News

Harold Varner III penalized 2 strokes in bizarre fashion

Published

5 years ago

Mar 15, 2019

Another week, and now, yet another rules infraction on the PGA Tour. While we’ve seen penalties handed out in 2019 for improper drops and confusion over the new caddie alignment rule, on Thursday evening, Harold Varner III fell foul of a very different regulation.

Varner III damaged his driver on the range before teeing off on Thursday and began his opening round at TPC Sawgrass with just 13 clubs in his bag after stating his intent to officials that he planned on replacing the club during his round, which is all perfectly legal under Rule 4.1b.

Varner III, wanting to keep the original shaft of his driver, and knowing that under the same rule that he is not permitted to take the shaft with him on to the course and have the new club assembled during play, left the shaft on the tee so that his agent could assemble the driver in the locker room.

However, a walking scorer believing that Varner had forgotten the piece of equipment brought the shaft to Varner on the course, and when the driver’s head was brought out to Varner, and the club was assembled on the course, Varner was deemed to have violated the rule and incurred a two-stroke penalty.

Speaking on the incident, PGA Tour vice president of rules and competition Mark Russell stated, per the Tour,

“We were under the impression he was going to take the driver back to the locker room and his agent was going to come back with another one. When they brought the head out and assembled it out there, it broke Rule 4. Can’t do that.

They don’t want clubs assembled and adjusted on the golf course. So that’s the reason for that rule. The rule basically says a player must not build a club from parts carried by anyone for the player during the round. They were aware of that situation, so that’s why he received a two-stroke penalty.”

Russell further explained how he understood that Varner III, who was in discussion with officials throughout the incident but misunderstood the situation, was not trying to gain an advantage, and how the walking scorer in their attempt to be helpful had led to the unfortunate event.

“Harold was trying not to do anything wrong. I guess they (the scorer) were thinking they were helping out or whatever, but when Harold and his caddie were aware that a walking scorer was carrying the golf club and it was assembled on the golf course, that’s when it violated the rule.”

The 28-year-old’s opening 72 was adjusted post round to a 74, leaving him nine shots off the front runner Tommy Fleetwood.

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

38 Comments

Pingback: Harold Varner III penalized 2 strokes in bizarre fashion – PGA Golf Gameday
geohogan

Mar 29, 2019 at 1:40 pm

@Jack
That scorer could easily have cost the player $50,000 -100,000+

Its the reason they have rules for pros; that amateurs can ignore, unless they play serious tournaments. Whats that maybe 10-20% of ams?

Just because opinions count for WMD, doesnt mean they mean anything in golf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnFbCCgTo4
.

Reply Report comment
OB

Mar 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm

I think there should be an easy solution. They should always ask what the intent was, go by the honor system, and leave it at that, especially if it’s a first time infraction.

They do it for other rules. This should be the same.

Reply Report comment
Bo Fadeeznuts

Mar 16, 2019 at 11:25 am

Guys not a true wrxer. A true wrxer would have had three shafts at the ready and two tour issue heads with adjustment tools in the bag.

Reply Report comment
Herm

Mar 16, 2019 at 8:00 am

My question to the PGA Tour rules officials …

What should HV3 have done in this instance to avoid the penalty?

Not accepted the shaft & had it run back to the clubhouse for assembly?

It seems to me he was trying to follow the rules …

Reply Report comment
John Rominger

Mar 15, 2019 at 9:43 pm

Poor interpretation of rule 4. Varner could have carried the broken club since it did not put him over the 14 club limit. One could argue that carrying the shaft is equivalent to carrying the broken club. It is permissible for someone other than him or his caddy or his entourage to bring a new head to him and it is permissible for him or anyone else to install that head on the course. Of course the PGA Tour may have their own version of Rule 4 that specifically proscribes that, but the USGA Rule j4 as written allows it.

Reply Report comment
chip75

Mar 15, 2019 at 7:44 pm

The question is, why did they assemble the club on the course? why did the head turn up when it was meant to fixed off-course or in the locker room? It would have been completely acceptable for them to get a new club from one of the tour vans, why didn’t he have a back up? I’d argue that there was no intent by the player when the scorer brought them the shaft, but they didn’t assemble the club on the course, so the ruling was fair enough.

