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Morning 9: Tiger’s course gets Tour event | Tour attorneys: LIV backers “ducking” suit | Valero photos

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for the Valero Texas Open where players have their last chance to clinch a spot at next week’s Masters.

1. Eligibility, FedEx Cup changes for 2024

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”Starting next year, there will be 16 designated events, including the four major championships, The Players Championship, three FedExCup playoff events and eight other tournaments that have not yet been announced. To qualify for those eight other events, players must finish inside the top 50 on the previous season’s points list.”

  • “The top 10 players from the current season’s points list will also be eligible for the designated events, as will the top 5 players from each “swing” between designated events. Officials plan to “minimize isolated weeks” between full-field events and designated events, like this year’s Honda Classic, which was wedged between the Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and use those “swings” to create avenues for players to play their way into the bigger tournaments via mini points lists.”
  • “Current year tournament winners and any player inside the top 30 in the world ranking, provided they are a Tour member, will also qualify for the designated events, which will have fields of 70 to 80 players and feature no cut. There will also be four sponsor exemptions who also must be members.”
Full piece.

2. Tour event coming to Tiger’s course

Greg Gottfried for Golf Digest…”The PGA Tour announced on Tuesday morning that the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship will be moved from Mayakoba to El Cardonal Course located at Diamante Cabo San Lucas.”

  • “The Tiger Woods-designed course will be replacing the Greg Norman-designed course after the latter hosted the LIV Golf season opener back in February. Opened in 2014, El Cardonal is the first golf course designed by 82-time PGA Tour winner Woods and TGR Design, and it’ll play host to one of two Mexican events this calendar season along with the Mexico Open at Vidanta.”
Full piece.

3. Tour says LIV backers are “ducking” suit

Golf Digest’s Joel Beall…”On Monday night the tour sought a motion for alternative service to the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia—which serves as the financial backer of LIV Golf—along with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan. Last month a U.S. District Court judge ruled the tour could add PIF and Al-Rumayyan as defendants in the tour’s countersuit.”

  • “In Monday’s filings the tour states it has properly served PIF and Al-Rumayyan with its amended counterclaims in multiple ways, including serving PIF at its headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Arabic translations in according with the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The tour also argues that these fillings have been widely reported on across the world. “And PIF and Mr. Al-Rumayyan have never argued that they do not have notice of the tour’s amended counterclaims—nor could they with a straight face,” the tour’s attorneys write.”
Full piece.

4. How the Valero Texas Open found its place

Max Schreiber for Golf Channel…”In the 2010s, the event flip-flopped on the calendar from a few weeks before or after the Masters. As a result, issues with the strength of field persisted, as many players took time off during that portion of the schedule to either prepare for or rest after the first major of the year.”

  • “But after Valero re-upped its title sponsorship with a 10-year deal in 2017, the Tour found the event a niche on the schedule — the week before the Masters, offering the last remaining spot in the major’s field. If a player isn’t already exempt, a win at TPC San Antonio will send them to Augusta. Corey Conners in 2019 and J.J. Spaun in ‘22 did just that. A few big names, including Rickie Fowler, are hoping the same will happen to them in ‘23.”
  • “The Valero Texas Open was not played in 2020 because of COVID, but like many times before, the event overcame uncertain times and bounced back bigger and better than ever in ‘21, raising a record $16 million for charity.”
  • “That year, the event added another indelible moment to its illustrious history. Jordan Spieth ended a 1,351-day winless drought and added his name to a prestigious list of Texans to win their home state’s open.”
Full piece.

5. Written in the stars for Jordan?

6. Return to LIV

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…”Andy Ogletree has been named in the Crushers GC team for this week’s LIV Golf Orlando event after regular team member Anirban Lahiri withdrew from the Orange County National tournament for personal reasons.”

  • “That will mark the first LIV Golf appearance for the American since his one and only start in the circuit’s first-ever tournament at London’s Centurion Club last June. Back then, the 2019 US Amateur champion finished rock bottom of the individual standings at 24-over for the tournament.”
Full piece.

