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25 May ' 13:05
3:48 PM
At the turn: DeLaet leads by two
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Graham DeLaet, the Canadian looking for his first PGA TOUR win, finished his front nine in Saturday's third round with a two-shot lead at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
DeLaet is a bogey-free 2 under on his round and is now at 11 under.
Six players were tied for second at 9 under when DeLaet made the turn.
Matt Kuchar, the 36-hole leader, opened with a birdie the par-5 first but suffered consecutive bogeys at the seventh and eight holes to drop out of the lead. Kuchar had bogeyed just one hole in the first two rounds.
Jordan Spieth, the 19-year-old from Dallas, was also part of the large group at 9 under. Spieth had grabbed the lead earlier in his round after a birdie at the par-4 fifth, but suffered bogeys at the sixth and ninth holes.
Steve Flesch, the 2004 Colonial champ, had moved to 10 under before finding trouble at the ninth when his approach shot found the water guarding the green.
Martin Flores has the best round going among the contenders. Flores is 5 under through his first 16 holes to move to 9 under.
Matt Every and Freddie Jacobson also are at 9 under.
Defending champ Zach Johnson is 2 under on his round and 8 under overall.
3:14 PM
Watch Spieth birdie second hole
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jordan Spieth, the 19-year-old from Dallas, birdied the par-4 second hole after hitting his approach shot from 100 yards to 4 feet. Spieth is 10 under for the tournament through his first eight holes in Saturday's third round and is just one shot off the lead held by Graham DeLaet.
Click here to follow the rest of Spieth's third round on Shot Tracker
2:16 PM
Overton disqualified for rules violation
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jeff Overton was disqualified Saturday after violating rule 14-3/10.3 for using an alignment device during his round.
"It's a shame but it's the rules," said Mark Russell, PGA TOUR vice president of rules and competition. "Not much we can do about it. ... We don't like to disqualify players but if that's what the rule says, we don't have a choice."
With the field backed up at the turn during the third round, Overton was waiting to tee off on the 10th hole. While he was waiting, Overton went over to the nearby practice green to practice a few putts.
Players are allowed to practice putting or chipping in those situations. But they cannot use any kind of artificial aid. Overton used a putting aid, which violates rule 14-3/10.3: Use of rod during round for alignment or as swing aid.
"You can go to a designated practice area and chip and putt if you'd like while you are waiting to play," Russell explained. "But you cannot use an artificial device. That's what he did. The penalty for that is disqualification."
Russell said another player noticed Overton using the practice aid on the green and asked a scoring official if that was legal. The official contacted rules officials, and John Mutch, a rules officlal with expertise in equipment-related rules, was consulted.
Mutch was the official who notifiied Overton of the disqualification after Overton struck his tee shot at the 11th hole, having just parred the 10th.
"Jeff's response? I don't think he was very happy," Russell said. "I certainly would expect that."
Overton said on his Twitter feed that he was informed by a rules official that he could chip and putt while he waited, but that he was not told to avoid using an alignment device.
"If ur gonna inform someone on a rule of something a person can do, make sure u remind them of the small things they can't do," he tweeted.
Overton had entered the third round 4 under for the tournament, just six strokes off the lead. He was still at 4 under when he was disqualified.
1:25 PM
Kuchar's goal? More steady golf
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Matt Kuchar has suffered just one bogey through his first 36 holes, one of the big reasons he finds himself leading the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial at the halfway point.
He'd like nothing more than to continue staying out of trouble this weekend. Kuchar, at 10 under, tees off in Saturday's third round at 1:30 p.m. ET with a one-shot lead over playing partner Graham DeLaet.
"It's just steady golf," Kuichar said about the key to his success in his first two rounds. "Nothing special. Driving it well, putting it well, approaches are good. It's just been steady golf and I kepty myself out of trouble."
This is the sixth time in Kuchar's career that he has held or shared the 36-hole lead. The last time he did it was the THE PLAYERS Championship in 2012. He ended up winning the tournament, the biggest of the five wins in his PGA TOUR career.
"It's the best place to be, all right," Kuchar said about his position after completing his second round Saturday morning. "I think you always want to be in the lead with as big a lead as you can get.
"So the plan for the next 36 holes is to try to keep it going, try to make birdies."
If he goes on to victory, Kuchar will end a streak of 10 consecutive TOUR events in which the 36-hole leader/co-leader has failed to win. The last player to do so was Tiger Woods at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.
Click here to follow Matt Kuchar's third round on Shot Tracker
12:21 PM
Severe weather on the way?
The system that dumped an enormous amount of rain in the Texas Hill Country could be headed to the Metroplex area.
Storms are forecast to arrive around 4 p.m. ET, or about halfway through the final group's third round at Colonial Country Club. Roughly half of the PGA TOUR events in 2013 have experienced some sort of weather delay, and Friday's second round spilled over into Saturday morning.
12:00 PM
Watch interviews with the contenders
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Bill Rosinski from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio spoke with Steve Flesch, Freddie Jacobson, Josh Teater, and Jordan Spieth prior to their tee times in Saturday's third round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
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25 May ' 08:55
11:38 AM
Saturday on-site update
Prior to the third round of the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Tom Werme and Fred Albers from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio describe the approaching storms and some players they are watching.
10:45 AM
Tee times, final groups for Round 3
The field will use split tees for the third round at Colonial (full tee times here) after several groups had to come back Saturday to finish the second round.
Final two groups:
Matt Kuchar, Graham DeLaet, Josh Teater (1:30 p.m. ET): Kuchar has never won at Colonial, but he's never missed a cut here, either. Neither DeLaet or Teater have ever won on TOUR. DeLeat's 9 under total is his career low through 36 holes. Teater is 10 under on the back nine this week, marking the lowest back nine total through two rounds since 1983.
Jordan Spieth, Steve Flesch, Freddie Jacobson (1:19 p.m. ET): Spieth, a Dallas native, has all but locked up a PGA TOUR card in 2013-2014. A win at Colonial would lock up lot more than that. It would give him a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs, next year's Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and the Masters. Flesch, 46, has been the surprise of the tournament so far. He won this event in 2004, which earned him a spot in the field this week. This was his first made cut since 2011, and he's trying to become the 13th two-time winner at Colonial. Jacobson, like Kuchar, has just one bogey in 36 holes.
10:18 AM
Cut ends up at 1 under at Colonial
Martin Laird drained a 19-footer for par on the par-4 18th Saturday to become the last player to make the cut in the Crowne Plaza Invitational. The cut ended up at 1 under, and Laird birdied three of the final six holes to sneak in. A total of 78 players made the weekend.
Notables missing the weekend:
Charl Schwartzel (Even). The 2011 Masters champ made only five birdies.David Hearn (2 over). The Canadian shot 64 on Thursday, then went sideways with a Friday 78.Corey Pavin (Even). The 53-year-old former Colonial winner missed the cut after bogeying final hole.Steven Fox (Even). Reigning U.S. Amateur champ nearly made first career TOUR cut.
9:04 AM
Kuchar finishes with 65, leads after 36
Matt Kuchar would move to second in the FedExCup standings with a win this week. (Halleran/Getty Images)
Matt Kuchar will carry the 36-hole lead after finishing his second round with a couple of pars on Saturday at Colonial. Kuchar was among those who had to return to Colonial to finish the second round after thunderstorms stopped play Friday afternoon at the Crowne Plaza Invitational. Kuchar opened with rounds of 65-65 at Colonial, with only a bogey on the difficult par-3 fourth in the opening round.
Surprisingly, Kuchar has never finished better than ninth at Colonial (2008) even though the veteran pencils in this stop on his schedule every year. Canadian Graham DeLaet is only a shot back and will likely play with Kuchar when tee times are announced later Saturday. On Friday, DeLaet had the distinction of playing the Horrible Horseshoe (holes Nos. 3, 4, 5 at Colonial) in 2 over. Metroplex native and resident Jordan Spieth is only two back despite a strange penalty on Friday, and 2004 Colonial winner Steve Flesch was also just two back. It was Flesch's first made cut since the 2011 season. The 46-year-old lefthander has moonlighted this year as an analyst on the Golf Channel.
