AKRON, Ohio – Shane Lowry began daydreaming Sunday morning about lifting the Bridgestone Invitational trophy on the 18th green, and then he would quickly return to reality because he knew there was a long day ahead with world-class players all around him.

Turns out he was right.

He just never could have dreamed how it unfolded.

Lowry hooked one tee shot so far left that he was given a free drop because the 11th tee box was in the way. He opened the face of a pitching wedge to hit over a 50-foot tree and made birdie. Lowry finished the biggest round of his career with a sand wedge that he hammered through a tree on the 18th to just over 10 feet for a closing birdie.

Not to be overlooked were two huge par saves that carried him to a 4-under 66 and a two-shot victory over Bubba Watson.

“It’s fairly special to do that against such a good field, to shoot bogey-free 66 on a golf course like that,” Lowry said. “I know it will stay with me now for the rest of my career. I’ve done everything I needed to do today.”

Watson also closed with a 66. Jim Furyk and Justin Rose, who shared the 54-hole lead, fell behind on the front nine and couldn’t catch the 28-year-old Irishman. Both closed with a 72 and tied for third.

Lowry produced a flawless card and a full supply of fist pumps for his biggest victory. He won the Irish Open in 2009 as an amateur, and then added the Portugal Masters three years later. He wasn’t even sure he was in the Bridgestone Invitational until he narrowly qualified at No. 48 in the world.

He became the first non-PGA Tour member to win a World Golf Championship since Martin Kaymer at the 2011 HSBC Champions. Lowry moved to No. 19 in the world and plans to play both tours next year.

“To beat those guys down the stretch on a golf course like this … it just shows a lot about my game, that’s it good enough to compete at any level,” Lowry said.

Lowry had a one-shot lead when Furyk made his second bogey on the front nine, but the Irishman appeared to be in trouble with a wild hook off the 10th tee. Instead, he powered a wedge as high as he could, over a tree and listened for the gallery’s roar to hear the results. It plopped down and rolled to within tap-in range for a birdie that gave him control, and he never let up.

Just as important as his birdies were two pars on the back nine when he was trying to steady his nerves.

Lowry found a deep bunker left of the 14th fairway, came up short of the green and faced an 18-foot par putt that he buried to stay two shots ahead. Watson was up to his old theatrics with a shot out of the trees to 6 feet for birdie on the 17th to get within one shot. Lowry, playing two groups behind him, pulled his approach on the 17th and faced a tough chip from behind the green and he could only get within 6 feet. He holed that for another big par to keep his cushion.

“I was just trying to make two pars coming in after I saw Bubba make his birdie on 17,” Lowry said. “The up-and-down on 17 was probably the biggest up-and-down of the week considering the circumstances.”

Lowry finished at 11-under 269 and earned $1.57 million, along with a PGA Tour card for the next three years. He had been a special temporary member.

Watson was stunned that two wedges down the stretch bounced so hard on the greens and took away reasonable birdie chances – one on the par-5 16th and on the closing hole after a drive that rolled out nearly 380 yards.

“I nipped it, took paint off the ball and cut it with a 63-degree lob wedge and it just bounced,” Watson said. “Now knowing that if I had hit the tree, it spins more on 18. That’s what I should have done. Tell Lowry that was unbelievable.”

Furyk and Rose were annoyed for different reasons – Furyk because he’s not hitting the ball very well, Rose because he is.

“I’m playing better than anyone in the world right now tee-to-green,” Rose said. “So hopefully, it’s a big-boy golf course next week and the long game really helps me out. I just (need to) putt a little bit better and give myself another chance.”

Furyk was concerned about the way he was hitting the ball earlier in the week and said his flaws were covered up by great putting. He couldn’t rely on it Sunday.

“The last 27 holes, not only didn’t I hit it well, I hit the ball very poorly,” he said. “We’ve got some work to do.”

Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth closed with a 66 and tied for 10th, his fifth straight top 10 during a stretch in which he has won four times.

RENO, Nev. – J.J. Henry won the Barracuda Championship for the second time in four years Sunday, beating Kyle Reifers with a 15-foot eagle putt from the fringe on the second hole of a playoff.

After Henry holed the left-to-right breaking putt on the par-5 18th, Reifers missed a 10-footer.

Reifers had three back-nine eagles in a 22-point round to match Henry at 47 points at Montreux Golf and Country Club in the PGA Tour’s only modified Stableford event. The 40-year-old Henry, also the 2012 winner, closed with a birdie for a six-point round.

