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. |
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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.” |
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Peter
Jul 13, 2019 at 3:01 am
Thanks for the great manual
Travis
Jun 12, 2018 at 7:01 pm
Taylormade couldn’t develop an iron that met his expectations, so whoever built the TGR irons sent Taylormade blanks that they could badge and chrome. Easiest way to get Tiger into a TM branded iron set while they continue to “refine” the irons, a.k.a. actually build and perfect a new set.
rex235
May 14, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Phase 1?
Very Clean. Personally like them, but built under the TaylorMade umbrella, so they’re a very customized version of the P-730 model.
RH Only.
Kurt
May 3, 2018 at 8:04 am
Too Many Experts on this site to comment !! ????????
A.Dante
May 2, 2018 at 8:40 am
One word…..MIURA
Funky Critter
May 1, 2018 at 2:15 pm
Rebranded Tomy Armours #FACT
TigerArmy
May 1, 2018 at 1:16 pm
He will always and ever play some Mizuno clones. Probably also these ones manufactured by Mizuno. Doesn’t matter what they stamp on them. Go Tiger go.
Scott Francis
May 1, 2018 at 11:49 am
I liked the satin finish on the TGR blades better.
2putttom
May 1, 2018 at 11:32 am
oh this will arouse wrxer’s to a new level.
ogo
May 1, 2018 at 11:06 am
Solid traditional muscleback blades for Tiger…. super game improvement rube golfberg clubs for the rest of us gearhead/duffers …. 😮
Tourgrinder
May 1, 2018 at 10:54 am
First off, Tiger Woods never played an entire set of Mizuno MP-29s. It’s been documented – for the ’97 Masters and those years he played those clubs, he carried an MP-29 two iron, three iron and maybe four-iron. I can’t remember off the top of my head. For the four iron (maybe) and all other iron clubs, he carried MP-14s. He was using Cleveland wedges at the time. More to the point, it doesn’t really matter what name or model # is on the back plate of any of his irons. From Mizuno to Titleist, from Titleist to Nike, from Nike to TGR, from TGR to Taylor-Made, Woods has a very clear, detailed set of specs for his clubs, especially his irons. That includes, leading edge grind, camber of sole, toe grind (look), overall weight, etc. etc. The name on the back plate of any of these clubs is almost irrelevant; definitely the least telling aspect…other than the fact that each company was boat-loading cash to his account in each relationship.
the dude
May 1, 2018 at 7:49 pm
i’ll give this a big 10-4!
SoCalSlicer
May 1, 2018 at 10:11 am
Nike VR Pro Blades. Only development was how to put a TM logo on them.
NorCalDrawer
May 1, 2018 at 10:16 am
Er, no, Mizuno MP-29s. He wanted to get away from the Nikes as fast as possible, and go back to what he started with
Jamie
May 1, 2018 at 11:09 am
Have you ever seen a set? The muscle and CG are entirely different. Please don’t name drop Mizuno here. There are too many others who know what they’re talking about and will call you on it.
Brayden Weiss
May 1, 2018 at 11:14 am
Haha you think that he ever played Nike irons that’s kind of funny. He has never played Nike in his life and it wasn’t Mizuno rebrands during the Nike days. Those are miuras that have been rebranded for him by Nike and now taylormade too. The old TGR blades are the exact same clubs as the new Tiger phase ones.
Jens Eriksson
May 1, 2018 at 11:29 am
Please don’t speak…
DB
May 2, 2018 at 8:53 am
Wrong! You should read the forum. This has been discussed at length, lots of photo evidence and even people who personally know the crew/guy who has been making Tiger’s irons.
hurrrr
May 1, 2018 at 10:18 am
Yeah because it would’ve taken this long to develop that alone….