www.dailypostathenian.com B10 | DAILY POST-ATHENIAN SPORTS | FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 TRIPLETT: Special Olympics golfer has invitation, needs help raising funds for Olympic trip FROM B1 know how much the trip will tinue to practice and help the times having to take his own a state championship and be cost and has started trying to McMinn Central golf team. advice, but he can’t wait until ready to for next year. It’s really The tournament is June 5-12, raise money and get sponsors “I tell them to slow down and the state tournament and the exciting to play in some place 2022, and will feature more so he can go. He is asking any- enjoy the golf course,” Triplett Summer Olympics after that. like that (in Orlando). I get to than 200 golfers over several body interested in helping to said. “Calm down and make “It was fun and it was excit- play in these national champi- different divisions. call 423-453-0022. your shot.” ing,” Triplett said of winning onships and now get to play in However, Triplett does not yet In the meantime he will con- Triplett admitted to some- on Monday. “Now try to win this world championship.” McIlroy, Rahm part of three-way tie in BMW Championship BY DOUG FERGUSON Is there anything to stop PGA: BMW CHAMPIONSHIP AP Golf Writer Thursday the best in the world? At Caves Valley Golf Club, Owings Mills, Md. “Not a course that has fair- Yardage: 7,542; Par: 72 | Purse: $9.5 Million OWINGS MILLS, Md. ways this wide,” Cantlay FIRST ROUND — Rory McIlroy found his said. Sam Burns 32-32 —64 -8 Jon Rahm 31-33 —64 -8 energy level low amid the Finau won The Northern Rory McIlroy 32-32 —64 -8 busy schedule and stifling Trust last week in a play- Sergio Garcia 32-33 —65 -7 summer heat. A good night off after he and Cameron Abraham Ancer 32-34 —66 -6 Patrick Cantlay 36-30 —66 -6 of sleep and posting his low- Smith finished at 20-under Harold Varner III 33-34 —67 -5 est start in nearly a year at 264. That looks to be what Webb Simpson 34-33 —67 -5 the BMW Championship it will take at Caves Valley Dustin Johnson 34-33 —67 -5 on Thursday seemed to do in these conditions. Xander Schauffele 34-33 —67 -5 Tony Finau 34-33 —67 -5 the trick. It was hot, dry and fast Keegan Bradley 34-33 —67 -5 McIlroy holed an eagle at Olympia Fields south Sebastian Munoz 34-33 —67 -5 putt from just outside 10 of Chicago last year in the Emiliano Grillo 34-33 —67 -5 Hudson Swafford 33-34 —67 -5 feet on the par-5 16th at BMW Championship. Rahm Hideki Matsuyama 32-35 —67 -5 Caves Valley on his way to won a playoff over Dustin Sungjae Im 32-35 —67 -5 an 8-under 64, giving him a Johnson at 4-under 276. Erik van Rooyen 33-34 —67 -5 Daniel Berger 34-34 —68 -4 share of the lead with Jon Only three other players Joaquin Niemann 35-33 —68 -4 Rahm and Sam Burns. broke par. Such is the nature Cameron Smith 34-34 —68 -4 Three days after heaving of an outdoor sport depen- Ryan Palmer 34-34 —68 -4 his 3-wood over the fence dent on weather. Phil Mickelson 34-34 —68 -4 Paul Casey 34-34 —68 -4 on his final hole at Liberty Cantlay couldn’t be Lucas Glover 34-34 —68 -4 National, McIlroy used his stopped once he saw a Carlos Ortiz 36-32 —68 -4 new club — an old 3-wood 15-foot putt drop for par on Bryson DeChambeau 34-34 —68 -4 Justin Thomas 33-35 —68 -4 he found in his garage — to the ninth hole. He ripped Aaron Wise 34-35 —69 -3 smash a 285-yard shot up off six birdies over his next Tom Hoge 33-36 —69 -3 the hill and over a bunker seven holes, all but two of Stewart Cink 35-34 —69 -3 Charley Hoffman 35-34 —69 -3 JULIO CORTEZ | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS that set up his eagle putt them from 18 feet or longer. Jhonattan Vegas 34-35 —69 -3 to move into a share of the Rory McIlroy tees off on the 13th hole during the first round of the BMW Championship on Thurs- “Hit it pretty average, Maverick McNealy 36-33 —69 -3 lead. day at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. chipped it pretty average Matt Jones 33-36 —69 -3 McIlroy hasn’t