The First Look: Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship

The PGA TOUR makes its first venture to the Dominican Republic, as an admired Web.com Tour stop enjoys a unique promotion to the principal schedule. U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk and predecessor Davis Love III are among 10 former major championship winners who headline the roster, comprised of players outside the world’s top 70 and not eligible for the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play. FIELD NOTES: A trio of double major winners are among the major champions entered: John Daly, Angel Cabrera and Retief Goosen. … Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo is the highest ranked player in the lineup, coming in at No.76. … Nate Lashley, who won last year’s final edition as a Web.com Tour stop, is back to offer a title defense of sorts. Runner-up Augusto Nuñez also is among four of last year’s top five. … Two-time PGA TOUR winner Jonathan Kaye tees it up for the first time on the big circuit since 2011. Dudley Hart, a winner in 2001, makes just his third start since the end of 2015. … Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, now CBS’s top NFL analyst, will tee it up on a sponsor exemption. Romo carries a +0.3 handicap and reached U.S. Open qualifying sectionals in 2010. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 300 points. STORYLINES: With the PGA TOUR’s top names at the WGC Match play, Puntacana offers a prime opportunity for someone to pick up his first victory. When the Puerto Rico Open held this slot, six of 10 winners were first-timers. … Love once again tees it up with son Dru as a fellow competitor. It’s the seventh time that’s happened since the younger Love turned pro at last year’s U.S. Open. … Willy Pumarol, a member of PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, heads a quintet of Dominicans in the field. He’s joined by Julio Santos, George Riley and amateurs Hiram Silfa and Rhadames Peña. … At 7,668 yards, the Corales course is longer than all but one venue on the PGA TOUR schedule. Torrey Pines South measured 7,698 yards for the Farmers Insurance Open; all four majors this year check in at just under 7,500. COURSE: Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales), 7,668 yards, par 72. Set among natural cliffs, coralina quarries, ocean coves and the Caribbean itself, the 2010 Tom Fazio design offers a breathtaking backdrop for visitors. Six holes play along the Caribbean, culminating in the three-hole “Devil’s Elbow� finishing stretch that showcases a dramatic forced carry over the Bay of Corales at No.18. The Web.com Tour made its first visit to Puntacana in 2016, and it was announced a year later that the event would be elevated to PGA TOUR status starting in 2018. 72-HOLE RECORD (Web.com): 264, Dominic Bozzelli (2016). 18-HOLE RECORD (Web.com): 62, Stephan Jaeger (2nd round, 2016), Scott Harrington (2nd round, 2016), Alexandre Rocha (3rd round, 2016). LAST YEAR: Lashley overcame a shaky start to play his final 66 holes without a bogey, capturing his first Web.com Tour title by a stroke over Nuñez. The Nebraska native stood 2-over par after the first six holes of his opening round, but carded 22 birdies the rest of the way to overtake 54-hole leaders Rafael Campos and K.H. Lee on the final day. Lashley’s victory followed three wins on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica circuit, which gave him the earnings title and full Web.com Tour status for 2017. He wound up securing his 2018 PGA TOUR card by finishing 11th in Web.com Tour regular-season money. HOW TO FOLLOW TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 2-5 p.m. (GC). Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m. (GC).

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