Tag: Troy Merritt

Bubbles burst: Who’s in, who’s out of PGA Tour’s Next 10, top 125 list for 2024 events

The final event of the 2023 PGA Tour season had quite the impact on status and fields for 2024 events.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Ludvig Aberg robbed the trophy hunt of any drama by shooting 61 to win by four strokes at the RSM Classic, but the final round at Sea Island Resort’s Seaside Course still had plenty of Sunday drama thanks to the tournament within the tournament.

On the final day of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, a veteran rallied to keep full status for next season, a bubble boy had his bubble pop and another veteran pro shed tears after the realization that he had failed in his quest to stay in the top 125.

Here’s a look at how things shook out for The Next 10, the top 125 and the top 150 on Sunday.

Rickie Fowler takes another positive step forward, grabs share of clubhouse lead at 3M Open

On the heels of a final-round 65 in the British Open, Fowler shot a bogey-free 64 on Thursday.

BLAINE, Minn. – Rickie Fowler got even closer.

Ahead of Thursday’s start of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, Fowler said he was close to putting all the pieces of the puzzle that has been his swing overhaul in place and getting back to playing golf the way he wants to.

“It’s just not all coming together just yet,” is how he put it.

Looked quite complete in the first round as Fowler, who has gone 50 starts on the PGA Tour since his fifth title coming in the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open, shared the clubhouse lead with a bogey-free, 7-under-par 64. This came on the heels of his final-round 65 in last week’s British Open at Royal St. George’s.

Fowler’s game has been on the uptick of late; in his first 47 rounds this season he had zero bogey-free rounds but in his last 26, he’s had five.

3M Open: Leaderboard

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“I’m happy about it,” Fowler said. “Going off what we did Sunday last week, just needed to tighten a few things up. This golf course is fairly generous off the tee. There are a few lakes/ponds that you just need to avoid. Other than that, it’s go and attack for the most part.

“Really just focusing on things we’ve been working on, playing more consistent good golf. More days like today and things will be fine. Kind of keep things simple and small, focus on the day-to-day and this week and go from there.”

His putting was especially on point. Through his nearly two years of struggles, Fowler’s bread-and-butter putter was uncooperative. Recently, he’s been able to focus more on his putting now that he’s not consumed with swing thoughts.

“It was nice to see some putts go in because that’s been another part of the game that really hasn’t helped me a whole lot the last couple years,” said Fowler, who needed just 26 putts and ranked second in Strokes Gaines: Putting midway through the round that was delayed by threatening weather for 2 hours, 24 minutes. “It wasn’t that putting wasn’t getting the attention. There are times where you kind of get hot and cold and I was in too long of a cold spell. Putting’s something I’ve always been able to rely on. Felt like I was hitting good putts, sometimes it was either a little bit off on the read or speed was a little off. There are so many variables out there.

“Trying to eliminate as much as possible and think more about making it and not focusing about too much on the line and stuff like that. I’ve been hitting good putts, but it’s nice to see the result of the ball disappearing and not lipping out or sliding on by.”

Fowler shared the lead with Troy Merritt, who closed with two birdies. Merritt went to Spring Lake Park High School six miles from TPC Twin Cities.

“I’ve seen this golf course now for about 20 years,” he said. “Came to watch
the seniors play when I was in high school and got to play it once or twice. It’s just a lot of fun. It’s great for the players, it’s great for the fans, you can make a lot of birdies, the scoring’s usually really low.

“So, if you like shootouts, this is the golf course for you and you’re
going to get another one this week.”

At 65 was Adam Schenk and Scott Stallings, who made nine birdies but double-bogeyed the par-5 18th when his second shot with a 4-iron crashed off rocks fronting the green and ended up in the water.

“It’s golf, man. You can’t do this as long as I’ve done it and just hang
on one shot,” Stallings said. “We hit thousands of shots. It stings now because it was five minutes ago, but at the end of the day I’m going to (know I) put myself in great position after the first round and go out there and try and continue to do that the rest of the week.”

Louis Oosthuizen, who finished in a tie for third in last week’s British Open after finishing runner-up in the previous two majors, shot 68.

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Cam Davis earns first PGA Tour win in five-hole playoff at Rocket Mortgage Classic

Davis won the Rocket Mortgage Classic for his first win on Tour.

Another week on the PGA Tour, another playoff.

Five players were tied for the lead at 17 under when Troy Merritt and Joaquin Niemann, the last group of the day, stood on the 17th tee during the final round of the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic. Niemann and Merritt each made birdie on 17th and par on the 18th while Cam Davis finished eagle-birdie to force a three-way playoff at 18 under.

Niemann made his first bogey of the week on the first playoff hole, No. 18, and was eliminated while Merritt and Davis made par to advance. Both then made par on the second (15th) and third (16th) playoff holes before a pair of birdies on the par-5 14th sent the tournament back to No. 15, the fifth playoff hole.

