PREVIEW: Kerr reflects on importance of first major victory

Twenty-time LPGA Tour winner Cristie Kerr will join David Feherty on his self-titled, Emmy-nominated series Feherty presented by Farmers Insurance^®, Monday at 9 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.

Filmed at Kerr’s home in Scottsdale earlier this month, the episode will center around several subjects, including:

• Recounting the grueling process of gutting out her first major championship win at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open.
• Reflecting on her 12-shot victory at the 2010 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
• Weighing in on the current state of the LPGA, and how it has evolved over her career.
• Recalling pivotal moments from competing in the Solheim Cup (nine-time participant).
• Kerr’s Birdies for Breast Cancer foundation established in honor of her mother, which to date has raised more than $3 million to fight the disease.

The following Monday (Sept. 3), major champion and six-time PGA TOUR winner Jimmy Walker will join as a guest for the series’ season finale.

A two-time Emmy-nominated host (Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Host) Feherty has been described as “golf’s iconoclast,” by Rolling Stone, and “the last unscripted man on TV,” by Men’s Journal. His all-star lineup of golf-enthused and culturally relevant guests feature celebrities from across entertainment, sports and politics. To date, Feherty has sat down with four U.S. Presidents (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump); sports legends Charles Barkley, Nick Saban, Stephen Curry and Bobby Knight; Hollywood icons Matthew McConaughey, Larry David and Samuel L. Jackson; World Golf of Fame members Nancy Lopez, Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson; and a host of current golf superstars including Paula Creamer, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Michelle Wie. Feherty is produced by Golf Channel’s original productions group, which also oversees production for Driver vs. Driver, Golf Films as well as the network’s instruction platforms.

After an even-par 71 to open, Tiger Woods is in action in Rd. 2 at The Northern Trust. We're tracking him at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.

Phil Mickelson shot 3-under 68 in the first round of The Northern Trust, despite hitting only three of 14 fairways. His game was sharper on Friday and the birdies flowed early.

Beginning on the ninth hole of the composite course at Ridgewood Country Club, Mickelson got birdie No. 1.

And then made it back-to-back birdies at the 10th.

Following a third consecutive birdie at No. 11, where he nearly made a hole-in-one, Mickelson made it four in a row at the 12th.

Mickelson led by two shots, at 7 under par, at that point. He dropped a shot at the par-5 13th, but did have this nifty chip off the putting surface.

He then bounced back with a birdie at No. 14 to reclaim a two-stroke advantage. And after four consecutive pars, he made this birdie at the first to reach 8 under and break from the closing pack.

Mickelson held the lead for much of the morning, but closed with bogeys on his final two holes for a 4-under 68. At 6 under par, he was one off the clubhouse lead.

One day after shooting 64 to share the lead at the Czech Masters, John Daly fell back to earth with a 3-over 75.

Daly didn’t make a bogey over his first 21 holes, but then dropped shots on four of his next six holes.

Beginning on the back nine on Friday at Albatross Golf Resort, Daly made bogey on Nos. 13, 16, 17 and 18.

An eight-birdie opening round was followed by a two-birdie second round. He capped his scoring with a fifth dropped shot at the par-4 eighth.

Full-field scores from the D+D Real Czech Masters

At 5 under par, Daly was seven shots off the lead and outside the top 20, but he was safely inside the cut line for weekend play.

It’s been a difficult season for Daly, who has been battling a knee injury since a car crashed into his parked RV in an Augusta, Ga., parking lot in April. He’s since missed the cut or withdrawn from eight of 12 combined PGA and PGA Tour Champions events. He also skipped The Open and U.S. Senior Open.

Ariya Jutanugarn looks eager to answer Sung Hyun Park’s challenge.

Four days after Park won the Indy Women in Tech Championship to take the Rolex world No. 1 ranking, Jutanugarn quickly moved into position to try to take it back at the CP Women’s Open.

Lydia Ko also made a quick start as she aims to win the Canadian Open for a fourth time.

And Brooke Henderson excited Saskatchewan as she set up her bid to become the first Canadian to win the event since Jocelyne Bourassa claimed the inaugural title 45 years ago.

The first round didn’t lack for storylines Thursday with some big names going low at Wascana Country Club.

“There are a bunch of really low numbers out there,” Ko said. “When I looked at the leaderboard on my front nine, it seemed like everyone was pretty much getting off to a good start.”

Jutanugarn opened with an 8-under-par 64, equaling Nasa Hataoka and Mariajo Uribe for the first round lead. They’re one shot ahead of Angel Yin and Nanna Koerstz Madsen.

Ko joined Henderson, Jessica Korda and a pack of other players shooting 66.

Full-field scores from the CP Women’s Open

Ko was 15 when she won her first Canadian Women’s Open, becoming the youngest player to win an LPGA title. She won it again at 16 and 18.

“The Canadians have taken me in as a Canadian almost,” Ko said. “I always love coming back to Canada. Obviously, every win is special, but the first, there is something a little bit more special to it.”

Henderson is Canada’s favorite golf daughter, drawing huge galleries for her late afternoon start.

“The crowds just seemed to hang with me all day, even though it's late in the day right now.” Henderson said. “Even walking up 18, there were tons of people.

“Really amazing crowds, so I'm looking forward to the weekend.”

Jutanugarn saw her second run at world No. 1 end after three weeks, with Park wrestling it away in Indianapolis last weekend. Jutanugarn can get it right back again this week and set up a potential duel with Park for the LPGA’s biggest prizes down the season’s home stretch.

Park won the CP Women’s Open last year, with Jutanugarn winning it two years ago.