Senior Drew Goodman paced the Sooners with a T-3 finish at 5 under.
The Sooners are off to a stellar start this fall.
Oklahoma earned its second victory in eight days in the state of Texas, taking the top spot in the 2024 Ben Hogan Collegiate at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, site of the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge. The Sooners, which won the Valero Texas Collegiate last week in San Antonio at another PGA Tour venue, topped rival Texas by four shots.
Senior Drew Goodman paced the Sooners with a T-3 finish at 5 under. Sophomore Ryder Cowan finished solo sixth at 2 under while Matthew Troutman also placed in the top 10, finishing T-8 at even-par. Oklahoma was the only team to shoot in the 270s all three rounds, finishing at 10 under.
Defending national champion Auburn placed third at 4 under, two shots behind Texas. Those were the only three teams to finish under par. North Carolina was fourth at 1 over, and Arizona State, which was without U.S. Amateur champion Josele Ballester because he played in the DP World Tour’s Spanish Open over the weekend, was fifth.
North Carolina’s David Ford won the 2024 Ben Hogan Collegiate. (Photo: UNC Athletics)
North Carolina senior David Ford picked up the individual win, shooting 9 under to win by three shots over Auburn’s Brendan Valdes. Auburn’s Billy Davis and Texas’ Daniel Bennett also finished T-3.
For a couple of the stars in the field, it was a struggle. Auburn sophomore Jackson Koivun, the reigning Haskins Award winner, finished outside the top 20 (T-28) for the second straight event and only the second time in his career.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt senior Gordon Sargent, who has his PGA Tour card locked up for next year, continued his inconsistent start to the year. In three events this fall, Sargent has placed T-33, T-11 and now T-40.
There were 738 holes used in tournament play during the 2024 season.
Of the 738 holes used in competition during the PGA Tour’s 2024 season, 24 of them stretched beyond 600 yards, with one of them just 23 yards shy of 700 (and no, it wasn’t one of those playing at high altitude).
Castle Pines, which hosted the BMW Championship, has three holes on this list. Not too surprising, considering that course plays at 6,400-foot elevation.
Grand Reserve Club (Puerto Rico Open), TPC San Antonio Oaks Course (Valero Texas Open), Vidanta Vallarta (Mexico Open at Vidanta), Puntacana Resort and Club Corales Course (Corales Puntacana Championship) each had two holes on this list.
The U.S. Open and the Open Championship each had one here. The Masters and the PGA, however, didn’t register among the men’s majors with holes more than 600 yards.
Just missing out on being the 25th hole to measure more than 600 yards is the fourth at Royal Troon for the 2024 Open Championship, which officially came in at 599 yards.
This marked Riley’s first individual victory, though he won the 2023 Zurich Classic with partner Nick Hardy.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Two years ago, then-PGA Tour rookie Davis Riley was emerging as a player who could challenge for multiple titles in a season as the University of Alabama product put together a stretch of six straight top-15 finishes, including a tie for fourth at the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge.
Riley’s ball-striking was precisely where he wanted it, but he felt a little short-game improvement could put him over the top, especially as he sat just outside the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He finished his debut season with six top-10 finishes, second to only Cameron Young’s seven, and ranked eighth in total driving.
But golf is a finicky sport, one that seems to take as much as it gives. While Riley’s short game improved, his ball-striking slipped and after a difficult stretch in which he missed the cut in six of eight tournaments earlier this year, the Mississippi native plummeted in the rankings. He entered this week’s tournament at No. 250, right behind the likes of Asian Tour golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar and Ricky Castillo of the Korn Ferry Tour. Davis’ odds at at Colonial Country Club were 350-1 in one casino, meaning his chances to win on the recently renovated course were less than two-tenths of a single percent.
Riley had an ace up his sleeve, however. He’d recently reunited with swing coach Jeff Smith and a few tweaks had him hitting the ball just like he did two years ago. With Smith back in his corner — who has also mentored the likes of Viktor Hovland, Patrick Rodgers, Aaron Wise and Brandon Wu — the magic seemed to return to Riley’s driver.
