Quicken Loans National
Potomac, MD
“We can have it (the event) here every year but trying to get the sponsor dollars – that kind of commitment going forward – is the more difficult challenge. The future is unknown.” – Tiger Woods
As of late-May, the Quicken Loans National was just going to be The National.
Quicken Loans, who replaced AT&T as title sponsor in 2014, was out, but in the 11th hour, back in. The same press release – dated May 30th – announced that Detroit-based Quicken Loans had re-signed for one more edition. Also, that they’re moving the tourney to Michigan. The expected event date in 2019 is sometime in June and the expected host venue is The Detroit Golf Club, a Donald Ross design.
Whether or not Tiger (and his foundation) will conduct an official PGA TOUR event next season remains to be seen.
The other pre-tourney headline was Tiger practicing with a new mallet-style putter (TaylorMade Ardmore 3). Woods won 13 of his 14 majors with his legendary Scotty Cameron Newport 2. He debuted the TaylorMade this week and finished T1 in total birdies with 21 and 7th in SG: Putting (4.78).
R1: Putts: 29; SG: Putting: -1.211 (rank: 92nd)
R2: Putts: 26; SG: Putting: 2.041 (rank: 8th)
R3: Putts: 27; SG: Putting: 0.984 (rank: 20th)
R4: Putts: 27; SG: Putting: 2.948 (rank: 3rd)
Now, on to the winner…
Overnight co-leader and World No. 17 Francesco Molinari twirled a day-low, bogey-free, 8-under-par 33-29=62 in Sunday’s final-round dismantling of TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm to win the Quicken Loans National in a tournament-record, 21-under 259, eight shots better than runner-up Ryan Armour (68) and nine clear of 3rd-place finisher Sung Kang (64).
The 35-year-old, a pre-tourney 16/1 outright, claims his first PGA TOUR title in 121 events and brushes aside the previous scoring record of 18-under 266 in 2015 by Troy Merritt at Robert Trent Jones GC (Virginia).
The win comes in his 13th start of the season, is a sixth top 25, second straight, and first top 10. The London resident eclipses his previous best of T2 at the 2017 PGA Championship and is the first Italian-born winner on TOUR since 1947. His 259 aggregate is the lowest winning total of the season, previously 260 (Justin Rose, Fort Worth).
Tournament host Woods (66) and 54-hole co-leader and playing competitor Abraham Ancer (72) tied for 4th-place, 10 adrift. Although Molinari schooled a birdie-less Ancer by 10 shots in the finale, the 27-year-old hung on for a career-best finish and was top debutant of 29.
FUN FACT: Tiger, a two-time past champ, entered the week 2nd in all-time earnings at the QLN, $185,615 behind Justin Rose (idle). He’s now No. 1 after a two-way T4 (worth $312,400). This was his seventh appearance, first since T18 in 2015.
After kicking off with 67-65-65, his first career lead/co-lead after 54 holes, Molinari hit 11 (of 14) fairways and 14 greens in regulation, gaining 5.805 strokes tee-to-green. He carded six birdies and an eagle-3 at 10 from 48'6". Molinari posted 1.571 putts per GIR and 2.236 SG: Putting with 25 total putts. For the week, he tallied one eagle and 21 birdies (T1 in birdies), versus just two bogeys, No. 1 in the latter. He was also No. 1 in GIR, Scrambling, and the All-Around, as well as a few other stats. (See his full stats at the bottom).
FUN FACT: Molinari’s closing 62 is the lowest R4 score by a winner this season, previously 63 by Bubba Watson at last week’s Travelers.
Key Stretches:
Molinari was in total control from the outset. He didn’t miss a GIR until the sixth, barely, and still knocked in his second birdie of the round there (11’10” from the fringe) to build a 3-shot advantage (over Ancer). Par save at nine (13’9”) to turn 2-under 33, now leads second-round co-leader Beau Hossler and Ancer by three.