7. Augusta’s biggest meltdowns

Jeff Ritter for SI…”The Masters is filled with a rich history of golf greatness—and many blunders.”

  • “The history book documents both sides of the ledger, the good and the bad, and a look back at the highest scores on each hole includes a few doozies.”
  • “The highest score recorded on a single hole at the Masters is a 13, which has happened three times: Tommy Nakajima on the 13th hole in 1978, Tom Weiskopf on the 12th hole in 1980 and Sergio Garcia on the 15th hole in 2018.”
Full piece.

8. Faldo to come out of retirement for 2023 Masters

James Corrigan for The Telegraph…”Less than a year after crying live on air when hanging up his microphone on US TV, Sir Nick Faldo has been coaxed back into the booth by Sky Sports to commentate on next week’s Masters for his home audience.”

  • “With the BBC still to sign a contract to screen highlights from the season’s first major, the capture of Faldo is a huge coup for Sky. It is understood that Faldo, who has retired to a ranch in Montana, will also perform the same duties for the subscription service at the Open at Hoylake in July.”
  • “This will be the first time the six-time major winner will be working solely for Sky, although the 65-year-old did appear occasionally as a studio guest when he was contracted to CBS.”
Full piece.

9. Photos from the Valero Texas Open

  • Check out all of our galleries here!
Full piece.
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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Peter Sallis

    Mar 31, 2023 at 2:46 am

    LIV players sound nice and healthy just like some weird cult. At least they can rely on James Corrigan for PR.

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News

Morning 9: Donald to stay on as captain? | Azinger tips Tiger for 2025 captaincy | LPGA seeking investment

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as the fallout from the Ryder Cup continues.

1. Stick around, Luke!

AP report…”European captain Luke Donald was delivering his Ryder Cup victory speech in front of a giddy crowd at Marco Simone when his celebrating players standing beside him started a chant that quickly swept through the grandstands.”

  • “Two more years” was the cry, seemingly led by Rory McIlroy and drawing a broad smile from Donald.”
  • …”No one has captained Europe in back-to-back Ryder Cups since Bernard Gallagher did so, three times in a row in fact, in 1991, ’93 and then ’95. Back then, that wasn’t rare, with Tony Jacklin and John Jacobs having also repeated before Gallagher.”
Full piece.

2. Rory: The angriest I’ve been in a long time

Tom Morgan for the Telegraph…”When asked what had annoyed him most, he added: “The fact that on the 17th green and 18th green I’m trying to get the crowd to quieten down to let Patrick hit his putt. I was trying to afford Patrick the opportunity to do what he did, which is great. And then I’m trying to read my putt on 18 and he’s standing directly in my way. So I don’t feel like I was afforded the same opportunity to make my putt as Patrick was. I was trying to do the right thing. And that was exactly the wrong thing to do. And that’s not the way the game should be played. Especially by a caddie. Well, caddie, player, whatever. I just thought it was completely disrespectful. That’s the angriest I’ve been in a long time.”

Full piece.

3. LPGA seeking investment

Karl Matchett for the Independent…”Over the past two weeks, the sport’s centre stage has been on the team environment rather than the more frequent solo play tournaments, with first the Solheim Cup and then the Ryder Cup both providing thrilling drama and exceptional storylines across the course.”

  • “But while the men’s event pitching golfers from the USA against the best Europe has to offer was reportedly shown for over 100 hours across US television channels, the women’s event – the Solheim Cup – had only 25 hours across cable TV and streaming, report the Financial Times.”
  • “As such, the LPGA is keen to take advantage of the growth in popularity the sport is enjoying, with the FT further reporting the organisation’s commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, confirming that a “strategic planning partner” would soon be appointed to oversee opportunities around external investment. That comes on the back of a commercial partnership agreed two months ago with the owners of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Group.”
Full piece.

4. Stefan Schauffele, too

GolfWRX Staff…”Speaking to The Times, Xander Schauffele’s father, Stefan, has sensationally claimed that his son’s spot in the side was in jeopardy up until just a few weeks ago.”

