What a contrast to November. Augusta is baked hard and causing the world's top players all sorts of troubles, except for one Justin Rose, of course! Here are some of the main talking points from day one.
One fact that did not come up in the Oprah Winfrey interview is that the Duchess of Sussex is a huge golf fan. She is still very much a beginner and had to take a break during her two pregnancies but she tries to sneak out on the links when she can.
Two players have separated themselves from the field in the LPGA Drive On Championship presented by Volvik at Golden Ocala, as Austin Ernst holds a one-shot advantage over Jennifer Kupcho at thirteen-under-par overall. It all sets up for a showdown on Sunday in Marion County at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club.
What is wrong with Patrick Reed? He is a great golfer but a rather marmite character who seems you either love or hate. Sadly, given his propensity to sail close to the wind with the golf rules, supporters are few and far between.
Harris English defeated Chile's Joaquin Niemann at the first playoff hole to win his first PGA title for eight years. Harris's holed his six-foot birdie putt to see off Niemann and pick up the $1.34 million winner's cheque and the Sentry Tournament of Champions title.
Justin Thomas got off to a fast start in defence of his US PGA Tour Tournament of Champions title. The world number three shares the lead with Harris English on eight-under-par after a flawless opening round that included eight birdies.
Robert Streb almost holed his second shot at the second playoff hole at The RSM Classic. The birdie was enough to win at Georgia's Sea Island Golf Club for a second time edging out Kevin Kisner. Streb, 33, won the event back in 2014 when he came from behind to prevail in a playoff this time he did it from the front.
Standing on the tee at the par-five 14th, Sei Young Kim held a one-stroke lead in the third round of the Pelican Women's Championship presented by DEX Imaging and Konica Minolta. A hole-in-one on the 12th from Ally McDonald had just closed the gap on the leader. Four consecutive birdies later, Kim found herself at fourteen-under-par overall and five shots ahead of the field with only one round...
Poor old Bryson Dechambeau. With the weight of expectation hanging heavy on him not helped by his pre-tournament comments, the big-hitting man from California caught an awful piece of luck. Dechambeau birdied the 2nd hole to move to three under par for the tournament when lady luck deserted him. The rule Bryson was hoping might apply, Rule 16.1 (e) states
Birthday girl, Ally McDonald grabbed her first LPGA Tour victory at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Reynolds Lake Oconee. The 28-year-old shot a final round three-under 69 to finish on sixteen-under-par and win by a single shot from world number five Danielle Kang. Mina Harigae of America and Spain's Carlota Ciganda shared the fourth spot after rounds of 67 and 69 respectively.
We always keep an eye on what Paige Spiranac is up to and in particular her instruction series ‘Quickies with Paige’. As Paige says, the bump and run shot is not as exciting as a 'bomb' off the tee or a flop shot but it is one of the most useful shots in golf. The technique is fairly easy to pick up but here are the key points from Paige's video. Simples! Now go practice.
Sergio Garcia pulled out an excellent finish to the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi to pip clubhouse leader Peter Malnati by a single shot and took his first PGA Tour event since his win at Augusta in the spring of 2017.
