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The Lengths That We Drive To

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Driver shaft lengths are way way too long – there I’ve said it. It’s a comment that is unlikely to win me many friends among the OEMs but over the last few years driver shafts have become so long that they have begun to work against the guy swinging the club. Despite all the technology the we now see in driver heads – and more recently in the shafts – the madness seems to have gotten so far that we have passed a tipping point and we’ve started to lose the benefits that all these technological breakthroughs brought us.

With all these amazing advances we’ve probably forgotten that even just a few year ago the driver was the hardest club in the bag to hit. For most golfers the driver was a low lofted nightmare of a club that rarely made an appearance on the course. Players like Greg Norman were rightly seen as gods for the fearless way they smashed the ball off the tee even down the tightest fairways.

It was the introduction of steel headed drivers by the likes of Gary Adams and Ely Callaway that suddenly made the driver not only longer but far more forgiving. Suddenly bringing out the Big Dog was a real option rather than a statement of machismo. When graphite shafts were added to the mix suddenly the driver become practically the safest club in the bag and certainly consistently the longest.

Before graphite shafts started to replace steel ones, the average length of a driver was 43.5 inches. With the new graphite shafts being lighter than steel the manufacturers took the chance to lengthen the shaft without increasing the swing-weight.

The very reason the driver is in the bag is that we want to hit the ball a long way. We are forever talking about getting that extra 20-30 yards from a new driver because that is what we are all looking for and the manufacturers know it. The driver lengths quickly moved from 43.5" to 45" and a quick glance at current lengths sees that they have grown to as high as 46.25". So what’s the reason behind this relentless increase in shaft length. Well it’s pretty simple and it’s all to to with two things: robotic club testing and the way we demo drivers.

Glancing at the adverts for the current crop of drivers, almost everyone emphasizes how far you can how them – ‘Maximize Distance’, ‘Optimize distance’, ‘Take it Deep’ are just some of the straplines you’ll find. Even with the recent emphasis on adjustibility, there is still an overwhelming emphasis on distance. The one thing above all else that a driver manufacturer wants to be able to say about their driver is that it is longer than their previous generation and longer than their current rivals. Ideally they want to be able to say that it is the longest driver going. They take a robotic swing device like ‘Iron Byron’ as a using a bunch of golfers (even good ones) would be far too inconsistent. With the hotness of the face limited by R&A and USGA restrictions, how else can the manufacturers increase distance with a robot swinging the club at the same speed apart from lengthen the shafts.

The other part of the problem is when we test drivers (that is if we ever do test them rather than being persuaded by the advertising!) we almost exclusively do it at the driving range. On a 300 yard wide driving range it’s almost impossible to care whether the ball goes in a straight line. It’s natural enough for everyone to focus on length. Who cares if half the balls we hit would have ended up OB if we were on the course we say, did you not see how far I was hitting this beast past my old thing! The longer and lighter shafts play to our desire to hit the ball longer rather than to play the game better as we sacrifice accuracy for distance. And when a driver with a shaft that is an extra inch longer hits the ball approximately 8 yards further, it isn’t hard to guess which one is going to be sold.

Unfortunately this means that the driver has become an unruly beast. We can now hit it further than at any time but we stand less chance of keeping it on the short stuff, despite all the MOI, head geometry, COG placement, multi-material construction and shaft design that requires a PhD to understand.

It doesn’t appear to be only me either as a number of golf professionals I’ve spoken to agree with me and have talked about the difficulty of selling drivers with 46" and longer shafts that they know are going to be almost uncontrollable for the average golfer. And it’s not like you have to have long driver to hit it a long way. The average driver length on Tour is about 44.5" to 45". Sergio Garcia and Camilo Villegas both use 44" drivers and given how much Anthony Kim grips down his 45" driver plays around 42.5" and none of them are exactly short hitters. Even the world number one has struggled with his fairways hit average since moving to a longer shafted driver even though he is still an artist with a 3 wood.

