Everything you need to know for the final round in Naples, Florida.
It’s one of the final events on the 2021 golf calendar schedule and the field of 12 teams is ready for the final round in Naples, Florida, for the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club.
Each day of the tournament has consisted of a different format. The betting favorites coming into the week, Billy Horschel and Sam Burns, caught fire during a second-round shooting a 10-under 62 — just one shot worse than the scramble score the pair posted the day before. Unbelievable.
Also, 18-hole leaders Marc Leishman and Jason Day continued fine play on Saturday, signing for an 8-under 64. They’ll tee off Sunday with a three-shot lead.
Sunday’s action will consist of a best-ball format. All times listed are ET.
9:45 a.m.
Ryan Palmer/Matt Jones
Hudson Swafford/Brian Harman
10:00 a.m.
Ian Poulter/Charles Howell III
Brandt Snedeker/K.H. Lee
10:15 a.m.
Will Zalatoris/Sean O’Hair
Kevin Kisner/Max Homa
10:30 a.m.
Bubba Watson/Lexi Thompson
Graeme McDowell/Corey Conners
10:45 a.m.
Matt Kuchar/Harris English
Kevin Na/Jason Kokrak
11:00 a.m.
Marc Leishman/Jason Day
Billy Horschel/Sam Burns
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Format
First round: scramble. Each player hits a drive and the best drive is selected. From there, each player plays a second shot and the best shot is selected again. The process is repeated until the ball is holed out.
Second round: modified alternate shot. Each player hits a drive and the best drive is selected. Whichever player’s drive is not selected hits the second shot and so on until the ball is holed.
Final round: four-ball. Each player plays his/her own ball till it’s holed out. The player with the lowest score earns the team score for that hole.
TV information
Sunday, December 11
TV
Golf Channel: 12-2 p.m. ET NBC: 2-4 p.m. ET
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NAPLES, Fla. — The parent company of Seascape at Naples, an assisted living center, has a program it calls its “Wow Moments” where it tries to connect its residents to something in their past or that’s an interest.
Friday, one of those happened at the QBE Shootout at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
Anthony “Tony” Torre, a 97-year-old who has been at Seascape a few months, came to the PGA Tour event and got to meet some of the game’s stars. And some caddies.
Torre has something in common with them. He was a caddie growing up in New York, and one time got to caddie for none other than Gene Sarazen, one of five golfers to win the career Grand Slam, at the Glens Falls Open, a PGA Tour event that was played from 1929 to 1939.
According to Torre, when the tournament was coming up — back in those days, pros simply picked up their caddies at the club where the event was going to be played — there was an “A” list of caddies, and then others that the club professional submitted to the tour pros to pick from.
Torre, who grew up in Schenectady, New York, was one of the others — but not when the tournament started. He won an A list slip from one of those caddies in a craps game. And Sarazen ended up being his pro.
Tony Torre, a 97-year-old Naples resident, seated, once caddied for golf legend Gene Sarazen at a tournament in New York. Torre now lives at Seascape at Naples, and is seen chatting with PGA Tour pro Ryan Palmer (in white shirt) and his caddie James Edmondson (far right) at the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Greg Hardwig/Naples Daily News.
Sarazen, who grew up in Harrison, New York, didn’t win the tournament, but finished second or third; he was second in 1938 and third in 1939. Torre got $50, a set of kroydon irons, and golf shoes from “The Squire” who later ended up spending the last several years of his life in Marco Island.
Friday, Torre got to meet one of the lengthier player/caddie relationships on the tour, chatting with pro Ryan Palmer and caddie James Edmondson, who have been together for 20 years. He also met Lexi Thompson and Bubba Watson.
Torre talked with Edmondson and Palmer about Sarazen coming up with the idea for the modern sand wedge.
Torre recalled having to go out and shag balls when the pros practiced.
“He started out at 60 yards, then 80 yards, then 100 yards, and then 150,” Torre said.
Gene Sarazen, in the middle with the golf club, and fellow pro Juggs McSpadden, far right, give a clinic at Bartlett Country Club in Olean, New York. Tony Torre, a 97-year-old Naples resident who caddied for Sarazen in a different tournament, is in the middle of the photo, wearing sunglasses above another man in sunglasses.
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
“I learn something every time I tee it up with the guys, especially Bubba.”
