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Morning 9: Sunday 63 for a major win | DeChambeau, Fitzpatrick drama | Player forecasts 500-yard drives | Hoodie SZN

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By Ben Alberstadt
Email me at [email protected]
October 12, 2020 
 
Good Monday morning, golf fans. Don’t miss the giveaway going on in the banner above!
1. With a Sunday 63, Sei Youg Kim wins Women’s PGA
AP report on the action from just outside what is low-key one the best cities in the US: Philadelphia…“Kim chewed up Aronimink Golf Club in record style, shooting a 7-under 63 on Sunday to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She was five strokes better than runner-up Inbee Park, never seriously challenged on the arduous course in suburban Philadelphia.”
  • “…Her dominance was in plain sight. She finished at 14-under 266. Her final-round 63 tied a tournament record, and her 266 set the championship scoring record.”
  • “Kim, who earned her 11th LPGA victory, got the championship push rolling when she matched a tournament record with a 29 on the front nine on Friday. She never really slowed down.”
2. A childhood dream fulfilled
AP report…“Tyrrell Hatton held off a final-round challenge by Victor Perez to win the BMW PGA Championship by four strokes on Sunday, giving the Englishman a first victory on home soil at a tournament that inspired him to become a professional.”
  • “Hatton shot 5-under 67 to finish on 19-under 269 overall, capping a week when he shot in the 60s every round around Wentworth’s storied West Course.”
  • “…Hatton used to attend this tournament – the elite event on the European Tour – as a child, and recalled this week the time he came to Wentworth as a 5-year-old with his father and was nearly struck by an errant tee shot from Vijay Singh.”
3. Shriners: Laird gets it done
Golfweek’s Steve DiMeglio…“The third time proved to be the charm for Martin Laird…After failing to end matters on the 72nd hole and then again on the first playoff hole, Laird knocked in a 23-foot putt for birdie on the second extra hole to win the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Sunday’s fading light at TPC Summerlin.”
  • “Laird, who shared the overnight lead and led by three at the turn, made an astounding par on the 17th hole in regulation to protect his one-shot lead but missed his par attempt on the 72nd home from 28 feet and headed to a playoff against Austin Cook and Matthew Wolff.”
4. KFT: Mullinax victorious
David Song for Golfweek…“Despite shooting his worst round of the tournament, a 2-under par 69, Trey Mullinax held on to win the Korn Ferry Tour’s Orange County National Championship this weekend at Winter Garden, Florida. It is his second victory on tour, with the first coming back in 2016.”
  • “Mullinax, 28, had been cruising through the first three rounds carding 65, 65 and 62 respectively. But a five-birdie, three-bogey effort on Sunday made things interesting, and the former Alabama golfer would finish 23 under par: just one shot clear of the field.”
5. Lynch on DeChambeau & Fitzpatrick drama
Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch…“It’s easy to dismiss Fitzpatrick’s comments as sour grapes. Every generation sees players get left behind, condemned by their physique to keep faith with a style of golf that other elite competitors have moved beyond. He’s Corey Pavin with an accent. But even if that’s true, Fitzpatrick is correct in his assessment that professional golf is increasingly one-dimensional and lacking nuance, dominated by what my old high school woodworking teacher used to refer to as “BF and I” – brute force and ignorance.”
“Blame for that doesn’t rest at DeChambeau’s door. He’s doing everything permitted within the parameters governing the sport to gain a competitive edge. It just happens that those parameters as constituted are diminishing the value of golf course architecture, reducing the concept of course management to a simple matter of player preference on the day rather than a considered response to what is being asked of them. Professional golf is becoming less a battle of strategy – player versus course – and more a tussle over governance, man against regulations. Fitzpatrick is not alone in believing the current statutes have proven woefully deficient in protecting the sport.”
6. Gary Player talks Bryson (500-yard drives cometh?)
Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…“When asked about Augusta National, Player said that if DeChambeau has a “reasonable week,” he should win.”
  • “It’s going to be fascinating to watch him hit a 9-iron to the second hole at Augusta, if he hits that draw around the corner,” he said. “At 15, he’ll hit a 9-iron, a par-5. At 13, he’ll hit a 9-iron, a par-5. He’s going to drive over the green at No. 3. Think about that. Going to drive over the green. So I don’t know where we’re going.”
  • “Augusta National, Player says, has no defense and golf leaders need to understand that the game is in its infancy when it comes to driving distance, talking about drives that might one day go 500 yards. He’d like to see the governing bodies cut the ball back 50 yards for professionals before golf courses become obsolete. (And please, he reiterates, don’t touch the trees.)”
7. Big win for the hoodie 
Nick Piastowski for Golf.com on what was surely the garment of the week in the world of professional golf…“During Sunday’s final round, Hatton went back to the blue. “Well, I only had three color options,” he said. “So I shot my lowest round in all navy over the three days, so I thought I’d go for all navy again.”
  • “The hoodie was not exclusive to Hatton at the BMW; a few others were wearing them. The hoodie has not been seen just overseas; Justin Thomas, notably, wore one at the Genesis Invitational back in February. The hoodie is not just for the men; a few players at this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship are wearing them.”
  • “But in a sport steeped in its tradition of collared shirts, Hatton’s hoodie is akin to Obama’s tan suit or J. Lo’s deep V dress in terms of talk. (Seriously, search for any combination of golf and hoodie on Twitter.)”
8. 2,000 drives and work with a 48-inch driver 
Golf Channel’s Will Gray with the details…”While he doesn’t plan to play competitively before the Masters, DeChambeau reiterated that he has plenty of work to do as he looks to gear up both his swing and his clubs in advance of the year’s final major.”
  • “I’ve still got some equipment stuff coming in the next two months, that’s mainly why I’m taking off,” DeChambeau said. “I feel like the advantages that I usually have could be much improved upon with the equipment. We don’t have it yet, but we’re diligently working on it behind the scenes.”
  • …”Dechambeau told reporters early in the week that he’s going to tinker with using a 48-inch driver at the Masters, the maximum length allowed under the Rules of Golf, and he added Sunday that he expects to hit “around 2,000″ drives over the next four weeks while fine-tuning his equipment, adding even more swing speed and making choices on what to take with him down Magnolia Lane.”
9. Laird’s winning WITB
Driver: Ping G410 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZURDUS Smoke Black 70G 6.5
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana BF 70 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade R15 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana S+ 80 TX
Irons: (4-PW) Srixon Z785
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 3 “Raw” (52-10), Cleveland RTX 4 “Raw” (56-10 FULL, 60-9 MID)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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Equipment

Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.

Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.

Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.

According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.

He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.

Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

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Details on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

So, with a couple of weeks off following his latest start at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Thomas sought to re-address his driver setup with the remote help of Titleist Tour fitting expert J.J. Van Wezenbeeck. About two weeks ago, Thomas and Van Wezenbeeck reviewed his recent driver stats, and discussed via phone call some possible driver and shaft combinations for him to try.

After receiving Van Wezenbeeck’s personalized shipment of product options while at home, Thomas found significant performance improvements with Titleist’s TSR2 head, equipped with Thomas’ familiar Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX shaft.

Compared to Thomas’ longtime TSR3 model, the TSR2 has a larger footprint and offers slightly higher spin and launch characteristics.

According to Van Wezenbeeck, Thomas has picked up about 2-3 mph of ball speed, to go along with 1.5 degrees higher launch and more predictable mishits.

“I’d say I’d been driving it fine, not driving it great, so I just wanted to, honestly, just test or try some stuff,” Thomas said on Tuesday in an interview with GolfWRX.com at Quail Hollow Club. “I had used that style of head a couple years ago (Thomas used a TSi2 driver around 2021); I know it’s supposed to have a little more spin. Obviously, yeah, I’d love to hit it further, but if I can get a little more spin and have my mishits be a little more consistent, I felt like obviously that’d be better for my driving…

“This (TSR2) has been great. I’ve really, really driven it well the week I’ve used it. Just hitting it more solid, I don’t know if it’s the look of it or what it is, but just a little bit more consistent with the spin numbers. Less knuckle-ball curves. It has been fast. Maybe just a little faster than what I was using. Maybe it could be something with the bigger head, maybe mentally it looks more forgiving.”

