By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.
For comments: [email protected]
Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour heads to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. |
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1. 15-year-old finishes top 20 on KFT
Jay Coffin for Golf Digest…”During a week when most eyes were on Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, the 15-year-old lefty finished off an incredible week with a five-under 66 in the final round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood Ranch in Florida.”
- “After opening with 68-66-70, Russell finished at 14-under-par total to tie for 20th place. The finish in which he jumped 28 positions on the leaderboard on the final day, gives him an exemption into next week’s Veritex Bank Championship at Rangers Park in Arlington, Texas. He’s the youngest player to finish inside the top 20 on the PGA of Korn Ferry tours, according to records that go back to 1983.”
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2. Understandably, Nelly WDs
Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Nelly Korda’s bid for a record-setting sixth consecutive win will have to wait a few weeks.”
- “A day after capturing the Chevron Championship during a marathon final round in Houston, Korda announced on social media that she was withdrawing from this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”
- “It was not an easy decision,” she wrote. “After the unbelievable week at the Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted. With so much still to come throughout 2024, I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season.”
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3. Scheffler’s impressive No. 1 feat
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”After Scheffler’s victory Monday morning at the RBC Heritage, Scheffler upped his points average to 15.016 and increased his advantage in the Official World Golf Ranking over No. 2 Rory McIlroy to more than double McIlroy’s 7.365 average, meaning Scheffler is ranked further ahead of No. 2 than No. 2 is ahead of the last-ranked player.”
- “The last time a No. 1 player had a greater points average was Woods, who was at 15.4564 on Dec. 6, 2009. But Woods was less than seven average points ahead of No. 2 Phil Mickelson at the time. Earlier that year, Woods was 7.735 ahead of Mickelson, which is the last time the gap between Nos. 1 and 2 was greater than Scheffler’s current 7.651 advantage.”
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4. Zurich field notes
PGATour.com’s Adam Stanley…”Rory McIlroy will make his tournament debut alongside good pal, Ryder Cup teammate, and Irishman Shane Lowry – a duo that was firmed up during a celebratory lunch after the Ryder Cup last fall… Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will try to reprise their 2022 win here. Cantlay and Schauffele have both the Foursomes and Four-ball scoring records at this event… Davis Riley and Nick Hardy will defend their 2023 title. No team has gone back-to-back… Three sets of brothers (and two sets of twins!) will play together with twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard and Parker and Pierceson Coody in the field along with Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick. Alex Fitzpatrick and Rasmus Højgaard are sponsor invites…”
- “Billy Horschel, who won last week at the Corales Puntacana Championship, will be without his previous partner Sam Burns, as Burns and his wife are expecting their first child any day. Horschel will instead be paired with fellow University of Florida alum Tyson Alexander. Horschel has won the Zurich Classic when it was both an individual and team event… Other notable pairings include Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris, and Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. The Canadian duo finished runner-up a year ago and would like nothing more than to show Presidents Cup International Team captain Mike Weir how well they play together… Steve Stricker will play his second TOUR event this season (after earning his way into THE PLAYERS Championship), teaming up with Matt Kuchar.”
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5. Tiger’s teammates
Field Level Media report…”Tiger Woods announced Monday that Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner have joined his Jupiter Links GC TGL team.”
- “The virtual golf league headed by Woods and Rory McIlroy will begin its inaugural season next January. Woods also unveiled the team’s logo.”
- “I have already shared my excitement and optimism for TGL as a league and product,” said Woods. “Now that we have finalized our roster with a team of world-class golfers, I am even more confident that this group will proudly represent the Jupiter (Fla.) area and connect with our fans for years to come.”
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6. Woosnam questions Cantlay’s decision
Our Matt Vincenzi…”After the horn sounded to suspend play due to darkness, Cantlay, who’s ball was in the fairway on the 18th hole, had a decision to make. With over 200 yards into the green and extreme winds working against the shot, conventional wisdom would be to wait until Monday morning to hit the shot.”
- “On the other hand, if he could finish the hole, he may just want to get the event over with so he could get out of Hilton Head.”
