There are times when our eyes and ears cannot believe the story that has been presented to us. Not the winds and firmness of Bay Hill, but 1,211 miles away, in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Ryan Brehm’s story is not about the 11th hour, but the 13th. He was done like yesterday’s chicken, still on a grill, and then he was back in silken robes. There was no story this week, there will be no story this year, to match his work on an island in the Caribbean sea. We’ll keep you waiting for the meat of the tale as we run down the five events disputed this week, across the world of golf.

PGA Tour: Survivor Season 2K22: Bay Hill

Scottie Scheffler cannot tell you how he won twice in the last month, after grinding for four years to reach that shelf. Viktor Hovland will not be able to explain how he worked and worked, but came up one shot shy of a playoff. Same goes for Tyrrel Hatton and Billy Horschel. It was that sort of week in O-Town, at that sort of course, when a King was remembered and his signature layout gave fits to the world’s best ball strikers.

Bay Hill was firm and windy. Those aren’t always givens, but the water that defines the course is. Put the three together and players were forced to shoot away from hole locations, in order to remain in the game. Add weekend pin sheets to the mix and it’s no wonder that the best round on Sunday was a 68 from someone back in the pack. Hatton’s 69, the second-best scorecard, elevated him eight positions, and nearly won him the tournament.

In the end, it was Scheffler’s ability to play the back nine under par, that allowed him to slip past Hovland and claim career and season title number two. Bay Hill could not have prepared the field any better for the tour’s next house of horrors, TPC Sawgrass. Chances are great that what you see below will be needed to hoist next week’s trophy.

Gutsy par save. ?

Scottie Scheffler maintains a one-shot lead. pic.twitter.com/NMndd4YpKM

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 6, 2022

LPGA: HSBC Women’s World has fabulous, JYK finish

After opening with seven consecutive pars on day four, Jin Young Ko made just three of them over the next 11 holes. Fortunately, seven of the others were birdies, offset by one bogey. These numbers led to a final-round 66 and a four-day total of 17-under par.

“Fortunately” because Min Jee Lee had designs on this trophy. The Australian took dead aim on every shot this day, and collected 11 birdies as a reward. Her risk-it-all approach offered up a pair of bogeys, and those two missteps made the difference, as Lee finish at 15-below standard, just shy of Ko.

Tied with Lee for second level was third-round leader In Gee Chun. Chun didn’t do much wrong on Sunday (one bogey) but she didn’t do enough right (four birdies.) Chun had previously improved two shots each day (70 to 68 to 66) and she needed 67 on Sunday to prevent Ko’s run to the top.

With her final-round 66, Jin Young Ko signed for a 15th-consecutive round in the 60s, and a 30th consecutive, under-par scorecard. The Korean champion retained the world’s top ranking over Nelly Korda, thanks to her 13th tour title and first since November’s CME World Championship.

What a day for Jin Young Ko ?

Watch the champion's final round highlights ? pic.twitter.com/edV5dTWwm2

— LPGA (@LPGA) March 6, 2022

PGA Tour: Puerto Rico Open chalice brims with Brehm

If we divorce ourselves from every imaginable story line, we simply state that Ryan Brehm played like the best golfer on the planet on Sunday. Brehm entered round four of the Puerto Rico Open, a full-fledged, PGA Tour event, with a three-shot advantage over Michael Kim. Before Sunday, Brehm’s claim to fame was being the final winner of the LECOM Health Challenge on the Korn Ferry Tour. That tournament was hosted about 70 minutes from this writer’s home, and it was that title that boosted Brehm to the big tour.

Michael Kim was a Walker Cup star for team USA, but has yet to carve out a niche on the PGA Tour. He faltered on Sunday, posting a 74 that lowered his stature from 2nd to T16. As for Brehm, he played lights-out golf. The Michigan State Spartan was clean from first tee to 18th green. Brehm posted five-under par on the day through the first eleven holes, to establish a seven-shot advantage over the field. From that point on, he secured victory with seven consecutvie pars.

Pars, you say? These were scrambling pars! Brehm missed five of six driving fairways coming home. He missed the fairway twice on the 72nd hole, for goodness’ sake! His wedge and his putter were his friends, and they brought him safely home. Brehm’s other steadying force this week was his caddy, a.k.a. his wife. Understand that this was not a romantic stroll across a tropical island for two lovebirds: Brehm was down to his last chance to retain PGA Tour playing privileges.

