Jason

Kokrak

The World No. 33 arrived with just one top 10 on the season in 16 events, claiming the HPE Houston Open back in November for a third TOUR victory. This was his eighth Travelers, the first four resulting in cashes, including a best of T26 in 2017, while the most recent three resulted in missed cuts. The 37-year-old, who was grouped with Jim Herman and William McGirt, opened with a 3-under 67 (1 eagle, 2 birdies, 1 bogey), was 4-over today thru 17 holes, 1-over total, lowlighted by doubles at 13 (5-putt from 45'3") and 8, and then after a tee shot of 327 yards to the left rough at 9, hit his second -- from 43 yards out -- 87 yards into the unknown, and presumably walked off after that. This is his second career DQ in 274 events, first since the 2015-16 Fry.com. UPDATE: See Jason Sobel’s tweet (link below) for additional context.

The 37-year-old Kokrak, who’s coming off a T-60 finish at the PGA Championship, will attempt to become just the second player to win back-to-back at Colonial. The great Ben Hogan did it twice, in 1946-47 and 1952-53. “I think it’s just a golf course that it’s very tough to repeat at,” he told media on Tuesday. “It’s a tough golf course to play from the rough. Weather depending, there’s just so many factors that go into winning back-to-back. … I think it’s very difficult to do, but I think my game is rounding into form nicely for this week, and I’m looking forward to it.” Kokrak has made five cuts in seven starts at Colonial with a win in 2021 and a T-3 in 2020. In 2021, he shot 14-under 266 to beat Spieth by two. In 2020, he shot 65-64 on the weekend to finish one stroke out of the playoff won by Daniel Berger. Kokrak won a renovated, light blue 1946 Dodge Power Wagon with the win last year and is looking to bring home this year’s prize, a 1979 Pontiac Firebird. He’s made 12 cuts in 14 starts this season, capturing his third career title in November at the Houston Open. He followed up with a win at the unofficial QBE Shootout.

The 36-year-old Kokrak recorded his career best finish in three starts at Augusta National, where he missed the cut in 202 and was 49th in 2021. “I just didn’t have the right stuff, a couple of miscues,” he said Sunday. “I played solid on the front, but just couldn’t get any putts to go, but not overly displeased with the week. …I think the more opportunities I get around this place, the better I’m going to play.” Kokrak will head to Hilton Head for this week’s RBC Heritage, where he’ll make his 10th event start. He’s made the cut five times, with his best finish being a T-6 in 2016. He missed the cut in his last start at Harbour Town Golf Links in 2020.

The Canadian-born American, now age 36, was a late-bloomer on the PGA TOUR, not winning his first of a-now three titles until the 2021 CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK in his 233rd career start. After recording laps of 70-76-71 this week, he’s now firmly in line for a first major top 10 in his 19th overall major appearance, looking to supplant a best of T17 at the 2021 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. If for nothing else, the Xavier alum should, at the very least, better a 49th-place finish here last year (71-76-71-77) in his second appearance, although his round-by-round scores are looking eerily similar so far and needs to avoid another Sunday meltdown. He’s T2 in Driving Accuracy thru 54 holes at 83.33 percent (35/42), striping another 11 (of 14) fairways today, and was cruising along at 3-under thru 14 holes (4 birdies, 1 bogey) before a double bogey-7 at 15, where he watered his second and airmailed the green with his fourth after a penalty drop. UPDATE: The top 10 didn’t happen for Kokrak, closing with 1-over 73 to fall to T14 on 2-over 290, but that T14 is a new, personal best in the majors.

This is the Canadian-born American’s 19th overall major with three top 25s but has yet to record a top 10. His best is a T17 six major starts ago at the 2021 U.S. Open (Winged Foot), while his best in two prior Masters is 49th last year on 7-over 295 (71-76-71-77). Today, the 36-year-old striped 12 (of 14) fairways and hit 12 greens in regulation, and was 1-over thru 11 holes (2 birdies, 3 bogeys) before ripping off three straight birdies at 12, 13 and 14. He arrived this week 8-for-10 on the season with one top 10, a third TOUR win at the HPE Houston Open eight starts ago, where he was T18 (three back) after 18 holes (68-71-66-65). See link below to Kokrak’s post-round comments.

