Russell Henley – Page 4 – Syndication Server

RSM Classic: In-depth preview with strokes gained data, key stats, betting plays, and more

Consecutive winning weeks in Mexico and Houston, up 4.5 units over those two events, let’s keep it going.

After a week in Texas, the PGA Tour heads to the east coast for the RSM Classic. Robert Streb—yes, Robert Streb—returns as the defending champion after taking down Kevin Kisner in a playoff last season. Streb is in good form, recording a pair of top 10s in his last three starts.

Scottie Scheffler (+1200) enters the week as the betting favorite, and like Streb, is in fantastic form. After turning in a solo fourth in Mexico, the Texan was a red-hot Jason Kokrak away from capturing his first Tour win in Houston last week (Scheffler finished T-2).

Important news: Twilight 9, the podcast I started over a year ago, has officially joined Golfweek. Andy Nesbitt is coming on as a co-host, and this week’s episode is live now. Download the episode to hear our chat about Kokrak, Phil Mickelson on Monday Night Football, Brooks Koepka’s struggles and the RSM Classic.

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Golf courses this week

Seaside course
Par 70
7,005 yards

Plantation course
Par 72
7,060 yards

Both courses will be used on Thursday and Friday, while weekend play will be exclusively on the Seaside course.

Weather

Day	Conditions	Chance of rain	Wind and direction
Tuesday	Sunny	1 percent	7 MPH (SE)
Wednesday	Mostly Sunny	7 percent	7 MPH (ENE)
Thursday	Partly Cloudy	19 percent	6 PMH (SE)
Friday	Partly Cloudy	9 percent	18 MPH (NNE)
Saturday	Partly Cloudy	17 percent	17 MPH (NE)
Sunday	Partly Cloudy	14 percent	13 MPH (NNE)

Key stats

Driving accuracy: I said it a few weeks ago, but on short golf courses, it’s important to find the fairway. Data Golf agrees with me, as it lists driving accuracy as the most important stat for the week.

Putting (Bermuda): If you listen to Twilight 9, or if you read the in-depth previews every week, you know what’s coming next. Some guys hate Bermuda greens, some love them. Just look at Kisner’s record at this place — dude loves Bermuda more than anyone on Earth.

Data Golf Information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. TPC Twin Cities, 2. The Concession Golf Club, 3. Detroit Golf Club

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Cameron Smith (last three starts: T-14, T-9, T-15), 2. Talor Gooch (T-5, T-11, 60), 3. Scottie Scheffler (T-38, 4, T-2)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Scottie Scheffler (5 percent), 2. Louis Oosthuizen (4.4 percent), 3. Cameron Smith (4.3 percent)

Bettings odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Scottie Scheffler (+1200)	Webb Simpson (+1300)
Cameron Smith (+1500)	Louis Oosthuizen (+2000)
Russell Henley (+2000)	Corey Conners (+2000)
Alex Noren (+3000)	Kevin Kisner (+3000)
Harris English (+3000)	Joaquin Niemann (+3000)

Betting card for the RSM Classic

We’re coming off two winning weeks in a row. Monster week in Mexico, up 4.3 units, and a very modest week in the Lone Star state, up .22 units (Aaron Wise missed the top 20 by a shot. That one hurts the soul).

Scottie Scheffler — Top 10 (+185)

Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the 14th tee during the second round of the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course on November 12, 2021, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

He’s going back on the card. He’s hot. I refuse to be off the Scheffler bandwagon when he finally gets it done. He led going into the final round in Mexico, but couldn’t overcome Kokrak, finishing T-2.

Scheffler has made just one start at the RSM Classic, but he cashed a T-5. A week before his runner-up in his home state, Scheffler finished solo 4th in Mexico.

Russell Henley — Top 20 (+150)

PGA: Wyndham Championship - Third Round — Russell Henley watches his tee shot on the sixteenth hole during the third round of the Wyndham Championship. Photo by Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

When he’s on a heater, you have to bet the heater. He played well in Houston and cashed a T-7. He finished T-30 at this event last season, but grabbed consecutive top 10s in 2016 and 2015. Not much else to say, let’s go, Henley.