OEM’s have done an amazing job with new drivers. They are streets ahead of clubs from even just a few years ago and the shafts now available are light-years ahead of the old steel shafts, it’s just this triumph of marketing over usability helps no one. Unless you are hitting the ball less than 200 yards you really don’t need a 46" driver. Every golfer I know that has shortened their drivers down to 44" to 45" have seen their fairways hit stats up with no drop off in distance from more consistantly hitting the sweetspot. So if you have the opportunity, try a ‘cut down’ driver and see how you get on, you might make friends with your driver again.

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22 Comments

22 Comments

  1. Robbie Camacho

    May 27, 2009 at 1:26 am

    I agree with the “shorter driver.” I am of course talking about the shaft length. My driver Length is 44.5, however, I grip down about a half-inch. I have increased both distance and accuracy.

  2. Simon C

    May 23, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    If you cut down your driver (eg. to 43.5″) you will be lowering your swingweight but also the MOI. In an MOI matched set the swingweight of the driver would commonly C5-C6. The idea is you swing the driver with the same effort you would swing your 7 iron. This is A) more controllable and B) INCREASES swingspeed.

    It depends on your approach, if you want to kill every shot you may want to stay with longer length/high SW but if you want to control your shots and hit fairways give it a try. I have recently done this on my 3 wood (lighter shaft and slightly lighter head) and believe me the difference is incredible. It also stiffens the shaft (frequency and torque) so do not do it if you already find the shaft stiff.

    I believe it is a good option for those who struggle to square the clubface because the lower MOI means your wrists and hands don’t have to work as hard. You will also find yourself less tired come the 15th hole.

  3. Rich B

    May 18, 2009 at 10:28 am

    My favoured fairway finder is 43″ but it’s called a 3 wood. If I’m hitting driver I need at 25 to 40 yards of extra distance otherwise there is no point taking the risk…hence why my V2 Rapture is staying at 45.75″ and I love it….

  4. Patrick

    May 17, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    I hope the technology in golf starts going backwards and we start seeing 460cc going back down to at least 300 cc, I know it would probably destroy the golf industry and not as many people would be playing because of the skill that would be required to hit it pure, but to me that is what golf is all about is hitting the ball pure and crisp with the most extreme focus. The secret has been laying out behind my house for years and just now realized what that secret is.

  5. David

    May 15, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    I agree with the article in therory that in days of old the driver was hard to hit. The typical steel shafted driver of old was 180 to 225cc’s and NOT very forgiving. My 45 inch driver (Titleist D2) is the most forgiving club in my bag. I find it easier to hit than my fairway wood and just about as accurate. With that said, I guess if you had a head with adjustable weighting you could cut the club down to 43.5 – 44.0 icnhes and use the the weight kit to bring the swingweight back up but to make the club feel right you would probably need to install a 75 to 85 gram shaft so that the club would have a balanced feel. I have an old Hogan driver that has been cut down to 43 inches and it is sooo light I can’t control it…

  6. Pat

    May 14, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    Now remember if you do play a longer shaft it’s going to make you swing a little flatter so as long as the swingweight isn’t so light it causes you to go left on release. I have a TP R7 superquad 460 and installed a prolaunch red x stiff tipped .5 inch at 47 inches and have 2 four gram weight up front with the 2 one grams in the back and OMG it’s a beast. Also, the feel to me is alot better when the shaft is longer you get a better kick. I never did understand why someone would want to chop 3 inches off an expensive shaft to make it 44 inches. I honestly think the reason why most touring pros don’t hit 46 and higher length shafts is because they would be riducously long and most courses you don’t want that.

  7. Doogie

    May 13, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    and even though I’m a senior
    (55) I agree completely with Randall’s comment.
    If you’re serious have your shaft put in by someone who knows what they’re doing and have it done right and pay for the right shaft.
    The Ozik shaft that Adams puts in their A4 is NOT the one the pros
    would be playing believe me.

  8. Doogie

    May 13, 2009 at 3:20 pm

    oh and even though theses shafts like the Motore, Ozik Matrix, and Diamana Blue/Whiteboard are exceptional shafts they still should be Pured.

