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.