Players received eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-one for bogey and minus-three for double bogey or worse.

On 18 on the first extra hole, Reifers made a 12-foot birdie putt after Henry chipped to 1 1/2 feet to set up his birdie.

Reifers eagled three of the last six holes in regulation, making a 12-foot putt on the par-5 13th, holing out from 90 yards on the par-4 14th, and closing with a 15-footer on 18.

Henry has three career PGA Tour titles, also winning the 2006 Buick Championship in his home state of Connecticut.

Patrick Rodgers was a point back after an 11-point round.

Andres Gonzales was fourth at 43 after a 10-point round, and David Toms was another point back after scoring two points.

Canadian Roger Sloan struggled in his final round, managing just three points. He finished the tournament with 27 points and tied for 37th.

CALGARY, Alta. – Jeff Maggert won the Shaw Charity Classic on Sunday for his third Champions Tour title of year, birdieing five of the last six holes on the front nine in a four-stroke victory.

The 51-year-old Texan, two strokes behind playing partners Miguel Angel Jimenez and Colin Montgomerie entering the round, closed with a 6-under 64 at Canyon Meadows to finish at 16-under 194.

“I feel a little fortunate, obviously,” Maggert said. “I really thought Colin and Miguel would play some solid rounds. You know, the golf course, we had a little wind today, so it didn’t play as easy as it did some of the other rounds.

“I stuck to my game plan on the front nine. I wanted to make as many birdies as I can. Colin had a little hiccup there on the ninth green and all of a sudden I’m walking off the ninth hole with a nice big lead, which was unexpected.”

Maggert added birdies on the par-5 11th and par-3 14th, dropped a stroke on the par-4 15th and parred the final three holes.

“The course played tough at the end,” Maggert said. “The wind came up and 13, 15, 16, 17 all played tough at the end. The only hiccup there was on 15 with the three-putt.”

The three-time PGA Tour winner also won major titles this year in the Regions Tradition and U.S. Senior Open. He won the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic last year in his debut on the 50-and-over tour.

“A late bloomer maybe,” Maggert said. “Twenty-five years of playing on the tour and I had a lot of close calls, a lot of chances to win a few majors. I thought I would have won a dozen times on my career, but I didn’t. So in some regards I feel like I’ve still got a lot to prove to myself and my golf game.”

Maggert earned $352,500 to take the money lead with $1,805,176 and moved into second place behind Montgomerie in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup race.

Montgomerie was second after a 70.

“I felt a bit dizzy and a bit weird all day actually,” Montgomerie said. “I don’t know why I would feel that way. I don’t know. I didn’t play well at all, but I managed to summon up some sort of energy to get it up-and-down at 16, 17 and 18.”

He’s scheduled to play in the PGA Championship next week at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

“I don’t feel very well, so I’m going to rest the next couple days and look forward to hopefully playing in the U.S. PGA,” Montgomerie said.

Mark O’Meara and Scott Dunlop tied for third at 11 under. Dunlap had a 64, and O’Meara shot 66.

Fred Couples, the winner last year, finished with a 68 to tie for fifth at 10 under.

Jimenez had a 74 to drop into a tie for 12th at 8 under. He matched the course record Saturday with a 61.

Canadian Stephen Ames finished T5 after a final-round of 3-under 67.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Martin Piller won the Digital Ally Open on Sunday for his second Web.Com Tour victory of the year, matching the tournament scoring record at 26-under 258.

The 29-year-old Piller, married to LPGA Tour player Gerina Piller, closed with a 6-under 65 at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate to tie the mark set by James Nitties in 2011.

“I didn’t have any kind of number in mind. I just wanted to play as well as I could on each shot,” Piller said. “I knew there were a lot of good players chasing me today. You don’t ever expect to go bogey-free in the final round.”

Piller earned $108,000 to jump from fifth to scecond on the money list with $309,549, more than enough for a PGA Tour card next season. He won the Boise Open last month and has five career tour titles.

“This win gives me even more confidence going forward because I don’t feel I drove the ball particularly well this week, but my irons were good and my chipping and putting were lights out,” Piller said. “I know now that I don’t have to drive it perfect and can still play well.”

Piller opened with rounds of 65, 62 and 65.

Darron Stiles was second, four strokes back after a 67. He earned $64,800 to jmup from 33rd to 11th on the money list.