Played holes 10-14 in 6-under, kicking off with the eagle blast at 10, now 17-under and five ahead. Tap in at 11 from 20 inches (approach from 198 yards), now 18-under and six clear of Ancer; birdie-2 at 11 from 6’11”, now 19-under and seven ahead of Ancer/Hossler; birdie-3 at 13 from 12’1”, now 20-under and eight clear of Hossler, Ancer and Kang (in the house w/ bogey-free 64); birdie-3 at 14 from 30 inches, now 21-under and nine clear of Kang. #JustWow
FUN FACT: Molinari had nine, 1-putts in final round, seven straight between holes 9 and 15.
This was Molinari’s second QLN, first at TPC Potomac. He finished T8 two years ago at Congressional CC in Maryland (69-73-69-65).
Molinari is the ninth first-time winner this season, first since rookie Aaron Wise at the Byron Nelson six weeks ago.
He’s not your average first-time winner, however. Molinari owns five wins on the European Tour, including five weeks ago at the circuit’s flagship event, the BMW PGA, also as a 54-hole co-leader. His last four worldwide starts include two wins and a runner-up with a T25 sprinkled in at the U.S. Open: 1-25-2-1.
Molinari on European Tour:
Starts: 312
Cuts Made: 252 (80.7%)
Top 10s: 65 (20.8%)
Top 3s: 18 (5.7%)
Wins: 5 (1.6%)
- 2018 BMW PGA (54-hole co-leader)
- 2016 Italian Open (54-hole co-leader)
- 2012 Open de Espana
- 2010 WGC-HSBC (54-hole leader)
- 2006 Italian Open (54-hole co-leader)
Record as 54-hole leader/co-leader: 4-for-7
(1-for-3 as solo leader; 3-for-4 as co-leader)
PGA TOUR Wins (FedExCup rank; Starts):
- 2018: 1 (42nd in FEC; 13 starts)
- 2017: 0 (37th in FEC; 21 starts)
- 2016: 0 (111th in FEC; 18 starts)
- 2015: 0 (111th in FEC; 16 starts)
- 2014: 0 (Special Temporary Member)
Note: Molinari made all 12 cuts in 2014 as a non-member, accepting STM during the season.
Molinari’s TOUR Career:
Starts: 121
Cuts Made: 96 (79.3%)
Top 25s: 48 (39.6%)
Top 10s: 17 (14.0%)
Top 3s: 4 (3.3%)
Wins: 1 (0.8%)
Molinari’s Season:
Starts: 13
Cuts Made: 11
Top 25s: 6
Top 10s: 1
Top 5s: 1
Wins: 1
Season Form: 1-25-MC-16-49-20-17-26-25-MC-40-45-46
FedExCup: 42nd (UP 81)
OWGR: 16th (UP 1)
Taking nothing away from the Italian’s domination this week, but the QLN’s Strength of Field was 167, the weakest non-alternate-field event of the calendar year. The season-opening Safeway is the weakest at 115.
He ties Dustin Johnson (8 shots, Sentry TOC) for largest margin of victory this season. The most recent 9-shot winner: Jimmy Walker: 2015 Sony.
FUN FACT: Molinari took one week off after a T25 at Shinnecock Hills. He’s the 24th straight winner this season with either 0 or 1 week off prior to their wins. In total, 30 (of 35) event winners fall into this category. #NoLongLayoffsPlease
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21 (of 35) winners this season had a top-25 finish the start prior (60.0%):
Molinari? Yes: T25 (U.S. Open)
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11 (of 35) winners this season had a top-10 finish the start prior (31.4%)
Molinari? No: T25 (U.S. Open)
Final Leaderboard (pre-tourney odds outright):
1- (-21) Francesco Molinari (16/1)
2- (-13) Ryan Armour (100/1)
3- (-12) Sung Kang (100/1)
T4- (-11) Tiger Woods (12/1)
T4- (-11) Abraham Ancer (200/1)
Field Scoring Average:
This was the 12th Quicken Loans, second and second consecutive at TPC Potomac:
Yardage: 7,107
Par: 70 (35-35)
Cumulative scoring averages:
R1: 69.99
R2: 69.91
R3: 69.57
R4: 70.04
Total: 69.89
Molinari: 67-65-65-62 for 20.508 SG: Total
Molinari’s Position by Round:
R1: T10 (4 back)
R2: T4 (1 back)
R3: T1
FUN FACT: Molinari entered ranked 203rd (of 206) in SG: Putting (-.706). Was 17th this week (3.21) and 7th in R4 (2.24).
