HAMILTON, Ont. –  Golf Canada and title sponsor RBC today announced that the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont., will host the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and 2023.

The tournament’s return to the Harry Colt designed course in 2019 is timed perfectly – marking the 100-year anniversary since the renowned club originally hosted Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

“Together with our partners at RBC and the PGA TOUR, we are extremely proud to be bringing the RBC Canadian Open back to the Hamilton Golf and Country Club in both 2019 and 2023,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada.  “There are few courses in the country that can equal Hamilton in terms of excellence and storied history and I am delighted that the club’s membership and the City of Hamilton have joined us to bring the RBC Canadian Open back to Hamilton twice over the next five years.”

Consistently ranked among Canada’s best courses, Hamilton’s parkland setting, which includes winding fairways, multi-elevations and undulating greens, have made the club a favourite of the PGA TOUR pros who’ve played it throughout the years.

“Returning to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2019 and 2023 is a great fit for RBC and the RBC Canadian Open,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President, Brand Marketing for RBC. “Our clients and all Canadian golf fans want to see the world’s best golfers playing the world’s best courses and by having Team RBC challenge the PGA TOUR’s best at Hamilton, we will accomplish just that.”

We’re thrilled to be hosting the 2019 & 2023 #RBCCO @HamiltonGolf ??

Read ➡️https://t.co/t2zk4mggR4#OurOpen pic.twitter.com/yQNh9myrZq

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 6, 2018

The Hamilton Golf and Country Club previously hosted five Canadian Opens, with the first taking place in 1919 – a championship featured two of the most legendary names in golf – Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet. J. Douglas Edgar would go on to earn a 16-stroke win – a PGA TOUR record that stands to this day as the largest margin of victory.

Other players to have won the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club include Tommy Armour (1930), Bob Tway (2003), Team RBC member Jim Furyk (2006) and Scott Piercy (2012).

In addition, Hamilton has hosted many other prestigious events including the (former) Canadian Senior Championship in 1996 as well as several Ontario (1932, 1974 and 1991) and Canadian Amateur Championships (1922, 1927, 1935, 1948, 1977 and 1994).

“We are proud to host the most prestigious championship in Canadian golf and welcome the RBC Canadian Open and the stars of the PGA TOUR to Hamilton Golf and Country Club twice over the next five years,” said Hamilton Golf and Country Club’s President Chris Hamel. “Our members are honoured to have the opportunity to help write additional chapters in the long and storied history of Canadian golf and the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and 2023 and are especially pleased to celebrate a centennial connection in 2019 between our club and Canada’s National Open.”

The confirmation of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club as the host venue for 2019 and 2023 was also made possible through a new partnership between the city of Hamilton and Golf Canada. This partnership will result in Canada’s National Sport Federation bringing multiple events and golf championships to the city to complement the two RBC Canadian Opens.

“We are thrilled to welcome the stars of the PGA TOUR back to Hamilton for two more years,” said Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton. “The RBC Canadian Open is a world class event and I know our citizens take great pride in hosting the championship here in their backyard. In addition, through our partnership with Golf Canada, our region will welcome numerous national and regional golf championships between 2019 and 2023. With a goal to leave an economic, charitable and social legacy through golf, we look forward to becoming a hub community for Canadian golf.”

The stars of the PGA TOUR won’t be the only ones having fun during tournament week when the RBC Canadian Open stops in Hamilton. Golf Canada, RBC and all tournament partners have embraced the PGA TOUR’s new fans first mantra, highlighted in the Tour’s new “Live Under Par” campaign. The event has become much more than just 72 holes of world-class golf – it’s one of Canada’s most prolific sporting events, chocked-full of activities for spectators, whether they are core golf fans or new to the sport.

This year’s RBC Canadian Open will take place east of Hamilton at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 20-26, 2018. Ticket, volunteering, sponsorship and corporate hospitality info is available online at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

https://www.facebook.com/RBCCanadianOpen/videos/10155202957140728/

CARLSBAD, Calif. – PUMA Golf, a leader in golf apparel innovation, design and style, introduced today its Autumn Winter 2018 apparel and accessories collection.  AW ‘18 showcases fresh, on-trend designs and color stories, combined with cutting-edge technical elements, including the all new FUSIONYARN fabric, designed to provide the ultimate in comfort, performance and style. The eye-catching designs and first-class materials make the collection ideal for golfers wanting to look their best on and off the greens this Fall.