“I knew starting the day that I needed to go out and shoot something pretty spectacular,” Stiles said. “I’m disappointed. I know I could have been a couple shots better, but second place ain’t that bad.”

Monday qualifier Sebastian Vazquez (63), Canadian Ryan Yip (65) Sung Kang (65), Chris Baker (67), Michael Kim (67) and rookie Tyler Duncan (67) tied for third at 20 under.

AKRON, Ohio – Justin Rose never lost belief that he was playing well even as he went 30 consecutive holes without making a birdie in the Bridgestone Invitational.

The streak ended on his first hole Saturday.

And he kept right on going.

Rose had a good start and a strong closing kick with three birdies over his last four holes, including a 40-foot putt on the 18th hole. It was the longest putt he has made all year, and it gave him a 7-under 63 and a share of the lead with Jim Furyk.

“I guess that shows it just evens out, really, if you can stay the course and stay patient, kind of believe that you’re going to get your run eventually,” Rose said. “Yesterday, I actually played really well. … It just didn’t happen yesterday. But came into today with a belief that I was still playing well.”

Furyk, who had a four-shot lead going into the weekend, finished with six straight pars and he had to work hard for the last one. After spending much of the back nine in the rough, he finally drilled one right in the middle on the 18th hole, only for it to settle in a sand-filled divot.

“I finally hit a good drive on 18 and I’m licking my chops to get down there, knowing I’m going to have a short iron in my hand,” Furyk said. “Not only was I in a divot, it was a pretty bad lie. I felt like there was raised sand behind the ball.”

His only option was to punch an 8-iron that he tugged slightly into the collar. His chip rolled out through the green, and he holed a 12-foot putt for his par and a 69 to join Rose in the lead at 9-under 201.

Furyk was more excited than usual, pumping his fist when it fell.

Being tied for the lead wasn’t that big of a deal for someone like Furyk, who has been around long enough to know the tour stopped giving charity money away for a 54-hole lead. And while every shot counts over 72 holes, this was more a matter of finishing the right way. He made bogey on his last hole the previous two rounds.

“That always leaves a little bit of a sour taste, and I didn’t want to do that three days in a row,” Furyk said. “Knocking the putt in was nice. In the whole scheme of things, it’s nice to have the shot. It’s just a good way to finish off the day.”

They were two shots ahead of Shane Lowry of Ireland, who had a 67.

Steve Bowditch also had a 63 earlier Saturday and was in a group four shots behind that included Ian Poulter (65), Henrik Stenson (68) and Bubba Watson (69). Watson had a chance to get closer to the lead until he missed a short birdie putt on the 16th and dropped a shot on the next hole.

Another shot back were Graeme McDowell (69), Brooks Koepka (68) and Robert Streb (68). McDowell didn’t make a birdie after the eighth hole and closed with a bogey, while Koepka was poised to move closer to the leaders until his bogey-bogey finish.

Still, what Rose did Saturday was enough evidence that any number of players to have a chance. Rose was six shots behind going into Saturday. There were 10 players separated by five shots going into Sunday.

Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth was not among them. Only his putting kept a 72 from being worse. Spieth struggled to find fairways – he still hasn’t had a birdie putt on the par-5 second, the easiest at Firestone, this week – and didn’t give himself many birdie chances. He wound up nine shots behind, all but assuring that Rory McIlroy will be No. 1 going into the PGA Championship next week.

“Very frustrating today. It was a poor performance,” Spieth said. “Didn’t have very good control of the ball. I putted it OK, but other than that, very much struggled. I’m going to need to look for some answers tomorrow and into next week.”

Rose had no such problems.

He made a pair of key par saves on the front nine that kept the momentum from his birdie-birdie start, and he didn’t come seriously close to a bogey the rest of the way.

As for the birdies? They were overdue. Rose made birdie on the sixth hole of the opening round, went the last 12 holes without another, and then made 17 pars and one bogey on Friday. He started fast Saturday, and finished even better.

Now he’s in position to capture his second World Golf Championship – Rose also won the WGC at Doral.

Furyk remains in position for his first, and it could happen at no better place than Firestone, the course where he was denied victory in 2001 after a seven-hole playoff with Tiger Woods and in 2012 when Furyk made double bogey on the last hole.

RENO, Nev. – J.J. Henry birdied the final hole to take a one-point lead Saturday in the Barracuda Championship, the PGA Tour’s only modified Stableford event.