Robert Streb — Top 20 (+320)

RSM Classic 2020 — Robert Streb celebrates with the trophy after winning in a sudden-death playoff against Kevin Kisner during the final round of The RSM Classic at the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club on November 22, 2020, in St Simons Island, Georgia. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Value play! And what a value play it is. Streb is in great form with two top 10s in his last three starts. He’s won at this golf course twice, his only wins on Tour, including last season. Form + course history = top 20? I think so.

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RSM Classic fantasy golf power rankings, odds and picks

2015 champion Kevin Kisner leads our fantasy golf rankings.

After a week in Houston, the PGA Tour heads to the east coast for the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Last year, Robert Streb was able to take home the hardware after making birdie on the second playoff hole to win over 2015 champion, Kevin Kisner.

Scottie Scheffler (+1200) is the betting favorite fresh off the heels of a runner-up finish to Jason Kokrak last week at the Houston Open. The Texan is still looking for his first PGA Tour win, but with the way he’s been playing, it looks to be coming soon.

Like the Farmers Insurance Open, the RSM Classic utilizes two golf courses over the first two days: The Seaside course (par 70, 7,005), and the Plantation course (par 72, 7,060). The weekend, however, will be played on the Seaside course.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Fantasy golf top 10

Kevin Kisner (+3000)

It wouldn’t be right to start this list with anyone else. In his last six appearances at Sea Island, Kisner has missed the cut twice. But, when he’s made it to the weekend, he hasn’t finish outside the top 10. That record includes a win, a solo runner-up, and a tie for fourth. He’s only played in two events so far this season, with a missed cut at the Shriners, and a tie for 54th in Vegas at the CJ Cup.

Scottie Scheffler (+1200)

Just another name that simply had to be on this list. Scheffler is playing fantastic golf with a T-2 in Houston, and a week before in Mexico, posted a T-4. The Ryder Cupper played in this event back in 2019, his only appearance in the RSM, and finished T-5.

Webb Simpson (+1300)

This just feels like an event Simpson will win at some point. The 2018 Players champion has teed it up in just three events this season, but played well in Las Vegas resulting in a T-14 at the CJ Cup. He was the solo runner-up here in 2019, and finished solo third in 2018.

Cameron Smith (+1500)

Cameron Smith looks on from the 13th fairway during a practice round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

I said it last week. He’s due. Smith followed his top 10 at the CJ Cup with a T-15 at the Houston Open. He’s never played in the RSM Classic, but his game travels. Good iron play, and the ability to roll the rock fits perfectly at the Seaside course.

Robert Streb (+7000)

Don’t look now, but the defending champion is trending in the right direction prior to this week’s title defense: T-9 at the CJ Cup in a loaded field, and a T-7 at the Houston Open. Streb has two wins on the PGA Tour, both at Sea Island.

Doug Ghim (+10000)

One of the value picks for the week. Ghim cashed in a top 30 performance in Houston over the weekend, and has made all but one cut in five starts this season. Last year, Ghim grabbed a top 20 at this event.

Corey Conners (+2000)

The Canadian hasn’t played much golf this season with his last start coming more than a month ago at the Shriners (T-40). Conners is three-for-three making the weekend at the RSM, highlighted by a T-10 last season. His game travels as well as anyone on Tour, so don’t be surprised if he makes a run in Georgia.

Denny McCarthy (+9000)

Another value play for you. McCarthy is off to a hot start to his 2021-22 campaign with three top 20s in his last five events. The Florida resident missed the cut at the RSM last season, but cashed in a top 10 in 2019.

Russell Henley (+2000)

Russell Henley of the United States lines up a putt on the 17th green during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba on El Camaleon golf course on November 06, 2021, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Henley is playing really good golf. He started his season with back-to-back top 25 finishes, and is coming off a top 10 at the Houston Open. His results at the RSM have been a mixed bag with consecutive missed cuts in 2018 and 2019, but last season broke the streak with a T-30. Henley finished T-10 in 2016, and T-6 in 2015.

Luke List (+7000)

When List has made it to the weekend this season on Tour, he’s finished inside the top 20 three of four times. He’s missed two cuts, but in both instances, was under par over his first two rounds. Back in 2018, List finished T-4 at the RSM. The Georgia resident should feel right at home this week.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open: PGA Tour preview with strokes gained data, players to watch and more

+430 on our bets last week – let’s keep that rolling in Houston

Enjoy it, folks. Breathe it in because, in a few weeks, the PGA Tour is going on a nearly month-long hiatus.

