It’s going to be much tougher than expected for Patton Kizzire to defend his title at the Procore Championship this week in Napa, Calif.
The first event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Fall is normally skipped by players on Scottie Scheffler’s level, but Scheffler and nine of his U.S. Ryder Cup teammates are on the property at Silverado Resort to use the event as a tune-up for the international competition later this month.
Kizzire is taking the suddenly stronger field in stride.
“I think it’s great,” Kizzire said Tuesday. “It’s great for the tournament, it creates a lot of buzz. As the defending champion it’s a little more incentive to play well and to get out there and do my best and play like I can play. It gives us an opportunity to win against a really strong field. I think it’s fantastic for the tournament and I’m excited to see them here.”
Kizzire carded a 20-under 268 last year to win by five strokes while most of the PGA Tour’s upper crust took time off. It was Kizzire’s first win in more than six years and his third on tour overall.
Asked whether Scheffler or one of his counterparts could break 20 under this week, Kizzire pointed out that he could score lower than he did last year, too.
“But yeah, a stronger field means potential for better scores, but a lot of it depends on the weather and the condition of the golf course,” he said. “Somebody’s going to play well and make a bunch of birdies.”
Some Ryder Cup players were right behind Kizzire during a practice round Tuesday, and Kizzire, an Auburn graduate, relayed some banter he had with Alabama superfan Justin Thomas.
“If somebody asks us if we spoke to each other during football season, I said, ‘Man, I don’t really care anymore (about Auburn)’. I said Justin’s about one or two more losses from not caring anymore (about Alabama). He said, ‘Yeah, you’re right,'” Kizzire shared.
“No, it’s all friendly banter. Everybody’s here to perform and play well and enjoy Napa.”
Scheffler and Thomas are joined by J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Harris English, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns at the Procore Championship. Xander Schauffele is missing the event due to the birth of his first child, and Bryson DeChambeau is ineligible as a member of LIV Golf.
