pga tour leaderboard detroit

2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic: Live leaderboard and updates from second round

Welcome to the  2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic  second round Friday, the PGA Tour's fourth annual stop in Detroit, Michigan.

There are  156 players competing  for the tournament's title at the  Detroit Golf Club .

Tony Finau and Taylor Pendrith lead the way entering Friday's second round, after both shot opening rounds of 8-under-par 64 on Thursday morning. Finau hit 13 of 14 fairways, and hit all 18 greens in regulation — meaning he had at least a birdie putt — for the first time in his PGA Tour career.

ROUND 2 UPDATE: Two PGA Tour Rookie of the Year favorites set pace Friday in Detroit

OPINION: No worries at Rocket Mortgage Classic, which is going strong in Detroit, even with LIV Golf

Webb Simpson is among a large group tied for third at 6-under, as many of the big names played well in the first round , especially in the morning before the wind picked up in the afternoon. 

Past Rocket Mortgage Classic champions Cam Davis (2021) and Nate Lashley (2019) both shot 4-under 68 playing with Finau. World No. 4 and betting favorite Patrick Cantlay shot 2-under 70 on Thursday morning.

ROUND 1: Rocket Mortgage Classic's leaderboard full of longshots looking for big win

Opened in 1899, Detroit Golf Club has  two 18-hole courses , the North and South, both designed by the legendary Donald Ross. The tournament setup uses 17 of 18 holes on the North, and is rerouted for the Tour for a par-72 of 7,370 yards. It is the flattest course on Tour. The tree-lined, up-and-back routing is old-school, and only one hole has a water hazard, the par-5 14th. Driving accuracy and exquisite putting on the undulating greens are key to victory. 

The cut line will take place after 36 holes and is currently at 3 under par ; the top 65 players and ties will continue to the weekend.

•  LIVE LEADERBOARD

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN: Player drops club in disgust, still makes hole-in-one in Round 1

The tournament will stream all day via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ , starting at 7 a.m., with a main feed channel, featured groups and featured holes. Golf Channel is broadcasting on television in the afternoon from 3-6 p.m. Play begins at 6:45 in the morning from both the first and 10th tees, and the final group tees at 2:22 in the afternoon.

Weather will be sunny and in the high 70s in the morning, with clouds and temperatures moving into the low 80s by the early afternoon. Winds are 5-6 mph in the morning and again pick up to 10-12 mph in the afternoon.

Here's a look at the groupings to watch; find  second-round tee times for all 156 players, and follow live updates below.

MUST-PLAY: This might be Michigan's most underrated golf course

6:45 a.m. Sahith Theegala, Beau Hossler and Brandon Wu.

7:18 a.m.: Will Zalatoris, Cameron Young, Davis Love III.

7:29 a.m.: Max Homa, Luke List, Joel Dahmen.

7:40 a.m.: Kevin Kisner, Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley.

12:43 p.m.: Tony Finau, Cam Davis, Nate Lashley.

12:54 p.m.: Webb Simpson, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day.

1:05 p.m.: Patrick Cantlay, Cameron Champ, Gary Woodland.

THE VERY BEST: Michigan is a top 10 state for private golf courses. Here are the 15 best

Update, 12:30 p.m.

Tour rookie and former Pepperdine standout Sahith Theegala — who  swept college golf's player of the year honors in 2020 — had one of Thursday's best afternoon rounds, shooting 68. He continued the momentum Friday morning by surging to the lead and finished with a 5-under 67.

Fellow top rookie Cameron Young overtook Theegala by a shot , carding an eagle and seven birdies on his way to a course-tying record round of 9-under-par 63 to reach 10-under overall.

Will Zalatoris, the second-highest ranked golfer in the field at No. 13 in the world , shot 71 to leave himself 3-under for the tournament, right on the projected cut line .

2013 Masters champion Adam Scott continued his good play, reaching 9-under with six birdies Friday for a 66. The 42-year-old Australian finished T-15 at The Open at St Andrews two weeks ago.

World No. 20 Max Homa birdied three of his final five holes — including a deuce on his final hole, the par-3 ninth — to shoot 4-under 68 and get to 4-under for the tournament, likely solidifying he'll be around for the weekend.

A TREAT: University of Michigan Golf Course is a must-play with stunning elevation, rare history

YOUR NEXT TRIP: Ranking Michigan's top 10 golf resorts and destinations for your Up North vacation

How to watch Friday's second round

TV:  Golf Channel, 3-6 p.m.

Streaming:  PGA Tour Live  on ESPN+ , 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Radio:  SiriusXM 12-6 p.m.

Defending champion:  Cam Davis,  18 under par  (defeated Troy Merritt and Joaquin Niemann in playoff.)

Follow coverage all week long at freep.com and  Golfweek, part of the USA TODAY Network .

Live updates

Can't see the updates? Refresh your browser or  try this link .

Stay informed on what's happening across Michigan: Subscribe to our news alert emails .

June 25 - 30, 2024

Rickie Fowler

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Rickie Fowler Ends PGA Tour Drought With Dramatic Playoff Win At Rocket Mortgage Classic

The American is finally a PGA Tour winner again, beating Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin in a playoff in Detroit

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Rickie Fowler birdied the first playoff hole to win a dramatic Rocket Mortgage Classic and pick up his first PGA Tour title in more than four years.

Not since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open 1,610 days ago had Fowler tasted success but he ended his drought in style to take down Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin at Detroit Golf Club.

Since reuniting with Butch Harmon, the American has rediscovered some of his best form but had failed to turn that into a win, falling short at the US Open after taking a lead into the final round.

This was therefore an important Sunday for Fowler. He began the day one clear and extended his advantage with three birdies in his opening seven holes,  before a run of 10 straight pars left him playing catch-up to Hadwin and Morikawa, who set the clubhouse target at 24-under after a bogey-free 64. 

When the pressure was at its most intense, however, Fowler responded, firing an approach shot to three feet on 18 to set up a birdie that forced his way into the playoff. 

Sometimes to get over the line you need some good fortune and that's exactly what Fowler got as the trio returned to 18 with lightning incoming. A big right miss landed in the gallery but after taking relief left him with a good lie in the rough and a clear shot to the green.

