19th Hole
‘Minjee Lee shouldn’t be caddying for anyone’ – Par 3 contest reignites Women’s Masters debate
The Par 3 contest at Augusta National is typically the calm before the storm, as partners, kids, and even celebrities join forces with the pros for an afternoon of entertainment.
- Related: ‘Absolutely disgusting’ – LPGA pro blasts Augusta National for its role in major venue change
This year’s contest was cut short by an actual storm, but there was still plenty going on at the event to get people talking, and none more so than the appearance of Minjee Lee, sister to Min Woo, who is making his debut at the tournament this week.
The World Number four in the world, Minjee and current holder of the Evian Championship last year, played a supporting role to her brother on Wednesday before getting her chance on one of the holes and sticking her approach close.
Following the contest, Minjee took to social media to share her delight at caddying for her brother at the event before some golf fans declared it was high time that the top women players had their chance to compete at Augusta National.
Twitter user @HgMac6 wrote:
“Sorry that I don’t find this cute. Minjee Lee is #4 in the world.. much better than her brother. Minjee shouldn’t be caddying for anyone… the world’s best women PRO golfers should get to play at Augusta…. It should be like tennis .. men and women should play the same Majors.”
Sorry that I don’t find this cute. Minjee Lee is #4 in the world.. much better than her brother. Minjee shouldn’t be caddying for anyone… the world’s best women PRO golfers should get to play at Augusta…. It should be like tennis .. men and women should play the same Majors
— Hugh (@hgmac6) April 7, 2022
Prominent golf writer/tipster for Sporting Life Ben Coley also weighed in with a similar view, saying:
“This is lovely but also it makes for a pretty stark contrast: up-and-coming brother preparing to play Augusta; world-class sister has to make do with being a caddie in the par-3. Absolutely mad that there is still not a Women’s Masters for Minjee Lee to play in too.”
This is lovely but also it makes for a pretty stark contrast: up-and-coming brother preparing to play Augusta; world-class sister has to make do with being a caddie in the par-3. Absolutely mad that there is still not a Women’s Masters for Minjee Lee to play in too. https://t.co/LhUSmwPUdo
— Ben Coley (@BenColeyGolf) April 7, 2022
While when I wrote in 2018 ‘Why the LPGA deserves a major championship at Augusta National‘ for GolfWRX, my view was (and remains the same) that:
“The LPGA players deserve the same equal opportunity as the male players. There may never be the same general interest in the women’s game compared to the men. However, inclusivity is an area that has too often been lacking in the game of golf, and there is now more than enough quality and interest in the women’s game to justify Augusta National staging a women’s major championship.”
Augusta National deserves plenty of credit for the work it was done with the ANWA and the impact that has had.
Chairman Billy Payne said the event would have the “greatest impact on women’s golf.” The winner of the inaugural ANWA was Jennifer Kupcho, who last week won the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Championship.
So what do you think? Is it time the LPGA pros got their chance to tackle Augusta National, or should things stay as they are?
More from the 19th Hole
- 86-year-old Gary Player shows off remarkable club head and ball speed numbers
- ‘Absolutely disgusting’ – LPGA pro blasts Augusta National for its role in major venue change
- ‘Get it out of my face, man!’ – Brooks Koepka snatches phone from fan during tense exchange
- LIKE130
- LEGIT10
- WOW4
- LOL21
- IDHT3
- FLOP17
- OB13
- SHANK255
19th Hole
Brandel Chamblee has a surprising new take on the PGA Tour-LIV stand-off
One of the more outspoken analysts throughout the LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour saga has been Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee.
This week, Chamblee reversed course, saying he believes the PGA Tour should strike a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Private Investment Fund (PIF).
Golf Channel Brandel Chamblee in his biggest about-face since the Framework Agreement on June 6, now says that making a deal with the PIF "is the better end of the bargain."
He says:
"The PGA Tour is in this pickle like it or not, but, do you want to compete with someone (LIV… pic.twitter.com/XDZaC1I6B8
— JCAGOLFReport (@JCAGOLFReport) May 10, 2024
“The PGA Tour is in this pickle like it or not, but, do you want to compete with someone who’s not going to go away, who can outspend you”.
“Every move they make that makes their tour better deletes your tour and causes more division within the tour. So the time is now, to Rory’s point about making a deal, I wouldn’t have said that a year ago… but it is the better end of the bargain.”
