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Golf Channel, Rory McIlroy launch GolfPass. Will you subscribe, GolfWRX Members?
Today, Golf Channel solicited the help of Rory McIlroy to launch GolfPass. The subscription service will offer customers instructional videos, a bevy of discounts, and one round of golf per month for $9.99 per month or $99/year.
“It’s sort of like, for me, like Golf Channel 2.0,” McIlroy said at the launch press conference. “If you’re going to start a golf business, you probably wouldn’t do a 24-7 TV station or network like what happened 25 years ago.”
The service draws inspiration from Amazon Prime, which, in addition to streaming video, offers free delivery on goods and other benefits. Will McIntosh, Golf Channel’s executive vice president, hopes GolfPass will help hobbyists make the jump from watching golf to playing the game and offer a nice perk for avid golfers.
With respect to playing, more than 7,000 golf courses are available. Not surprisingly, GolfNow, also owned by NBC, is the facilitator of this element of the service. TPC Sawgrass, PGA National, Pasatiempo Golf Club, and Royal Portrush are among the course offerings.
While GolfPass won’t include any live tour events, the service will offer on-demand instruction videos (more than 4,000), including several featuring McIlroy himself. Original features, such as “My Roots: Rory McIlroy,” will also be offered.
Subscribers will also get a dozen TaylorMade balls and assorted discounts on apparel, accessories, and golf resort stays.
“I’m really trying to carry the torch that Arnold lit 25 years ago,” McIlroy said. “I know I have very big shoes to fill and I’m not trying to compare myself in any way to Arnold, but I was able to forge quite a good relationship with Arnold in the later years of his life and I know how much the game meant to him. I think he would be very proud that I’ve taken on this role to try and give golfers a better experience of playing the game and living that golfing lifestyle. I couldn’t imagine my life without golf.”
Rory McIlroy will co-host (along with Carson Daly) a monthly podcast via the service.
GolfPass+, a premium membership, will be offered for $199 per year. The “plus” version will include cancellation protection and waived convenience fees on GolfNow.
McIlroy discussed GolfPass on an appearance on Morning Drive.
So, what do you think, GolfWRX Members, will you be signing up for GolfPass at any of the subscription levels?
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Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine
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
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
- Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
- Ryan Moore (+0.98)
- 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
- Peter Kuest (+0.93)
- Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
- Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
- Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
- 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:
- Wesley Bryan (31%)
- Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
- Peter Kuest (25.9%)
- Matti Schmid (25.7%
- 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:
- Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
- Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
- Callum Tarren (+0.86)
- Harry Hall (+0.81)
- 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:
- Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
- K.H. Lee (+2.59)
- Seamus Power (+1.84)
- Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
- 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%).
- Alex Noren
- Adam Scott
- Keith Mitchell
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephen Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Jhonnatan Vegas
- Nate Lashley
- Brice Garnett
- 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: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board
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Jim
Feb 6, 2019 at 12:06 pm
If it’s associated with GolfNow, I wouldn’t trust this deal! GolfNow is not a good product, too complicated by excessive rules and conditions supported by lousy customer service!
Randy
Feb 6, 2019 at 11:07 am
Not happy with Golf Now’s no refund policy. Looked for a Sunday tee time on a Tues. night. The time I selected was then not available so it said search a new time. Instead of staying on Sunday times it sent me back to Wed. (which I didn’t notice until booking a Wed. time). Called the course first thing Wed. am and cancelled. Golf Now gave me a credit only good for Hot Deals after 12 Mon-Thurs. Thanks for nothing! Double bogey service. Will use Tee Off or call. No more Golf Now.
Tom Grady
Feb 5, 2019 at 5:37 pm
Lindsey Vonn is c oalburning m udshark. She has betrayed her race dating dirty n iggers.
c
Feb 5, 2019 at 4:21 pm
this is weird considering Rory has said he doesnt care about growing the game
Clancy
Feb 5, 2019 at 3:49 pm
I’ll hold off to see the list of participating courses.
Tom
Feb 5, 2019 at 3:42 pm
Golf Channel’s Morning Drive has become like the “View” a bunch of people with opinions that I don’t care to listen to. Not much substance from GC anymore, they basically went off the air from mid Dec thru early Jan….running old shows and tournaments.
Tmack
Feb 5, 2019 at 3:12 pm
As a cord cutter if it included the actual golf channel live golf coverage I would be interested.
Scott Francis
Feb 5, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Exaclty like someone else menioned if included a Pga Tour live subscription I would but $200? pass on Golfpass.
Mike Knights
Feb 5, 2019 at 1:50 pm
I dont understand why tour pros promote going to a website to watch a video to fix your swing when we all know they spend 100’s of hours with their coaches working on their swings. why in the world would you tell and Amateur to go watch a video and they will get better. Ugh!
youraway
Feb 5, 2019 at 6:30 pm
Plenty of videos on Youtube
Gunter Eisenberg
Feb 5, 2019 at 1:47 pm
Doesn’t the Golf Channel also own Revolution Golf that offers that same instructional video content?
JJ
Feb 6, 2019 at 11:25 am
That’s where the 4000 videos will come from
Scott
Feb 5, 2019 at 12:46 pm
Is there a place to find out what 7,000 courses are playable with the free round each month, and what restrictions there will be on that? I can’t seem to find that information on the GolfPass website.
Stixman
Feb 5, 2019 at 12:39 pm
Sorry, Rory is not the torch-bearer you seem to think he is, he just isn’t, he’ll let you down and send you the memo.
Matt
Feb 5, 2019 at 11:45 am
Carson Daly? WTF
Thunder Bear
Feb 5, 2019 at 11:45 am
Wait, so for $9.99 per month, I can play TPC Sawgrass or one of their other elite courses once a month? That seems too good to be true even if you have to play on Monday thru Thursday.
Simms
Feb 5, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Guess again, it will be the same as with all their “Hot Deals” specials..it will be afternoons Monday thru Thursday..and many courses will be exempt..In California you will be playing after 12 in months you cannot finish because of time change. You have to think about the fact also there are only so many “HOT DEALS” after 12 in your area..Hot Deals do not bring any money into the golf course and are only given out by the course to Golf Now for advertising and use of computer scheduling programs….and many course look down on that “HOT DEAL” tee time and treat you like your cheating them…..and notice with the $99 price there is no mention of waved fees or free cancellations that comes at the $199 price….
Joshua
Feb 5, 2019 at 11:24 am
The free golf seems enticing into you read the fine print. If I didn’t have a job and could golf Monday thru Thursday afternoons…