Henry had a 41-point total at Montreux Golf and Country Club, scoring 17 points in the third round with nine birdies and a bogey. Players receive eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-one for bogey and minus-three for double bogey or worse.

The 40-year-old Henry won the 2012 event for the last of his two PGA Tour titles. He’s 150th in the FedEx Cup standings, with only top 125 advancing the first event in the playoffs.

David Toms and Sweden’s Jonas Blixt were tied for second. The 48-year-old Toms had 10 birdies and two bogeys in an 18-point round. Blixt had a 16-point day.

Robert Garrigus had 37 points after a 16-point round.

Former Stanford player Patrick Rodgers was fifth at 35 points after a 14-point day.

The 23-year-old Rodgers has earned enough money through sponsor exemptions to become a special temporary member of the PGA Tour. With just over $800,000, most of that from a runner-up finish in the Wells Fargo Championship in May, he is virtually assured of a PGA Tour card for next season. Rodgers won the Web.com Tour’s Colombia Championship in February.

Canadian Roger Sloan shot up the leaderboard and is tied for 23rd going into the final round. The Calgary native shot eight birdies to score 13 points and now has 24 overall.

CALGARY, Alta. – Miguel Angel Jimenez eagled the par-5 18th hole Saturday to match the course record of 9-under 61 and tie Colin Montgomerie for the second-round lead in the Shaw Charity Classic.

With wife Susanne working her first tournament at his caddie, Jimenez matched Fred Couples’ course record set last year.

“My caddie needed 19 working days to get a visa to come here and that’s the reason he’s not here,” Jimenez said. “My wife is a good player, a single handicap, too, and she knows about golf. She said from the beginning, `If he’s not coming, I would love to caddie for you.’ `OK, fine. No problem.'”

The 51-year-old Spanish player made seven birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the round. He set up his closing eagle with a 7-wood to 9 feet.

“I played very well,” Jimenez said. “I hit very solid from green to tee and, in the beginning, the ball not like to drop in the hole. But then I start to make birdies. … It’s going to be a very tight finish tomorrow, that’s for sure.”

Montgomerie, the first-round leader after a 62, birdied the 18th for a 66 to join Jimenez at 12-under 128 at Canyon Meadows. The Scot had an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys.

“Disappointing the way I finished,” Montgomerie said. “I missed three putts in a row there at 16, 17 and 18. I three-putted the 16th for a bogey and I missed a very makeable putt at 17 for a birdie and I missed a very makeable eagle putt at the last. So, very disappointing finish, to be honest.”

Jimenez won the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii in January. He also won the Greater Gwinnett Championship last year in his first start on the Champions Tour.

“Obviously, Miguel had a great day as I did yesterday,” Montgomerie said. “It’s set up for a very exciting finish.”

Jimenez and Montgomerie are travelling together to the PGA Championship after the tour tournament.

“Yeah, we’re sharing a plane tomorrow as well to Milwaukee to get there in time,” Montgomerie said. “I know him very well. Obviously, played on many Ryder Cup teams with him and he’s a great competitor.”

Montgomerie successfully defended his title in the Senior PGA Championship in May for his third major victory on the 50-and-over tour.

Jeff Maggert, the Regions Tradition and U.S. Senior Open winner, was 10 under after a 63. He played alongside Jimenez and Couples.

“Sometimes when the guys in your group are making a lot of birdies, we all kind of feed off each other,” Maggert said. “I made birdies early. Then Miguel made three or four birdies out of five holes, so we just kind of kept each other going.”

Defending champion Couples was tied for fourth at 8 under after a 65. Last year, Couples chipped in for eagle for a 61 in the final round, then beat Billy Andrade with a tap-in birdie on the first playoff hole.

“I’m in the same spot I was last year,” Couples said. “I’ve just got to go out and freewheel it and try and shoot a good score. Last year was a crazy score like Miguel’s today. Am I out of it? No, but I don’t think Miguel’s going to struggle at all.”

Woody Austin also was 8 under after a 64.

Mark O’Meara, Tom Byrum, Michael Allen and Canadian Stephen Ames were 7 under. Byrum had a 66, and O’Meara shot 67, and Allen and Ames 68.

YORKTON, Sask. Michelle Kim carded a final-round even-par to win the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.