In the meantime, it’s time to go down to Texas for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open. Defending champion Carlos Ortiz, just a week after Viktor Hovland defended his title in Mexico, was hoping to do the same in Houston. However, he withdrew from the event Tuesday due to a left shoulder injury. He came into the week in good form grabbing a solo runner-up in his home country of Mexico last week.

Brooks Koepka may be the biggest name in the field, but the world No. 15 is struggling to begin this season and will look to turn that around in Houston. Last year, Koepka tied for fifth at this golf course.

Golf course

Memorial Park Golf Course
Par 70
7,412 yards
Bermuda greens

Weather

Day	Conditions	Percent chance of rain	Wind & Direction
Tuesday	Partly Cloudy	6 percent	9 MPH (SE)
Wednesday	Partly Cloudy	24 percent	13 MPH (SSE)
Thursday	Partly Cloudy	24 percent	11 MPH (NNW)
Friday	Sunny	8 percent	8 MPH (NNE)
Saturday	Sunny	0 percent	9 MPH (N)
Sunday	Mostly Sunny	9 percent	11 MPH (S)

Key stats

Driving distance: Data Golf has driving distance as the second-most important stat for the week (behind Strokes Gained: Approach). Recent champions, though, don’t quite reflect that. Carlos Ortiz and Lanto Griffin, both not known for the long ball, are the two winners at Memorial Park. However, at a par 70 golf course measuring over 7,400 yards, distance off the tee doesn’t hurt.

Bermuda putting: I say it every week the guys are on Bermuda greens – some players love ’em, some hate ’em. Look for players who thrive on lightning Bermuda.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Albany (home to Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge), 2. Detroit Golf Club (home to the Rocket Mortgage Classic), 3. Southern Hills CC

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Sungjae Im (last three starts: T-13, 1, T-9), 2. Cameron Smith (T-34, T-14, T-9), 3. Sam Burns (1, T-14, T-5)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Sam Burns (4.7 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (4 percent), 3. Sungjae Im (3.9 percent)

Betting odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Sam Burns (+1300)	Cameron Smith (+2000)
Scottie Scheffler (+2000)b	Sungjae Im (+2000)
Adam Scott (+3000)	Tony Finau (+3000)
Tyrrell Hatton (+3000)	Brooks Koepka (+3000)
Talor Gooch (+3000)	Aaron Wise (+3000)

Betting card for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open

(Last week at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba: 3-5 record, +430, or +4.3 units)

Talor Gooch – Top 20 (+170)

Talor Gooch plays his shot from the eighth tee during the third round of the Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston on October 12, 2019 in Humble, Texas. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Gooooooch. Is his name fun to say? Yes. Is that why he’s on the card this week? No, but it is one reason. Gooch has played well this season: T-4, T-11, T-5, T-11. He’s not overpowering golf courses, but he’s getting it out there far enough, 306 yards on average, while finding the short grass 75.69 percent of the time, good enough for 15th on Tour.

The last two seasons at Memorial Park, Gooch was fantastic: T-4 (2019), 4th (2020).

Aaron Wise – Top 20 (+165)

Aaron Wise lines up a putt on the 2nd green during the third round of the 2019 U.S. Open golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)

Have to ride with the hot hand. Wise’s only win came in Texas back in 2018 at the AT&T Byron Nelson, so he’ll be comfortable in Houston. Last season at this event, he finished T-11. Over his last three events, Wise has finished T-8, T-5, and T-15.

Russell Henley – Top 20 (+220)

This is my value pick for the week. One bad round in Mexico cost him a chance of a high finish, a Saturday 76. His other two starts this season? T-21 and T-25. He’s on the verge of a great start, and it may just be in the city in which he got his last win. He’s driving it nearly 300 yards on average, long enough to get around Memorial Park. He’s hitting 78.7 percent of fairways, which ranks third on Tour, while ranking first in SG: Approach.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open fantasy golf power rankings, odds and picks

Can Carlos Ortiz follow in Viktor Hovland’s footsteps and defend his title?