  9. Doogie

    May 13, 2009 at 3:18 pm

    I am a 2 handicap and I love hitting a 46 inch driver
    It’s got to be the right shaft though and most likely you’re gonna
    pay a lot more than 80 bucs for it

  10. Randall

    May 13, 2009 at 8:17 am

    I couldn’t disagree more.

    I recently switched all three of my drivers to 48″ and my accuracy has improved by 4 or more fairways per 18. I previously played a 44″ 907D2 and it was absolutely erratic… The much higher swingweight of the longer club keeps everything in control and even at XX 48″ there is more ‘feel’ than a single X at 44″. I’ve also gained more than 15% avg. distance with a smoother swing to boot.

    Further, OEM shafts are pure garbage. They play softer than stated flex and torqe more than 4* with very low kick points… all in the effort to get Gramps off the tee in style and his money out of his pension/retirement account. The average ‘better’ player stands no chance of being properly fit with off the shelf product. Combine all that with longer length and you do have a nightmare. The cause, however, is not the added length… its because the OEM’s don’t think you are good enough to play your appropriate specs.

  11. tim glennon

    May 12, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    I’m 5’7″ 155 lbs. and I’ve been hitting a 47′.25″ driver for over 25 years. I’m typically a 7 handicap. I believe this is the easiest length driver for me to hit, as well as longest, because it requires tempo and focus. I can’t hit a std. driver to save my life.

  12. Jim

    May 11, 2009 at 4:27 pm

    I play a Titleist 907D2 and had the shaft cut to 43.5″, I am only 5’7″. I actually gained about 10 yds because the sweet spot was getting met more often and the control was excellent. Give it a try all you have to do is swallow some pride.

  13. Mark Strain

    May 9, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    I just cut down my driver the other day 1 inch to 44 and i hit it so much better and even a little farther believe it or not. i am a 1 handicap college player and i hit it reasonably long as it is, but i was looking for a more accurate driver, and i think i found it with this small change.

  14. marco righetti

    May 9, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    i agree with pat, i’m 52 years old and i’ve been playing golf for 2 years now and am a 28 handicapper and i have fallen in love with longdriving!
    i love playing golf on the course but equally love going to the range and use the driver until i become tired!..i feel as if ive had a workout!
    i have a callalway 8 deg diablo neut driver on a ust v2 longdrive 50 inch LDA shaft and a cleveland hi-bore xl 9.5 deg on a 46 inch aldila dvs shaft…i agree that the 46 inch shaft driver is harder to use than a 44 inch shaft driver..but..once you get used to the 50 inch the 46 inch becomes easy and a 44 inch would be extremely easy to use..and..i can honestly say that if hit in the sweetspot a 50 inch driver will send the ball further than a 46 inch etc……
    so my main point is once a person gets older and they begin to loose ditance off the tee with the driver…… then…trying to get used to a longer shafted driver can help to get more distance back!

  15. Pat

    May 7, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    I’ve been playing a 47 inch driver for the past 5 years and I hit it dead solid perfect everytime, the trick is to have the stiffest shaft possible at that length with the swingweight being just the right amount that it’s not to heavy and actually lose distance because of the weight. It takes lots and lots of practice and alot of hand eye coordination, but after you get to hitting it solid with that lenght and you try to go back to say a 44 inch driver it feels like a dang 5 wood.

  16. Mike M.

    May 7, 2009 at 9:58 am

    Great story, Richie A. I find it comical how some players feel as if others are “cheating” if they actually have clubs that fit their swings & game – as if we’re all somehow obligated to accept what the OEMs give us off the rack and ajust our swing to their rigid standards. Sounds to me like your friend had a difficult time coping with the fact that you were outdriving him by 20 – 30 yards with a club that’s 3″ shorter. I’m a really slow swinger (85 mph) & play with a 44″ driver, regular flex, 13.5 degrees of loft. Some have said to me “that’s not really even a driver – it’s a strong 3-wood with a big head.” Well, whatever – I’d rather play my second shot from the fairway after hittng a “strong 3-wood” than scramble out of the trees after hitting a wild shot with something that meets somebody else’s definition of the word “driver.”

