News
Tiger Woods commits to Valspar Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational
Needing tournament reps and feeling well enough to get them in, Tiger Woods committed to next week’s Valspar Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational the following week.
The 42-year-old will tee it up four times in five weeks as he readies himself for Augusta National, where he last competed in 2015, tying for 17th.
After a good recovery week I’m committing to play in the @ValsparChamp and @APinv next two weeks.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 2, 2018
The start at Bay Hill, where Woods has won eight times, was expected. Competing at Innisbrook, however, was a remote possibility. Recent murmurings, however, suggested Woods, keen for playing opportunities, could compete at the Copperhead Course.
Woods has never played the Valspar Championship, which has only been a full-field PGA Tour event since 2000, however he did tee it up at the venue for the mixed-team JCPenny Classic in 1996.
The 79-time PGA Tour winner competed most recently at the Honda Classic where he finished 12th, leading the field in proximity to the hole and placing third in driving distance. He missed the cut at the Genesis Open prior to that and tied for 23rd at the Farmers Insurance Open in his first action of the year.
“The more golf I’m playing tournament-wise, the faster I’m able to click into the feel of the round,” Woods said at the Honda Classic, indicating his desire to be sharp for the first week in April.
Tournament organizers have been preparing for the longshot possibility that Woods could be in the field for weeks.
“We’re going into what we call Tiger Mode,” Hollis Cavner, the executive director of Pro Links Sports, which manages the event, said. “Everything changes when he comes. We’ll have to beef up security, increase busing, concessions. Now it’s a whole different game. That’s the effect he has.”
Per ESPN’s Bob Harig, tournament director Tracy West got word from Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, just ahead of Woods’ Twitter announcement. The tournament is adding 6,000 parking spots and expecting an increase of upwards of 15,000 spectators per day.
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News
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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Mike Davis
Mar 3, 2018 at 7:29 pm
I heard a rumor that they are going to roll the back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Tiger will play a ball that is formulated from coconut fibers. They are sourced from the Galápagos Islands. Should be interesting.
Teigrob’s Taint
Mar 3, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Why so much hate? Can’t we all just get along. Party at Gerald’s house tonight. We can hit his Adams clubs from ‘02 on the launch monitor. He is playing playing a Distance Whip driver from the Golfworks.
Larry The Lib
Mar 3, 2018 at 11:40 am
I now know why Tiger and Trump hang out and play golf together. They are both chasing the same tail!
George
Mar 3, 2018 at 10:57 am
Here we go with the more reps garbage. Anything to make it sound more athletic.
Teigrob's Taint
Mar 2, 2018 at 10:55 pm
Everyone is so hard on Tiger, he is such a great role model for our youth. He could be doing really bad stuff instead of partying with porn stars in Vegas. Hell, everyone cheats on their wife and lies like its nothing. Leave the poor guy alone!
Dr. Golea
Mar 2, 2018 at 8:58 pm
Tiger has that pep in his step again. Blood spinning really works. You wrxer’s should try it!
sid
Mar 2, 2018 at 6:33 pm
If we didn’t have Tiger to gossip about this website would go dormant… 😮
Rob
Mar 2, 2018 at 4:45 pm
Yeah but he doesn’t move the needle anymore…??? Hahaha
Dat 1 Guy on XM 45
Mar 2, 2018 at 3:13 pm
Here we go again. Poor Arnie is rolling over in his grave. Hide your daughters!
Realist
Mar 2, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Yep, because no one has ever messed up in their life. It appears he’s over it… you should move on too.
Getemgoose
Mar 3, 2018 at 12:32 am
Stellar response
Chuckster
Mar 2, 2018 at 2:16 pm
Yeah, more reps! That’s what my urologist said.
dat
Mar 2, 2018 at 2:11 pm
This is exactly what he needs and what golf needs. Go TW!