NAPLES, Fla. — The Lexi and Bubba Show got off to a good start at the QBE Shootout on Friday.
Lexi Thompson, the LPGA Tour star, and Bubba Watson, the two-time Masters champion, shot a 13-under 59 and are tied for fourth at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
“She played amazing,” Watson said. “Couldn’t ask for a better partner. She made some key putts.”
“I kind of knew going into it just the way he shapes shots into greens and off the tee and everything,” Thompson said. “I was actually expecting a lot more shot shaping, but it was still so impressive. I’m just amazed with the guys, how high they can hit it, how they can work balls into pins. I learn something every time I tee it up with the guys, especially Bubba.”
Lexi Thompson lines up a putt on the second green during the first round of the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club on December 10, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Watson said Thompson made five putts in a row for the group at one point, so he asked a rules official if it was OK if he practiced putting after they had holed out.
Watson did have a pair of notable moments — on the same hole.
“The way it was standing, it ricocheted toward the hole, and came off of him,” Watson said. “There was a little slope there, 10 feet. Everybody around the green and him — he thought it was going in for sure.”
Watson made the eagle putt, and gave the fan a signed golf glove and Thompson signed a ball and gave it to him.
“I apologized,” Watson said.
Bubba Watson of the United States plays his shot from the third tee during the first round of the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club on December 10, 2021 in Naples, Florida. Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images.
The eagle jumpstarted a stretch of four birdies before the two parred the 18th.
“I didn’t have my best,” Watson said. “There was a couple shots I had some loose shots, but she kept it together and kept our team rolling. Felt the energy was nice. I felt we had some good conversations.
“Shooting in the 50s, it’s a good spot to be at and we’re not too far out of it. The next couple days are really the days that you can drop back or go forward real fast, so that’s the whole goal is to hit some good tee shots (Saturday) so we can be in some good places to hopefully make a few birdies.”
Three-time champions Harris English and Matt Kuchar, who played with Thompson and Watson, though the pair clicked well.
“Lexi played awesome today,” English said. “She was driving it well, putting well, doing everything. I was really impressed with her game. They’re a great team. They played really good golf and I think they’ll be up there come Sunday.”
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Emotions of Shootout banquet
The Thursday night dinner usually hits both ends of the spectrum with players and those attending. While there are laughs to go around, there also are somber moments with the reminder of why the tournament exists.
CureSearch, the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, always has been the main tournament charity. The keynote speaker is always representing the charity, and many times has been a childhood cancer survivor. This year, Robin Koenig, who lost her son Jake 15 years ago, was the speaker.
Will Zalatoris hits the ball during the QBE Shootout on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network.
“It was quite a tear-jerker, especially when you have kids yourself,” Matt Jones said. “It was my first time being here so to realize what QBE and CureSearch, everything they do here for the last 33 years is quite impressive. I honestly had no idea the funding that’s gone into the cancer side of it from the QBE Shark Shootout and it was very good. I was very happy to be there.
“I went through the cancer battle myself with my wife, Jennifer,” said Ryan Palmer, who is playing with Jones this week. “Fortunately, she’s doing great. But I was able to meet the family there on Thursday and we talked a little bit about their son and everything. What a night they put on. Greg Norman does an awesome job, what QBE does, Mercedes Benz to cure cancer. It’s always a night that I’m very proud and honored to be a part of and I look forward to it every year.”
Will Zalatoris, the 25-year-old PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, also is playing in the Shootout for the first time.
“It’s pretty powerful last night,” Zalatoris said.
Na rings the siren
Kevin Na’s already had a pretty good week. Last Sunday, Na got to run the siren at the NHL’s Vegas Knights.
“It was a lot of fun,” Na said Thursday. “I know some of the guys that play out at Southern Highlands. My coach Drew Steckel is a huge Golden Knights fan. He gives half the team golf lessons.
“It’s a lot of fun. The crowd gets really wild. It’s a great stadium.”
Poulter, Howell and Formula One
When Lee Westwood had to withdraw due to an illness, Poulter knew exactly who he wanted to play with — Charles Howell III, a fellow Orlando resident.
“He’s a big F1 fan now, so we’ve got a lot to talk about over the next few days,” Poulter said.
Apparently, that also included coordinating outfits. The pair both wore white shirts and black pants Friday. They shot 11 under and are tied for seventh.
