19th Hole
US Women’s Open leader credits fiancé’s clever idea for putting success at Pine Needles
When you’re struggling with your short game, a trip to the US Open is not exactly a tempting proposition.
- Related: ‘Love that for us’ – Multiple LPGA Tour champ takes aim at LIV Golf ahead of US Women’s Open
However, despite lying 106th for greens-in-regulation, 45th in putting average and 76th for birdies made throughout 2022, Mina Harigae leapt to the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the US Women’s Open at Pine Needles.
Players are often tinkering with their short game in the search of perfection, and already this week we have seen Jordan Spieth try a multitude of putters before sticking with his trusty old Scotty Cameron for the first round of The Memorial. It’s no irony then to hear 32-year-old Harigae saying her opening 64 was, “Jordan Spieth-esque out there today.”
Harigae, who made her Solheim Cup debut last year, knocked in a 10-footer for birdie at the opening par-five before the floodgates opened.
A five-birdie, no bogey, front nine 30 put the former Junior Ryder and Solheim cupper on her way, and whilst she couldn’t match that coming home, four birdies and two bogeys saw her card the second lowest round in championship history and her first round in the 60s in 13 years of playing at the prestigious event.
How unexpected was @minaharigae's dominant 64 in Round 1? In 36 previous career #USWomensOpen rounds, she had never broken 70.
Her spectacular effort is the @Lexus Top Performance of the Day. #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/Ws7lbK2tXV
— U.S. Women's Open (USGA) (@uswomensopen) June 3, 2022
So what happened that created such a positive change?
Harigae explained all after her round, “Finally late yesterday Travis just did one little thing and I was like, ‘Hey, this feels like last year again.’ … it was basically keeping the top of my putter grip more level. So he just put his hand on top of the grip as I stroked, and it was a lot better.”
The Travis she refers is to Travis Kreiter, fiancé and caddie, who was also happy to explain his part.
“She has a tendency to get her left shoulder up and out,” he said to Golfweek, “and kind of hit putts weak and right. I just had her hit putts, and I put my finger on the top of the grip while she hit putts and she started to hit it more solid.”
Minor changes but potentially crucial ones as she bids to win in North Carolina, the Tar Heel state, former home of Michael Jordan, basketball legend.
After all, both Mina and Travis are huge Jordan fans, particularly the shoes, a collection that she admits (with a smile) might be, “kind of out of control.”
Having bought 10 pairs of Jordans in the last few weeks, she says the collection of Kreiter’s dwarfs her own, but anything that inspires and seems to work is all good in the world of professional sport.
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19th Hole
“Is it a Titleist?” – Jerry Seinfeld shares never-before-heard details of iconic scene
On Thursday, legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld joined the Rich Eisen Show and shared an awesome story from a “Seinfeld” episode titled “The Marine Biologist.”
In the episode, a golf ball goes into the blow hole of a whale. According to Seinfeld, that was never in the episode’s script.
Seinfeld recalls saying the night before the filming of the episode, “What if what puts the whale in distress is Kramer’s golf ball?”
“He’s hitting golf balls at the beach. George is at the beach with a girl, we haven’t connected them!”
“We write that speech the night before at two o’clock in the morning…The sea was angry that day my friend.”
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Kramer finishes the iconic scene by asking “Is it a Titleist?” Seinfeld told Eisen the show sought Titleist’s permission to mention its name, saying the ball had to be a Titleist. Fortunately for lovers of the iconic show, the company agreed.
If (somehow) you’re unfamiliar with the scene, check it out below.
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
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19th Hole
Phil Mickelson drops big retirement hint; Says LIV will grow the game ‘on a much more global basis’
While speaking with Bloomberg, golf legend Phil Mickelson acknowledged that he is inching close towards retirement.
“I’m 53 now,” Phil said, “and my career, you know, it’s — if I’m being truthful, it’s on — it’s — it’s — I’m a — it’s towards its end.”
Mickelson added that one of his focuses now is helping other young players.
“Now, I would like to help others find the same enjoyment and fulfillment that the game has provided me. I’d like them to experience that as well.”
The six-time major champion credited LIV with reaching new markets in golf to help it grow.
“I think that’s exciting for everyone involved in the game because we are going to reach markets that we didn’t reach before. I think it’s going to inspire more golf courses, inspire more manufacturers selling clubs and equipment, but also inspiring young kids to try to play golf professionally. I just see that the game of golf is going to grow on a much more global basis because of the excitement and the presence that LIV Golf has.”
Mickelson is playing at this week’s LIV Singapore and shot a first round 72 (+1).
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- 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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19th Hole
Tiger explains why golf has ‘negative connotations’ for daughter Sam
While Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, has certainly inherited his father’s love for golf, his daughter, Sam, has not.
On Wednesday, Tiger made an appearance on The Today Show with Carson Daly and explained his daughter’s relationship with golf.
“Golf has negative connotations for her. When she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her. I had to pack, I had to leave, and I was gone for weeks. So, there were negative connotations to it.
“We developed our own relationship and our own rapport outside of golf. We do things that doesn’t involve golf. Meanwhile, my son and I, everything we do is golf related.”
The nine-minute interview touches on plenty of other subjects, such as Tiger’s relationship with his late father, Earl.
It’s arguably the most open we’ve seen the 15-time major champion in an interview and is most definitely worth watching.
Tiger Woods sits down with Carson Daly to talk about golf, growing up in Southern California, his father and his new apparel line, Sun Day Red. pic.twitter.com/2TFbSNxzxq
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 1, 2024
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- 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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