News

Morning 9: Bryson’s coach: “Change the rules and he’ll still win” | Reshaping the game? | Wunder’s “Love/hate”

Published

4 years ago

Sep 22, 2020

1. Reshaping the game?

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…“There will be those who contend the USGA went light on the setup and paved the way for DeChambeau’s paradigm-shifting performance. That’s the same crowd who came down with a convenient case of statistical amnesia when Tiger Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open at 12 under, ignoring that he was the only player under par at Pebble Beach.”

“DeChambeau was the only player in red figures (6 under) at Winged Foot, but it’s not the number, as one USGA type explained late Sunday, it’s how he arrived at that number that will keep rules makers awake at night.”

“All of the dogma that bound the fabric of the game has unraveled. DeChambeau ate it. All the caveats that came with strongman golf – it’s not controlled enough to work on a “true” major championship test – have been mown down like 5 ½ inches of Winged Foot rough.”

“For those who clung to the notion that thick rough and firm greens were all golf needed to bring the body builders back to earth, the sky has fallen.”

Full piece.

2. Bryson’s coach: Even if you change the rules, he’ll find ways to win

BBC report…”Try to make it tough for Bryson and I’m telling you he will figure out how to beat you,” said his coach Mike Schy.

Schy told BBC World Service: “The reality is if you make it so Bryson can’t play he will figure it out.

“They can easily change this whole situation by scaling the rough on courses and they aren’t talking about that.

“Instead of having the same rough 200 yards out from the green, you scale it. At 200 yards it’s an inch and a half deep. At 60 yards it’s six or seven inches deep. The game can go back to strategy and risk and reward if you scale the rough in the right way.

“If you scale the rough it becomes back to how it used to be.”

Full piece.

3. Paynes Valley Cup

Jason Lusk for Golfweek…“After the narrow fairways, high rough and impeding tree lines at Winged Foot’s West Course in the U.S. Open, the top players in the world surely could use a little relaxing width in a golf course.”

“Four of them will get plenty of opportunities to swing away Tuesday, as Tiger Woods welcomes Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose to the opening of his new Payne’s Valley layout at Big Cedar Lodge. That foursome will tee off at 3 p.m. Eastern (on Golf Channel) in the Payne’s Valley Cup on Woods’ first public-access design in the United States.”

“Named in honor of Ozarks native Payne Stewart, the three-time major winner who died in a plane crash in 1999, Payne’s Valley will be the third 18-hole course at Big Cedar.”

Full piece.

4. Bamberger’s take

The eminent Golf.com scribe…“DeChambeau may be too young to really understand what he just did. Tiger, at 27, was like that. He wasn’t when he won the Masters last year, at age 43. This game of golf, especially alongside this thing called life, has a way of growing up all who play it for keeps. DeChambeau is not married. He does not have children. Like Justin Thomas and Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland, he’s in a period in his life where he can devote himself to one main thing: getting better at golf. Tiger remembers what that was like. It won’t last forever. Even Hogan found that out.”

“The winner of this 120th U.S. Open, and its $2.25 million first-place prize, was asked what kind of mental strength he takes, from doing things his own way.”

“It’s a lot of validation through science,” he said. “If I hit a 40-footer and it says 10.1 miles per hour on the device, I know that I’ve executed it correctly. If I see the ball go two feet past that 40-foot mark, I know it’s perfect. I know I’ve done everything I can in my brain to make my perception reality. I’m trying to make my perception of what I feel and what I think and turn it into proper reality.”

Full piece.

5. Love/hate with Johnny Wunder

I LOVE what Bryson’s success is going to do to change the game, not only from a “what is possible” standpoint but the trickle-down effect it will have on the average golfer. Think of it this way: Bryson has become the test subject for not only physical optimization but also golf club launch optimization, stability-hell, footwear optimization. Like with Tiger in 2000, the game will shift in a new direction. That’s exciting.