Despite 12 birdies and two eagles, the Aussie pair holds just a one-shot lead.
There are usually a few eagles in the scramble format of the QBE Shootout.
But not usually the way Marc Leishman made two of them to help Leishman and playing partner Jason Day shoot a 16-under 56 and take the first-round lead Friday.
Leishman holed out from in front of the green on No. 6, then holed out a pitch shot on No. 10, so neither of the par-5, hit it on in two and make the putt variety.
“The one on 6 I had a pretty good read off Jase,” Leishman said. “It was a very straightforward chip, but obviously it still takes a little bit of luck for it to actually go in the hole. And then the one on 10, the guys all hitting in front of me, it was on a little knoll I guess you’ll call it. Jase was in there about 10 feet and had a chance to just go straight at it and went straight at it.”
“He landed it absolutely perfect, nice flight, just beautiful, just spun it a little bit and rolled in,” Day said of the eagle on No. 10.
Jason Day and Marc Leishman look on from the third tee during the first round of the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club on December 10, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Leishman and Day made 12 birdies, but the 16-under wasn’t enough to create much distance, especially from the defending champions.
Harris English and Matt Kuchar, and Corey Conners, and Graeme McDowell are both just one back. Lexi Thompson and Bubba Watson, and Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na are tied for fourth, three behind going into Saturday’s modified alternate shot format.
Matt Kuchar and Harris English walk on the second green during the first round of the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club on December 10, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
“Felt like last year all over again,” said Kuchar, who has won three times with English. “This place, I think it’s special to both Harris and I. Nice to get off to a good start.”
“Played really solid, gave ourselves a lot of chances,” English said. “Didn’t have any eagles today, we were close, but it’s all about making putts. Matt made a couple good 20-, 25-footers and that’s what keeps the round going, that’s what keeps the momentum going.”
English and Kuchar were 7 under after the front nine, then birdied all but No. 12 on the back nine.
“We tend to play the back nine really well here, got off to a good start on 10 and kept it rolling,” English said. “Keep giving ourselves chances and keep seeing those putts go in.”
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McDowell and Conners capped their round with four birdies and an eagle before parring the 18th.
“Corey drove the ball fantastic,” McDowell said. “The hardest thing I had to do was try to keep in my rhythm when I followed him down the fairway, he drove it so well. It’s always important just to get two looks the best you can. I just felt like we ham-and-egged well.”
Almost as well as the three-time champions, but not quite. The only round in the six previous appearances Kuchar and English have had where they stumbled was the modified alternate shot in 2017, when they shot an even-par 72, then finished tied for 10th.
“It’s the most challenging of all the formats,” Kuchar said. “It’s the one that kind of separates the teams that really have it going and teams that don’t have it going. I think you look forward to seeing what happens after the second round.”
Marc Leishman tees off during the QBE Shootout on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network
Leishman and Day do have some experience in these formats. They were partners for three matches in the 2017 Presidents Cup, although they went 0-2-1. They halved with Phil Mickelson and Kevin Kisner in foursomes, and then lost to them in fourball and also lost to Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed in the second foursomes.
“‘Leish’ is good in a team environment,” Day said. “Obviously him and Cammy Smith at the Zurich, obviously here, so it’s just, obviously it’s an individual sport. But I think he thrives really well in a team environment, so it’s nice to be able to have someone like that as a partner this week.”
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
Everything you need to know for the second round in Naples, Florida.
It’s one of the final events on the 2021 golf calendar schedule and the field of 12 teams is in Naples, Florida, for the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club.
Each day of the tournament will consist of a different format, as the pairs played a scramble on Friday. Defending champions Matt Kuchar and Harris English, looking for their fourth title in seven years as partners, played well posting an opening-round 57, and are tied for second at 15 under. Marc Leishman and Jason Day opened with a 56 and lead at 16 under heading into the weekend.
Saturday’s action will consist of a modified alternate shot format. All times listed are ET.
11:25 a.m.
Will Zalatoris/Sean O’Hair
Brandt Snedeker/K.H. Lee
11:37 a.m.
Ian Poulter/Charles Howell III
Billy Horschel/Sam Burns
11:49 a.m.
Ryan Palmer/Matt Jones
Kevin Kisner/Max Homa
12:01 p.m.
