Kuchar-Johnson team sets record to win CVS Caremark Charity Classic

Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson won the CVS Caremark Charity Classic with a record-setting two-round total of 24-under-par 118 Tuesday at the Rhode Island Country Club.

The previous record in the 36-hole exhibition using the best-ball format was 119 set in 2001.

Morgan Pressel and Davis Love III finished second at 120.

Johnson was upset he missed makable birdie putts on the 15th and 16th holes. Johnson rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on the par 3, 145-yard 17th hole to put his team four strokes ahead of Pressel and Love with one hole left.

"We both had really good opportunities on 16," Johnson said. "I left mine short from 15 feet. And on the previous hole I had about seven or eight feet and I missed that one, too. So I was a little upset."

The winners split $300,000.

Om Monday, Kuchar rolled in a 12-foot putt on the 18th hole to give him and Johnson a record-tying 13-under 58 and a one-stroke lead over defending champions J.B. Holmes and Rickey Barnes.

“I was tired … I was beat up,” Kuchar said. “The U.S. Open takes its toll and then traveling and getting in last night at midnight. It was nice to be able to come out here and have some fun.”

The concept of “having fun” for Kuchar and Johnson equated to sinking a total of 12 birdies, including on each of the last three holes.

Holmes and Barnes shot par on the same holes.

“Zach was the leader in the group,” Kuchar said. “He was playing some solid golf. But I filled in on 17 and 18 (Kucher birdied those holes). I helped out here and there but it was a pretty solid team effort.”

Kuchar, who tied for 14th at the U.S. Open, combined with Johnson to birdie the first four holes on the back nine, giving them a lead they would not relinquish.

“The key in this sort of format is to give your team two good opportunities,” said Johnson, who tied for 50th at the Open. “You don’t have to stuff it down every hole.

“We both hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens and made some putts. Thirteen under is pretty good. It was a nice way to start.”