The high-quality FUSIONYARN fabric blends the buttery softness and breathability of cotton with the moisture-wicking properties and high durability of polyester, delivering a high-performance fusion of synthetic and natural fibers that dries fast, looks stylish and is sure to keep golfers extremely comfortable in any setting. FUSIONYARN fabric is utilized in three polos in the men’s collection this Fall, The Crossings Polo, the Local Pro Polo and the Sundays Polo; and in this season’s women’s collection the Road Map Polo, the Sleeveless Road Map Polo and the Sundays Polo each benefit from the Fusion Yarn innovation. All six styles are designed to seamlessly transition from the office, to the golf course and everywhere in between, while providing premium comfort and feel every step of the way.

“With each new collection from PUMA Golf we work hard to surpass our previous best-in-class standards of comfort, style and performance, and our AW ’18 collection certainly achieves that goal,” said Kristin Hinze, Global Head of Golf Apparel, PUMA Golf. “FUSIONYARN is the most comfortable and versatile fabric we’ve introduced, and, along with on-trend prints and colorways, our popular bottoms for men and PWRSHAPE for women, this is by far our most premium, performance-ready collection to date, with styles that go far beyond the fairways.”

Beyond FUSIONYARN, AW ’18 will also expand PUMA’s Evoknit offering, with innovative, stylish pieces available for men and women. Evoknit is a knitted design that utilizes body mapped ventilation and seamless engineering for unrestricted range of motion. The moisture-wicking, highly breathable fabric provides extreme comfort and breathability. For this season, Evoknit technology is used in two updated short-sleeve options – the Evoknit Camo Polo, which offers a subtle, tonal camo pattern throughout, and the Evoknit Dassler Polo, part of the brands Throwback Collection (more details coming soon).  Rounding out the men’s new Evoknit offering is the Evoknit Performance ¼ Zip with long sleeves – ideally suited for layering when the weather cools. For women, Evoknit will be present in the Evoknit Camo Polo and the Evoknit Seamless ¼ zip, two striking and fun designs sure to turn heads all the way from the 1^st tee to the 19^th Hole.

The AW’18 assortment will continue to feature PUMA Golf’s popular men’s bottoms. The popular Essential Pounce Shorts, a perennial customer favorite, will be available in 10 eye-catching hues, including four new colors, offering the perfect complement to PUMA’s new polos. The collection will also continue to offer the popular 6-pocket pants, including an all new Corduroy version, part of the Throwback Collection, that is perfect for beating the Fall early morning chill.  PUMA Golf’s entire range of AW ‘18 pants & shorts offer excellent moisture management, new, improved fit, a rebalanced pattern and a curved stretch waistband featuring PWRSTRETCH for comfort and mechanical stretch for maximum range of motion.

PUMA’s new line will continue to focus on the ladies, as the fastest growing segment of the golf population. The new collection will provide additional colors and styles to the brand’s popular women’s bottoms that incorporate PWRSHAPE^TM Technology, engineered to provide a smooth, slimming effect and the ultimate support.  Four-way stretch fabric is soft, breathable, and provides unrestricted range of motion, while the bonded waistband and flatlock seam construction deliver maximum comfort.

The AW ’18 collection, which is available starting today, will be worn by the likes of Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau, Graham DeLaet, Jesper Parnevik and Lexi Thompson throughout the latter half of the golf season. For more information on the entire collection visit pumagolf.com

Team Canada alumni Garret Rank and Mackenzie Hughes both qualified for the U.S Open on Monday at their respective sectional qualifiers over the weekend.

The Stanley Cup final may be in full swing, but NHL referee Garrett Rank has his sights set on another major sporting event. The 30-year old amateur golfer from Elmira, Ont., earned a spot in the U.S Open on Monday by finishing tied for first at a regional qualifying tournament.

