19th Hole

Major champ tips Tiger Woods to win another major

Published

1 year ago

Dec 16, 2022

Last season, Tiger Woods teed it up in three of the four major championships, making the cut at The Masters and the PGA Championship. Considering he had just recently recovered from a catastrophic injury as the result from his car crash in February of 2021, it’s difficult to view his season as anything other than a success.

Related: ‘What in the holy golden bell did I just see?’ – Why Tiger left Brandel Chamblee stunned during the Match

The fact that Woods was able to make the cut at Augusta National and walk the course for four days was an encouraging sign, but things went downhill from there for the 15-time major champion. Tiger made the cut at the PGA Championship, but was limping badly during his third round, and withdrew after shooting 79 (+9), which was a career-worst score at the event. The injury kept him out of the U.S. Open and he then missed the cut at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.

At 46 years old, most people don’t expect Tiger Woods to contend in major championships at this stage of his career. But there are still some in the game who believe in Woods’ ability to overcome adversity.

At this week’s PNC Championship, Padraig Harrington was asked about Tiger’s chances going forward.

“I think he’ll win another Major. The way I looked at him, I genuinely think he will be in contention. And as I said, I’m sure he wishes every tournament he could play, if it’s like a Major, he’s going to have a chance.”

Harrington acknowledged that walking is still a major hurdle for Tiger, but believes if he can get to the back nine on Sunday he’s as dangerous as ever.

“He’s struggling, the walk. You know, I’m like that. I’m on the Champions Tour, I get to go in a cart, which is great. Tiger, if you can get him to the last nine holes of a tournament, I don’t think you’re going to have a problem,” Harrington said.

“And he looked good physically. As I said, he looked better at that match. So, you know, I’m not saying he “could be,” I actually believe he will be a danger.”

Part of the reason for the Irishman’s optimism is the fact that Tiger has improved so much on his ball speed.

“Saw the numbers. Looking at the speed numbers. So I want to go and see it in person and see.”

“Tiger, if he’s not in contention, I don’t know if he doesn’t lose interest, but when he got in contention in the Masters, everybody took note, as in the rest of the field took note. So, Tiger knows if he can get himself into position, that he’ll raise his game and put a little bit of pressure and stress on the rest of the field.

“I think he needs a little bit of physicality as in that ball speed. It’s just tough if you go out there against these young guys, there’s so many of them that they’re hitting it and they’re overpowering golf courses.

“If you’re not somewhat able to keep up there, initially, I don’t think I would – you’re not doubting Tiger being good down the last nine holes, but the little bit of extra speed will help him because in the first 63 holes, that the last nine holes, you know, who would want to be coming down the stretch against Tiger, all these young guys, you know.

“You know he’s capable of doing anything at that stage. And, yeah, I think he’s in a better position to get himself into that last nine holes.”

There’s still plenty of questions about Woods’ future, but with his horrific car crash now almost two years in the rearview, 2023 should give us a better glimpse as to what Tiger may be capable of from this point on.

Butch Harmon reveals what he worked on with Rory McIlroy during visit earlier this year

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

While speaking on the “Son of a Butch” Podcast, legendary swing coach Butch Harmon revealed what he worked on with Rory McIlroy when the four-time major champion went to visit him after the Players Championship this season.

Butch Harmon on what he worked on with Rory:

“The work I did with him wasn’t a tremendous amount of changing what he did, it was his attitude and the way he played certain shots. From 150 yards and in he made a full swing like he was hitting a driver and I wanted him to make…

— Matt Vincenzi (@MattVincenziPGA) May 15, 2024

“The work I did with him wasn’t a tremendous amount of changing what he did, it was his attitude and the way he played certain shots. From 150 yards and in he made a full swing like he was hitting a driver and I wanted him to make more 3 quarter swings and chop the follow through off a little. He’s a very high ball hitter, but with short irons high balls aren’t good, it’s hard to control, we wanted to bring the ball flight down.”

The work certainly seemed to help McIlroy, as he went on to win the Zurich Classic alongside Shane Lowry and the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in back-to-back starts.

Rory will now tee it up at Valhalla for the PGA Championship, which is the site of his most recent major victory in 2014.

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19th Hole

Brandel Chamblee says this technological development was key to Phil Mickelson winning major championships

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

While speaking with GolfWRX, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee shared that he believes the solid core golf ball helped Phil Mickelson win major championships.

“One of the consequences of the solid core golf ball coming around was it put the straightest of hitters in the rough.

“Phil started winning majors in 2004, I don’t think that’s any coincidence. I think he started winning majors after the solid core golf ball came along and put everybody in the rough.

“And so [Phil] is like ‘I got you in the rough, I’m going to kick your a**. This is my game. I’ve been in the rough my whole career. I can go over trees, through trees, around trees.’

“Because he’s got that amazing creativity and Phil is an underrated iron player, phenomenal iron player. Great, great great out of the trouble. If you put the top-40 players on a list and ranked them in terms of accuracy, he would be 40th.

“So, I think that was one of the consequences of the solid core golf balls was it allowed Phil to win major championships.”

Mickelson went on to win the Masters in 2004 as well as five additional majors from 2004-2021 including three total Masters, two PGA Championships, and an Open Championship.

Check out the full interview with Chamblee below:

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Former Augusta National employee pleads guilty to transporting stolen Masters memorabilia; Arnold Palmer’s green jacket among stolen items

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man was charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National last month.

The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.

The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”

The document was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Since then, more details have emerged about the case.

According to Darren Rovell of Cllct, one of the items that was stolen was Arnold Palmer’s green jacket.

The Chicago Tribune also reported that Globensky was able to steal the merchandise due to his role as a former warehouse coordinator at Augusta National who oversaw the Masters merchandise that was sold.

Rovell states that “A source with intimate knowledge of the case said an Augusta National member, who knew the jacket was missing, contacted a well-known collector who had gained a reputation for tracking down rare items. The member’s goal was to return the jacket to Augusta under the guise of purchasing it in a private sale.”

The plan worked, and the man agreed to sell the jacket for an agreed upon price of $3.6 million. After the sale was complete, the FBI swarmed the house of the thief.

Cllct also reported that Globensky pled guilty in a federal court in Chicago on Wednesday and now faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Chicago Tribune adds that Globensky’s plea deal includes an agreement to provide the government a cashier’s check for $1.5 million in the next few days.