  17. Scott

    May 6, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    Where does the driver shaft length for the pros get posted? I have looked everywhere for it. I think it would be really enlightening to see.

  18. Richie A

    May 6, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    I played a scramble the other day with a guy who was using the exact same driver I was — G10 9* Draw, Stiff. I was hitting the ball 250-265 consistently, compared to his 230-235 (I’m bigger and I do swing harder). I was also in the fairway 70% of the time, and he was in the fairway two or three times. His index is 12; mine is 14. (he is a much better iron player than me).

    He mentioned our identical drivers at one point, and I handed mine to him. He set it next to his and was shocked that mine was a full 3″ shorter (mine is 43″, with about 10g of tape on the head). He was dumbfounded and rambled on about “too short…makes it too light…can’t hit far with this thing…ruined the club…it’s a 3 wood…” I just shrugged and hit another fairway so our scramble team could keep having shots at birdies. We used my drive 10 of 14 times. (we shot a 58 and I won a $100 gift card to Golfsmith!).

    If I could hit irons, I’d be dangerous. 😉

  19. Mike Crozier

    May 6, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    Great article, I think the author could have included one more thing about testing now. The driving range is on the way out most new drivers are tested on SIMULATORS, in which everyone looks at the final distance as a benchmark of how good the driver is!

  20. Mike M.

    May 6, 2009 at 11:32 am

    This article is dead on. The top pros in the world won’t play with a 46″ driver because they want something they can control, yet Average Joe Weekend Golfer is supposed to able to hit fairways with these unwieldy things? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think the OEMs are in bed with shaft manufacturers and clubmakers – they purposely make drivers longer than any player can hope to control so people will get them cut down or reshafted with shorter shafts to make them playable.

    I don’t agree with the statement that “unless you hit the ball less than 200 yards, you don’t really need a 46″ driver.” The opposite is true – If you’re hitting the ball less than 200 yards, then there’s no earthly way possible you have the skill to control a 46″ driver, and you’re worse off with one than anybody else. Maybe you hit the sweep spot 1 in 10 times and it goes 210-215 yards, and the other 90% or your shots are 180-yard wild things than end up in the trees. Or play with a 44″ driver and have 80% of your drives go 195-200 yards down the middle of the fairway. The second scenario is better for the weak hitter than the first. Players with slow swing speeds are the LAST people on earth who need to be messing around with a 46″ driver. Fact.

  21. Dom C.

    May 6, 2009 at 12:27 am

    This is a great article. Whenever I get a new driver, I immediately cut it down to 43.5″. It’s easier to drive the ball, it’s a lot more consistent. I’m no single digit handicapper, but a 14 instead. Not a long hitter, but not short either, consistently in the 265 yards range. With the “shorter” driver by today’s standards, I have not lost yardage that has hurt me, so I would rather have the consistency. I have persuaded my golfing partner to cut down to the same length with great results as well.

    In regards to machismo, I actually get more satisfactions letting the other 3 players know that I’ve been out-driving them all day with a 43.5″ driver.

  22. gabbo

    May 6, 2009 at 12:04 am

    Very true article. One additional point is longer shafted drivers often come with light heads to keep the swingweights reasonable. If someone wants to shorten the driver, they’ll either need to add weight to the head or get a heavier shaft to compensate.

    As a golfer who prefers a 44 or 44.5 inch driver, I rarely demo drivers anymore. The shafts are so long, the club doesn’t feel right…even when I choke down. And trying to figure out how it will play shorter is just a in the dark.

    So I just play my old two year old driver with a shaft I like and call it a day.

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Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine

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As anticipation mounts for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a few weeks, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in McKinney, Texas to play The CJ CUP Byron Nelson. 

Last year was the third time TPC Craig Ranch hosted the Byron Nelson. Prior to 2021, the event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.

TPC Craig Ranch is a 7,414-yard par-71 that features Bentgrass greens. The event historically plays relatively easy, and that has remained the case in the three editions at TPC Craig Ranch.