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

 

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5 fall golf trip destinations you should book right now

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The 2024 golf season is in full swing with the warm weather settling in and those long summer days right around the corner, but what if we told you that you should be thinking about golf this fall? While it may seem to be a ways away, now is the perfect time to start putting together your end-of-season fall golf trip

Courses are in great shape, the weather is more enjoyable as temps cool off, and your golf game is in peak condition after playing all summer! The best part about fall golf trips is that there are some great deals to be found at golf destinations across the country! Additionally, you can get away to the Caribbean on an all-inclusive trip or travel across the pond for some links golf in the UK or Ireland before the end of their golf season in October. 

If you are happy to stay stateside this fall, here are the best golf destinations you should book for your fall trip.

Myrtle Beach, SC 

Commonly known as the “Golf Capital of the World”, this coastal destination is home to over 200 golf courses making it the ideal location for a golf trip! If you’re looking for golf and accommodation onsite, choose from a wide range of resorts including favorites like Barefoot and Legends. Alternatively, you could rent a house or stay by the beach and play top tracks like Caledonia, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes, True Blue, TPC Myrtle Beach and many more! With a plethora of options, you will be able to customize your trip to stay within budget! Fall in South Carolina is a golfer’s paradise with minimal rain, sunny skies, and temperatures in the low 80s (dipping into the 70s in later fall with lower humidity), the perfect combination for a golf trip.

Scottsdale, AZ 

If you’ve never played golf in the desert, fall is the best time to do so and there is no better selection of desert layouts than Scottsdale. With a wide variety of golf resorts, courses, and attractions, it is easy to see why many professional golfers call this place home. Enjoy a golf and city trip with a stay close to the nightlife in Old Town and a tour of the local courses like Raven, McCormick Ranch, and Ocotillo. Head north of the city with a resort stay at The Westin Kierland or Hyatt Regency and play some Championship courses like TPC Scottsdale, Troon North, or Grayhawk. Or head out to the fabulous We-Ko-Pa Resort  and Golf Club and indulge in the ultimate desert golf experience. The weather in Scottsdale will be very warm (mid to high 80s), with cloudless skies and green grass contrasting the desert landscape.

Orlando, FL 

The golf mecca in the state of Florida, Orlando is a great golf destination any time of the year, but fall is really where it flourishes. Course conditions are impeccable, the weather is warm with fading humidity, and there are a multitude of off-course activities for the whole family. Stay & play at some of the best golf resorts like Reunion and Omni Championsgate or tick off a bucket list course when you visit Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill. A few other reasons this destination is so popular is the wide variety of rental houses throughout the area, perfect for a large group and the quality courses to choose from including Waldorf Astoria, Celebration, Shingle Creek, and the three Disney courses! With easy accessibility through the MCO Airport, Orlando is a no-brainer for a fall golf trip.

Las Vegas, NV 

PAIUTE GOLF RESORT – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

A destination often overlooked when it comes to golf, Las Vegas in the fall is a wonderful treat! A stay on the iconic Las Vegas Strip gives you a wide range of 3 to 5-star hotel options within walking distance to the city’s biggest entertainment venues, casinos, restaurants, and more! For golf options, you will need to travel outside of the city (roughly 20 mins) to play some incredible desert layouts like Rio Secco, Revere, Cascata, and the trio of courses at Paiute Golf Resort. If you fancy a longer day trip, you can always take the hour-long drive up to Mesquite and play Wolf Creek and Conestoga for a pure desert golf experience. 

Alabama – Robert Trent Jones Trail 

If you’re a golf nerd (like me) and you’re looking for something a little different for your trip, look no further than the incredible RTJ Trail in Alabama. The Trail spans 11 different locations across the state with over 400 holes of golf all designed by legendary course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The more popular courses on the trail are in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Auburn, making it perfect for an extended trip. Some of the best courses on the trail include Ross Bridge, Grand National (2 courses) and Capitol Hill (3 courses).Weather-wise, fall is the best time to hit the trail with average temps hovering around 80s (dipping into the 70s as fall goes on) with a limited amount of rainfall. The summer months are usually where the pricing is the highest so you can find the best deals in the fall with courses still in good condition. 

There has already been a huge uptick in fall golf trip bookings, so make sure to start planning now to get the travel dates and tee times you want for your group! 

Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission. 

RELATED: 7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play

  

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