“I feel like I’m starting to get some of the better golf I played, certainly pro golf, and, yeah, just trying to get back to that a little bit,” he said after Saturday’s round, as he finished the day with a four-stroke lead. “Not saying I need to entirely be the player I am two years ago, I feel like I progressed in a lot of areas of the game, but just some of that ball-striking form, some of that consistency and some of that just freedom of mind that goes along with that, so that’s all really I’m trying to get to.”
Davis Riley holds the trophy after winning the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. (Photo: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports)
But while Riley’s 54-hole lead was commanding, one cause for trepidation was the man closest in the rearview mirror — world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Playing less than 50 miles from his childhood home in Highland Park, Scheffler came storming back into the picture in the third round with a 63. And the two were certainly familiar competitors: In 2013, when Riley was making his second straight appearance at the U.S. Junior Amateur, he lost to Scheffler after he called a one-stroke penalty on himself at Martis Camp Golf Course. He also lost to Scheffler in the WGC-Dell Match Play.
On Sunday, though, Riley didn’t falter, nor did he need to call any self-imposing infractions.
In fact, the 27-year-old increased his lead to seven midway through the final round, watched as Scheffler struggled, and Riley coasted to a comfortable five-shot victory for his first individual PGA Tour title. He did share the crown at the 2022 Zurich Classic with teammate Nick Hardy.
On Sunday, he finished at 14 under and five in front of Scheffler and Keegan Bradley.
On a day when the winds were howling at Colonial, keeping scores high, Riley mixed and matched birdies and bogeys to run away from the field. He had a pair of bogeys on the front, but added birdies on Nos. 4 and 9. He did the same thing on the back (two birdies and two bogeys) en route to a solid round of 70 that produced a payday of $1.628 million.
Davis Riley hits his tee shot on No. 9 during the final round of the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. (Photo: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports)
Scheffler, meanwhile, had come into Colonial by winning four of his previous six starts and with a final-round scoring average of around 66, it seemed the world’s top player would mount a challenge. Instead, he had a number of putts lip out and made bogey on three of his first 10 holes, to fall out of contention.
“I had that tough first round, but I battled back very nicely on Friday and Saturday,” Scheffler said. “As far as today goes, I just wasn’t able to put as much pressure as I would have hoped to put on Davis early in the round and he just kind of cruised all day. He played great golf. He made that bogey on 2 and answered it really quick with a birdie on 4 and didn’t really give us much of an opening today, just continued to cruise and play great golf. So it was a well-earned win for him.”
In the statement from his parents, Eric and Terry Murray, the family thanked the Tour and others for the support they have offered in the wake of his death.
Murray, a two-time PGA Tour winner, battled alcohol issues and depression. He had played in the first round of this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, shooting a 68, but then withdrew with two holes to play in his second round.
We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone. It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare.
We have so many questions that have no answers.
But one.
Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes. By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and – it seems – by many of you who are reading this. He was loved and he will be missed.
We would like to thank the PGA Tour and the entire world of golf for the outpouring of support. Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now.
Please respect our privacy as we work through this incredible tragedy, and please honor Grayson by being kind to one another. If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothing else.
“Over the last several years, I spent a lot of time with him because I wanted to understand what we could do in his estimation, in his opinion, to help everybody else out here.” Monahan said at Colonial Country Club on Saturday after flying in from the Tour’s headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. “We’ve made a number of advancements along those lines and, you know, it’s become a real point of focus and emphasis. We’re proud of the programs we have in place to support our players, to support everybody out here.”
First place is good for the $1.638 million at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge.
With 18 holes remaining at the PGA Tour’s 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, Davis Riley holds the outright 54-hole lead at 14 under, four shots clear of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Pierceson Coody and Hayden Buckley are tied for third at 9 under, five shots back of Riley, while Robby Shelton is alone in fifth at 8 under.
