Round 3 - Harris English and Matt Kuchar win by a shot

December 11, 2016

Harris English and Matt Kuchar won the Franklin Templeton Shootout on Saturday, holding off Wisconsin friends Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly by a stroke at Tiburon.

English and Kuchar also won in 2013 in their first start together and finished second the last two years.

''It's a thrilling event to come out with a win, amazing feeling,'' Kuchar said. ''I think it's just such a fun partnership we've had. We've had such a good run. To have our last four events together, to have our track record be first, second, second, first is quite amazing.''

English eagled the par-5 17th and they closed with a 7-under 65 in better-ball play to finish at 28 under.

''We had some good action there and it kind of came down to the last couple holes and kind of set up perfect on 17 for me,'' English said. ''Really reachable par 5 and hit a really good drive off the tee and knew Kuch was in really good position so I could play really aggressive. Hit a really good 8-iron right where I wanted to and made about a 12-footer.''

''That's the difference in these events,'' Kuchar said. ''Pulling out some shots like that, getting an eagle, getting that two-shot swing, that's a big deal. This event comes down to you need to make birdies, you need to make some scores under par, and to do it on the 17th hole today and the position and the situation we were in, it was a battle. We weren't making a huge number of birdies. It's not like we were just battling with birdies, it was a fairly challenging day. But for Harris to come through and eagle 17 and give us that one-shot lead.''

Stricker and Kelly also shot 65.

''We just couldn't get that momentum,'' Stricker said. ''A shot here or there. Jerry played great. Wish I could have helped him out a couple more times. I had some putts at it I didn't make, but it was fun. Harris made an eagle. I knew somebody was going to do something there. It was just playing too short. He hit two great shots there at 17 and that was the difference really.''

English and Kuchar each earned $385,000. They opened with a 57 on Thursday in the scramble round and had a 66 on Friday in modified alternate shot.

Charley Hoffman and Billy Horschel were third at 26 under after a 61.

Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau tied for last at 16 under after a 67. Thompson became the second woman to compete in the event, following Annika Sorenstam with Fred Couples in 2006.

Round 2 - Matt Kuchar and Harris English lead at halfway

December 10, 2016

Matt Kuchar and Harris English fired a combined six-under-par 66 on Friday to take a one-shot lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout pairs event in Florida.

Kuchar and English moved to 21 under after two rounds, one clear of Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly who carded a four-under-par combined 68 in the modified alternate shot format at Tiburon Golf Club.

Kuchar and English's round sets up an intriguing final day battle in Saturday's better ball.

Harris and Rio Olympics bronze medallist Kuchar won the event in their first start together in 2013 and finished as runners up in 2014 and 2015.

Kelly and Stricker meanwhile are playing together for a record eighth time and are aiming to emulate their victory in 2009.

Kelly also won while partnering Rod Pampling ten years ago.

Charles Howell and South African Rory Sabbatini were third along with Kevin Chappell and Kevin Kisner, who are on 16 under after two rounds.

A shot back were Charley Hoffman and Billy Horschel along with Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas on 15 under.

Meanwhile Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau were sitting in 10th at 11 under after a second round 71.

Thompson, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is only the second woman to compete in the event following Annika Sorenstam's appearance with Fred Couples in 2006.

Thompson, who delighted the Tiburon galleries on Thursday with a brilliant eagle on the 18th, once again drew one of the biggest cheers of the day with a 16-foot birdie putt on the par-three eighth hole.

Round 1 - Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker lead

December 9, 2016

Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker got off to a rousing start at the Franklin Templeton Shootout, firing an opening round 16-under 56 for a one-stroke lead in Naples, Florida.

The former winners of the event have a slight lead over fellow Americans Harris English and Matt Kuchar at the Tiburon Golf Club course.

Kelly and Stricker combined to shoot one eagle, 14 birdies and three pars in the first round scramble format as they finished just one stroke shy of matching the event's 18 hole scoring record which has been set four times.

The teams will play modified alternate shot Friday and close with better ball on Saturday.

Kelly and Stricker are playing together for the record eighth time. They won in 2009, and Kelly also won with Rod Pampling 10 years ago.

Harris and Rio Olympics bronze medallist Kuchar won in their first start together in 2013 and were runners up the last two years.

Charles Howell and South African Rory Sabbatini were third at 59, and defending champions Brandt Snedeker and Jason Dufner shot a 60 with Kevin Chappell-Kevin Kisner and England's Luke Donald-Russell Knox of Scotland.

Lexi Thompson, a seven time winner on the LPGA Tour, became just the second woman to compete in the event after Annika Sorenstam in 2006.

The 21-year-old Thompson played brilliantly, finishing with an eagle on No. 18. She and her playing partner Bryson DeChambeau, 22, were in eighth after a 62.

Scores

 

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