Tour News
Graham DeLaet continues to battle the chipping yips in Canada
I point out Graham DeLaet’s struggles with his short game not to mock the golfer, but to show legions of golfers across the world they’re not alone in their affliction.
Here’s the backstory.
In early June, the long-hitting Saskatchewan native withdrew from The Memorial, and on his Twitter account cited “incredible anxiety while chipping/pitching right now.”
“IT’S NOT FUN,” HE SAID. “I NEEDED TO WD TO GET IT SORTED OUT AND GET BACK ASAP.”
DeLaet returned to PGA Tour action in early July at the Barracuda Championship, where he finished T29. He also played last week’s Barbasol Championship, where he finished T8. But this week in his home country, the yips got the best of him in Round 1 of the RBC Canadian Open, where he carded an opening 77. His pitch on the ninth hole is shown below, and there was also a bunker fiasco on the 16th hole at Glen Abbey. Both incidents resulted in double bogeys.
@NOLAYINGUP PIC.TWITTER.COM/MZ1KK5YVNS
— INSIDE THE DOPES (@INSIDETHEDOPES) JULY 21, 2016
DeLaet, currently No. 140 in the Official World Golf Rankings, is arguably one of the best PGA Tour players yet to win a Tour event, and one of the Tour’s best ball strikers, too. His short game, however, is statistically one of the worst on Tour. He ranks 188th in Strokes Gained around the green in 2016, as well as 170th in Sand Save Percentage.
Let’s hope that DeLaet’s relapse is only limited to the pressures he may feel in his home country, and that the work he’s surely put in around the greens starts to pay off soon.
There’s also something to say about the struggles great ball strikers seem to inherently face around and on the greens. It’s probably not a stretch to link the issues the tallest NBA basketball players seem to have shooting free throws, which is detailed in this fantastic piece from Tom Haberstroh in ESPN.com.
Maybe there’s something in the article that can help your twitchy short game and putting? If you have 5 minutes, it’s worth a read.
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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
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
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
GolfWRX is on the ground in Orlando ahead of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
We’re assembling our usual collection of WITB photos, general galleries, and of course, gear inspired by the King himself.
We’ll continue to add to the photos below as more flow in from Florida.
General Albums
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #3
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1 (thanks, bvmagic!)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #3 (bvmagic)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2 (bvmagic)
WITB Albums
- Matt (LFG) Every – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sahith Theegala – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Luke List – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Taylor Moore – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- David Ford – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Pullout Albums
- New Cameron putters (and new “LD” grip) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Bettinardi MB & CB irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Bettinardi API putter cover – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Swag API covers – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New PXG putters – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler putter change – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sepp Straka – shaft change to new Ventus blue – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Rickie Fowler’s new Cobra Darkspeed X driver and Denali shaft (and Radspeed 3-wood) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Justin Rose testing Srixon Z Forged II irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Andre
Jul 25, 2016 at 6:24 pm
It’s bound to happen given the ridiculous speed of the greens, though the lies the pros get around the greens, except in the U.S. Open leaves little excuse. I recall Geoff Ogilvy saying in a golf digest article last year there was at least one top level player who has chipping and pitching yips, and that they go out of their way to avoid playing certain shots around the greens. Don’t know if DeLaet was the man, or there are more out there. Greens are simply too fast on these courses… when you watch old broadcasts, for instance Julius Boros playing in Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf you see greens 5 times slower than what they face today, and generally more level. It’s said the fast green with incredible breaks is the last defense given the equipment revolution and the way modern pros work out. It’s absurd. The pressure to chip it close on fast greens is about the same as holing a breaking 4 footer on fast greens.
Brian
Jul 25, 2016 at 8:29 am
I can completely relate to DeLaet. I’m struggling with the same. I can hit chip and pitches on the practice green over and over with no problem. On the course, however…
Prototype Tester
Jul 24, 2016 at 9:36 am
Graham,
You need to immediately purchase Monty Scheinblum’s short game video. Everything you need to know to get back on top.
James
Jul 23, 2016 at 9:22 pm
All you need to do Graham is put an XEONE 65 degree wedge in your bag and within a week your chipping woes will be over….we tried one this Saturday on the pratcie range, sand and tight lies..no brainer it is like stealing are they even legal????
Dennis clark
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:46 pm
At his Skill level, the problem has to be 90% mental and 10% in his head. It’s sad and sometimes terminal.
The dude
Jul 23, 2016 at 10:00 am
Chip crosshanded…..that works under the gun
Dave
Jul 22, 2016 at 10:01 pm
M. Smizzle you are a complete IDIOT.
Brian
Jul 25, 2016 at 8:31 am
The fact that it needs to be explained further bolsters Dave’s claim…
Shallowface
Jul 22, 2016 at 6:47 pm
When I struggled with this many years ago it was due to having my eyes to the right of my target line at address as opposed to parallel to it. Once I fixed that, no more yips. Years later I saw Michael Breed instantly cure the chipping yips of a Big Break contestant by fixing his eye alignment. Seeing DeLaet shank that chip says to me that’s where the problem lies. Hope someone helps him with it.
George
Jul 22, 2016 at 3:34 pm
bruce this guy is a pga tour player not a weekend hacker