The purse at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge is $9.1 million with $1.638 million going to the winner. The champion will also receive 500 FedEx Cup points.
Here are the final-round tee times as well as TV and streaming information for the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. All times listed are ET.
First place is good for the $1.638 million at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge.
The first 36 holes of the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, are in the books and Davis Riley holds the solo lead at 10 under after a 6-under 64 on Friday.
Hayden Buckley and Pierceson Coody are tied for second two shots behind Riley at 8 under.
The purse at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge is $9.1 million with $1.638 million going to the winner. The champion will also receive 500 FedEx Cup points.
Here are the third-round tee times as well as TV and streaming information for the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. All times listed are ET.
After getting surgery on Sept. 18, 2023, he returned to the PGA Tour just 115 days later. Was it too soon?
FORT WORTH, Texas — Even though Gary Woodland’s first round on the PGA Tour came in 2009, the current campaign has the 2019 U.S. Open champion feeling a lot more like a sophomore than the wily veteran that he is.
The reason?
The 2024 season is the second with Gary Woodland 2.0, the player who has dealt with the symptoms from having a lesion on his brain and the after-effects of a subsequent craniotomy, a procedure that sliced his head open all the way down to his ear and cut about a baseball-sized hole in his skull to remove the majority of the tumor.
For example, Woodland’s recent appearance at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow reminded him that he started noticing the issue during the 2023 event there, even though he finished in the top 15.
“Charlotte was the first week I went back to where I had a tournament where I had symptoms the year before and it was eye-opening for me just to be, like, I don’t feel great, but I don’t feel like I did a year ago,” Woodland said. “Like, how bad I really was, I think I’ve forgotten about some of that because I was just so thankful to be back. So the last three weeks has been a lot more pep in my step, I think, a little more excitement. I needed that.”
Woodland, 39, had won four times on the PGA Tour, but in late April of 2023, shortly after the Masters, he started feeling some troubling symptoms at the Mexico Open at Vidanta: shaking, tremors in his hands, loss of appetite, chills, no energy. It became so bad that he called his longtime doctor and begged for help to deal with his anxiety.
In retrospect, Woodland realizes that his timeline might have been abrupt.
“It’s been a process for me, just coming back,” he said. “I probably came back too early.”
This journey has been very hard but I’m extremely thankful to be progressing and for the unconditional love and support from everyone. You’ve all made this process a little easier for me and my family. Thank you to everyone and I look forward seeing you all next year. pic.twitter.com/ON16PuDUck
And while he’s missed the cut in over half of the 13 events he’s played in prior to the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge, Friday’s round at Colonial Country Club reminded the Kansas native how well he can play when he’s feeling his best.
Woodland made seven birdies and an eagle in the second round, finishing with a 64, his best round since the first round of the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.
“I mean, it is what it is, but it’s just not what it was. I’m still battling, still on medication, still battling all the stuff, but probably a little more positive, I would say, the last three weeks than I was earlier this year,” Woodland said. “I think I was getting down on myself just because I didn’t feel well. There’s a lot to be positive about because I’m in a different position than I was a year ago.”
Woodland had a couple of miscues, including a bogey on a second hole which is one of the easiest on the redesigned track. But overall, he was placed with an effort that has him sitting at 4 under through two days of play, just a few shots off the lead by midday on Friday.
In fact, he expected his Texas dinner to even have a little extra flavor.
“I just put everything together. It’s been a while,” he said. “It was nice. It was nice to have all aspects. I drove it well, iron play, controlled the ball really well, and short game was nice and made some putts. It’s been a long time since I put it all together. I’ve had some rounds this year where I putted it well or drove it well, but not together. That was a big change for me.
“Will definitely make lunch and dinner taste better today.”
First place is good for the $1.638 million at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge.
The PGA Tour is back in Texas for the Charles Schwab Challenge at a renovated Colonial Country Club, a par-70 track measuring 7,289 yards.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler highlights a loaded field that includes Lone Star State legend Jordan Spieth as well as Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau, Sungjae Im and Brian Harman, among others. Scheffler is T-79 after an opening-round 2-over 72.
