Golf Events from the Weekend 20th September 2015

Well it was another awesome weekend on the Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world and this week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup Playoff Series headed to the State of Illinois for the third of four 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoff Series events which was the BMW Championship and was played at Conway Farms GC, Lake Forest, Illinois. Only the top seventy players on the 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points list standings after the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship were eligible to compete in it. Billy Horschel (USA) was the defending champion and was keen for back to back titles. It carried a huge prize purse of US $8,250,000 for the taking. All the leading players on the USPGA Tour were there including Rory McIlroy (NIR), Jordan Spieth (USA), Jason Day (Australia), Bubba Watson (USA) and Zach Johnson (USA) to name a few. Danny Lee (NZL) was the only New Zealander golfer to make it and he was looking for another high finish. And it was the golfer by the name of Jason Day (Australia) who scored rounds of 61-10, 63-8, 69-2 and a final round of 69-2 for a seventy two hole total of 262-22 and he won by an amazing six shots for his fifth win of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season (which is the most of any player so far) and his seventh of his USPGA Tour career so far. He also ascended to Number One position on the Official World Golf Ranking points list standings for the very first time in his career. Jason Day (Australia) earned US $1,485,000 for the win and remained in second position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $9,174,805 earned from the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far. Jordan Spieth (USA) still leads that list with US $10,545,465 earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this season so far. Jason Day (Australia) also earned 2000 FedEx Cup Playoff Points for the win and increased his lead at the top of the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoff Points list standings with 6,680 points earned from the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far and he will take the number one seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 2000 points in the reset and his destiny is in his own hands that if he wins next week his wins the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and the US $10,000,000 bonus that goes with it!! and he leads Jordan Spieth (USA) who was 2,288 points behind Jason Day (Australia) with 4,392 points earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this season to date so far and he takes the number two seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 1,800 points in the reset and his destiny is in his own hands that if he wins next week his wins the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and the US $10,000,000 that goes with it!! From the nineteen events Jason Day (Australia) has played to date this season so far he has made seventeen cuts and achieved ten top ten finishes which includes the win this past week and also his win at the Barclays three weeks ago and his win at the PGA Championship (Maiden Major Championship) five weeks ago and his win at the RBC Canadian Open in late July and his win at the Farmers Insurance Open in early February. Jason Day (Australia) will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all in the 60s especially his 61-10 (which was his lowest round on the USPGA Tour in his career to date so far and also the low round of the day and the tournament) in the first round which saw him hole out for eagle on the par four, first hole and he also made nine birdies!! And also his second round 63-8 which he eagled the par five, eighteenth hole by holing a forty foot putt and he also made seven birdies!! And with how he played on the weekend with the big lead he managed two consecutive 69-2s!! 

 

Jason Day (Australia) plays an iron shot during the final round

Jason Day (Australia) will be extremely pleased with how he played the final round after taking a six shot lead into it after 54 holes and scored 69-2 which included a good front nine of 35 even par with a lone birdie on the par five, eighth hole and a poor bogey on the par five, ninth hole and he made the turn at minus twenty and was leading by six shots. Daniel Berger (USA) went out in 36+1 and made the turn at minus thirteen and was now seven shots behind the leader. Scott Piercy (USA) went out in 38+3 and made the turn at minus eleven and was now nine shots behind the leader. Rickie Fowler (USA) went out in 33-2 and made the turn at minus fourteen and was now only six shots behind the leader. 

Jason Day (Australia) played holes ten to fourteen in even par with making five straight pars and remained at minus twenty and was now only leading by four shots. Daniel Berger (USA) played holes ten to fourteen in three under par which included birding the par four, tenth hole, par four, thirteenth hole and par five, fourteenth hole and moved to minus sixteen and was now only four shots behind the leader. Scott Piercy (USA) played holes ten to fourteen in one under par and that included birding the par five, fourteenth hole and he moved to minus twelve and was now only eight shots behind the leader. Rickie Fowler (USA) played holes ten to fourteen in even par and that included birding the par four, twelfth hole and bogeying the par four, thirteenth hole and he remained at minus fourteen and still was six shots behind the leader. 

 

Jason Day (Australia) plays a chip shot during the final round!!

Jason Day (Australia) played holes fifteen to seventeen in one under par which included birding the par four, sixteenth hole where he holed his putt from just off the green and he moved to minus twenty one and was now leading by five shots. Daniel Berger (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par where he made three straight pars in a row and he remained at minus sixteen and was now five shots behind the leader. Scott Piercy (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in two under par and that included birding the par four, fifteenth hole and par four, sixteenth hole and he moved to minus fourteen and now was only seven shots behind the leader. Rickie Fowler (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par which saw him make three pars in row and remained at minus fourteen and was now seven shots behind the leader. 

Rickie Fowler (USA) who was playing in the group ahead of the final group made a solid par at the par five, seventy second hole and finished the seventy two holes at minus fourteen and finished eight shots behind the winner. Daniel Berger (USA) who was playing in the group ahead of the final group along with Rickie Fowler (USA) made a good par on the par five, seventy second hole and finished the seventy two holes at minus sixteen and finished six shots behind the winner. Scott Piercy (USA) who was playing in the final group with Jason Day (Australia) made a very good birdie at the par five, seventy second hole and finished the seventy two holes at minus fifteen and finished seven shots behind the winner. 