Struggling ahead of the Masters, Kokrak arrives having been unable to find the top-20 on the leaderboard since the Sony Open in the beginning of January. A less-than-stellar Florida Swing saw the 36-year-old miss the cut in his last stroke-play event, a typically comfy spot on the calendar, at the Valspar Championship. Missing the cut in his Masters debut in November 2020, Kokrak was able to collect a paycheck in 2021 with a solo 49th place finish. When asked about the changes to Augusta National, Kokrak said, “18 doesn’t really affect a shot too much. I mean, I can still reach the first bunker on 18. Second bunker is depending on the bounce and how much fire the fairways get. But, no, it doesn’t change anything. The second bunker, if you get it in there, you’re still going to be able to reach the green. First bunker is no go. You know, I think with 13 -- or 15, I think it changes a little bit, but a little bit of wind and with my length, I still had 230 to the middle of the green and didn’t hit a very good one today.” He went on to add his thoughts on No. 11, saying, “Where I hit it, depending on the wind, it actually is fairway over there, so you can still play over there. I think it’s a lot more fair. Before, you were kind of underneath the trees and you were just basically punching one up there and hoping to get it up there just over those mounds. If not, you’re trying to give yourself a ten-footer for a 4. I think that was best case scenario. It’s a good hard hole, and they made it just a little bit more difficult, but I think a little bit more fair.”

In what will be his 10th appearance in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the big-hitting American possesses a tournament scoring average of 71.31. With a top-5 finish, three top-10 finishes, and two additional top-20s, the 36-year-old has done just about everything but win at Arnie’s Place. Arriving this season with some good-not-great form, Kokrak has made each cut of 2022 with the most recent coming at the Genesis Invitational. Striking the ball adequately in each start, gamers may be intrigued by Kokrak’s price as he is listed at +4500 at PointsBet Sportsbook and at $8,400 on DraftKings.

The 36-year-old, who checked in off a T45 at the Saudi Int’l two weeks ago, owns one top 10 in 10 previous visits, a T2 six tries ago in 2016, where he was in the final threesome on Sunday and was also the 36-hole leader (68-64-70-68). In and around that, is five other finishes between 20th- and 37th- place, including last year’s T32, where he also began with 67 (67-68-74-74). On six (of 14) fairways and 11 greens in regulation, the Canadian-born American lost 0.550 strokes off-the-tee, but gained 0.653 on approach, 0.504 around, and 3.213 on-the-green, currently No. 1 in SG: Putting from the early starters. He squared two bogeys at 12 and 14, outpaced by six bridies at 6, 7, 9 (fringe-shot from 12'6"), 10, 11 and 17, four conventionally from between 12 and 40 feet.

The Xavier product looked lost last week at Kapalua, losing 4.3 strokes on approach and another 5.3 strokes putting. He flipped the script today as he didn’t card a single blemish today. He didn’t make it look easy, though, as he landed just 12 greens in regulation (T90) and needed a 15'7" par-saver at the 14th to keep his card clean. The big hitter ended the fall with a win at the Houston Open so last week’s rough result can be easily dismissed. Kokrak arrived with a 6-for-6 record at the Sony Open but is still searching for his first top 15 at the short and tight track (T17, 2015 Sony Open).

He’ll see if that putter’s still hot when he makes his second start at Kapalua this week in the Sentry Tournament of Champions. The 36-year-old Kokrak finished 2021 on a high note, making three cuts in four starts during the fall season including a win at the Houston Open for his third career Tour title. It marked his third win in 28 starts spanning just 15 months. He also won the 2020 CJ Cup @ Shadow Creek and 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge. At the Houston Open, he began the third round nine strokes off the lead and then shot 66-65 on the weekend to beat Scottie Scheffler and Kevin Tway by two strokes. The following week at the unofficial QBE Shootout, Kokrak teamed with Kevin Na to shoot 33-under 183 to win by a stroke over partners Sam Burns and Billy Horschel. He finished the fall portion of the season at seventh on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting at 1.109 and 11th in Total Putting at 117.7. Last year at Kapalua’s Plantation Course, Kokrak finished T-35 after shooting 3-over 76 on the final day.