Harman shot 66, a round which include four birdies and an eagle on his first nine holes. Some of the dudes from Dude Perfect were there Wednesday to play the course with some old Ben Hogan-era clubs with Rickie Fowler, who opened with an even-par 70.
The purse at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge is $9.1 million with $1.638 million going to the winner. The champion will also receive 500 FedEx Cup points.
Here are the second-round tee times as well as TV and streaming information for the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. All times listed are ET.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A year ago, the merchandise tent at the Charles Schwab Challenge caught fire and the area that housed the performance center was rendered unusable just before organizers were set to fill it with this week’s shirts, hats and other souvenirs.
A new Colonial logo is among the highlights that Taylor Pettit, the manager of tournament merchandise operations for the PGA Tour, said are moving quickly.
“We opened on Monday for the pro-am participants and it’s been doing great so far,” he said. “This event is really special. We really try to dig into the Fort Worth culture and some of the different graphics are inspired by that.”
Part of the reason Harman was keen on keeping the old course untouched was his success here.
FORT WORTH, Texas — With the way he saunters around a golf course, easy and consistent, it’s not surprising to hear that Brian Harman’s love for Colonial Country Club was rooted in its Texas charm, a mix of blazing heat and old Southern traditions.
After a significant renovation by the design team of Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, “Hogan’s Alley” has a modernized feel for the Charles Schwab Challenge this year, with fresher fairways and firmer greens.
But as much as Harman loved the classic course, his unflappable personality shined through on Thursday during the event’s opening round, as the University of Georgia product proved he can learn on the fly and put a couple of near-misses behind him. En route, he shot a 66 to find a tie atop the leaderboard at the end of the early wave of play, positioning himself nicely in a field that includes world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau, and Sungjae Im.
And his quick start was a fact not lost on the lefty, who entered play on Thursday with just one opening round under 69 this year, that coming in the season-opening Sentry back in January.
In fact, Harman hasn’t broken 70 in the opening round of his last seven events, including this year’s Masters, where he opened with an 81. Even at the Players, an event in which he tied for second, Harman struggled through a 72 in the first round of action.
At the new Colonial, however, Harman rolled off four birdies in his first eight holes before cooling on his final nine. He had a pair of birdie putts just miss on his second nine that would have put a little distance between him and others who shined in the early wave like S.H. Kim, Martin Laird, Davis Riley and Tony Finau, all of whom also finished with rounds of 66.
Still, with a bogey-free day in his back pocket, the 2023 Open Championship winner was happy with where he sat after Thursday’s action.
“I made a couple really nice up-and-downs for par as well. So I feel like that stuff kind of evens itself out. I just try to keep executing and my game feels really, really good right now,” Harman said. “I haven’t had the results that I feel like that I probably should have the last few weeks, but I’m playing some pretty good golf and it was nice to get off to a good start.”
Of course, part of the reason Harman was keen on keeping the old course untouched was his success here. In 11 previous starts, Harman has six top-25 finishes and three times has cracked the top 10.
His original reaction to the changes was positive, though. The course was founded in 1936 and hosted the 1941 U.S. Open. The renovation put an emphasis on returning the space to something that closely resembles what the original design team of John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell first sculpted.
“The fear when you redo an iconic place like this is that they mess it up and I feel pretty confident saying that they didn’t mess it up,” he said. “Now the course needs time to mature, the grass really isn’t quite where it needs to be yet, it just, it takes a long time for those roots to get their structure and for everything to settle down. I’m going to hold off judgment for another couple years probably on how I think about it, but I don’t think they messed it up. I think they did a pretty good job.
“I loved the old course so much, I had so many laps around this place, it’s one that I always had circled. I felt like I had a little bit of knowledge, especially on the younger guys trying to play Colonial for the first couple times. But, yeah, we’re all on the same footing now, but I feel like the essence of the course is still the same.”
