News

The USGA might have a problem with PGA Tour yardage books

Published

7 years ago

May 1, 2017

Less than a week after introducing the “Lexi Thompson Rule,” or New Decision 34-3/10, the USGA sent a signal that it has something else on its radar. Namely, defending the art of green reading.

Viewing the issue through the lens of Rule 14-3, the USGA expressed concern over, it seems, the green detail in professional yardage books. Rule 14-3 bars a player from “the use of any artificial device or unusual equipment … for the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play.” Thus, in a roundabout way, the green-mapping technology used to create the highly sophisticated and detailed pro yardage books is troubling to the guardians of the game.

The USGA-R&A’s full joint statement reads:

“The R&A and the USGA believe that a player’s ability to read greens is an essential part of the skill of putting. Rule 14-3 limits the use of equipment and devices that might assist a player in their play, based on the principle that golf is a challenging game in which success should depend on the judgment, skills and abilities of the player. We are concerned about the rapid development of increasingly detailed materials that players are using to help with reading greens during a round. We are reviewing the use of these materials to assess whether any actions need to be taken to protect this important part of the game. We expect to address this matter further in the coming months.”

Reading between the lines, it certainly seems the “concern” is centered around yardage books that show slope and topographical information. You know, like these.

Credit: Golf Digest/Tour Sherpa

Thomas Pagel, the USGA’s senior director of rules and amateur status, told Golf Digest’s Mike Stachura the worry centers around the following:

“The increased level of detail that the USGA and the R&A has seen of late, both in printed and electronic form, that has prompted the study. It is fair to say all materials will be reviewed, but the original intent was not focused on basic printed yardage guides found at most golf courses, but those with an increased level of detail/sophistication.”

This led Stachura to connect the dots, writing, “It seems conceivable that green charts instead of contour lines measuring the percentage of slope…might someday reach a stage where all putting locations might be determined to have a certain break like two feet right or six inches left.”

Yardage books in general have long been contentious on the PGA Tour, but the USGA largely hasn’t had an issue with the pocket course maps until now. It will be interesting to see if the folks in Far Hills ultimately rule on the level of detail in Mark Long’s (and similar) yardage books.

If you ask PGA Tour pro Luke Donald, he seems to agree with the concern.

Totally agree. There is an art to green reading that is getting lost, just like judging the wind & this will help speed up play ???????? https://t.co/epWiq1jUOC

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) May 1, 2017

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52 Comments

Don

Jun 1, 2017 at 8:46 am

Give them lasers for yardage use only. let them carry there own bags read there own greens. Spoilt children these pros are.

Reply Report comment
Mat

May 30, 2017 at 2:25 am

So, here’s a question… if the USGA generally allow rangefinders that don’t allow slope, how is it they’re being provided with slope information? How has that been allowed to become a cottage industry?

Personally, I think this is all a waste. I think the slope algorithm in the current rangefinders aren’t a big deal. Frankly, whatever speeds play is good, and those books don’t sink putts. But this type of grandstanding just annoys players. But please start making the pros play like we have to. Let them have a laser, but take their books. Or don’t, and clarify that slope information is ok. What drives me batty about the USGA is they approach it as if it’s this new thing. It’s not.

Reply Report comment
Kyle

May 21, 2017 at 1:02 pm

But they want to allow range finders? i don’t understand

Reply Report comment
- drkviol801
  
  May 29, 2017 at 7:40 pm
  
  Right? #logic
  
  Reply Report comment
Dave R

May 8, 2017 at 9:03 pm

Personally I think you would have to have studies in rocket science to even read this thing. I would not know which way to turn the thing up down or sideways. But then I never went far in college never got to map reading.

Reply Report comment
GH

May 3, 2017 at 12:26 pm

The game has gotten too concerned with low scores and records. We also should go back to not allowing to mark the ball on the green and play stymie. It’s about who navigates the situations to win the tournament, not about just getting low scores

Reply Report comment
- PG
  
  May 4, 2017 at 5:18 pm
  
  Stymie is awesome for match play. It would be fun to watch. During stroke play it could be abused and would be unfortunate if it affected the outcome.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dace

May 3, 2017 at 11:53 am

I would like to see this stopped.
Along with that I would also like to see caddies actually just caddy.
Carry the bag, give distance from the ball to the pin and little else.
Keep them off the greens and lets see the pros use their own skills to navigate the contours.
Simplify the rules also, ball on tee not to be touched again until it is on the green.
Any unplayable/lost/hazard ball, drop at the original point of strike with a shot penalty.
Remove all line of sight relief.
As mentioned above remove all grandstands from the green area.
Also in agreement with Brandon … Brandon May 3, 2017 at 10:05 am

Actually I would like to see a 90 second shot clock with 3 60 second extensions per round, but that is me personally.

