News

More Than Bubba Wins At Farmers Insurance Open

Published

12 years ago

Jan 30, 2011

By Scott MacLeod via www.flagstick.com

Bubba Watson (71-65-69-67-272) may have earned his way on to the trophy at the Farmer’s Insurance Open on Sunday but it was the PGA Tour, and golf in general, that was the biggest beneficiary of the tournament.

With Tiger Woods’ on-course struggles following on the heels of his fall from grace the future of the sport that he had driven to unprecedented levels was easily in question. Sunday showed that there is enough material for the PGA Tour to work with even if the greatest player of an era is not part of the real drama. Watson’s victory almost immediately sent him into the top ten trending topics on Twitter, where he has found a loyal fan base and added a personal touch to how 70,000 golf aficionados interact with their hero.

Hyped early in the week as the season debut of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, only half of that pair was part of the story as the final holes played out at Torrey Pines, and even Phil only served up a sliver of the excitement.

Bubba Watson jarred a final birdie of the week to win his second PGA Tour title and his curling downhiller simply capped a series of events that likely kept most golf fans right to the very end. That hole out proved necessary as Phil Mickelson charged with a birdie on the 17^th hole and then failed to hole out a grinding attempt to hole out a 72-yard shot for a tie on the 18^th. Phil, in his usual style, did add some flair to the attempt though with a walk-up to check out the shot, caddy Jim McKay tending the pin and a strike that landed just beyond the hole but failed to spin back closer than four feet. His conversion of that putt did secure him second place and likely put him back into the top 5 of the World Rankings.

Additional flair to the compelling tale was added by rookie Jhonnatan Vegas who rinsed his approach on the last in his attempt to reach the surface in two. An eagle would have tied him with Watson but he had to settle for a share of third place with Dustin Johnson who also contended to the end. The Watson, Mickelson, Vegas, and Johnson line-up made it one of the best four-way battles that did not include Tiger that has been seen for years. It’s something that has to make Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem very happy as they look to take the weight of the PGA Tour marketing off the shoulders of a certain star that is still grinding to regain not only his game, but also his appeal to the sports’ followers.

Of course, having an extrovert with as much talent and flashy appeal as Bubba Watson come out on top never hurts. Watson has never apologized for being an emotional player who takes on the game in his own way and that shone through in La Jolla.

Few would criticize the tears he shed after closing out the victory nor the emotional first pump that punctuated the fall of his last putt with Mickelson close on his heels.

“It means a lot,” Watson said of the win when interviewed immediately after Mickelson finished up one back to make the win official. “Every win is special because you don’t know if you are going to have them,” he said through a waterfall of emotion.

Watson said Saturday he has worked hard on staying patient this year and that seemed to pay off on Sunday. Even with his errant attempt to reach the final green in two landing in the bunker, he settled down and worked hard on getting up and down. He had little choice, especially with a star-studded group nipping at his heels.

“It’s hard every time you look at it,” he said of winning on the PGA Tour with so many good players in contention. “Any bad step and they can catch you. I just put my head day all day and just played my game.”

With so much sizzle this week it is hard to imagine what awaits next at the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale; but with all the top players from this week in the field its sure to be another home run for the PGA Tour.

It’s a streak they’d like to continue all year long. That might be an impossible task but with every successful week in the books the future of the Tour looks more promising than it has in a long time

This report provided to GolfWRX.com by Canada's Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

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News

Morning 9: LIV golfers’ Masters expectations | Reed wants LIV Masters win | ANWA champ 4-stroke penalty

Published

2 days ago

Mar 30, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the Valero Texas Open gets underway where players have their last chance to clinch a spot at next week’s Masters.

1. Don’t expect awkwardness

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”Speaking to reporters ahead of this week’s LIV Golf League tournament at Orange County National in Orlando, Florida, Reed said Wednesday that the first major championship of the season won’t be about the competing circuits.”

