SMBC Singapore Open - Round 1 Update (Play Suspended)

South Africa's Keith Horne and America's Berry Simpson hold a one stroke lead at -5 under par following a shortened Round 1 (due to lack of daylight). Play will resume Friday morning in Singapore. Three players - including OWGR #1 Jordan Spieth - are a single stroke back at -4 under par.

The American superstar is a shot adrift of Horne who carried his form from the recent South African Open into the US$1 million tournament to shoot 66. Spieth’s 67 was matched by Korea’s An Byeonghun, the European Tour Rookie of the Year in 2015. Play was suspended twice during Thursday’s opening round because of lightning with American Berry Henson tied for the lead at five-under with one hole left when the players were called off for the day. The first round will restart at 7.30am on Friday morning with 57 players still to complete 18 holes. Horne, who finished tied fourth in his home Open earlier this month, carded seven birdies and two bogeys at a blisteringly hot Sentosa Golf Club. “I’m really happy with my result today as I haven’t played here for a couple of years. But whenever I do come over here, I generally play well,” said the 44 year old, who is still searching for his maiden victory on the Asian Tour. “I putted great today which was important. I put a new driver in the bag today and I hit it so far and straight and that made a huge difference.” Which player has the advantage heading into Round 2 in steamy, humid Singapore? Send your comments here to the Pro Golf Tour. For complete details visit: www.smbcsingaporeopen.com

World Golf Rankings: Spieth (1) , Day (2), McIlroy (3), Fowler (4)

We all know that Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy are the top three male gofers in the world. Now enter Rickie Fowler. With his win at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship last week Rickie Fowler surpassed Bubba Watson to become the world's #4 ranked player.

Could Fowler be set for the "season of his career" and cement his #3 world ranking ... or just possibly break into the "big three" territory? Only divine beings know the answer to this question. What we mortals know is that Fowler in position to have the elusive 'career season' and be a serious contender for another Players Championship trophy or even capture his first major title. Look at the career path of Jason Day - it took years of hard work to win the PGA Championship last year at Whistling Straits and 'briefly' ascend to the worlod's number 1 golf ranking. So what does the balance of the 2015-2016 year - including the Olympics and the Ryder Cup - hold for the young Fowler? Share your comments with the Pro Golf Tour: http://progolftournaments.blogspot.com/ And view the complete OWGR at: http://www.owgr.com/

Men's Pro Golf: Has the "Big Three" Become the "Big Four"?

Here at the Pro Golf Tour we have written extensively about the emergence of a new "Big Three" in men's golf ... Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day. Any of these three are battle-tested and worthy of the #1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Rickie Fowler has reached unprecedented Official World Golf Ranking heights following his victory in Abu Dhabi.  Fowler jumped two spots to No. 4 in the latest standings after he finished one shot clear of an elite field in the desert, his fourth worldwide victory since May. Fowler had reached No. 5 in the rankings a number of times in recent months, notably after his win at the Scottish Open, but this marks his highest career ranking. Thomas Pieters finished alone in second behind Fowler in Abu Dhabi, and as a result the young Belgian vaulted 30 positions to No. 58 while Branden Grace moved to the cusp of the top 10, now ranked No. 11 after his T-5 finish. By the end of the 2015-2016 season could we in fact see a new "Big Four" in men's golf - Spieth, McIlroy, Day ... and Fowler? Share your thoughts with the Pro Golf Tour.

Jason Dufner Leads the CareerBuilder Challenge by One Stroke After Round 1

With the field spread across three different courses, the key was piling on birdies early and often. Overton was the first to turn in a 64, but he was quickly joined by the globetrotting Lahiri, 49-year-old Kelly and Dufner, who is still in search of his first win since the 2013 PGA Championship.  Jason Dufner had the best round of the day teamed with Brandt Snedecker  to win last month's Franklin Templeton Shootout, and that momentum was evident in Thursday's opener.  Lahiri spent last year traveling the world as he pursued cards on both the PGA and European Tours. He accomplished that goal, then took a big step toward a breakthrough win with his bogey-free 64 at La Quinta Country Club. The Indian's round included eight birdies, highlighted by three in a row on Nos. 11-13. Zach Johnson is one of the highest-ranked players in this week's field, but he has some work to do after a 1-over 73 at La Quinta. Johnson's round included an eagle, two birdies and five bogeys as the reigning Open champ followed his eagle on No. 13 with three straight bogeys. Who is your pick to win this championship? Drop us a note here at the Pro Golf Tour.

Spieth vs. McIlroy: The Battle in the Desert at Abu Dhabi

For those tasked with filling column inches and airtime it’s become common practice to compare the games of golf’s standard-bearers in recent months. For Jordan it’s been a story of rolling in putts from the Masters to Moline (for the record, he averaged 78 feet of putts made per round in 2015, nearly the length of a basketball court) and otherwise dissecting golf courses like a taxidermist. ^th hole of the day, Spieth eased a 10-footer for par into the hole. At the 18^th hole, their ninth, McIlroy hit a drive that sailed some 30 yards farther than Spieth’s on his way to a birdie. Which player has the advantage this week in the UAE? Send your pick's to the Pro Golf Tour.