The game is too slow and the rules too complex.
We are losing a generation to the game, almost no one understands the rules now .

Reply Report comment
Bob Jones

May 3, 2017 at 11:39 am

Why not go all the way and make the pros play like the rest of us do? Ban yardage books (except for notes they personally make during practice rounds), ban daily pin sheets, ban caddies. Make them pull their clubs around on a cart and hunt for sprinkler heads to get their distances. Really! I’m not kidding. Once a year I would like to see a tournament played like this.

Reply Report comment
Duncan Castles

May 3, 2017 at 9:30 am

Fully agree that the governing bodies should ban the use of detailed green charts during competitive rounds. They both slow down the game and reduce the need to develop and deploy one of golf’s key skills.

Reply Report comment
JLBIII

May 3, 2017 at 8:35 am

For the last 15 years, I’ve used my feet to read greens. I would never use a mapped chart because it would change my trust and confidence in what I feel.

Reply Report comment
Ron

May 3, 2017 at 8:29 am

Good idea! Caddies should also not be able to give players any information other than distances and wind direction. The player ought to be able to figure out what club to hit and how to hit it. That goes for alignment too.
And, USGA, address the ball in motion rule, where the wind moves the ball on the green. The player who doesn’t cause the ball to move should be able to replace it in its original spot without penalty.

Reply Report comment
Jack Nash

May 3, 2017 at 8:05 am

Great idea. Let’s make a 6 hr round 6 1/2 while watching a pro do laps on a green before they decide to get over the ball. Next thing you know there’ll be a 24 sec. clock.

Reply Report comment
- Brandon
  
  May 3, 2017 at 10:05 am
  
  Actually I would like to see a 90 second shot clock with 3 60 second extensions per round, but that is me personally.
  
  Reply Report comment
Ron

May 3, 2017 at 1:24 am

I’m curious who and what kind of tech creates these topographical green maps? Must be already in the yardage books given to the players before the tournament.

Reply Report comment
Gordy

May 2, 2017 at 8:48 pm

I wish they’d ban the grand stands behind every green that stops the ball from going 30 yards past the hole on a bad shot.

Reply Report comment
- Adam P Smith
  
  May 3, 2017 at 8:54 am
  
  Agree 100%. In fact last week in China at the European Tour event the 18th hole had water cutting in to the green on the right side with the flag (for round 4) inaccessible some 6 paces from the water. Immediately left of the green was a stand, the closest to a green I’ve ever seen. What happens? More than one pro took dead aim at the lower portion of this stand from 150-180 yards away and bounced the ball onto the green and close to the flag; closer than could have been achieved by a normal shot. Utter madness on the part of the tournament director and officials…those guys need sacked. It’s golf not billiards!
  
  Reply Report comment
larrybud

May 2, 2017 at 6:24 pm

Yeah, I can see how this is a problem since nobody seems to miss any putts…. lol I mean, who cares? You better ban all yardage books then, and sprinkler heads with numbers on them, since those numbers were derived from laser range finders.

Stupid is as stupid does, sums up the USGA nicely.

Reply Report comment
avg_joseph

May 2, 2017 at 5:14 pm

If all players have access to this same information what does it matter? If the information is out their and they are banned during tournament play, all you are doing is giving a leg up to players with better memory/photographic memory…

Access to this information speeds up play as well. Do you really want to have these guys(and gals) with millions of dollars on the line taking longer to read putts on their own? If pace of play is such an important issue to the USGA why would they take detailed information out of a players hand that is going to make the pros take longer to do their job? If anything, Courses that have this information should give these to any player with the knowledge to use them to help speed up play!

Reply Report comment
- Adam P Smith
  
  May 3, 2017 at 8:57 am
  
  Nonsense, use of these green-reading books slows play down; are you Stevie Wonder? But slow play isn’t the real issue in this: skill and judgment is what golf is founded upon not having fancy, cheat-bibles like these.
  
  Reply Report comment
- drkviol801
  
  May 29, 2017 at 7:45 pm
  
  I don’t see a problem either, nobody has an advantage over one another with these technological breakthroughs, and it results in better quality golf
  
  Reply Report comment
chinchbugs

May 2, 2017 at 1:47 pm

About Time! This game was getting too easy!