Bubba Watson/Lexi Thompson
Hudson Swafford/Brian Harman
12:13 p.m.
Matt Kuchar/Harris English
Kevin Na/Jason Kokrak
12:25 p.m.
Marc Leishman/Jason Day
Graeme McDowell/Corey Conners
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Format
First round: scramble. Each player hits a drive and the best drive is selected. From there, each player plays a second shot and the best shot is selected again. The process is repeated until the ball is holed out.
Second round: modified alternate shot. Each player hits a drive and the best drive is selected. Whichever player’s drive is not selected hits the second shot and so on until the ball is holed.
Final round: four-ball. Each player plays his/her own ball till it’s holed out. The player with the lowest score earns the team score for that hole.
TV information
Saturday, December 10
TV
Golf Channel: 1-3 p.m. ET NBC: 3-5 p.m. ET
Sunday, December 11
TV
Golf Channel: 12-2 p.m. ET NBC: 2-4 p.m. ET
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
The 13th hole at Tiburon Golf Club is a drivable par 4, which Bubba Watson almost aced in spectacular fashion.
This is about as good of a break you’ll ever see on a golf course.
On the drivable 13th at Tiburon Golf Club, with partner Lexi Thompson in trouble off the tee, Bubba Watson attempted to drive the green. He absolutely nutted one, and air-mailed everything. However, instead of ending up several yards past the putting surface, the ball hit a spectator and ricocheted toward the stick.
The result? A near ace on a par 4.
It’s only been down once before on the PGA Tour, after Andrew Magee’s tee shot found the bottom of the cup at the 2001 Phoenix Open after first hitting Tom Byrum’s putter.
The fan who was hit with the ball was donning a Buffalo Bills T-shirt. (Those guys just can’t stop getting pummeled.) He was later seen holding a bag of ice someone brought him. It wasn’t all bad, however, as he’s going home with a signed glove from Mr. Watson, who then drained the putt and pointed back at the fan, acknowledging the moment.
NAPLES, Fla. — The Shark is feeling great about his new job and what comes with it.
Greg Norman, 66, the QBE Shootout founder and host recently became the CEO of a new Saudi Arabia-backed golf league, of which he will serve as commissioner.
The Asian Tour had announced an allegiance that would result in 10 new marquee events on the tour in the next 10 years, with the Saudi-funded golf league having an investment of more than $200 million.
“What we’ve done already is an indication of our commitment to the game of golf through the Asian Tour investment,” Norman said Thursday ahead of the Shootout. “I can’t remember the last time anybody wanted to come out and invest a couple hundred million dollars into an Asian tour, a tour in general from the outside. I think that’s a testament to our commitment of where we want and how we want the game of golf to grow.”
Greg Norman takes a swing during the QBE Shootout Pro-Am on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network
Norman did not give a specific update Thursday on the proposed league itself.
“Anytime Greg Norman’s involved, I mean, that’s the guy I looked up to,” said Bubba Watson, who is playing with LPGA Tour star Lexi Thompson in the Shootout this week. “There’s so many guys I looked up to. That’s one of the reasons we’re here, right? Greg Norman has pushed this event, QBE. He’s pushed it from the player side, but also from the charity side. That’s why we’re here supporting Greg and what he’s committed to the game of golf.
“…. Greg’s going to try to do some great things if that league does happen.”
On Thursday, LIV Golf Investments named Atul Khosla as its COO. Khosla had been chief corporate development and brand officer for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and previously had been COO of the MLS’ Chicago Fire. Sean Bratches had been appointed Chief Commercial Officer for LIV Golf.
“Our C-suite (or major executive team) has been very, very special to say the least, and it’s a testament to our business model, it’s a testament to our commitment to the game of golf and our C-suite, which is deep and very experienced not only in sport, team sport, not only in business, but right across the board,” Norman said. “Our C-suite starting in London to where we’re going to be in West Palm Beach is solid. Really, it is a commitment by them of, like I said, believing in the product, believing in the business model and believing in the players.”
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“We have an incredible opportunity to create a unique new platform that elevates the game of golf for all professional players and engages golf fans across the world,” Khosla said in a release. “I look forward to being a part of the LIV Golf Investments team to help bring this vision to life and transform the game into an international sport.”
