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Morning 9: “A beautiful Rosey place” | Bryson | Tiger’s shirt: red or pink?

Published

5 years ago

Jan 28, 2019

Ben Alberstadt

1. “A beautiful Rosey place”

…that’s how Justin Rose’s swing coach/instructor/what are we calling these guys these days Sean Foley described the current state of the Englishman’s game.

AP Report on Rose’s Torrey Pines romp…”Justin Rose missed a short birdie putt that felt like another bogey. His three-shot lead was down to one through six holes of the Farmers Insurance Open, and the biggest battle was trying not to panic.”

“That’s when he scratched a line on his scorecard after six holes, wanting to start his round from that moment forward.”

“And he gave himself a pep talk….”You’re No. 1 for a reason. Just start playing like it, please,” he said.”

“And he did.”

“Rose followed with a perfect wedge to a right pin that led to birdie, the first of five birdies the rest of the way for a 3-under 69 and a two-shot victory Sunday over Adam Scott at Torrey Pines.”

“Rose finished at 21-under 267, the lowest 72-hole score at this event in 20 years, and the warm, windless weather had a role in that.”

Full piece.

2. Further vindication for Bryson

James Corrigan at The Telegraph on DeChambeau’s triumph in Dubai…

“The 25-year-old joined a select band of Americans who have raised the famous Emirates Trophy. Only Tiger Woods, Mark O’Meara and Fred Couples had previously justified their appearance fees and it says so much about DeChambeau that any of that major-winning trio would have been proud of the manner of this startling triumph.”

“Not only did DeChambeau break the tournament scoring record with his 24-under total of 264, but nobody had ever won by such a large margin in the 30-year-old event. It…presented further evidence that this eccentric golfer has all the attributes to challenge the very best.”

“DeChambeau will go into the Masters in April as one of the leading contenders and if the man who calls himself “a golfing scientist” can just learn to play at a proper pace, he is set to become a worldwide favourite.”

“Certainly, his comments afterwards highlighted his unique philosophy. DeChambeau, who studied physics at college, plays with a set of irons cut to the same length, while he is also known to float his golf balls in Epsom salts to ensure they are perfectly round.”

Full piece.

The Scientist himself had this to say…

“It’s a lot of hard work with my caddie, just really grinding and trying to figure out how to take account of all the variables out there. Whether it’s air pressure, firmness values, mph on the ball speed, spin rates … we’re trying to figure out as much as possible so I can be as consistent as possible and obviously it’s showing.”

“I think it’s a little bit vindicating that I’m able to have such success on multiple tours, so I’m very proud, happy and thankful as well.”

3. Tiger, Tiger smoldering dimly…

By the calculus of his form for most of 2018, Tiger Woods’ showing at Torrey Pines wasn’t impressive. But hey, at least he remains upright and his mega-yacht is still pointed in the direction of a full season of golf!

ESPN’s Bob Harig…”After a mostly frustrating tournament, Woods got something going over his final nine holes, making five birdies to finish with a 5-under-par 67 at Torrey Pines — to post the double-digit-under-par score he set as his goal.”

“Woods finished at 278, 10 under par, and in a tie for 20th, 11 shots back of winner Justin Rose.”

“I got a little bit sharper each day and my rounds got a little bit cleaner, I made less mistakes,” said Woods, who was making his first PGA Tour start of 2019. “I started to get the feel back for hitting the golf ball under tournament speed, that’s a little bit different. I didn’t quite make as many putts as I wanted to, but I felt like I was hitting the ball on my line, just not reading them right.

Full piece.

4. Debatable?

Pat Ralph of Golf.com…”Haotong Li became the first high-profile player to run afoul of the new rule that bans a caddie from assisting in lining up a shot.”

“The defending champion at the Dubai Desert Classic, Li was in position for another high finish when officials determined that Li’s caddie stood on a direct line behind his ball when he took his stance on the 18th green. The two-shot penalty turned his birdie into a bogey, his 71 became a 73, and he dropped from a tie for third into joint 12th – the difference of about $100,000.”

You can see video of the incident here…the ruling may have been a bit overzealous…

5. We’ve done our due diligence!

So says European Tour chief Keith Pelley regarding the upcoming event in Saudi Arabia.

Geoff Shackelford…”European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley is attempting to get out front of the looming disaster that is a professional golf tournament in Saudi Arabia only months after the dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi last fall. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was credited with bringing the European Tour event to his country, likely ordered the killing at his country’s Turkish consulate. “

“Pelley focused more on player security in spinning the decision to forge ahead with an event despite the murder. From G.C. Digital’s story:”

“Our main focus is on the safety and security of our players and staff,” Pelley said Sunday on “Morning Drive”. “Like many global companies who operate in the region, we monitored the situation. … Having looked at that – and having done our due diligence in terms of the safety and security – we’re obviously moving forward and looking forward to this new chapter on the European Tour.”