 

Jason Day (Australia) pumps his fist and displays his emotions after holing the winning putt!!

Jason Day (USA) now stood on the par five, seventy second tee with a six shot lead and he was in the same position he was in when he won the Barclays three weeks ago and the PGA Championship five weeks ago in that he knew he had won barring a disaster on the last hole. But he stepped up and hit a booming drive down the centre of the fairway with a slight draw and it landed at least 300 yards out on the fairway. He went for the green in two with his fairway wood but the very strong wind from right to left forced the ball into the rough pin high left but it meant he could enjoy the long walk up to the green with his coach, mentor, best friend and father figure, Colin Swatton. He then played a very good chip shot for his third shot that rolled up to within three feet of the pin. He tapped in his three foot birdie putt and scored 34-2 on the back nine to finish at minus twenty two after seventy two holes and won by six shots!! He pumped his fist in the air in celebration!! Then he got a hug and high five from his caddie, Colin Swatton!! 

 

On the left, Colin Swatton who is Jason Day (Australia) caddie, coach and Mentor hugs his wife, Ellie who is heavily pregnant with their second child and on the right Jason Day (Australia) lifts up his three year old Son, Dash as they all celebrate his win and rise to Number One in the World!!

Then his young Son, Dash came on to the seventy second green and he gave him a huge hug!! Then his heavily pregnant wife, Ellie gave him a hug and kiss to celebrate with him!! Then he was interviewed by NBC Sports/Golf Channel reporter, Steve Sands and he asked him “Jason, they were just going through your resume you have now won four of your last six starts on the PGA Tour including a Major Championship (PGA Championship in August) and now your second playoff event, how would you describe this run for you?” And Jason Day (Australia) replied “Ah um, I mean it is tough to explain, um I have just been working so hard and um all I want to do is win, and that’s is kind of the mentality ever since the Open Championship something changed in my head, and I felt like it was my time to start winning tournaments, and um ever since then it has been an amazing run, I mean my whole team has been fantastic, from Col, to Bud to my wife, Ellie, to Cornel, who is my trainer, I mean our main goal has been to get to number one,  and we understood that you had to win consistently, and had to win to get to that Number One spot (Number One position on the Official Golf World Rankings points list standings) so I mean to just have the opportunity to get to Number One and win was just fantastic.” Then Steve Sands asked Jason “You have not been shy about the fact that ever since you were a little boy you have dreamed about becoming the Number One Player on the Official World rankings, you knew what was at stake this week, how much pressure did you put on yourself to perform to get it done here when you had that chance?” Then Jason replied “I felt a lot of pressure over the last few days, um especially today just knowing that I had a six shot lead, um things could happen, some guys could shoot a low score and I could shoot one, two or three over and all of sudden I am not winning, and I am not number one, and um this was properly yesterday and today was toughest round I have ever had to play in my entire life, um just knowing that I had the opportunity to get to Number One  and stepping up and playing the way I did today was, was great just to really understand what I put into my game to get it where it is today.” Then Steve said “You certainly stepped up, congratulations, Jason, see you next week (Mean at the FedEx Cup Playoffs Finale which is the Tour Championship)”. And Jason replied “Thanks Mate, Cheers”. 

 

Jason Day (Australia) acknowledges the crowd after his win!!

Jason Day (Australia) made twos eagle and twenty five birdies this week against seven bogeys which was similar to how he played three weeks ago when he won the Barclays and five weeks ago when he won his Maiden Major Championship at the PGA Championship. In his last six starts on the USPGA Tour he has won four times including two of his last three!! Jason Day (Australia) (born 12 November 1987) is an Australian professional golfer and USPGA Tour member. He won his first major tournament at the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, scoring a record 20 strokes under par. Jason Day (Australia) first broke into the world's top ten in June 2011, rising to world number nine after his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open Championship. In February 2014, Jason Day (Australia) won his first WGC title, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. Jason Day (Australia) would go on to win his first major at the 2015 PGA Championship and rise to number three in the world rankings. By September 2015, Jason Day (Australia) was the number one golfer in the world. Jason Day (Australia) was born in Beaudesert, Queensland. His father, Alvin, was an Irish Australian and his mother Dening was born in the Philippines and moved to Australia in the early 1980s. He has two siblings, Yanna and Kim. His father took him to Beaudesert Golf Club and enrolled him as a junior member just past his sixth birthday. He was allowed to play six holes a day as a junior. At the age of eight his family moved to Rockhampton and during this period he began to win events in the surrounding districts. Alvin Day died of stomach cancer when Jason was twelve. Jason Day's (Australia) mother sent him to school at Kooralbyn, a 30-minute drive south of Beaudesert. Kooralbyn International School had a golf course attached. Later he went to Hills International College where they have a Golf Academy at the behest of his coach, Col Swatton, who had moved there when Kooralbyn school closed down. Jason Day (Australia) borrowed a book about Tiger Woods (USA) from his roommate and it inspired him to improve his golf by practising in the early morning, at lunch-time and in the evening. He used the book's reports of Woods' scores as his benchmark for improvement and as a reachable standard. His first big win was at the age of 13 in a 2000 Australian Masters junior event on the Gold Coast where he won with scores of 87, 78, 76 and 76.