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Through 35 events (36 winners) this season:
11 winners were in their 20s
20 were in their 30s (Molinari: age 35)
5 were in their 40s
Draw:
A total of 74 players from a field of 120 made the 36-hole cut of 1-over 141:
38 (of 60) EARLY/late
36 (of 60) LATE/early
11 players finished in the top 10:
EARLY/late (7):
Francesco Molinari (Won); Ryan Armour (2nd); Sung Kang (3rd); Abraham Ancer (T4); Bronson Burgoon (T6); Brian Gay (T8); Andrew Landry (T8)
LATE/early (4):
Tiger Woods (T4); Beau Hossler (T6); Ryan Palmer (T8); Chesson Hadley (T8)
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23 (of 35) tourneys this season with a traditional draw:
Winners:
EARLY/late: 13 (Molinari)
LATE/early: 10
Leader/co-leaders by Round:
R1: Andrew Landry (finished T8): 0-for-3 as 18-hole leader/co-leader
R1: J.J. Spaun (T27): 0-for-2
R2: Beau Hossler (finished T6): 0-for-3 as 36-hole leader/co-leader
R2: Ryan Armour (2nd): 1-for-3
R2: Brian Gay (T8): 2-for-4
R3: Abraham Ancer (finished T4): 0-for-1 as 54-hole leader/co-leader
R3: Francesco Molinari (Won): 1-for-1
Low Rounds:
R1: 63: Andrew Landry, J.J. Spaun
R2: 62: Kevin Streelman
R3: 62: Abraham Ancer; career low
R4: 62: Francesco Molinari
Bogey-free Rounds:
R1: (5): Andrew Landry (63); J.J. Spaun (63); Andrew Putnam (64); Joel Dahmen (66); Seamus Power (66)
R2: (9): Kevin Streelman (62); John Huh (64); Sung Kang (64); Ryan Armour (65); Francesco Molinari (65); Rickie Fowler (66); Joaquin Niemann (67); Charles Howell III (67); Adam Schenk (67)
R3: (3): Abraham Ancer (62); Bronson Burgoon (65); C.T. Pan (68)
R4: (3): Francesco Molinari (62); Sung Kang (64); Doc Redman (64)
Multiple Bogey-free Rounds:
Kang (x2)
Odds Favorite(s) Outright:
Dating to the beginning of the 2016-17 season (128 events), the pre-tourney fave/co-fave has won 9 times.
Rickie Fowler (7/1): Finished 12th on 8-under 272 (70-66-69-67); top-ranked OWGRer at No. 8. Third straight top 25 (12-20-8).
35 tournaments
3 pre-tourney fave/co-faves won:
Dustin Johnson: 6/1 (St. Jude)
Jon Rahm: 8/1 (CareerBuilder)
Justin Thomas: 15/2 (CJ CUP)
Player Spotlights:
Tiger Woods, World No. 82: last win was the WGC-Bridgestone in August, 2013. That was 255 weeks (4 years, 11 months) ago, where he was the 54-hole leader by seven, shot even-par 70 and won by seven over Keegan Bradley and Henrik Stenson. Began the day in a six-way T10, six shots back, finished T4 on 11-under 269 (70-65-68-66), 10 back.
Note: Tiger’s largest final-round comebacks: 5 shots (x2): 2009 Arnold Palmer; 2000 AT&T Pebble Beach.