- “Curiously, Cantlay chose neither of those options. After hitting 3-wood into the green, and still coming up short, the former FedEx Cup champion chose to mark his ball and chip and putt on Monday morning.”
- “Ian Woosnam, who was watching from home, took to X to give his thoughts on Cantlay’s decision making.”
- “Cantlay would end up getting up and down for par when play resumed at 8:00 am Monday morning.”
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7. JT on Scheffler’s “weird” equipment choice
Our Matt Vincenzi…”After Justin Thomas’ third round of the RBC Heritage, the two-time major champion went in the broadcast booth alongside the CBS crew.”
- “While Thomas was watching Scottie Scheffler play on the back nine of his third round, he wondered aloud why Scottie uses high-numbered golf balls.”
- “Does anybody else think it’s weird that Scottie uses high numbers? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an elite player use high-numbered golf balls.”
- “Amanda Balionis who was on the grounds chimed in, reporting that analyst Dottie Pepper had wondered the same thing earlier that day.”
- “I’ve been going about this wrong my whole life,” Thomas jokingly said.
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8. Rory to rejoin PGA Tour policy board
Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Four-time major championship winner Rory McIlroy is poised to return to the PGA Tour’s policy board, pending a vote by the board, which could come as early as this week, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.”
- “One of the PGA Tour’s most vocal supporters during its three-year battle with LIV Golf, McIlroy abruptly resigned as a player director on the tour’s influential policy board in November.”
- “He is expected to replace policy board player director Webb Simpson, who intends to step away before his two-year term expires in 2025.”
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9. Weir names Presidents Cup assistants
PGA Tour report…”International Team Captain Mike Weir announced Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas as captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which will be played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, Sept. 24-29. |
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Pat M
May 16, 2015 at 9:50 pm
KB and Pepsi are idiots.
Rich
Jan 23, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Keegan Bradley is possibly the biggest dork of all time. Nothing will change that, especially not those stupid air Keegan shoes he wears.
RG
Dec 18, 2014 at 5:43 am
So in a game where grown men use stuffed animals for headcovers and put neon colors on their clubs people in this forum are commenting that flat billed hats and MJ shoes are ridiculous??!! I’ve got news for you mental defectives, Golf is ridiculous!
The Hammer
Dec 17, 2014 at 11:40 am
Its the style these days, look at 3/4 of younger golfers and they are wearing flat bills and snapbacks, its the current trend! Everyone thats saying that they look stupid are just jealous they cant get paid to wear trendy clothes and play golf for a living…bottom line. Plus the Jordans look sweet, its no different that someone wearing yellow nike shoes or any other crazy colored shoes. All these comments are just people hating that he has style and they dont. Thats it.
theFairwayMole
Dec 17, 2014 at 9:19 am
Best part of the clip: 0:07 – 0:09.
TheBrokenTee
Dec 17, 2014 at 2:04 am
Just wondering, is there any way to buy air jordans?
tom
Dec 16, 2014 at 7:51 pm
This guy is really looking for attention wearing Jordans on the golf course. Ridiculous.
Beacher50
Dec 17, 2014 at 1:22 am
Naw, he’s just being paid well to look ridiculous.
Carlos Danger
Dec 16, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Flat bill hats are the “Bluetooth” of golf.
I dont care what clothing company he signs with, a tall dorky white dude in high tops and a flat bill hat looks horrible. Maybe if he was working at one of the cell phone kiosks at the mall it would be acceptable, but not golfing.
Did someone tell Rory he looks like a character out of the Hobbit movies (more than usual) in his flat bill hat?
Beacher50
Dec 17, 2014 at 1:27 am
Everyone looks dorky in those hats, and one day they will realize it to. A young coworker wears a flat billed hat, to work even sometimes, and he has upward ambitions, I told him the first thing he needs to do is ditch the hat. Not one executive is going to take him serious when he wears a hat like that to a golf outing, much less to the office. Facts are facts, and unless you’re a rapper your not going to get far with the traditional business man when dressed like a punk.
RG
Dec 18, 2014 at 5:39 am
This comment brought to you by bias and stupidity.
