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GolfWRX Morning 9: A troubling Tiger trend? | Did a PGA Tour pro cheat? | Major winners

Published

6 years ago

Jul 2, 2018

Good morning, GolfWRX members. As most of you are signed up for our newsletters, you likely already know that I’ve been sending this little Morning 9 roundup of nine items of note.

In case you’ve missed it, or you prefer to read on site rather than in your email, we’re including it here. Check out today’s Morning 9 below.

If you’re not signed up for our newsletters, you can subscribe here.

By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

July 2, 2018

Good Monday morning, golf fans. Breaking news: it’s hot.

1. Holy Molinari!

Tiger Woods, in the hunt as he made the turn, said he would have needed a back-nine 24 to catch Francesco Molinari. That’s just one of the many indicators of how good the Italian’s play was.

Tied for the lead entering Sunday all Molinari did was card a course-record 8-under 62. After a 50-footer for eagle at the 10th hole, he never looked back.

The win the first on the PGA Tour for Molinari, who is one of the steadiest global golfers.

(Pictured: a shot Bettinardi sent us of Molinari’s bomb-making putter)

2. Tiger tales

There are two Tiger Woods narratives floating around this morning following his T4 finish at TPC Potomac. One, is that when Woods gets in position, as he has done a couple of times this year, he falters.

Via USA Today’s Steve Dimeglio…”Tiger Woods was charging up the leaderboard in Sunday’s final round of the Quicken Loans National, the red numbers on his scorecard matching the familiar final-round color of his shirt.The masses were stirring as Woods took aim at the leaders, cutting his six-shot deficit at the start of the day to four with his third birdie on the front nine at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm….And then came the recurring letdown.”

“Just as he did in the third round, Woods wilted in the heat index that reached into triple digits and became his own worst enemy. In a familiar scene that’s played out on the weekends in three previous starts, especially on Sundays, Woods put himself onto the front page of the leaderboard only to start making silly and, at times, shocking mistakes.

“That was the case again when Woods took momentum to the back nine at TPC Potomac and then missed a birdie putt from 6 feet on the 10th. Made a sloppy bogey on 11. After he righted the ship with a birdie from 5 feet on 12, he bogeyed the short 13th after finding the rough with a 4-iron off the tee, just as he did in the third round, then missed from 4 feet for birdie on the 14th.

Said Woods: “The last two days playing 13, 14 the way I did, you know, I bogeyed 13 twice and then didn’t birdie 14 either day and I was right there next to the green,” Woods said when asked about shots he’d like to take back. For the week, he played those two ripe-for-scoring holes 1 over, making only one birdie on the driveable par-4 14th. “Those are things I can’t afford to do and expect to win a golf tournament.”

The other narrative is that Woods is finally on track with his putter (despite some statistical suggestions to the contrary)

“I did some good work last week,” Woods told CBS’s Dottie Pepper after his round Sunday. “I’m starting the ball on my lines again and I’ve got the speed. I hit a lot of good putts that didn’t go in, which is fine. As long as I’m hitting good putts and seeing my lines … that’s something that I’ve been missing for a while now, for the better part of two months. This is the week I finally turned it around.”

3. Hardly a walk in the park

Apparently, Sung Hyun Park’s nickname in South Korea translates to “Shut up and attack!”

While this is fantastic, so was her steely victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She topped fellow South Korean So Yeon Ryu in a playoff after Japanese teen Nasa Hataoka dropped out on the first playoff hole.

Normally stoic, Park was unusually emotional after the win…maybe because she just won a major championship?

“Actually, this is my first time feeling this kind of emotion, being this emotional,” Park said through an interpreter. “And I was really happy, like, I couldn’t help that.”

As well you should be!

4. DT triumphant

ICYMI: David Toms won the U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor.

AP Report, because sometimes a man just doesn’t have the energy to paraphrase.

“Toms made not just one, but two, on Sunday — first to take the lead on the 16th hole, then to protect it on No. 17 and set himself for the win at the U.S. Senior Open.

“On a course where the greens perplexed the entire field for four straight days, Toms rolled in a 15-footer for birdie on No. 16, then coaxed in a downhill, 20-foot slider to save par after driving into a fairway bunker on the 530-yard, par-4 17th.”

“I knew that with 17 coming up, if I was going to make a birdie, it had to happen on (16),” Toms said. “It was uphill, pretty straight, and I put it right in the middle.”

“He shot even-par 70 to walk away a shot ahead of Miguel Angel Jimenez, Tim Petrovic and Jerry Kelly in an all-day dog fight; five players were tied for the lead when Toms and Kelly teed off on the 14th hole.”