As an amateur, Jason Day (Australia) was twice awarded the Australian Junior Order of Merit. He finished seventh and was the leading amateur at the Queensland Open. Jason Day (Australia) won the Australian Boys' Amateur in 2004. His amateur success extended to the United States where he won the Boys 15–17 division at the 2004 Callaway World Junior Championship and was runner-up in the 2005 Porter Cup. He was a member of the Golf Australia National Squad. His Amateur wins include: 2003 Adina Watches Junior Tournament, 2004 Queensland Amateur, Australian Boys' Amateur, New Zealand Under 19 Championship, Callaway World Junior Championship (Boys 15–17), Adina Watches Junior Tournament, 2006 Australian Amateur Stroke Play, Master of the Amateurs and the Queensland Amateur. 

Jason Day (Australia) turned professional in July 2006 after winning the Green Jacket at the NEC Master of the Amateurs, signing with TaylorMade and Adidas and immediately began playing USPGA Tour events, principally through sponsors' exemptions. He made the cut in five of his first six USPGA Tour events as a pro with a best finish of eleventh at the Reno-Tahoe Open and with official winnings of over US $160,000. He entered USPGA Tour qualifying, or Q-School. Placed in the second of three rounds, he tied for first in his section of the second round, advancing to the Q-School finals. However, in the six-round finals he played poorly, shooting fifteen shots higher than the score needed to qualify. Accordingly, he failed to earn his 2007 USPGA Tour card but earned conditional status on the Nationwide Tour for 2007. Jason Day (Australia) won his first Nationwide Tour event in July 2007 at the Legend Financial Group Classic, becoming the youngest man to win on any of the USPGA Tour's three tours. The win jumped him to eighth on the Nationwide Tour's money list. He ended up finishing fifth on the money list to earn his USPGA Tour card for 2008. He had a mediocre season, but had conditional status for 2009. A second-place finish at the Puerto Rico Open helped Jason Day (Australia) retain his card for 2010 and he finished 69th in the money list.

In May 2010, he became the youngest Australian to win a USPGA Tour event, winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Jason Day (Australia) gained entry into his first ever major championship at the 2010 Open Championship after Greg Norman (Australia) withdrew.  Jason Day (Australia) went on to make the cut and finished in a tie for sixtieth place. In August 2010, Jason Day (Australia) made his first appearance at the PGA Championship where a 66 on Saturday helped him to finish seven-under-par for the tournament and earn his first top-10 in a major. This run of form continued during the FedEx Cup playoff season where Jason Day (Australia) enjoyed top-five finishes at the first two playoff events to qualify for the season ending Tour Championship. He would go on to finish tied for seventeenth at East Lake Golf Club and ended the 2010 season ranked twenty first on the USPGA Tour money list. At the 2011 Masters Tournament, Jason Day (Australia) birdied the last two holes, but came up two strokes short of eventual winner Charl Schwartzel (RSA). Jason Day (Australia) tied for second with Adam Scott (Australia) and at minus twelve set the Masters record for the lowest score by a first time participant. This was Jason Day's (Australia) best performance in a major championship and throughout the final round Jason Day (Australia) was tied for the lead on a number of occasions before eventually finishing in a tie for second after Charl Schwartzel (RSA) made four consecutive birdies to win the tournament.  

 

Jason Day (Australia) poses with the BMW Championship Trophy he won!!

In June 2011, Jason Day (Australia) participated at Congressional for the 2011 U.S. Open, his maiden appearance in a U.S Open Championship. Following his successful run at the Masters Tournament, Jason Day (Australia) achieved consecutive second-place finishes in the majors, this time finishing alone in second, some eight strokes behind runaway leader Rory McIlroy (NIR). He shot the equal lowest round of the week on Saturday, a 65, to jump up the leader board into a tie for third after round three. On Sunday, although he did not challenge for the lead, he was the best of the rest of the field as the Open was dominated by wire-to-wire winner Rory McIlroy (NIR). As a result of his major performances, Jason Day (Australia) moved into the Official World Golf Ranking top-10 for the first time in his career at ninth. Despite not winning a tournament during 2011, Jason Day (Australia) ended the season ranked ninth on the USPGA Tour money list. Jason Day (Australia) contended in a major once again at the 2013 Masters Tournament when he shot rounds of 70 and 68 to take a one shot lead over Fred Couples (USA) going to the weekend. In the third round, Jason Day (Australia) was tied for the lead through 16 holes but bogeyed the last two holes to shoot a 73 and finish two shots behind Brandt Snedeker (USA) and Ángel Cabrera (Argentina). During the final round, Jason Day (Australia) got off to a quick start by going birdie-eagle to take a one shot lead. Jason Day (Australia) would later go on to birdie 13, 14, and 15 to take a one shot lead with three holes to play. However, he bogeyed 16 and 17 and just missed a birdie putt at 18 that would have tied the lead. He shot a 70 and finished two shots back in third place behind Adam Scott (Australia), and Angel Cabrera (Argentina). Jason Day (Australia) finished as a runner-up for the third time in a major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open Championship at Merion Golf Club. He finished in a tie for second alongside Phil Mickelson (USA), two strokes behind Justin Rose (England). Jason Day (Australia) tied the lead with a birdie at the 10th but bogeys at 11, 14, and 18 would prevent him from winning his first major championship. It was the second time in his career, Jason Day (Australia) had finished as a runner-up at the 2011 U.S. Open Championship, and Jason Day (Australia) was also the only player in 2013 to hold a lead on the back nine Sunday at both majors. He also tied for the lowest cumulative score in all four majors in 2013, with fellow Aussie Adam Scott (Australia) at +2.