Reply Report comment
Curt

Mar 15, 2019 at 5:26 pm

Unfortunately he should know the rules. Hence being a pro. Fully deserved DQ. Sorry but I hate when people are messing around with drivers hole by hole.

Reply Report comment
- Tony
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 6:55 pm
  
  That’s what you got out of that. You did read it didn’t you? No intention to change his club setting, it was to get his actual club in his bag after starting with 13.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - C
    
    Mar 16, 2019 at 1:37 am
    
    Curt is just being a cnut
    
    Reply Report comment
- Scratchscorer
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 9:23 pm
  
  Your comment makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
  
  Reply Report comment
Tiger Noods

Mar 15, 2019 at 4:06 pm

So if he steps OB to assemble it, is it still a penalty?

I’m sorry, but this is one where an exemption needs to be made. The player did not ADJUST a club mid-round. He simply made it a playable condition, and he attempted to follow the letter of the law. It’s like saying if your shoe is untied, you can’t fix your shoe.

This is sickening, really. I wasn’t a proponent of the PGA doing its own rules, but maybe that’s the way out of this cave. People always follow the pro rules; ask someone about pass interference! And if the PGA clears some of this on-course stuff up, while sticking to the same equipment, maybe we get to a better place.

Reply Report comment
Mark

Mar 15, 2019 at 1:51 pm

It’s ok to protect the field and there should be a way to write a more logical rule. When Tennis, Hockey, Baseball and so forth are allowing to replace broken equipment. R & A, USGA rule makers aren’t there yet…!

Reply Report comment
Adam

Mar 15, 2019 at 1:46 pm

Just insanely dumb. HV3 does everything he’s supposed to do and an outside agent (not his agent) screws it up for him. And he gets penalized. This is so stupid. I sure hope that other players come to his defense. He should definitely get those 2 strokes back.

Reply Report comment
- Scratchscorer
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 9:25 pm
  
  I agree. It wasn’t his mistake, it was the walking scorer who screwed it up. Should be no penalty under these circumstances. Varner did everything correctly.
  
  Reply Report comment
jack

Mar 15, 2019 at 1:20 pm

Hey PGA Tour and USGA – find some COMMON SENSE!

Reply Report comment
Dave

Mar 15, 2019 at 1:01 pm

What part of this do you not understand?

Restrictions When Adding or Replacing Clubs. When adding or replacing a club under (1) or (3), a player must not:
• Unreasonably delay play (see Rule 5.6a),
• Add or borrow any club from anyone else who is playing on the course (even if the other player is playing in a different group or competition), or
• Build a club from parts carried by anyone for the player during the round.

Reply Report comment
dat

Mar 15, 2019 at 11:32 am

And people wonder why we have such disdain for the USGA, no one plays by these rules in REAL life, and the game is dying…

Gee, I wonder why????

Reply Report comment
- Simms
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 5:23 pm
  
  Game is dying because they only thing carrying it at the public level is the over 60 golfers playing during the week (5 hour rounds) and only playing the under $40 dollar green fee courses…so the $50 and up nice courses are not getting enough play and the lower end courses (less the $40) are getting the land re-zoned for housing and owners are selling…..
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Tim Armington
    
    Mar 17, 2019 at 8:14 pm
    
    If the 60 year old five hour round guys are only playing the under $40 courses, then why are they developing the land into housing?
    Why wouldnt they develop the elite courses that you say nobody is playing?
    Also, where are the 25 yr old 2 hr round, speaker in the cart with music blaring guys playing?
    
    Reply Report comment
Boyo

Mar 15, 2019 at 11:11 am

Another Philadelphia lawyer rule. Oy vey!

Reply Report comment
MikeB

Mar 15, 2019 at 11:06 am

No wonder golf is not attracting younger players and golf clubs are closing everywhere. This type of severe penalty just seems to typify the ” Golf has Rules” mentality that disuedes young folk from even getting involved with the game. HV3 clearly signalled his intent when he left the driver shaft at the first tee, what more could he have done? Perhaps in hindsight his caddie should have told the scorer to take or have gotten someone else to take it back to where it was left and have it assembled off course, caddies need to think about this stuff and let the player play.
The other guilty party is the person that brought the new head onto the course for assembly, surely they knew about the rule infringement.
Either way it’s another nail in the coffin for the mighty game of Golf.