Supermangolf
Dec 16, 2014 at 12:57 pm
Awesome sign for both sides! TM gets one of the greatest players in regards to raw talent and intensity, I mean we all know Keegan for his impressive Ryder Cup debut. And Keeg wins with one of the best companies in the industry, really nothing to complain about with anything TM designs. Maybe less stripes though, stay with the clean cut solid colors and bold collars, that gray hat he has on in the video looks awesome.
Brodie Hock
Dec 16, 2014 at 9:15 am
I am less likely to wear TM now…
Beacher50
Dec 16, 2014 at 12:31 am
Flat brimmed hats should be banned…and ears tucked in, talk about dorky looking.
I have to think one day (like those of use who had long hair and wore bell bottoms back in the day)that those wearing flat brims with their ears tucked in well say “what were we thinking!!!”
Billy
Dec 16, 2014 at 1:16 am
Idiotic comment. It’s just a hat.
Ben
Dec 16, 2014 at 8:15 am
Oh Beacher… stop being an old fuddy duddy. I can assure you the guys who like flat brim hats talk about you too. How can you still wear saddle shoes to play golf?
Beacher50
Dec 17, 2014 at 1:20 am
Talk to me in 10 years, even an ol fuddy duddy like me will be around yet.
RG
Dec 18, 2014 at 5:33 am
Of course they will…it’s the cycle of life. This generation is entitled to it’s own look. Let’s try and keep our underwear in our pants though.
Conservative White Guy
Dec 16, 2014 at 12:30 am
Kb is a perfect TM type and those Jordans are awesome!
RAT
Dec 15, 2014 at 9:00 pm
Keegan is not the Travis Type and the Air Jordan’s suck!
Keegan Bradley
Dec 15, 2014 at 9:57 pm
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
Michael Jordan
Dec 16, 2014 at 7:01 am
Agreed
Travis Matthew
Dec 16, 2014 at 7:02 am
I hate you guys
Tiger Woods
Dec 17, 2014 at 7:23 pm
I’d rather just wear my own shoes.
John Daly
Dec 18, 2014 at 12:37 am
I’m going drinking…
Anthony Kim
Dec 18, 2014 at 12:37 am
See you there JD.
Kasey
Dec 15, 2014 at 8:27 pm
So happy to see him join TM. What a great move for both. LOVE the Jordans too. Keegs is paving his own way, like Rickie did a few years ago. It will do nothing but good things for him. The stuffy, middle-aged may not like his clothing or shoe choices, but their opinions don’t matter much. #gokeegs
Pat
Dec 15, 2014 at 8:38 pm
LOL. And most people don’t take kids like you seriously either. The hipster look is only appealing to teenagers and kids in their early to mid 20’s which is a tiny segment of the population.
kess
Dec 15, 2014 at 10:10 pm
His look doesn’t quite qualify as hipster. I see the dirty little hipsters all over DC. But a young look is fine and appealing to the 18-34 demographic is the Mecca for marketing.
JustTrying2BAwesome
Dec 15, 2014 at 10:21 pm
And though the under 30 are a smaller segment, they also spend tons of money to look good. Old people in general could care less if they look good, or fashionable, especially on the golf course. Also, the old people are only getting older. At some point, and probably relatively soon, will stop being able to play altogether. The under 30 crowd is the future of the game, and if it’s going to thrive, there has to be an excitement to get kids into it. If flashy clothes and/or clubs do it, then flash it up kids. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
Conservative White Guy
Dec 16, 2014 at 12:29 am
You call that hipster?!? that’s about as hipster as Arnold Palmer on a Sunday.
This signing is a perfect match and those shoes are sweet looking. MJ is as old as a goat now and yet still moves the needle.
other paul
Dec 16, 2014 at 12:08 am
Who is going to carry golf forward when old people die? Young people. The next generation of old men playing are going to look great doing it. But first we need the old people to teach us young ones to play. Best short game lesson I ever got was from an 83 year old man who couldn’t hit the ball 100 yards but chipped it inside 10′ on every hole (drove me nuts)
Beacher50
Dec 16, 2014 at 12:33 am
Young people turn into old people….yup you can’t fence time, and your thoughts on what looks good and acceptable will change as well.