Rough start puts Henley in a hole, a strong finish ties him for third

          Russell Henley started Sunday atop the leaderboard at the CJ Cup in Las Vegas, and stayed there for a little bit.

          But two bogeys in the first seven holes dropped him from that spot to fifth as some other players got hot. A strong finish put him back in contention, but it was too late and he settled for a tie for third.

          It’s his fourth top-10 finish since golf resumed in June after a break because of the COVID pandemic. He finished second in the John Deere Classic in July of 2019.

          The 31-year-old improved 94 spots in the FedEx Cup rankings, skyrocketing to No. 19.

          Henley had a couple bogeys and a couple birdies on the front nine, and one of each early on the back. Eventual winner Jason Kokrak and Xander Schauffele surged ahead, Schauffele responding from a brutal 74 on Saturday and boosted by four front-nine birdies.

          Through 14, they were seven under for the day while Henley was one under, having picked up a stroke with a birdie on the 476-yard 14 to pull within three and into a tie for third.

          He just missed a chance for a birdie on 15 and settled for par, and was tied for third with Talor Gooch and Tyrrel Hatton, the latter who birdied four straight holes to get into the tie.

Kokrak’s key local connection

Kokrak credited a Central Georgian for the weekend's performance.
Caddie David Robinson of Sandersville is the only player in Peach Belt Conference history to earn player of the year three straight times, which he did at Georgia College.
As a freshman in 2000, he was third at the conference tournament, 11th in the regional, and 46th at the NCAAs.
The three-time All-American who was in the PBC's first Hall of Fame class in 2016 turned pro after graduating, but changed sides after retiring.
Kokrak won his first PGA Tour event on Sunday, with some clutch putting.
“I would characterize it more D-Rob’s work,” Kokrak said. “I mean, he reads them pretty dang good."

          But No. 16 was trouble for Schauffle and Kokrak, momentarily. Kokrak survived for par, Schauffle settled for a bogey that could’ve been worse.

          That left Kokrak in the lead.

          Henley’s tee shot on the 626-yard 16 stayed on the fairway, Gooch’s landing not far away on the fringe. Gooch botched his second shot, while Henley went into the short rough, a better lie.

          Henley left his third shot high on the green, but his birdie try just caught the left part of the cup and dropped in, for sole possession of third, two back.

          His tee shot on 17 was right of the cup, just on a low cut, a decent lie. After Schauffle’s second shot on 18 went into the deep rough, Henley was just left on his birdie try on 17.

          Henley parred 17 to stay at 17 under, while Kokrak. Hatton finished well, parring 18 for 17-under for the tie, tied at the time with Henley.

          Kokrak was in the driver’s seat, staying there with two good shots on 18, while Schauffle had to battle to stay within one. He had a 10-footer for birdie and a share of the lead, but was just right, and the par left him at 18 under.

          Kokrak drained his birdie putt to seal it, putting him at 20 under, three ahead of Henley, who would need to eagle the 511-yard, par 5 18.

          His second shot went into the rough, sealing Kokrak’s first win. Henley was very short and left on his third shot, missing a birdie by a few inches to par the hole.