Henry McKenna
NFL reporter
Can anybody seize Sergio Garcia and Fireballs GC?
It will likely be one of many many questions that loom on the Miami Golf of Liv when, for the primary time this season, the tour arrives within the United States.
The particular person winner of final 12 months, Dean Burmester is fifth within the particular person charts this season whereas his crew – Stingers GC – resides in sixth place. Burmester didn’t win simply in 2024. He went to a playoff with Garcia, who stays sizzling this 12 months. He is enjoying a number of the greatest golfs of the final decade and is present in third place within the particular person charts. The particular person chief of the League is the pair of Joaquin Niemann of GC (84.66 factors), simply in entrance of Jon Rahm of Legion XIII within the second (66.7).
Players and groups will compete for a bag from $ 25 million in Miami, with the three -day occasion that can begin on Friday at 12:15 on the Trump National Doral, with protection on Fox Sports.
Here are the important thing plots to comply with whereas the motion heats up in Miami:
1. Also on the prime of the crew and the person rating, Sergio Garcia is dealing with any kind of strain
It is a superb weekend for Garcia. There is rather a lot on the road.
At the start of this month, Garcia As quickly as I misplaced the Open Championship after a critical psychological error on the Macau occasion of the Asian Tour worldwide collection. Garcia misplaced a 3 toes putt that left him out of a milestone for 3.
“When it involves open, that is one thing I wish to be a part of once more. It’s my favourite main,” stated Garcia in a pre-event press convention in Miami. “I used to be very near Macao, however sadly I used to be lower than par. I’ll proceed to attempt. I’ll use each choice I’ve.”
Looking at this weekend, his fireballs are on the prime of the League rating largely due to him. Another sturdy efficiency, like final 12 months, might assist his crew run away with the benefit within the crew’s rating. Fireballs GC has 104 factors, in entrance of Legion XIII (86) in second place (86) and Tovuce GC (36).
“It is all the time enjoyable to return and play within the United States,” stated Garcia. “Obviously, I performed very properly final 12 months and hoping to do extra and preserve the great race that I had individually. But not solely, whilst a crew, we actually did, rather well. So sure, we’re captivated with all the things that has to do with subsequent week in Miami.”
Looking along with the Masters the subsequent weekend, Garcia hopes to have the ability to get in form for the one massive one I’ve ever received. And this results in look as a result of, trying forward, he’s making an attempt to suit into the Ryder Cup roster after having failed final 12 months to do the crew just for the second time since 1999. Every level counts.
“Probably a very powerful factor is to proceed enjoying as I performed,” stated Garcia. “And then he’ll go down (the European captain Luke Donald) and his crew that decides if I can convey one thing extra that he’ll assist me.”
2. Brooks Koepka He stated that “he discovered some issues” on the finish of Liv Singapore
Koepka (-12) was unable to hint Joaquin Niemann (-17) of their final spherical on the sentosa golf membership at Liv Golf Singapore. But Koepka’s second place left him optimistic about what’s going to arrive in Miami and Masters.
“(I) In a way I discovered some issues the most recent {couples} of holes, which was an excellent momentum to be primarily based on for the next month,” he instructed the journalists in Singapore after the ultimate spherical “it’s tough to clarify (what I discovered). Just return to the bases of the seat in a ball at stake, making certain me to a ball that did one thing in a monitor. If I don’t really feel on the ease with my beginning line, I by no means hit it.
Koepka stated Singapore is one among his favourite programs to play. And indisputably, he’s a fan of Miami, the place he received in 2023, and of the Masters, the place he had two finishes in 2019 and 2023. If Koepka has a momentum in these tournaments, it might be harmful.
Can Brooks Koepka convey a current success to Miami?
3. Can Bryson Dechambeau Do you construct extra consistency? How a lot might the length of the course in Miami assist him?
In his first season in Liv, Bryson arrived fourth within the particular person rating and the QC of Crushers was second among the many groups. Last 12 months? Eighth in particular person however n. 1 within the crew rankings.
Those seasons put the bar excessive.
But this 12 months it was not just like the others, at the very least not but.
The mills are fifth and dechambious is sixteenth.
In Singapore, the Crushers closed Quinto and Dechambeau managed a objective among the many prime 10, his second of the season. But he additionally concluded twentieth in Singapore and 18th in Adelaide. It appears that he must discover extra consistency for the remainder of the season from the weekend for the weekend.
Could it assist that Miami is likely one of the longest programs within the LIV calendar? This is what Doral has to supply. Maybe the appropriate kind of problem.
He continues to be one of many biggest golf clams, because of the various transformations throughout his profession – on which he has mirrored in depth throughout a dialog originally of this month. Every 12 months he appears to reinvent himself. Still, he has nonetheless come out and destroyed a disc of 400 IARDE this season.
4. This 12 months of Breakout by Joaquin Niemann? He says he is a “totally different participant”
In Singapore, Niemann of Torque GC torn his second Liv victory of the season and his fourth of his profession. He sits on the prime of the person rating of the League. It is tough to say with certainty that the 26 -year -old golfist is enjoying the most effective golf of his profession, as a result of final 12 months it was equally sizzling, ending the season to the second.
So … what do you assume? Has it improved?
“More than improved, I really feel like I used to be only a totally different participant,” he stated. “I really feel as if I had an additional 12 months of expertise enjoying in opposition to the most effective gamers on the planet and I’m successful rather a lot within the final 12 months. Yes, I really feel like a special participant.”
The Chilean golfist has two PGA wins however has by no means received a better one. There is little question that his Liv performances have made information. But when it comes to constructing a legacy, he must begin successful Major. And it would not damage to start out … subsequent week.
And Augusta.
That’s proper, the primary main of the season is simply across the nook when Niemann walks away within the lecturers.
“It’s simply one other golf event. I’m going to work laborious within the subsequent two weeks and tries to be as prepared as doable,” he instructed Singapore.
For now, his objective is on subsequent weekend.
“There are some issues I can enhance,” stated Niemann, “then go right down to Miami and I’ve the chance to win.”
Before becoming a member of Fox Sports as a journalist and editorialist of the NFL, Henry McKenna spent seven years to cowl the Patriots for USA Today Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow it on Twitter a @HENRYCMKENNA.
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