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25 May ' 04:45
May 25 2013
7:02 AM
PGA TOUR Today
Amanda Balionis and Bill Rosinski with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio preview Round 3 of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial from Colonial Country Club.
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24 May ' 20:24
8:28 PM
Kuchar leads suspended second round
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Matt Kuchar didn't complete his second round Friday but he did move to the top of the leaderboard before play was halted at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Kuchar, the highest-ranked player in FedExCup points in the field (No. 5 overall), was a bogey-free 5 under through the first 15 holes on his round, moving him to 10 under for the tournament. Kuchar had just struck his tee shot at the par-3 16th when the horn blew at 7:38 p.m. ET to end play for the day. It was the second time on Friday that threatening weather halted play.
"That's a bit of a bummer," Kuchar said. "It's no fun to wake up at 4:30 to get out here and play three holes. But we get used to it for what we do. The 54 players who were on the course will resume their second rounds at 8:15 a.m. ET on Saturday morning.
Kuchar nearly holed out from the fairway at the par-4 second, his ball sailing into the cup before popping back out. That set up his second straight birdie to start his round.
"I really got off to a great start," Kuchar said. "And then I kept playing some good golf. This course can give you trouble, but if you are hitting it good, you can make some birdies out here.
"I was hitting it good and able to fire at some pins today."
The clubhouse leader is Graham DeLaet, who is at 9 under. DeLaet was in the early morning wave Friday and completed his round before threatening weather delayed play for more than two hours the first time. His 3-under 67 included a stretch of three consecutive birdies, followed by three consecutive bogeys at the Horrible Horseshow -- hole Nos. 3, 4 and 5, tradtionally the toughest three holes on the course. "It definitely got me today," DeLaet said. Four players are tied at 8 under -- Jordan Spieth, Josh Teater, Steve Flesch, who each completed their rounds; and 18-hole leader Ryan Palmer, who had finished 12 holes before the horn blew to end play for the day. Palmer, who opened with a 62 that tied the lowest first-round in tournament history, was at 9 under until he double bogeyed the par-4 fifth when he had to take a penalty shot after an errant tee shot. He then followed with a bogey at the sixth, but once he made the turn, he birdied two of his last three holes. Spieth shot a 67 despite suffering a one-stroke penalty when his ball fell into a spike mark on the green at the sixth hole after he addressed it. Rule 18-2b allows provides exceptions for wind-blown balls on the green but not for balls that move due to gravity. Flesch, who won the Colonial in 2004, tied for the low round of the day, a 6-under 64. In making the cut, he ends a personal string of 16 missed cuts dating back to late in 2011, as he has battled a right-shoulder problem for much of the past two years. "Today was a big day for me," Flesch said. "If I would have come out and shot a couple over par and missed another cut, it would have been a tough rest of 2013."
Defending champion Zach Johnson is 5 under through 16 holes and has moved to 6 under for the tournament.
The projected cut line is 1 under. If that cut line holds, players who have already finished their rounds at even par or worse include: Charl Schwartzel, 15th in the world rankings; Corey Pavin, making his 30th Colonial start; and David Hearn, who opened with a 64 on Thursday but shot an 8-over 78 on Friday that included a quadruple bogey at the par-3 13th when he hit two balls in the water.
7:38 PM
Play stopped for remainder of day
FORT WORTH, Texas -- With another storm on the way, play was stopped for the remainder of the day in Friday's second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Play was halted at 7:38 p.m. ET (6:38 p.m. local) and will re-start at 8:15 a.m. ET (7:15 a.m. local) on Saturday morning.
Play was halted for 2 hours, 10 minutes earlier in the day due to dangerous weather conditions that included lightning.
Matt Kuchar is the leader at 10 under through 15 holes.
Graham DeLaet is the clubhouse leader at 9 under.
7:15 PM
Teater sets back-nine record at Colonial
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Josh Teater is eating up the back nine at Colonial. Through the first two rounds of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Teater is a cumulative 10 under on holes 10-18, with 10 birdies and zero bogeys. That's the best back-nine performance through two rounds at Colonial since records were kept starting in 1983. David Toms was a collective 8 under on the back nine in 2011 when he won at Colonial. Brad Faxon was also 8 under in his two rounds in 1997.
Teater has birdied every hole on the back nine except the par-3 13th at least once. He's birdied the par-4 12th and par-4 14th twice. "I've played the back nine great so far," said Teater, who hit two trees on the front nine during his Friday round of 67. "I haven't hit any trees or had any three-putts."
7:04 PM
Shot of the Day: Kuchar's approach
FORT WORTH, Texas -- In Friday's second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Matt Kuchar hit an approach shot at the par-4 second that popped out of the cup.
6:56 PM
Friday observations
Graham DeLaet now knows the "horrible horseshoe" at Colonial all too well. (Halleran/Getty Images)
By Fred Albers, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Graham DeLaet came to Fort Worth without any knowledge of the “horrible horseshoe.” He can now consider himself well-acquainted. On Friday, the Canadian bogeyed each hole in the difficult stretch comprising Nos. 3-4-5. DeLaet said he knew a little about this tournament’s history before arriving in Fort Worth but he can now tell some tales about Colonial’s toughest stretch. Outside of the horseshoe, DeLaet played well in hitting 12 of 14 fairways and 13 greens in the second round.
Observations
Leaderboard: Jordan Spieth was playing just fine until he snuck a peek at the leaderboard on the 16th hole. He was looking at a 15-foot birdie putt to go 9 under. Spieth missed that birdie, rolling it 5 feet past the cup and then missed the par putt to make bogey. It was a quick reality check for the 19-year-old. To Spieth’s credit, he immediately bounced back with a birdie on the 17th hole and stands 8 under. Spieth has given himself plenty of looks at birdie. He leads the tournament in proximity to the cup, averaging 22 feet on his approach shots.
Stealing: Jim Furyk says making birdie on the fifth hole is like stealing. He was a burglar on Friday, hitting a 264-yard drive, followed by a 211-yard approach to within 12 feet. Furyk converted the birdie and left the green with a smile on his face. He hit just four fairways in the opening round but discovered a flaw in his setup and made the correction during a practice session prior to play. Furyk opened his driver just a bit and hit 12 of 14 fairways in the second round.
Tree line: Josh Teater has no problem discerning the difference between his first and last nine. Teater, starting on No. 10, made the turn at 5 under, taking just 30 strokes. He then started missing fairways and it led to bogeys. Teater hit the trees at the third and again at the sixth, making bogey both times. He then finished with three-putt bogey at the eighth before a one-putt par at the ninth. Teater has played aggressively this week. With the bermuda rough on the sparse side, he has taken some bold lines off the tee and managed to hit 16 of 28 fairways while averaging 307.8 yards per drive. It’s OK to hit the ball into the rough, but hitting trees still leads to big numbers. You cannot play Colonial from inside the tree line.
Fred Albers is a course reporter for SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio. For more information on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, click here.
6:42 PM
First Look: Memorial
Tiger Woods came back from four shots down to win the Memorial in 2012. (Condon/PGA TOUR)
By Jeff Shain, PGATOUR.COM contributor
FIELD LIST:The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance
• COURSE: Muirfield Village Golf Club, 7,352 yards, par 72. Built with an eye on significant events, Jack Nicklaus’ showpiece opened in 1974 and has left an indelible imprint on the Hall of Famer’s hometown. The Memorial remains one of the PGA TOUR’s top “regular” stops, and Muirfield Village was the site of the 1987 Ryder Cup and 1992 U.S. Amateur. The LPGA’s Solheim Cup came to Jack’s Place in 1998, and the Presidents Cup’s arrival in September will make Muirfield Village the only venue to host all three team match-play showcases.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• CHARITY: Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which serves as primary supporter of Nationwide Children’s Hospital along with other Central Ohio charities. Additional donations are given to James Cancer Hospital, The First Tee, Central Ohio Junior Golf Association, Fore Hope and others.
