Kodak Challenge Update: The Heritage

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Apr. 24, 2011

MORE: Interactive Kodak Challenge Scorecards

The Kodak Challenge is a first-of-its-kind competition for PGA TOUR players, who must play at least 18 of the 30 Kodak Challenge holes to be eligible to win. A player's lowest score relative to par on his best 18 Kodak Challenge holes will be counted. The player with the lowest cumulative score relative to par wins $1 million and the Kodak Challenge trophy.

THIS WEEK: No. 18 at Harbour Town
In this emerald-hued finale, the famous lighthouse becomes a beacon to landlubbers. A successful shot is one aimed toward the cherished landmark. The goal is the wide landing area jutting into Calibogue Sound. A word of advice on one of golf's most spectacular finishing holes: The long approach to the flag offers ample bailout to the right where the innocent-looking but insidious mounding has caused many a wannabe champ to lose a sought-after par.

Fourth round

Matt Kuchar holed a 35-yard chip from the rocks for a Kodak Challenge birdie on Sunday at The Heritage to move into a second-place tie on the Kodak leaderboard at 7-under par. Kuchar's third shot on the tricky 452-yard par-4 18th at Harbour Town Links brought him within one stroke of Kodak frontrunner Bill Lunde, who leaves Hilton Head in sole possession of first at 8-under.

Along with Kuchar, four other PGA TOUR pros sit just one shot behind Lunde in the $1 million Kodak Challenge competition, including Spencer Levin, who birdied No. 18 during the rain-shortened first round. Paul Goydos picked up a stroke on Friday, sinking an 18-footer off the back edge of green. Jarrod Lyle played the Kodak hole at par, while Charley Hoffman was idle.

Michael Bradley delivered the Kodak Challenge Moment of the Day, draining a 43-footer for the final round's longest birdie putt of the day. Fourteen inches separated Nathan Green from the tournament's lone Kodak Challenge eagle when his 185-yard approach flirted with the cup on No. 18 at Harbour Town Links. Green settled for Sundays easiest birdie putt with a tap-in.

Calmer winds and ideal conditions helped the pros play Kodak Challenge hole No. 18 at par for the first time all week. The finishing hole yielded 14 birdies, 48 pars, 6 bogeys and 4 double bogeys.

The next Kodak Challenge hole is the 215-yard par-3 17th during the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., April 28-May 1. The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is the 13th of 30 tournaments to participate in the $1 million competition.

Third round

Tommy Gainey easily captured Kodak Challenge Shot of the Day honors after holing out from 46 feet out of the greenside bunker on Kodak hole No. 18 during the third round of The Heritage. Gainey was one of only nine PGA TOUR pros to play the 452-yard par-4 finishing hole at Harbour Town Golf Links under par on Saturday.

Defending Kodak Challenge champion Kevin Streelman drained a 20-footer for birdie on No. 18 to move up the Kodak leaderboard at 6-under-par. Not to be outdone, Brendan de Jonge joined Streelman at 6 under after landing his 173-yard approach to three feet of the pin, setting up Saturday's shortest Kodak Challenge birdie putt. Streelman and de Jonge currently sit just two strokes behind Kodak Challenge frontrunner Bill Lunde in the $1 million competition.

Kodak Challenge hole No. 18 at The Heritage let up just a bit on moving day, going from the second-hardest hole in the first two rounds to the fifth-hardest. The pesky finishing hole yielded nine birdies, 45 pars, 16 bogeys and three double bogeys.

Second round

Paul Goydos sunk an 18-footer off the back edge of green for a Kodak Challenge birdie Friday at the Heritage to move into the second place tie at 7-under-par. Goydos' birdie on the second hardest hole at Harbour Town Golf Links was one of just nine scored today at signature "lighthouse hole" at The Heritage.

Kodak Challenge leader, Bill Lunde, made up for his first round blunder on hole No. 18, posting a par Friday to retain his lead position at 8-under-par. Lunde scored a double bogey Thursday, temporarily dropping him two strokes on the leaderboard. The Kodak Challenge records a player's best Kodak hole score during a tournament. Lunde regained his original lead position with his par on No. 18 today, which is his best score of the tournament.

In other Kodak action today, Bill Haas sunk a 9-footer for birdie to move to 6-under-par, two shots off the lead, while second place contender, Jarrod Lyle, played No. 18 at par.

The Kodak Challenge Moment of the Day belonged to Nathan Green, who holed out from 26 yards for birdie. Kyle Stanley had the shortest Kodak Challenge birdie Friday from seven feet.

Bogeys (23) far outnumbered birdies (8), as Kodak Challenge hole No. 18 was the second hardest hole during the second round at Harbour Town Links. Additionally there were 84 pars and 4 double bogeys.

First round

Spencer Levin carded an easy Kodak Challenge birdie on hole No. 18 at Harbour Town Golf Links Thursday to move into a first place tie in the $1 million Kodak Challenge competition. Levin hit his 172-yard approach to two feet to set up one of 16 birdies on #18 during the rain-shortened first round of The Heritage.

Levin's ascent into first place came at the expense of Bill Lunde, who relinquished his lead after posting a double bogey on the tricky finishing hole at Harbour Town Golf Links. Since the Kodak Challenge records a player's best Kodak hole score during a tournament, Lunde will have another chance on Friday to better his score on No. 18 and move back up the leaderboard. Levin is tied for first at 7-under-par with Jarrod Lyle, who played the Kodak hole at par Thursday, and Charley Hoffman, who is idle this week.

The Kodak Challenge Moment of the Day belonged to Glen Day, who drained a 39-footer out of the front rough. Jason Dufner had the easiest Kodak Challenge birdie Thursday after landing his 156-yard approach to just 7 inches from the cup.

Kodak Challenge hole No. 18 was the second hardest hole during the opening round at Harbour Town Links, yielding 16 birdies, 73 pars, 27 bogeys and 6 double bogeys.