The course structure may provide some additional intrigue with the par-3 17th featuring a stadium setup called “Ranch 17” which is reminiscent of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The course also has both long and difficult par-4s mixed with drivable par-4s, which should create some exciting moments.

There are 156 golfers in the field this week, and many stars will be taking the week off to prepare for 2023’s second major championship in a few weeks and a “signature event” at Quail Hollow next week. Notable players in the field include Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Alex Noren, Adam Scott and Will Zalatoris. 

Past Winners of the AT&T Byron Nelson

  • 2023: Jason Day (-23 at TPC Craig Ranch)
  • 2022: K.H. Lee (-26 at TPC Craig Ranch)
  • 2021: K.H. Lee (-25 at TPC Craig Ranch)
  • 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
  • 2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
  • 2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
  • 2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)
  • 2015: Steven Bowditch (-18)

Key Stats at TPC Craig Ranch

Let’s take a look at five key metrics for TPC Craig Ranch to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach remains the best measure of current form.

Hot iron play will be at a premium this week. Last year, Jason Day gained 6.4 strokes on approach, which was fourth in the field. In 2022, K.H. Lee was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.2 strokes. In his 2021 victory, he was second in the field and gained 8.3 strokes on the field in the category.

Strokes Gaines: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.12)
  2. Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
  3. Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
  4. Ryan Moore (+0.98)
  5. Ben Martin (0.80)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Fairways are wide at TPC Craig Ranch.

Distance will certainly be helpful, and there aren’t too many difficult holes on the course. Golfers who put themselves in position off of the tee this week should have a sizable advantage.

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Peter Kuest (+0.93)
  2. Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
  3. Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
  4. Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
  5. Kevin Tway (+0.74)

Birdie or Better %

There aren’t many hazards on the course, and all of the par-5s should be reachable in two for the majority of the players in the field. I am anticipating a birdie fest, and this statistic should be helpful in finding the birdie-makers.

Birdie or Better % Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Wesley Bryan (31%)
  2. Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
  3. Peter Kuest (25.9%)
  4. Matti Schmid (25.7%
  5. Jimmy Stanger (25.2%)

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)

Many golfers on TOUR have some major putting surface variance in their statistics and prefer Bentgrass to other surfaces.

Bentgrass is common in Texas, and we often see golfers who play well in Texas continue to do so, finding a great feel around the greens.

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
  2. Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
  3. Callum Tarren (+0.86)
  4. Harry Hall (+0.81)
  5. Nick Hardy (+0.69)

Course History

This statistic will tell us which players have performed the best at TPC Craig Ranch over the past three seasons.

Course History Over Past 12 Rounds:

  1. Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
  2. K.H. Lee (+2.59)
  3. Seamus Power (+1.84)
  4. Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
  5. Adam Scott (+1.72)

CJ CUP Byron Nelson Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: OTT (24%), Birdie or Better % (18%), Course History (17%) and SG: Putting Bentgrass (16%).

  1. Alex Noren
  2. Adam Scott
  3. Keith Mitchell
  4. Si Woo Kim
  5. Stephen Jaeger
  6. Jordan Spieth
  7. Jhonnatan Vegas
  8. Nate Lashley
  9. Brice Garnett
  10. Tom Hoge

2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson Picks

Byeong Hun An +3000 (DraftKings)

Byeong Hun put together an excellent performance at The Masters, finishing T16, which ties his best ever finish at a major championship (also T16 at 2019 U.S. Open). The South Korean gained 9.16 strokes from tee to green, which ranked 2nd in the field behind only the champion, Scottie Scheffler.

An’s next start at Harbour Town didn’t go as well (67th), but he still had a fantastic ball striking week. The 32-year-old bled strokes both around and on the greens, which was his eventual undoing. In his past three starts, An has gained significant strokes on the field both off the tee and on approach.

Benny had a strong start at last year’s Byron Nelson, finishing in a tie for 14th. With limited challenges on the course, he shouldn’t have to do much scrambling. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 17th in the field in birdie or better percentage. The putter is up and down per usual, but his ceiling putting weeks with his LAB Golf putter in 2024 are higher than they’ve been in past seasons.