Rank shot 2-under over the 36-hole event to earn one of the three spots available at Ansley Golf Club’s Settindown Creek Course near Roswell, Ga.

Meanwhile, Dundas, Ont., talent Mackenzie Hughes also played his way into the U.S. Open after finishing tied for second at 10-under at his qualifying site, the Ridgeway Country Club in Memphis. This will be his second U.S. Open after playing in 2013.

OTTAWA, Ont. — Bob Moir is remembered as a grandfather who was fiercely proud of his granddaughters, Brooke and Brittany Henderson, and their accomplishments in the world of golf.

Moir, who was 81, passed away Friday after a brief battle with cancer. Brooke withdrew from the U.S. Women’s Open after an opening round 73 at Shoal Creek on Thursday and returned home with Brittany and their father, Dave, who is also Brooke’s coach. Moir was father to Brooke and Brittany’s mother, Darlene.

“He was truly blessed and proud of his granddaughters Brittany and Brooke Henderson, who brought so much joy to his life,” it said in his obituary, which can be read here: https://lannin.ca/tribute/details/996/Robert-Moir/obituary.html.

Brooke tweeted on Monday afternoon: “I am so grateful for all the time we shared together. The great laughs, smiles and memories will be deep in my heart forever. Love you Gramps.” https://twitter.com/BrookeHenderson/status/1003719057437265923

Brooke and Brittany also composed a message which was included in their grandfather’s obituary:

“The bond that we shared with our Gramps was truly special. Between the golf courses, hockey rinks, our love of nature, just hanging out at home or our texts from afar, we shared so many great laughs, smiles and memories that will be deep in our hearts forever.

“We will miss him very much as he will also be missed by so many friends and family. Peace and happiness is found knowing he is welcomed Home by Our Father through the gates of heaven where Uncle Kenny will greet him with a big hug. You are forever loved.”

Kenneth Moir was Brooke and Brittany’s uncle, who passed away in 2009.

HIGH RIVER, Alta. – The sun was shining down on the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship as Kai Iguchi went wire-to-wire while Taylor Stone came from behind to win on Sunday at Highwood Golf.

Kai Iguchi continued his impressive tournament run after dominating the field during the final round. The Banff, Alta. product fired six birdies and an eagle to lock up the junior boys division with a convincing 10-stroke victory at 11-under-par 199.

“I made a lot more putts than I have during the past couple of days. I just limited the mistakes and kept it steady,” said the 18-year-old who tied Highwood Golf’s competitive course record. “This is my first big win. It’s still relatively early but this is really good for momentum and confidence for the season.”

Ethan Choi, of Pincher Creek, Alta., held on to his second-round position to end the tournament in second at 1-under-par 209. Brycen Ko and Ethan de Graaf finish with a third-place total 2-over-par 212.

The other top-six finishers earning exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta. are Benjamin Farrington of Fort McMurray, Alta., and Korbin Allan of Strathmore, Alta., who won a playoff for sixth spot with a par on the 2nd playoff hole.

In the junior girls division, Taylor Stone moved up the leaderboard to emerge victorious. The eighteen-year-old stayed within striking distance throughout the weekend, entering the final round two shots behind the lead.

Stone, currently a freshman on the University of Texas El Paso’s golf team, was the only player in the junior girls division to record a score  in the red during round three. Her tournament-best 69(-1) helped earn her medallist honours with a 5-over-par total of 215.

“My game plan over the past few weeks was just to have fun and enjoy the whole experience because it’s my last junior year,” said the Calgary, Alta. talent, who will add this victory to her win at last weekend’s PGA of Alberta Junior Masters. “It means a lot. My goal was to win so I’m really happy that I’ve stuck with my plan.”

Fellow Calgarian Tillie Claggett, who started the tournament in seventh, carded a round of 3 over to climb up the leaderboard for the second consecutive day. The fourteen-year-old finished in solo-second at 12-over-par 222, while round one leader Emily Zhu ended up in third at 13-over-par 223.