opened and made everything,” he Brian Harman 34-35 —69 -3 Marc Leishman 35-34 —69 -3 with a score this low since It was the 15th time in his just a couple of bad swings answer I can, and after that said. K.H. Lee 33-36 —69 -3 a 64 at the Tour Champi- last 17 rounds dating to Sun- down the stretch, and that’s I’ll try to figure out what I That recipe works any- Harris English 35-34 —69 -3 onship last year, and that’s day at the PGA Champion- the most important thing to want to eat and just con- where. Mackenzie Hughes 36-33 —69 -3 Patton Kizzire 35-34 —69 -3 where he’s trying to return. ship that he shot in the 60s. remember.” tinue to do that over and The heat and humidity Talor Gooch 34-35 —69 -3 He is No. 28 in the FedEx Rahm is coming off a Burns also played bogey- over,” Burns said. could sap energy from any- Cameron Champ 35-35 —70 -2 Cup, and only the top 30 third-place finish in the free in posting his fourth What’s for lunch? one, and McIlroy has been Corey Conners 36-34 —70 -2 Viktor Hovland 34-36 —70 -2 after the BMW Champion- FedEx Cup playoffs opener score of 64 in his last eight “I haven’t seen the menu,” feeling fatigued as much Brooks Koepka 34-36 —70 -2 ship make it to East Lake. last week at Liberty Nation- rounds. While he’s set for the he said. from his schedule. Charl Schwartzel 34-37 —71 -1 “I’ve went through play- al, losing a two-shot lead on Tour Championship, a big Players were feasting on He went from the Brit- Kevin Streelman 34-37 —71 -1 off stretches before where the back nine. That might week at Caves Valley might Caves Valley, just like they ish Open to Tokyo for Shane Lowry 34-37 —71 -1 Louis Oosthuizen 36-35 —71 -1 you’re always in that lead have bothered him more make him a popular topic for did at Liberty National last the Olympics — the heat Chris Kirk 37-34 —71 -1 group. You’re either 1, 2 or in the past, except that he one of the six captain’s picks week, and that was to be index topped 100 degrees Alex Noren 37-34 —71 -1 3 in the FedEx Cup, and that was thrilled for Tony Finau, for the Ryder Cup. expected. The course was just about every day — and Jordan Spieth 36-35 —71 -1 Billy Horschel 35-36 —71 -1 can sort of take its mental and he’s become a fan of It’s a tough position for soft from the rain Hurri- then to that cooler climate Lee Westwood 37-34 —71 -1 toll,” he said. “I’m in a posi- Ted Lasso. several players either try- cane Henri dropped over of Memphis, Tennessee in Keith Mitchell 37-35 —72 E tion where I need to play The Spaniard as strong as ing to get the sixth and final the weekend, and players early August. After a week Russell Henley 35-37 —72 E Max Homa 37-35 —72 E well just to play next week. a bull prefers to be a gold- automatic spot on the U.S. were allowed to lift, clean off, he faced as many as Kevin Kisner 38-34 —72 E There is an element of free- fish. team this week, or at least and place their golf balls in three straight FedEx Cup Harry Higgs 36-36 —72 E wheeling.” “Happiest animal in the get Captain Steve Stricker’s the short grass. playoff events. Kevin Na 36-36 —72 E As for Rahm, he is rested world is a goldfish. You attention. Burns is among Eighteen players were at “I was super tired yes- Collin Morikawa 36-36 —72 E Robert Streb 36-37 —73 +1 and relentless as ever. know why? He’s got a those trying to think only 67 or lower, a group that terday. But you get a good Scottie Scheffler 37-36 —73 +1 The U.S. Open champion 10-second memory,” Rahm of task at hand, whatever included Sergio Garcia (65), night’s sleep and you feel a Cameron Tringale 39-34 —73 +1 and world No. 1 had five said, reciting a famous line that may be. Patrick Cantlay (66) and little bit better the next day Cam Davis 38-35 —73 +1 Jason Kokrak 35-38 —73 +1 birdies on the front and kept from the Ted Lasso series. “Right now I’m focused on Finau, Xander Schauffele and you can go out and play Si Woo Kim 36-38 —74 +2 bogeys off his card for a 64. “Played great golf last week, trying to give you the best and Dustin Johnson (67).