Kodak Challenge update: the Memorial Tournament

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Jun. 5, 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. 14 at Muirfield Village
Another downhill tee shot, once again into a wide, tree-lined valley. About 245 yards from the championship tee, a creek emerges from the left woods to border the fairway for some 40 yards before angling across it and then on down to flank the right side of the green. The green is long and narrow and heavily guarded left by several bunkers. A definite birdie opportunity, but only for the very accurate player.

Final round

Zack Miller captured the Kodak Challenge Shot of the Day honors when he dropped his 136-yard approach to one inch of the cup on hole No. 14 during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance. Miller was one of 13 pros to birdie the tricky 363-yard par-4 Kodak hole at Muirfield Village.

While Miller's near eagle led to the easiest Kodak birdie, Daniel Summerhays drained a 21-footer for the final round's longest Kodak birdie putt.

Earlier in the week, Charley Hoffman picked up a stroke in the opening round for sole possession of second place on the Kodak leaderboard at 10-under-par. Hoffman sits just one shot behind frontrunner Bill Lunde, who played No. 14 at par before withdrawing due to illness. J.B. Holmes and Matt Kuchar also gained ground at Muirfield Village with Kodak birdies to move within two shots of Lunde at 9-under.

Kodak Challenge hole No. 14 played exactly at par during the final round of the Memorial Tournament. The firm and fast green yielded 13 birdies, 49 pars, nine bogeys and two double bogeys.

The next Kodak Challenge hole is the 239-yard par-3 No. 14 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee during the FedEx St. Jude Classic on June 9-12. The FedEx St. Jude Classic will be the 18th of 30 tournaments to participate in the $1 million season-long Kodak Challenge competition.

Third round

J.B. Holmes drained a three-footer for birdie on Kodak Challenge hole No. 14 at Muirfield Village during the third round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance. The short putt brought Holmes to 9-under-par on the Kodak leaderboard, just two shots behind Bill Lunde in the season-long $1 million competition.

Stewart Cink delivered the Kodak Challenge moment of the day on the pesky 14th, holing out from 32 feet for the longest Kodak birdie putt. 2009 Kodak Challenge champion, Kevin Streelman also got the best of No. 14 when he scored the easiest Kodak birdie with a tap-in from 11 inches.

Calmer winds made all the difference for the pros on the Kodak hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament. No. 14 went from the fifth hardest hole at Muirfield Village on Friday to the fourth easiest on Saturday. The tricky 363-yard par-4 yielded 22 birdies, 41 pars, seven bogeys and two double bogeys.

Second round

Matt Kuchar carded a birdie on hole No. 14 at Muirfield Village Friday to move to 9 under in the Kodak Challenge standings, two shots off the lead in the season-long $1 million competition. Kuchar landed his 126-yard approach to just over four feet to set up his Kodak birdie on the tricky 363-yard par 4.

Kodak Challenge leader Bill Lunde withdrew prior to the start of the second round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance due to illness.

For the second consecutive day, Dustin Johnson delivered the most memorable Kodak Challenge shot, dropping a 24-footer for birdie. David Duval had the easiest Kodak birdie after landing his second shot to 21 inches.

13 balls (11% of all shots) found the water Friday on No. 14, as the Kodak Challenge hole was the 5th hardest on the course. The 363-yard par 4 yielded 21 birdies, 63 pars, 27 bogeys and 4 double bogeys.

The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance is the 17th of 30 tournaments to participate in the $1 million Kodak Challenge competition.

First round

Charley Hoffman took sole possession of second place in the Kodak Challenge with a birdie on hole No. 14 at Muirfield Village Golf Club during the opening round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance. Hoffman sunk a four-foot putt to move to 9 under, two shots behind leader Bill Lunde, who played the 363-yard hole at par today.

Dustin Johnson delivered the Kodak Challenge Moment of the Day, holing out for birdie from 52 feet away in a green side bunker. Jason Bohn had the easiest Kodak birdie during Thursday's opening round after landing his approach to just 15 inches.

Kodak Challenge hole No. 14 was the 14th hardest hole during the opening round at Muirfield Village, yielding 41 birdies, 62 pars, 12 bogeys and 3 double bogeys.

The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance is the 17th of 30 tournaments to participate in the $1 million Kodak Challenge competition.