• FIELD WATCH: Defending champion Tiger Woods and Masters winner Adam Scott head to Jack’s Place in what has traditionally one of the strongest fields outside a major or World Golf Championships event. Only eight of the top 25 players in this week’s world rankings aren’t entered. … Woods (78) and Vijay Singh (34) head a list of eight players with at least 12 PGA TOUR victories. … Kenny Perry, whose three Memorial wins rank No.2 behind Woods’ five, steps over from the Champions Tour to tee it up again. … U.S. Amateur champ Stephen Fox and Chinese teen Guan Tianlang will play on special invitations. Guan made headlines when he made the cut at the Masters and New Orleans, but took an early exit from the Byron Nelson Championship.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 268, Tom Lehman (1994).
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, John Huston (2nd round, 1996).
• LAST YEAR: Aided by a chip-in at No. 16 that recalled old times, Woods overcame a four-shot deficit for a 73rd career win that tied Nicklaus for No. 2 on the PGA TOUR’s all-time list. Woods still trailed Rory Sabbatini by two when he birdied the par-5 15th and then conjured up a shot that left even Nicklaus gushing. From deep rough behind the 16th green, Woods risked coming up short with a rolloff away from the hole, or going long into the water. Instead his flop shot had just the right touch, landing softly and running into the hole. A closing birdie gave Woods a 5-under 67 and two-shot triumph over Sabbatini and fast-closing Andres Romero.
• STORYLINES: Woods, with four wins in 2013 after his triumph at THE PLAYERS, seeks a sixth Memorial victory that also would be his third in the past five years. He also won three straight Memorials from 1999-01. … The Memorial will serve as a dry run of sorts for upgrades at Muirfield Village in advance of the Presidents Cup. The clubhouse has added an expanded locker room and fitness facility. … Fred Couples, the 1998 champion and U.S. Presidents Cup captain, makes his 22nd Memorial start and first on the PGA TOUR since Hall of Fame enshrinement earlier this month.
• SHORT CHIPS: A Woods victory would complete a second consecutive Arnie/Jack “double” and sixth of his career. Woods picked up an eighth Arnold Palmer Invitational title in March. … Raymond Floyd, winner of four major championships, is this year’s Memorial honoree. His career will be celebrated during Wednesday ceremonies. … Four of the Memorial’s past nine champions have been international players. Before that, just three of the first 27 came from outside the United States. … None of the four players who finished closest to Woods last year – Sabbatini, Romero, Daniel Summerhays and Spencer Levin – are part of this year’s roster.
• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). Sunday, noon-2 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (CBS).
• RADIO: Thursday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m. ET (SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio).
Flesch has plenty to celebrate
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Steve Flesch turned 46 years old on Thursday but was too tired to celebrate his birthday. An afternoon tee time and the stress of making just his third start on the PGA TOUR this year had worn him out. But he'll be in a festive mood Friday night, particularly after a 6-under 64 that vaulted him near the top of the leaderboard in the second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. It also ends a streak of 16 consecutive missed cuts; his last made cut was the 2011 Frys.com Open.
"Maybe tonight we will actually have a birthday dinner," Flesch said, "and I will have a couple of cold ones." Although Flesch is a past champion at Colonial, having won here in 2004, he has never gone lower in a single round. Friday was his 53rd round in this event. He certainly knows his way around here.
"I told my wife when we drove over here Sunday afternoon it's kind of like coming home," Flesch said. "... It's just a place I feel really comfortable." Flesch has seen limited action on TOUR this year as he juggles his duties on the Golf Channel. He played in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February, and then played in last week's HP Byron Nelson Championship. He missed the cut in both starts. He also missed the cut in all 12 of his TOUR starts last year. He entered 2013 needing to earn $647,510 in six events to extend his non-exempt Major Medical Extension due to right shoulder surgery. A big weekend could get him there.
"I've honestly been playing hurt for the last two years," he said. "It isn't much fun. Last year was no fun at all. I'm finally healthy and it's nice to play."
'Gravity' costs Spieth penalty stroke
The ball was in a precarious spot, in between some spike marks. Spieth marked his ball, then placed it in the correct spot. As he took his practice strokes, Spieth saw the ball "start to tilt" due to its proximity with one of the spike marks. After consulting with one of his playing parters, Spieth spoke with rules official Stephen Cox, and ultimately called a one-stroke penalty on himself for violating rule 18-2b.
"It's an unfortunate ruling," Spieth said. "That's just how it goes."
The change in rules two years ago that prevent penalties on players when the ball moves due to wind conditions while at address did not apply in this case. The rule specifically states that "gravity is not in itself an element that should be considered" for exception to rule 18-2b.
"Unfortunately for him, gravity was the cause of that ball moving after address," Cox said.
Indeed, Cox said that 18-2b is under evaluation.
"There is certainly talk within the game at the moment that a little bit down the line, that we may well get rid of 18-2b all together," Cox said. "But this is the way it is now."
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24 May ' 15:15
5:50 PM
Afternoon update: Kuchar heats up
Watch Matt Kuchar birdie the par-4 fifth hole on Friday.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Matt Kuchar and the other golfers with afternoon tee times saw their second rounds delayed Friday for more than two hours. But now that he's on the course, Kuchar is moving up the leaderboard.
With four birdies in his first seven holes, Kuchar -- who ranks fifth in FedExCup points, highest of any player in the field this week -- is now at 9 under and tied with clubhouse leader Graham DeLaet.
Ryan Palmer, the 18-hole leader after his opening 62, also has a share of that lead. Palmer is 1 under on his round through four holes.
Josh Teater, Jordan Spieth and Steve Flesch are all in the clubhouse at 8 under. Freddie Jacobon is another shot back at 7 under.
Flesch, Justin Hicks, David Lingmerth and Chez Reavie currently share the low round of the day at 6-under 64.
5:16 PM
Reavie discusses his second-round 64
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Following a second-round 64 on Friday at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Chez Reavie discussed his round with Fred Albers from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio. Reavie is at 6 under through 36 holes and will be looking for his first PGA TOUR win in five years.
4:22 PM
Flesch goes lower than ever at Colonial
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Steve Flesch had a dream week at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in 2004 when he won the second of his four PGA TOUR titles. But he's never had the kind of round he produced Friday.
Flesch shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 in the second round, the lowest score of his 53 career rounds at Colonial. The 64 moved him to 8 under through 36 holes and gives him an opportunity to chase down his second title here this weekend.
Flesch's previous low round at Colonial was 66, which he has shot on four previous occasions. But in his last 14 rounds coming into this week, he had posted just one score in the 60s. He's missed the cut in three of his previous four starts here.
On Friday, Flesch hit 16 of 18 greens.
Late in his round, Flesch avoided bogey by rolling in a putt from 7 feet, 7 inches for par at the par-4 eighth.
3:39 PM
Bad break costs Spieth penalty stroke
Watch Jordan Spieth's bounce-back birdie at the seventh hole
FORT WORTH, Texas -- An unfortunate break at the sixth hole cost 19-year-old Jordan Spieth one stroke in Friday's second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. But a bounce-back birdie on the next hole left him feeling upbeat about his chances entering the weekend. Spieth, the Dallas native, had reached the par-4 sixth 3 under on his round after starting the day on the 10th tee. His approach shot to the sixth landed 20-1/2 feet from the pin. It also landed in a footprint left from one of the earlier players walking off the green. The ball was in a precarious spot, in between the spike marks. Spieth marked his ball, then placed it in the correct spot. As he took his practice strokes, Spieth saw the ball "start to tilt" due to its proximity with one of the spike marks. Spieth waited for the ball to stop, then grounded his putter. Right as he did, the ball tumbled down into one of the spike marks. "My putter did not cause it to move," Spieth said. "I know that for a fact. But it was just a bad break in timing. "If I had hit the putt two seconds earlier, it would haven't done that. If I waited two seconds longer, I wouldn't have ground my putter." After consulting with one of his playing parters, Spieth spoke with a rules official, and ultimately called a one-stroke penalty on himself. "It's an unfortunate ruling," Spieth said. "That's just how it goes." The change in rules two years ago that prevent penalties on players when the ball moves due to wind conditions while at address did not apply in this case. "That's only if the wind blows it, or a dog runs over it, or a squirrel knocks it," Spieth said. "I guess gravity isn't part of that. But what the PGA TOUR officials told me after the round is they are looking into changing that." Spieth acknowledged that he was "pretty upset" about the lost stroke, but he bounced back quickly. His approach shot at the seventh hole rolled a foot to the pin for a bounce-back birdie, his second of the day. "No. 7 was the most important hole I've played all week so far today," Spieth said.
