Latest news with #ChubbClassic
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fred Couples is sick at the Hoag Classic, but he's swinging harder than ever. How come?
In preparation for his upcoming trip to Augusta National, sweet-swinging Fred Couples has been adding a little mojo to his drives, and has even traveled for a few training sessions. But a recent journey didn't help put the 1982 Masters champ in a good place just before his appearance at the PGA Tour Champions' Hoag Classic. "I went to the desert to practice," he said, "and I got sick, really sick. You know, I kept putting this coat on because I'm actually sweating." And while that might slow some players, the illness didn't seem to bother the 14-time Champions winner, who fired a 67 during the opening round at Newport Beach Country Club, leaving him just three shots off the lead. Couples has just two starts under this belt this year on the senior circuit, but has finished in the top 15 at both events, including a T4 at the Chubb Classic in Naples, Florida. But he's been swinging strong of late, hoping that he can maximize his length as a jaunt down Magnolia Lane looms. "I think getting out in the sun helped. I hit the ball solid. The next month I'm trying to hit my driver like I'm trying to hit it as far as I can, and to be honest with you, I drove it really well today. I drove it off the fairway on 18, but I did great," he said. "I've been hitting in the basement and the last 20 balls -- you know, everyone does weird things, so I thought you know, in here I'm going to start swinging physically as hard as I can. Now I'm doing it on the range. "If I felt better, I would go do it after my round, too. That's my goal. If I can drive it like this today at Augusta, I'll have one less club. Last year I hit too many 200-yard shots." Couples also talked before the event about his friend Tiger Woods, who he said is still in good spirits despite an Achilles injury. "He'll be fine," Couples said of Woods. "He's my man and texting him is a lot of fun." 'He's in great spirits.'An update from Fred Couples on Tiger. — PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 21, 2025 Brendan Jones has the lead at the Hoag, but Couples is well within range of capturing another Champions crown, something he last did at the 2022 SAS Championship in North Carolina. There's a little extra incentive for Couples in that he lives nearby. "I'm more worried about Newport. I'm trying to play well here, I live here. You've been from right here, too. I love the golf course," he said. "I could have shot better, but even on the last hole, you know, I'm not hearing the ball with the putter blade, it's more of just hitting it, and I left a lot of putts short. "So (Saturday) I'll try and be a little more aggressive, but I need to hit it like I did today." This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fred Couples near top of leaderboard at PGA Tour Champions Hoag Classic
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
In bid for first PGA Tour Champions title, Justin Leonard leads Ernie Els by a shot
Justin Leonard saw first-round Chubb Classic co-leaders Paul Stankowski and Mario Tiziani shoot 7-under pars on Day 1 to set the pace at the PGA Tour Champions event in Naples. On Saturday, Leonard did the same, shooting a 7-under to take the lead at 11-under as he, like Stankowski and Tiziani, is seeking his first PGA Tour Champions win. In Saturday's second round, the University of Texas Longhorn birdied four of his first seven holes and an additional four on the inward nine at 11, 12, 14 and 18. 'I hit some really good wedges on the front nine, which was something I struggled with a little bit in the two pro-ams this week,' Leonard said. 'If you drive the ball well here, you are going to have some wedges. The contact and distance control weren't quite right. I worked on it Thursday and Friday afternoons and think it paid off. I was hitting my numbers nicely.' The adjustment Leonard focused on surrounded full swings. Well, kind of. 'This golf course, with all its wedges, you've got to be able to have those ¾ shots taking 4-5 yards off,' he explained. 'It wasn't so much of a swing adjustment as it was the need to just get over to the range and practice.' Ernie Els in only 1 shot off the lead with back-to-back 5-under 67s. 'The key to tomorrow is to just go out and play solid golf,' Els said. 'The wind picked up today…tough scoring. But, Justin is a tough competitor. There are a bunch of guys behind us, so we just got to put the foot on the gas.' The sting from his round's only hit – a double bogey at the par-3 7th – was eased by seven birdies. Els was unable to capitalize on birdie putts inside 10 feet on each of the final three holes in round two. 'I just want to play solid golf, stay in it,' said Els. 