Round 2: The Barclays
May 11 2012
2:00 pm
McIlroy stumped by TPC Sawgrass again
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy has grown exponentially as a player the last couple of years but during that time there’s one thing he hasn’t figured out: How to make it to the weekend at THE PLAYERS Championship.
For the third time in as many trips to TPC Sawgrass, McIlroy missed the cut, shooting a 76 Friday to finish 4 over. In six career rounds here, he’s never broken par.
“Off the tee I find pretty difficult around here,” McIlroy said. “You have really got to position your ball in the fairway and to give yourself at least a chance to get to some of these pins. I just didn’t do that over the last couple of days.”
It was only a week ago that McIlroy nearly won for the fourth time in his career on the PGA TOUR and second time this year before falling to Rickie Fowler in a playoff at Quail Hollow.
When it comes to TPC Sawgrass, however, there’s a different level of comfort for McIlroy — or lack thereof.
Asked if he hit it much differently than last week, he said, “Not at all. It’s unbelievable. I shoot 14 under last week and I feel like I hit it just the same this week, and I’m going home. I don’t know what it is about this place.”
With three bogeys over his first nine holes Friday, McIlroy gave himself little chance of making it to the weekend. He added two more on the back and had just one birdie.
“He’s such an aggressive player,” said fellow Northern Irishman and good friend Graeme McDowell. “When you get aggressive here, you take a chance sometimes and then go, uh oh."
For the week, McIlroy made nearly twice as many bogeys or double bogeys (eight) as he did birdies (five). In all, McIlroy hit just 57 percent of his fairways and 56 percent of his greens in regulation — both of which ranked in the bottom half of the field.
“I’ve played golf courses in the past that forced me to [hit shots I don’t like], and I’ve done well on those,” McIlroy said. “Something about this place I just can’t quite get to grips with.”
Despite his lack of success, McIlroy, who skipped this tournament in 2010, plans to be back next year.
“Promise,” he laughed. “I’m sure [I’ll figure this course out]. Hopefully I’m coming back here for another 20 years. If I don’t figure it out on my 20th go, there’s something wrong.”
Round 4: The Barclays
August 27 2011
2:10 pm
Congratulate Johnson on Barclays win
Dustin Johnson was nearly flawless in his final round at Plainfield Country Club, where he shot a 6-under 65 Saturday to finish 19 under and two shots clear of Matt Kuchar in the weather-shortened Barclays. Share your note of congratulations here and we’ll pass it along to Johnson.
1:48 pm
Johnson wins shortened Barclays
EDISON, N.J. — For the second time in three years, Dustin Johnson won a weather-shortened event on the PGA TOUR.
Johnson shot a 6-under 65 Saturday ahead of Hurricane Irene to finish at 19 under and win The Barclays by two strokes over defending champion Matt Kuchar. The victory is Johnson’s first of the year and moves him to the top of the FedExCup standings after the first event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.
“It feels great,” Johnson said. “I feel like I’ve played pretty well all year but just haven’t quite been able to get that win. The putter has been lacking a little bit. This week I finally rolled some putts, so this feels really good.”
Because of the impending hurricane, the tournament was shortened to 54 holes. The last time Johnson won a rain-shortened tournament was in 2009 at Pebble Beach. Saturday’s victory was also the second Playoffs win of his career.
Unlike that win at Pebble Beach, Johnson knew beforehand that Saturday’s round would be the last of the tournament.
With an early start as players tried to beat the weather, Johnson didn’t waste any time getting out to a fast start as he made the turn in 29 after five birdies, an eagle and just one bogey.
All week Johnson dominated on the front nine at Plainfield Country Club, where he also shot 29 in the second round after carding a 30 in the opening round. He was a combined 17 under on those stretch of holes alone.
“I don’t know what it is about the front but I played pretty well on the front,” Johnson said. Then he smiled: “I wish we could have just keep playing the front nine, I would have done really well this week.”
Kuchar, who led by one at the start of the day, got off to a similar start as he and Johnson separated themselves from the field. But bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12 proved costly to Kuchar, who wasn’t able to recover. He failed to make a birdie the rest of the day.
“Dustin and I each had it going on the front side and made for some exciting golf,” Kuchar said. “Bummer not to defend. I was right there with a shot at it and to come up short, it’s frustrating “
With the runner-up finish, Kuchar moved to second in the FedExCup standings.
12:53 pm
FedExCup leader Watney enjoys 64
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
EDISON, N.J. — Nick Watney entered the week as the FedExCup points leader, but he won’t maintain that spot after Saturday.
Still, Watney won’t fall too far down the points list, thanks to a final-round bogey-free 7-under 64 that had him inside the top 10 on The Barclays leaderboard when he finished his round.
"It was nice to play a good round," said Watney, who was projected to fall to third in points. "Overall, I’m pleased with the day."
Watney had opened with rounds of 67 and 69 but said he found something on the range Friday and felt like he struck the ball better on Saturday. He hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation on Saturday.
That left him feeling good about his game going into next week’s Deutsche Bank Championship.
"It was a pretty easy round (Saturday)," Watney said. "Hopefully that will carry over."
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