In February 2014, Jason Day (Australia) won his first World Golf Championship event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, after a final in which Victor Dubuisson (France) won the last two holes to tie, then twice scrambled halves after missing greens at the extra holes before Jason Day (Australia) finally secured victory. The win lifted Jason Day (Australia) to fourth in the world rankings. In February 2015, Jason Day (Australia) won his third USPGA Tour event and his seventh title as a pro, winning the Farmers Insurance Open with a score of 279 (−9) after prevailing in a four-way playoff over Harris English (USA), J.B. Holmes (USA) and Scott Stallings (USA). He won at the second hole with a par while J.B.Holmes (USA) made bogey, after Harris English (USA) and Scott Stallings (USA) were eliminated at the first hole. The victory lifted Jason Day (Australia) back to fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking. During the second round of the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, Jason Day (Australia) collapsed on his 18th hole, the ninth hole on the course, having started the day on the tenth. He was very slow to get back up and was shaking and wobbly. It was later revealed that this was due to vertigo, a diagnosis Jason Day (Australia) had received from his doctor a month prior. However, the very next day, when he wasn't even sure if he would play, Jason Day (Australia) ended the third round tied for the lead. He would finish the tournament tied for ninth. At the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews, Jason Day (Australia) entered the final round as one of the 54-hole co-leaders and shot a bogey free 70 to finish at 14-under-par and one stroke outside of the playoff. He had a putt on the 72nd hole for birdie to join the playoff but could not convert. However the tie for fourth represented Jason Day's (Australia) best finish at the Open Championship to date and was the sixth time he had finished in the top five of a major without yet winning one. The following week at the RBC Canadian Open in Oakville, Canada, Jason Day (Australia) outlasted Bubba Watson (USA) and hometown favourite David Hearn (Canada) to win the tournament, his second tour victory of the season and fourth overall. He made birdies on the last three holes in the final round to take a one stroke victory. At the next major championship, and the final one of the season, the 2015 PGA Championship, Jason Day (Australia) went on to play a five-under-par final round and prevent Jordan Spieth (USA) from winning a third major championship that season.

Jason Day (USA) is the first player to finish at 20-under-par in a major. And as I mentioned above he won this past week for his seventh USPGA Tour Event of his career to date so far and he are all seven from his first to the most recent: 2010 HP Byron Nelson Championship; 2014 WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship; 2015 Farmers Insurance; 2015 RBC Canadian Open; 2015 PGA Championship (Maiden Major Championship), 2015 The Barclays and 2015 BMW Championship. He has also achieved ten top ten finishes in Major Championships to date so far with his best finish winning the 2015 PGA Championship. He has also achieved four top ten finishes in WGC – Events with his best finish to date so far winning the 2014 Cadillac Match Play Championship. He has also played in the 2011 and 2013 Presidents Cup representing Team International against Team USA and will be leading the 2015 Presidents Cup team against Team USA in South Korea in early October. He also won the 2013 World Cup for Australia with Adam Scott (Australia). Jason Day (Australia) married Ellie Harvey, born in Lucas, Ohio, in 2009. The couple live in Westerville, Ohio. The couple has one son, Dash, born in 2012. The couple are expecting their second child in late October 2015. In November 2013, eight of Jason Day's (Australia) relatives in the Philippines, including his grandmother, died during Typhoon Haiyan. Let’s hope Jason Day (Australia) can have more wins in the weeks ahead and maybe even win the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and the US $10,000,000 bonus that goes with it!! And with this win at the BMW Championship this past week he is now on top of the FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings with one events remaining and takes the number one seeding heading into the Finale FedEx Cup Playoff event next week at the Tour Championship by Coca - Cola!! And with the win this week he overtakes Rory McILroy (NIR) as World Number One for the first time in his career and becomes the third Australian to do so after Greg Norman (Australia) and Adam Scott (Australia)!! And later this year he will hopefully lead Team International to their first win in the Presidents Cup over Team USA since 1998 when the 2015 event is played in South Korea in early October. I wish Jason Day (Australia) every continuing success for the remaining 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and final event of FedEx Cup Playoff Series. 