Round: par save at 1 from 6’6”; birdie at 2 (from the native area); back-to-back birdies at 7 and 8 from 20’8” and 28’5”, respectively. TURN: 3-under 32 (T6, 4 back). Missed birdie at 10 from 6’0”; missed GIR at 11 and missed 11’10” par save (from fringe) for bogey-5 (T5, 6 back); made birdie at 12 from 5’8” (T5, 5 back); bogey-5 at 13 (10th, 8 back). Molinari, back on 10, made eagle. End. However, Woods did circle 15 and 16 (14’7”) and saved par at 18 from 15’10” to secure third top 10 of season in 11 starts, all top 5s.
FEC: 47th (UP 14)
OWGR: 67th (UP 15)
Ryan Armour, World No. 157: one of four players to earn invites to The Open Championship in three weeks, joining Sung Kang (3rd); Abraham Ancer (T4); Bronson Burgoon (T6). Finished solo 2nd on 13-under 267 (66-65-68-68). First career runner-up in 127 events. Second top 10 of season in 24 starts, joining maiden win at Sanderson Farms.
FEC: 30th (UP 28)
OWGR: 105th (UP 52); career high
Stewart Cink, World No. 95: the 45-year-old arrived off his 11th runner-up finish (T2, Travelers), first since the 2008 PODS (now Valspar), and consecutive top 5s for the first time since 2008. Finished: T23 on 5-under 275 (68-69-69-69).
FEC: 65th (UP seven)
OWGR: 97th (DOWN two)
Si Woo Kim, World No. 46: the only player (of eight) from the OWGR Top 50 to MC, by two (70-73). No top-25 finishes since P2 at the RBC Heritage seven starts ago. Third straight MC at QLN.
FEC: 39th (DOWN one)
OWGR: 47th (DOWN one)
J.B. Holmes, World No. 75: MC by two (73-70). Just 24 of the OWGR Top 100 were here and he and Si Woo were the only ones of those to MC. Holmes arrived off three straight top-13 finishes, including consecutive top 3s for the first time since 2010.
FEC: 55th (DOWN five)
OWGR: 81st (DOWN six)
Sung Kang, World No. 142: bogey-free 64s in R2 and R4 for solo 3rd on 12-under 268 (72-64-68-64). Second straight top 5 at QLN (T5/2017). Second top 10 of season in 24 starts and second top 3 (T3, CIMB).
FEC: 81st (UP 43)
OWGR: 107th (UP 35)
Beau Hossler, World No. 64: 36-hole co-lead was third of the season (23 starts) and seventh after ANY round. Finished T6 on 10-under 270 (65-66-71-68) after a 1-over home half. 11th straight made cut of season, eighth top 25 and fifth top 10, second straight after career-tying-best T2 at the Travelers.
FEC: 26th (UP five)
OWGR: 64th (no change)
Stephan Jaeger, World No. 246: low rookie (of 16) with career-best T13 on 7-under 273 (67-73-65-68). Second top 25 of season in 20 starts (T20, Shriners) and second in 24 career events. Mr. 58 (on the Web.com) ends slump of six straight MC’s.
FEC: 152nd (UP 20)
OWGR: 227th (UP 19)
Molinari’s Weekly Stats (ranking of 74 players):
Eagles: 1 (T4)
Birdies: 21 (T1)
Bogeys: 2 (1st)
Par-3 Scoring: 2.75 (T2)
Par-4 Scoring: 3.77 (1st)
Par-5 Scoring: 4.25 (T1)
Driving Distance (all drives): 291.0 yards (T8)
Driving Accuracy: 42/56 (4th) at 75.00%
GIR: 62/72 (1st) at 86.11%
Proximity to Hole: 27’8” (2nd)
Putts per GIR: 1.694 (T17)
Total Putts: 115 (T30)
Putts by Round: 31-31-28-25
Scrambling: 9/10 (1st) at 90.00%
All Around: 1st
SG: Off-the-Tee: 4.363 (7th)
SG: Approach-the-Green: 9.869 (1st)
SG: Around-the-Green: 3.070 (8th)
SG: Putting: 3.207 (17th)
SG: Tee-to-Green: 17.302 (1st)
Note: 17.302 in SG: TTG is highest total in the past two seasons, previously 16.922 by Dustin Johnson, winner at St. Jude three weeks ago.