The Shootout itself continues to only expand its footprint in Southwest Florida, with the addition of a Live Fest concert in 2019. That returns on Saturday, after a year off due to the pandemic.
“We have really tried to figure out how to give back as much as we can and hence the LiveFest Saturday night, hence the growth of what we’re doing after the gala dinner tonight with another concert for everybody,” Norman said. “That’s part of giving back and it’s become hugely, hugely popular. I believe we’re sold out come Saturday night, so that again is a testament to the community and the golf course. The benefactors of that, the community, golf course, fans, players and then charity, CureSearch.”
Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida.
As for the Saudi addition to the Asian Tour, Norman pointed to his experience in that part of the world, mainly due to his golf design companies and other business.
“I see what has been needed there,” Norman said. “I see the development of the game of golf, and all through the Pacific Rim there, specifically Vietnam. I see it in Thailand, I see it in Singapore, I see it in Japan.
“We’ve got Hideki Matsuyama, who used to be the Asian amateur, now the U.S. Masters champion. I just want to be able to allow these players more of an opportunity to get the growth and the development they do need to be where they want to be, be a Hideki Matsuyama coming through the Asian ranks and coming up and winning a major championship let alone the U.S. Masters.”
A couple of weeks ago, Golfweek obtained a memo that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had sent players to update them on the 2022 schedule and included millions added to purses, and the FedEx Cup going up to $75 million.
Monahan did not specifically discuss the Saudi golf league in the memo, but did point out what he had seen as disinformation about the percentages of player purses. Saudi league backers had reportedly been saying players only get 26% of revenues, but Monahan said in the memo that 55% of the Tour’s revenues will be going back to players in 2022.
And just to add another wrinkle to all of it, on Nov. 29, the Saudi International, which is also part of the Asian Tour, released its preliminary list of players, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Louis Oosthuizen, for the event Feb. 3-6. PGA Tour players would need to get a release from the tour to be allowed to play in the tournament, which is not part of the golf league Norman is heading up.
Shootout players Jason Kokrak, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson also were on the list.
“It’s one of those things where I love to travel and I wanted to travel somewhere else,” Watson said. “And Saudi Arabia, they’re trying to change. They started with women’s golf, started supporting the women’s golf and then they started supporting men’s golf. There’s women’s tournaments already that they sponsor. Trying to grow the game. They’re trying to change industry over there, bring golf, bring tourism to Saudi Arabia with the beautiful beaches that they already have.
Bubba Watson takes a swing during the QBE Shootout Pro-Am on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network
“It will be interesting to go over there and play, but also see the beauty of other parts of the world that God’s created. I can’t wait to get over there. Hopefully the Tour lets us go. Again, you know, the charity dollars is what’s most important, so the more money I can get in my hands, the more I can give away. So it’s an honor and a privilege if they let me go over there and play.”
McDowell said he will wait to hear about Monahan’s decision.
“I’m on the list of guys that were given permission to ask for a release, and then it gets plastered all over the media like I’m a bad guy; I’m just doing what I was told to do, which was ask for a release,” he said. “Listen, it’s really up to Jay Monahan, however Jay wants us to handle the situation. I’m just going to wait and find out what Jay wants. First and foremost, I’m a PGA Tour player until further notice. That’s the bottom line.”
“I’m down to play right now, so …” Poulter said.
Na declined to answer a question about it.
So whatever Monahan and the Tour ends up deciding regarding releases for players to play in the Saudi International, which is opposite the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, remains to be seen. And there will be plenty of players and others in the golf world watching.
Meanwhile, Norman just plans on plugging ahead with his new venture.
“‘I’m very, very passionate about that,” he said. “I’m not going to lose focus on that at all. I stay finely tuned with my C-suite people on the same thing about our future and about how we want to get to certain milestones in our life and obviously for our investor.
“They’ve invested for a reason, they invest for a reason because they see golf and sport as an asset class now and you’ll see it all around the world, whether it’s in IPL cricket or whether it’s even the NFL, NBA, NHL, you see it in all different leagues, people invested in sport in general.”
The belief those who have already joined Norman only reinforces that to him.
“So at the end of the day you can only bring those people in who actually have full faith in what you’re doing,” Norman said. “And I love it, I think it’s great for the game of golf. They see the advantage of it, they’re looking forward to the journey ahead and I think from a mutual respect in the situation, the game of golf is going to be the benefactor and the players are going to have the opportunity of independent contractors to go play both tours and I think that’s fantastic.”
