David

Toms

The PGA TOUR Champions member is making his third start of the season and just his sixth in the last three seasons. He’s a 13-time PGA TOUR winner in 616 events, most recently the 2011 Crowne Plaza Invitational, and owns one win on the senior circuit in 57 events, the 2018 U.S. Senior Open. This season, the 52-year-old has three runners-up in 13 events, including a T2 as defender at the U.S. Senior Open. His most recent top 10 on the main stage is a T2 at the opposite-field Sanderson Farms during the 2015-16 season. On 10 (of 14) fairways and 14 greens in regulation, the LSU product offset two bogeys with eight birdies and an eagle-3 at 5. He lost 0.311 strokes on-the-green but gained 5.840 tee-to-green, including 3.871 around, buoyed by three hole-outs for birdies. Toms opened with 68 (6 birdies, 2 bogeys).

The 52-year-old has eight top 25s in nine starts on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit this season. That includes a runner-up finish in his most recent start, the Regions Tradition. As for testing his skill on the main stage, this is shaping up to be his first start in a PGA TOUR event since a missed cut at the 2017 Sony Open. His willingness to make his return at Colonial CC tells us all we need to know about the prototype of skillsets required to contend on the classical layout. Toms won this event back in 2011 and overall arrives with a 14-for-19 record at Colonial.

It was just five days ago that the veteran called it quits during his third round of the no-cut WGC-Cadillac Championship. He overcame any lingering discomfort today, hitting 12 (of 13) fairways and 12 greens in regulation. Toms buried four birdies including conversions of 12'4", 20'4" and 11'5" at the first, seventh and 17th holes, respectively. He kept his card spotless with a par save of 16'5" at the second, and would eventually sign his card six back of the clubhouse lead.

Toms’ round started off rather quietly, as he was 1-over after parring the fifth. Things changed on the par-4 sixth, as he dunked his approach for eagle and then rattled off birdies on each of his next three holes. A bogey-free back nine, with birdies on the 13th, 16th and 17th, put the finishing touches on a sizzling final round. He landed 16 GIR and his 27 putts added up to a 1.438 average en route to circling seven birdies and an eagle to just two bogeys. For the week, he split 76.8 percent of his fairways and 73.6 GIR.

After the Americans sat all square through six, Toms rattled four unanswered wins over the next six holes to sit 4 up through 12. Fowler then circled birdies at 13, 14 and 15, winning each. Toms birdied the par-3 16th to go 2 up with two to play. Naturally, Fowler then birdied 17 to cut Toms’ lead in half. Alas, in true leave-nothing-on-the-table fashion, both birdied the par-4 18th, giving Toms the victory. Overall, Toms converted eight birdies to Fowler’s eagle and five birdies. If he has anything left in the tank, Toms will throw it at Martin Kaymer in Thursday’s second round.

The PGA TOUR’s media department announced the explanation on Twitter, writing: “David Toms withdrew after two holes due to back injury suffered while warming up Saturday.” Toms hit the fairway off the tee at the par-3 third hole before calling it quits. He was 1-under on the day and 3-under through 38 holes. If he’s able, he’ll give it another go at next week’s Transitions Championship.

Toms is 7-under 67-72-67=206 for the week and looking for his best finish since a sixth place tie at the Humana. Toms’ third round was spurred on by a hot putter that picked up more than four strokes on the field average. He needed only 24 putts and 1.6 putts per GIR. For the week, Toms has hit 76.9 percent of his fairways and is leading the field in Strokes Gained-Putting.

Both of the US players had wrist injuries to start the season but both have been playing well this year. Toms led the US team in 2002 going 3-1-1. They have their hands full with the pairing of Garcia and Westwood. It’s an unlikely pairing but it produced magic at the 2002 Ryder Cup. They went 3-1 in the team matches at the Belfry.

Now this is more like it. After terrible performances on the Aloha Swing, Toms took out any residual frustration on the most challenging of the trio of courses this week. He missed only one green in regulation and took just 27 putts. He converted nine birdies and signed his card with a share of the early clubhouse lead. Toms will play PGA West’s Nicklaus Private Course in Friday’s second round.

After lighting up La Quinta Country Club on Thursday for nine birdies, Toms kept the pedal down today with an eagle and six birdies. He closed out today’s loop birdie-eagle-birdie. Overall, he’s hit 33 greens and taken just 55 putts. He’ll finish his rotation at PGA West’s Palmer Private Course tomorrow.