The 18-year-old Team Canada Development Squad member’s third-round 69 propelled her ahead of the competition with a 4-stroke lead through 54-holes; she went on to finish the championship at 6-under par 286.

“This is probably the biggest achievement that I’ve ever made. I mean I still can’t believe it; it feels amazing especially because it is my last junior tournament and I’ve worked really hard,” said the native of Surrey, B.C.

Kim managed four rounds at even-par or better through high winds and rainy conditions to capture the championship by two strokes.

“I’ve played this tournament for many years and I’ve gotten close, but I was never really that close to winning. To win this just really gives me a big confidence boost going into the University of Idaho and competing in NCAA tournaments,” said Kim.

Fellow Surrey, B.C., native and provincial teammate Hannah Lee finished her final round at 2-under par to claim solo-second at 4-under for the championship. Lee’s round was highlighted by four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 second hole.

“I was close to winning it, but I’m really happy for Michelle. I’ve seen her golf ever since I started playing tournaments, so congrats to her,” said the 15-year-old who claimed the Juvenile Division title. “It’s an honour to win the Juvenile part of Nationals,” said Lee who didn’t think she would play as well as she did in this championship.

“I will take my experience from this tournament, I’m going to think about the memories I had here and remember to use them for my next tournaments so I can be more successful,” said Lee, who opened the competition with a competitive course record of 66.

Rounding out the top-three in the overall standings was Team Canada Development Squad member Naomi Ko. The 17-year-old from Victoria shot a final round of 72 to finish at 3-under 289 for the national championship.

Kathrine Chan finished in second in the Juvenile Division, 3-shots back of the winner. The 15-year-old began the championship in fast fashion with a 4-under 69 and played steady golf to earn runner-up honours.  The Richmond, B.C., product shot an even-par final round with four birdies to finish 1-under for the tournament.

Three shots back at 2-over par 294 and wrapping up the top-three in the Juvenile Division was 12-year-old Euna Han. The Coquitlam, B.C., native tallied a hole-in-one on No. 8 and added two birdies to her round of 4-over 77.

An Inter-Provincial competition coincided with the first two rounds and saw Team British Columbia comprised of the Junior and Juvenile champions, alongside Victoria native Akari Hayashi, capture the team championship by 20 strokes at 7-under par.

Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que.), Sarah-Eve Rheaume (Québec City, Que.) and Annie Lacombe (Laval, Que.) of Team Québec finished as runners-up with a two-day total of 305. Two shots back in third place was Mississauga, Ont., product Chloe Currie, Alexandra Naumovski of Hornby, Ont., and Richmond Hill, Ont., native Kristen Wong of Team Ontario.

With the victory in the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, Michelle Kim has earned a spot in the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Minas, N.S., and has earned exemptions into the 2016 season’s three Canadian Women’s Tour events.

For full results and information regarding the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, click here.

TORONTO – Francesco Ruffino shot a 6-under 66 at Weston Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont., to claim medalist honours at the final qualifying event for the 2015 edition of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Michael Boss, Jake McNulty, Charles Corner and Addison Coll captured the remaining four spots available through the qualifier to complete the field for the 111^th playing of the world’s third-oldest amateur championship.

“I’m excited. I’m really looking forward to playing in it,” said Ruffino when asked about the opportunity to join the full field of 264 players in the national amateur competition. Ruffino carded an eagle and five birdies to lead the field of 119 competitors vying for a spot in the championship. With today’s victory, the Bloomfield Hills, Mich., native gained valuable experience and confidence for the tournament ahead.

“I think there are actually a couple of holes that I can play better, but I felt pretty well out there.  I didn’t play great, but I was able to be pretty smart with a lot of my shots,” said the 20-year-old. “I really tried to give myself a lot of birdie looks – a few of them dropped, a few of them didn’t. You can always ask for more, but I’m satisfied with a 66.”

The sophomore at the University of South Florida beamed about the course conditions and welcomes the chance to play them again next week.

“The fairways are pristine, they’re perfect,” said Ruffino. “The greens are great, they roll true. If you hit a good putt, you know it’s going to go in. The rough is long and if you don’t hit it in the right spot, you’re going to get penalized out here. It will be really exciting to see how the rest of the field does in the tournament.”