He took advantage to turn the tables on his opponents before holing from 11 feet to confirm his return to the big time.

An emotional Fowler dedicated the win to his family on the 18th green.

"It's hard to really put into words," Fowler said. "Obviously a lot of good stuff this year and I've been playing some really good golf, so I knew it was just a matter of time with how I've been playing.

"I've had a couple of tough weekends where I've had a chance, you know at the US Open I didn't get it done, but at the end of the day getting to hang with [daughter] Maya and my wife, winning is great but there's a lot more to life than that." 

As well as a return to the winner’s circle and the $1.584 million first prize, Fowler is set to vault back into the world’s top 25, having fallen well outside the top 150 at his lowest ebb. 

Rocket Mortgage Classic Leaderboard 2023

*won in a playoff

• -24 Fowler*
• -24 Morikawa, Hadwin
• -21 Moore, Glover, Kuest

Useful Links

• Rocket Mortgage Classic Live Stream
• Aberg Boosts Ryder Cup Chances With Stunning Audition Alongside Skipper Donald
• Bathroom Emergency Sends Rickie Fowler Into A Detroit Spin
• Rocket Mortgage Classic Prize Money

Hello and welcome

Welcome to live coverage from the final round of the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic. Sunday tee times at Detroit Golf Club have been moved up with inclement weather predicted for later in the day, so the leaders are out imminently.

Everyone is chasing Rickie Fowler, who goes in search of his first PGA Tour title since 2019. It promises to be a thriller on a mammoth Sunday of sport, so strap yourselves in!

Morikawa on the move

Reeling it back in 👀@Collin_Morikawa had this shot dialed @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/osBwkP1Bpm July 2, 2023

Morikawa has already reduced his arrears to three with a birdie at the first. Behind, the final group is out on the course, with Fowler on the green around 30 feet away.

Alongside, Hadwin and Pendrith have good chances at the first from inside 15ft.

Fowler maintains lead

It's pars at the first for the final group, meaning Fowler remains a shot clear of Hadwin.

Morikawa within two

A birdie at the third for Morikawa gets him to -18 and within two of Fowler. The leader is safely aboard the second green and will have a good chance to make his first birdie of the day.

Conditions on the course are very wet but there's no rain falling currently.

Bogey for Pendrith

The Canadian finds the second green in regulation but a costly three-putt drops him back to -17 and three behind Fowler. 

Fowler and Hadwin make pars to remain -20 and -19 respectively.

Birdie for Fowler

The Sky Sports coverage has begun, thankfully. In time to report a Rickie Fowler birdie as well. The American is now -21 and two clear of Hadwin.

How Malnati got to -17?

50 feet from the rough 😳@PeterMalnati gets his third birdie of the day @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/1Dz0LGcr6a July 2, 2023

The PGA Tour Policy Board member has been busy recently off the course, and he's making moves on it today in Detroit. This birdie takes him to -17 and into a share of sixth place.

Hadwin cuts Fowler's lead to one

The Canadian curls in a tricky left-to-righter for his first birdie of the day on the fourth. He's up to -20 and just one behind Fowler, who makes from 4ft for par.

Brolleys up

The rain has arrived to add another layer of intrigue to this final round. Hopefully it stays light and doesn't cause any delays. Time will tell. 

Hadwin and Fowler safely find the green on the 165-yard par-3 fifth.

What a putt!

What a time to hole a monster putt for Fowler. He pours it in for birdie from 46ft at the fifth to get to -22 and restore his two-shot lead.

Up ahead, Malnati makes another birdie and moves into a tie for third at -18.

How Rickie got to -22

46 FEET for @RickeFowler 💪He extends his lead to two @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/JjkwoXag9O July 2, 2023

This 46-footer got Rickie to -22 and two ahead.

Morikawa to -19

The two-time Major winner continues his assault up the leaderboard with another birdie on the par-5 seventh. He taps in to get to three-under for the round and -19 in total. He's three behind Fowler.

Schenk charging

Adam Schenk makes his fourth birdie in a row at the 10th to get to -19. He could cause an upset if he keeps this up.

Fowler is in decent shape in two on the par-5 seventh.

Another birdie for Morikawa

Morikawa makes it back-to-back gains with a birdie at the eighth that gets him to -20. He's momentarily within two of the lead until Fowler converts from 6ft on the seventh to get to -23.

Hadwin and Pendrith also birdie the seventh to get to -21 and -18 respectively. 

Hole in one!!!

HOLE-IN-ONE FOR HOMA!@MaxHoma23 records his second ace on TOUR on No. 15 @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/1iTzcCbRRV July 2, 2023

Brightening up a fairly miserable Detroit day, Max Homa makes a cracking hole-in-one on the par-3 15th, landing his tee shot beyond the hole and spinning it back into the middle of the cup. 

It gets Homa to -14 and into the top 25. 

Hadwin closes in on Fowler

Fowler can only manage a par on the eighth, leaving the door open for Hadwin from six feet. The Canadian steps through with a birdie to get to -22 and cut Fowler's lead to one.

Audi performance zone

For anyone watching the Sky Sports coverage, can you let me know if you've ever seen Simon Holmes in a different outfit. Starting to think he sleeps in black shoes, black trousers and a black jumper. 

Morikawa to -21

Another birdie for @Collin_Morikawa 👀He’s within two of the lead @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/mxBIFkBwpu July 2, 2023

A brilliant wedge into the 10th leaves Morikawa around 6ft for birdie and he converts to get to -21 and within two of Fowler.

Fowler hits a stunning tee shot into the 212-yard par-3 ninth but can't get the 15-footer to drop. He'll take a one-shot lead into the back nine. It's well poised.

Huge par save for Morikawa

Morikawa comes up short on the long par-3 11th and hits a pretty poor chip to around 12ft. Trailing by two, he can't really afford to take a backwards step and doesn't, slotting the par putt to remain -21.

In the final group, Fowler lengthy birdie putt on 10 shaves the edge but stays above ground. Hadwin also makes par, so it's as they were going to 11.