After a week in Mexico, the PGA Tour is back state-side for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open. Defending champion Carlos Ortiz returns to Texas in good form, fresh off the heels of a solo runner-up finish to Viktor Hovland at last week’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.

The biggest name in the field, Brooks Koepka, has struggled so far this season. He missed the cut in Mexico, finished outside the top 35 in a smaller field in Las Vegas and couldn’t break the top 60 at the Shriners. However, Koepka had a great week in Houston last season finishing in a tie for fifth.

Memorial Park Golf Course is a par 70 and will play just over 7,400 yards.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Fantasy golf top 10

Sam Burns (+1300)

Sam Burns stands on the ninth hole during round three of the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin on October 09, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

In three starts this season, Burns’ worst finish is T-14 (Shriners), and he already has a win at the Sanderson Farms. Last season in Houston, Burns finished T-7. He’ll be expensive for your lineup, but with recent form and tournament history, is worth it if you’re willing to spend.

Cameron Smith (+2000)

Smith is due. Simple as that. He’s been in contention far too many times over the last year with nothing to show for it (FedEx St. Jude, Northern Trust are just a few examples). The Aussie has only one start under his belt this season, but it was a T-9 at the CJ Cup a few weeks ago in Vegas.

Maverick McNealy (+4000)

McNealy is off to a great start this season with three top 25 finishes in five starts including last week in Mexico (T-11). He’s played in the Houston Open each of the last two seasons, both resulting in top 20 finishes.

Scottie Scheffler (+2000)

BMW Championship 2021 — Scottie Scheffler plays his second shot on the second hole during the first round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club on August 26, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

Wouldn’t be right to leave the Texan off this list, right? Scheffler had a solid week south of the border, turning in a solo fourth at Mayakoba. The Ryder Cup rookie has played Memorial Park the last two seasons with mild success (T-28 in 2019, T-32 in 2020).

Matthew Wolff (+3000)

After holding the 18- and 36-hole leads in Mexico last week, a disappointing third-round halted any chances of Wolff capturing his second Tour win. However, the former Oklahoma State star has found his game once again this season with three top 20s in three starts, including two top-fives.

Aaron Wise (+3000)

Wise, like Wolff, is off to a hot start this season – T-8, T-5, and T-15 in his last three events. Last season, Wise finished T-11 at Memorial Park. His only win on Tour came in Texas back at the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson.

Ian Poulter (+9000)

The Englishman had an interesting week down in Mexico. He was in contention on Friday, standing on the 16th tee box 8 under for the week. Thanks to a quadruple-bogey, then a bogey on 17, he missed the cut. A few weeks ago in Vegas, Poulter turned in a top 20 finish, and he won this tournament back in 2018.

Tyrrell Hatton (+3000)

Hatton grabbed a top 20 a few weeks ago at the CJ Cup and made the cut last week in Mexico but was only good enough for a T-40. Last year in Houston, Hatton played great golf finishing T-7.

Russell Henley (+5000)

Henley finished T-56 in Mexico last week, but three of his four rounds were 69 or better (a Saturday 76 was his lone blemish). The Kiawah Island resident won this event back in 2017, but hoisted the trophy at a different golf course. According to Data Golf, Henley’s game fits this track very well, one of the best in this field, actually.

In no specific order.*

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World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba fantasy golf power rankings, odds and picks

Will this be the week Cameron Tringale finally gets it done?

After a rain-soaked week in Bermuda, the PGA Tour heads to Mexico for the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba. Viktor Hovland took down Aaron Wise by a single shot last season for his second win on the PGA Tour.

This year, Hovland will have to fight off a solid field to repeat as champion. Former world No. 1s Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka are making the trip, both looking to jump-start their 2021-22 campaign with a win. Thomas finished T-12 at this event last season, while Koepka missed the cut. The four-time major champion hasn’t finished inside the top 35 yet this season.

El Camaleón Golf Course will play as a par 71, hovering around 7,017 yards throughout the week as the yardage is subject to change.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba: Fantasy Golf Top 10

Pat Perez (+9000)

Starting with Perez, this pick would give you some extra cap space to work with for the rest of your roster and is a bit of a flyer. This is a pure “horses for courses” play – in his last five starts here Perez has a win, two other top 10s, and hasn’t missed a cut.