3:28 PM
Play resumes after 2-hour plus delay
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Play was suspended midway through Friday's second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial due to dangerous weather conditions.
Lightning and thunderstorms caused tournament officials to bring in the players from the course at 1:18 p.m. ET (12:18 p.m. ET).
Graham DeLaet is the current leader at 9 under. The Canadian shot a 3-under 67 on Friday morning.
Josh Teater and Jordan Spieth are in the clubhouse at 8 under. Past Colonial champ Steve Flesch is also at 8 under through 15 holes. Flesch is 6 under on his round.
Ryan Palmer, the first-round leader at 8 under, has yet to begin his second round. He was scheduled to tee off at 2:28 p.m. ET.
UPDATE (2:03 p.m. ET): The second round will resume at 2:45 p.m. ET. Players will need to be in position at that time.
UPDATE (2:25 p.m. ET): The horn has blown again. Another thunderstorm is expected to cross over Colonial so players have been brought back in. No word yet on when play will resume.
UPDATE (2:45 p.m. ET): The second round will resume at 3:30 p.m. ET. Players will need to be in position at that time.
UPDATE (3:28 p.m. ET): Play has resumed after a 2 hour, 10 minute delay.
3:00 PM
Watch Teater discuss his 67
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Following Friday's second-round 67 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Josh Teater reflects on his play with Fred Albers from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.
Teater is 8 under through two rounds and will be among the contenders going into the weekend at Colonial.
2:30 PM
Furyk regains his accuracy off tees
Jim Furyk is in position to make another run at his first Colonial title. (How/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jim Furyk hit just four of 14 fairways in Thursday's opening round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Considering that accuracy fuels his game -- he ranks seventh in driving accuracy on the PGA TOUR this year -- it was a rare momentarily lapse off the tees. And yet he still managed a sub-par round, shooting a 1-under 69. On Friday, Furyk delivered his usual tricks. He hit 12 of 14 fairways, as well as 16 of 18 greens, en route to a 4-under 66 that leaves him at 5 under for the tournament and in good position to contend on the weekend. "I just wasn't getting the ball in the fairway yesterday," Furyk said. "I put the ball in play today. And really felt good with the putter again. It takes a lot of pressure off your iron game." Furyk rolled in five putts from outside 10 feet on Friday, including a 37-footer at the par-4 14th. But his biggest putt may have been at the par-4 fifth, traditionally the hardest hole at Colonial. His approach landed inside 12 feet, and he drained the putt. "That's stealing one, fo sure," Furyk said. "... Leaving there with a par feels good, so a birdie is a real big deal." Furyk counts Colonial as one of his favorite courses, as it caters to shot-makers. Making his 18th appearance, Furyk has seven top-10 finishes, including a fourth place last year. "It's changed over the years," Furyk said of Colonial. "It's a lot greener now. They irrigate it a lot more. The scores are a touch lower, but it's still a great golf course. "You have to work the ball out here, and it's tough to get the ball in the fairways. It's not overly long but it's still got a little teeth to it."
2:00 PM
DeLaet gets introduced to Horseshoe
Graham DeLaet is looking for his first PGA TOUR win this week. (Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Despite making two previous starts in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Graham DeLaet had never heard of the "Horrible Horseshoe" until Friday. Now he knows how that stretch of holes -- the par-4 third, par-3 fourth and par-4 fifth, the toughest three holes in Colonial history -- got its nickname. DeLaet bogeyed all three holes but the Canadian still managed a second-round 3-under 67 that left him atop the leaderboard at 9 under when he walked off the course. DeLaet, who began his round off the 10th tee, entered the Horrible Horseshoe on a stretch of three consecutive birdies, but he gave all those strokes away just as quickly. "Those are tough, strong holes," DeLaet said. "They will probably be the difference in the golf tournament." But if DeLaet manages his first PGA TOUR win this week -- his best finish on TOUR was a tie for third at the 2010 Shell Houston Open -- he may look back at his finishing stretch in the second round as a key moment. DeLaet rolled in a birdie putt of 28 feet, 7 inches for birdie at the eighth, then followed with another birdie from just inside 12 feet on his final hole, the par-4 ninth to claim the clubhouse lead midway through the day. "I got myself right back in it," DeLaet said of his two late birdies. DeLaet has three top-10 finishes in 14 starts this year, including a tie for 10th last week at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. In each of those top-10 finishes, his first two rounds have been lower than his weekend rounds. "I felt like I've had a couple of good chances that I've squandered a little bit either on the weekend or a couple of bad dswings here and there," DeLaet said. "My game feels good and I'm making some putts here the last couple of days, which always helps."
1:17 PM
D.H. Lee withdraws with back injury
FORT WORTH, Texas -- D.H. Lee became the second golfer to withdraw from the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial on Friday with a back injury.
Lee , who shot 76 in the first round, had played 14 holes in the second round after starting his round on the 10th hole. Lee was 6 over on his round and had just triple bogeyed the par-4 fifth when he withdrew. Lee was 12 over for the tournament at the time.
Earlier in the day, Patrick Cantlay withdrew during his round with a back injury.
12:52 PM
Johnson, Dufner a familiar pairing
Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner are paired again at Colonial (Halleran/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Seeing Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner paired together at a PGA TOUR event has become a familiar scene. Especially at Colonial. A year ago at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Johnson and Dufner were paired in the final two rounds of what essentially turned into match play for the title, as the two separated themselves from the rest of the field. Johnson eventually claimed his second title at Colonial, with Dufner finishing second. This week, they are playing the first two rounds together, along with last week's winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, Sang-Moon Bae. The threesome tees off Friday at 1:33 p.m. ET. "I totally enjoy it," Johnson, who opened his title defense with a 1-under 69, said about playing with Dufner. "We've always gotten along very, very well. We kind of went through the ranks together from the Web.com to the TOUR." Said Dufner, who started with a 3-under 67: "It's always good playing with Zach." Last year's Colonial weekend served as the first of many pairings for Johnson and Dufner the rest of the year. Because of their proximity to each other in FedExCup points during the Playoffs last year, they were paired in the first two rounds at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the first two rounds of the BMW Championship and the first round of the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. Then, of course, they were teammates on the U.S. squad at the Ryder Cup. They won both of their foursomes matches and lost one four-ball match. Thursday was the first time they had been paired together this year. "We're pretty familiar with each other's games," Dufner said. "We kind of play a similar game, so it's kind of easy to club off and kind of see how the course is playing." Said Johnson: "I'd say his ballstriking is a little more consistent than mine overall, but for the most part, we're both pretty consistent." Having played against and alongside Dufner for the past year, Johnson has come to appreciate his stoic nature. "He plays very a-motional golf, I would say," Johnson said. "I like that. I like watching it. I like being around that. "Plus, he's a good friend."
JOHNSON-DUFNER PAIRINGS SINCE 2012
Tournament Round Johnson's score Dufner's score 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial 3 65 66 4 72 74 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship 1 70 67 2 71 66 2012 BMW Championship 1 67 72 2 69 67 2012 TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola 1 68 70 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial 1 69 67 JOHNSON-DUFNER AT 2012 RYDER CUP
Match Result Foursomes Beat Lee Westwood/Francesco Molinair, 3 up Foursomes Beat Nicolas Colsaerts/Sergio Garcia, 2 up Four-ball Lost to Rory McIlroy/Ian Poulter, 1 down -
24 May ' 09:29
May 24 2013
12:00 PM
Noon update: Teater, Weekley cool off
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Josh Teater and Boo Weekley had the hottest starts in Friday morning's second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial but have encountered problems on their final nine holes. Teater, starting his round off the 10th tee, birdied six of his first 10 holes and had moved to 11 under for the tournament. But he bogeyed the third, sixth and eighth holes after making the turn and is now 8 under with one hole remaining. Playing partner Weekley birdied seven of his first 11 holes and was 10 under at that point. But he double bogeyed the par-4 fifth and bogeyed the seventh and eighth to fall to 7 under.