“…Augusta National Golf Club elected to keep the same qualifying criteria it used in the past to determine the field for the 87th Masters. There are 18 players in the 89-man field from the LIV Golf League, including four other past champions: Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and Charl Schwartzel.”

“Obviously, the media and the storylines are going to be obviously LIV versus PGA Tour and all that kind of stuff, but really, at the majors, top players in the world are going and playing against each other no matter where they come from,” Reed said. “For us, at least for myself, it’s going to be business as usual going out and playing.”

Full piece.

2. Reed: I’d love if a LIV golfer won the Masters

James Corrigan for The Telegraph…”Reed is one of six former Augusta champions on the Saudi-funded circuit, but says that if he replicated his 2018 success it would be a bigger deal.”

“If you’re able to go out and win, it brings a boost not only to yourself, but to the league and the team that you’re on,” he said, here at the Orange County National Golf Course where the third LIV Golf event of the season begins on Friday.

“Now it’s just not sharing it with yourself and your inner circle but you’re sharing it with these guys out there. It would just be huge for morale.”

Full piece.

3. Zhang leads ANWA

Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek…”Rose Zhang said her father, Haibin, feverishly swept away the pine needles that were in the line of her 50-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole Wednesday at Champions Retreat.”

“He was doing it like a maniac,” said Zhang, “and I was low-key kind of telling him to calm down in terms of trying to help me get the little stuff out of the way.”

Top-ranked Zhang drained the putt and later thanked dad for the assist. It was one of six birdies on the day for Zhang, who posted a record 6-under 66 at Champions Retreat, besting the previous record of 68 carded by 2019 champion Jennifer Kupcho and Zoe Campos in the opening round in the inaugural event. Zhang birdied all four par 5s and leads Ole Miss senior Andrea Lignell by one stroke.

“With the round being so soft and being muddy,” said Zhang, “I can’t really expect anything more out of my game today.”

Full piece.

4. Defending champ hit with 4-stroke penalty

Brentley Romine for Golf Channel…”Anna Davis’ title defense got off to a rough start Wednesday morning at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.”

“On the opening hole of the 17-year-old’s opening round at Champions Retreat, the par-4 first on the Island nine, Davis committed two rules violations in which she lifted, cleaned and placed her ball in the rough, or second cut. The news was first reported by GolfChannel.com, which spoke to several witnesses.”

“Preferred lies are in effect for the first two rounds, but only in “areas cut to fairway height or less,” according to a memo sent by the competitions committee. Players were informed on Tuesday night that Model Local Rule E-3, which allows for preferred lies, would be adopted.”

“The verbiage of the MLR includes, “The use of this local rule outside the fairway in the general area is not recommended.”

“After her round, Davis was officially handed a pair of two-shot penalties under Rule 9.4 for, per an official statement from the tournament headquarters, twice lifting her ball and failing to replace it in its original spot.”

Full piece.

5. Bubba and Brooks on LIV tensions at Augusta

Cameron Jourdan for Golfweek…”In recent weeks, there has been plenty of discussion about how LIV golfers would interact with those from the PGA Tour and whether it would be tense. However, Watson and Koepka said don’t expect anything to happen.”

“I’m going to be honest, man. It’s only awkward in the media,” Watson said. “I’ve talked to people that are going to be there. I’m going to sign up with Jason Day and Cam Young in the par 3. Some guys have already asked me to play some practice rounds. Media is the only one that is pushing it. I have nothing against anybody. If you change jobs, I’m not mad at you. If you start reporting for somebody else, hey, man, it’s a better decision for you and your family.”

“Added Koepka: “I think that’s one of the big things. Down in Jupiter, we see each other — I was just with Rory (McIlroy) and J.T. (Justin Thomas) yesterday, and I think Keegan (Bradley) was there. We see each other quite a bit. I mean, there’s a lot of conversations. I was talking with Rory for probably about 30 minutes just about the ball and all the other stuff that’s going on. No one is angry at anybody from what I’ve seen.”