Chamblee’s new stance seems to be in line with that of Rory McIlroy, who reportedly wanted to rejoin the PGA Tour board with hopes of pushing a deal with the PIF closer to the finish line.
Chamblee will be in the booth for next week’s PGA Championship which has 16 LIV players in the field.
More from the 19th Hole
- Phil Mickelson drops big retirement hint; Says LIV will grow the game “on a much more global basis”
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Tiger explains why golf has “negative connotations” for daughter Sam
New here?
- LIKE32
- LEGIT10
- WOW5
- LOL3
- IDHT1
- FLOP4
- OB1
- SHANK42
19th Hole
Xander Schauffele explains free drop ruling during round one of Wells Fargo Championship
During Thursday’s opening round of the Wells Fargo Championship, Xander Schauffele blasted his tee shot in the woods to the right of the fairway on the par-4 8th hole.
The ball was almost not found, but Xander’s group managed to track it down just before the three-minute time limit was reached.
When the ball was found, it was just beyond the penalty area close to a fence. In the moment, it seemed incredibly unlikely that Schauffele would be able to hit the ball through the trees towards the green.
However, through the woods and above the fairway, there was a hanging wire from a ShotLink tower that Xander claimed was in his way. He was then granted relief, and two club lengths from the spot positioned him all the way out of trouble. He played his ball onto the front of the green and two-putted for par.
Here is the full video of the interaction between Schauffele and the rules official.
??? #WATCH — The full video of the Xander Schauffele #DropGate situation ?
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 9, 2024
After the round, Xander said he “got really lucky.”
“Got really lucky multiple times, on 1 with Wyndham finding it, 2, being able to move the rocks, and 3, the ShotLink tower being in like my only shot line possible. To walk out there with sort of a no breeze 4 with what I thought was almost out was a really good break.”
“Yeah, I hit it in the trees. My ball was probably like a foot, two feet from the fence. If I — ball was here, fence was kind of here, hitting back this direction.
“If I went towards the green, the fence kind of worked this way so I had what I could hit, a 4-iron or something low and just kind of run it through. If it gets stuck, I’ll just kind of hit my next one out. But I brought the rules official in there with me because I was like, you’ve got to be OK with this because this is literally the only shot I can hit.”
“So Austin [Kaiser] and I moved two massive rocks that weren’t embedded and then I got relief out of the junk and then hit a pretty good shot on the green from there. What was a very stressful moment turned into a pretty stressless par.”
Schauffele finished the round at seven under, which gives him a three-shot lead going into Friday’s second round.
More from the 19th Hole
- Phil Mickelson drops big retirement hint; Says LIV will grow the game “on a much more global basis”
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Tiger explains why golf has “negative connotations” for daughter Sam
New here?
- LIKE8
- LEGIT5
- WOW4
- LOL4
- IDHT0
- FLOP1
- OB1
- SHANK21
19th Hole
Report: Tiger Woods voted against Rory McIlroy returning to policy board; Will be the only player negotiating directly with Saudis
According to a report from The Telegraph, the relationship between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy has soured.
Last week, reports surfaced that McIlroy, who was a member of the PGA Tour policy board during most of the past few years, was looking to rejoin the board, presumably taking Webb Simpson’s seat.
However, on Wednesday, McIlroy revealed that he will not be rejoining the policy board, due to people on the board being “uncomfortable” with that “for some reason.”
Here's Rory McIlroy talking about the PGA Tour policy board and the "subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason." pic.twitter.com/0skNOwtWxz
— Patrick McDonald (@pmcdonaldCBS) May 8, 2024
The Telegraph has reported that Tiger Woods was among the players who voted against McIlroy returning to the policy board.
The divide is apparently due to McIlroy pushing for the game of golf to unify, whereas Woods, reportedly, believes the PGA Tour is in a fine position where it currently stands.
The Associated Press added another wrinkle to the situation, reporting that Woods is the only player who will be negotiating directly with the Saudis.
The other members of the committee are PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, board chairman Joe Gorder, John W. Henry of Fenway Sports Group, and Joe Ogilvie, who was a former PGA Tour player.
- LIKE33
- LEGIT7
- WOW15
- LOL7
- IDHT1
- FLOP3
- OB2
- SHANK37
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole5 days ago
Report: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Gary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Equipment4 days ago
Details on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks ago
Team McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Whats in the Bag5 days ago
Keegan Bradley WITB 2024 (May)