Coming in solo second position at 268-16 after seventy two holes was Daniel Berger (USA); he earned US $891,000 for his efforts and moved to twenty fifth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,832,551 earned from the thirty events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 1,200 FedEx Cup Playoff Points for his efforts and moved to ninth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoff Points list standings with 2,320 points earned from the thirty events he has played to date this season so far and he will take the number nine seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 640 points in the reset. From the thirty events he has played to date this season so far he has made sixteen cuts and achieved six top ten finishes which includes the one this week. He will be happy with his first, second and final rounds this week that were all in the 60s especially his 64-7 in the second round!! But he will be just content with his third round 70-1 and however he played this week he would never have caught Jason Day (Australia) and he made the biggest move in the FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings with moving up thirty seven positions from forty sixth to ninth position!! Daniel Berger (USA) (born April 7, 1993) is an American professional golfer who plays on the USPGA Tour. Daniel Berger (USA) was born in Plantation, Florida to Nadia and Jay Berger. His father is a former tennis pro, coach, and head of men's tennis for the United States Tennis Association. Daniel Berger (USA) lived in Miami for about ten years before moving with his family to Jupiter, Florida, where he began taking golf seriously. He graduated William T. Dwyer High School in 2011 and went on to play golf at Florida State University, where he tied for second at the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships. Daniel Berger (USA) turned pro after his sophomore season. In late 2013, Daniel Berger (USA) qualified for the Web.com Tour and played four events. The following year, he finished tied for second at the TPC Stonebrae Championship and ranked fifteenth in the season-long Web.com Tour standings, which earned him a promotion to the USPGA Tour for the 2014–15 season. On March 2, 2015, Daniel Berger (USA) shot a 6-under-par 64 in the final round of the Honda Classic to get into a sudden-death playoff, which he lost to Pádraig Harrington (Ireland). Had Daniel Berger (USA) won, it would have been the second-largest final round comeback in USPGA Tour history; he began the final round 9 strokes behind 54-hole leader Ian Poulter (England). During the third round of the 2015 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Daniel Berger (USA) made a double eagle at the par-5 sixth hole. He will be now odds on to win the Rookie of the Year title for 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and with another good finish at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week he should wrap up that title I feel. He is a player to keep an eye on for the future and I feel he will have his maiden USPGA Tour win in the next few seasons. I wish him every continuing success for the final event in the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour Season and FedEx Cup Playoff series and perhaps with a win next week he could win the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and the US $10,000,000 bonus that goes with it!!

Coming in solo third position at 269-15 after 72 holes was Scott Piercy (USA); he earned US $561,000 for his efforts and moved to thirty first position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with US $2,638,127 earned from the twenty seven events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 760 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series Points for his efforts and moved to twentieth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points standings list with 1,917 points earned from the twenty seven events he has played to date this season so far and he will take the number twentieth seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 248 points in the reset. From the twenty seven events he has played to date this season so far he has made seventeen cuts and achieved five top ten finishes which includes the one this week and his win at the Barbasol Championship. He will be happy with his first, second and third rounds this week that were all in the 60s especially his 65-6 in the second round that was blemish free!! But he will be just content with his final round 70-1 and angry with his front nine 38+3 but extremely happy with how he came back with 32-4 on the back nine with birding four of his last five holes!! He could be a dark horse to win the 2014/15 FedEx Cup next week if everything goes his way? Scott Piercy (USA) (born November 6, 1978) is an American professional golfer who plays on the USPGA Tour. Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Scott Piercy (USA) turned professional in 2001. He played on various mini-tours before becoming a Nationwide Tour member in 2008. After a poor start to the season he won two tournaments in August, and finished ninth on the money list to earn USPGA Tour playing rights for 2009. Scott Piercy (USA) made an encouraging start to his USPGA Tour career, recording five top-twenty finishes in his first six starts, and this run of form elevated Scott Piercy (USA) into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings in March 2009. He finished the season ranked ninetieth on the money list to retain his tour card. In 2010, Scott Piercy (USA) slipped and finished 136th, as a result losing some of his status for 2011. In 2011, Scott Piercy (USA) won his first USPGA Tour event at the Reno-Tahoe Open. He won his second USPGA Tour title in 2012 at the RBC Canadian Open by one stroke over Robert Garrigus (USA) and William McGirt (USA). As a result, he earned a place in the following week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and was therefore unable to defend his Reno-Tahoe Open title. The RBC Canadian Open win also allowed Scott Piercy (USA) entry into 2013 Masters Tournament, his first. Also in 2012, he was runner-up at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. In 2013, he finished third at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, tied for fifth at the PGA Championship and Byron Nelson Championship, and reached round of 16 at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. In the 2014 USPGA Tour season, Scott Piercy (USA) had an arm injury and was out for five months. In his return, he had a best result of tied for twelfth at the Wyndham Championship. In the 2015 USPGA Tour season, he finished seventh at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, second at the Sony Open in Hawaii, tenth at the Shell Houston Open. In July, he won the inaugural Barbasol Championship, his first victory since 2012. Let’s hope his fourth USPGA win isn’t too far away and maybe it will happen next week at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. I wish him all the best for the final event of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and FedEx Cup Playoff Series. 