Jordan Spieth, the 19-year-old from Dallas, is 3 under on his round and 8 under. Jim Furyk is 4 under on his round and 5 under for the tournament through 13 holes. Rickie Fowler, Charl Schwartzel and Angel Cabrera are on the course and are 2 under for the tournaments.
The cut line is currently projected at 1 under.
11:43 AM
Cantlay withdraws with back injury
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Patrick Cantlay was forced to withdraw with a back injury during Friday's second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Cantlay had just bogeyed the par-4 seventh, his third bogey of the day, before deciding to withdraw. He shot a 5-over 75 in Thursday's opening round and was 8 over for the tournament when he withdrew.
Cantlay, playing on a sponsor's exemption, was making just his sixth start on the PGA TOUR this year, and his first in two months. He's a regular member of the Web.com Tour and is currently sixth on the money list.
11:22 AM
Notable players to watch in Rd. 2
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Here are a few notable players to watch Friday afternoon in the second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. TV coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on the Golf Channel (1:33 p.m. ET): The defending champ started off with a 1-under 69, the 16 time in his last 17 rounds at Colonial he's shot in the 60s.Jason Dufner (1:33 p.m. ET): Last year's runner-up opened with 67 on Thursday. A year ago, he shot 64 in the second round.Sang-Moon Bae (1:33 p.m. ET): Last week's winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship had a nice first round going until he double bogeyed his last hole to finish with a 69. (1:44 p.m. ET): Among six players who opened with a 65, which tied for his lowest career round here. (2:28 p.m. ET): The first-round leader and Colonial member opened with a 62, tying for the lowest first round in tournament history.Morgan Hoffmann (2:50 p.m. ET): Shot a bogey-free first round 64 in his first look at Colonial.
7:52 AM
Watch: PGA TOUR Today
Amanda Balionis and Bill Rosinski with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio preview the second round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial from Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
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23 May ' 17:04
7:20 PM
Rd. 1 wrap: Colonial members set pace
FORT WORTH -- Ryan Palmer and John Rollins live about a mile apart from each other in nearby Colleyville, a suburb near DFW Airport. They are members at Colonial Country Club and have played several rounds together. And now they're dominating the top of the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Palmer shot an 8-under 62 in the morning, and Rollins followed with a 63 in the afternoon, claiming the top two spots after 18 holes. Four players -- Morgan Hoffman; Canadians David Hearn and Graham DeLaet; and John Peterson, the latter having grown up on this course when his family had a membership -- were another shot back at 64. No dues-paying member of Colonial has won the Crowne Plaza Invitational since the last of Ben Hogan's five wins in 1959. Palmer or Rollins could follow in Hogan's footsteps this week. "I think it's pretty cool," Rollins said. "It would be fun if we could fast forward this to Sunday." Palmer actually plays more golf at Colonial than does Rollins does. "I think he is a pretty permanent fixture in the men's group," Rollins said. "... I know a lot of people know that Ryan is a member. A lot of people may not know that I'm a member here. Hopefully by the end of the week they will." Neither has enjoyed much success in their previous starts here. Palmer's best finish in nine starts was his tie for fifth a year ago -- he's only top-10 finish. Rollins has missed the cut in seven of his 10 starts, his best finish a tie for 24th in 2007. But Palmer's 62 ties for the lowest opening-round score in tournament history. Rollins' 63 was his best round at Colonial by four strokes. Palmer visualizes his name on the Wall of Champions on the first tee. "This is what I dream about when I play here every year," Palmer said. "This is the one tournament I gear up for the most." Rollins is now visualizing a duel with Palmer on the back nine Sunday. "I hope I come out on top," Rollins said. Of course, there's a long ways to go, and the leaderboard behind Palmer and Rollins is crowded. Besides the four players at 64, six more players are at 65, including 19-year-old Dallas native Jordan Spieth. In all, 38 players are within five shots of Palmer's lead. Hoffmann comes off a tie for fifth at last week's HP Byron Nelson Championship, the best finish of his rookie year. He shot a pair of 66s on the weekend and the momentum obviously carried over to Thursday's first round. "Last week was a big confidence booster," Hoffmann said. Defending champion Zach Johnson shot a 1-under 69, as did last week's winner, Sang-Moon Bae, who double bogeyed his final hole.
"It's a fairly solid day," Johnson said. "A day I didn't shoot myself out of it."
7:10 PM
Benign winds lead to low scores
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Strong Texas winds usually provide Colonial with its main defense against PGA TOUR pros each year. In Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, the winds barely made their presence felt. What followed was a bevy of red numbers. Ryan Palmer tied for the lowest opening round in tournament history with an 8-under 62 to lead the assault on Colonial. Eighty-eight of the 135-man field managed par or better. Scoring conditions were ideal. "This probably the most docile I have seen Colonial," said Daniel Summerhays, making his third start in this event and starting strong with a 65. "Usually the wind is really going." "I think we got pretty lucky," said Canadian Graham DeLaet after his 6-under 64 in the afternoon. "The wind really didn't kick up too hard and you kind of expect low scoring out here if you can just keep the ball in play and make a few putts." Added Matt Every after his 65 in the morning: "There was enough wind to know it was there, but not, you know, nothing crazy." Even in the afternoon, the winds didn't pick up as expected. Plus, the sun rarely appeared, preventing the greens from firming up. "We actually caught a good break in the afternoon with the cloud cover and the wind staying down," said 19-year-old Texan Jordan Spieth after his 65. But don't expect those breaks to remain in effect for all four rounds. "Today is the day to get it," Tommy Gainey said after a 65. "I feel like the wind is going to pick up the next few days. When you play this golf course and when the wind picks up, you're happy with par."
6:30 PM
Thursday observations
Zach Johnson didn't play his best round but held it together for a 69. (Halleran/Getty Images)
By Fred Albers, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The best moment of the first round was a quiet exchange between caddie and player in the ninth fairway. Ryan Palmer had hit a 303-yard drive on his final hole and followed that up with a wedge to 5 feet. His caddie, James Edmondson, whispered, “Make that putt and you’ll tie my course record.”
Edmondson is a Colonial member and three-time club champion. With Edmondson's encouragement, Palmer made the putt for an 8-under 62. He knows the course so well, Palmer was not afraid to hit driver on most holes and knew his numbers so well, he never needed to look at his yardage book.
Observations
Frustrated: Zach Johnson seemed ready to make his move. He was 1 under and had 98 yards into the sixth green. Johnson pushed his sandwedge 10 yards right of the hole, into a bunker and made bogey enroute to a 69. It was such a bad shot, I wondered if Johnson had been in a divot. “Not a bad lie, just a bad swing,” was his answer. Frequently this season, Johnson seems ready for a charge that doesn’t materialize. He says a “lack of fundamentals” is the problem and while Johnson did not elaborate, he could be referring to his putting.
Johnson ranked eighth and 11th in strokes gained-putting the last two seasons but is 101st this year. He has always had an unusual address position while putting, with his hands even with -- or even slightly behind -- the golf ball. Johnson worked hard last season in getting his hands slightly forward at address but they appear to be even with the ball this year.
Inconsistent: Jason Dufner has had plenty of good rounds this year but has not had a good tournament. He has yet to post a top-10 finish and it’s puzzling. Dufner ranks 72nd in FedExCup points and is 47th in scoring average at 70.857. Dufner has struggled on the weekend, ranking 115th in third-round scoring and 165th in the final round. When a player consistently struggles, he knows he has to make changes. Dufner shows flashes of great play and then fluctuates. That is very frustrating for the player because the game keeps teasing him into thinking everything is fine and he doesn’t know whether to make changes or stay the course.