Reply Report comment
joe

Mar 15, 2019 at 10:51 am

One rule the USGA/PGA Tour need to implement is the notion of “common sense”. The governing bodies have already added the word “intention” to some potential rulings, such as the player having the no intention to put the ball in play on a practice swing on the tee box which brushes the golf ball off the tee peg – So clearly there is a way for the officials to remove the fuzziness from tournament play. In this case there was no “intention” for Harold to violate the fundamental reason of why the rule regarding building your club from parts – was implemented. His case was DIFFERENT than the reasons he rule was designed. Come on officials. It’s crystal clear!!! NO INTENTION.

Reply Report comment
C

Mar 15, 2019 at 10:37 am

This ruling makes no sense. It’s a NEW driver head. Not the same one, adjusted during the round for play. So it should be considered a NEW club, therefore, not a 2 stroke penalty. Especially when they all found out how the new head came to be, regardless of who was carrying it, the shaft wasn’t being carried in the bag while they waited for a head.
I feel sad for golf.

Reply Report comment
Scott

Mar 15, 2019 at 10:30 am

Jebus Crikes, the PGA tour just can’t get out of their own way sometimes. I understand the intent of the rule. But Varner literally did everything he was supposed to do here at the beginning of the round. So because the walking scorer didn’t understand the situation it leaves him with two choices: 1. play the remainder of the round without a driver, or 2. take the two stroke penalty.

Or, OR, ORRRRRRRR the PGA Tour could actually uses some intelligent thought process here and realize that there was no intent by the play to circumvent the rules and reverse this unjustified two stroke penalty. SMH!!!

Reply Report comment
Shanker2000

Mar 15, 2019 at 10:19 am

Ok, so this is a pretty easy rule to follow, and it even makes sense. BUT…… the HV3 knew the rule, did everything in his power to follow the rule, no harm, good job. A person working at the tournament see’s that HV3 has left something, thinking “I need to grab that for him”, not doing anything wrong either. Then all of a sudden there is a rules violation and HV3 gets hit with a 2 shot penalty. This was not changing a loft setting from one to another, this was not gaining an advantage over any other player and this was not a case where the player HV3 knew the rule was being broken in the act of it happening. There was no need to give him a 2 shot penalty in this instance, there was no need to “Protect the Field” in this case. Reverse the ruling for this instance.

Reply Report comment
- Chuck
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 10:41 am
  
  So I want to amplify two things and add one…
  
  1. “Ok, so this is a pretty easy rule to follow…” Yes. Maybe not “easy” in the trickiest of PGA Tour circumstances, but for the most part, yes; easy.
  
  2. “…and it (this Rule) even makes sense…” Yes, definitely. The USGA has to make Rules to avoid players taking interminable amounts of time to adjust clubs if they were allowed to on-course… or to fake damage to clubs to get specialized clubs added for specific holes/shots… etc., etc. The Rule makes sense, the more technical you get (and the USGA does have to be technical).
  
  3. And to add; this is a Rule, and a circumstance, that has little bearing on most recreational players. Who do not have a locker full of OEM-supplied backup clubs, and a tournament staff or personal manager to go get them when and if the need arises. The 2019 Rules changes were in fact intended to make some aspects of the “broken club” problem easier for recreational players. Another thread would be needed to address all of them.
  
  No doubt there will be much more whining about how the USGA is dumb and inflexible and elitist, without any regard to the actual facts.
  
  Reply Report comment
James Heard

Mar 15, 2019 at 10:13 am

Doesn’t intent account for anything? There was no intention of violation.

Reply Report comment
D

Mar 15, 2019 at 9:55 am

Grow the game

Reply Report comment
- alexdub
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 10:02 am
  
  Don’t forget #liveunderpar
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Chuck
    
    Mar 15, 2019 at 10:33 am
    
    #liveunderpar is a PGATour marketing slogan. Has nothing to do with the USGA.
    
    HOWEVER; if you are going out of your way to mock the PGA Tour (and it was the PGA Tour, not the USGA that made what seems to have been a perfectly correct decision that lots of sports fans don’t like), then fine. Leave the USGA out of it.
    
