News
The Refund: Bleacher Report, cable providers to give viewers money back for The Match
Viewers who shelled out $19.99 to watch The Match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be getting their money back. Bleacher Report, Comcast, Spectrum, and other providers have all confirmed they will issue refunds.
Comcast was the first to give to act, issuing a statement late Friday
“Comcast will proactively issue a $19.99 credit to any Xfinity TV customer who purchased ‘The Match’ pay-per-view event. We hope Turner and Bleacher Report will do the same given that the event was made available by them for free on The Bleacher Report website,”
Owing to a glitch in the purchasing mechanism prior to tee off, Bleacher Report elected to make the pay-per-view event, well, not pay-per-view, removing the paywall on B/R Live, thus allowing streaming users to watch the event for free. Those who did purchase the event ahead of time will receive a refund.
In a statement, per ESPN’s Darren Rovell, a Turner representative explained the decision
“We decided to take down the paywall to ensure that fans who already purchased the event would not miss any action. This did not impact the live streaming of the competition and fans were treated to an event that was both engaging and memorable. Unfortunately, the prematch technical issue did occur, and we will offer fans who purchased the event on B/R Live a refund.”
According to USA Today, AT&T, the parent of DirecTV and U-Verse, Cox, and Dish/Sling will issue refunds/credits as well.
It’s unclear, as of Saturday night, if any providers are yet to give viewers their money back. However, it seems reasonable to assume that all will do so.
Nicholas Masafumi Watanabe, a sport and entertainment management professor at the University of South Carolina, told A.J. Perez of USA Today the event needed around 700,000 buys at the $19.99 price point to break even.
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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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Keto 500 Diet
Mar 7, 2019 at 7:02 pm
An intriguing discuesion is worth comment. I believe that you need to write more
on this subject matter, it may not be a taoo matter but
generally people do not talk about such issues. To thee next!
Many thanks!!
Patch Adams
Dec 19, 2018 at 3:57 pm
How can I rewatch the Match? Does anyone have a source?
Nihonsei
Nov 26, 2018 at 7:17 pm
To boot, every pick I made did not register hole to hole. The rules stated 60 seconds to make a pick upon completion of previous hole. I had 18 red boxes and gave up after the 19th. Pissed and pissed away money. Refund welcome here!
Jack Nash
Nov 26, 2018 at 12:33 pm
The Sporting version of Al Capone’s Vault. 2 mega flops on tv.
JThunder
Nov 25, 2018 at 11:09 pm
Wow, just absolutely an epic fail on all counts.
If you needed proof that millionaires and corporate conglomerates are NOT as smart as they keep telling you they are.
Can’t get a simple match on PPV without crashing, and the whole hyped thing ends on a pitch-n-putt par 3.
Everyone involved should be fired and all money involved be given to charity. Or will the two proud California patriots pocket the unneeded cash while their state burns and people die?
Charkle Barkles
Nov 25, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Cost ’em $100’s of dollars? Ha, that’s generous! You mean, like $80!! Worst clown car show since the snake oil salesmen of the 1800’s!
Well done guys, well done. Way to bring more questionable credibility to two enititled nincompoops living above the law! Between the D.U.I. nonsense, tax dodging, womanizing, car wrecking, scandalous behavior goin’ on…………I mean, I’m just sick of both ‘o deez jokers!! Please get the other robot into the “I’m still active Golf Hall Of Shame…..errrrrrrr Hall Of Infamy……….errrrr, I mean Hall Of Flames!” Please admit ‘im, so we can go on with our lives and keep an eye out for someone NEW!!!!! PLEASE!!!
Nutted One 240 Down The Middle
Nov 25, 2018 at 6:49 pm
I think this thing went down as a bigger flop than the WRX community orig. predicted
Johnny Penso
Nov 25, 2018 at 5:32 pm
“Oh crap, we have a technical glitch. Only 156 people have purchased the pay per view and we go live in two hours. What do we do?”
“I have an idea….”
Brian McGranahan
Nov 25, 2018 at 8:37 am
This is going to cost them hundreds of dollars!
larrybud
Nov 25, 2018 at 5:56 am
This means that they had about 100 paid subscribers and don’t want to give those details, right?
NormW
Nov 26, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Yes! “Needed 700,000”. Yet to state how many they got. Speak-up Media and Golf Channel suck-ups.
Tom
Nov 25, 2018 at 3:22 am
If you aren’t playing with your own money, it should be called ‘The Sham’ not ‘The Match’
James
Nov 24, 2018 at 9:02 pm
I’ll pay for the next one if I know I’m getting my money back. Now, Phil needs to return money to Tiger.