Justin Ray

Head of Content, @TwentyFirstGrp. Lead Analyst, @KPMGSports Performance Insights. @TheAthletic @TGL @SkySports IG: @justinraygolf

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Articles

What to know about J.J. Spaun's win at Oakmont

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

A frantic, exceedingly soggy final round at Oakmont managed to generate one of the more exciting horse races in recent major championship history. A half-dozen players claimed a share of the lead at some point during the afternoon, navigating one of golf's most demanding venues. After a weather delay of more than 90 minutes, J.J. Spaun emerged above the pack, making birdie on four of his last seven holes to secure his first major win.
What to know about Burns, Scott and Hovland before the final round

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

Four players will be under par entering the final round of the 125th U.S. Open after a thrilling Saturday at Oakmont Country Club. Sam Burns, a 28-year-old, five-time winner on the PGA Tour, will take a one shot lead into Sunday after a third round score of 69. Burns has never previously held a 54-hole lead in a major championship. Here are the top numbers and notes to know from Round 3 of the 125th United States Open. 1.
What to know from a weird, wild day at Oakmont

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

Through two days, Oakmont has delivered on its reputation as a brutally difficult test of golf. Only three players will be under par when the second round concludes Saturday morning. There were 13 players still yet to finish the round when lightning stopped play at 8:15 p.m. local time. Here are the top numbers and notes to know from Round 2 at Oakmont. 1. Five-time PGA Tour winner Sam Burns is your 36-hole leader after a brilliant Friday morning 65.
What to know about J.J. Spaun and the rest of the Round 1 leaders

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

Oakmont lived up to its brutish reputation Thursday, with the world's top players recording more rounds in the 80s than under par. While both sides of the draw yielded five rounds under par, the later tee times enjoyed a collective scoring average of 74.2, nearly a full stroke lower than their morning counterparts. Here are the top numbers and notes to know from Round 1 of the 125th U.S. Open. 1.
What to know about Oakmont's top contenders

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

Recently, the majors in men's golf have been particularly top-heavy. Four players - Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau - have combined to win the last six contests. Five of the six wins have come when those players were ranked either first, second or third in the Official World Golf Ranking. The lone exception is DeChambeau, who cannot earn OWGR points week to week playing LIV Golf events (DeChambeau is second in Data Golf's player rankings).
How Scottie Scheffler won his third career major championship

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

For the second men's major championship in a row, it looked like a victory was all but sealed for a superstar, chaos briefly ensued, then eventually, said star wound up the winner. Though this time, the final moments of the championship were slightly less tense. Here are the top numbers and notes to know from the final round of the PGA Championship. 1. When Scottie Scheffler made the turn Sunday at Quail Hollow, a lead he had built up to five strokes had completely evaporated. With birdies at Nos.
How Scottie Scheffler took control

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

For the better part of two days, unexpected contenders stole the headlines at Quail Hollow Club. Saturday, the game's top-ranked player made an emphatic statement. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler played the last five holes Saturday in 5-under-par, leaving a bunched leaderboard in his dust. He holds a three-shot lead over Alex Noren entering the final round, 18 holes from a third career major championship victory. Here are the top numbers to know from the third round of the 107th PGA Championship. 1.
How Max Homa, Scottie Scheffler rose up the leaderboard

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

The narrative shifted from mud balls to leaderboard movement Friday at the PGA Championship, where the title picture is coming into clearer focus. Thirty-five players head to the third round within six shots of leader Jhonattan Vegas. Here are the top numbers and notes to know from Round 2 at Quail Hollow. 1. Vegas posted a round of 70 on Friday morning, then watched as nobody was able to catch up to his score of 8 under par.
What to know about the long shots taking over Quail Hollow

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

The unexpected was everywhere at soggy Quail Hollow Club on Thursday. The eight players who shot 67 or lower Thursday entered the week with a combined four major championship rounds inside the top five in the last ten seasons. As a group, they were a combined 436 over par in the majors since the beginning of 2016. The two Ryder Cup captains, Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley, were a combined 7 under.
What to know about Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and more

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Justin Ray

About a month removed from his epic completion of the career grand slam, Rory McIlroy begins a new phase of his career this week. That its genesis comes at Quail Hollow is a perfect fit: it's the site of his first PGA Tour victory in 2010, and a venue he has dominated to the tune of four career wins. Rory has company on the marquee, though, as the top of the men's game enters the season's second major championship in full flight.