News
Week 2 FedEx Cup: The Deutsche Bank Championship
We are now embarking on round two of the FedEx Cup and this week’s version of the playoffs will start with only 120 golfers. Last week at The Barclays, Steve Stricker won in impressive fashion and that victory vaulted him into the number one position in the FedEx Cup standings.
24 players less, the tour now stops at TPC Boston for the Deutsche Bank Championship. The TPC Boston is a par 71 and tips out at 7415 yards, a rather daunting task for this weeks participants, especially the ones that are sitting in the 71-120 positions in the standings. Only 70 players will move past this week and onto the third round of the playoffs. Be prepared for the drama to continue to unfold as we continue on this new path of the unknown, the 2007 FedEx Cup. What is going to happen? Who is going to make it to Chicago? Atlanta and the Tour Championship? Only time will tell, but I can assure you that it is getting more interesting and more stories will continue to develop as the weeks unfold.
Defending champion Tiger Woods, fresh off of a week respite will look to not only defend his crown at the Deutsche Bank Classic, but regain his top position on the leader board of the playoffs. Steve Stricker who has overtaken the number one position in the standings knows full well what is ahead of him, "I’m in a great position now but there’s still a long way to go and we all know who is coming back this week," he told reporters smiling as he referred to Woods. Coming off of an impressive win at the Barclays Stricker seems to have things in check, "You need to prepare yourself and you need to get ready and you need to play as best as you can, and let the points fall where they may, I guess." That will be an understatement as the return of Woods adds a little more spice to an already interesting and the highly debated “playoffs”.
There have also been a couple of notable withdrawals this week at the Deutsche Bank Classic. Ernie Els, and Scott Verplank both have withdrawn from the event sighting family reasons and fatigue. I have been on the road now for almost eight weeks and it is important that I return home where my children will be preparing for their return to school,” Els said. “I regret having to miss such a prestigious and important tournament and I wish everybody there an enjoyable and successful week.” Ernie will be sorely missed but will return in Chicago because his point total will automatically grant him passage into next week’s event. Verplank put a slighty different spin on it than Els, speaking to reporters in August at the PGA Verplank said, "I know me better than anyone else, and I can tell now you my body is not going to hold up for four weeks in a row.” “I’m probably stupid, but I’d rather win the Tour Championship than the FedEx Cup,” wanting to make sure he is fresh enough to do so it is no wonder that he opted to drop out at Boston gearing up for the final stops in Chicago and Atlanta. Verplank like Els has the luxury of having enough points to skip the event and not worry about making it past the next round, even possibly into the Tour Championship.
Players to watch this week should include Reteif Goosen, K.J. Choi, Vijay Singh, Rich Beem , and Rory Sabbatini, all for different reasons. Goosen and Beem are the two that are looking in from the outside. Goosen is in 86th position and Beem is in 113th, moving 23 places last week to gain entrance into the event this week. He will need yet another amazing week to be able to continue, Goosen on the other hand needs to only move up 16 places to advance, then needs to figure a way to move up 40 more spots to get to the Tour Championship, a hefty task to say the least. K.J. Choi has been one of the most consistent performers this year on tour, and finds himself in second place in the standings, just 2,050 points behind Stricker. Vijay Singh, who has missed two consecutive cuts, looks to regain his form and put himself in position to win the FedEx Cup. Singh owns the course record of 61 at TPC Boston and is also a winner at the course. Sabbatini who has been a critic of Tiger and his ability to be had this year, on several occasions, is now ahead of Woods in the standings and has a chance to back up what he stated earlier in the year. Although he has had some chances to beat Woods, he has failed to do so yet, and this is yet another chance for him to try and do what he said was possible earlier in the year.
Stay tuned, the playoffs are heating up and who knows what is going to happen, and that is part of the excitement.
Television Times
Thursday 8/31 3-6 EST Golf Channel
Friday 9/1 3-6 EST Golf Channel
Saturday 9/2 3-6 EST NBC
Sunday 9/3 3-6 EST NBC
Official Website
http://www.deutschebankchampionship.com/
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Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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