5. Hole-in-ones come in bunches on the PGA Tour now?
An interesting phenomenon! Golf Digest’s Ryan Herrington…”Early in Sunday’s final round at the El Cameleon course in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, defending Mayakoba champion Matt Kuchar holed this shot on the par-3 eighth hole….Five minutes later, Brian Gay stepped to tee on the par-3 10th hole and watched as this happened.”
- “…How often do you see a pair of holes-in-one in such a short span?…Well, actually it happened just two days earlier at Mayakoba. On Friday during the rain-delayed first round, Cameron Tringale and Chase Seiffert made holes-in-one on the par-3 fourth … in consecutive groups. According to PGATour.com, the last time players in back-to-back groups made holes in one came in the third round of the 2013 Northern Trust on the 14th hole at Liberty National (K.J. Choi and Greg Chalmers). Prior to that it had at the 2004 Masters with Padraig Harrington and Kirk Triplett.”
Full piece.
6. 8-stroke penalty!
You may have missed it earlier in the course of the OHL Classic: Russell Henley was penalized two strokes on three consecutive holes. How did it happen?
- Christopher Powers at Golf Digest…”it came to Henley’s attention that he had accidentally used a ball other than his usual Titleist Pro V1x during the round. This is a violation of the PGA Tour’s One Ball Rule, not a part of the Rules of Golf, but is usually only adopted for professional golf tournaments as well as high-level amateur events. The rule requires players to use the same ball throughout the round, meaning Henley violated the rule if he did not use the same Titleist Pro V1x model that he began the day with.”
- “It was a small dash, a different way it was marked that would have been easy to overlook,” said PGA Tour Rules Official Brad Fabel. “He came to us and said he didn’t know how it had gotten in his bag.”
- “Henley’s reward for calling himself out? Eight penalty strokes, as he figured he used a different model ball on holes 9-12. He was given a two-stroke penalty on each hole, giving him a 77 instead of a 69…”
Full piece.
7. Poke takes control
Golfweek’s Alistair Tait…”Denmark’s Benjamin Poke is in control of the European Tour Qualifying School at the halfway stage. The 27-year-old takes a two-shot lead into the final three days at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain. The Danish professional is hoping to take the lead card of the 25 on offer for the 2020 European Tour.”
- “Poke had four birdies and only one bogey in a 3-under par round of 69 on Lumine Golf Club’s Hills Course. He sits at 12-under par.”
- “Lars van Meijel of The Netherlands lies in second place after a 7-under 65 that included six birdies and an eagle-two on the Hills Course’s par four 12th hole.”
Full piece.
8. “Amateur golf is doomed” files
Interesting perspective from Geoff Shackelford…”I’m loathe to pick on Sierra Brooks for turning pro hot off her Q-Series T-62 finish, guaranteeing Symetra Tour status. A perk she will take while conceding her final few months at Florida where she’s one of college golf’s best players on one of its best teams. But I will anyway.”
- “After all, Brooks is one of many players-male or female-choosing to end her college career to turn pro even if the awaiting opportunities pale in comparison to the college golf structure.”
- “Golf is just the latest sport to, in seemingly sound ways, to address the desire of athletes and those around them to test the professional waters with rules that allow players to retain their amateur status while playing at Q-School.”
Full piece.
9. Tommy Fleetwood’s winning WITB
What the Englishman had in his bag for the Nedbank Golf Challenge
Driver: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees @7.75)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage XTS 70TX (44.75 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade M6 (15 degrees bent to 14.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 70X (42.5 inches)
5-wood: TaylorMade M6 (19 degrees bent to 18.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana BF 80TX (41.5 inches)
Irons: TaylorMade GAPR Lo (@18.75), Srixon Z785 (4, 5-iron), TaylorMade P7TW (6-9)
Shafts: GAPR: Project X 6.5 (39.5 inches), 4, 5-irons: Project X 6.5 (38.5 inches), 6- 9-irons: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 Raw (47, 52, 60 degrees)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot Pro #3
Grip: Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0
Ball: Titleist ProV1x
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