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
“I feel like we complement each other really well. We both are really good putters.”
Can Harris English and Matt Kuchar be beaten at the QBE Shootout?
That’s been the question that hasn’t been answered by another pair in the PGA Tour team event very frequently over the years at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
The pairing, which happened when English substituted for Brandt Snedeker who had to withdraw because of an injury in 2013, has won three times, including by a whopping nine strokes last year in Greg Norman’s tournament. They won by seven in their first year together in 2013, and took first again in 2016.
Eleven other teams will take a swing at them beginning Friday with the scramble in the first round.
Harris English takes a swing during the QBE Shootout Pro-Am on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. (Photo: Caitlyn Jordan)
“Oh yeah, why not?” said Kevin Na, whose playing with Jason Kokrak, of knocking them off. “I think my team’s better than their team.”
“The way the format is anyone can get hot,” Graeme McDowell said.
“Yeah, they haven’t won every year,” Billy Horschel said.
While the players in each team frequently do end up matching up well because of balancing one player’s strengths with another’s weakness, and teaming up in the right part, Kuchar and English are doing it at a higher level.
“Matt is always down the middle of the fairway and then Harris is an unbelievable ball-striker and he’s developed into a really good putter over the years,” said Jason Day, who won the Shootout a few years ago. “Matt, he’s always been a rock-solid player.”
“They just have a really close relationship,” said Brandt Snedeker, another former Shootout champion. “Matt’s strengths go well with Harris’ strengths. Obviously, the chemistry’s there, and that’s the big thing with this event. If you have the right partner, yo don’t worry when you hit a bad shot, you know they’ve got your back.”
They finished well back in 2017, tying for 10th after a poor round in the middle round, the modified alternate shot. Their other finishes besides the wins are seconds in 2014 and 2015. They didn’t play in 2018 or 2019.
Matt Kuchar putts during the QBE Shootout Pro-Am on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. (Photo: Caitlyn Jordan)
So they’re 3-for-6 with two seconds.
“Harris and I have just had a great run and really been fun,” Kuchar said. “Every year I look forward to getting another chance to play with him. So excited to see him bust out with a great year, be on the Ryder Cup team, do some really special things this year.
“It’s been fun to see kind of the evolution of his career and still be able to kind of play alongside him in this event.”
English had a couple of wins this year in addition to the Ryder Cup appearance, and also got to play in Tiger Woods’ Bahamas tournament last week.
“I would like to say it started here,” English said. “We played great here, I think we won by nine shots last year and you can take a lot of that momentum. I feel I was playing great golf going into Maui last year and ended up winning the tournament. You’re always working on things and you can use great weeks like this to work on your game and kind of jump start your 2022.”
Matt Kuchar and Harris English winners of the QBE Shootout at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, on Dec. 13, 2020. Chris Tilley/Naples Daily News via USA TODAY Network
English’s length, Kuchar’s accuracy and putting, and English’s development in both have just made the combination work better and better.
“I feel like we complement each other really well,” English said. “We both are really good putters; Matt’s one of the best putters I’ve ever played with and we just seem to hole a lot of putts around this place. He’s obviously a really straight driver, really consistent. I hit it a little further than him so we kind of play off each other. I try to give it a rip on some par 5s and we just stay in a lot of holes.”
Kuchar quipped why the two haven’t played together in the PGA Tour’s relatively new team event, the Zurich Championship in New Orleans.
“That may be the better question,” Kuchar said. “We’re still working on making that work out at some point.
“It’s been a whole lot of fun playing with Harris. I get to see parts of the course I’m not used to seeing, hitting irons I’m not used to hitting into greens and it’s been a great match-up and a great formula.”
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English first met Kuchar in 2012 at The Players Championship when he was contending in the third round. English, a rookie, had an inauspicious start, hitting someone with his tee shot on the first hole. The person ended up being OK.
“The guy was okay thankfully, but one of those things as a player, it’s a hard thing to recover from,” Kuchar said. “So I may have had some words of advice on kind of trying to move on. And it’s always a tough situation.”
Kuchar won the Shootout last year with his son Cameron on the bag, and the pair are back together again this year.
