Blog#223 results The Payers Championship March 17, 2025

Blog#223 results The Payers Championship March 17, 2025

Wed 3/12/25 Golf Channel group picked Colin Morikawa, Sepp Straka or Michael Kim.

Jason Day withdraws due to illness. Rookie Denny Walker replaces him as last man in.

ROUND 1 Perfect weather 80’s Wind 6-10MPH. Highlights of Jordan Spieth’s front 9 from #10. Starts with birdie and eagle chip in from sand, DB in water #14, bogies #15, chips in another eagle on 16, triple putts #17 for another bogie then birdies 18, 2 bogies 2 birdies 2 eagles-2.

1 Lucas Glover-6 66 Only 2 under thru 14 but birdies last 4 holes for lead. FINISH 3

1 JJ Spahn-6 66 bogie free RD. FINISH 2

4 Min Woo Lee-5 Bogies his 2nd hole then 6 birdies. FINISH 20

4 Rory McIlroy-5 Starts with 2 birdies then 2 bogies and 5 more birdies. FINISH Wins

4 Akshay Bhatia-4 Bogie free RD. FINISH 3

9 Alex Smally-4 Bogie free with 4 birdies having a good year #41 FedX. FINISH

9 Stephen Jaeger-4 Two bogies 6 birdies. FINISH

9 Ricky Fowler-4 68 One bogie on #3 then 5 birdies, 71 2nd RD. FINISH 71

20 Scottie Scheffler-3 69 One bogie 4 birdies, 70 2nd RD. Never in it. FINISH 20

31 Jordan Spieth-2 70 Wild front 9 (see above) Pars back 9. FINISH 59

31 Colin Morikawa-2 70 One bogie 3 birdies. FINISH 10

47 Corry Conners-1 71Three bogies 4 birdies. FINISH 6

47 Ludvig Aberg-1 71 Two DBs on his front 9. RD2 75. FINISH Cut

62 Xander Schauffele E 72, RD2 71 just makes cut. FINISH 72

134 Justin Thomas+6 78/ 3DB’s, RD2 course record 62 5 bogies RD3. FINISH 33

ROUND 2

1 Min Woo Lee-11 66 5 birdies first 10 holes only 1 bogie to take lead.

1 Akshay Bhatia-11 66 2 bogies 8 birdies.

3 JJ Spahn-10 68 Two bogies after 0 in 1st R, birdies.

4 Rory McIlroy-9 Five birdies 0 bogies front 9, 2 bogies 1 birdie on back.

4 Colin Morikawa-9 65 Great 2nd RD 2 bogies 9 birdies to move up 27 spots.

4 Alex Smalley-9 67 Only 1 bogie in 2 RDs.

7 Lucas Glover-8 70 Two bogies 4 birdies 70.

Cut-1 Missed #96Aberg+2, #116Hovland+4, #125Homa & Vilips+6, #133Finau+8

ROUND 3 Wind 15 MPH, only 7 players broke 70.