5. More than just a man with extremely calloused hands

Reminder: Alex Noren is a serious talent. The best Swedish golfer not named Henrik Stenson came from seven shots back at Le Golf National to capture the Open de France.

After a pedestrian start, Noren posted weekend numbers of 65 and 67 for a 7-under 277 to win by one over New York native Julian Suri, Scotland’s Russell Knox and Englishman Chris Wood.

World No. 2 Justin Thomas, who compelled by his deep love of France and its Open/appearance fees, tied for eight.

6. Dahmen accuses Kang

Oh boy. High drama indeed on the PGA Tour. A perceived bad drop. An itchy Twitter finger…and Joel Dahmen has accused Sung Kang of cheating.

Asked on Twitter why his group was held up for so long at the 10th hole, Dahmen replied.

“Kang cheated. He took a bad drop from a hazard. I argued until I was blue. I lost.”

Asked for more information, Dahmen said this

“It was a typical dispute about where or if it crossed the hazzard. It clearly did not cross the hazzard. We went back and forth for 25 minutes and he ended up dropping closer to the green.”

(It’s “hazard,” Joel)

7. Daly Show growing dull?

Sounds like Eamon Lynch has had his fill of Long John…

“For a time, Daly was an easy guy to root for among the khaki clones that populate the PGA Tour, a mullet-sporting, beer-bellied, working-class guy upending a country club world. His many struggles with addiction – which he hid from no one – earned him tremendous support from fans and more than a few passes for conduct unbecoming.”

“But the Daly Show has long since become tediously repetitive viewing…He’s 52 now, but maturity seems no nearer at hand. It’s easy to understand why tournament organizers have bestowed so many sponsor’s invites on a man who hasn’t had playing status for years. When he pitches up at events, TV announcers still serve up the old chestnuts: Folks love to see him, he draws a crowd, he generates the oohs and aahs. That’s all true, of course, but it’s also true of police car chases. And people watch both hoping for a crash.”

“Daly regularly gives those few fans what they want – clubs tossed into the water, a fan’s camera smashed – but seldom what most fans deserve: professionalism, courtesy, a simple bloody effort to justify their ticket price.”

8. Manufacture an Open!

Shots fired! A subtle comment from Tiger Woods that speaks volumes…

“One of the neat things about playing an Open Championship – they don’t really care what par is,” Woods said. “They just let whatever Mother Nature has – if it’s in store for a wet Open it is; if it’s dry it’s dry. They don’t try and manufacture an Open.”

Anyone with their radar turned on could have added “…like the USGA does with the U.S. Open” to Woods’ remarks. Rather than a complaint about, say, conditions Saturday afternoon at Shinnecock, Woods remarks represent a critique of the USGA’s underlying tournament setup philosophy.

9. The case for wiring golfers for sound

Martin Kaufmann writes…

“If, however, a Tour player of Thomas’ stature were to wear a microphone during a tournament, it would rock the industry. I suspect other Tour players would strongly object to seeing that Pandora’s box opened.”

“The team sports athletes seem to recognize the value of bringing fans closer to the action. The NFL and NBA have led this movement, and Major League Baseball seems to have embraced it. (The Houston Astros’ George Springer wore a mic during the 2017 All-Star Game.) I suspect these players realize it’s good for their sports and also a good way to raise their own profiles. In short, everyone wins – the players, the leagues, the networks and the fans.”

“So the question becomes: When will the PGA Tour and its players learn this lesson?”

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News

SuperStroke acquires Lamkin Grips

Published

14 hours ago

May 6, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

SuperStroke announced today its purchase of 100-year-old grip maker Lamkin Grips, citing the company’s “heritage of innovation and quality.”

“It is with pride and great gratitude that we announce Lamkin, a golf club grip brand with a 100-year history of breakthrough design and trusted products, is now a part of the SuperStroke brand,” says SuperStroke CEO Dean Dingman. “We have always had the utmost respect for how the Lamkin family has put the needs and benefits of the golfer first in their grip designs. If there is a grip company that is most aligned with SuperStroke’s commitment to uncompromised research, design, and development to put the most useful performance tools in the hands of golfers, Lamkin has been that brand. It is an honor to bring Lamkin’s wealth of product innovation into the SuperStroke family.”

Elver B. Lamkin founded the company in 1925 and produced golf’s first leather grips. The company had been family-owned and operated since that point, producing a wide array of styles, such as the iconic Crossline.

According to a press release, “The acquisition of Lamkin grows and diversifies SuperStroke’s proven and popular array of grip offerings with technology grounded in providing golfers optimal feel and performance through cutting-edge design and use of materials, surface texture and shape.”

