5. Short game work paid off
PGATour.com’s Cameron Morfit…”You’d never have thought so in watching him play at the Genesis, but on the season Holmes had just one top-10 finish, a 9th at the season-opening Safeway Open.”
- “The reason: Shoddy work on the greens.”
- “Buckling down with his coach, Matt Killen, Holmes went to work at Riviera.”
- “We spent a lot of time this week with the coach and getting on the green and trying to find the right ball position and how it set up and putting through some gates, making sure I was starting the ball online,” Holmes said. “I putted for several hours throughout the week. In the morning, we changed our routine and we had a string and a mirror and just made sure that everything was dialed in, and then I could trust it and go out there and make confident strokes.”
6. Erik Compton isn’t finished
John Feinstein talked with a man whose story we all know well, but who hasn’t been a story, in a professional golfing sense, for a while.
- “Compton’s last PGA Tour start was in October 2016, when he missed the cut at the Sanderson Farms Classic. He had just lost his full status on the PGA Tour after finishing 173rd on the money list that year in 24 starts. Even though he finished tied for second in the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, he has no status on the tour currently and can only get into a field by Monday qualifying or by receiving sponsor’s exemptions.”
- “There are times when I feel forgotten,” Compton admitted. “Then, other times I see people wondering why I withdrew from an event or questioning whether I’m really still committed to playing. I guess the good news is that they’re noticing that I am playing. Believe me, I’m committed, I’m grinding.”
7. LPGA-KLPGA event?
Golf Channel’s Randall Mell…”The LPGA is hashing out details to partner with the KLPGA in staging the BMW Ladies Championship, the new event scheduled for Oct. 24-27 at LPGA International Busan in South Korea.”
“Busan is scheduled to open this summer as the LPGA’s first accredited facility outside the United States.”
8. 4 ways TW can make his “Invitational” special
Following the announcement that the Genesis Open will become an invitational, Geoff Shackelford offered four suggestions to ensure Woods’ tourney remains special
- Here’s one…”Hooray For Hollywood…Tiger has the ability to attract star power like no one else in golf. Since the LA Open’s early days, stars have either been part of the week as spectators or the pro-am. This connection is an essential to distinguishing the Genesis Open going forward for marketing and atmospheric purposes.”
- “The new Celebrity Cup brought out A-listers from screen and sport, while the Wednesday pro-am played in lousy weather brought out fascinating names from sports, business and Hollywood. From a word-of-mouth point of view, the sight of big names early in the week helps attract local television and national media attention. From a fan point of view, seeing major names whapping it around Riviera gives the stop something no other tournament will enjoy.”
9. Holy calves!
On the same day that we learned PGA Tour professionals will be permitted to wear shorts during practice rounds, the reminder the that Phil Mickelson has the calves of a Tour de France participant (in the form of the photo below) took social media by storm.
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