Kisner licks PGA wounds, regroups for Wyndham Championship

[August 17, 2017]  By Andrew Both

GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) - Kevin Kisner has had little time to wallow in disappointment after last week's PGA Championship and will return to action at the Wyndham Championship on Thursday.

Kisner, who started the final round at Quail Hollow leading before finishing equal seventh, went home to South Carolina for three nights before arriving at Sedgefield Country Club late on Wednesday afternoon.

He will not even have time for a practice round, before teeing off on Thursday.

With a heavily-pregnant wife and a three-year-old daughter, Kisner, 33, said he has had little time to mope.

"The best part about having a family is they don't really care," he said.

"We've been hustling and bustling Monday and Tuesday at home to get everything done to get back up here."

Kisner was the last man standing with a chance to catch winner Justin Thomas at the PGA.

"When we walked off the tee at 18 we asked the walking official what (Thomas) made on 18. We knew (then) we had to make (eagle) two to have a chance."

That was no easy task on a 500-yard par-four, but Kisner went for it, despite having mud on his ball and knowing the odds of holing out were astronomical.

His five-iron, however, found the creek left of the green, leading to a double-bogey.

"It's always great to be in the hunt," he said. "You get to re-evaluate things you can do better next time you're there."

Kisner is now focused on this week's event, formerly known as the Greater Greensboro Open, which dates back to 1938 and whose list of champions reads like a who's who of golf, led by eight-time winner 'Slammin' Sammy Snead.

Kevin Kisner tees off on the fifth hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

There will be no defending champion for the second year running, following Kim Si-woo's withdrawal with a back problem, 12 months after 2015 winner Davis Love was also ruled out through injury.

World number nine Henrik Stenson heads the field, with the Swede needing to reach his 15-tournament PGA Tour minimum, having spent most of the summer playing in Europe.

Stenson has compiled some solid results lately, finishing equal 11th at the British Open and equal 13th at the PGA Championship.

"It hasn't been great but hasn't been poor," he said of his form. "Lingering some where in-between, not hitting full form but still good enough to produce some decent scores."

Stenson, 41, is already eyeing next year's majors and is looking to add to the British Open he won in 2016.

"There's another three majors out there and I'd love to win another one," he said. "That's my mind(set) for the back nine of my career."

The Wyndham is a last chance saloon for many players, with only the top 125 on the FedExCup points list advancing to the playoffs that start next week.

(Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Toby Davis)

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