Tour News
5 Things We Learned from Day 1 of the Olympics
So many people were involved in the monumental effort to return golf to the Olympic Games that when Brasil’s Adilson da Silva hit the first tee ball at approximately 6:30 a.m., the twin senses of relief and anticipation were thick like fog. The home-country favorite finished at 1-over par on the day, nine strokes off the lead. Regardless of his placement, the tournament will be a success for the host nation.
We did learn five other important things on Day 1 of the Men’s Olympic Golf Tournament, and here they are.
There are plenty of birdies on the course
This is not a punitive golf course. Gil Hanse, the lead architect, hinted in pre-games convos that the course would yield low numbers. For a sport yearning to have more than a two-term run in the Summer Games, excitement and involvement are key. No one will complain about too many birdies; we all know this. Hanse knew this. Sit back and post your bets! There even might be an ace or two, right Justin Rose?
It was the first ever #Olympic hole-in-one and a day to remember for @JustinRose99! ?https://t.co/9rGBPrUgxf https://t.co/pzgCmQ4JVr
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2016
Team USA has jetlag, or an events hangover
Or something. Scores of 69, 72, 73, 75 mean that the boys of the stars and stripes have some catching up to do. Bubba’s caddy, Ted Scott, is not in Rio for personal reasons (he doesn’t believe in medicine or vaccinations, according to the big pink driver.) If any golfers needs the stability of his regular caddy, it’s Watson, who sits at 2-over.
Patrick Reed, if anything, was probably over-pumped, leading to his 1-over score. And then there’s Rickie, for whom so much was predicted, and so little has come true. He was 4-over on the day, with gratitude to Rodolfo Cazaubon (Mexico) and Lin Wen-Tang (Chinese Taipei), the only two golfers to fare worse.
The mystical power of the Canadian Loonie should not be dismissed
In 2002, the Olympic icemaker buried a Loonie (a $1 coin) at center ice. Both of Canada’s ice hockey teams claimed gold that year. Brantford, Ontario’s Ian Andrew, a celebrated golf course architect and member of the course construction team, again called on the mystical Maple Leaf to bring good fortune to Canada’s olympic entrants. During construction, Andrew buried a coin of his own beneath the 18th green at the Olympic course in Rio. On Day 1, Graham DeLaet did the red and white proud with a 5-under 66, two off the lead.
Does the Loonie have the staying power to make magic for three more days (not to mention four days next week for the ladies?) Stay tuned.
If there were a team component (as there should be)
Belgium would be sitting pretty, along with Germany and Spain. Nearly every writer wondered aloud in print why individual medals alone would be awarded in 2016. Why not a team competition?
Thomas Pieters (67) and Nicolas Colsaerts (68) waived the Black, Yellow and Red with distinction on Day 1. Close behind were Alex Cejka (67) and Martin Kaymer (69) of Germany, and Rafael Cabrera-Bello (67) and Sergio Garcia (69) of Spain. Note to Olympic organizing committees and International Golf Foundation: golf is better when teams are involved.
What exactly does Marcus Fraser mean to the Olympics?
Fraser made nine birdies and one bogey on his way to a two-stroke lead, courtesy of his opening 63 (8-under). Fraser and Scott Hend represent the land down under, but let’s be honest: when you think Aussie golf, do you think of Adam Scott and Jason Day?
Yep, you do.
Heck, you think of Marc Leishman and Matt Jones before you think of Fraser and Hend. Those other four said “no, thanks” to Olympic invites, opening the door for Hend and Fraser. If Fraser eventually medals, we will be left to ponder whether Olympic golf recognized the best players in the world (he’s currently ranked 90th) or the ones on a roll.
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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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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Cognizant Classic
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Cognizant Classic —FKA the Honda Classic.
The first leg of the PGA Tour’s traditional “Florida swing,” the Cognizant Classic continues to be contested at PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, host course of the 1983 Ryder Cup and 1987 PGA Championship. The course is known for its famed “Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch of holes that take their name from Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus, who redesigned the course in 2002.
The Bear Trap includes No. 15 (a par 3), No. 16 (a par 4), and No. 17 (a par 4). All three holes involve water and have led to several big numbers from Tour players over the years.
Check out an assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums below.
We’ll continue to update the galleries as more photos flow in from Florida!