Rounding out the top six this week and coming in tied for fourth position at 270-14 after seventy two holes was Rickie Fowler (USA); he earned US $341,000 for his efforts and remained in fourth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $5,577,080 earned from the twenty events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 460 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points for his efforts and remained in third position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings with 3,958 points earned from the twenty events he has played to date this season so far and he will take the number three seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 1,600 points in the reset and his destiny is in his own hands that if he wins next week his wins the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and the US $10,000,000 bonus that goes with it!! From the twenty events he has played to date this season so far he has made sixteen cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one this past week and his win at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago and also his win at The PLAYERS Championship in May. He will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all in the 60s especially his second and third rounds that were 66-5s!! And he now must be a huge favourite to win the 2014/15 FedEx Cup if he can win next week he will do just that!! This has been a breakout year for Rickie Fowler (USA) after coming so close in the Major Championships last year he has won twice and I feel a Major Championship will come for him in 2016 season. Rick Yutaka Fowler (USA) (born December 13, 1988) is an American professional golfer who plays on the USPGA Tour. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 37 weeks in 2007 and 2008. On July 13, 2015 he reached a career high fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking following his victory in the Scottish Open. He has won three times on the USPGA Tour to date so far in his career and here there are from the first to the most recent: 2012 Wells Fargo Championship; 2015 The PLAYERS Championship and the 2015 Deutsche Bank Championship. He has also won one European Tour event that came in the 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and won One Asia Tour event at the 2011 Kolon Korea Open. He has also achieved six top ten finishes in Major Championships with his best finishes being tied for second in the 2014 U.S. Championship and Open Championship. And he has achieved eight top ten finishes in WGC – Events with his best finishes being third in the 2014 Cadillac Match Play Championship. He has also represented Team USA on the 2010 and 2014 Ryder Cup Teams and is playing on the 2015 Team USA Presidents Cup team in South Korea in October. I wish him all the best for the remaining tournament of the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and FedEx Cup Playoffs Series finale next week at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. 

Also tied for fourth position was J.B Holmes (USA); he too earned US $341,000 for his efforts and moved to thirteenth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,781,680 earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 460 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points for his efforts and moved to seventeenth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings with 2,076 points earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this season so far and he will take the number seventeenth seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 288 points in the reset. From the twenty four events he has played to date this season so far he has made nineteen cuts and achieved six top ten finishes which includes the one this week and his win at the Shell Houston Open in April. He will be happy with his second, third and final rounds that were all in the 60s especially his 65-6 in the second round!! But he will be just content with his first round 70-1. He has had a very good season so far and a win at the Tour Championship by Coca - Cola next week will be the icing on the cake for him and he still has a chance at winning the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and US $10,000,000 bonus even if it is remote. John Bradley "J.B." Holmes (USA) (born April 26, 1982) is an American professional golfer who plays on the USPGA Tour. He has won four times on the USPGA Tour to date so far and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2006 FBR Open; 2008 FBR Open; 2014 Wells Fargo Championship and 2015 Shell Houston Open. His form in the Major Championships has not been as good as he is yet to record a top ten finish with his best finish being tied for fourteenth at the 2010 Open Championship. And he has played on one Ryder Cup in 2008 for Team USA in which he was on winning side over Team Europe. I wish him to have a great finale to the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and FedEx Cup Playoffs Series at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week. 

The final player to tie for fourth position was Rory McIlroy (NIR); he too earned US $341,000 for his efforts and moved to seventh position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $4,691,712 earned from the eleventh events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 460 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points for his efforts and moved to eleventh position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings with 2,189 points earned from the eleventh events he has played to date this season so far and he will take the number eleventh seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 384 points in the reset. From the eleven events he has played to date this season so far he has made ten cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one this week and his wins at the WGC – Cadillac Match Play Championship early May and at the Wells Fargo Championship two weeks later. He will be happy with his first, second and third rounds that were all in the 60s especially his second round 65-6 which was blemish free!! But he will be just content with his final round 70-1. He has come back from his ankle injury he suffered in early July well after having almost two months out of the game and will be hoping to win the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week and maybe win the 2014/15 FedEx Cup and the US $10,000,000 bonus if a lot things go his way and that is one trophy he hasn’t won yet. Rory McIlroy (NIR), MBE (born 4 May 1989) is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down who is a member of both the European and USPGA Tours. He was world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking for 95 weeks. He is a four-time major champion, winning the 2011 U.S Open with a tournament record lowest score under par (−16), 2012 PGA Championship with a tournament record eight strokes victory margin, 2014 Open Championship, and 2014 PGA Championship. He is the first European to win three different majors, and with Jack Nicklaus (USA) and Tiger Woods (USA) is one of three to win three majors by the age of 25. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007. Later that year he turned professional and soon established himself on the European Tour. He had his first win on the European Tour in 2009, and on the USPGA Tour in 2010. In 2011 at the age of twenty two, he became the youngest player ever to reach €10 million in career earnings on the European Tour. In 2012, he became the youngest player to reach US $10 million in career earnings on the USPGA Tour. Rory McILroy (USA) has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. At the Ryder Cup, he played for Europe against the United States in 2010, 2012 and 2014, with Europe winning all three matches. For his individual and team achievements he has twice been named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year, in 2011 and 2014. He has won eleven events on the USPGA Tour to date so far and that includes four Major Championships and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2010 Quail Hollow Championship; 2011 U.S. Open Championship (Maiden Major Championship); 2012 The Honda Classic; 2012 PGA Championship (Second Major Championship); 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship; 2012 BMW Championship; 2014 Open Championship (Third Major Championship); 2014 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational; 2014 PGA Championship (Fourth Major Championship); 2015 WGC – Cadillac Match Play Championship and 2015 Wells Fargo Championship. He has also won eleven European Tour events to date so far with his last one coming at the 2015 WGC – Cadillac Match Play Championship. And he won the Emirates Australian Open in 2013. He has also achieved twelve top ten finishes in Major Championships that includes his four wins I mentioned above. He also has a brilliant record in WGC – Events with achieving fifteen top ten finishes that includes wins at the 2014 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and 2015 WGC – Cadillac Match Play Championship. I wish him all the best for the final event of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and FedEx Cup Playoffs Finale which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. 

