WiretoWire: Riley/Hardy rolls in NOLA
3 Min Read
Davis Riley and Nick Hardy have a friendship that dates back to their teenage years. So when Hardy needed a partner for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, with Riley’s 2022 partner Will Zalatoris out for the season with a back injury, the University of Alabama alum was happy to oblige. The partnership proved fruitful by the Bayou, as Riley/Hardy carded 30 under at TPC Louisiana, closing with a 7-under 65 in Sunday Foursomes for a two-stroke victory over the Canadian duo of Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. Riley/Hardy rallied from a three-stroke deficit into Sunday with a series of highlight moments, including Riley’s mid-iron to tap-in range at the par-3 14th and 33-foot birdie from off the green at the par-3 17th, punctuated by a rousing celebration between players and caddies. The rewards are plentiful for the first-time TOUR winners, both members of the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour graduating class: 400 FedExCup pointsapiece, exempt status into all Full-field TOUR events through 2025, and lifetime memories as a victorious duo.
Reigning Masters winner Jon Rahm returns to the Mexico Open at Vidanta to defend his title after a whirlwind stretch of time with the green jacket. Rahm, the world No. 1, comes into the week after a tie for 15th at the RBC Heritage, a solid result after his Masters triumph. Tony Finau (No. 11) and Wyndham Clark (No. 14) are the other top-20 FedExCup players teeing it up in Mexico. Finau, who finished runner-up in Mexico last season, has missed only one cut so far this season (World Wide Technology Championship), but he bounced back nicely with a victory the very next week at the Cadence Bank Houston Open. There will be 17 Latin American players in the field, led by Nico Echavarria, who sits 67th on the FedExCup standings after winning the Puerto Rico Open earlier this year. This will be the second event after accepting Special Temporary Membership for Nicolai Hojgaard and Ryan Gerard. Major champions Gary Woodland, Jimmy Walker, Geoff Ogilvy and Francesco Molinari are in the field, along with rising star Brandon Wu, who holds the Vidanta Vallarta course record with Finau and finished tied for second last year. The winner of the Mexico Open at Vidanta receives 500 FedExCup points.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Mac Meissner makes closing eagle to shoot 59 at LECOM Suncoast Classic
MIC CHECK
"This is so special and to share it with one of my best friends out here on TOUR is a dream come true." - Davis Riley after winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with teammate Nick Hardy
BY THE NUMBERS
46 - Age of Korn Ferry Tour winner Scott Gutschewski, who defeated Logan McAllister with a birdie on the first playoff hole of the LECOM Suncoast Classic. It’s his third Korn Ferry Tour title and first since 2008.
4 - Playoff holes for Mark Hensby to emerge victorious at the Invited Celebrity Classic on PGA TOUR Champions. Hensby bested Charlie Wi in overtime at Las Colinas CC to earn his first Champions Tour title.
8 -Sub-60 scores shot on the Korn Ferry Tour, most recently Mac Meissner's 59 in the second round of the LECOM Suncoast Classic. He played his final seven holes Friday at Lakewood National GC in 7 under, including a 15-foot eagle on the par-5 ninth. It's the first sub-60 score on the circuit since 2017.
COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10
| This week | Points |
| Jon Rahm | 2,683 |
| Scottie Scheffler | 1,907 |
| Max Homa | 1,801 |
| Keegan Bradley | 1,162 |
| Patrick Cantlay | 1,094 |
| Sam Burns | 1,076 |
| Kurt Kitayama | 1,056 |
| Chris Kirk | 1,036 |
| Taylor Moore | 1,010 |
| Rory McIlroy | 1,010 |
The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.