Rocket Mortgage Classic: Leaderboard | Photos

In the end it was Davis who came out on top for the win with a par, his first on the PGA Tour. Davis has two other professional wins to his name. In 2017 he won the Emirates Australian Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia and in 2018 he won the Nashville Golf Open on the Korn Ferry Tour (then Web.com).

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Rocket Mortgage Classic: Troy Merritt comes up aces, shares 54-hole lead

The highlight of Troy Merritt’s Saturday at Detroit Golf Club? His hole-out at the par-3 11th.

DETROIT – The fireworks on 4th of July weekend began a day early for Troy Merritt.

The 35-year-old Boise State product picked a good time to make his first hole-in-one in 10 years on the PGA Tour. From 218 yards on the par-3, 11th hole at Detroit Golf Club, Merritt was stuck between a soft 4-iron and a hard 5-iron. He and his caddie, Wayne Birch, figured they had 210 yards to cover the front with the wind helping out of the right. So Merritt drew a 5-iron that hopped once and disappeared into the bottom of the cup.

“I was geeked,” said Birch, who answers to the nickname Wayne-o, Drain-o.

The ace propelled Merritt to a 5-under 67 and a share of the 54-hole lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic with Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, who remains bogey-free for the tournament.

Rocket Mortgage Classic: Leaderboard | Tee times | Blog

By the time Merritt made his ace, he already had made birdie on four of his first seven holes, including a near ace at the fifth hole to break from the pack. Early in the third round, there was a pile-up near the top of the leaderboard with an eight-way tie for first and a dozen more players within one stroke of the lead. Merritt’s ace temporarily vaulted him three strokes in front, but after hitting 22 straight fairways – he ranks tied for second in driving accuracy this week – he missed three in a row, including to the right rough at No. 12, which led to his only bogey of the day.

Merritt, who finished T-8 here last year, will be seeking his third PGA Tour title on Sunday and first since the Barbasol Championship in 2018.

“There’s going to be quite a few birdies tomorrow and we’ve got to make them to keep pace and hopefully slightly ahead of everybody. The mindset will be find that fairway first, give ourselves as many looks as we can and keep all the squares off the card,” said Merritt, who leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. “Make a few birdies but don’t give any away, make them work to come and get us and hopefully it’s good enough in the end.”

Merritt will be paired in the final group with Niemann, ranked No. 30 in the world and at 22 one of the bright stars on the Tour. Niemann, the winner of the 2019 A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier, shot 68 to improve to 14-under 202 and is attempting to be the first winner to play 72 holes bogey-free since J.T. Poston at the 2019 Wyndham Championship. Niemann, who ranks a pedestrian 88th in scrambling for the season, is a perfect 13-of-13 this week.

“I always try to not make bogeys, but this week it’s working,” Niemann said.

Twenty-four players will start the final round within five strokes of the lead. Hank Lebioda and Cam Davis – both seeking their maiden Tour victory – trail by one stroke and are the closest pursuers. Lebioda’s 6-under 66 tied for the low round of the day, but he said he leaned heavily on his short game and his best shot of the day led to a tap-in par.

“It was the flop shot over the bunkers going towards the water on 14,” said the 27-year-old southpaw, who has continued his hot play after finishing T-5 last week at the Travelers Championship. “I thought I was the older lefty, the one who’s won a few more times, when I hit that. Yeah, it was a great shot.”

Davis, 26, made three birdies in a four-hole span on the front nine to join the fray en route to shooting 5-under 67. The Australian finished T-3 at the American Express and January and has his eye on the top prize this week.

“It’s been what I’ve been working for my whole life, so it would be pretty special,” he said.

Jason Kokrak shot one of nine bogey-free rounds, a 5-under 67, to climb within three strokes of the lead as he seeks his third win of the season.

“I think it’s going to be a putting contest,” Kokrak said. “Troy’s a great putter and it’s going to take everything I’ve got in the bag to catch him tomorrow if he continues the pace he’s on.”

Expect fireworks.

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Rocket Mortgage Classic: Tom Lewis and Joaquin Niemann are bogey-free and share 36-hole lead

No bogeys through 36 holes have Tom Lewis and Joaquin Niemann at the top of the leaderboard and feeling pretty good about it.

DETROIT – At a muddy, water-logged Detroit Golf Club, Joaquin Niemann and Tom Lewis have been Mr. Clean this week.

As in their cards, through two rounds of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, are spotless. No bogeys through 36 holes have the 22-year-old Chilean and the 30-year-old Englishman at the top of the leaderboard and feeling pretty good about it.

“Right now everything is pretty good,” Niemann said.

And why wouldn’t it be? Niemann, who fired a 65 on Thursday, was in one of the last groups to complete the first round before play was suspended due to darkness. He returned on Friday morning and kept away those pesky bogeys. He opened with seven pars before wedging inside 3 feet for his first birdie of the day at No. 8. He tacked on another at the par-5 14th, after hitting the green in 2 and two putting and took advantage of the par-5 17th for his final circle on the card.

