We weren’t sure what to expect from golf’s return this weekend, but boy did it deliver. Daniel Berger outlasted Collin Morikawa to win the Charles Schwab Challenge while Luke List took the Korn Ferry Tour Challenge at TPC Sawgrass.

Mr. Second-Week-of-June

Many were rooting for the end of a three-year winless drought* this weekend at Colonial Country Club, and technically they got it. Daniel Berger, playing on a major medical extension, won for the first time since the 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He shot a final-round 66 and was the beneficiary of a short miss by Collin Morikawa in the playoff. Berger now has three PGA Tour victories, all in the second week of June. Charles Schwab Challenge Results

While it has been a while, it’s not surprising to see Daniel Berger back in the winner’s circle. He turned pro around the same time Justin Thomas did, and back then both seemed to be on about the same career trajectory. In 2017, Berger had a victory and two runner-ups, earning a spot on the President’s Cup team. Hell, going into the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, he had the same odds as JT, who would go on to win.

In recent years, a wrist injury has hampered Berger, but he has been playing great golf this season. The Colonial win gives him four straight top 10s and 28 straight rounds at par or better on the PGA Tour. As long as he stays healthy, Daniel Berger should be a consistent factor on the big stage.

*Jordan Spieth, whose last win came at the Open in 2017, started the round one shot off the lead and finished T-10.

Speed bump

For a while on Sunday, the Charles Schwab Challenge seemed to be Collin Morikawa’s to lose. And he did just that. The 23 year-old missed what would have been the winning seven-footer on the 72nd hole and lipped out a three-footer on the first playoff hole. Still, Morikawa proved once again this week that he’s an elite iron player. If he can grow out of his nerves and improve his consistency off the tee, he’ll rack up wins in a hurry.

No fans, no problem

Watching all of this unfold at an empty Colonial Country Club was definitely weird, but the absence of fans didn’t lessen the drama on Sunday. Players seemed to have a general sense of what was going on in the groups around them, even if they couldn’t rely on roars. It’s reassuring to know that televised golf can still generate excitement without huge galleries.

I didn’t want to play with you guys anyway

Luke List, a PGA Tour member, shot a Sunday 67 to win the Korn Ferry Tour Challenge at TPC Sawgrass. After a mediocre start to the 2019-20 PGA Tour season, List was unable to get into the heavily attended Charles Schwab Challenge. So he hopped down to the Korn Ferry Tour, where he earned his first victory since 2012. Leaderboard

It boggles the mind that someone who finished 92nd in last year’s FedEx Cup standings can’t get into a field of 144 players. Still, List made the most of his week of relegation. He’ll return to the big tour next week at the RBC Heritage.

The U.S. Open Victory Club

The U.S. Open Victory Club is a new community for the championship’s fans launching this week—it’s the official home for U.S. Open fans.

Benefits will include…

  • Exclusive content and stories throughout the year
  • Limited edition merchandise available to Victory Club members
  • Contests and sweepstakes
  • Special events during the championship as well as throughout the year—like a U.S. Open day in which fans can play U.S. Open pins, U.S. Open hospitality and other unique experiences
  • Option to participate in surveys that provide feedback for future championships
  • Exclusive ticket offers/packages

Sign up here—from now until June 28, new members will get 25% off U.S. Open gear at the online shop

Quick Hooks

A beefed-up Bryson DeChambeau nearly bashed his way to a win at Colonial Country Club. He led the field in SG: Off-the-Tee by a wide margin, gaining more than seven shots on the field. A poor wedge on the 71st hole left him one shot out of the playoff. Make no mistake, Bryson is going to be a… uh, heavyweight this season.

Xander Schauffele was all over the place on the final few holes on Sunday, but this horrible horseshoe on 17 was the one that really did him in. He finished T-3, his third top-three result of the year.

The Latest from The Fried Egg

The Curious Case of Dave Hill – Dave Hill tossed his ball out of a bunker at the 1971 Colonial National Invitational. Two weeks later, he sued the PGA Tour. Will Knights tells the story of one of the most eccentric characters that professional golf has ever seen.

Shotgun Start: Duck taped Spieth, Berger’s triumph, and celebrating a successful return

The PGA Tour made a strong return this weekend and Andy and Brendan are back to recap a real, actual golf tournament. They offer their initial reactions from Colonial, but not without some laments about what’s happened to Perry Maxwell’s design and the CT machine operator being deemed inessential for tourney ops. Jordan Spieth’s eventful week is also dealt with at the top, as the two debate if any positive extrapolating can be done from his work at a favorite venue of his. Has anyone (sans Tiger) had to slump through it under a more intense microscope than Spieth? Daniel Berger’s playoff victory over Collin Morikawa is also given a full account, including Berger’s emotion after what was clearly a triumphant moment following some low years. Morikawa’s putting is put in the crosshairs and his future is debated against another young star and current FEC No. 1. Bryson’s close call is praised, as is his prodigious protein shake intake and his ability all week to bring an outside curiosity to the event from non-golf watchers. The lack of fans is celebrated for what it brought to the event, as opposed to took away, and the same positive remarks are made about the coverage. The episode ends with some of the bigger disappointments and frustrations from an overall successful week, as well as a few thoughts on a model Korn Ferry Tour field at Sawgrass. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.