Another birdie for Collin

Here comes Collin. Another pinpoint approach on the 12th leaves him about 10ft for his sixth birdie of the day and he makes it to get to -22. He's now just one behind Fowler, who is on the par-3 11th green but quite a distance away.

Homa in the house

Max Homa, who made a hole-in-one earlier in the day, closes with a par and a round of 67. He leads in the clubhouse at -15 and will take encouragement from that after back-to-back missed cuts.

Schenk to -20

The American two-putts the par-5 14th for birdie to get to -20 and within three of Fowler. He'll need a storming finish to challenge for the win but you never know.

On the DP World Tour...

.@_danielhillier wins the 2023 Betfred British Masters 🏆#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/ujxXNAHrTd July 2, 2023

A storming finish - a birdie and two eagles in his final four holes - earned New Zealand's Daniel Hillier his maiden DP World Tour title at the British Masters. What an effort.

Weather update

The rain is chucking down here but it's not bad enough to suspend play yet. Greens are mega slow, with Fowler coming up short with his birdie putt on 13. He is able to mop up for par, though, and stay -23.

He's still one clear of Hadwin and Morikawa with five holes to go. The par-5 14th is up next.

Double bogey takes Moore out of contention

Taylor Moore's slim hopes of winning end on the par-5 14th with a double-bogey. The American hit his third into the water and couldn't get up-and-down to salvage a bogey.

There's a serious hold-up on this hole, with players taking shelter while they wait.

Morikawa ties Fowler at the top

This one had some serious spin on it 👀@Collin_Morikawa will have a good birdie look on 14 to tie the lead @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/5mqulOGc9N July 2, 2023

This is sensational from Morikawa. He zips a wedge back to around 10ft on the par-5 14th and coolly pours it in the front door for his seventh birdie of the day to join Fowler on -23. 

Fowler finds 14th in two

A superb drive and fairway wood gets Rickie Fowler onto the par-5 14th green in two, meaning he'll have a great chance to surge clear again having been caught by Morikawa.

Ahead, Morikawa cleans up well from 4ft for par on 15 and finds the fairway on 16. Hadwin is still in the mix at -22 but it looks like a three-way shoot-out for the title.

Fowler three-putts

Nerves are starting to show here. Fowler lags his 73-foot eagle putt to 4ft but pulls his birdie effort and misses a huge chance to retake the solo lead. He remains tied with Morikawa on -23 as he heads to the short par-3 15th.

Hadwin also failed to make birdie so sticks at -22. 

Three-way tie at the top

Clutch birdie from @AHadwinGolf 😤He’s now tied for the lead with Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/lkjOmCoWjF July 2, 2023

Hadwin holes from 15ft to get to join Fowler and Morikawa on -23. Rickie is up next on the same line but from a couple feet closer and can't get his to fall, meaning there are now three tied at the top with just three holes left.

Advantage Hadwin on 16

Fowler does well to muscle a nine-iron onto the 16th green from the thick, wet rough, but he's left with 60 feet for birdie.

From the fairway, Hadwin has far more control and takes advantage, flighting an iron shot into 19 feet.

Morikawa takes on par-5 17th in two

Morikawa launches a drive on the par-5 17th and takes on the green in two with a fairway wood. It's all over the flag but stops a fraction long of the green and looks to have nestled on the collar between the fringe and the rough. Could be a tricky up-and-down from there.

Pars for Fowler and Hadwin

Fowler superbly lags his 60-foot birdie putt down to tap-in distance, meaning Hadwin has a putt to take the solo lead for the first time all day. He hits it well and it's tracking but it dives across the hole and misses left. 

The pair remain locked on -23 with Morikawa.

Morikawa hits the front

The two-time Major winner hits a great chip from the back of the 17th green down to about three feet and makes no mistake with the birdie putt. He takes the lead on his own on -24 as he heads to 18.

Birdie and 65 to finish for Glover

It's good to see Lucas Glover back in form. The 2009 US Open champion cleans up from 4ft at 18 for a birdie and a round of 65 to finish -21. 

Morikawa burns edge on 18, Fowler out of position

𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 close to a closing birdie …@Collin_Morikawa still maintains a one-shot lead in the clubhouse and will await his fate @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/Kdw1YINxu1 July 2, 2023

A good drive and iron shot into 18 leaves Morikawa a 20-footer for birdie and it looks set to fall but burns the edge on the high side. He drops to his knees but it won't change the result. He taps in for a brilliant 64 and sets the clubhouse target at -24.

On 17, Hadwin finds the par-5 green in two while Fowler is in the rough facing a tricky pitch shot. 

Hadwin birdies, Fowler pars

Hadwin cleans up from 4ft for a brilliant two-putt on the par-5 to join Morikawa on -23.

Fowler's pitch shot is lucky to bounce out the rough onto the fringe but he can't get his lengthy birdie putt to fall. He's now one behind and needs to birdie 18 to have any chance of winning for the first time in four years.

Kuest on a quest

Clutch moment for the Monday qualifier 😤@Peter_Kuest moves to T4 after a birdie on 17 @RocketClassic. He needs a two-way T4 or better to secure Special Temporary Membership on TOUR. pic.twitter.com/fknGSHCeeT July 2, 2023

This is a potentially huge Sunday for Peter Kuest, who Monday qualified for this event. He needs to finish in a two-way tie for fourth to secure Special Temporary Membership to the PGA Tour; he's currently in a three-way tie...

FOWLER!!!!!!

Fowler's tee shot narrowly avoids the hazard that runs up the left-hand side of 18 and he takes advantage, firing a laser-like iron shot from the semi rough to about 4ft. That was clutch.

Hadwin finds the rough off the tee and misses the green with his second, but he's not in bad shape in the first cut. A playoff looks likely but you never know...

Fowler makes, playoff time

Clutch shot from @RickieFowler!He has a 3-footer left to force a playoff @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/A5CvpZYaBI July 2, 2023

Death, taxes and a PGA Tour event I'm covering going to a playoff. 

Hadwin chips to 4ft and makes the par putt to finish -24 and ensure we're going to a playoff. Can Rickie join them? Absolutely. He bangs it in the middle after an unbelievable second shot.

