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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Pingback: TaylorMade releases BRNR Mini Driver inspired by Ti Bubble 2 - Fly Pin High
Pingback: TaylorMade launches Ti Bubble 2-inspired BRNR Mini Driver – GolfWRX
Benny
May 5, 2019 at 7:07 pm
Well said Larry and Ian. Great article and posts. I have my SLdR mini in my trunk. I use it when I am in a tight course. About as ling as a 3w but I can find the curtesy cut if need be. I can cut and draw it and wish I had a driver set up the same way. Anyways these are just 2w guys and simply marketed differently so people buy them. But 2w were always bigger and slightly higher loft. Not as long but finding fairway is much better than woods.
Funkaholic
May 3, 2019 at 8:08 pm
I hit the demo at the pgass on the stiff stock diamana. This may replace my 3w.
JP
Apr 30, 2019 at 11:35 am
$399 for this latest gimmick? No thanks…
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You’re better off just learning to hit a driver and fairway wood properly.
Dan
May 2, 2019 at 8:49 am
They’ll be $199 by July
Funkaholic
May 3, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Just because you are poor doesn’t mean this won’t be a fun club to own.
David Mac Iver
Apr 17, 2019 at 8:54 pm
Larry asked my question- how many CC’s. After playing golf for 62 years, I still can’t get used to 460 CC heads and go to my 13 deg. Rocket Ballz, or my old Callaway Deuce, when I have driver woes.
David Mac Iver
Apr 18, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Carl-Magnus is correct 275 CC’s, limited production, available May 1st. My local off course golf shop owner told me to watch that date since he is only expecting a few to be available in store.
TeeBone
Apr 17, 2019 at 6:25 pm
This will be a big hit initially for the many people who can’t hit a driver for beans who think that a shorter club and a smaller head is the answer. It isn’t. The problem is your crappy swing.
James Calkins
May 25, 2019 at 9:47 pm
I can’t disagree. However, with limited practice time, I’d rather work on my standard iron – fairway wood swing (descending blow) and use that same swing for my driver, rather than practice what for me feel like a lot of changes in order to accommodate the upward path needed for current drivers.
I tried the Original One today at Golf Galaxy. The significantly shorter shaft, and the ability to use a 3-wood swing rather than a driver swing, worked for me. I’m going to go back for a detailed fitting and then buy one. We’re moving soon to a house on a fairly narrow, tree-lined course. I’d much rather hit my driver 255 and be in the fairway almost every time, compared to maybe 280 but with ‘way more dispersion.
The other issue is club count. Going with the Original One, I’ll be 5i, 4H, 5W, driver; compared to 5i, 4H, 5W, 3W, driver. So I’ll open up a club to use at the low end of the bag – a good thing to have.
Maybe I’m just one of a minority, but I’m really glad TaylorMade put this club together.
Larry
Apr 17, 2019 at 4:41 pm
How many cc is the club head
carl-magnus elg
Apr 17, 2019 at 9:12 pm
275cc
Dennis Sanderson
Apr 17, 2019 at 4:41 pm
I use the SLDR 12 degree Mini on tighter courses and in cooler weather. I believe it is quite lively and plenty accurate. Do you strongly expect the new one will be longer and more accurate and/or forgiving? With the loft adjustable on the new one would we be able to use a shaft longer than on the SLDR but still shorter than length of regular drivers? I would certainly like to try out that combination.
Travis
Apr 17, 2019 at 7:42 am
I already play my 460cc driver at 44”, but I’m worried I would lose distance
Borat
Apr 17, 2019 at 7:19 am
The club looks boring! Like my wife.
JP
Apr 21, 2019 at 2:50 am
Trade it in. Especially when you find a 50% trade in bonus!
Steve
Apr 16, 2019 at 10:02 pm
Will this be any better than my 15 degree RBZ2 3 Wood? Looks way cooler, that’s for sure.
Marc
Apr 16, 2019 at 10:45 am
I’m sure a lot of people are gonna hate on this because it is another mini driver. The reality is that many people can’t hit their big driver worth a damn, but their ego keeps it in the bag. My G400 3W is freakishly long and I hit it a lot in tournament rounds because of how long and accurate it is. If you constantly stripe it down the middle with a 3w, it wears down your competitors. I play so many events with people that shouldn’t hit drivers on a majority of the holes, but they do, and they make bogey or worse. Fact is, a lot of people would do best to replace their driver with something like this, because it will likely go further and straighter because they will have so much more confidence while hitting it. Standing on the tee with near 100% confidence is truly a weapon that many people don’t have.
Milo
Apr 16, 2019 at 11:28 am
I love by Callaway mini bertha driver, I’ll be interested to see how this stacks up to it.
Grayson
Apr 16, 2019 at 6:49 pm
I also have the Bertha Mini and absolutely love it. It’ll be hard to top it. My only wish is for maybe a 40cc smaller clubhead.
Milo
Apr 16, 2019 at 7:45 pm
I agree, if I had a problem getting the ball in the air it would be tough to hit off the turf but I actually have the opposite problem, haha.
Ian
Apr 17, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Most sensible comment I’ve read for ages in regards to Drivers. I agree most are just not that consistent with the long stick. But one good shot in every 5 drives is enough for some to still keep it in the bag
Larry69
Apr 17, 2019 at 11:00 pm
Great post. Confidence as a weapon. Awesome. Golf is beautiful because it’s played in the brain just as much if not more than physical ability.