Billy Horschel (+3000)

Horschel hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since the Tour Championship but won on the European Tour at the BMW PGA Championship. He’s played in this event the last three seasons, improving his finish each time: T-21 (2018), T-8 (2019), T-5 (2020). Horschel also owns the lowest cumulative score at this golf course over the last three years (43 under).

Aaron Wise (+3000)

Wise’s last three starts on the PGA Tour: T-26, T-8, T-5. He’s played well here in the past finishing solo second to Hovland last season, as well as a T-10 in 2018. In an event where the winning score will likely be around 20 under, Wise ranks ninth on Tour this season in birdie average (5.5).

Justin Thomas (+1200)

With Paspalum greens this week, Strokes Gained: Approach will cause more variation than SG: Putting – AKA the best-case scenario for Thomas. He finished inside the top 20 a few weeks ago in Vegas at a low-scoring event and tied for 12th last season at Mayakoba. He hasn’t won since the Players, but four of his 14 Tour wins have come during the short “wrap-around” season. Shouldn’t surprise anyone if he captures No. 15 this weekend.

Scottie Scheffler (+3000)

The Texan is giving himself a lot of chances to put circles on the scorecard, hitting 75 percent of greens this season. In turn, he ranks sixth in birdies per round (5.83), but is 175th in scoring average (72.12). In laymen’s turns, he’s making too many mistakes. If he keeps the bogeys to a minimum this week, watch out for Scheffler to earn his first win.

Viktor Hovland (+2000)

Impossible to keep the defending champion off this list. Hovland, over his last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, ranks 23rd in SG: Approach. Going back to last season, Hovland ranked sixth in birdie average, again something that will come in handy this week.

Cameron Tringale (+3000)

Talk about a guy who’s due. Despite earning over $15 million over his career, he’s yet to win. In five starts this season, Tringale has three finishes of T-22 or better including a runner-up in his last start (Zozo Championship). In his last 24 rounds on the PGA Tour on courses measuring under 7,200 yards, Tringale ranks 19th in SG: Approach, and seventh in SG: Total. Could this finally be the week for the native Californian?

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Patrick Reed (+4000)

Reed struggled in his first few starts this season missing the cut at the Shriners, and finishing nearly last at the CJ Cup. But, last week he bounced back in a big way finishing in a tie for second in Bermuda. Reed ranks eighth in SG: Total over his last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards. In 2017, the Texan missed the cut at this event.

Russell Henley (+5000)

Henley has missed the cut in his last two appearances at this event but scored a T-29 finish in 2017. However, his stats so far this season point to a solid week. First in driving accuracy, first in greens in regulation, and ninth in birdie average. Some may worry about his length off the tee, but at El Camaleón, it shouldn’t hurt him. Finally, over his last 24 rounds on the PGA Tour on courses less than 7,200 yards, Henley is third in SG: Approach, and seventh in SG: Tee to Green.

Harold Varner III (+5000)

Varner has played great golf to start the new season: T-16 (Fortinet), T-11 (Sanderson Farms), T-32 (CJ Cup). He’s made three straight cuts at this event, highlighted by a T-6 finish back in 2018. Over his last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, Varner ranks 12th in SG: Approach. If he can get it going on the greens, Varner may win for the first time on Tour.

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Kevin Kisner wins Wyndham Championship in six-way playoff

Kevin Kisner birdies the second playoff hole to win on the PGA Tour for the first time since 2019.

It took six playoff participants and two extra holes to reach an outcome, and in the end it was Kevin Kisner winning the Wyndham Championship, the final regular-season event on the PGA Tour’s 50-event “super season.”

On the second playoff hole, Kisner, the last to hit his approach shot among the six, stuffed a 9-iron to 4 feet on No. 18 at Sedgefield Country Club. He watched as the other five settled for par before stepping up and drilling his birdie putt for the win.

It was Kisner’s third PGA Tour win and first since the 2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. His last stroke-play victory was at Colonial in 2017. It was also his first playoff victory on Tour after five previous defeats.

Kisner outlasted Si Woo Kim, Adam Scott, Roger Sloan, Kevin Na and Branden Grace in the 12th playoff this season.

