It’s not the week before a major, but it is the week before the Players Championship. Bay Hill played as much like TPC will play as it could. In fact, Sawgrass is going to have to show me something, to play any tougher. Firms greens, speedy surfaces, thick rough (not a fan) and wind (can’t prepare that) made the O-Town course as difficult as one could encounter. For the 2nd consecutive week, a well-decorated Englishman led after 54 holes. It wasn’t Tommy Fleetwood this time, but Tyrrell Hatton. Would he hold on? How would compatriots fare in Qatar, Mexico, and California? Fortunately for you, we run it all down this week in Tour Rundown for March 8th, 2020.

PGA Tour: Hatton holds lead and claims Bay Hill

For some Englishmen victory on the US PGA tour will always be an unsolvable mystery. Colin Montgomerie, Ken Brown and Mark James never won. Among the current lot, Tommy Fleetwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick remain among the uncrowned. Nick Faldo won 9 times, including 2 major titles. Luke Donald (5 ), Paul Casey (3) and Lee Westwood (2) were among the ones who solved, in part, the mystery. This week, Tyrrell Hatton left the former group and earned membership in the latter. He did so in the grittiest manner. If #GolfTwitter wasn’t waiting for him to implode in spectacular eruption, it sat marveling at his ability to handle the most trying of conditions. Hatton entered round four with a 2-shot lead, but Bay Hill was not the simple test of prior years.

Hatton’s inward half consisted of 8 pars … and a double bogey. He drove left off the tee, into the water. Four swings later, he thought the game was over. Imagine his relief, looking at the leader board at 13, upon discovering he still had the lead. It was not his first brush with disaster; 2 bogeys in the first four holes brought him to the brink. 2 birdies as the front 9 closed, drew him back from the precipice. Still, there were challengers. Marc Leishmen, playing with Hatton, came home in minus-one, edging to 3-under par, ultimately claiming 2nd place alone. When every shot mattered, Hatton hit knives on 17 tee, 18 tee, and 18 fairway, to set manageable pars and victory in motion.

Writer’s Note: When you have to hit a perfect shot, “between the rocks and the sand,” as the commentators gleefully spurted, the hole set-up is bad. It may not have been the goal of the preparation committee, but it was the result at the 18th hole. This was Florida nightmare golf at its best; some love it and some disdain it. Perhaps there’s no other way to defend a course like Bay Hill. Having said that, it’s difficult to recall the last non-major event that had golfers absolutely turned in knots. It shouldn’t be an every-week thing, but much like the stadium hole at Scottsdale, from time to time, it’s warranted.

European Tour: Campillo and Qatar begin with <k>

Jorge Campillo has lost more than he has won, on the European Tour. He has won twice, though, on the big tour. David Drysdale has been at the professional game for 25 years, and has 2 Challenge Tour wins to his credit. For the longest time on Sunday, it was uncertain if any of the golfers in contention would hit the proper shots required for victory. Campillo made a bogey at 16, and a double at 17, ending on -13. Drysdale made bogey at 15, also dropping to the number of misfortune. Also in the mix was Denmark’s Jeff Winther, but he had 3 bogeys against 0 birdies on the back 9, to finish 1 agonizing stroke out of the playoff.

As if a switch were flipped, both Campillo and Drysdale played like world-beaters in extra time. They matched birdies at the 18th, then did it again on the 2nd go-round. Two more trips along the closing trace returned 4 pars, so it was back to the tee for a 5th attempt. This time through, Campillo knocked in a distant birdie putt, and Drysdale missed from closer in. The Spaniard had his 2nd tour victory, while the Scotsman had improved on his previous-best finish (twice a runner-up in regulation.)

PGA Tour Champions: Els gets by with a little help from his friends

Ernie Els’ arrival on the senior circuit was heralded. He nearly won his maiden event, falling to the pride of Malaga, Miguel Angel Jimenez, in extra holes. Two events later, the Big Easy finished on 16-under par, in Newport Beach, California. The South African found himself in amid a blend of tested and untested doyens: Scott McCarron and Fred Couples were nipping at his heels, as were Monday-qualifier David Morland IV and Ken Duke. Nowhere on the elder circuit is the gap greater, than the par-five holes. On this day, Els’ pursuers did him the greatest of favors: they made pars and bogeys on the birdie holes. Glen Day was on fire when he reached the 18th tee. In his pocket were 4 consecutive birdies. He made bogey on the piece-of-cake closer. That’s piece of cake for birdie, not par. And he made bogey. Dropped to -14. Still finished 2nd alone. McCarron portrayed the worst wedge player in the game, at least from a distance. His approach irons were routinely off by yards, not feet, and thus were his birdie opportunities limited. He shot 69 and dropped 3 spots, to 5th place. Neither Morland nor Duke broke 70, and each dropped away, toward 10th spot. Couples’ performance was also bewildering. He had 6 birdies on the day, but none over the closing third of the round. He matched Day at -14, but rued the missed opportunities.

Els’ round was nearly the Big Eerie. He birdied 1 and 18. He also bogeyed 8 and 11. See where we’re going? He had birdies on 3 and 6, and also on 12 and 15. Those don’t match up as precisely, but still, pretty spooky. All of it was good enough to separate him from the chasers, and bring him a well-earned, debut victory on the next stage.

PGA Tour Latinoamerica: Rocha waves Brazilian flag in Mexico

If the Sahara of birdies that was Bay Hill, had you wanting for redder numbers, the fans in Mazatlan cannot empathize. The golfers on PGA Tour LA went berzerk at the Estrella del Mar resort. on the west coast of Mexico. Despite opening with 65-67, Brazil’s Alexandre Rocha would not assume the lead until a 2nd 65, in round 3, brought him to 19-under par. Even then, he stood alongside Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti and Rowin Caron of the Netherlands. Raul Pereda and Alvaro Ortiz Becerra, of the host nation, each shot 64 in round 4, to surge up the board, to -2 and -26, respectively. Nice rounds, but can they compare with a 62? That’s what Rocha returned on day four. The man from Sao Paulo began his afternoon with 5 consecutive birdies, then added a 6th at the 9th, to turn in 30. He signed for 5 more chirps on the inward half, to offset an inexplicable bogey on the 14th. Caron had 66 on day four, but fell to a 3rd-place tie with Pereda. Tosti had 67, good for 5th place alone.

PGA Tour Latinoamerica will take two weeks off, allowing players time to reach the tip of South America. Three events will be held in Argentina, then a quick stop in Chile, before reaching the Caribbean in May.