    But I think that Mark Russell is one of the very finest rules officials in the game, and with his colleague Slugger White, is part of the best Rules staff in the history of the Tour.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - alexdub
      
      Mar 15, 2019 at 11:33 am
      
      #drinkingthekoolaid
      
      Reply Report comment
ShanksALotUSGA

Mar 15, 2019 at 9:49 am

What is the difference between tightening a screw on the course and walking to the locker room to do it? I get they didn’t want people adjusting their clubs on the course during a round, but I think using a wrench to tighten something is a little different than “building” a club on the course.

Reply Report comment
bulls9999

Mar 15, 2019 at 9:21 am

Is there no ‘body’ or committee that can say, the outside guy (walking scorer) made the mistake and not the player and say ‘no infraction’. This is just dumb, imo.

Reply Report comment
Crusher

Mar 15, 2019 at 9:01 am

They better fix these rules situations fast. It is negative toward the game. Please tell me how Varner’s “rules violation” gave him a competitive advantage over the field? Just plain stupid that he was assessed a 2 stroke penalty. Taking all fun out of playing the game and watching the game.

Reply Report comment
Tim

Mar 15, 2019 at 8:54 am

Wait? Is the scorer considered a ‘rules official’ in any way?

If so, that means that one rules official brought the shaft to Varner in the middle of his round and another rules official gave him a penalty because of that. He was essentially left with no choice but 1) to assemble the club on the course or 2) wait another hole or two for someone to run back to an area that is considered ‘off the course’ and assemble it.

Reply Report comment
- Geoffrey Holland
  
  Mar 15, 2019 at 5:25 pm
  
  yes he should have waited for someone to take the shaft and the head off the course and assemble them there because if he knew it was illegal to assemble them on the course he was just being an idiot by doing so.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Jack
  
  Mar 17, 2019 at 10:20 pm
  
  Scorers are not rules officials. They’re just volunteers who help out and are not experts on the rulebook.
  
  Reply Report comment

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News

Five Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

15 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Ronald Montesano

It was a year ago that we the north, found ourselves with toes and fingers crossed. The Oak Hill PGA Championship of 2023 finished on schedule, despite the iffiness of weather in upstate New York. It’s 75 degrees today across the Niagara Frontier, which makes it two out of three (2022 was the same way) for sultry, unseasonal weather.

Louisville is, let’s be honest, a much better bet for a May PGA Championship, and Valhalla is an exciting venue for the year’s second major championship on the men’s circuit. Brooks Koepka came in as the defending champion, and Rory McIlroy arrived as the last golfer to win a major at the Nicklaus-designed course. That was a decade ago, and lord, have things changed in the world and golf.

Day one at Valhalla offered walk-in eagles, buckets of birdies, and potential for a record-low, winner’s score. We’ll get right to the meat of the matter, with five things that we learned. After all, if you can make par from the muck, anything’s possible in the land of the horses.

Cam Smith made par from here …#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/BY5ZFCiH45

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024

1. X marks this spot

Xander Schauffele went head to head last Sunday with Rory McIlroy, at least on the practice green. By the end of the round, Rors had won for a fourth time at Charlotte, while the X Man sat scratching his head, wondering what went wrong. Fortunately for us, Xander didn’t sulk.

The San Diego State alumnus absolutely torched Jack’s track with 62. Four birdies on the front nine, were followed by five more on the inward side. Schauffele never looked as if bogey was a consideration, and he might have gone even lower. Despite winning the Covid-delayed Gold medal at the Japan Olympics (I consider it a major, btdubs) Schauffele continues to chase an initial men’s major, and the validation that it brings. If 62 doesn’t get you over the hump, who knows what will.

Cam Smith made par from here …#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/BY5ZFCiH45

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024

2. Scottie starts strong? Aye.

Last month, Mr. Scheffler won a second green jacket at Augusta National. Last year in Rochester, Mr. Scheffler tied for second in this event. Mr. Scheffler began play today with a walk-in eagle, a one-hop affair that never looked as if it might go anywhere but to its home. Scheffler had a few rough holes, but that’s to be expected from a new dad. Each time he made bogey, he bounced back with birdie, so he has that short memory that winners crave. Surprisingly, Scheffler failed to manage one last birdie at the reachable 18th. Perhaps that miss will motivate him in round two.