Full piece, including link to GC story

6. Renovations ahead for Torrey ahead of 2021

The Forecaddie…“With an outdated irrigation system and the U.S. Open returning in 2021, the City of San Diego is taking $14 million from its golf fund for a renovation project starting March 1. Scheduled completion is in September, so if you have a tee time at the South this summer, expect two holes to be closed and some sort of modified version to be in play.”

“What is Torrey getting for $14 million? The extensive bid specs say golfers can expect 84 rebuilt bunkers featuring capillary concrete liners, re-grassed green surrounds and design modifications to the fourth and 17th holes. Throw in some cart path changes, five rebuilt tees, surface drainage work, and the price tag is a confounding leap from the $3.5 million spent for Rees Jones’ 2001 renovation.”

Full piece.

7. Woodland’s WMPO win a bright spot amid darkness

Looking both back to last year and ahead to this week’s tourney…

Nate Fain of the Arizona Republic, syndicated to Golfweek…”In March of that year, Woodland withdrew from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. Days later, he announced that his wife, Gabby, who was pregnant with twins, had lost one of the children due to complications.”

“Three months later, Gabby gave birth to their son Jaxson 10 weeks premature.”

“Gabby and Jaxson spent much of the months that followed in the hospital. The little one’s condition weighed heavily on Woodland as he continued playing.”

“Over time, Jaxson’s health began to mirror his father’s game. Both gradually improved. Jaxson was released from the hospital. Woodland was a playoff hole away from capturing a win that had eluded him for years.”

“And as the Kansas Jayhawk made a short putt to beat the Sun Devil and win the Phoenix Open, Jaxson and Gabby rushed out to the green to share the moment with him.”

“Seeing my son come out onto the green surprised me. I didn’t even know he was there,” Woodland said.”

Full piece.

8. Karrie considering

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols on why Karrie Webb is play more golf in the year ahead rather than less.

“Instead, she’s committed to eight to 10 events in 2019, maybe more if she qualifies for additional late-season starts. Webb still has the game to compete on the LPGA. She tied for second at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open in 2017. But her presence on tour carries weight that travels far deeper than scores.”

“We need more people like her,” said Stacy Lewis. “I wish people would play longer just because you start to get a different perspective on things.”

“For years Webb, a winner of 41 LPGA titles, has been a go-to voice for peers and journalists alike. At last year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, her final event of 2018, Webb indicated that even in her 40s, she’s still finding her voice as an athlete. On a tour that’s largely dominated by youth, Webb’s perspective on meaningful issues stands out.”

“The longer I’ve been out here and the older I’ve gotten,” said Webb from Royal Lytham, “you know, when you see other female athletes standing up for their rights, it starts to make you think about how much we’ve just said, ‘Oh that’s just the way it is in golf.’ And maybe we shouldn’t be like that anymore.”

Full piece.

9. Red or pink?

Is the dress blue and white or black and gold…

Tiger Woods, in a sign of the apocalypse, wore a Sunday shirt that was not immediately identifiable as red. Either that, or he’s now selecting the shade or red based on his perceived win probability. 10 shots back of the leader? A light pink. 54-hole leader? Blood red.

Anyway, the shirt is below. Debate away (and yes, pink is a shade of red, so ultimately, it’s red no matter what…)

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Bettinardi BB1 Wide putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

2 days ago

Mar 29, 2024

Brian Knudson

Bettinardi has long been known as one of the best putter manufacturers in golf. The BB line is considered the company’s flagship. This year, Bettinardi took more input from the tour in order to optimize CG placements and refine the feel in the lineup. To optimize the CG and ensure that the sweet sport is in the correct location, Bettinardi engineers reshaped the shoulders and bumpers on the back of the head for better weight placement. The face also features a brand new Perpetual Flymill milling that enhances feel and feedback as well as gets the ball rolling more consistently. You can check out all of the details on the 2024 Bettinardi BB line of putters in our launch report. For a full review check out the Club Junkie podcast on all platforms or on YouTube below.

I have been using a Bettinardi BB8 Wide for the past two years, both previous generations, and really loved those putters. They were the first blade putters I have actually gamed in well over 10 years, so you know I was excited to see the 2024 BB lineup.

The BB1 Wide jumped out to me immediately, because it is similar to the BB8 Wide, just a little softer and with more rounded edges. Out of the box, the BB1 Wide looks great, and I think the new Black Pearl PVD finish has a slight shine to it that looks a little nicer and more high quality than the matte grey from the last generation. The gloss black stepless shaft and bright blue Lamkin grip are solid editions to the whole package and give the putter a little glitz that doesn’t distract. Finally, Bettinardi updated the BB covers to magnetic closure, and I am way too happy about that!