Michael Boss of Lewiston, N.Y., carded a bogey-free 67 to finish runner-up. Port Perry, Ont., product Jake McNulty notched six birdies en route to a round of 3-under 69. The trio of Charles Corner (Cayuga, Ont.), Addison Coll (Arlington, Va.) and Sam McNulty (Port Perry, Ont.) finished T4 after rounds of 70 and required an extra hole to decide the final two spots in the championship. Corner chipped-in for birdie on the par-4 No. 18 to secure his place while Coll made par to advance.

The 2015 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will be co-hosted by two storied Toronto clubs – Weston Golf & Country Club and The Lambton Golf & Country Club. The first two rounds will take place on August 10 and 11 across both host courses. Following the championship’s first 36 holes, the field of 264 representing eight countries will be reduced to 70 players and ties. The two final rounds will be contested at Weston Golf & Country Club where one competitor will claim the coveted Earl Grey Trophy as the Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion.

The winner will earn exemptions into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., as well as, the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

An inter-provincial championship will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of the tournament with three-member teams competing for the Willingdon Cup. Additional information regarding the 2015 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is available here.

Full scorecards and additional details from the final qualifier can be found here.

AKRON, Ohio – Jim Furyk is two rounds away from erasing a couple of bad memories at Firestone.

Even with a bogey on his last hole for the second straight day, Furyk did plenty right Friday morning in the Bridgestone Invitational for another 4-under 66 that gave him a four-shot lead midway in the second round.

Furyk ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch late in his round to reach 8-under 132.

It’s a familiar position for Furyk at Firestone, where he has done everything right except leave with the trophy. In a seven-hole playoff against Tiger Woods in 2001, Furyk missed three putts inside 12 feet for the win, and Woods finally closed him out with a birdie.

More painful was three years ago, when Furyk led wire-to-wire and was in the 18th fairway on Sunday when one bad swing led to a double bogey and he lost by one.

Furyk doesn’t see this as a shot at redemption.

“I would say that I’m disappointed I’ve never won here,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite courses we play. But to have like a chip on my shoulder? No. It’s another year and opportunity, and we’re only halfway. I’m going to try to do the same things this weekend and not really look at the leaderboard that much and go try to shoot under par.”

Shane Lowry of Ireland had a 66 and was at 4-under 136 as the second round was finishing. Of the early starters on a day filled with sun, Furyk was five shots clear of Graeme McDowell (71), Danny Lee (72) and Henrik Stenson (69).

Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth got within two shots of the lead when he chipped in for birdie on the third hole (his 12th of the round). He followed with back-to-back bogeys to drop back about the time Furyk was starting to pull away.

The good news for Spieth? In his sixth round at Firestone, he finally broke par with a 68 that left him six shots behind. Spieth would have to win this World Golf Championship to replace Rory McIlroy at No. 1 in the world.

“It goes with the bigger goal of trying to give myself a chance to win this championship,” Spieth said. “It wasn’t going to happen shooting even.”

Even with 17 wins on the PGA Tour, Furyk knows disappointment as well as anyone. During his four-year victory drought he ended this year at Hilton Head, Furyk had seven runner-up finishes that included two majors.

But he recently read a story that mentioned the amount of scars that golfers suffer from losing and how much it affects them.

“Everyone’s got them out here,” he said. “There isn’t anyone that doesn’t have scars and doesn’t have a memory when they step up on a tee where the last two times they hit it left in the water and then you’ve got to step up on the tee and rip one down the middle. So it’s happened to all of us. It’s how you handle those situations that end up making or breaking you and your career.”

Furyk’s win at Hilton Head put him in the conversation for the World Golf Hall of Fame – 17 wins, a major, and 20 years of so much consistency that he has amassed more than $60 million in earnings.

For now, he’ll settle for another Hall of Fame.

Furyk, whose grew up in Pennsylvania and whose parents are from Pittsburgh, struck up a relationship with Jerome Bettis years ago. The Bus has been supporting Furyk’s golf tournament and foundation over the years, and Furyk received an invitation to the NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Canton.

“I’m sure I was one of a thousand people to receive an invite, but I was honored to get one,” Furyk said. “I figured it would be a great, great thing to do to take the kids to see, and they’re up here with me. We’re going to go see the game on Sunday as well. I kind of regret not going to see maybe like Dick LeBeau get in and some of the Steelers while I was here. I watched that one on television, but being so close, it seemed like just something fun to do.

“He supported us and our foundation a bunch, it would be nice to go see him get in.”

Furyk would love to have a trophy with him when he goes to the Hall of Fame exhibition against the Vikings. But there’s still plenty of work to do.