1 JJ Spahn-12 70 Takes 2 stroke lead but 3 putts 17 saves par on 18 with 25’ putt.

2 Bud Cauley-11 66 One eagle 3 bogies, 3 birdies on last 4 holes including 17.

3 Lucas Glover-9 71 Ties for lead thru 13 then DB 15 eagles 16 water 17 for DB.

5 Rory McIlroy-9 73 Three putts 17 but birdies 18, worse RD of tournament.

5 Akshay Bhatia-9 75 Birdies 1st hole but +4 on 2 thru 5, then +1 back 9.

16 Min Woo Lee-5 Drops from #1with DB on 5 then 5 bogies to drop from #1.

7 Corry Conners-8 66 One bogie 7 birdies, moves from #47 after RD. FINISH

FINAL ROUND

1 Rory McIlroy-12 68 Three shot lead at #13 bogies #14 pars #18 for tie. $4.5M

2 JJ Spahn-12 72 Birdies 14&16 to tie, just misses long putt on 18 to win.$2.7M

3 Tom Hoge-10 66 Lowest RD of day to come from #22. $1.3M

3 Akshay Bhatia-10 70 Misses several makable birdie putts on back 9. $1.3M

3 Lucas Glover-10 71 Has a great back 9 4 birdies 0 bogies. $1.3M

6 Danny Walker-9 70 Feel good story, not supposed to be in tournament $844K

6 Cory Connors-9 71 From #47 after RD1 back bogie on 14 hurt him. $844K

COMMENTARY Since this is actually the 5th major, I feel it deserves full coverage of the final round which ended in a tie between Rory McIlroy & JJ Spahn. It will be a 3 hole playoff

on 16, 17 & 18.

Also an analysis of the top contenders and favorites for the tournament.

It was an exciting finish with a playoff and JJ Spahn played better than anyone until the

1st 11 holes in RD 4 (3 bogies), and the 3 playoff holes.

MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENTS:

Max Homa Cut 79 RD1 for #139, drops to 159 FedX Cup missed 4 of 6 cuts this year.

Justin Thomas #33 Shots 78 RD1 #134, has great RD2 62, also 2 72-par 3 out of 4.

Colin Morikawa #10 Shoots 65 RD2 to climb from 31 to 4 but 77 RD3 and falls to #22.

Min Woo Lee#20 One DB 5 bogies RD3 Drops from #1 to #16.

Scottie Shefflerr#20 Best RD 1st 69 then 72, 72, 73 with total of 9 bogies, never in it.

Jordan Spieth#59 Shoots 78 RD4 One DB 4 bogies 0 birdies back 9.

Billy Horschel#42 Tied for 4th RD1 then next 3 RDs 8 bogies 2DBS 1 on 17.

Ludvig Aberg Cut Three DB’s RD2 Finished 22nd last week, I thought he may win Masters?

Xander Schauffele#72 Last to make cut and made $50K, still rusty from layoff.

Ricky Fowler#71 After 9th RD1, 82&79 on last 2 RDs, drops to #71+12.

Will Zalatoris#30 RD3 is+9(1 bogie 2DB’s, 1 4XB) over last 5 holes to fall from 7th place.

Tony Finau Cut(10 bogies 1DB) In 7 2025 events missed 3 cuts 0 wins 1 top 10.

Max Greyserman Cut(2-3XB, 2DD’s, 4 bogies) good young player who should to win this year.

Other underachievers H Matsuyama Cut, Shane Lowry #20, Russel Henely #30.

PLESENT SUPRISES;

JJ Spahn At 34 his 229th PGA event having best season & moves from 11 to 5th FedX Cup.

His 1st win since The Valero Texas Open in 2022 which will be played next week.

This year He led Sony after 3rd RD finished 4th, finished 2nd by 1 stroke at Cognizant.

Danny Walker last man in finished #6, moved from 114 to 46 FedX Cup, 1st top 10.

Lucas Glover Has played well in fall and start of 2025 moved from #25 to 13th FedX Cup.

PLAYOFF

Monday March 17 very difficult conditions high winds slippery greens.

Hole 16 Rory hits tee shot 336 yds into fairway and his 2nd shot on green, putts past green then sinks 4’putt for birdie and lead.

Spahn hits right rough and his 2nd shot is into the bunker and hits green, 3rd shot leaves 22’ putt short and pars.

Hole 17 Rory’s tee shot on green 29’ from hole, then 3 putts for bogie and 3 shot lead.

Spahn tee shot into water, his first shot in the water this week, 2nd shot on green but at edge for 60’ putt, 4th shot chips to about 10’ from hole 5th shot within 2’ of holes for triple bogie.

Hole 18 Rory’s tee shot into right rough, 2nd shot to about the same distance.

3rd shot 139’ to green on green about 15’ from hole 4th past hole sinks bogie putt for win.

Spahn’s tee shot also into rough but better lie than McIlroy, 2nd shot into fairway.

3rd shot 142’ to green about 60’ from hole, 4th shot short, 5th shot not necessary as Rory wins.