– The team pair of the Kuchar (-15) leads the PNC Championship 2025 after the first 18 holes. Matt and Cameron have taken a two-shot lead over the Daly (-13) and will try to win their first PNC this Sunday. Two years ago, they also arrived on Sunday at the top, even with a greater margin of one stroke in what was the largest lead after a first round. A grey final round and the tyranny of the Langer prevented them from crowning with a trophy that eludes them. They seek to close that small wound this Sunday.
– This Saturday at Ritz-Carlton, Matt and Cameron came close to the tournament record with a joint round of fifteen under par, without bogeys logically, but also without eagles. Fifteen birdies and just three pars. The Scramble format allows for such low scores. Interestingly, hole 14, a par five where both visited the water, resisted them. They were one shot away from the -16 still held by the Love family for seven years. It is Cameron’s last chance to win the tournament before enrolling in university next year.
– Many notable names in this relaxed and fun format. Undoubtedly, one of the protagonists has been the young Sorenstam. Will McGee (-12) put on a show on the greens. Particularly majestic was the putt of over fifteen metres that he sank right in the centre, as well as another from at least six metres. His mother is full of praise for a son who has admitted that a few months ago he started beating his mother on the golf course, not only catching up but already winning several times. Annika was asked about Will’s putting technique: “He sees the line, and trusts it, and, you know, he’s not a technical guy. He just says, okay, this is how I feel, this is what I do, and somehow… it happens.” Pure instinct, but it seems to work for young Will who, despite being 14 years old, already has four editions under his belt. He has grown ten centimetres compared to twelve months ago. Growth in absolute terms.
– “He is the horse and the saddle. That’s it”, said John Daly, true to his style, when talking about his son Little John, champion of the Southern Amateur, an expression that reflects that it was the youngest of the family who led the charge this Saturday. The Dalys are back near the top this year, second just two shots behind the Kuchar. It is not unfamiliar territory for them: they already won the PNC in 2021, surpassing Tiger Woods and his son Charlie, with a memorable finish in which Little John sealed the title on the final par 5 with an 8-iron from 190 yards, leaving it just three metres from the hole
– Among other contenders to dethrone the Kuchar, we find Steve and Izzi Stricker (-12), who will also start three shots off the lead. For Steve, the Sunday victory is important. There is more at stake than the win, family pride. A few months ago, Izzi played a team tournament and won it with her mother: “We’re 1-0, clearly my mum is a better partner,” Izzi noted with a laugh beforehand. Undoubtedly, dad Stricker wants to at least level the contest.
– This year, among the twenty pairs, there is only one debutant team: Gary Woodland‘s. The US Open champion competes in Orlando after the delicate brain surgery he underwent in September 2023, and has played accompanied by his father Dan, also a cancer survivor. A remarkable round of 61 strokes, in one of the most emotional stories of this edition.
– The final round on Sunday will also be played under the Scramble format, with each team always hitting from the best ball, ensuring a fast-paced finish and a constantly moving scoreboard. With several teams fully in the fight, the tournament promises a very entertaining resolution this Sunday.