Wyndham: Leaderboard | Photo gallery

The win moves Kisner into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup Playoffs standings.

Scott had a chance to win it on the first playoff hole but missed a 4-footer for birdie. All six golfers parred the first extra hole.

Sunday’s final round was moved up a few hours as PGA Tour officials were looking to avoid potential weather delays.

Wyndham Championship: Can Russell Henley become first PGA Tour winner this season to go wire-to-wire?

Russell Henley’s goal of winning this season on the PGA Tour is within his grasp despite a scratchy, grind-it-out round on Saturday.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Russell Henley’s goal of winning this season on the PGA Tour is within his grasp despite a scratchy, grind-it-out round on Saturday.

“I’m not always going to shoot 62 or 64,” said Henley, who did just that the first two rounds en route to shooting a 54-hole total of 15-under 195. “I feel thankful to be under par today.”

On another scorching-hot day in the Gate City, Henley canned a 33-foot eagle putt at the par-5 15th to shoot 1-under 69 at Sedgefield Country Club, and maintained his lead after three rounds of the Wyndham Championship.

“I was just a little bit tentative, maybe a little bit nervous,” Henley conceded. “I’ve never had a four-shot lead, so just kind of dealing with all the thoughts that are not wanted in my head and just trying to focus on what I want to do.”

Henley’s lead was trimmed to three by Tyler McCumber, who fired a bogey-free 66.

Russell Henley gestures to the crowd after making an eagle on the fifteenth hole during the third round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament. (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

Henley, 32, who talked about his phone alert that reminds him he’s a great putter on Thursday, didn’t make nearly as many putts on Saturday, including suffering a 3-putt bogey at the last from 52 feet. He made a 2-putt birdie at the par-5 fifth and a bogey at 11 and his lead was trimmed to as little as one before he drilled the long eagle putt. (He made a total of 73 feet of putts for the day and 33 of those were on one putt.)

“I hit it a little too hard so I was glad it hit the hole,” he said.

Henley’s short game picked up the slack. He rescued pars at Nos. 12 and 13 that set the stage for his eagle heroics. For the week, Henley has successfully scrambled on 12 of 14 attempts. None were better than the one he made at 13 from the downslope near a bunker to the right of the green.

“If I ground my club, I think my ball would have rolled in the bunker, so I couldn’t really put my club down all the way,” he explained. “I had a ton of green to work with and I just judged it with the correct wedge and the right flight and got that up and down. That was a confidence booster under that circumstance.”

Henley said he’s worked hard to improve his short game the past few years, including practicing regularly with former Masters champion Larry Mize, and gaining structure in his practice routine from his putting coach Ramon Bescansa.

“I still don’t feel like I’m the best chipper out here or anything, but I feel a little more comfortable because of the work I’ve put in,” Henley said.

McCumber, 30, is seeking his first PGA Tour title. The son of former Players Championship winner Mark McCumber entered the week having missed six straight cuts but said he’s sticking to “his same recipe.”

“I’ve been playing great,” McCumber said. “Golf doesn’t always give you the results you want. You’ve got to stay in the process and I feel like I’ve been doing that pretty well and getting rewarded for it through the first three rounds this week, so taking that momentum into tomorrow.”

He’ll play in the final group alongside Henley and South Africa’s Branden Grace, who trails Henley by four strokes after shooting 64. Tee times were moved up to the morning with hopes of avoiding inclement weather forecast for later in the day. Overnight rain could also change the complexion of the tournament as Henley tries to become the first wire-to-wire winner this season on Tour. (Sam Burns at the Genesis Invitational, Louis Oosthuizen at the British Open and Harris English last week at the WGC FedEx St. Jude all failed in their attempts.) Twice previously this season, Henley has held or shared the 54-hole lead and both times – at the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek and U.S. Open – he failed to convert.

Lurking within striking distance are some notables familiar with visiting the winner’s circle, including Webb Simpson (-10), Justin Rose (-10), Adam Scott (-10) Kevin Kisner (-11) and Kevin Na (-11). Said Kisner, who climbed to within a stroke of the lead before bogeys at the final two holes: “I’ve got to shoot something silly tomorrow to have a chance.”

Henley’s been around long enough to know someone just might shoot something silly at Sedgefield.