“Cameron’s been asking for years and years to caddie and I think he’s always thought he’s bigger than maybe he has been,” Kuchar said “Now he is truly really big and able to caddie with no problem. Cameron’s just a lover of golf and doing well himself with the game.”
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
“To have him there alongside us, supporting us, giving us advice whenever we needed it, it was truly amazing.”
Lexi Thompson and the rest of the U.S. Solheim Cup team were told before the competition that there was going to be a surprise guest.
Little did they know it was going to be two-time major champion Bubba Watson, who spent the whole week supporting the players.
“It was amazing,” Thompson said Wednesday at the QBE Shootout, where none other than Watson will be her playing partner in the 12-team event. “It was very shocking to have Bubba Watson there. They said a surprise guest and I’m like, ‘All right, wow, that’s not who I expected.’
“To have him there alongside us, supporting us, giving us advice whenever we needed it, it was truly amazing. We weren’t expecting it at all, but just to have the support there that week, that week’s so intense, and to have somebody like Bubba out there supporting us and helping us out along the way, there’s nothing like it.”
Bubba Watson takes a swing during the QBE Shootout Pro-Am on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida
Watson didn’t qualify for the Tour Championship so he ended up having that week off, and he also has been a lifetime Ping player; Ping founder Karsten Solheim helped create the biennial competition.
Watson also happened to know captain Pat Hurst and vice-captains Angela Stanford, Michelle Wie West, and Stacy Lewis.
“For me, it was something I’ve always wanted to do,” Watson said. “It’s one of those bucket list moments.”
“I called Pat and asked if I could come and hang out. And it was a little nerve-wracking at first. She was like ‘Yeah, come in the locker room.’ I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can come in the locker room, I’m not sure, I don’t know what the rules are on this.'”
Lexi Thompson putts during the QBE Shootout Pro-Am on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida
Watson was even there each day for the 5 a.m. bus rides, Thompson said. His wife is a former WNBA player and they have a 7-year-old daughter “who one day’s going to want to do something; probably against the guys at some point, she’s just that mean.”
Even though the Europeans ended up winning, the experience was something he will never forget.
“It was an amazing dream come true,” he said. “And Pat and the ladies took me in and they let me be part of the team.”
Watson hasn’t played since the Northern Trust Open in August, and also has split with caddie Ted Scott, so he made no promises on the status of his game.
“I took some time off watching the kids,” said Watson, who will have Gabe Sauer, from his driving range in Pensacola, as his caddie this week. “My son started playing tackle football, so being home, wanted to be a dad.
“Started practicing a couple weeks ago, so looking forward to it. There might be some loose shots somewhere, but that’s why I have a good partner.”
From left, Bubba Watson, Jessica Korda, Ally Ewing, Megan Khang, Morgan Pressel and Nelly Korda approach the seventh green during practice for the Solheim Cup golf tournament, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in Toledo, Ohio. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
The pairing also continues a catching up between Watson and Thompson’s brother, Nick, also a tour pro, who is on the bag for her this week. He also caddied for his sister at the Solheim Cup. Watson said Nick was his wife’s favorite player back when they were playing the now-Korn Ferry Tour.
“Having him on the bag and spending time with him at the Solheim Cup, it was good to catch up because I haven’t seen him in a few years,” Watson said. “Just brings back memories. And now playing with her, watched her game, admired her game, watched her ability. Pretty special. To be able to see firsthand is going to be a treat.”
While Thompson got to see Watson’s support and got to know him a little bit at the Solheim Cup, this week will be a different experience.
“I’ve never actually seen him play in person, so I’m just happy to be here and honored that I got the invite back,” said Thompson, who is playing in her fifth Shootout in six years after missing last year’s since it conflicted with the U.S. Women’s Open.
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/
Meet the 12 two-person teams for the 2021 QBE Shootout at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Florida.
Golf’s silly season continues this week with the QBE Shootout, the mixed team event that features some of the best players on the PGA Tour, as well as an LPGA star.
Two-time major champion Greg Norman is the host for the year-end event at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, which two weeks ago hosted the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. The course also hosts the Chubb Classic on the PGA Tour Champions in February.
The first round begins on Friday, Dec. 10 with a scramble. Saturday’s second round is modified alternate shot, with four-ball for Sunday’s final round.
Meet the 12 two-person teams for the 2021 QBE Shootout.