Reply Report comment
Taylor

May 2, 2017 at 1:42 pm

I thought the yardage books just had blank green shapes and the pros filled them out as they read the greens. The advantage to the more veteran guys whom have played the greens more and have had many different looks. I didn’t know they were given how the topography of the greens were.

Reply Report comment
- Adam P Smith
  
  May 3, 2017 at 8:58 am
  
  Oh dear, do try to keep up grandpa.
  
  Reply Report comment
Mark

May 2, 2017 at 1:29 pm

Good grief. I had no idea they were that detailed. Let us get back to the player and only the player lining up his putts. And these maps should be banned. The club player uses his own eyes so why not someone supposedly more skilled?

Reply Report comment
ROY

May 2, 2017 at 9:40 am

So if I can bring a topographical map why not a wind gauge?? Could extend my 18 foot ball retriever, stick it on the top of that and be a little more certain about what the winds speed and direction is.

Reply Report comment
- John
  
  May 2, 2017 at 11:55 am
  
  you might be the only guy who knows some rules of golf AND carries an 18 foot ball retriever.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Anthony
    
    May 3, 2017 at 6:58 pm
    
    he’s that guy that holds people up behind while he retrieves 15 balls from the lake instead of just his own 😉
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Anthony
    
    May 3, 2017 at 7:00 pm
    
    he’s that guy who holds up play while retrieving 15 balls from the lake instead of just his own hahaha
    
    Reply Report comment
DB

May 2, 2017 at 9:33 am

I believe the charts get even more complicated/detailed than what is pictured.

And I think they should be restricted at some point. Laser rangefinders that calculate slope are banned from tournament use. What’s the basic difference between that and a fold-out chart that details every little slope in the green?

Reply Report comment
RG

May 2, 2017 at 7:03 am

More ridiculousness from the USGA. Graphite shafts, titanium golf clubs, range finders and four piece multi material golf balls are good, topographical maps bad! ridiculous! the toothpaste is out of the tube.

Reply Report comment
H

May 2, 2017 at 3:07 am

Lemur?

Reply Report comment
Matt Gates

May 2, 2017 at 1:18 am

Seriously USGA….

This is completely ridiculous. These guys talk about growing the game but yet have zero clue as to what it takes to actually pulls off what current PGA tour pros do. Its actually a little disgusting that these dinosaurs are guiding a sport that so desperately needs an injection of life.

This still comes down to execution. You HAVE to be able to execute exactly what it says on the books, whether its yardage or the slopes on a green.

Pathetic…..

Reply Report comment
- Brian
  
  May 2, 2017 at 9:22 am
  
  What does the use of detailed topographical maps by Tour Pros have to do with growing the game?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Joey5Picks
    
    May 2, 2017 at 3:55 pm
    
    My question, as well. The two are not related in the slightest.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Aaron
  
  May 2, 2017 at 11:00 am
  
  ya dumb response, nobody else has access to these charts and even if they did talk about slowing the F out of the game….I can’t stand the USGA but 100% agree with this concern. Putting at all levels is fun to be a part of and the art of the “guess” is great at all levels……
  
  Reply Report comment
- Judge Smells
  
  May 2, 2017 at 12:03 pm
  
  cant wait till you see kids at Junior tournaments making topographically maps of the green during their practice round so they can be like Dustin Johnson referring to their green map
  
  Reply Report comment
DMACK

May 1, 2017 at 9:43 pm

I have been playing the same courses for years and am still trying to figure out and remember all the breaks. I definitely think green reading is a big part of the art of putting. The green contour map like shown above can be viewed as equipment that aides the golfer. It’s at least worth a debate. (Can I order such a map for my home course, surely could eliminate some 3 putts.)

Reply Report comment
- Scott
  
  May 2, 2017 at 7:57 am
  
  DMACK, I was told by a guy at Golf Galaxy that there are highly detailed yardage books out there now (or on their way), but I was told they are a bit pricey. Might be worth it for a few courses though.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Zach
  
  May 7, 2017 at 8:25 am
  
  We can provide you one…www.flaghunting.com
  Or email us at [email protected]. Not nearly as expensive as people think
  
  Reply Report comment
Daniel

May 1, 2017 at 6:53 pm

If reading a green is an integral part of the game to be preserved where does that leave us with rangefinders? If judgement of a putt is a skill to be preserved and rewarded why not yardage estimation?