CEO Bob Lamkin will stay on as a board member and will continue to be involved with the company.

“SuperStroke has become one of the most proven, well-operated, and pioneering brands in golf grips and we could not be more confident that the Lamkin legacy, brand, and technology is in the best of hands to continue to innovate and lead under the guidance of Dean Dingman and his remarkably capable team,” Lamkin said.

Related: Check out our 2014 conversation with Bob Lamkin, here: Bob Lamkin on the wrap grip reborn, 90 years of history

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Tour Rundown: Pendrith, Otaegui, Longbella, and Dunlap soar

Published

14 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ronald Montesano

Take it from a fellow who coaches high school golf in metro Toronto: there’s plenty of great golf played in the land of the maple leaf. All the greats have designed courses over the USA border: Colt, Whitman, Ross, Coore, Mackenzie, Doak, as well as the greatest of the land, Stanley Thompson. I’m partial to him, because he wore my middle name with grandeur. Enough about the architecture, because this week’s Tour Rundown begins with a newly-minted, Canadian champion on the PGA Tour. Something else that the great white north is known for, is weather. It impacted play on three of the world’s tours, forcing final-round cancellations on two of them.

It was an odd week in the golf world. The LPGA and the Korn Ferry were on a break, and only 13/15 of the rounds slated, were played. In the end, we have four champions to recognize, so let’s not delay any longer with minutiae about the game that we love. Let’s run it all down with this week’s Tour Rundown.

PGA Tour: TP takes TS at Byron’s place

The 1980s was a decade when a Canadian emergence was anticipated on the PGA Tour. It failed to materialize, but a path was carved for the next generation. Mike Weir captured the Masters in 2003, but no other countrymen joined him in his quest for PGA Tour conquest. 2024 may herald the long-awaited arrival of a Canadian squad of tour winners. Over the past few years, we’ve seen Nick Taylor break the fifty-plus year dearth of homebred champions at the Canadian Open, and players like Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Adam Svennson, and Mackenzie Hughes have etched their names into the PGA Tour’s annals of winners.

This week, Taylor Pendrith joined his mates with a one-shot win at TPC Craig Ranch, the home of the Byron Nelson Classic. Pendrith took a lead into the final round and, while the USA’s Jake Knapp faltered, held on for the slimmest of victories. Sweden’s Alex Noren posted six-under 65 on Sunday to move into third position, at 21-under par. Ben Kohles, a Texan, looked to break through for his first win in his home state. He took the lead from Pendrith at the 71st hole, on the strength of a second-consecutive birdie.

With victory in site, Kohles found a way to make bogey at the last, without submerging in the fronting water. His second shot was greenside, but he could not move his third to the putting surface. His fourth was five feet from par and a playoff, but his fifth failed to drop. Meanwhile, Pendrith was on the froghair in two, and calmly took two putts from 40 feet, for birdie. When Kohles missed for par, Pendrith had, at last, a PGA Tour title.

360° and in!

A nervy par save by @TaylorPendrith to remain one back as he seeks his first PGA TOUR victory @CJByronNelson. pic.twitter.com/LVFXUSidSg

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 5, 2024

DP World Tour: China Open in Otaegui’s hands after canceled day four

It wasn’t the fourth round that was canceled in Shenzhen, but the third. Rains came on Saturday to Hidden Grace Golf Club, ensuring that momentum would cease. Sunday would instead be akin to a motorsports restart, with no sense of who might claim victory. Sebastian Soderberg, the hottest golfer on the Asian Swing, held the lead, but he would slip to a 72 on Sunday, and tie for third with Paul Waring and Joel Girrbach. Italy’s Guido Migliozzi completed play in 67 strokes on day three, moving one shot past the triumvirate, to 17-under par.

It was Spain’s Adrian Otaegui who persevered the best and played the purest. Otaegui was clean on the day, with seven birdies for 65. Even when Migliozzi ceased the lead at the 10th, Otaegui remained calm. With everything on the line, Migliozzi made bogey at the par-five 17th, as his principal competitor finished in birdie. To the Italian’s credit, he bounced back with birdie at the last, to claim solo second. The victory was Otaegui’s fifth on the DP World Tour, and first since October of 2022.

.@adrianotaegui birdies the 16th to tie the lead at -17 ?#VolvoChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/p4tfE5DRJa

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 5, 2024

PGA Tour Americas: Quito’s rains gift title to Longbella

Across the world, superintendents and their staffs will do anything to prepare a course for play. Even after fierce, nightime rains, the Quito TG Club greeted the first four groups on Sunday. The rains worsened after 7 am, however, and the tour was forced to abort the final round of play. With scores reverting to Saturday’s numbers, Thomas Longbella’s one-shot advantage over Gunn Yang turned into a Tour Americas victory.

