. There are eight regular-season Champions tour events before the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs begin.

Boeing Dreamliner does flyover at Harbour Town Golf Links during RBC Heritage

During the third round, CBS trained one its cameras far off into the distance to zero in on a large airplane

During Saturday’s third-round coverage of the 2023 RBC Heritage, a CBS camera zeroed in on a large airplane making its way toward Harbour Town Golf Links.

As the plane flew closer, it was revealed to be a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, painted white with green letters spelling out EVA Air, a Taipei-based airline that serves Asia and Europe as well as North America.

The plane started dipping its wings from right to left as it flew over the 18th hole. PGA Tour golfers and fans alike paused to look up.

According to yahoo.com, Boeing’s 787 family of aircraft are assembled exclusively in North Charleston, South Carolina. The 787-10 is 224 feet long and has a wingspan of 197 feet and can seat up to 336 passengers.

The official name of the tournament is the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing. The airline manufacturer has been the event’s presenting sponsor for 12 years.

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Rod Pampling earns first PGA Tour Champions win at Boeing Classic

Pampling shot a final-round 66 and then waited for more than an hour for his pursuers to come in.

Rod Pampling posted a final-round 66 at the PGA Tour Champions Boeing Classic Sunday, and then watched and waited.

He finished a little more than an hour before the final groups came in. He hung around the scoring area, watching the coverage on TV. When Jim Furyk tied him atop the leaderboard at 12 under, Pampling made his way over to the driving range for a bit to hit some golf balls, just in case there was a playoff.

Pampling, 51, was back in front of a TV when Furyk’s par attempt burned the edge of the cup on the par-3 17th hole. That put Pampling back in front by a shot.

Woody Austin was also in the hunt and he teed off on 18 a shot back, tied with Furyk, but Austin’s second shot went into a deep greenside bunker and he needed two swings to get out.

Furyk was also in a greenside bunker on 18 and he blasted out well past the hole, but he did have about a 25-footer for birdie that would’ve forced a playoff but his putt was just wide left, making Pampling a first-time winner on the Champions tour.

“There is so much pressure getting that first win,” he told Golf Channel moments after he clinched the win. “It’s great. Getting to Hawaii next year was one of my goals. I”m looking forward to trying to get the Schwab Cup now.”

Pampling has now won on three PGA Tour circuits: he has three Tour wins, one Korn Ferry Tour victory and now his first Champions tour win.

Colin Montgomerie admits he’s admired ‘gentleman’ Jim Furyk since Valderrama (but he wants to beat him on Sunday)

Montgomerie’s memories of Valderrama are fonder than Furyk’s, for certain.

A fine bogey-free afternoon of golf in the Pacific Northwest had Colin Montgomerie waxing poetic about playing partner and former Ryder Cup adversary Jim Furyk after the second round of the PGA Tour Champions’ Boeing Classic.

After posting a 67 on Saturday, Montgomerie sat a single stroke behind leader Woody Austin and tied for second with Furyk, someone he’s appreciated for decades.

“I enjoyed playing with Jim Furyk, I must admit. A gentleman and someone I’ve admired for many, many years since we first came across Jim in ’97 at Valderrama at the Ryder Cup and I’ve always admired his game and it’s great to play with him here in America,” Montgomerie said.

“I look forward to (the final round) really. I’m going to play with Jim again, I believe, so yeah, I enjoy playing with him and Fluff — lovely fellow. We’ve gotten on for many years.”

Montgomerie’s memories of Valderrama—where the Europeans edged the Americans, 14½ to 13½, to retain the Ryder Cup—are fonder than Furyk’s, for certain. In fact, Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer defeated Furyk and Lee Janzen in the afternoon foursome on Saturday, a pivotal point for the Europeans. Montgomerie had previously teamed with Langer on Friday to down Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara, 5 and 3, in a statement victory.

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Furyk, meanwhile, only managed a single point in his three opportunities, winning a singles match against Nick Faldo 3 and 2 on Sunday.

As for the final round of play at the Boeing, Montgomerie would love to snap a drought that stretches back to 2019 when he captured the Champions’ Invesco QQQ Championship in a playoff over Langer.

When asked if he’d forgotten how to win, the 31-time European Tour champ said he plans on digging deep in his memory.

“Let’s hope not, eh? Let’s hope not. If I don’t win tomorrow, I’ll have forgotten how to do it, how’s that, you know? But what the hell, it’s great to come here, a long way from home, you know, from London,” he said. “We flew over here on Tuesday to Seattle direct and long way, so I’m glad I’m making a run anyway and I look forward to (Sunday).”

And as for picking out a target, a specific player he thinks he’ll have to beat? Montgomerie said Furyk is that person.

“Jim’s the guy. Jim’s very, very steady and doesn’t do anything wrong,” Montgomerie said. “He’s the guy to beat, but if I can hole out, I have a chance.”

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