Fowler in trouble

Back to 18 we go. Morikawa is up first and pipes one down the middle. Fowler is next and he shells it well right and into the gallery. Hadwin joins Morikawa on the fairway.

Lightning isn't far away so it looks like we'll only have time for two extra holes.

Fowler hits a stunner

What a shot from @RickieFowler!He’s left with a 11-footer for birdie @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/gnufBYIFIY July 2, 2023

Rickie gets a huge break off the tee to pull a lie but boy does he make the most of it. From 184 yards he fizzes his approach to 11 feet.

Over to Hadwin and his approach lands close but it's loaded with spin and backs up some 20 feet away.

Morikawa goes aggressive and hits his approach over the green.

Amazingly, it's advantage Fowler.

FOWLER IS THE CHAMPION!

Hadwin hits a great putt but it just burns the edge on the left side. Morikawa is next from the thick rough and goes underneath it, leaving himself 7ft for par.

But it matters little as Rickie steps up and slots his birdie putt to win on the PGA Tour for the first time since 2019. He did it the hard way. Take a bow, Rickie Fowler.

The winning moment

A champion once again 🏆 The winning moment for @RickieFowler @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/LEQ8f05gHN July 2, 2023

Incredible scenes!

Thanks for joining

As ever, thanks for following along with us. It was a memorable day as one of the game's good guys returned to the winner's circle. We'll be back next week but until then, it's goodbye!

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Rickie fowler survives three-way playoff for dramatic win at 2023 rocket mortgage classic, share this article.

Rickie Fowler buried a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win a battle with Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in Detroit and end a four-year victory drought at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

“I knew it was just a matter of time with the way I was playing,” said Fowler, who notched his sixth career PGA Tour title.

It had been 1,610 days, or 4 years, 4 months, 29 days since his last win at the 2019 WM Phoenix Open, the longest victory drought of his Tour career.

Ten months ago, he was ranked No. 185 in the Official World Golf Ranking and barely qualified for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Late last year, Fowler returned to working with his former instructor Butch Harmon and his game has made steady progress. He entered this week having finished in the top 20 in 12 of his 15 starts this year.

“It’s tough when you’re struggling for that long of a period of time,” said Fowler, noting that his play was building to this victory. “How I’ve played is some of the best if not the best I’ve felt about my game and on the course really ever.”

A champion once again 🏆 The winning moment for @RickieFowler @RocketClassic . pic.twitter.com/LEQ8f05gHN — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 2, 2023

After inclement weather in the forecast moved up final-round tee times at Detroit Golf Club and forced the use of preferred lies, the field dealt with intermittent showers and muggy conditions. Three players looking to end winless droughts emerged in a battle down the stretch, setting up for a thrilling finish.

Fowler, who held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open two weeks ago, shot 64 on Saturday to claim a one-stroke lead. But he was 2-for-10 in converting 54- hole leads and almost let this one slip away too. He made birdie on three of his first seven holes, including a 46-footer at No. 2, to stretch his lead to two but failed to capitalize on the par 5s and lost the lead late on the back nine. When it mattered most, the 34-year-old out of Oklahoma State stiffed his approach at 18 to 3 feet.

“Our back was against the wall,” said Fowler of his dramatic 72nd-hole wedge from 147 yards. He cashed in the putt for 68.

Returning to 18 for the first playoff hole, Fowler flared his drive right into trouble but he got relief from casual water and had a clean look at the green and knocked his approach to 11 feet, which turned out to be closest of the three playoff contestants.

Morikawa, who hadn’t won in two seasons and nearly two years – an eternity for the 26-year-old two-time major winner – shot a bogey-free 8-under 64.

“Playoffs suck when you’re on the wrong side of them,” Morikawa said. “You put everything you want into it and comes down to one hole, but that’s what golf is. You’ve got to perform, you’ve got to execute the shots.”

He erased a four-stroke deficit by making six birdies in his first 12 holes, and chipped close at the par-5 17 th to become the first player to reach 24 under and grab the lead for the first time in the tournament. His birdie putt at 18 to tie the course record lipped out of the left side of the cup. His approach in the playoff airmailed the green and his birdie chip from just off the green came up short.

“I truly thought I hit the perfect shot and I just was a little juiced, went a little far,” Morikawa said of his second shot at the playoff hole.

Hadwin, 35, was seeking his first win since the 2017 Valspar Championship, a drought even longer than Fowler, something that wasn’t lost on Hadwin or his caddie Joe Cruz.

“I looked at Joe on I think 15 and said, ‘Why don’t we do this more often? This is fun,’ ” Hadwin recounted.

Hadwin, who shot a final-round 67, made it a three-way tie for the lead at 23 under with a birdie at 15 and tied Morikawa with a birdie at 17. His approach to 18 rolled off the green, but he got up and down to shoot 67 and join Morikawa at 24-under 264. Hadwin’s 22-foot birdie effort at the first playoff hole burned the left edge.

“That putt on the playoff there looked really good, just a little bit hard,” he said.

Fowler’s winning putt benefited from a free read from Hadwin, and he rolled it in and soaked in the moment.

“I was kind of just still and quiet and everyone was going crazy around me,” he said. “It was a nice moment just to kind of feel like the weight on my shoulders was finally off.”

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Rickie Fowler steps up in Rocket Mortgage Classic playoff for 1st PGA Tour win in 4 years

Texas A&M product Sam Bennett finished the tournament at 13-under to tie for 29th, while former Texas Tech golfer Ludvig Aberg tied for 40th.

By The Associated Press

2:23 PM on Jul 2, 2023 CDT

DETROIT — Rickie Fowler made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, outlasting Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin two weeks after squandering a chance to win his first major at the U.S. Open.

The 34-year-old Fowler got his first PGA Tour victory since winning the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. He had the 54-hole lead at last month’s U.S. Open and in one tournament in each of the previous two years.

After getting knocked down on the leaderboard at Detroit Golf Club on Sunday, Fowler responded on his 72nd hole of the tournament with an approach from 145 feet that left him with a 3-foot birdie put to pull into a three-way tie with Morikawa and Hadwin at 24 under.