But, I don’t need a thing to make the game harder and I’d wager the bulk of golfers don’t either. Furthers the argument that rules bifurcation is needed in some degree.

Reply Report comment
- H
  
  May 2, 2017 at 3:06 am
  
  You can’t use rangefinders in professional competition. So that’s what this is implying, that perhaps during play, these contour-Aimpoint maps will be banned, only to be used during practice rounds, as the rangefinders are.
  
  Reply Report comment
Adam

May 1, 2017 at 6:40 pm

I assume, then, that these things are why pros look COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY BEWILDERED when they miss something inside 10 feet? They look at these sheets, it tells them one things, they go with it, they miss, they curse the world. How much reliance is on these books and how much of it is actual green reading?

Reply Report comment
Double Mocha Man

May 1, 2017 at 4:45 pm

It is an interesting sort of “give an inch, take a foot” quandary for the USGA. A topographic map for backpacking is good, a topographic map for reading greens is cheating. Unless you’re camping out on the steep ridge on #14 green at Pebble Beach.

Reply Report comment
- Adam P Smith
  
  May 3, 2017 at 9:00 am
  
  You are funny but you are 100% correct!
  
  Reply Report comment
Paul G

May 1, 2017 at 4:28 pm

seems like luke donald needs to heed some advice from Kendrick Lamar – sit down, be humble.

wow, players doing what they can while adhering to the rules to help gain information about a course? crazy talk. USGA, stop screwing things up every chance you get. Let your DVR-committee do your bidding to get your rulings right. USGA puts out that they want to allow rangefinders or measuring devices but want to dial back the information you can put in your yardage book? smh.

Reply Report comment
- TR1PTIK
  
  May 1, 2017 at 5:08 pm
  
  I don’t think their issue is necessarily the level of detail within a yardage book as much as it is how that information is obtained. However, you could not achieve the same level of detail by simply walking a green and rolling a few putts. I agree with the USGA and with Luke Donald though. Green reading is an acquired skill and a bit of an art. Players should be allowed to record slope information in their yardage book, but without the assistance of special equipment. They should only be allowed to make note of the things they can visibly see and physically feel. They should not be able to use any type of technology to help them measure the various contours of a green. Plain and simple. And no, I don’t believe this is in any way similar to using a rangefinder that ONLY measures yardage. Yardage is a far easier measurement to obtain through other means and I believe the use of rangefinders can only help pace of play.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Kim
    
    May 2, 2017 at 10:59 am
    
    These contour maps are made by digital mapping of the greens. It would be impossible to enforce a rule banning the maps as players could review in privacy off the course. They should be banned on the course during play, including practice and tournament rounds.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - TR1PTIK
      
      May 2, 2017 at 1:51 pm
      
      I think that kind of goes without saying which is why it wasn’t said. Lol. Anyone can do whatever they want off the course.
      
      Reply Report comment
- H
  
  May 1, 2017 at 6:40 pm
  
  Who the F is Kendrick Lamer
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Poetic Justice
    
    May 1, 2017 at 7:00 pm
    
    I thinks he’s the guy who emailed the usga regarding his disdain for these pga tour yardage books and started this whole quandary.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Judge Smells
    
    May 2, 2017 at 12:05 pm
    
    hes lexi thompson’s caddy
    
    Reply Report comment

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News

Morning 9: Rory: I’m not joining LIV | Masters ratings | Nelly: We just need a stage

Published

2 days ago

Apr 17, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up to this week’s RBC Heritage.

1. Rory: I’m not going to LIV

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…McIlroy said neither he nor his agents have ever discussed a potential deal to lure him to the LIV Golf League, which is being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy told Golf Channel while on the practice range at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, the site of this week’s RBC Heritage. “I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. Again, I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

“It doesn’t mean that I judge people who have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I have realized over the past two years is that people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that? But personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it’s never been any different.”

Full piece.

2. Masters ratings down

Yahoo’s Jay Busbee…”Ratings for the full Masters week are now out, and 2024’s version ranks as the lowest since the COVID-impacted years of 2020 and 2021. There was a brief moment when four players shared the lead at the 2024 Masters, but Scottie Scheffler took care of business quickly enough and strolled to what qualifies as an “easy” Masters victory — a four-stroke triumph that wasn’t in doubt for most of the second nine.”