Color coordinated: Daniel Summerhays knows why he shot 65 in the opening round. Part of it was due to taking 23 putts and making nine birdies while averaging a tournament leading 1.182 putts per green. Those are all good reasons, but Summerhays wanted to talk about his clothing. He wore an orange shirt with gray pants and Summerhays says every time he wears that color combination he plays well. In fact, Summerhays says he might wash the shirt just so he can wear it again this week. If Summerhays keeps taking just 23 putts per round, it won’t matter what color combination he wears.
Let it fly: Colonial is known as a golf course for shot makers. The theory is you play for position off the tee, sacrificing distance for accuracy. Matt Every had a different plan and went with driver more than most other players. Every hit only eight fairways but averaged 302 yards off the tee. It led to a 5-under 65. Every reasoned a cool spring has lead to sparse bermuda rough and the course is not as punishing as it has been in the past.
Fred Albers is a course reporter for SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio. For more information on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, click here.
5:34 PM
Rollins ends on high note, shoots 63
Watch John Rollins roll in a birdie putt at the 18th hole Thursday.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- John Rollins rolled in his longest putt of the day, a birdie putt just inside 22 feet, to cap off a 7-under 63 in Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
That puts him just one stroke off the lead held by Ryan Palmer, who shot 62 from a morning tee time. Both players are members at Colonial.
Rollins produced the low round of any player teeing off in the afternoon.
The three-time TOUR winner is making his 11th start in this event but has rarely experienced much success at Colonial. He's missed the cut seven times and his best finish is a tie for 24th in 2007.
The 63 is his best round at Colonial by four strokes.
Click below to listen to Rollins discuss his round with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio's Bill Rosinski.
5:07 PM
Palmer finally equal ... to his caddie
Ryan Palmer had one of the best driving rounds of his career on Thursday. (Halleran/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The challenge from caddie James Edmondson to his pro, Ryan Palmer, came late on their back nine in Thursday's first round at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.See if you can match my low score on this course. "What do you do when you get that thrown at you?" Palmer said with a laugh. Indeed, it doesn't happen often that a caddie has a better track record at a course than the man whose bag he's carrying. Palmer is a three-time winner on the PGA TOUR with nearly $14 million in earnings, but it's his good friend Edmondson who knows how to best succeed at Colonial. After all, he's a three-time Colonial club champion.
But with Palmer having the round of his life on his home course -- the Texas native has lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for several years and has been a Colonial member since 2010 -- Edmondson threw down the gauntlet. And Palmer responded. He birdied his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to shoot an 8-under 62.
That ties for the lowest opening round in tournament history. It ties for Palmer's lowest round of his career. And apparently it ties Edmondson's low round on this venerable course.
"We had a good laugh on that one," Palmer said.
It was a day for Palmer to finally feel good.
Two weeks ago, another close friend, Clay Aderholt, died in an auto accident. Palmer, with Clay's initials on his cap, finished tied for fifth that week at THE PLAYERS Championship, a tournament in which he usually struggles. Last week, after traveling back from Aderholt's memorial service, Palmer started strong at the HP Byron Nelson Championship before fading on the weekend.
This week, he's on comfortable and familiar ground. He plays Colonial "at least once or twice" a week during his off-weeks, even more in the winter. On those days, he meets his friends at 12:30 in the afternoon for the "Big Game." He gives them several shots. The laughs are plenty. It's a time for Palmer to enjoy golf without having to grind.
That's probably the reason he's never come close, even in those stress-free outings, to shooting the kind of score he shot on Thursday. He said his lowest practice score has been a 65.
"Half the time, I might grab a few on the back nine and drink it myself," Palmer said with a smile.
But all the rounds left Palmer feeling extremely comfortable on Thursday. He hit 12 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, and the majority of his birdie putts were inside 7 feet.
Palmer used driver on 11 of 14 driving holes and never found trouble. Coming into this week, Palmer ranked 128th in driving accuracy this year on the PGA TOUR.
"I felt comfortable over every tee shot," Palmer said. "... The way I hit it, I drew it up perfectly like I wanted to."
Unlike last week at TPC Four Seasons, Palmer didn't have Edmondson choosing his club for each shot. They've used that approach the last three years at the HP Byron Nelson, but for every other tournament, it's Palmer who has final say.
At Colonial, he doesn't even need to use his yardage book. He knows the course that well.
"It helps, obviously, the experience I have had here," Palmer said.
Nothing would delight him more than to see his name on the Wall of Champions at the first tee box. Having that honor at a club in which he's a member would be extra special. He said he dreams about it all the time.
"I can't begin to tell you what it would mean if it happens," Palmer said. "Hopefully I'll be able to tell you on Sunday."4:40 PM
Watch Fowler chip in for birdie
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Rickie Fowler chipped in for birdie from 38 feet on the par-5 11th during Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
3:58 PM
Summerhays dresses for birdie success
Orange and gray have worked well for Summerhays this month. (Ehrmann/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Earlier this month, Daniel Summerhays wore an orange shirt and gray slacks for the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship. He posted eight birdies that day en route to a 5-under 67.
On Thursday in the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, he wore the same outfit ... and tied his career-high with nine birdies en route to shooting a 5-under 65.
Coincidence? He thinks not.
"It's probably the orange and gray outfit," Summerhays said. "I seem to make a lot of birdies in this outfit.
"Maybe I can wash this a little bit and use it the rest of the day."Had it not been for a double bogey at the par-4 ninth when his approach shot landed in the water guarding the front of the green, he'd be right on the heels of Ryan Palmer, the leader who shot a bogey-free 62 with eight birdies.
Summerhays had an early tee time Thursday, and with almost no wind, conditions at Colonial were ripe for scoring. He doesn't expect it to stay that way.
"It's going to start showing its teeth," said Summerhays, whose best result this year a a tie for seventh at the Valero Texas Open, his last start in the state. "I was glad to make the birdies while I could."3:23 PM
Kuchar off to rare fast start
Matt Kuchar reflects on his first round with Bill Rosinski from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- As much as Matt Kuchar loves Colonial -- "One of my favorite courses on the PGA TOUR," he says -- his results haven't been particularly impressive.
Although Kuchar has made every cut in six previous starts at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, his only top-10 finish was a ninth in 2008. Consider this: Between 2010-12, Kuchar posted top-10 finishes in 40 percent of his starts, but he's 0-for-3 at this tournament.
"I probably haven't been quite as sharp as I would like to be around this time," Kuchar explained. "I'd say this year I feel a lot sharper."
He certainly looked a lot sharper in Thursday's first round, shooting a 5-under 65 -- his lowest opening round at Colonial by three strokes.
Starting his round off the 10th tee, Kuchar credited his opening tee shot to setting the tone. Instead of pulling a hybrid as he normally does on the hole, he opted for a 3-wood, an aggressive play that paid off when he found the fairway and needed only a pitching wedge from 127 yards.
His approach landed inside 7 feet, and he drained the birdie for a quick start.
"There was some good momentum going after hitting a couple of good shots and getting off to a birdie on my first hole," Kuchar said.2:55 PM
Defending champ discusses opening 69
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Following an 1-under 69 in Thursday's opening round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, defending champion Zach Johnson reflects on his play with Fred Albers from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.
Ryan Palmer discusses his 62 on Thursday with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio's Fred Albers.
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Ryan Palmer, a member at Colonial Country Club, shot a bogey-free 8-under 62 in Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, tying for the lowest opening round in tournament history.
RYAN PALMER'S LOWEST ROUNDS ON PGA TOUR
Score Date Tournament Round Eventual finish 62 (10 under) Oct. 24, 2004 FUNAI Classic-Disney 4 Won 62 (10 under) Jan. 29, 2006 Buick Invitational 2 T-35 62 (9 under) Oct. 16, 2005 Michelin Championship 1 T-12 62 (9 under) Feb. 3, 20013 Waste Management Phoenix Open 4 5 62 (8 under) May 23, 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial 1 ??? -
23 May ' 11:42
May 23 2013
2:10 PM
Palmer's 62 ties Rd. 1 record at Colonial
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Ryan Palmer shot a bogey-free 8-under 62 in Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, tying for the lowest opening round in tournament history.