Scottie’s shot was so nice we had to see it twice ?#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/eR1UUsyi3a

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024

3. LIV Check-In

It’s good to check in on the departed from time to time, to ensure that the fellows formerly known as PGA Tour members are doing well. It’s safe to say that some of them can still play. Defending champion Brooks Koepka posted 67 on the day, He had an eagle and three birdies on the day, with only a stumble at the 17th. He’s tied for 7th. Bryson DeChambeau made an eagle of his own, but also had a bogey, at the 12th hole. He cohabits eleventh position with Cameron Smith, who ALSO had a bogey on his card. They are one shot behind Koepka, and a fistful more behind the leader.

ON THE MONEY ?

Bryson DeChambeau for eagle! #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/Gz24VikAGQ

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024

4. Sahith and Tony at Schauffele’s heels

Both Finau and Theegala represent a special sort of athletic golfer. Their power and their charisma blend to draw golf fans to their groups. Let’s be honest, too, and say that they don’t look like the traditional professional golfer. As much as Tiger Woods did in the 1990s, they have the power to bring greater diversity to the sport.

In terms of their play today, well, only Xander was better. Finau had a clean card, with six birdies and twelve pars. Theegala had seven birdies, ten pars, and one bogey. Each combined power and finesse to insert themselves squarely in contention, ahead of round two. How will they, and Xander as well, manage the afternoon putting surface on Friday? That’s the great unknown!

SAHITH. THEEGALA. ?

This hole out puts him in a tie for the lead early at the #PGAChamp.

? @PGAChampionship pic.twitter.com/s3vLZNBQI7

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 16, 2024

5. All those other guys are here!

Rory, Tom Kim, Collin, and Viktor are all at minus-three or lower. Valhalla may not be a traditional golf course, but it is the type of course that the world’s best play well. McIlroy currently sits at minus-five, tied with Robert MacIntyre, Kim, and three others in fourth position. Maverick McNealy finished fast to reach the same figure, as did Tom Hoge. Morikawa closed with birdie to join the sextet at five below. Both Scheffler and Morikawa finished their rounds late on Thursday, meaning they should see smoother greens on Friday morning. If someone is a betting sould, wiser wagers could not be placed on better names than those two, two-time, major champions. Rory will tee off in Friday’s afternoon wave but, hey, he’s Rory, and he won going away last week at Quail Hollow, a course not unlike Valhalla.

The 2020 PGA Champion is making moves.

A solid approach shot from Collin Morikawa ?#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/DpD7QNfbSM

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2024

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News

Morning 9: Tiger 2025 Ryder Cup talks continue | Rory: Tour in a worse place with Dunne’s resignation

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the PGA Championship gets underway from iconic Valhalla.

1. Waugh: 2025 Ryder Cup talks continue with Tiger

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said Wednesday that the organization continues to have conversations with Tiger Woods about captaining the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2025 and there remains no firm deadline to get their pick in place for Bethpage Black.”

“A day earlier, Woods told reporters here at the PGA Championship that he is undecided about taking on the role next year…”

“He doesn’t do anything that he’s not fully committed to,” Waugh said, “and we totally respect that.”

“Still, the PGA’s decision to hold off on naming an American captain for the September 2025 matches is a significant departure – at least three months late – from the past five captains.”

Full piece.

2. Rory: Tour in a worse place with Dunne’s resignation

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”McIlroy, who has become an outspoken proponent of a deal with PIF, was denied a spot on the board last week but was named to the “transaction subcommittee,” which will spearhead the day-to-day negotiations. But the loss of Dunne will be a blow to those talks, the world No. 2 said.”

“Honestly I think it’s a huge loss for the PGA Tour if they are trying to get this deal done with the PIF and trying to unify the game,” McIlroy said. “Jimmy was basically the relationship, the sort of conduit between the PGA Tour and PIF.

“It’s been really unfortunate that he has not been involved for the last few months, and I think part of the reason that everything is stalling at the minute is because of that.”

Full piece.

3. Brandel on AK’s criticism: I thought it was a LIV bot

Our Matt Vincenzi…”On Tuesday during an interview with GolfWRX, Chamblee addressed the feud between Kim and himself.”

“At first, I thought it was a bot. But it’s not, it was just somebody who’s been bought.