Related: Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth discuss No. 1 status, look ahead to Ryder Cup

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Fowler hit an errant tee shot way right in the playoff and after a drop, his approach from 184 landed 11 feet from the cup.

Morikawa, meanwhile, was just inches long on his approach and instead of having the ball spin back to the hole, it bounced into the rough and his chip was short of the cup.

Hadwin had the first chance to make a birdie in the playoff and his 22-foot put curled just past the hole.

Then, Fowler stepped up with a desperately needed clutch put to win.

Morikawa shot an 8-under 64, faring better than Hadwin (67) and Fowler (68) in the final round.

While Fowler faltered, going 10 straight holes settling for pars on a relatively easy course, Morikawa had four birdies on both the front and back nine. Morikawa made a 10-foot putt at No. 12, his fourth birdie in a six-hole stretch that put him within a shot of Fowler, and his nine-footer for birdie at No. 14 pulled him into a tie with Fowler at 23 under.

Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (65), Lucas Glover (65) and Taylor Moore (67) were tied for fourth at 21 under. Kuest, who started the week ranked 789th in the world, did well enough to earn a spot in this week’s John Deere Classic in Illinois.

Play was suspended Saturday for 1 hour, 42 minutes because of lightning and the schedule for the final round was adjusted due to inclement weather in the forecast.

The leaders teed off Sunday morning about 5 hours before the original schedule with threesomes starting on both the front and back nine.

Find more golf coverage from The Dallas Morning News here .

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Did that really happen? Vijay Singh wins Ally Challenge after leader collapses on 17

Vijay singh now is a four-time winner at warwick hills in grand blanc, including three times at the old buick open..

Grand Blanc — When Vijay Singh's 30-footer for birdie came up just short on the 18th green, he thought he had come up just short in the Ally Challenge, too.

But then, as he walked off the green, he took one last look at the leaderboard and saw he was leading. Paul Goydos, the leader through 16 holes, was nowhere to be found anywhere on the front page of the leaderboard.

The disaster of all disasters struck at the par-3 17th for Goydos, and the fortunate recipient was Singh, the World Golf Hall-of-Famer who now has won four times at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club, including three Buick Opens.

"I don't know how he did it," Singh said of Goydos, "but it's unfortunate, really unfortunate."

For Singh, 60, this was his sixth win on the 50-and-older Champions Tour, and first since 2018. He won the old Buick Open on the PGA Tour here in 1997, 2004 and 2005. He takes home the $330,000 first-place check, and will start celebrating when he gets to Hawaii on Monday, he said.

Singh shot rounds of 66 and 68 on Saturday, after rain postponed Friday's round, and finished off with a 68.

He actually took the lead on the back nine Sunday, after he birdies Nos. 12, 13 and 14, but a bogey on 15 and a par at the scoreable par-5 16th seemed to do him in.

Godyos, 59, the 36-hole co-leader with Darren Clarke, opened with a 2-under 34 on Sunday, but then made three birdies of his own on Nos. 13, 14 and 15 to seize command of the tournament. On No. 15, he made a 30-footer to get to 15 under, with a one-stroke lead. He also made par at the doable par-5 16th, but still had the lead when suddenly everything changed at 17.

Goydos hit a well-enough tee shot, 25 feet short of the hole, and lagged to 3 feet.

From there, the unfathomable: Four more putts, for five total. It was a triple-bogey 6, and a gutwrenching scene.

Goydos, despite the epic collapse, signed autographs for the entire rope line outside the scorer's tent, before talking with The Detroit News.

"I've battled, for a lack of a better word, the yips, the flinches with the putter. I putted pretty well all week, until 17," Goydos said. "I hung in there pretty well, played pretty good, except for one little 45-second moment.

"I couldn't get it in. I missed it left, and right, and left and right, all over the place.

"As I've gotten older, I've battled (the yips), especially this year."

Goydos technically still had a shot to tie Singh on the par-4 18th, if he holed out for eagle. He took dead aim, his ball landing just three feet left of the cup. He missed the birdie putt, and was amazed he made the tap-in.

"I flinched it in instead of flinching it out," said Goydos, who was looking for his sixth Champions Tour win, and first since 2017. He shot a final-round 71, and tied for third place at 12 under with Stephen Ames (70), Harrison Frazar (71) and Tim Petrovic.

Jeff Maggert finished second alone, at 13 under, after a final-round 69.

Clarke (72) finished seventh, and Bernhard Langer (70), Steve Stricker (68) and David Toms (68) tied for eighth at 10 under. Lake Orion's Tom Gillis (70), trying to get ball full status on the tour, tied for 23rd at 5 under.

"Played well," said Gillis, 55, who now lives in Jupiter, Florida. "Couldn't get the putter going."

Goydos long has related to that sentiment, but perhaps never more than Sunday.

There aren't too many pros who can recall four-putts, let alone five-putts.

"Three putting is bad. It's bad ," Goydos said. "(I'll) be upset probably more tonight, go back tonight and look yourself in the mirror."

Singh was sympathetic: "You don't want to see anyone having a three-putt (let alone) a four-putt or a five-putt."

Singh opened Sunday's final round a shot back, and a bogey at the par-3 eighth hole stunted his momentum. But then he made four birdies over the next six holes to get into it. Turns out, he wasn't out of it when he thought he was out of it.

Singh becomes the sixth different winner in the sixth playing of the Ally Challenge, and he becomes the second player to win both the Buick Open and the Ally, joining Jim Furyk, a winner here in 2003 on the PGA Tour and in 2020 in his Champions Tour debut.

Singh said he always seems to drive it very well at Warwick Hills, which leads to a lot of birdie opportunities. That was especially true this week, with soft conditions and preferred lies in the fairway. He finished the Ally with 16 birdies and an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole in the opening round.

"I love coming here," said Singh, a three-time major champion, with two Masters titles and a PGA Championship crown, who, unlike Goydos, has seen his putting come around this week. "I love the golf course.

"It was a long time coming," he said of Sunday's win, snapping a nearly five-year victory drought.