  • “Before the biennial contest, players sign a player participation agreement. However, per Schauffele’s father, both Xander and Patrick Cantlay had requested amendments made to the contract drawn up by the PGA of America.”
  • “Amongst these amendments requested was denying a Netflix camera crew entry into the US locker room (which players would not directly benefit from financially.)”
  • “Per the report, the issue was eventually put to a vote by Zach Johnson, and the players voted unanimously in favour of denying Netflix access to their team room.”
  • Speaking to The Times, Xander Schauffele’s father sounded off on the PGA of America, saying:
  • “The PGA of America were not willing to even talk to us about [the three amendments]. It was very late in the schedule right before the team came here [to Rome] to practice because they had moved the deadline and they said, ‘If you don’t sign it by then, you’re off the team’, but they never gave us the contact information of their legal counsel.
  • “Saturday morning of Labour Day weekend [September 2], finally, the head of the PGA of America got wind of this, because it was not him that was blocking it, and put our lawyers in contact with the PGA of America’s general counsel, and then it took a few hours to hash it out and it was fine. Then I received a message that Xander was back on the team. That you can quote. That’s the extent of this and I think it’s shameful.”
Full piece.

5. Kneecapping home-field advantage?

Via Golf Channel…”It’s also time to create a neutral setup. Although the Marco Simone layout wasn’t nearly as extreme as Paris in ’18, it clearly favored the Europeans with slow green speeds and narrow fairways lined with thick rough. It was a similarly biased setup in ’16 at Hazeltine National, with virtually no rough and PGA Tour-quality green speeds that clearly favored the home team.”

  • “Instead of Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA of America being in charge of Ryder Cup setups, it would likely even the playing field if a neutral party handled those duties. For matches in the United States, let the USGA set up the course; in Europe, it could be the R&A’s responsibility.”
  • “Officials should also give the visitors more flexibility in building the right team by allowing the captain 12 picks, with the home captain getting six. Instead of being hamstrung by automatic qualifiers who might not fit the team, the course or the team room, give the visiting captain complete autonomy to bring the appropriate 12 players.”
Full piece.

6. Calendar adjustment for better form?

Ed Carruthers for the Daily Mail…”Apart from a practice trip to Marco Simone earlier in September there was little opportunity for the American team to come together, never mind play competitively.”

  • “If you asked us when we would like to play the Ryder Cup relative to our schedule, I think we would probably say, give us a week after the Tour Championship or two weeks after and then go, instead of five,’ said Spieth.”
  • ‘It’s hard for me to speak for the rest of the team. For me personally, I’d like to feel pretty sharp going in and obviously individually, I did not have the opportunity to even play any of those events where I may have.
  • ‘But that’s just how I feel. Some guys come off a few weeks off, go through some prep and play great after more time off.
  • ‘I can only answer that question individually, and this year, it wasn’t going to happen.
  • ‘If it were tighter to our Tour Championship and/or even if it were later and we had more of an opportunity to get a little rest and play more of an event or something then it helps a bit.
  • ‘If you look at how that played at the BMW, which is one of the bigger events of the year, and 10 of the 12 finish in the top 15 or something they were in great form.
Full piece.

7. Azinger: Tiger vs Sergio in 2025?

Bunkered report…Tiger Woods has been tipped by former Ryder Cup winning skipper Paul Azinger to lead the United States at Bethpage Black in 2025.

  • “When Azinger’s co-commentator Dan Hicks speculated that “there’s a guy named Eldrick available,” in relation to the next captaincy, he replied:
  • “Yeah, I think he might be the next captain.
  • “Bethpage Black would be a perfect matchup for he and Sergio Garcia actually. Who you never know, two years from now, where we’re going to be.” He then called that rivalry a possible “all-timer.”
Full piece.

8. Rory: Absence of LIV pros allowed team to flourish

Ewan Murray for The Guardian..”Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry believe the absence of high-profile LIV rebels from Europe’s Ryder Cup team allowed younger members to shine.”