“Perhaps as a result, Sunday’s final round averaged 9.59 million viewers on CBS, according to Sports Media Watch, a 22.8% decline from last year’s 12.06 million. Scheffler’s win two years ago averaged 10.17 million viewers. Worth noting: Sunday’s final round was down 20 percent against last year’s victory by Jon Rahm, but last year’s final round fell on Easter Sunday, which created a significantly higher out-of-home percentage of viewers — 21 percent in 2023, as opposed to 9 percent this year.”

Full piece.

3. Chevron gets purse boost

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…“Chevron’s commitment to the LPGA went a step higher on Tuesday with the announcement of a purse increase to $7.9 million in 2024. The move brings the tour’s first major in line with the purses of other championships. The U.S. Women’s Open purse of $12 million paces the tour, with the KPMG Women’s PGA second at $10 million. The AIG Women’s British Open purse checks in at $9 million while Amundi Evian is $6.5 million.”

“Chevron, which moved the event away from Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, to Texas, last year, has increased the purse by $4.8 million since assuming title sponsorship in 2022. The company has committed to title sponsor the event through 2029.”

Full piece.

4. Shipley on “notegate”

Alex Myers for Golf Digest…”So what was up with “notegate”? During his hilarious spot with McAfee, Shipley reiterated there was no note from Woods, and that he was only looking at the moderator because he was so confused where the question was coming from:

“I looked over at the moderator like ‘Who the hell is this guy?'” Shipley says in the clip. “Because it just didn’t happen. I was so confused and so shocked in the moment.”

Full piece.

5. Nelly: We just need a stage

Iain Carter for the BBC…”Korda is the first American to win four consecutive tournaments on the LPGA since Lopez won five straight 46 years ago. This astonishing streak made the then rookie front page material for Sports Illustrated.

“Korda’s feats have yet to transcend the golfing village, and perhaps that suits her as she “tries to stay in my bubble”. But the American Solheim Cup player does recognise that more could be done to tell the increasingly compelling story of women’s golf.”

“I feel like we just need a stage,” she told reporters here at Carlton Woods just north of Houston. “We need to be put on TV.

“I feel like when it’s tape delay, or anything like that, that hurts our game. Women’s sports just needs a stage. If we have a stage we can show up and perform and show people what we’re all about.”

Full piece.

6. Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage

Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!

Full piece.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage

Published

3 days ago

Apr 16, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.

We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.

We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.

Check out links to all our photos, below.

General Albums

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Pullout Albums

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News

Morning 9: Aberg: I want to be No. 1 | Rory’s management blasts ‘fake news’ reports

Published

3 days ago

Apr 16, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we look back at the Masters while looking ahead to this week’s RBC Heritage.

1. Shane Ryan: Appreciate Scottie’s greatness

Golf Digest’s Shane Ryan…”This is what’s called generational talent, and we haven’t seen it in almost 20 years. Steve Stricker read the tea leaves when he picked Scheffler for the 2021 Ryder Cup—a decision that was richly rewarded—and starting in 2022, he was off to the races. The only hiccup was a few putting woes last year, but even that only served to highlight how remarkable his ball-striking had become—instead of winning, he was finishing third. When he fixed the putting, with help from a new coach and a bit of equipment advice from Rory McIlroy, he soared yet again to the top of the game, but this time he seemed more indomitable, more inevitable, more brilliant.”

“The sustained success of the last three years has officially made him the best professional golfer since Tiger Woods, a conclusion supported by analytics, the eye test, and every other metric you could dream up. With fewer majors, he has nevertheless leaped past Spieth, McIlroy, and Koepka in terms of pure ability. He doesn’t have their legacy, yet, but if we’re talking about peak performance, he’s already surpassed them.”

“He’s so much better than everyone else, which is a sentiment that is both commonplace—I saw it on Twitter over and over again—and revelatory. It’s the thing you say because there is nothing else to say. You’re left with the wild truth, which words can describe but never capture.”

Full piece.

2. Aberg: I want to be No. 1

The AFP’s Simon Evans…”The 24-year-old finished second, four strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler, after carding a final round 69 but he certainly won many admirers among the patrons at Augusta National and beyond.”

“And his performance has filled Aberg with self-belief.”

“Everyone in my position, they are going to want to be major champions. They are going to want to be world number one, and it’s the same for me, that’s nothing different,” he said.

“It has been that way ever since I picked up a golf club, and that hasn’t changed. So I think this week solidifies a lot of those things are there, and we just need to keep doing those things and put ourselves in positions to win tournaments, ” he said.