Said Goydos of Singh: "He played good, he deserved to win. It's fine. On this tour, it's 54 holes."

He found out in the cruelest of ways, it's not 53.

Michigan champs in 2023

➤ Meijer LPGA Classic: Leona Maguire

➤ Rocket Mortgage Classic: Rickie Fowler

➤ Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational: Elizabeth Szokol and Cheyenne Knight

➤ Ally Challenge: Vijay Singh

[email protected]

X: @tonypaul1984

Peter Malnati wins Valspar Championship, first PGA Tour win in 8 years

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A year of unlikely PGA Tour winners has found its most joyful champion yet — Peter Malnati, who won the Valspar Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour win since 2015.

Malnati began the day two strokes back of the lead, in a mix of names vying for the trophy. After a final round 67, to finish 12-under for the week, Malnati was lifting his son Hatcher in his arms on the 18th green and tearfully sharing his story.

“That moment of winning a tournament and having your family come out onto the green, the big hugs and all of that, that’s something that I’ve seen other families have and that’s been my dream. I’ve had a lot of stretches of golf in the last nine years where I wondered if that would ever happen,” Malnati said. “I’m in peace with who I am and the way I live and the work that I put into this. If I’d never had that moment I had today I would have been completely fine. But man is that special.”

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When Malnati made the turn he was firmly in the mix but it was also time to make a move, with playing partner Mackenzie Hughes atop the leaderboard for the moment. The push started on No. 10, when Malnati hit his second shot to 16 inches for a tap-in birdie. On the par-5 11th, he hit a second shot out of the pine straw low and on a line, giving him about 80 yards into the green. He hit it to four feet, for another birdie. It was another terrific second shot on 12 that got him to 15 feet for his birdie putt.

As Malnati’s ball rolled towards the cup, he closed his eyes and looked to the sky. When he finally did open them again, he expressed surprise the putt had dropped into the cup. Suddenly he was at 11-under, and had the tournament in his grasp.

“I would say from about the 13th tee in I didn’t really feel like myself,” Malnati said. “I was really amped up. I was in a state of really like heightened energy. And so I just had to keep going through my process … for the most part I was able to execute.”

“You wonder if you’re ever going to do it again.” The emotions come out as @PeterMalnati reflects on his second TOUR win @ValsparChamp . pic.twitter.com/Oc1ehqwjZ2 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2024

Cameron Young provided drama, tying Malnati at 11-under. But the latter, playing a group behind the former, birdied No. 17 right around the same time Young’s tee shot on 18 was drifting horribly left, denying him a birdie look. He ended up three-putting for bogey and finishing solo second, still looking for his PGA Tour win.

Malnati, 36, is among the PGA Tour’s more colorful and engaging players, a heart-on-his-sleeve type that can stand out on a driving range that features plenty of disgruntled millionaires. He wears a bucket hat to honor a friend and former PGA Tour golfer, Jarrod Lyle, who died in 2018 after battling leukemia. Malnati uses a yellow ball because it was a favorite of his 4-year-old son. He responds to every fist bump and engages with fans routinely, even if he’s in contention on a Sunday for the first time in years. He used the pulpit that a win on the PGA Tour provides to speak to why events like the Valspar Championship and other non-signature events matter in a new version of the tour that often makes the case they are something less than.

Malnati has gone whole seasons without a top-10 finish since his 2015 Sanderson Farms win, and has one runner-up finish to his credit since — at the 2021 Sanderson Farms. He’s played in three majors, and never made the cut at one. He’s been a picture of the PGA Tour journeyman in now his 10th year on tour, so much so that he was elected to the PGA Tour Policy Board to represent that contingent on tour players. “The 90 percent,” as he calls it.

He was a winner again on Sunday on the PGA Tour, headed to his first Masters. He said he’s turned down every invitation he’s ever had to either attend as a fan or play at Augusta National Golf Club, waiting for an invitation from the club itself.

“I’ll probably accept that invitation,” Malnati said. “Which would be really, you know, the realization of another childhood dream to me.”

(Photo: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)

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Hugh Kellenberger is the senior managing editor of The Athletic's golf group. A native of North Carolina, Kellenberger previously served as sports editor and columnist for the Jackson (Mississippi) Clarion Ledger. He first covered Ole Miss for the paper, and in the past has covered Indiana for the Bloomington Herald-Times and the ACC for the Rocky Mount Telegram. Follow Hugh on Twitter @ KellenbergerCBB

Cameron Young Sets Unfortunate PGA Tour Mark at the Valspar

• By Luke Norris
• Updated Mar 25, 2024 at 1:33pm

Getty Cameron Young during the final round of the 2024 Valspar Championship.

Given how often Cameron Young seems to be near the top of a leaderboard, it’s often easy to forget that the New York native has played golf professionally for less than five years. He’s also been a full-time PGA Tour member only since the start of the 2021-22 season, earning Rookie of the Year honors.

But despite consistently putting himself in contention, the two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner has yet to hoist a trophy on the PGA Tour. During the final round of the 2024 edition of the Valspar Championship on March 24, Young again had a chance to claim victory but ultimately settled for second, finishing two strokes behind Peter Malnati .

Young, 26, now has an astonishing seven second-place finishes on the PGA Tour in just 60 starts, which is quite impressive. However, he also now owns the most runner-up finishes without a victory in the last 40 years.

Cameron Young Surged Into Contention at the Valspar But Again Settled for 2nd

Looking for his first TOUR win 👀

Cameron Young gets a share of the lead @ValsparChamp .

Following a third-round 68 on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook, Young entered the final round of the Valspar three strokes out of the lead.

He got off to a great start on Sunday, making a birdie at the first, but gave the stroke right back with a bogey at the second. Following his second birdie of the day at the par-3 fourth, the Wake Forest alum kept himself in it with six consecutive pars before quickly climbing up the leaderboard with birdies at Nos. 11, 12, and 14.

With pars at 15 and 16, Young came to the 198-yard, par-3 17th tied for the lead with Malnati and gave himself another good look at birdie by hitting his tee shot roughly 17 feet, 6 inches from the hole. But his putt just slid by, and he tapped in for par. Malnati, playing in the group behind him, birdied the 17th to take a one-shot advantage.

