King of the Course is BACK!
$1 million in bonus bets will be split and distributed to users who opted in and placed an outright winner bet on the player records the most birdies or better through the first two rounds of this week’s golf major.
Who will get off to a great start on Thursday and take the early lead as DraftKings’ King of the Course? Follow along below!
How to Play King of the Course
- Opt in to receive your King of the Course token in the Promotions page
- Make an outright winner bet on DraftKings Sportsbook and apply your token (minimum $5 bet)
- If the golfer you wagered on with your token applied records the most birdies or better through the first two rounds of the tournament, win a share of $1 million in bonus bets
For more information on this promo, click here!
King of the Course Live Updates
Kitayama takes the lead to the second round (7:39 p.m. ET)
The first round of the tournament has now ended. Kurt Kitayama recorded eight birdies in his opening round and leads the race for King of the Course by two. Rory McIlroy and Ryan Gerard are in second place with six holes under par, followed by 10 players at five. Let’s see what Friday has to offer in the race to be King of the Course.
Koepka joins the party (7:16 p.m. ET)
The group at five holes under par is growing, and Brooks Koepka is the newest addition. The five-time major winner recorded a birdie on two of his last four holes to get into the clubhouse at even par with five birdies on the day. The final groups on the course are now finishing up. Can someone end the first round with a flurry?
Justin Rose and Harris English close the gap (6:26 p.m. ET)
Rose birdied the 15th hole, which gets him his fifth birdie of the day. He is now just three shots behind our leader Kitayama as he plays the 17th hole. Harris English has also made a move, recording three straight birdies on 12, 13 and 14 to get himself to five on the day.
Afternoon wave starts to struggle (5:38 p.m. ET)
The afternoon wave has reached the back nine, but the course seems to have toughened up. Of all the players still out there, Justin Rose, Aaron Rai and Ludvig Aberg have the most holes under par with four. Kurt Kitayama is still sitting pretty with eight, followed by Rory McIlroy and Ryan Gerard at six.
Aaron Rai making some noise (4:53 p.m. ET)
Rai started hot with three birdies in his first four holes and he just converted his fourth birdie of the day on the hole 13 par five. With four holes remaining, including a par five, Rai will have a chance to move up the King of the Course leaderboard some more before his first round is over.
Gary Woodland and Justin Rose off to great starts (3:52 p.m. ET)
Woodland was part of the second-to-last group out Thursday and the Houston Open winner has already recorded three birdies in his first eight holes. Meanwhile, Rose has racked up three birdies in his first nine holes.
Rory McIlroy finishes with 6-under 67 (3:35 p.m. ET)
McIlroy didn’t pick up another birdie in his final three holes, so the defending champion finishes the day with six birdies, putting him in a tie for second on the King of the Course leaderboard with Ryan Gerard, who also is done for the day.
Rory McIlroy and Ryan Gerard creeping up on Kurt Kitayama (2:59 p.m. ET)
McIlroy kept his foot on the gas and birdied the hole 15 par five for his third straight birdie and sixth of the day. Meanwhile, Gerard just finished his round and posted an even par 72, but he carded six birdies, including a closing birdie on hole 18. McIlroy and Gerard still sit two birdies or better back of Kitayama on the King of the Course leaderboard.
Rory McIlroy looking strong (2:40 p.m. ET)
McIlroy tallied his fifth birdie of the day on hole 14, which is his fourth birdie in his last seven holes. The Irishman has done all this damage despite only hitting 4-of-11 fairways. McIlroy is one of four players with five or more birdies or better in the first round and he now heads to the scoreable hole 15 par five.
Kurt Kitayama comfortably leads after his first round (2:02 p.m. ET)
Kitayama shot a 3-under 69 in the first round, but he finished with a field-best eight birdies, putting him atop the King of the Course leaderboard by three. Sitting second with five birdies or better is Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Gerard and Sam Burns.
Shane Lowry holes out for eagle on 13, but still trails Kitayama (1:41 p.m. ET)
Hitting his third shot on the hole 13 par five, Lowry flushed a beautiful wedge shot from 99-yards out that one bounced into the cup for eagle. Lowry now has one eagle and four birdies for the first round, putting him second on the King of the Course leaderboard, still trailing Kitayama, who has seven total birdies.
Kurt Kitayama adds another (1:04 p.m. ET)
Kitayama converted another birdie on the hole 13 par five. He now has six birdies on the day, which is two clear of the rest of the field. Kitayama has recorded a bogey on three of his last four holes, though, so he could be cooling off as his first round comes to a close.
Tommy Fleetwood shines on the front nine (12:45 p.m. ET)
Fleetwood thrived on the front nine Thursday with a 4-under 32. The Englishman carded three straight birdies from holes 2-4 and he finished the front with a birdie on 9. Fleetwood heads to the back nine as one of the three players with four birdies who are one back of Kitayama for King of the Course.
Patrick Reed and Shane Lowry moving up (12:27 p.m. ET)
2018 champion Reed has gotten off to an awesome start, opening with a birdie and then eagling both par fives on the front nine. Lowry is also coming alive, with four birdies, including back-to-back birdies on holes 8 and 9. The Irishman and Harrington are only one birdie or better back of Kitayama with five.
Kurt Kitayama getting hot (11:48 a.m. ET)
Kitayama sits atop the leaderboard at -4 and he is the King of the Course leader with five birdies. No other player has more than three birdies or better. Kitayama’s has racked up four birdies in his last five holes as he heads to the No.11 par four. Kitayama has been dialed with his irons, hitting 9-of-10 greens.
Jackson Harrington scoring early and often (10:37 a.m. ET)
Making his first start at this major, Harrington sits at +2 through his first eight holes, but he is the current King of the Course leader with a field-best three birdies. Harrington carded birdies on holes 2, 4 and 8. Behind him, there are eight players who have converted two birdies so far, and Patrick Reed has one birdie and an eagle already through just two holes.
