NAPA, California \u2014 Gary Woodland looked at the birdie putt from all angles, sized it up several times, than rolled in the 20-footer on the 9th green at the Silverado Resort on Tuesday that obviously meant a bit more than the usual practice-round fodder of a tournament week.<\/p>\n
Woodland, who is one of the vice captains for U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, is playing in this week\u2019s Procore Championship\u2014as are 10 members of the team.<\/p>\n
His partner for the nine-hole practice session was none other than world No. 1-ranked Scottie Scheffler, and that putt dropped on top of one made earlier by Russell Henley, whose partner was J.J. Spaun.<\/p>\n
Whether any cash changed hands was unclear but Woodland appreciated the moment, telling Scheffler that \u201cwe complete each other\u201d as he noted that he\u2019s won a U.S. Open, while Scheffler has captured the Masters, the PGA Championship and British Open, meaning they\u2019ve \u201ccombined for the career Grand Slam.\u201d<\/p>\n
SI Golf Newsletters. Sports Illustrated\u2019s Free Golf Newsletters. dark. Sign Up Now<\/p>\n
It was all part of a fun yet serious day of practice at the first FedEx Cup Fall event where the Ryder Cup players are the stars of a field<\/a> that is filled mostly with players trying to improve, maintain or establish their Tour status for 2026.<\/p>\n Bradley, who supervised, apparently put in place a plan months ago that would get as many players as possible to Napa two weeks prior the American team taking on Europe at Bethpage Black on Long Island.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been asked what\u2019s one thing Keegan has done that is so amazing. I think you\u2019re looking at it,\u201d said assistant Jim Furyk, who has served as both a Ryder Cup captain and Presidents Cup captain. \u201cThey\u2019re all here. You\u2019ve got 10 players. Obviously one (Bryson DeChambeau) can\u2019t play. The other, X (Xander Schauffele), with a baby<\/a> or he\u2019d be here.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you\u2019ve got the whole team here. The captain, the vice captains. It\u2019s pretty damn amazing. The camaraderie is good. It gives Keegan a chance to employ his game plan a little bit. Talk to the players, talk about pairings, get everybody ready. It\u2019s so good. You talk about (four) rookies. Going to dinner, hanging out, it\u2019s all part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n The PGA of America rented a nearby home that is serving as a defacto \u201cteam room\u201d for the week. The assistant captains who are here\u2014Furyk, Woodland, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker among them\u2014are staying there.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t been in very many nicer,\u201d Furyk said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should see it,\u201d Bradley said, beaming.<\/p>\n It is also where the players, caddies, assistants and team manager John Wood are hanging out after tournament hours.<\/p>\n