On the 438-yard, par-4 closing hole, Young yanked his tee shot left, leaving himself a tough angle but hit a fine second just to get on the green. But left with just over 51 feet to the hole, he three-putted for bogey. While Malnati needed only a par at the last, he made his fifth birdie of the day to take a two-stroke victory and earn his first PGA Tour win since 2015.

Tree trouble finds co-leader Cameron Young.

He drops a shot after an errant tee shot on the 72nd hole @ValsparChamp .

Young, meanwhile, was left to wonder what might have been yet again. But he kept things in perspective.

“I think I kept myself in it mentally really well today,” Young said afterward , according to PGATour.com. “I hit a couple shots I was really proud of late. … I think I handled my own thoughts really well and, for me, that’s a big win regardless of the outcome.”

Young Needs to Hope For a David Duval-Like Breakthrough

ON THIS DAY in 1997 David Duval won his 3rd straight title in a month at the #TourChampionship after winning the #Michelob and #WaltDisney

While there are several past players to which Young could be compared, the first who comes to mind is David Duval .

Like Young, Duval posted a pair of wins on what was then called the Nike Tour before becoming a full-time PGA Tour member. And also like Young, Duval found success quickly but just couldn’t close.

In 1995, his first full season at the highest level, he earned three runner-up finishes. The following year, he earned two more. And in 1997, he recorded another three.

At long last, on October 12, 1997, Duval broke through and won the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill in a playoff. A week later, he won the Walt Disney/Oldsmobile Classic, again in a playoff. In his next start two weeks later, he won the Tour Championship. And he was off and running from there.

Over the next four years, Duval won nine more times, including the 2001 Open Championship, and spent a total of 15 weeks as the top-ranked player in the world.

Only time will tell if Young can break through in a similar fashion. But given his talent level and the fact that he’s finished in the top 10 in 15 of his 60 starts, one has to think that elusive victory isn’t far off.

Luke Norris covers golf for Heavy.com, focusing on both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. A native of central Illinois, Luke has been a sports writer and editor for over a decade, and his work has been featured at GiveMeSport, FanSided, Sportscasting, Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, and ClutchPoints. More about Luke Norris

More Heavy on Golf News

NY Knicks Fan Justin Thomas Graces ‘The Late Night Show’ After Disastrous Valspar Finish

W hile the 2024 season has been extremely giving to Scottie Scheffler , it has not been as forgiving to Justin Thomas . The 30-year-old has time and again failed to make it into the winning circles on the PGA Tour. And this has been the case for the 15-time PGA Tour for nearly two years now.

Although Thomas has faced disappointment on the green, in another aspect of his life, things are flourishing quite nicely. Courtesy of his two-season appearance on the Netflix docuseries Full Swing , the 2-time major winner is more than just a golfer. Thomas has sort of become a TV personality, and venturing on that path, he will be making another TV debut with Stephen Colbert.

Justin Thomas enjoys his evening with the NY Knicks and night on TV

At the Copperhead Course, Justin Thomas was, at one time, specifically after round two ended, expected to chart the leaderboard as he tied for the sixth spot. However, on Saturday, the 30-year-old fell to being the 66th player on the leaderboard, owing to his many bogeys made, which diverted the attention of the golf world to his play, resulting in harsh criticism over his poor performance. Eventually, Thomas finished T64 at the Valspar Championship.

Despite the disastrous performance, however, he has not let it affect his off-course mojo. The 2-time major champion, though, suffered on the greens, is enjoying his off-course life to the fullest. How? JT, being a die-hard fan of the New York Knicks, graced the court at their recent game against the Detroit Pistons. The Knicks won the match by 124-99, and Thomas cheerfully continued his eventful night filming The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert, which will air in a few hours.

There, the 15-time PGA Tour winner talked about his experience with Netflix’s Full Swing golf series. While also sprinkling a few insights about the game of golf. Per his Instagram post that followed, the Louisville native “had a great time” on the show and even asked his fans to tune in and catch up with the fun.

In the last two years, JT has received immense attention from the public as he expands his TV footprint. So, even though he will be sitting with Colbert for the first time, for JT, it surely isn’t his first mojo. In fact, just a year and a half ago, the golf pro was a guest for Jimmy Fallon!

Thomas talks about his relationship with his dad and filming Full Swing 

In October 2022, JT made an appearance on The Tonight Show, starring Jimmy Fallon . The pro revealed many things, including his relationship with his dad and teacher. “He’s my dad and one of my best friends,”  he said, talking about Mike Thomas, boasting about their bond, and explaining that despite him being his coach and mentor, it hadn’t affected their personal lives.

In between the casual interviews, JT also taught Fallon his signature club swirl, which was sadly and hilariously unsuccessful because Fallon could not get the hang of it. Eventually, the golf pro even got around to discussing the making of the docuseries with Netflix. He claimed he was nervous and yet hopeful. “I’m a little more nervous with a film crew because this is not my comfort zone,” he stated. “I think it’s going to be great.” And well, great it was, for now he’s all about season 2!

It certainly seems like JT is as comfortable in front of a camera as he is with a club on the course. And in just a few hours, fans will get to witness the latest saga of it. Tune in for updates.

Read More: Meet Justin Thomas’s Caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay: His Career, Personal Life and Relationship With the Golfer Explored

The post NY Knicks Fan Justin Thomas Graces ‘The Late Night Show’ After Disastrous Valspar Finish appeared first on EssentiallySports .

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2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic leaderboard, grades: Rickie Fowler earns long-awaited win No. 6 in playoff

Fowler bested collin morikawa and adam hadwin in a playoff for his first win since the 2019 phoenix open.

Rickie Fowler was back at some point earlier this season. Possibly after the Zozo Championship in October, where he finished T2. Maybe it was after the Phoenix Open in February, when he finished T10 following a mediocre final day. Or perhaps it was when he led the U.S. Open after 54 holes just two weeks ago at Los Angeles Country Club.