Rounding out the top six earning exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on  July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C. are Annabelle Ackroyd (Calgary, Alta.), Jenna Bruggeman (Edmonton, Alta.), Camille Lapierre-Ouellet (Granby, Que.) and Stephanie Chelack (Calgary Alta.).

Full results can be found here.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Bryson DeChambeau finally got it right on his third try at the 18th hole and won the Memorial in a playoff on Sunday.

DeChambeau three-putted for bogey on the 18th for a 1-under 71 to get into a three-way playoff at Muirfield Village. He missed the green from the fairway on the 18th on the first extra hole and had to scramble for par. On his third try, he hit his approach to 12 feet behind the hole and made it for birdie to beat Byeong Hun An and win for the second time on the PGA Tour.

“I can’t believe I did it,” DeChambeau said.

Kyle Stanley ran off four straight birdies toward the end of his round until his final tee shot caromed off a tree and across the fairway into deep rough. He made bogey for a 70 and still got into a playoff, but he was eliminated on the first extra hole when his approach from deep rough and the ball well above his feet squirted to the right , leading to a bogey.

An closed with a 69.

Tiger Woods was never a serious factor. Starting five shots behind, Woods pulled to within three shots with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 fifth hole. But his chances effectively ended when he missed a 3-foot par putt on No. 10, and he put his tee shot into a backyard for the second time this week. He closed with a 72 and ended one of his best ball-striking weeks in a six-way tie for 23rd.

Woods was second-to-last in the key putting statistic among the 73 players who went all four rounds.

“If I just putt normally, I probably would be right there with those guys and up there in the last couple of groups,” Wood said. “If I just keep building on this, with how I’m hitting it right now, I’m in good shape for two weeks from now.”

The next stop for Woods is the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Patrick Cantlay also had a chance on Sunday, leading by two shots going to the back nine. But he didn’t make a birdie over his last 10 holes, and he fell back when he went bunker-to-bunker on the 17th and made bogey to fall two strokes behind. Cantlay narrowly missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole, shot 71 and finished fourth. Peter Uihlein (66) was alone in fifth.

Joaquin Niemann, the 19-year-old from Chile, birdied the 18th hole to tie for sixth. That was enough for him to earn special temporary membership on the PGA Tour, meaning he can get unlimited sponsor exemptions.

Justin Thomas shot 68 and tied for eighth in his debut at No. 1 in the world. He will keep that ranking going into the U.S. Open.

Woods was finishing when a long final round took shape over the last few holes.

Cantlay’s lead evaporated quickly. DeChambeau pulled within one shot with a birdie on the par-5 11, and he took the lead with a two-shot swing on the next hole with a birdie as Cantlay made bogey from the bunker. Stanley hit into the water and made double bogey and looked to be done.

Except that he wasn’t.

Stanley ran off four straight birdies, the last one from 30 feet to tie DeChambeau for the lead. And then one bad break nearly ended it for Stanley.

His tee shot was close to ideal until it caught a tree limb and caromed across the fairway, and only the ankle-deep rough kept it from going in the creek. He walked toward the tree and couldn’t believe where the marshals told him it was. He did well to advance it 100 yards down the fairway, and he missed a 15-foot par putt.

DeChambeau failed to take advantage, however, three-putting from 55 feet to fall into the three-way playoff.

On the first extra hole, DeChambeau was the only player in the fairway and missed the green to the right. He had at least chipped close enough to make par, and An joined him with a nifty chip from behind the green and straight down the slope, the ball grazing the edge of the cup.

Stanley was eliminated, but not without one last try. After his ball squirted out some 30 yards, he was still in deep rough and came up short, and his pitch for par hit the cup and hopped a few feet by.

An nearly got away with his mistake on the second playoff hole, which he pulled into the gallery. He hit a flop shot to a few feet and was certain to get par when DeChambeau ended it with his birdie putt.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ariya Jutanugarn turned a three-shot deficit into a four-shot lead after shooting 5-under 67 Saturday at the U.S. Women’s Open at Shoal Creek.

