Patton Kizzire is gearing up for a challenging title defense at the Procore Championship taking place this week in Napa, California. Unlike typical years when higher-ranked players often opt out of the event, this year features Scottie Scheffler along with nine of his Ryder Cup teammates, using the championship as a preparation for the upcoming international competition.
Kizzire is embracing the more competitive field, expressing his enthusiasm on Tuesday. He believes the presence of top players generates excitement for the tournament, motivating him as the defending champion to perform at his best. He sees this as a great chance to compete against a formidable lineup and is looking forward to the competition.
Last year, Kizzire secured his title with an impressive score of 20-under 268, winning by five strokes while many of the elite players chose to take a break. It marked his first victory in over six years and was his third win on the PGA Tour. When asked if he thought Scheffler or another competitor could surpass his score this week, Kizzire noted he himself could also achieve better results than last year, emphasizing that weather conditions and course state will heavily influence the scores.
During a practice round, Kizzire interacted with Ryder Cup players, including Alabama fan Justin Thomas, sharing some playful banter about their college football teams. Kizzire joked about how their allegiances are changing with each team's losses. Despite the friendly teasing, he acknowledged that all competitors are focused on delivering strong performances while enjoying the picturesque setting of Napa.
Notable players at the Procore Championship include Scheffler, Thomas, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Harris English, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns. However, Xander Schauffele is absent due to the birth of his child, and Bryson DeChambeau is not participating because he is affiliated with LIV Golf.
6 Comments
BuggaBoom
Kizzire's comments about the weather affecting scores just sound like excuses in waiting. Let's see him step up!
Leonardo
The only reason to watch this event is to see how badly Kizzire can be outperformed by Scheffler and the others. This is gonna be rough.
Michelangelo
Big names or not, Kizzire has proven he can play. Let’s see if he can step up and show what he’s made of!
Leonardo
I admire Kizzire's confidence! I hope he proves the doubters wrong this week.
Michelangelo
Wouldn't be surprised if Kizzire fades into obscurity again once the competition heats up. Last year was a fluke.
Leonardo
Love the energy he’s bringing! Real champions thrive on competition and I'm rooting for him this week!