The 62 also ties Palmer's career low round. It's the fifth time he has shot 62 at a TOUR event.
Palmer joins Patrick Sheehan (2005), David Toms (2011) and Chez Reavie (2011) for low opening round.
Palmer's 62 is also just the eighth recorded in any round at Colonial. The course record of 61 is held by six players.
Palmer's 62 leaves him atop the leaderboard midway through the first round, two shots ahead of Morgan Hoffmann.
Starting on the 10th hole, Palmer reeled off four consecutive birdies starting at No. 14. After making the turn, he birdied the par-5 first hole, and then birdied three of his last four holes.
Five of Palmer's eight birdie putts were less than 7 feet, as he had his irons dialed in all day.
2:00 PM
Every finally finds his putting stroke
Matt Every opened with a 5-under 65 in Thursday's first round at Colonial. (Halleran/Getty Images)
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Matt Every hasn't been happy with his putter this year, and the stats back him up. He ranks 130th on the PGA TOUR in strokes gained-putting, and his ranking is even worse on putts from 5-15 feet. Two weeks ago at THE PLAYERS Championship, he led the field in greens in regulation, normally a precursor to being in contention at the TOUR's flagship event. But he ranked 70th in strokes gained-putting, leaving him in a tie for 26th on the final scoreboard. On Thursday, though, Every rolled in a birdie putt from 12 feet, another from 13-1/2 feet, and for good measure drained a 20-footer in the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. No surprise that his score reflected his hot putter -- a 5-under 65, his lowest round on TOUR since early February. "It's been a pretty bad year for what I am expecting this year for myself," Every said. "That the way it goes sometimes. I've putted horrible. "I can deal with hitting it bad because then you can make putts and it just covers up so much stuff. But when you putt horribly it just drives you nuts." At TPC Sawgrass, Every used an oversize putting grip and went with a cross-handed approach, but after struggling on the greens that week, he's back to a smaller grip and conventional approach. He thinks the switch made an impact on Thursday. "Sometimes you need the feel in your hands to kind of steer it in," Every said. "You can't really steer it in when you take the feel out of the putt with the big grip. "So I put a small one back on and then just went to conventional and trying not to care about the result as much."
12:27 PM
First-round report from Werme, Albers
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Prior to Thursday's opening round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Tom Werme and Fred Albers from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio discuss how the weather has effected the growing conditions on the golf course.
12:00 PM
Noon update: Pettersson starts hot
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Carl Pettersson opened his first round Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial with three consecutive birdies and is 6 under through his first 13 holes. That puts him atop the early first-round leaderboard. Matt Every (through 16 holes) and Brendon de Jonge (through 15) are each at 5 under. Pettersson, Every and de Jonge have yet to make a bogey in their rounds.
In eight previous starts at Colonial, Pettersson's best finish is a tie for 22 in 2010 when he opened with a 5-under 65. Several players are at 4 under, including Matt Kuchar and Ryan Palmer, the latter having posted four straight birdies near the end of his front nine.
Defending champ Zach Johnson is 1 under through 14, as is playing parter Sang-Moon Bae, last week's winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship.11:40 AM
Perez withdraws with shoulder strain
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Pat Perez withdrew during Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial with a shoulder strain.
Perez, who started his round off the 10th tee, had played seven holes and was 2 over when he withdrew after making a par at the par-3 16th.
Perez was making his ninth career start at Colonial. He also had to withdraw in this event 10 years ago after the first round.
11:30 AM
Afternoon players to watch in Rd. 1
Jim Furyk is making his 18th start at Colonial and finished fourth last year. (Lecka/Getty Images)
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Here's a look at some of the players to watch with afternoon tee times in Thursday's first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Ryo Ishikawa (1:11 p.m.) -- His tie for 10th at HP Byron Nelson Championship was first top-10 of the season
Jordan Spieth (1:22 p.m.) -- The 19-year-old from Dallas is making his first start here
Rickie Fowler (1:33 p.m. ET) -- His results in this tournament have progressively improved in each of his three years
Charl Schwartzel (1:33 p.m. ET) -- Comes off a third-place finish at last week's HP Byron Nelson Championship, his third top-10 of the season
Jim Furyk (1:33 p.m. ET) -- Has made $1,761,584 in 17 career starts at Colonial, the most of any non-champion in this event
Hunter Mahan (1:44 p.m. ET) -- His tie for 19th at THE PLAYERS Championship in his last start was his best result since losing to Matt Kuchar in the finals of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in February
David Toms (1:55 p.m. ET) -- The 2011 Crowne Plaza champ's only top-25 finish this year is a tie for 13th at the Masters
Corey Pavin (2:28 p.m. ET) -- His stroke average in 29 starts at Colonial is 69.24, which is second highest (to Kenny Perry) for all players with 20-plus appearances7:44 AM
Watch: PGA TOUR Today
Amanda Balionis previews the first round of the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, including featured groups on Golf Channel, an update from SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio and Rob Bolton's Power Rankings.
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22 May ' 14:45
5:10 PM
Levin to play in U.S. Open qualifier
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM
Spencer Levin will play in the U.S. Open sectional qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, on June 3.
It will be the first time Levin has played competitively this year after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligmanet in his left thumb last fall.
Levin, who spent Tuesday racing around Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 2013 Indianapolis 500 qualifier and IZOD teammate A.J. Allmendinger, said he also plans to play some Web.com Tour events beginning in late August.
The U.S. Open will take place June 13-16 at Merion Golf Club.
Last season, Levin had a half-dozen top 25s in 26 starts and finished 45th in the FedExCup standings. He made just under $1.3 million.
4:53 PM
Fowler to help Oklahoma victims
Prior to the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Rickie Fowler talks about matching fan donations to benefit the tornado victims, and his strategy for the tournament.
4:10 PM
Bae eyes spot in U.S. Open
FORT WORTH, Texas -- After his PGA TOUR win Sunday at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, Sang-Moon couldn't sleep that night. Then he rested for a couple of days, responded to 100 phone calls and 200 text messages, had a celebratory dinner with other Korean-born players on TOUR, contemplated his move from Los Angeles to Dallas, and now wants to regain his competitive focus for another important week. He's hoping to play well enough at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial to qualify for next month's U.S. Open at Merion. Bae needs to be ranked in the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking next Monday. He enters Thursday's first round at Colonial ranked 64th, having moved up from 106th thanks to last week's win at TPC Four Seasons. "I have to play well this week," Bae said Wednesday. The Korean is registered for a U.S. Open qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, on June 3. "But I don't want to play," he said. "I have to play hard (this week) to get in." Bae played in his first Crowne Plaza last year. He played the first three rounds but shot 77 in the third round and didn't make the second cut prior to the final round. He said he didn't have much energy that week. He likes the course, though, and he obviously has momentum and confidence. "I will try my best," he said.
3:43 PM
Jobe in, Fritsch WDs at Colonial
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Brad Fritsch's back injury has opened up a spot for Fort Worth-area resident Brandt Jobe in this week's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Fritsch withdrew on Wednesday, with Jobe moving up from the first alternate position.
This will be the 11th appearance and third straight for Jobe at Colonial. His best finish is a fourth in 2003. He has made the cut in nine of his 10 previous starts.
3:04 PM
Astellas at Crowne Plaza Invitational
Gina LaBarre, second from right, spoke at Tuesday's Astellas Presents Executive Women's Day.
By John Bush, PGA TOUR
FORT WORTH, Texas -- More than 200 female business leaders gathered this week at the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial for the Astellas Presents Executive Women's Day. The first-year event was a sellout at the Colonial Country Club. The event included a breakfast and luncheon, with CBS Sports reporter Lesley Visser serving as the keynote speaker. Following lunch, the program shifted to the “Wine Down-Network Up” portion of the day where the local, regional and national businesswomen enjoyed a unique networking opportunity. "It was a pleasure to be a part of the Executive Women's Day panel at this year's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial,” said Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Americas Brand Management, Upscale Brands, IHG. “It was a fun and engaging forum to discuss topics that are important to so many women in business, and I'm very proud that I could share what I've learned as I've progressed in my career." The PGA TOUR and Astellas Pharma US, Inc. (“Astellas”) recently entered a three-year agreement in which Tokyo-based Astellas will champion the TOUR’s commitment to its new Women’s Initiative, designed to provide women with information that promotes their overall well-being, including informing women about important health and wellness issues, encouraging discussion on those topics and creating opportunities to talk and learn about them.