The 22-year-old from Thailand started the third round behind Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith, but quickly gained ground, making two birdies on her first three holes.

Jutanugarn took the lead after Smith stumbled with back-to-back bogeys and then surged ahead with three straight birdies on the back nine. She was at 12-under 204 for the tournament.

Smith started the tournament with back-to-back 67s, but shot a 74 in the third round and didn’t make a birdie to fall into second place.

South Korea’s Hyo-Joo Kim was in third after shooting 68 and was six shots back.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., shot a 74 to miss the cut by one shot early Saturday at 5-over 149. Amateur Celeste Dao (80), a native of Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot, Que., was at 19-over 163.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., withdrew Friday morning after opening with a 73.

HIGH RIVER, Alta. — Annabelle Ackroyd and Kai Iguchi top the leaderboard at the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship at Highwood Golf on Saturday.

Ackroyd moved up two spots to take the lead in the girls division. The Calgary, Alta. product stayed consistent throughout the round, making 14 pars and two birdies to head into the final round at 4 over.

“I played really well. I just kept trying to stay consistent, finish well and keep it going,” said the 16-year-old. “I putted really well, so that saved me.”

Yesterday’s leader, Emily Zhu, had a rough front-nine but stayed afloat after making three consecutive birdies on holes 12, 13 and 14. The Richmond Hill, Ont., native will enter the final round sharing a piece of second with Calgary’s own Taylor Stone, two strokes behind the lead at 6 over par.

Tillie Claggett sits fourth after recording a tournament-low 69 (-1) during the second round, making her the only junior girl to score in the red so far.

In the boys division, Kai Iguchi carded a second straight 2 under 68 to hold onto his lead. The seventeen-year-old heads into the final round at 4 under.

“I don’t have too many complaints about the day. It did feel a little bit shaky but the score didn’t reflect that,” said the Banff, Alta., talent “I just didn’t have too many mistakes.”

Pincher Creek’s Ethan Choi catapulted into second place, posting the lowest round of the day (-3) to sit tied in third with Ethan de Graaf of Edmonton, Alta. They both sit two shots behind the lead at 2 under after two rounds.

The top six finishers in the junior boys’ division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta. The top six finishers in the junior girls’ division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.
Up-to-date results can be found here.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It’s unexplainable, even by his own account, but once again, Cody Blick has signed for a round in the 60s on the B.C. Golf Swing. On Friday it came in the form of seven birdies offset by a lone bogey for his second consecutive 66.

Blick’s 12-under total through two days of the Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey Golf and Country Club is good enough for a share of the lead alongside Thursday’s overnight leader Chris Williams.

Leaderboard: Freedom 55 Financial Open

Carding red in Canada’s Western-most province is nothing new for the San Ramon, California native. Looking back at the last nine tournaments Blick has played in British Columbia, Friday’s 66 actually hurt his scoring average, which now sits at 65.8.

At a loss for words over how he has managed to sustain this level of play within B.C., the San Jose State University alum notes that a change in strategy he implemented this offseason has helped him the past few days.

“My first year up here, even last year, I was hitting a lot of irons off the tee,” said the 24-year-old. “These courses are tight, but if you just commit to a line and hammer driver, even if you hit it in the trees you can easily punch it up around the green and make par.”

Blick admired Rico Hoey, a 2017 member now on the Web.com Tour, for this trait when he played alongside him last season. The strategy seems to be working for Hoey, who tied for 15th at the Web.com Tour’s Nashville Golf Open last week.

“All he does is hit these little 10-yard fades and he just hammers it,” said Blick. “Then he goes and finds it and wedges it on.”

Starting on the back nine, Blick got off to a pedestrian start with the putter by his own accounts, making the turn in 35 before going on a run on the front nine — with birdies from holes 3-6 and another on No. 9 to polish off his 66.

Blick mentioned his distance tactic again when discussing Point Grey’s fourth hole, where he’s made birdie in each of the first two rounds.

“You can get right next to the green, and then it’s just up-and-down for birdie,” said Blick. “It’s just a more aggressive and more confident game plan.”