Out on the green, the BB1 Wide frames the ball well and you can easily see that it has a shorter heel-to-toe measurement than the BB8 Wide. From face to back the putter is wide, but I think the stubbiness of the head makes it look a touch wider than it really is. The look from address also greets you with a softer and more rounded look from the bumpers and overall shape of the head. As you would expect the flange is longer and includes a single site line for alignment. I like this setup as a single, longer, site line tends to be what I line up the best. A thicker topline is slightly rolled for a softer and thinner look that blends in well with the profile of this putter head. If you like the larger mallets that have been trending lately then I think you will enjoy looking down at the BB1 Wide.

On the course and the putting green, the Bettinardi BB1 Wide offers a great soft feel at impact, softer to me than last year’s BB8 Wide. Bettinardi’s Perpetual Fly Mill face has deeper grooves that provide this softer feel while still putting a nice roll on the ball. The greens up here in the north are still long and bumpy, but the BB1 Wide provided as smooth of a roll as it could under the conditions. Some playing partners were dealing with big hops and jumps in the first foot of their putts, but I never had that problem with the BB1 Wide. The initial roll limited the hop and skip more than I expected, and I felt like it started the ball on line very well. Aiming the putter was simple and easy as I had the same single site line on my previous putter.

The sole of the BB1 Wide is a little unique as it has a sound slot that runs the length of the cavity from heel to toe. We don’t see a lot of sound slots on retail putters but they are used to fine-tune the sound of a putter at impact. The use of the sound slot on the BB1 Wide definitely increases the audible sound at impact and gives it a slightly more metallic sound. I was a little worried that the sound would have too much “ting” to it or be offensively loud, but I was impressed that it was much more dialed down. Feel off the face was soft, definitely softer than the previous BB line. Now while that softer face is great, it does reduce a little of the feedback on where you struck the shot. You can tell the misses are there but they are a little softer than you would expect from a fully milled putter.

Forgivness with this putter is pretty good, and it will allow you to get away with less-than-perfect strokes. The amount of mass out on the toe and heel make the putter much more stable than a lot of blades. While it isn’t high mallet MOI stable the putter will show you that shots off the toe or heel will stay online well and come to rest right next to the hole. Distance control is precise and you won’t be stunned by a ball that jumps off the face with too much speed or the opposite. Putts on the putting green from the same spot just consistently toll to the same finish line, if they don’t drop into the cup.

Ultimately, a new finish, face milling, and design keep things fresh and high-performance but in a very classic package. Bettinardi did a great job mixing those things to keep the traditionalist and the gear junkies both happy. While the lineup doesn’t feature a massive amount of head shapes, it nails some core designs and should be a big hit for Bettinardi.

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Morning 9: Scheffler starts strong | Nelly stays in touch | Houston Open photos

Published

2 days ago

Mar 29, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Friday morning, golf fans, as day two of the Houston Open gets underway.

1. Scheffler starts strong in Houston

AP report…” Scottie Scheffler had his 28th consecutive round under par to start the year, a 5-under 65 on Thursday that left him 1 shot behind Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr in the Houston Open.”

“Scheffler also extended his streak to 49 holes without a bogey dating to the third round of the Players Championship two weeks ago, where he became the first back-to-back winner in the 50 years of the PGA Tour’s flagship event.”

“The streak that matters is his bid for a third straight PGA Tour victory, a feat last accomplished seven years ago by Dustin Johnson.”

“That also was the last thing on Scheffler’s mind at Memorial Park, his final tournament before he heads to the Masters as a strong favorite.”

“I don’t ever really put expectations on myself,” Scheffler said. “I try to be committed to my shots. I try to stay patient out there. At the beginning of the week, I’m not looking forward toward Sunday. I’m just focused on today.”

Full piece.

2. Nelly stays in touch at Ford Championship

AP report…” Nelly Korda fought through brutal conditions to win in Southern California last week.”

“A solid opening round on a soft course in perfect weather has the world’s No. 1 player in position to win her third straight start.”

“Korda shot a 6-under 66 in the first round of the Ford Championship on Thursday, leaving her three shots back in a bid to become the first LPGA Tour player to win three straight starts in eight years.”

“Completely different today compared to last weekend,” Korda said. “The greens are quite soft. I know Arizona has been getting a good bit of rain throughout the winter. I knew there would be low scores out there, so needed to be aggressive.”

Full piece.

3. Why Malnati thinks his win resonated

Via Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…“Maybe they’re so good at winning that they just – it’s normal for them, and they’re right back in their normal routine the next day,” Malnati said Wednesday in Houston, where he’s in the field for the Texas Children’s Houston Open. “It certainly isn’t the case for me yet. So, there was definitely the thought on Sunday night and Monday morning like, oh, my goodness, I could use a week to just wrap my head around this like new reality that I have.”