3:00 PM
Teenager Guan to play in Memphis
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM
The summer of Guan Tianlang continues.
The 14-year-old Chinese amateur has accepted a sponsor exemption into the FedEx St. Jude Classic, the tournament announced on Wednesday.
"Guan's invitation was a no-brainer," said tournament director Phil Cannon. “He certainly has made a big splash in the sports world. And we are excited our fans will get to witness history. It's remarkable that he did not have a three-putt green in 72 holes at Augusta."
Guan, who was the youngest player to participate in the Masters before finishing as the low amateur at Augusta National, is also in the field for next week's Memorial tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance.
The FedEx St. Jude Classic will be his fourth event on a sponsor exemption. As a non-member of the PGA TOUR, he is allowed to accept up to seven sponsor exemptions.
Guan earned his spot in the Masters by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
In his two starts since the Masters, Guan finished 71st in New Orleans and missed the cut last week in Dallas.
2:30 PM
Watch Dufners hit red carpet
Jason and Amanda Dufner take on acting in a Perry Ellis PGA TOUR Pro Series Apparel commercial.
More Dufner:Feature on his last two seasons | Tee to Green | Off the course | Inside PGA TOUR
Watch preview of Crowne Plaza Inv'tl
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The PGA TOUR is in Cowtown as players look to make their mark on the Wall of Champions and take on Hogan’s Alley at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
12:32 PM
One year later: Zach's gaffe at 18
FORT WORTH, Texas -- A year ago, on the 72nd hole, Zach Johnson suffered a penalty for improperly marking his ball before his final putt. It cost him two strokes. It did not cost him the tournament. It did cost him good-natured ribbing for the next 365 days. "You can say that," he said. Johnson won the 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial thanks to having a three-shot lead over Jason Dufner going to the final hole on Sunday. On the putting surface, Johnson's ball was in the line of Dufner's putt, so Johnson moved his ball marker ... then forgot to move it back when it came time to putt out. Johnson's margin of victory went from three shots to one. He took full responsibility for the miscue, making fun of himself and smiling whenever anybody brought up the incident. "I probably wouldn't be laughing as much if it influenced the outcome," he said. "Once again, I made a mistake. Live and learn." During a charity event back in Johnson's hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ben Crane and Stewart Cink addressed the crowd about "Golf 101." Of course, they brought up how to properly mark the ball, then proceeded to bring out a marker the size of a hubcap, with the slogan, "Remember Colonial." "I had some peers of mine that poked fun at me at pretty good length," Johnson said. "It was pretty good." Johnson would love to go to the 72nd hole this week with a similar advantage. He'll be sure to properly mark his ball this time. And then perhaps the ribbing will finally go away.
11:00 AM
One and done: Crowne Plaza
By Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy Insider
There are some weeks in which seasoned one-and-doners just plug a guy in and forget about it. This is one of them.
Zach Johnson is the most obvious play for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He's the defending champion, also won in 2010, sits No. 1 in all-time earnings at the event and has earned more at this tournament than any other in his career.
He has yet to log a top-15 finish this season, but his tie for 19th at THE PLAYERS Championship was his best in a full-field event. (He shared 18th place at the 30-man Hyundai Tournament of Champions to open the season.)
I'd burn him if I didn't already exhaust my one, self-imposed mulligan on a defending champion (Tiger Woods, Bay Hill). So, I'll ride a guy that likely went unlisted in games that require participants to fill in an entire season's worth of starts in January: Henrik Stenson.
He sits atop my Power Rankings and while he's just 2-for-3 at Colonial with no top 25s, he's been populating leaderboards for months. Prior to an early exit at last week's Volvo World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria, he tied for fifth at THE PLAYERS. It was his third top 10 in a five-event span.
Kevin Streelman is No. 2 in the Power Rankings. He's extremely tempting as a one-and-done. I love that he chalked up his breakthrough victory in Tampa as just another step in his career, and I won't talk you out of him. Call it a coin flip, but Stenson leads the PGA TOUR in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation.
David Toms ranks third in all-time earnings in the event. He epitomizes the profile of what it takes to succeed on the classic track, but he has just one top-45 finish in eight stroke-play starts this season.
Jim Furyk is fifth in earnings, but we'll continue to remain patient for a potential start as Colonial ranks 12th on his personal ranking of prize money earned. The others inside the top nine and on site are Rory Sabbatini (sixth), Corey Pavin (seventh), Tim Herron (eighth) and Tim Clark (ninth).
Clark would serve as a sensible option in two-man games unless you're holding off for the Travelers Championship or Wyndham Championship. However, he hasn't banked more money in any other tournament he hasn't won than at Colonial. He's also flashed enough form this season to warrant the spot.
SUMMARY
Last week: Jason Day; T27; $46,565.00
Overall Record: 19-for-21
Earnings: $4,262,889.51
Wins: 1
Top 5s: 5
Top 10s: 10
Top 25s: 14
Missed Cuts: 2
Withdrawals: 0
Disqualifications: 0
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22 May ' 07:20
May 22 2013
10:00 AM
Featured hole: Colonial CC
The fifth hole at Colonial consistently ranks among the 50 toughest holes on TOUR. (Martin/Getty Images)
By Jeff Shain, PGATOUR.COM Contributor
It was in 1941 that Colonial Country Club’s fifth hole was dubbed “Death Valley,” traced to an account of U.S. Open golfers staggering away from the punishment being doled out that year alongside the Trinity River.
More than seven decades later, better players and better equipment have done little to weaken the dogleg’s moniker.
“It’s just brutal,” said David Toms, who captured the Crowne Plaza Invitational two years ago.
Said Masters champion Adam Scott: “If you do challenge anything and go wrong, then there is a big number waiting to happen.”
No. 5 -- the final stretch of Colonial’s “Horrible Horseshoe” -- consistently ranks among the PGA TOUR’s 50 toughest holes in any given season. It was 33rd a year ago, with golfers unable to save par 133 times in 396 plays.
Put another way, one of every three attempts went for bogey or worse.’
“The penalty is quite severe on this hole,” said Scott, for whom Colonial is the only Texas stop he hasn’t managed to win.
Listed at 481 yards, No. 5 presents one of the more claustrophobic tee shots on the TOUR. The Trinity River runs just behind trees to the right of the hole, serving as one of the course’s boundaries.
To the left, meanwhile, is a big ditch that’s just as apt to swallow wayward tee shots. In the prevailing winds, you’ll likely have to start your tee shot over the majestic oaks left of the fairway.
“You’ve got to hit a fade off the tee and the fairway slopes right-to-left,” said reigning champion Zach Johnson. “There is junk right, and you don't want to miss it left. You don't want to be in the rough. Your second shot is no bargain there, either.”
It’s another long, narrow approach to the green, which is well guarded by bunkers and trees.
Though most pros would be happy to walk away from No.5 with par for four consecutive days, Jason Dufner turned it to his advantage to keep the pressure on Johnson last year. Dufner birdied No.5 three times during the week, including the final round.
On the Mark: Low shot, lots of spin
Sang-Moon executed a low-trajectory, high-spin shot en route to victory. (Pennington/Getty Images)
Both combatants were tied at 12 under as they headed up the par-5 16th. After getting their second shots into position, Bae faced an uphill pitch from about 40 yards and Bradley faced a pitch of about 50 feet from right of the green. Bae drove a low-spinning wedge into the green which gripped and spun back to about 5 feet from the cup. Not to be outdone, the gusty Bradley clipped a low and aggressive spinning wedge shot to just inside of his playing partner. Both shots were absolutely gorgeous and certainly worth learning how to play.
How to play the low, spinning wedge shot:
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