Niemann’s second-round 3-under 69 boosted his 36-hole total to 10-under 134, same as Lewis, and one-stroke better than Troy Merritt, Max Homa and Chris Kirk at the midway point of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Niemann, who entered the week ranked No. 30 in the world, blamed a balky putter for his first missed cut of the season at the Memorial and for middling finishes at the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship. But it’s come alive this week.

“I think that’s the best part of my game right now,” he said.

Indeed, it has. Niemann, who finished T-5 here in 2019, has gained more than five strokes on the green and he’s a perfect 9-for-9 in scrambling.

Lewis, 30, birdied two of his first four holes and canned a 9-foot par putt at the last hole to save par and keep the card spotless for the first 36 holes.

“I was saying to my caddie, John, it would be nice to go up and down and go bogey-free for two rounds. It’s always nice doing that,” Lewis said. “I’m just happy, even if I did miss that putt, to be in the position I am going into the weekend. I’m really pleased with the way I’ve been playing.”

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As he should given that he’s missed the cut in half of his 22 previous starts this season as well as four of his last six tournaments, and his only top-10 finish was at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two-man team event. Lewis opened with a pair of 67s last week at the Travelers Championship to make the cut but stumbled to 74 on Saturday and tumbled to a T-47 finish.

“I think the toughest round for me is going to be tomorrow. If I can go out and shoot under par, whatever happens, I’ll be really happy with that,” he said.

Lewis and Niemann have plenty of company behind them. Merritt’s 4-under 68 was set up by hitting all 14 fairways on Friday.

“When it’s this soft out here, there’s pretty much one club you hit off of every tee box, don’t even have to think about it,” he said.

But the key has been the return of his putting form, he said.

“When it’s consistently the best part of your game and you struggle with it for more than half of the year, it makes it pretty tough,” Merritt said.

Max Homa can relate, although he only struggled to see putts fall for about 30 holes. But once he broke the seal with a 35-footer at the par-3 15th, he finished with a flurry of four birdies in a row to shoot 7-under 65.

“Joe said it best,” Homa said of caddie Joe Greiner. “When we made the putt on 16, he said, ‘It’s a messed up game we play because we’ve been feeling like the hole’s a thimble and you make one long one and it starts to feel like a bucket.’ ”

Homa’s round tied for the low round of the day with Russell Knox, who hit all 18 greens in regulation and didn’t mind the gusty conditions. Neither did Chris Kirk, who shot 68 and is chasing his first PGA Tour victory since 2015 at a tree-lined course that fits his eye.

“Yeah, it certainly favors the guys that are hitting it out of the middle of the face, that’s for sure,” he said.

Does he count himself among them?

“So far, so far, yeah. It’s been all right,” he said.

Among those who weren’t dialed in this week are Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Woodland and Webb Simpson, who missed the cut. Hideki Matsuyama is another big name who checked out early after testing positive for COVID-19.

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Troy Merritt takes lead into Sunday at Barracuda Championship

Troy Merritt will take the lead into the final round of the Barracuda Championship with +33 points.

Troy Merritt will take the lead into the final round of the Barracuda Championship with +33 points, followed by Maverick McNealy and Emiliano Grillo each with +29 points.

The Barracuda Championship, being played at Old Greenwood in Truckee, California, this week opposite the World Golf Championships FedEx St. Jude Invitaitional in Memphis, uses the Modified Stableford scoring format and is the only PGA Tour stop to do so.

Players are allocated points based on the number of strokes taken at each hole with the goal of achieving the highest overall score.

Merritt, who played golf at Boise State his last two years in college, finished second in the Barracuda last year, to winner Collin Morikawa. He had six birdies Saturday, and two bogeys.

Merritt will be in the PGA Championship starting Thursday, replacing Francesco Molinari, who withdrew Friday.

Robert Streb has +28 points, Joseph Bramlett and Richy Werenski each are next with +26 points. Seamus Power has +25 points.

Kyle Stanley led after the second round Friday with +22 points, mixing one eagle, six birdies and three bogeys in his first return to the Barracuda Championship since 2016.

Friday’s lead was the sixth time Stanley held the lead after 36 holes. He remained at +22 points (T10) after Saturday’s third round.

Stanley is a two-time Tour winner (2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open, 2017 Quicken Loans National).

The field was cut to the top 67 players after Friday’s second round. The cut line was at +6 points.

  • Sponsor exemptions Peter Kuest  and Sahith Theegala both advanced to the weekend in their Barracuda Championship debuts. Theegala is at +13 and Kuest at +12.
  • Austria’s Matthias Schwab is trying to become the first sponsor exemption to win since Matthew Wolff (2019 3M Open).
  •  Robert Streb has never missed the cut in five appearances at the Barracuda Championship.