An is starting to become my “white whale” of the PGA Tour, but I believe in his talent and TPC Craig Ranch is a course that should suit his excellent tee to green play.

Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)

Mackenzie Hughes is quietly putting together a very good season. He finished in a tie for 3rd at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T14 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

In his past 36 rounds in Texas, the Canadian ranks 5th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total. Last year, he finished in a tie for 14th at this event and gained strokes putting and off the tee. Mackenzie played well that week despite being in extremely poor form. He missed two cuts in a row prior to the event, and four consecutive cuts immediately after. His irons were off that week, but in 2024, we’ve seen an improvement in Hughes’ approach game. He now comes to the event playing some steady golf. He’s gained strokes on approach in four of his past five events and is hitting the ball very well from tee to green.

Hughes has two victories on the PGA Tour, both coming in relatively low-scoring affairs (-17 in each). He will need to go a bit deeper to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has the type of putter that can keep pace in a birdie barrage.

Seamus Power +7000 (FanDuel)

After struggling over the past few seasons with injuries, Seamus Power seems as if he is rounding back into the form that made him a really consistent player on the PGA Tour.

Power finished T12 in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage, which is encouraging considering it was a “signature event” with a very strong field. For the week, the Irishman gained 4.4 strokes on approach and 2.8 strokes putting, which is the combination he’s used in the past to contend on Tour.

In his three trips to TPC Craig Ranch, Power is yet to finish outside of the top-20, with his best finish being a T9 in 2019. He ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course. The 37-year-old thrives on easy tracks and has won in 2021 (Barbasol Championship) and 2022 (Butterfield Bermuda) on easier layouts with weaker fields.

Power has the game to go extremely low and I believe he can get back in the winner’s circle for the third time in four years.

Chan Kim +10000 (FanDuel)

Chan Kim has been striking the ball beautifully this season and is a proven winner with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 as well as eight career Japan Tour wins.

At last week’s Zurich Classic, Kim and his partner Doug Ghim finished in a tie for 28th. Prior to that, the South Korean T14 at the Valero Texas Open and T6 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. His success this season in Texas as well as he propensity to play his best golf on the PGA Tour’s easier courses make him and ideal fit for TPC Craig Ranch.

2024 has given plenty of longshot winners on the PGA Tour, and with a birdie fest like this, I believe there’s a strong chance we get another this week in McKinney, Texas.

Alejandro Tosti +10000 (FanDuel)

Alejandro Tosti is one of the most polarizing players on the PGA Tour thus far in the 2024 season. His antics can rub many the wrong way, but he’s shown on a few occasions that he has what it takes to compete in Tour events.

This season, Tosti has been elite off the tee. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The Argentine hits it long and straight, which works at any course on earth. He got a taste of contention a few starts ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, finishing in a tie for 2nd place.

Tosti had a fantastic year in 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour, where going low is a prerequisite to success. If this turns to a shootout, which it likely will, the 27-year-old has the ability to set the pace. Tosti will look to become the second Argentine to win in Texas in the past two seasons after Emiliano Grillo emerged victorious at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge.

C.T. Pan +15000 (FanDuel)

Outside of a T3 at the Mexico Open, C.T. Pan doesn’t have strong results this season in terms of finishes. However, over his past two starts, Pan’s iron play has come alive. At The Players, he gained 6.6 strokes on approach. At the Valero Texas Open, he gained 3.7. At last week’s Zurich Classic, Pan and his partner Kevin Yu finished T28. For a player who can get extremely hot with his scoring clubs, I believe he’s playing better than the results have shown over the past month or so.

Last season, Pan finished 4th at TPC Craig Ranch and was spectacular across all the major stat categories. In his past 36 qualifying rounds, he ranks 16th in Strokes Gained: Total in Texas.

Pan has won on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and is always a player that I believe has what it takes to win on a Sunday if he finds himself in contention.

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Morning 9: McIlroy, Lowry win Zurich | Green repeats on LPGA | Steele victorious down under

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, after an exciting finish in New Orleans saw Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry come out on top.

