19th Hole
How Danielle Kang instantly added 20-30 yards of distance off the tee with one change
Danielle Kang, who ended the LPGA season ranked 12th in the Race to the CME Globe, may well have found the secret to ensure she doesn’t have another blank year in 2022.
After recording just 230 yards off the tee during Thursday’s first round at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, the 29-year-old revealed to Golf.com that she made a call to Titleist tour rep JJ Van Wezenbeeck, who promptly sent over a driver head with lower loft – eight degrees instead of her usual nine or 10 – and “it was going further, which made golf a little better.”
Given the amount we read about the length off the tee and the measures to which players will go to achieve that with varying success, those that (in Kang’s words) are resigned to being “pretty far back now” can take joy in knowing that it isn’t just hours in the gym that will do it.
The difference, as Kang explained to media, was a 20 to 30 yard difference that turned her approaches from hybrids into irons:
“So today I hit it probably 20, 30 yards further than I have been for the last two months, so I — it was easier. I wasn’t hitting hybrids into greens.”
Kang isn’t attributing the improvement entirely to the equipment saying “I’ve been trying to put on muscle mass, but I haven’t been able to”, but after then recording driving stats of 252, 256 and 268 yards, admits, “we all thought it couldn’t have me, but the technology is so good nowadays, right?”
More from the 19th Hole
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- Symetra pro opens up on the harsh financial realities of life on Tour
- Why Nelly Korda has hired a new swing coach despite season of dominance
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Greg Norman is at this week’s Masters tournament but found himself in a situation where he had to buy himself a ticket to enter the grounds.
Speaking to the Washington Post, Norman explained why he was at Augusta National:
“I’m here because we have 13 players that won 10 Masters between them. So I’m here just to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, you know, the boss is here rooting for you.’ ”
So who was Norman following during the opening round of this year’s Masters? Well the answer may surprise you.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig, Norman was spotted following the LIV-less grouping of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
Spotted in the gallery at Augusta: Greg Norman following Rory McIlroy ? (and Scottie and Xander)
— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) April 11, 2024
We’ll find out a little later today whether Norman will make his third appearance in as many days at this year’s opening major.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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Collin Morikawa has had plenty of success with a blade in his hands over the course of his young career, but after a lean spell on the greens lately, it appears that the 27-year-old is ready to try something new.
The California-native began the year with his TaylorMade TP Soto before switching to a Logan Olson proto last month. Now at this week’s Masters, Morikawa has been spotted with a Spider Tour X, the same flatstick that Scottie Scheffler will be using at Augusta.
The move would represent a big change, but it has been a very frustrating year on the greens for Morikawa, who will hope the TaylorMade mallet can offer him a similar upturn in fortune to that of Scheffler. In 2024, Morikawa ranks 164th for Strokes Gained: Putting, and 157th for Total Putting.
We’ll keep an eye whether Morikawa puts the mallet into action on day one of the Masters.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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Fresh off of winning $2.76 million on UConn’s victory over Purdue on Monday night, Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy has just placed a massive bet for this year’s Masters.
Tweeting on Wednesday morning, Portnoy revealed that he has placed $300,000 on Scottie Scheffler to win this year’s Masters at odds of +450.
Should he win, that’d be a total payout of $1.65 million.
Keep the momentum. For people who wanted me to hedge for is why I didn't. So I could take another shot at glory. #DKPartner #scotty pic.twitter.com/X9a0X8HOTZ
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) April 10, 2024
Scheffler is one of the shortest priced favorites of recent times at the Masters, and is looking for what would be his third win in his last four events.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
New here?
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- LEGIT8
- WOW14
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters
Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X Length: 45.5 inches 3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
WITB Time Machine: Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB, 2022 Masters
At the 2022 Masters, Scottie Scheffler delivered a steely Sunday performance to capture the green jacket in the 86th contesting...
WITB Time Machine: Hideki Matsuyama’s winning WITB, 2021 Masters
At the 2021 Masters, Hideki Matsuyama broke through to claim his first major championship, winning the first major for Japan...
WITB Time Machine: Patrick Reed’s winning WITB, 2018 Masters
At the 2018 Masters, Patrick Reed bested Rickie Fowler by a stroke at Augusta National to win his first major...
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19th Hole4 days agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole3 weeks agoJohn Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
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19th Hole2 weeks agoThings got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
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19th Hole5 days agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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