“Malnati added: “I would not say I’m entirely focused yet on playing and working again, I still am enjoying it a little bit, but starting to get back into that mode of like wanting to do my job and keep building from here.”

Full piece.

4. Martin Trainer’s interesting putter backstory

Trainer talking to our Andrew Tursky…

You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?

MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.

And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.

When did it come back in the bag?

MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.

What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?

MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?

Do you remember how much you paid for it?

MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.

Full piece.

5. Finau on driver shaft change

Our Brian Knudson…”Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.”

“However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.”

“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”

Full piece.

6. A 71 with nine birdies

7. Photos from the Houston Open

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

Full piece.

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Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos

Published

3 days ago

Mar 28, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the Houston Open gets underway.

1. Wyndham Clark hurts back…still hopes to play

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”Reigning U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark injured his back while working out at home Monday, but he hopes to play in this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open, which starts Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course.”

“Clark, the fourth-ranked golfer in the world, said he was lifting weights and “got caught in an awkward spot doing a lift and [his] back went.”

“It’s not something that happens regularly, but it happened and you live and you learn,” Clark said. “I’m trending in the right direction. I’m hitting it or feeling stronger and more mobile every day. I’m going to give it my best effort tomorrow and hopefully I can play and compete. If not, I’ve got to get ready for tournaments to come after this.”

Full piece.

2. DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking on the Subpar podcast, former PGA Tour winner and current PGA Tour Champions player Chris DiMarco said he hopes LIV buys the Champions Tour.”

“We’re kind of hoping that LIV buys the Champions Tour,” he said.

“Let’s play for a little real money out here. I mean this is kind of a joke when we’re getting $2 million. There were like seven guys last week from TPC (Sawgrass, at the $25 million PLAYERS Championship) that made more money than our purses.”

Full piece.

3. Charley Hull’s course management problem?

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Charley Hull came just short of her third LPGA Tour victory over the weekend at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship when she played her last two holes at 3 over to slip all the way to 10th on the leaderboard.”

“After the round, Hull was blasted by Sky Sports commentator and former LPGA Tour player Trish Johnson for her lack of golf course management.”

“While speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Johnson spoke harshly of Hull.”

“I’m probably her harshest critic, because I know how good she is. She doesn’t win anywhere near enough for her talent, and she doesn’t get involved enough, in all honestly.

“The thing with Charley is that you’re never going to change her. I read something the other day that said how much she loves the game and it’s her love of the game [that costs her]. She’s never going to change and she’s just going to go for every pin.

“In theory that’s great, but it won’t win you golf tournaments, it just won’t because she’s not that much better than anybody else.

Full piece.

4. Sahith’s interesting idea

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Which brings Theegala to his big idea: “There’s got to be something, like a fan challenge or – I think it would be awesome to see a scratch handicap go out and play like the Monday after a tournament, keep the same conditions and see what they would shoot just to put it into perspective how hard a PGA Tour golf course is.”

“Theegala loves the thought so much that he’d even come out and watch.”

“Shoot, I’d commentate on it,” Theegala added before continuing, “I have a pet peeve, sometimes when I watch golf on TV, a great example is hole 8 at Valspar last week. It’s a 230-yard par 3, the green’s 12 yards wide and someone will hit the middle of the green and, you know, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, really smart shot there.’ I’m like, ‘Well, no, he’s absolutely laced this 4-iron in the middle of the green, that’s right where he’s looking and to hit a 4-iron that straight is really, really hard.’ … Even like chipping, a lot of the stuff just looks flat on TV, but then when you get over the chip, like, oh, great, I have to land it over a mound on a downslope down grain?”

Full piece.

5. Top am Rachel Heck not going pro

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”As Rachel Heck nears the end of her college golf career, she has decided that the LPGA isn’t for her.’

“Heck, the 22-year-old Stanford senior who won an NCAA individual title as a freshman and has climbed as high as second in the world amateur rankings, penned a first-person essay for No Laying Up in which she explained her reasoning for remaining amateur after graduation this summer and starting an internship not in professional golf but rather private equity. Heck, a political science major, also will be pinned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.”

Read her piece on No Laying Up: https://nolayingup.com/blog/why-im-remaining-an-amateur

Full piece.

6. DJ’s new LIV signing

Golf Monthly’s Elliott Heath…”Dustin Johnson‘s LIV Golf team 4Aces GC has announced former TravisMathew CEO Chris Rosaasen as the side’s new General Manager.”

“Rosaasen, who is a long-time friend of Johnson, is also the founder of the team’s apparel sponsor Extracurricular and has been CEO of the Omniverse Group for the past four years.

“He joins with more than 20 years of “brand-building, marketing, and business leadership” according to LIV Golf, which says his “record of innovation in the golf industry will strengthen and accelerate the growth of the 4Aces GC brand.”