"Rickie's back" became official on Sunday, however, when he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in a playoff over Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin with a birdie on the first hole of bonus play.

Getting there was a grind, both metaphorically through the last four years of not winning PGA Tour events, and literally; Fowler looked to be kicking away this tournament late in the day after he was the heavy favorite going into the final round.

Following a great start to his day, Fowler stalled over the last few hours of his round, making par on 10 straight holes going to the 72nd. On a day when Morikawa shot 64 and Hadwin had jumped past him, Fowler had to birdie the last hole just to get into the playoff. He got it with one of the more clutch shots you'll ever see a professional hit.

Then in the playoff, after a flared drive way out to the right, Fowler once again fired at the pin.

He left himself 12 feet for his first win since February 2019 when he took the Phoenix Open, and he made sure there wouldn't be a 74th hole of the day.

"It's hard to put it all into words," Fowler told CBS Sports' Amanda Renner. "Obviously, a lot of good stuff this year. I've been playing some really good golf. I knew it was just a matter of time with how I've been playing. I've had a couple of tough weekends where I've had a chance ... but at the end of the day getting to hang with Maya and my wife, winning is great but there's a lot more to life than that."

Fowler famously fell outside the top 170 in the world over the last few years and even seemed to flirt with the idea of playing in the LIV Golf league this time 14 months ago. Instead, he doubled down on his swing, returned to old coach, Butch Harmon, and put in the work he needed to become a top-30 golfer in the world once again.

"After a while, Rickie started coming out to Vegas to see me," Harmon told Golf Digest earlier this year , "and we could both see the path back -- even better than before. Golf is a cruel game, and sometimes those bad times, if you can get through them, really help you going forward."

No, the reward for Fowler at the summit of this mountain is not hundreds of millions of dollars, but it is the gratification that comes with once again excelling in your craft. The U.S. Ryder Cup team, which Fowler will almost certainly be a part of now, is not a bad parting gift, either.

What's not being discussed is how much is still at stake this season for the now six-time PGA Tour winner. The Open at Royal Liverpool in three weeks is where Fowler almost won in 2014 over Rory McIlroy, and the FedEx Cup Playoffs loom beyond that. Fowler could still accomplish plenty over the rest of 2023, but make no mistake about what the Rocket Mortgage Classic marked on this Sunday in Detroit. Rickie Fowler is now officially officially back and likely not going anywhere anytime soon. Grade: A+

Below are other grades following the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Challenge: 

T2.   Collin Morikawa (-24):  I said on Saturday that I didn't really care what happened on Sunday, and that remained true even as Morikawa tried to fight his way to the top of the board. This was the type of week everyone has come to expect from Morikawa — amazing from tee to green, and if the putts fall, he's going to win the golf tournament (which he nearly did on Sunday). It's also a bit different than what's been going on with him recently. In three of his previous six starts coming into this week, he had lost strokes either off the tee or (gasp!) with his iron play. This week portends for what could be a strong closing kick to the summer for somebody who has not fallen off quite as much as everyone thinks.  Grade: A-

T40. Ludvig Aberg (-11):  My biggest takeaway from Aberg's nice week is what European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who played with Aberg on Thursday and Friday, said about him before the third round.

"He [Donald] told me there have only been a few [players] that he's played with for the very first time that have the 'wow' factor," relayed Nick Dougherty of Golf Channel. "One of them is Rory. That was back in 2008 at the Dunhill Links.

"Now he says Ludvig Aberg is one of those guys as well," Dougherty continued. "He said his driver is a huge weapon, he makes the game look effortless. He added that as long as he continues to show form, he will definitely be considered for the [Ryder Cup] team. ... This guy is going to be a superstar."

Aberg is a total menace with driver in hand— he finished third in the field in strokes-gained off the tee — and is going to be a force. His double-bogey-bogey run late on Saturday took him completely out of the golf tournament, but it was the 65-67 start that has folks buying stock (a lot of it) in what seems like an extremely bright future.  Grade: A+

MC. Justin Thomas (+1):  It's been a no good, very strange year for the two-time major champion. After a few months of struggle, he seemed to turn the corner last week at the Travelers Championship when he got in the mix on the weekend. However, a 76 in Round 1 at Detroit Golf Club paved the way for his third missed cut in his last four PGA Tour starts.

Clearly, he's struggling. Whether that struggle is simply physical or mental (or both) remains to be seen. And though the near future — the Open Championship, FedEx Cup Playoffs and Ryder Cup — do not bring about optimism that J.T. can apply a quick fix to whatever besets him at the moment, he remains undeterred in his quest to once again become the best player int he world.

"Definitely saw a lot of great signs last week and played some really, really good golf those last three days," he said earlier in the week. "I'm just a couple events away from being right there. And a lot of things can happen. The unknown is the fun and bad part about this game, so we'll see where it takes us."

What is true, however, is the old adage that nearly every player who has played at the level J.T. has played at has uttered at some point in their careers: Nothing is ever as good or as bad as it seems.  Grade: F

MC. Tony Finau (-1):  The potential U.S. Ryder Cup team did not have the greatest week in Detroit. Since winning Mexico earlier in the year, Finau has more missed cuts (2) than top 25s (1). This is a curiosity that can probably be attributed to the ebbs and flows of professional golf. Unlike J.T., Finau has not dropped off the planet from a statistical standpoint. In fact, he's having one of the best seasons of his career from a strokes-gained perspective. 

It was a fun return for the 2022 champion to Detroit — replete with a bobblehead, menu item and meeting with Chris Webber — but unfortunately it ended much (much) earlier this time around for Finau than it did when he touched off back-to-back wins a little under a year ago at this tournament.  Grade: F

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On-Site Reaction to Rickie Fowler Winning Rocket Mortgage Classic

Highlights: Valspar Championship Final Round

Recap: Peter Malnati's Winning Putt At The Valspar Championship

Valspar Tournament Recap: Peter Malnati Wins Valspar Championship

Valspar Tournament Recap: Cameron Young Finishes T-2

Valspar Tournament Recap: Lookahead To Houston Open Next Week

Wyndham Clark Misses Birdie On 18 To Finsh T-2

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