Say what? Indeed. Without a solo 2nd finish or better, Brehm would have used up that waning threads of his medical exemption. For the remainder of his career, Brehm should never feel the pressure that steadily grew this week. Whatever magic elixir he employed to keep his hands, head, and heart steady, should be bottled to save all mankind.

A win when he needed it most.

Ryan Brehm locks up TOUR status with his first title @PuertoRicoOpen. pic.twitter.com/rjgWccE5J4

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 6, 2022

DP World Tour: Magical Kenya Open waves wand at Wu

Beware the large lead in the hands of the young golfer. Ewen Ferguson of Scotland carried a four-shot advantage into the final round of this week’s DPWT stop. His 54 holes of 66-67-66 were the stuff of wonder (dare we say magic?) Alas, 18 more holes of stout golf were required of the 25-year old, and he was unable to resummon the same incantations to close out the Magical Kenya Open. Ferguson was out in 39 with three bogies, then added two doubles on the inward half. He tumbled to 8th position after 75, with lessons learned along the way.

Ashun Wu, with ten more years of seasoning, headed in the opposite direction. The three-time winner on the DPWT made bogey at the second on Sunday, then played error-free the rest of the way. Seven birdies over the next 16 holes brought him to 66 on the day, and a 16-under total for the week. The battle, as they write, was for second position. Germany’s Hurly Long, South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence, and Aaron Cockerill of Team Canada played stellar golf on day four, to all pare a slice of the runner’s-up loaf.

The DPWT moves to South Africa for two weeks, before turning north to Qatar, and then, to Spain. When the players arrive, Wu’s world ranking of 342 should have moved up a few notches.

"Looking to seal it in style" ?

Ashun Wu takes a three shot lead to the last. #MagicalKenyaOpen pic.twitter.com/yHmCeyeElZ

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 6, 2022

Asian Tour: International Series Thailand ends in first tour title for Sihwan Kim

Sihwan Kim’s name has appeared on so many tour leadearboards over the years, that it is inconceivable that this week’s triumph was his first in the professional ranks. Kim won the 2004 USGA Junior Championship, then matriculated and competed at Stanford. He has teed up his golf ball on every tour the globe offers, but it wasn’t until a March 63 on a Sunday in Thailand, that the Korean journeyman was able to hoist professional hardware.

Kim opened with 62 on Thursday, but fell back on Friday with 72. His Saturday 65 brought him closer to the fray, but something super-low was needed to emerge victorious … and that’s exactly what Kim brought to the course on day four. Phachara Khongwatmai did his best to win a title for the home country. His 63s in rounds one and three afforded him a chance at the title, but even a final-round 68 was not enough, in the wake of Kim’s brilliance. Khongwatmai finished two behind the champion, in solo second.

Sihwan Kim's brilliant bunker birdie hole-out is the Shot of the Day!???@bmgolfclub #InternationalSeries #ThailandInternational #whereitsAT pic.twitter.com/1AIkrjKEhD

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) March 6, 2022

PGA Tour Champions: Goosen claims second ageless title in California

There was a time, so long ago, that Retief Goosen appeared invincible. Then came Pinehurst in 2005, and the luster and veneer were forever changed. The South African went into a bit of a career tailspin, filled with doubt and uncertainty. He won tournaments, to be sure, but he never again reclaimed the stature of major champion. This week, Goosen played like the Goose of old, winning the Hoag Classic by four over K.J. Choi. Choi improved with each round, dropping from 69 to 67 to 66. His trouble was, his opponent did better. 68, followed by 67, then a stunning 63 on day three, thrust Goosen to the top spot.

Goosen began Sunday with a holed approach for eagle at the first. He followed with birdies at two and three, and was off to the lead. A bogey at the 11th was the only glimmer of hope for the chasers, as birdies at 12, 15, and 18 finished off a devastating performance by the two-time US Open champion.

Nothing like a birdie on the final hole to ring in the four-shot victory @HoagClassic.

Have yourself a day, Retief Goosen! ?? pic.twitter.com/I1oY8NC91N

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 7, 2022