1. Two Irishman in New Orleans

AP report…”Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry received a standing ovation when they showed up at historic, creole French Quarter restaurant Arnaud’s on the eve of their final round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event.”

  • “They also had the largest, loudest galleries at the TPC Louisiana, where the charismatic, 34-year-old McIlroy, had not previously played.
  • “He’s getting old, but he still moves the needle a little bit,” Lowry joked as McIlroy chuckled. “Rory brings a crowd and people love him and we’ve gotten a lot of love in New Orleans. We’ve had just the best week.”
  • “McIlroy and Lowry won Sunday, beating Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer with a nervy par on the first hole of a playoff.
  • “Trainer pushed a 6-foot par putt to the right of the cup to end it, with Lowry lifting a laughing McIlroy off the ground with a bear hug on the green.”
Full piece.

2. Green repeats on LPGA

AP report…”Hannah Green won the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship for the second straight year Sunday, holing out twice from off the greens in a pivotal back-nine stretch at challenging Wilshire Country Club.”

  • “A year after making a 25-foot birdie on the final hole of regulation and winning on the second hole of a playoff, Green — with help from Maja Stark — took the late drama out of this one for her fifth LPGA Tour victory and second of the year.
  • “It wasn’t as a eventful as the last couple days. I was nervous,” Green said. “And I’ve never been able to win having a lead into the last hole like that, so it is nice to be able to get it done earlier in the round.”
  • “Green closed with a 5-under 66 to beat Stark by three strokes. The 27-year-old Australian, also the winner early last month in Singapore, finished at 12-under 272 on the tree-lined layout with poa annua greens that become bumpy late in the day.”
Full piece.

3. DP World Tour: The local takes it

Staff report…”Yuto Katsuragawa continued a history-making season for players from Japan on the DP World Tour with a three-shot victory on home soil at the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP.”

  • “The local favourite entered the final day at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course three shots off the lead but was right in the mix at the turn as many of the leading players stumbled.”
  • “Sebastian Söderberg was the only one keeping pace with him but the 25-year-old started the back nine with five birdies in seven holes to leave the Swede in his wake and finish at 17 under after a course-record equalling 63.”
Full piece.

4. LIV: Steele Down Under

AP report…”Three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele held off a fast finishing Louis Oosthuizen to win the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament at The Grange Golf Club by one stoke.”

  • “The 41-year-old Steele shot a final round 68 Sunday for a 54-hole total of 18-under 198 to earn his first victory since he won his second Safeway Open in 2017 on the PGA Tour.”
Full piece.

5. Langer set for return

Golf Channel staff report…”Three months after tearing his Achilles tendon and undergoing surgery, Bernhard Langer is scheduled to return on the PGA Tour Champions.”

  • “Langer’s injury occurred while playing pickleball on Feb 1. He had surgery the next day and had to miss what was supposed to be his final Masters appearance earlier this month.”
Full piece.

6. “Proud” Norman speaks

…Vindication is not the right word,” Norman told Australian Golf Digest before pausing.

  • “It’s the ignorance of others who simply didn’t understand what we were trying to do. I actually feel sorry for them because they now see the true value of LIV Golf and want to be a part of it.”
  • Norman was quick to pay tribute to the Australian faithful for their unconditional support of not only LIV Golf Adelaide but his own playing career. An estimated 35,000 spectators packed Grange Golf Club on Sunday, the majority sticking around to line the 18th fairway and cheer on Cam Smith and Marc Leishman in their dramatic two-hole playoff victory against South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Dean Burmester.
  • “The support Australia gave me during my own playing career for decades was something I have never forgotten,” says Norman, bursting with pride. “It’s why I brought LIV Golf back home – I did it for them. The people have well and truly spoken. Both individual and team golf is alive and well in Australia and they deserve it. I knew they would support this event.
  • “I’m feeling extremely proud right now. With what we’ve (LIV Golf) gone through over the past 16 months, both as a league and what I’ve copped personally… the hatred… this makes it all worthwhile.”
Full piece.