“I thought it was juvenile. Social media is a perfect place for juveniles to go behave like children, like the ball pit at McDonalds without adult supervision. I’m sure Anthony Kim scrolls and gets positive comments and says ‘yeah, these people get me! I’m doing the right thing’. And it’s just juvenile and sad is what it is. I feel sorry for him.”

Full piece.

4. Aberg (knee) ready for PGA

Cameron Morfit for PGATour.com…”Ludvig Åberg said lingering knee soreness that kept him out of the Wells Fargo Championship last week will not be an issue at this week’s PGA Championship.”

“The world No. 6 Åberg, who finished second at the Masters Tournament in his very first major start last month, allowed that he is wearing a brace as a precautionary measure.”

“Knee’s good,” said Åberg, 24. “It was more of a safety concern last week that I didn’t play. I’m consulting with my doctors, and I trust them with everything that I have, so it’s not bothering me at all this week, and I look forward to playing. I’m wearing a brace just for safety reasons, but it’s nothing that’s bothering me. I’m focusing on the golf.”

Full piece.

5. Masters employee pleads guilty to stealing millions in memorabilia

Sean Leahy for Yahoo Sports…”A former employee of Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia pleaded guilty on Wednesday to transporting millions of dollars worth of stolen Masters memorabilia and historic items, including a green jacket belonging to Arnold Palmer.”

“According to federal prosecutors, 39-year-old Richard Globensky made around $5 million over the course of a decade from selling items stolen from the Augusta National warehouse, which were then transported to another party in Florida.”

“Globensky pleaded guilty to one count of transporting stolen goods across state lines. As part of his plea, he must hand the government a $1.5 million check this week.”

Full piece.

6. Chamblee on why Rory hasn’t won a major

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking with GolfWRX, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee gave his opinion as to why McIlroy has come up empty.”

“I just think he can’t find a place mentally where he plays his best golf.”

“If you go back and look at what he did from 2011-2014, in that stretch, he led roughly 20% of the rounds he played in major championships. His game has not fallen off, not one bit.

“He’s, on paper, pretty much the same player he was. He’s not quite the ball striker he was 2011-2014, not quite, but he’s made up for it with his short game around the greens and on the greens. He’s almost the same player.”

“Yet, he’s led just two rounds beginning with the 2015 Masters to the 2024 Masters. I just think that tells you he can’t find the proper way to prepare, the proper way to ease into a round. When he’s needed to play his best, he’s played his worst. When he’s played his worst, he’s then followed it up with his best golf. That’ll tell you that he’s just not in the right place mentally.”

Full piece.

7. Why Scottie’s caddie will have a fill-in Saturday

Paul Hodowanic for PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler will have a fill-in caddie on the bag for Saturday’s third round of the PGA Championship.”

“Ted Scott, Scheffler’s full-time caddie, will miss Saturday’s round at Valhalla Golf Club to attend his daughter’s high school graduation. Scott will leave Friday night after caddying the first two rounds and return late Saturday to loop the final round.”

“That’s something we talked about from the beginning of our relationship was family always comes first,” Scheffler said during his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday. “It’s the same thing for me as it is for my caddie. It was a pretty easy decision. He told me at the beginning of this year that that was the date.”

Full piece.

8. Chamblee: LIV format makes it impossible to judge player talent

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking with GolfWRX, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee explained why he believes the LIV format makes it impossible to determine if a LIV player is playing well.”

“Describing the format as “stupid”, Chamblee stated

“The format for LIV is just stupid. There’s no other word for it. 54 holes, 54 players start. Willy nilly here and there.

“Nobody winning a golf tournament should finish on the third hole on some par three while his closest competitors finish on the 17th hole or the 18th hole.”

“When we asked Brandel if LIV players should be in majors, Chamblee indicated that it would be tough to do with no way to truly measure their performance.

“It’s just a laughable concept. There’s no way to judge the talents of these players out there. You look at their data, and again, their data is laughable. It’s very hard to hit 75% of your greens and it looks like everybody on their tour is hitting 75% of greens. Who’s keeping their stats? Who’s doing their data? They haven’t gotten their act together.”

Full piece.

9. Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

Check out all of our galleries from the year’s second major!

Full piece.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

Published

3 days ago

May 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.

While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.

Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.