With four top-10 finishes in 2017, Blick is no stranger to the top of the leaderboard as he draws into the final pairing again Saturday.

Meanwhile, Williams once again managed a bogey free round, adding two back-nine birdies to his trio on the front for a 67.

The pair will meet on the first tee on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Bryson DeChambeau finished off a 6-under 66 with birdies on two of the toughest holes, giving him a one-shot lead going into a final round at a Memorial that features Tiger Woods in the mix at Muirfield Village for the first time in six years.

Woods was in total control of his shots for the second straight day, only to miss short putts down the stretch that spoiled his run. He was briefly tied for the lead Saturday until three-putt bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes, and he had to settle for a 68. He was five shots behind.

Woods wasn’t alone in missing short putts.

Walking off the course with his first 54-hole lead, DeChambeau couldn’t but help but think of the two that got away. He missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole, and then missed a birdie putt from 4 feet on the par-5 15th.

With the course soft and vulnerable to low scores, it was tough to leave shots on the course.

“Just keep thinking about those two 3-footers I missed,” said DeChambeau, who was at 14-under 202. “I played great, obviously. Ecstatic about where I am.”

DeChambeau wasn’t even sure where he was when he finished because so many players worked their way up and down the leaderboard over the final two hours. He wound up with a one-shot lead over Kyle Stanley, who bogeyed the 18th hole from the bunker for a 70; Patrick Cantlay, who drove into the creek left of the 18th fairway for a bogey and a 66; and Joaquin Niemann, the 19-year-old from Chile who atoned for one big mistake on the 15th hole with a birdie on the 18th for a 70.

Cantlay made two eagles, including a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth. DeChambeau rolled in a 20-foot birdie on the par-3 16th, the third-toughest at Muirfield Village in the third round, and he hit 9-iron to 5 feet on the toughest hole , the 18th.

Six players had at least a share of the lead at some point.

Byeong Hun An played bogey-free for a 69 and was two shots behind, while Justin Rose dropped two shots over the last three holes for a 69 and was four back.

Woods played the last five holes of the front nine in 5 under, starting with his second eagle of the week. And then he stalled, just like he did on Friday. He didn’t make another birdie until the par-5 15th, when his sharp-breaking 15-footer dropped to give him a tie for the lead.

That didn’t last long. Woods ran his 45-foot birdie putt about 7 feet by on the par-3 16th and missed it coming back, and then closed by missing a 3-foot par putt.

“I know I shot 68 today, but again, that’s probably the highest score I could have possibly shot,” Woods said. “I played really, really well. I played beautifully, actually. Had total control of what I was doing out there and just didn’t finish it off.”

He won the Memorial for the fifth time in 2012, finished 20 shots behind the following year and then injuries took over. He finished in last place in 2015, the last time he was at Muirfield Village.

This year has produced the kind of golf Ohio fans are used to seeing. And the weather is about par for Muirfield Village, with more thunderstorms expected Sunday. The final round will be threesomes teeing off earlier than usual to account for the forecast.

“The weather is going to be a little iffy,” Woods said. “But I’m in a position where if I shoot another good round like I had the last two days, I’ve got a chance.”

Rory McIlroy, remarkably, has reason to feel the same way.

McIlroy nearly missed the cut, surviving on the number after two days. He played bogey-free for a 64 and wound up just six shots behind. Just like Woods and DeChambeau, he had a few regrets on the greens. McIlroy missed three birdie chances inside 8 feet.

Rose has a chance to reach No. 1 in the world with a runner-up finish, depending on what Justin Thomas does Sunday. Thomas shot a 68 with three bogeys and was seven off the lead.

Along with making his second ace of the season, Cantlay blistered a 4-iron as far as he can hit it on the par-5 15th, the ball landing just short of the green and stopping 4 feet away.

Niemann also made an eagle with a 50-foot putt on the par-5 seventh hole. It was his bid for another eagle that cost him. Going for the green at No. 15, the teenager flared it out to the right and it caught the corner of a creek, leading to bogey.

He still was in good shape to win in just his fifth start on the PGA Tour.