“Guys could shoot 10 under or they could shoot 2 over here,” said Henley, who hasn’t won since the 2017 Shell Houston Open. “I don’t feel like I’m in a position where I can lay off the gas.”

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Wyndham Championship: Russell Henley (62) has a phone reminder to tell him ‘I’m a great putter’

First-round leader Russell Henley created a handy reminder on his phone that pops up mid-morning.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Russell Henley always had been able to putt with the best of them.

In two of his first three years on the PGA Tour he ranked eighth in Strokes Gained: Putting. But even Henley concedes he needs a gentle reminder from time to time and so he created a reminder on his phone that pops up mid-morning and says, “I’m a great putter.”

“I don’t have many reminders, but that’s one of them,” he said.

It worked like a charm on a steamy Thursday morning as Henley made an eagle and six birdies en route to a bogey-free 8-under 62 to grab the first-round lead at the Wyndham Championship when play was suspended at 8:14 p.m. with 21 golfers still on the course.

Henley, 32, was stuck in neutral early, making four pars to start his round, but that’s about when his mind-morning reminder kickstarted his day. He drilled his second shot from 184 yards at the par-5 fifth hole to 5 feet and sank the eagle putt. He followed that up with consecutive birdies, draining a 32-foot putt at the sixth and chipping in at No. 7.

“Just kind of things got going there,” he said.

Wyndham: Photo gallery | Leaderboard | Tee times, TV info

Henley finished on a high note too, carding birdies at three of his final four holes, including ramming in a 20-foot putt at the last, for a career-low opening-round score on the PGA Tour.

“Definitely glad it hit the hole. I lost a little focus there. I think everybody’s about to pass out at this point, it’s so hot,” he said. “Growing up in the south, I guess I should be used to it.”

For the past few seasons, Henley’s ability with his short stick had been in steep decline. His ranking the past three seasons in SG: Putting tell a sad story: No. 162 in 2019, No. 138 in 2020 and No. 85 this season. His confidence was so dented that he turned his daily reminder off of his phone.

“It was making me mad because I wasn’t putting well, but I put it back on recently,” he said. “Maybe I need to keep it there.”

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Henley has been working with putting instructor Ramon Bescansa and using the Perfect Putter training aid. On Thursday, he gained more than two strokes on the field with his putter. He was quick to point out that the 32-foot putt at six and the 20-footer at 18 paled in comparison to the twisting 13-foot birdie he holed at No. 11.

“I saw it perfectly and broke both ways and went in,” Henley said. “That was pretty cool.”

Early in his career, Henley struggled with inconsistency with his ball striking, especially off the tee. But ever since he began working with noted instructor Jim McLean, Henley’s become one of the better ballstrikers, with more fairways translating into hitting better approach shots. (He ranked third last season and fourth this season in Strokes Gained: approach the green.)

The trio of Michael Thompson (No. 128), Ted Potter Jr. (No. 181) and Sung Kang (No. 188) are two strokes back after shooting 64s and desperate for a good finish in order to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which begin next week. Asked how he keeps what’s at stake this week out of his mind, Thompson said, “It’s really hard. If I were to say that I’m not thinking about it, I’d be lying.”

Henley neither has the pressure of trying to lock up a playoff berth by finishing in the top 125 nor the fear of being demoted to the Korn Ferry Tour to worry about. The three-time Tour winner, most recently at the 2017 Shell Houston Open, entered the week at No. 46 in the FedEx Cup standings, but he’s still shooting to achieve some season-long goals.

“I want to make Tour Championship,” Henley said of the FedEx Cup finale reserved for the top 30 in the points standings, “and I want to win. I haven’t won in years, so I feel like as well as I’ve been playing, I feel like I’ve underachieved a little bit.”

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U.S. Open 2021: Equipment used by the contenders at Torrey Pines

Check out the gear U.S. Open contenders like Mackenzie Hughes, Russell Henley, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau are using.

SAN DIEGO — Heading into the final round of the 121st U.S. Open, there were eight golfers who were either in the lead or within three shots of the lead. Three were past major champions and five had yet to win a major title. All of them were going to feel the pressure of the toughest tournament in golf.

To help them handle that pressure, each golfer had to trust his swing and his equipment. Sunday at the U.S. Open is no time to second guess your gear.