By contrast, when he’s healthy Rory McIlroy has the ability to manhandle even the longest courses (see PGA Championship, 2014) with drives that seem to linger in the afternoon sky longer than they should. Which style is preferred and will better stand the test of time is the subject of much debate, as if the world would settle for just a single flavor at Baskin-Robbins. What made Thursday’s action at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship special was the proximity of the divergent styles. Spieth and McIlroy set out together for Round 1 in what amounted to a competitive petri dish. Which player has the edge this week in the dessert of UAE? Share your comments with the Pro Golf Tour.

Sony Open in Hawaii - Round 1 Recap: Kisner and Snedeker Hold a One Stroke Co-Lead

Kevin Kisner and Brandt Snedeker are co-leaders after Round 1 of the Sony Classic in Hawaii.  After three birdies on the front nine, Snedeker jarred a pitch for eagle on No. 10 and followed his lone bogey on No. 14 with birdies on each of the two subsequent holes.  It marked Snedeker's fourth score of 6-under or better across his last five rounds. Kisner earned his breakthrough win earlier this season at the RSM Classic and he got off to a strong start last week at Kapalua before finishing ninth. He is again in contention after a 63 that included eight birdies against just one bogey, and he extends his run of consecutive subpar rounds to 13 - the longest such active streak on Tour. Jimmy Walker is in search of a rare three-peat this week in Honolulu, but the two-time defending champ has an uphill battle if he is to return to the winner's circle. Walker carded a 1-under 69 that included an eagle and a birdie against two bogeys, putting him six shots off the early pace with dozens of names ahead of his in the standings. So which player has the advantage going into today's second round? And just what does the outcome of the first two PGA tournaments in Hawaii portend for the coming 2016 year? Share your comments with the Pro Golf Tour.

Jordan Spieth Widen His World Golf Number 1 Ranking Over Jason Day and Rory McIlroy

With his eight stroke win at last week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui Jordan Spieth increased his Wolrd Golf Ranking (WGR) by a full 1.5 points over his nearest rivals Jason Day and Rory McIlroy. 

We have written several times that all indications point to the emergence of a new triumvirate that "could" dominate the men's game for the next decade - Spieth, Day and McIlroy. Moreover, we also believe that all three players are well-balanced and legitimate contenders for the WRG top spot. Let's revisit this issue when the Master's is played this Spring. For now, all golf fans great and small can all sit back and watch some of the best golf since the Nicklaus, Palmer, Player era a few decades ago. In 2016, however, the question remains: Will Spieth lead the WGR and the FedEx Cup race wire-to-wire or will we see multiple WGR #1 lead changes like we did in the second half of CY2015? Share your thoughts with the Pro Golf Tour. Until we meet again ... play well and have fun!

Jordan Spieth Captures the Hyundai Tournament of Champions Trophey

Jordan Spieth rocketed to an 8 stroke win over the field of PGA tournament winners at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. And although Jason Day and Rory McIlroy were not in the field and eight stroke win against other 2014-2016 PGA Tour winners was a bold statement indeed.

You just kind of wonder where that rusty shot is going to come out,” Spieth said Sunday after shooting 30-under-par 262 to win by eight shots. “I can hit those long irons right, I’m capable of hitting a long iron to the right when it’s not wanted.” Spieth admitted afterward that he was miffed after making par on the par-5 fifth hole during the final round. He was only one under par on the round and had parred Nos. 3-5 when his closest pursuers played those holes much better. View the final leaderboard care of the Golf Channel (http://www.golfchannel.com/tours/pga-tour/2016/hyundai-tournament-champions/) and send your comments on what the New Year holds for the 22-year old from Texas with the Pro Golf Superstore:

www.progolfsupercenter.com

2015-2016 Predictions: World's Number 1 Men's Ranking

2014-2015 saw multiple lead changes for the World's #1 golf ranking between Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland, Jordan Spieth from the US and Australia's Jason Day.

All three are worthy of being the world's best male golfer and have themselves apart as an elite trio with the potential of challenging the Palmer, Nicklaus and Player threesome of yesteryear. There is no doubt that these three have separated themselves from the other elite professional golfers worldwide. At the ages of 26, 22, and 27 respectfully McIlroy, Spieth and Day could dominate men's golf for the next decade ... barring any Tiger-like injuries. Then there are players young and not so young vying to breakout of the second tier such as Fowler, Stenson, Bubba Waton, Zach Johnson and Bruce Koepka. So which player will finish the 2015-2016 season as the world's number 1 ranked golfer? My heart says Jordan Spieth yet my mind says Jason Day. Send us your pick for the year-end world's best golfer here at the Pro Golf Tour.