Full piece.

3. Homa’s honest answer on double bogey

Golf Channel staff report…”But Homa’s tee shot at No. 12 bounded off the putting surface and into a bush. After a healthy search, Homa found his ball and had to take an unplayable lie. He made double bogey, effectively ending his bid at a maiden major title.”

“Homa tied for third, seven shots back of Scheffler. Asked about what happened on the fateful 9-iron, Homa offered two replies.”

“The honest answer is, it didn’t feel fair. I hit a really good golf shot, and it didn’t feel fair. I’ve seen far worse just roll back down the hill,” he said.

“The professional answer is, these things happen.”

Full piece.

4. Harbour Town ahead

RBC Heritage field notes, via Adam Stanley of PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler is, for now, set to tee it up at the RBC Heritage. He was clear to say that if his wife, Meredith, would go into labor during the Masters, he would head home to be with her, so it’s safe to assume that same rule will stand at Harbour Town. Scheffler has not shot an over-par round all season and has three victories (and one runner-up). He made his debut at Harbour Town last year and finished T11… Matt Fitzpatrick looks to become the first golfer to go back-to-back at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2007-08. Fitzpatrick, a playoff victor last year, has two top-10 finishes this season. He has just one missed cut at Harbour Town over the last six years and he finished fourth in 2021 to go along with two more top-15 results in a three-year span (T14 in 2018 and 2020)…”

“Jordan Spieth is hoping to continue his run of fine play at Harbour Town after a playoff loss last season and a playoff win the season prior. Spieth has five top-25 finishes at the RBC Heritage in seven starts… Justin Thomas earned a spot in the field after remaining in the top 30 (he’s No. 30) in the Official World Golf Ranking despite a missed cut at the Masters. Thomas, who finished T25 last season at Harbour Town, has two top 10s on the season… Ludvig Åberg, who is tops in the Aon Next 10, will head to Hilton Head for the first time. Åberg has had a fabulous 2024 campaign thus far with four top 10s (including two runner-up results) and is knocking on the door for a victory… Hideki Matsuyama was the only eligible player who did not commit to the RBC Heritage, while Viktor Hovland – after a missed cut at the Masters – withdrew from the field on Saturday.”

Full piece.

5. Reed’s caddie’s needle

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After a particularly bad drive during his third round on Saturday, Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, also his brother-in-law, made a snide but factual comment to Patrick.”

“Your driving has cost us a lot this week,” Karain remarked.

“Reed didn’t disagree and told reporters after the round that there was nothing good about his round…

“A reporter then asked: “It’s a good thing he’s a family member, right?”

“Yeah, exactly. I’d probably be dragging him up that last hole,” Reed said. “I swear.Just what you want to hear as you’re looking at the ball in the tree, and he goes, ‘You need to drive it better.’ Thanks, Kessler. I appreciate it. Great words of wisdom. Drive it better.”

“This may be the last major for Reed for a while, as the 33-year-old has not been invited nor qualified for next month’s PGA Championship.”

Full piece.

6. LIV wants Hovland next?

Ewan Murray for the Guardian…”Rising speculation that Viktor Hovland will be the next high-profile golfer to be coaxed to the LIV tour will increase the need for Ryder Cup Europe to apply a simple qualification process for golfers on the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit.”

“LIV is forging ahead with plans for 2025, which include new events and the recruitment of more players from the PGA and DP World Tours. The rate of turnover is likely to be increased by the number of golfers who had three-year contracts when joining LIV, which will expire at the end of 2024.”

“Chatter on the range at the LIV event in Miami this month and again at the Masters largely surrounded Hovland, the world No 6 who starred for Europe in the defeat of the United States in Rome last year. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who also played in that team, have subsequently joined LIV. Hovland missed the cut at the Masters and promptly withdrew from the PGA Tour’s $20m stop in Hilton Head this week.”

Full piece.

7. Rory’s management: LIV reports are ‘fake news’

Brian Keogh for the Irish Independent…”A report that Rory McIlroy was on the verge of an $850million move to LIV Golf has been slammed as “fake news” by his management.

“Fake news. Zero truth,” McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty said in an email.

London financial paper “City AM” reported today that sources have told them that McIlroy “could” join LIV Golf

The paper reported that “two separate sources have told City AM that they believe a deal is close. It is claimed that LIV Golf chiefs have offered world No2 McIlroy an eye-watering $850m to join, plus around two per cent equity in the competition.”

Full piece.