7. Winning WITBs

Presented by 2nd Swing

MCILROY

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X

Irons: TaylorMade Proto (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9)

Shaft: Project X 7.0 (4-9)

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-K @59)

Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X3

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: 2024 TaylorMade TP5x

LOWRY

Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (8.5 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White 70 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (18 degrees)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

Irons: Srixon ZX Utility (3), Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4, 5), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (6-PW)

Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X (3), KBS Tour 130 X (4-PW)

Wedges: Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID), Cleveland RTX Full Face (58-8)

Shafts: KBS Tour Wedge X Black

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Z

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 1.0

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV

Full WITBs.
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Morning 9: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Friday morning, golf fans, may a bountiful weekend of golf be in store for you!

1. 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour

KFT staff report…”Frankie Capan III went crazy low Thursday on the Korn Ferry Tour. Nearly in record fashion.”

  • “Capan carded 13-under 58 in the opening round of the Veritex Bank Championship, matching the second lowest score in Korn Ferry Tour history. He fell one shy of Cristobal Del Solar’s record 57, set at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard earlier this year, but it was a heck of a show nonetheless.”
  • “The Minnesota native played an eight-hole stretch in 9-under Thursday, following an eagle at the par-5 ninth with seven straight birdies to begin the back nine at par-71 Texas Rangers Golf Club. He “cooled off” with a two-putt par at the long par-4 17th hole. He arrived at the par-5 18th hole at 13 under for the round, but he found a fairway bunker off the tee, laid up to 134 yards and missed his third shot left of the green. He chipped to 7 feet and drained the par putt to match the Korn Ferry Tour’s second-lowest score of 58, carded by Stephan Jaeger in the opening round of the 2016 Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae.”
Full piece.

2. Team McIlowery starts strong

Paul Hodowanic for PGATour.com…”Late Thursday afternoon in New Orleans, Rory McIlroy rested his head on Shane Lowry’s shoulder.”

  • “It wasn’t the typical post-round moment, but this isn’t the typical event. McIlroy and Lowry teamed up for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA TOUR’s lone team event, and the all-Irish duo put on a show. Sporting matching pink-on-navy getups, McIlroy/Lowry opened in a best-ball 11-under 61 in Thursday’s Four-ball format at TPC Louisiana.”
  • “This partnership might have stemmed from a boozy brunch last fall, but their opening-round performance at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gave the field a sobering reminder: They’ll be tough to top.”
Full piece.

3. LPGA Tour: Grace Kim in front

AP report…”Grace Kim shot a 7-under 64 at Wilshire Country Club to take the first-round lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”

  • “Playing in the morning session, the 23-year-old Australian capped her bogey-free round with a chip-in birdie on the par-3 18th.”
  • “Well, I chunked my tee shot on the last hole 20 meters short and then I chipped it in it,” Kim said. “I think that’s pretty cool, in front of everyone
Full piece.

4. McIlroy on rejoining policy board

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that he is willing to rejoin the PGA Tour policy board if the other player directors want him.”

  • “As first reported by the Guardian, Webb Simpson has submitted a letter stating that he’d like to resign from the board, but only if his vacant seat is filled by McIlroy, who stepped down last fall because of the toll it had taken on him professionally and personally.”
  • “Five months later, what has changed?”
  • “I think I can be helpful,” McIlroy said Wednesday ahead of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he is partnering with Shane Lowry. “I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess.”
Full piece.

5. Charlie Woods shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier

Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan…”Charlie Woods is going to have to wait to play in the U.S. Open.”

“The 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods played Thursday in local qualifying for the United States Golf Association’s national championship, set for June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Charlie played at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and he shot 9-over 81.”

“Charlie’s round featured a bogey on his opening hole, the par-4 first. He then doubled the par-5 second. A pair of pars followed before his lone birdie on the front, but another double the next hole, the par-4 sixth, had him turn in 4-over 40.”

Full piece.

6. Photos from the Zurich Classic

GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.

Check out all our photos at the link below!

Full piece.
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