Below is a complete list of the golf equipment Mackenzie Hughes, Russell Henley, Louis Oosthuizen, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffeler, Jon Rahm and Matthew Wolff had in their bag Sunday at Torrey Pines.

U.S. Open: Leaderboard | Photos

Three tied for U.S. Open lead, with Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau lurking two shots back

Russell Henley managed Saturday on the top of the U.S. Open leaderboard beautifully, even as others surged to meet him there.

SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Open bills itself as the toughest tournament in golf, a pressure-filled cauldron designed to push players to the limit and identify the strongest one. As the new marketing campaign goes, “From many, one.”

But there seemed to be a lid on that cauldron for most of Saturday afternoon at Torrey Pines Golf Course for one of the overnight co-leaders, Russell Henley. While England’s Richard Bland slowly slid down the leaderboard while shooting 77, Henley never reached higher than 6 under or lower than 5 under where he started.

The even-par 71 was a classic, grind-it-out U.S. Open round for the 32-year-old former All-American at the University of Georgia. With 18 holes to go, he is now tied for the lead with Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen at 5 under.

“I think I learned I can do it,” Henley said after signing his card. “(It) definitely wasn’t a perfect back nine, but (I) hit a lot of good shots, a lot of good recovery shots. Felt like I was thinking well. Just a little better execution. (I’m) definitely capable of playing better, and I think I can do it, and we’ll see.”

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Hughes, whose lone victory on the PGA Tour came at the 2017 RSM Classic, was plodding along through much of the day like Henley, waffling between 1- and 2-under par. Then, from the back of the 13th green, the Canadian did a Tiger Woods impression and holed a 63-foot eagle putt. It vaulted him to 4 under, a shot behind Henley. But a birdie on the par-5 18th pushed Hughes into a tie atop the leaderboard at 5 under.

“I don’t think I’m ever surprised when I play well,” Hughes said. “I wouldn’t say I necessarily expected to be in the last group this week, but I know that my game is good enough to win on the PGA Tour. I’ve done it before. This is a bigger stage, but again, it’s the same. You do the same things.”

Oosthuizen, who finished second to Phil Mickelson at last month’s PGA Championship, was 2 over on the day before he birdied 16 and then drained a 51-foot eagle putt on the 18th to join Hughes and Henley at 5 under.

“I think a year ago that would have been a very boring eagle with a few people going nuts,” Oosthuizen said. “But that was nice to see everyone back, having fans back, and those reactions don’t happen all the time, and it’s great to hear the crowds.”

Meanwhile, a pair of former U.S. Open champions who play the modern power game made their move Saturday.

Rory McIlroy, the 2011 U.S. Open winner at Congressional Country Club, shot 67 to reach 3 under par, two shots behind the leaders.

“It’s definitely the best that I’ve played this week,” Rory said. “I felt like I played well on Thursday, and 70 felt like the worst I could have shot. A little scrappy yesterday, but then today, I hit a lot of fairways starting out, hit a lot of greens, gave myself a lot of birdie chances. (I) didn’t actually make that many, but I just stayed really patient knowing that, if you’re not making bogeys out there, you’re not losing ground.”

Rory McIlroy reacts with caddie Harry Diamond after putting out on the 17th hole during the third round of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

McIlroy, in fact, made up quite a bit of round on Henley Saturday, going from six shots behind the overnight co-leader to just two shots behind with 18 more holes to play.

The 2020 U.S. Open winner, Bryson DeChambeau, shot 68 to join McIlroy at 3 under.

“I’ve always thought that in order to win big, big tournaments you’ve got to be able to hit it dead down the middle of the fairway, make a lot of great swings into the middle of greens and make putts,” DeChambeau said Saturday. “You can definitely do it that way, but for the way the courses that have been set up recently, there is a way to win others. Hitting it as far as you can, sometimes hitting in the fairway, sometimes not, and hopefully get lucky lies out of it and you can get clear shots to the green. If you can miss it in the right spots, you can contend in major championships doing that. Depending on the course.”

Three more power players will start Sunday’s round at 2 under. Scottie Scheffler (70), Jon Rahm (72) and Mathew Wolff (73) all still have a realistic chance to win their first major championship.

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