Steele going after a Silverado triple
Brendan Steele is trying to win the Safeway Open for the third straight season. He’s also eager for the new PGA Tour season because it’s a fresh start.
He missed the cuts in four of his last five tournaments.
“I really didn’t like how I finished last season,” said Steele, set to open with title defense today on the North Course at Napa’s Silverado Resort. “I wasn’t very good the past few months. I just got confused with what I was doing; I was making the game really hard.”
Phil Mickelson, part of the losing U.S. Ryder Cup team Sunday in France, is playing the season-opening event for the third straight year and fourth overall. He tied for third last year.
Tony Finau, Mickelson’s teammate as a first-time Ryder Cup participant, was second last year.
Brandt Snedeker, the Wyndham Championship winner last season, also in the field.
“My game really feels good. I’m excited where it is,” said Snedeker, playing in the opener for the first time since 2015. “It’s getting better every week. I’ve figured some new things out over about the last month and a half. I am trying to build on that.”
Hall of Famer Fred Couples also is playing along with 2014 champion Sagmoon Bae and 2015 winner Emiliano Grillo. KOEPKA DEALING WITH MORE THAN GOLF >> Brooks Koepka is thinking about more than just golf these days. The 28-year-old American, the U.S. Open and PGA Championship winner, said he was heartbroken to hear a woman struck by his tee shot at the Ryder Cup last week might lose vision in her right eye.
Koepka’s wild shot on the sixth hole at Le Golf National hit Corine Remande in the head. According to French media reports, doctors say she has lost sight and she is considering legal action.
“No one feels worse about this than I do. It’s a tragic accident,” said Koepka, adding he has been trying to get in touch with Remande. “I’m heartbroken and all messed up inside. It’s sad and I really am torn up about it. She’s not going to be able to see out of her eye ever again. All because I hit a golf ball. This is definitely the one shot in my career that I am going to regret.”
Koepka, who is in Scotland to play at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, also said he and Dustin Johnson did not have an argument or a fight during a party after the Ryder Cup.
“This Dustin thing I don’t get,” Koepka said. “There was no fight. There was no argument. He is one of my best friends. I love the kid to death. We talked on the phone Monday and yesterday. So tell me how we fought?” LEHMAN FUTURE >> Johnny Miller isn’t sure how much longer he will be in the broadcast booth for NBC Sports. Among those who might be interested is Tom Lehman.
Lehman has made a few appearances in the booth the last few years, “enough to know it’s not as easy as it looks,” he said. That includes the Dell Match Play in Texas, the Phoenix Open where he lives, the Houston Open for one day and the British Open.
“I do like it,” he said. “I think if the right situation popped up, absolutely I’d take advantage of it,” he said. “If something came of it, I think it would be a nice transition for the next stage of my life. Part of the reason is it does keep you connected to the tour and the younger players.”