The only New Zealand golfer in the field was Danny Lee (NZL) who scored rounds of 67-4 in the first round which was very good round and it included a good front nine of 35 even par with birdies on the par four, first hole and par four, ninth hole but had poor bogeys on the par three, second hole and par three, sixth hole then he scored a excellent back nine of  32-4 which included a birdies on the par three, eleventh hole, par five, fourteenth hole, par four, fifteenth hole and par five, eighteenth hole. Then he scored a good second round of 70-1 and it included a good front nine of 35 even par which included  a lone birdie on the par four, seventh hole and a lone poor bogey on the par three, sixth hole and then he scored a good back nine of 35-1 with birdies coming on the par four, twelfth hole and par five, eighteenth hole and a lone bogey coming on the par four, tenth hole and a poor third round of 73+2 which included a shocking front nine of  38+3 with poor bogeys on the par three, second hole, par four, fourth hole and par four, seventh hole then he scored a good back nine of 35-1 with birdies coming on the par four, tenth hole, par five, fourteenth hole and par four, fifteenth hole but he suffered a terrible double bogey seven on the par five, eighteenth hole and an average final round of 71 even par which included a average front nine of 35 even par with poor bogeys coming on the par four, fifth hole and par four, ninth hole and he birdied the par three, second hole and par four, fifth hole then he played an average back nine of 36 even par which included birdies on the par four, thirteenth hole and par four, sixteenth hole but he had poor bogeys on the par four, twelfth hole and par five, eighteenth hole for a 72 hole total of 281-3 and he finished in tied for forty seventh position. Danny Lee (NZL) earned US $23,265 for his efforts and moved to twentieth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,347,183 earned from the thirty five events he has played to date this season so far (And it is the first time in his USPGA Tour career he has surpassed the US $3,000,000 mark in single season earnings!!). Danny Lee (NZL) also earned 94 FedEx Cup playoff points for his efforts and moved to nineteenth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points standings list with 1,945 points earned from the thirty five events he has played to date this season so far and he takes the nineteenth seeding into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the finale to the FedEx Cup Playoff Series events with 256 points. From the thirty five events Danny Lee (NZL) has played to date this season so far he has made twenty three cuts and withdrawn from one event and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one six weeks ago at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and the one seven weeks ago at the Quicken Loans National and mid July at the John Deere Classic and his maiden win in early July at the Greenbrier Classic and in May at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and the one in mid March at the Valspar Championship and also his tied for third finish at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in mid November last year. He will be happy with his first round 67-4!! But just content with his second and final rounds that were 70-1 and 71 even par and disappointed with his third round 73+2!! And it prevented him from achieving another top ten finishes and dropped him five places in the FedEx Cup Playoffs Points standings list to fourteen from nineteenth!! But over the past two odd months he has moved his golf career up a huge notch and I look for him to keep on improving and I look for him to have more top ten finishes in the events he plays on the USPGA Tour in the next few weeks and he has a very busy time in the next few weeks with the final FedEx Cup Playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca - Cola and he must be a dark horse to win the FedEx Cup now if a lot of things go his way!! And his place in the 2015 International Presidents Cup Team that will play against Team USA for the Presidents Cup in South Korea in October was confirmed after the completion of the Deutsche Bank Championship where he finished in tenth position on the final Presidents Cup International points list standings with 2.43 points and he got the final automatic qualifying spot and will play in his maiden Presidents Cup in his birth country. Danny Jin-Myung Lee (NZL) (born 24 July 1990) is a professional golfer from Rotorua, New Zealand. Danny Lee (NZL) was born in South Korea and emigrated to New Zealand at the age of eight. His name in Hangul is 이진명. He became a naturalized New Zealander on 2 September 2008 at Rotorua, where he attended Rotorua Boys' High School. Danny Lee (NZL) turned professional after the 2009 Masters Tournament, forfeiting his guaranteed entry into the 2009 U.S. Open and the 2009 British Open as the 2008 U.S. Amateur champion. In April, Danny Lee (NZL) signed a two-year endorsement contract with Callaway Golf, to use Callaway clubs, balls, and signage on his clothes. The company has not released how much his contract is worth, but sources say it is for US$1 million per year. Danny Lee (NZL) was allowed to use seven sponsor exemptions during the USPGA Tour season, and gained three other starts courtesy of his U.S. Amateur and Johnnie Walker Classic titles. Danny Lee (NZL) entered the new season in 2012 with USPGA Tour and European Tour cards. He said he was still keen to play a two-tour schedule, however his main focus would be on America. He made only 13 cuts in 26 events on the USPGA Tour and lost his tour card. He did not play on the European Tour. After striking up a successful partnership late in the Nationwide Tour season, Danny Lee (NZL) said he would have Australian Graeme Courts, a former long-time caddy of Loren Roberts, working for him on the USPGA Tour. K. J. Choi (South Korea) introduced Danny Lee (NZL) to another Australian, Steve Bann, as a potential coach. "I am close with K.J. Choi and he said I was thinking too much about my swing," Danny Lee  (NZL) said. "I was always working on something and I am too technical sometimes so K.J. introduced me to Steve. Steve is a simple guy who is teaching me how to practice with better routine and how to trust my own game and not think too much. In 2013 Danny Lee (NZL) played on the Web.com Tour, finishing fifteenth on the regular season money list to regain his USPGA Tour card for 2014. His best finish was second at the Rex Hospital Open. In 2014 on the back of six straight missed cuts, Danny Lee (NZL) adopted a claw putting grip for the Puerto Rico Open in March. He credited the change of putting style for yielding him an instant result; a runner-up finish, two shots behind winner Chesson Hadley (USA). And as I mentioned before 2014/15 USPGA Tour season has been Danny Lee’s (NZL) career best season to date so far and now he has got his maiden USPGA Tour victory at the Greenbrier Classic in July. I feel his game is only going to go from strength to strength with the renewed confidence it will bring to him. His Official World Golf Ranking has now moved to fifty third and he now gets guaranteed starts in the next Major Championship (which is the 80th Masters Tournament in April 2016) and if he can reach the top fifty at the end of 2015 on the Official World Golf Rankings he will be exempt for the other three Major Championships in 2016 as well. He will also represent New Zealand at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 on his current form. He is also exempt on the USPGA Tour till the end of the 2016/17 USPGA Tour season. I look for his second USPGA Tour win to come in the next few years and for him to achieve some top ten finishes in Major Championships (Perhaps at the 80th Masters Tournament in April next year?). The future looks very bright for Danny Lee (NZL) moving forward. I wish him all the best for the remaining part of 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and the remaining FedEx Cup Playoff Series event next week at the Tour Championship by Coca - Cola. 