General Albums
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #3
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #4
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Tuesday #1
WITB Albums
- Brandt Snedeker – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Max Greyserman – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Eric Cole – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Carl Yuan – WITb – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Russell Henley – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Justin Suh – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Alex Noren – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Shane Lowry – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Taylor Montgomery – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jake Knapp (KnappTime_ltd) – WITB – – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Sam Ryder – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Maverick McNealy – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Tua Tagovailoa mini WITB (NFL QB, Miami Dolphins) – 2024 Cognizant Classic
Pullout Albums
- New Super Stoke Pistol Lock 1.0 & 2.0 grips – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- LA Golf new insert putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Garsen Quad Tour 15 grip – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Swag covers – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jacob Bridgeman’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Bud Cauley’s custom Cameron putters – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Ryo Hisatsune’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Chris Kirk – new black Callaway Apex CB irons and a few Odyssey putters
- Alejandro Tosti’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Joohyung Tom Kim’s “new” center-shafted Scotty Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Pingback: Rio – Golf Events – Golf Olympia
Dave
Aug 13, 2016 at 7:01 pm
What I learned about the first day of golf NOOOOTHING what is it doing there anyway.
Grizz01
Aug 12, 2016 at 4:15 pm
SOF is a 48, says much. Golf Channel and NBC are falling all over themselves trying to promote this as a good thing. It’s becoming very sad. Funny how they some announcer said that ‘IF’ Phil Mickelson was here he would be eating the greens up. How they were receiving a pitch and chip. THEN why isn’t Phil there??? The guy who tee’d up the first ball… a Brazilian is ranked 288… and Phil and others are not there. Very weak, week to watch golf. A player that qualified for the PGA Championship, is not at the Olympics and many who didn’t qualify for the PGA Championship are at the Olympics. Not showing the best in world is sad. Not being a team event is even worse.
Want to make this worthy of GOLD? Make it a team event. Bracket the teams. 6 players on a team. One Alternates shot group, One Best ball and a one-on-one match play (the other guy sits out until needed). That’s 3 points… so someone is going to win each round. Stay for the two weeks until its done. That is worthy of a GOLD medal. Then have a three day individual stroke play tournanment.
2Cents
Aug 12, 2016 at 3:48 pm
In 2016, I just can’t seem to understand why everyone is still about “amateurs” vs “professionals.”
It’s a moot point now. Tell me Bolt isn’t a professional. Tell me Phelps isn’t a professional. Explain to me how these guys and gals compete year round and various events, regularly breaking tournament and world records; day in day out… and how they’re not just as good at their respective sports as the “professional” golfers, hockey, basketball players, etc.
Just because less people watch the 100m dash than they do the NBA Finals doesn’t make Bolt an “amateur.” There is literally no one faster than the man on the entire planet. “Professionals” get paid what people are willing to pay for entertainment. The masses have decided that sports provide more entertainment than gymnastics and track and field.
You better believe that if there were the same amount of interest and TV coverage that Bolt and Phelps and all the others would be getting paid the same. So what, now you stop them from going as well? I don’t know about you. But I watch to see the best in the world… Amateur, professional, child, etc… Doesn’t matter. I know the original Olympics were about “amateurs” but let’s be honest there isn’t an amateur in the 2016 Olympics and hasn’t been for some time.
These people are training from childhood. They come from poor or rich, they train day and night, year in year out. They go to every possible competition to hone their skills… That, my friends, is what professionals do. If you think any of these people are “amateurs” you’re kidding yourself. And if you think the distinction should be made on the size of their paycheques then you are diluted.
The best of the best should be competing. Period.
mlecuni
Aug 12, 2016 at 1:17 pm
This website deserves better stories. Is it all that the editor learned from the olympic’s golf on day 1 ?
ooffa
Aug 12, 2016 at 9:05 am
Olympic air rifle for the win.
ooffa
Aug 12, 2016 at 8:48 am
I never thought I’d say watching someone shoot an air rifle would be more interesting then a golf tournament. But it’s happened. BTW Air Rifle is an official Olympic event. Golf is not. Embarrassing!
Greg V
Aug 12, 2016 at 8:36 am
Zach Johnson is playing well at the Deere, which is one of my criticisms against the Olympic qualification system. How can a world championship event not include last year’s Champion Golfer of the Year?
The MAJOR championships include major winners from at least the previous 5 years.
GGTG
Aug 12, 2016 at 8:20 am
Dalaet’s 66 was 5 under. Par is 71.
