Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka will be across the TV screen of golf fans this week as they make their much-anticipated return to the TOUR with their post-lockdown debut at Colonial. The PGA TOUR had been put to a stop for almost 90 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but will return with strict health guidelines in place for players and staff.
The first official event is to resume since the outburst of the COVID- 19 pandemic will be the Charles Schwab Challenge. World No. 1 Rory Mcllroy will be featuring in the stacked field in Fort Worth, with other top participants.
Rory McIlroy will have to keep a watchful eye on his compatriots with Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka, who currently ranks No. 2 and 3 for the first two rounds.
With Rory McIlroy and his previous WGC victory in Shanghai, which dates back to October last year, he will be hoping this tournament will extend his run of top-5 finishes. Rahm and Koepka, on the other hand, have both finished second place at Colonial in previous years. In 2017 Rahm was just one shot behind Kelvin Kisner, who won the game, and Koepka was unable to defect Justin Rose in 2018.
However, in the previously, Rahm has been able to keep the top-to standing while Koepka seems not to have any luck with that so far since the TOUR Championship.
Here’s a look at some of the other early-round featured groupings.
Phil Mickelson, Kevin Na, Gary Woodland
Phil Mickelson has earlier won this event as far back in 2000 and 2008 but has found no luck since then. Woodland, who will be returning as the defending champion after defecting Tony Finau, will be making his second at the Colonial after his unfortunate set-back in 2012.
Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose
Justin Rose had a tremendous victory here two years back but will now make his first appearance since announcing his departure from equipment manufacturer Honma.
Dustin Johnson will be making his third tournament appearance since 2009. DeChanmbeau, who missed out on three of four prior tournaments, used the quarantine period to improve his game and his hoping to put Trackman numbers to test.
Also read: PGA TOUR proposal & procedures for return to golf