The most fortunate player this week was Harris English (USA) and he was in thirtieth position on the 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series Points list standings after the BMW Championship which was the third event in the FedEx Cup Playoff Series with 1,503 points earned from the twenty eight events he has played in to date so far this season and he will advance to Tour Championship by Coca - Cola in next week which is the final event in the FedEx Cup Playoff Series and he gains the thirtieth seed with 168 points in the points reset and he was two points ahead of Daniel Summerhays (USA) who was the least fortunate player this week who finished in thirty first position on the FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings after the BMW Championship with 1,501 points earned from the twenty nine events he played in this season and his 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series season is now over!! But his 2015/16 USPGA Tour card is secure.  

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup Playoff Series comes to a climax with the final event of four and it heads to the State of Georgia for the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola and it is played on the East Lake GC, Atlanta, Georgia. It carries a huge prize purse of US $8,250,000 for the taking. There will be a new champion in both the FedEx Cup and Tour Championship by Coca – Cola as Billy Horschel (USA) finished in sixty sixtieth position on the final 2014/15 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings after the third playoffs event which was the BMW Championship and failed to make it to Eastlake. Danny Lee (NZL) is the only New Zealand golfer in the field and will be looking for a high finish to top off his career season to date so far. All the big names with be there including Rory McILroy (NIR), Jordan Spieth (USA), Jason Day (Australia), Bubba Watson (USA) and Rickie Fowler (USA) to name a few. Only the top thirty players (which is now twenty nine due to Jim Furyk (USA) with drawing due to a wrist injury) on the FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings after the BMW Championship are eligible to compete. One of the top five seeds on the FedEx Cup Playoff Series Points list standings after the BMW Championship will win the 2014/15 FedEx Cup if they win the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola along with the US $10,000,000 bonus that goes with it!! It starts on Thursday 24th September. I will report back who won the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola and the prestigious FedEx Cup next week. 

So to the Top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list standings this week and coming in at Number One Position for the very first time of his Career and the third Australian Golfer ever to reach the Number One Ranking is Jason Day (Australia) who is fresh off his win this past week at the BMW Championship and also his tied for twelfth finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago with 12.64 Official World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Rory McILroy (NIR) who is fresh off his tied for fourth position at the BMW Championship this past week and also tied for twenty ninth position at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago with 11.89 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Jordan Spieth (USA) who is fresh off his tied for thirteenth position at the BMW Championship this past week and also his missed cut at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago with 11.86 Official World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Bubba Watson (USA) who is fresh off his tied for tenth position at the BMW Championship this past week and also his tied for twenty ninth position at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago with 8.55 Official World Ranking Points and rounding out the top five on the Official World Ranking Points list standings this week is Rickie Fowler (USA) who is fresh off his tied for fourth position at the BMW Championship this past week and also his win two weeks ago at the Deutsche Bank Championship with 8.02 Official World Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) this week is in his twentieth seventh week of another spell of being the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the world after his tied for forty seventh position at the BMW Championship this past week. This week he drops two places and falls to fifty third position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list standings with 2.40 Official Golf World Ranking Points. 

Remember the most important shot in golf is the shot you are about to play!! 

Source: Pgatour.com, Official World Golf Rankings, wikipedia.org, Google search engine, europeantour.com, golfchannel.com