Jim
Aug 12, 2016 at 7:55 am
I’ve never been a fan of having golf in the Olympics. Seeing the lack of people watching the event it seems that many others agree. There isn’t anyone at the event watching – I watched it this morning and there might have been a dozen spectators there, there are far more media people there than fans. The format is awful too and should have had a team element to it as well as the individual title. I guess there won’t be any further conversations about golf in the Olympics as this is really starting to look like a one and done event. On the positive side, the course looks really good.
Ezra
Aug 12, 2016 at 10:17 am
May I ask why you’re not “a fan of having golf in the Olympics”?
Really, I don’t get it if you like golf.
Agreed on the lacking “team element” though.
Jim
Aug 12, 2016 at 11:04 am
I guess I think there’s already 4 majors plus other larger tournaments so why do we need the Olympics as well. Not to mention the Ryder and Presidents Cup events. Also goes back to the amateurs vs professional athletes in the Olympics as well – maybe if it were college golfers it might be better similar to the NCAA tournament?
Eric
Aug 12, 2016 at 11:45 am
To me it would be far more interesting if they limited it to amateurs, as they should all Olympic events
DD
Aug 12, 2016 at 7:40 am
Brantford, Ontario. Represent! Hometown of Wayne Gretzky, no less.
Nath
Aug 12, 2016 at 6:14 am
Tools
Jimbo
Aug 12, 2016 at 4:08 am
Two thoughts.
1) format should have been mixed foursomes. Rickie & Lexi vs Justin & Charlie Hull would have been great for elevating the women’s game, and taken some of the glare away from the notable no-shows.
2) by allowing caddies from different countries, the IOC (and golf organisers) are basically saying that caddies add no value. If the are part of the on-course team, as most would suggest they are, then how can somebody from Great Britain be actively helping somebody from Germany (Kaymer) to beat the other Brits? If the caddies were just bag carriers, then their nationality wouldn’t matter. But if they improve the on-course performance of the players during the round, as most would suggest they do, then the should be from the same country.
Andrew
Aug 12, 2016 at 10:35 am
Pretty much every olympic sport has coaches and assistants from other countries. The US gymnastics team coordinator is from Romania. Nigeria basketball’s coach is an American. China’s assistant coach is from Greece. Really nothing out of the ordinary here.
Jimbo
Aug 12, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Agreed entirely, hence the focus on ‘during the round’. Coaches / assistance aren’t there making decisions over each shot, or stopping their player hitting a shot if the wind changes.
IMO the caddies play a bigger part than a mere bag carrier during the round itself, and so should be from the same country.
Same thing with the the Nigerian example, nothing wrong with them selecting the team and tactics, but he’s not on course racking up the assists.
Steve
Aug 12, 2016 at 4:07 am
Can we never again use the “x Number of Things We Learned From…” in regards to golf.
Johnnylongballz
Aug 12, 2016 at 2:08 am
Olympic golf sucks so far. Change the format! Make it a team event with best ball, alternate shot, singles, etc. but make it stroke play. Make it different than every other regular golf week. Just my .02
Messico Smizzle
Aug 11, 2016 at 10:48 pm
Course looks awesome. No one dying of Zika. Games safe and all competitions going well. U.S. In medal lead. Oh and we played like crap. Thanks dj and Jordan. Thanks a lot!!!!! Come on Kuch
Jay
Aug 12, 2016 at 10:01 am
Zika doesn’t usually kill people, it’s pretty rare…it’s more about the birth defects it causes. Most adults show no signs of having Zika. Do a little research before attempting to be funny.
Messico Smizzle
Aug 12, 2016 at 10:15 pm
Thanks for the comment bro
bogeypro
Aug 11, 2016 at 9:11 pm
I think more people will watch the John Deere Classic than the Olympics…. just my opinion
RedX
Aug 11, 2016 at 11:13 pm
Sure – that makes sense, especially with Na and Summerhayes being the standout ranked players in that field
Zak Kozuchowski
Aug 11, 2016 at 5:49 pm
Thanks for pointing that out. It was my error, not Ron’s. The story has been corrected.
Redx
Aug 11, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Way to go Ronald. Open the door for cheap criticism. Is that all you have to contribute, lining up a whipping boy for the trolls?
Just maybe a better line would be “What does the Olympics mean to Fraser?”
That’s more in line with the Olympic spirit