'I've got a bit of a run going, but it's going to be a tough day and Justin's a tough competitor…so are about 10 other guys within three shots. I've just got to try and get going and shoot a good score.' In Els' most recent three starts at Tiburon Golf Club, the World Golf Hall of Fame member finished tied for 10th in 2022 and 2023, before improving to a tie for third last year. 'As for tomorrow, Ernie's right there and I felt like this was kind of his Tour last year,' Leonard said. "He's obviously off to a great start with a first and a third these past two weeks, so it's going to take a similar round to the one I had today. I know I'm capable. The main thing is to just not worry about the score or where I am. I just need to go out, play my game and enjoy where I am. It's another day to go learn and do what I know I'm capable of.' Stankowski and Tiziani, who shared the 18-hole lead after matching 65s Friday, signed for a 1-under 71 and 1-over 73, respectively, as Stankowski sat alone in third with an 8-under Unable to mount much of a charge through the first 36 holes, defending Chubb Classic champion Stephen Ames will begin Sunday's final round 10 strokes back at 1-under 143. In his bid for a sixth Chubb Classic title, Bernhard Langer opened with scores of 72-68 and is at 4-under 140, seven strokes off Leonard's lead. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Chubb Classic: Justin Leonard has 1 stroke lead over Ernie Els heading into final round
NBC Sports
17-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Justin Leonard wins the Chubb Classic for his first PGA Tour Champions victory
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Justin Leonard won the Chubb Classic for his first PGA Tour Champions victory, overcoming a slow start Sunday with a back-nine charge on Tiburon's Black Course. Leonard birdied five of the last seven holes for a 4-under 68 and a four-stroke victory over Billy Andrade. The 52-year-old Texan won in his 45th start on the 50-and-over tour, his first victory since the last of his 12 PGA Tour titles in the 2008 St. Jude Championship. 'It's been a long time since I've won, and I tell myself all the time that I have won,' Leonard said, fighting back tears on the 18th green. 'But it's easy to kind of forget a little bit, and say, `Well, you know, is it going to be? 'I just put a lot of work in. ... I mean, last year was so bad it was good. It was good for me. Made some changes with my golf swing. ... It's just so fun to finally be here because I always felt like I would be. But it's nice to finally get it done.' After a bogey on 10 dropped him to 1 over for the day, Leonard scrambled for a key par on the 11th, then birdied the next three. He scrambled again for par on the par-3 16th, then got a 30-footer to catch the right edge for birdie on the par-4 17th and got up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the par-5 18th for one last birdie. 'I just kept telling myself that I was still in it,' Leonard said. 'I felt like my best golf was ahead of me. I played OK the first 10 holes. Eleven, the end of it was good, but it just wasn't my best golf. I kept telling myself to just own the last seven holes. Once I got a little bit of momentum I felt like I could ride it.' Leonard finished at 15-under 201. He shot 65 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead and set himself up for the breakthrough victory in his return to competitive golf after a long run as a television analyst. Leonard has starred at all levels, winning the 1992 U.S. Amateur and 1994 NCAA title for Texas to cap his amateur career, then taking the 1997 British Open at Royal Troon and making the winning putt in the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline. 'I didn't think about anything in particular today, but just knowing I've been there,' Leonard said. 'Even though it might have been 10, 20, 30 years ago, I've been able to do it before.' Andrade also shot 68. Darren Clarke was third at 10 under, also shooting 68. Fred Couples had a 66 to tie for fourth at 9 under with Richard Green (68), Heath Slocum (70) and Paul Stankowski (71). Ernie Els, a stroke behind Leonard entering the day, shot a 75 to finish 11th at 7 under. Bernhard Langer closed with a 70 to tie for 12th at 6 under. He has won the event a record five times.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Highlights: Leonard victorious at Chubb Classic
Golf Central presents final-round highlights of the Chubb Classic won by Justin Leonard, his first PGA Tour Champions victory.
NBC Sports
17-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Highlights: Leonard victorious at Chubb Classic
Golf Central presents final-round highlights of the Chubb Classic won by Justin Leonard, his first PGA Tour Champions victory.