I HATE what Bryson’s success is going to do to change the game. The separation between the tour and actual golf will become even greater and the nuance of the game will be lost to speed and power. Gone are the days were a true craftsman can have designs to play on tour and compete. The path to the tour will be speed first and strategy second. The PGA Tour is looking more and more like the NFL every day, and at some point, the courses we love will become completely unrecognizable. No. 1 at Augusta is 450 yards. In the next 10 years, somebody will get to that green on the tee shot. That scares me. It will be great TV though…

6. Zalatoris cashes is

Golf Channel’s Will Gray…”Zalatoris shot 70-71 over the final two rounds in difficult conditions to move all the way up to a tie for sixth at 5 over. He finished the week alongside world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, and his top-10 finish means he’s exempt for next year’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.”

“I just found out that obviously top 10 gets us into next year, too, so that’s obviously pretty exciting,” Zalatoris said Sunday. “I’ve been really working hard over the past couple of years, and nice to finally see it pay off on the big stage.”

…”But Zalatoris’ result in one of the most lucrative tournaments of the year highlights the disparity in pay between the biggest events and those on the developmental circuit. In 16 Korn Ferry starts this year, while distancing himself as the circuit’s best player, Zalatoris has made a total of $403,978. For his T-6 performance at Winged Foot, he eclipsed that total and cashed a check for $424,040.”

Full piece.

7. Takeaways for Wolff

ESPN’s Bob Harig…“The Sunday struggles are the kind of thing that might send a golfer into a funk, causing him to wonder what went wrong and making him the subject of conjecture about how difficult it might be to recover from such a collapse.”

“But for Wolff, there should be no such fear. In this case, especially, there is no shame in finishing second — not when you completed 72 holes in even par on a golf course where many expected the winning score to be over par and not when DeChambeau did otherworldly things and was the only player in the field to break par on Sunday.”

“Keep in mind that Wolff, 21, was playing in just his second major championship. Only 15 months ago, he won the NCAA individual title for Oklahoma State, and soon after, he turned pro. This was his first U.S. Open; you have to go back to Francis Ouimet in 1913 for the last time a player won the championship in his first attempt.”

Full piece.

8. Grillo seeks out Como

PGATour.com’s Sean Martin on Emiliano Grillo linking up with Bryson DeChambeau’s coach…“They do share one thing in common: a swing coach. Both work with Chris Como, the Dallas-based instructor whom DeChambeau effusively praised Sunday for guiding him through the radical transformation of his body and game.”

“Como’s ability to assist one of the game’s most obsessive tinkerers, and another student with a more laid-back approach, is credit to an under-appreciated aspect of coaching. It’s not just what you know, but how you convey the information to your students. Como can be give DeChambeau the data he craves or tailor his teaching to Grillo, as well.”

“Chris is always 100% into it. He adapts to your personality,” Grillo says. “I’m super different to Bryson and we both really match well with (Chris). That’s what makes him very special.”

“Grillo said he isn’t planning a Bryson-esque transformation – “I enjoy a lot of other things, and I don’t think adding weight for my job is a priority,” he says – but he has been helped by Como’s instruction. Whereas DeChambeau loves to rely on Trackman readings and his background in physics, it has been a simple key from Como that has benefitted Grillo.”

Full piece.

9. Browsing the GolfWRX Classifieds…

Member TheRawEdge – TaylorMade SIM Ti 3-wood…It’s been proven to be one of the longest 3 woods ever made, and now this if your chance to get one, for a great price with a very expensive aftermarket shaft.

Member Paranorml – The Buck Club ( sneaker head ) cover…If you like to collect rare covers and also happen to be a sneakerhead, then this cover, along with some of the others in this listing are for you.

Member Wintohla – Cameron inspired by JT Putter…Scotty Cameron “Inspired By” series putters are a hot commodity and the weld neck JT is already proving hard to find – better scoop this one up quick.

See the listings here.

Your Reaction?

LIKE4
LEGIT1
WOW0
LOL1
IDHT1
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK2

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.

Your Reaction?

LIKE1
LEGIT0
WOW0
LOL0
IDHT1
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK0

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

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

Your Reaction?

LIKE9
LEGIT0
WOW0
LOL2
IDHT0
FLOP1
OB0
SHANK0

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.