Full piece.

6. Patrick Reed wonders if Augusta’s new 13th hole has lost ‘a little bit of excitement’

Evin Priest for Golf Digest…”Even Dustin Johnson was laying up. That’s the takeaway from 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed after seeing Augusta National and its new, lengthening par-5 13th during a two-day reconnaissance trip to the famed course with his fellow green jacket winner and Harold Varner III last week.”

“At last year’s Masters, the iconic 13th measured 510 yards from the tips. But this year, it will max out at 545 yards according to the 2023 Masters media guide Augusta National. The hole is now 60 yards longer than when Tiger Woods won his first Masters in 1997.”

“D.J. laid up both days,” Reed said Wednesday at Orange County National, ahead of this week’s LIV Golf Orlando tournament. “I laid up [once]. Tournament time I would have laid up, but since we’re out there seeing it, I of course went [full] send.”

Full piece.

7. Rickie Fowler WITB

Driver: Cobra Aerojet LS (9 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana Prototype 70 X

3-wood: Cobra Aerojet LS (14.5 degrees @13.5 degrees)

Shaft: Aldila Tour Green 75 TX

5-wood: Cobra LTDx LS (17.5 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LINQ 8F5

Irons: Cobra King Tour (4-PW)

Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper 125 S+

Wedges: Cobra King Forged (54, 56 and 58 degrees)

Shafts: KBS Tour 610

Putter: Odyssey Versa Jailbird

Grip: SuperStroke Tour 3.0 17-inch

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

Full piece.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2023 Valero Texas Open

Published

2 days ago

Mar 30, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

Ah, the Valero Texas Open — a tournament as rich in history as it is in Texan charm. The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar.

Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw. But the real star of the show? That would have to be the legendary Texan wind, which can turn a benign par-4 into a 500-yard monster faster than you can say “y’all.”

Per usual, GolfWRX was on site to check out what the pros are playing with the Masters just a week away.

Check out links to all our galleries, below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Join the discussion in the GolfWRX forums.

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Equipment

Spotted: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Three “anti-right” prototype putter

Published

3 days ago

Mar 29, 2023

Brian Knudson

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putters have really taken off on tour, and we have seen a handful of models in tour player’s bags. The latest version we spotted out on tour is a very unique design.

Odyssey makes this putter head with a standard flow neck that offers plenty of toe hang for golfers who prefer or need that weighting. This prototype has a long slant neck installed more near the center of the putter head that lets the toe sit slightly up in the air when held horizontally. This is pretty different since most putters sit with the toe hanging down towards the ground or are face balanced (face sits parallel to the ground). A full shaft offset looks to be achieved with the slant neck and the look at address is definitely different.

We spoke to Callaway PGA Tour manager Joe Toulon about the putter and he had the following to say

“On course [we had a player who] had a little push bias that didn’t necessarily show up in practice but it is something that he felt on course. So we wanted to build something that was a little easier to release and maybe not necessarily open the toe as much in the back stroke and not have to work as hard to release it in the through stroke. That was kind of designed to give a little offset and when you rested it on your finger it would rest toe up a little bit. We thought for that player it would help him square the putter face at impact rather than leave it open a little bit.

“It was more of a concept we had and will continue to work on it. When we had it on the truck and we were hitting some putts with it we noticed that you had to work really hard to push this putter. We wanted to make an anti-right putter. Just a fun little concept that we have an idea and work with our tour department to test things out.

“It isn’t something that ended up in a player’s bag but we learned some things in that process and will keep in mind for future builds and projects.”

The finish also looks to be a little different than the standard Tri-Hot 5K putter’s black and silver motif. The face and neck are finished in silver and the rear done in more of a blueish-gray tone. The White Hot insert looks to be standard and the sole still contains two interchangeable weights.

The shaft looks to be painted in the same metallic red as their standard Stroke Lab shaft, but we don’t see a steel tip section. Not sure if this putter has a full graphite shaft or painted steel.