64 held the opening-day lead, and Longbella was not far off, with 66. Yang jumped to the top on day two, following a67 with 66. He posted 68 on day three, and anticipated a fierce, final-round duel for the title. As for Longbella, he fought off a ninth-hole bogey on Saturday with six birdies and a 17th-hole eagle. That rare bird proved to be the winning stroke, allowing Longbella to edge past Yang, and secure ultimate victory.

.@TBalla21 eagles 17, shoots 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the KIA Open. pic.twitter.com/TTOL2LxSdh

— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) May 4, 2024

PGA Tour Champions: Dunlap survives Saturday stumble for win

Scott Dunlap did not finish Saturday as well as he might have liked. After beginning play near Houston with 65, Dunlap made two bogeys in his final found holes on day two, to finish at nine-under par. Hot on his heels was Joe Durant, owner of a March 2024 win on PGA Tour Champions. Just behind Durant was Stuart Appleby, perhaps vibing from his Sunday 59 at Greenbrier on this day in 2010. Neither would have a chance to track Dunlap down.

The rains that have forced emergency responders into action, to save hundreds of lives in the metro Houston area, ended hopes for a third day of play at The Woodlands. Dunlap had won once previously on Tour Champions, in 2014 in Washington state. Ten years later, Dunlap was the fortunate recipient of a canceled final round, and his two days of play were enough to earn him TC victory number two.

Off the green? No worries for @ScottDu12500063

8-under solo leader @InsperityInvtnl pic.twitter.com/hoj5OujL5C

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 4, 2024

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News

Morning 9: Pendrith’s maiden Tour win | Morikawa back with former coach | Brooks victorious

Published

16 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour gives us yet another breakthrough winner.

1. Pendrith wins first PGA Tour title

AP Report…”Taylor Pendrith took advantage of Ben Kohles’ final-hole meltdown to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.”

“Kohles overtook Pendrith with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 for a one-shot lead then bogeyed the 18th after hitting his second shot into greenside rough. After having to chip twice from the rough and already looking stunned, Kohles missed a 6-foot putt that would have forced a playoff.”

“Pendrith two-putted for birdie on the 18th, holing a 3-footer for a 4-under 67 and 23-under 261 total at the TPC Craig Ranch. The 32-year-old Canadian won in his 74th career PGA Tour start.”

Full piece.

2. Koepka takes LIV title in Singapore

S.I.’s Bob Harig…”Brooks Koepka became the first player to win four times as part of the LIV Golf League, shooting a final-round 68 at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore on Sunday to beat Cam Smith and Marc Leishman by two strokes.”

“His timing wasn’t bad, either.”

“A few days after offering concern about his game in light of a poor Masters performance, Koepka stepped up and won the LIV Golf Singapore even to give himself a boost heading into the defense of his PGA Championship title in two weeks.”

“The year’s second major begins on May 16.”

Full piece.

3. Otaegui wins Volvo China

AP report…”Adrian Otaegui overturned a five-shot deficit to win the Volvo China Open on Sunday, the Spaniard’s fifth tour title.”

“Otaegui had been trailing the in-form Sebastian Söderberg after Friday’s round – Saturday’s was cancelled because of thunder and lightning – and he shot 7-under 65 in his final round to win by one shot from Guido Migliozzi, who finished runner up with a 67.”

Full piece.

4. ICYMI: Teen Kim makes the cut

Guardian report…”English teenager Kris Kim became the youngest player to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 11 years after a birdie at the last saw him get through to the weekend of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas with a shot to spare.”

“Amateur Kim, the son of former LPGA player Ji-Hyun Suh, made a second-round four-under-par 67, which included a run of five birdies and one bogey over his front nine.”

“At 16 years and seven months he became the youngest player to make the cut on tour since 14-year-old Guan Tianlang at the 2013 Masters, and, according to the PGA Tour, the fifth youngest in history.”

Full piece.

5. Winner in a rainout

AP report…”Scott Dunlap was declared the 36-hole winner of the Insperity Invitational when rain washed the final round Sunday, giving Dunlap his first PGA Tour Champions title in nearly 10 years.”

“Devastating rain in the Houston area previously washed out the opening round Friday. Players managed to play 36 holes on Saturday, and Dunlap posted a 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Joe Durant and Stuart Appleby.”

“That proved to be the winning score when rain soaked The Woodlands Country Club. It was the second 36-hole event in the last three weeks on the PGA Tour Champions because of weather. The other was in the Dallas area.”