  • “Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio García – all icons for Europe in the biennial event – missed out on the 16½-11½ victory against the US in Italy after their switch to the Saudi Arabia-backed circuit. Ludvig Åberg, Nicolai Højgaard and Robert MacIntyre featured in the winning team as rookies with McIlroy among the more experienced members in the camp.
  • “They’ve had unbelievable Ryder Cup careers and they’ve made their choices,” McIlroy said of the LIV contingent. “They’ve done what they’ve done and no one can take away the impact that they’ve had for the European team over the years.
  • “But I feel like this week not having those big personalities in the team room let other guys have that chance to flourish and to shine: Viktor [Hovland], Jon [Rahm], myself; there wasn’t a ton of space taken up in that room by some of the other big personalities and that just let the rest of the team flourish. It’s a young team. We can all grow together. I could potentially be the oldest person on the team next time. It’s a new era and it’s a pretty good one.”
Full piece.

9. Sanderson Farms Championship photos

  • Check out all of our galleries here
Full piece.
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Trending @ 2nd Swing Golf: Titleist T200 irons and 4 more hot products

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GolfWRX is proud to partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you a new bi-monthly series “Trending @ Swing Golf.” 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online.

In this series, we’ll bring you a roundup of some exciting finds from the golf equipment retailer — and these aren’t your standard bestsellers!

Let’s dig in to this inaugural edition of Trending @ 2nd Swing Golf.

Titleist T200 irons

2nd Swing says: Titleist engineers went to work optimizing the sound and feel of the latest T200 model, and it proved successful. Additionally, both in testing and in 2nd Swing Tour Van fittings, the T200 irons have been among the most consistent players distance irons available. Plus, the T200 has been a popular long iron for better players.

Buy here.

Rapsodo MLM2PRO launch monitor

2nd Swing says: A fantastic new product at an affordable price, the Rapsodo MLM2PRO launch monitor provides superb value for golfers looking to improve their games this winter.

Buy here.

Callaway Apex UW ’24

2nd Swing says: The new Callaway Apex Utility Wood (UW), part of the 2024 Apex Pro series, is a rocket launcher. In testing, it has delivered ball speeds and distances comparable to a fairway wood despite the having the shape and aesthetic of a hybrid.

Buy here.

Ping i230 irons

2nd Swing says: Ping took their time replacing the i210, but the new i230 irons have turned out to be the winning formula. The i230s offer a slightly slimmer profile and more consistency than their predecessor.

Buy here.

Ping iCrossover

2nd Swing says: The iCrossover has been a favorite among better players in 2nd Swing fittings thanks to the stealthy black PVD finish and a compact shape that delivers high ball speeds and superb control.

Buy here.

 

 

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Morning 9: Europeans reign in Rome | Zach: I wouldn’t change anything | Cantlay denies protest claim

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as the dust settles on another thrilling Ryder Cup.

1. Europe wins 16.5-11.5

PGATour.com staff report…”Europe successfully defended its home turf with a 16.5-11.5 victory over the United States at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy. Things got tight as the final few matches turned to the final nine of Sunday Singles, with the U.S. Team looking to stage a historic comeback, but Tommy Fleetwood delivered the clinching moment in style on the short par-4 16th hole. Fleetwood drove the green and was eventually conceded the hole, as his opponent Rickie Fowler hit his tee shot into the water. This put Fleetwood 2-up with two holes to play. With Europe already at 14 points, needing 14.5 points to win the Cup, no math remained that would allow the U.S. Team to retain the Cup.”

  • “At the time, four matches remained on the course, with the U.S. Team needing to win all four to retain the Ryder Cup. The doubt created some uneasy moments for the European squad down the stretch, but it made the eventual victory all the sweeter.”
  • “Europe carried a five-point advantage into Sunday Singles, 10.5 to 5.5, and weathered the Americans’ feisty comeback effort to earn a 6-6 split on the final day. It was more than enough to regain the Ryder Cup, which the U.S. Team won by a 19-9 margin in 2021 at Whistling Straits.”
Full piece.

2. Takeaways for the teams

Our Ron Montesano…”When the USA squad looks back on this year’s loss, it will point to two specific periods of time in 2023, as critical. The first was the first week of May, when the Italian Open was contested on the Marco Simone course. Not one USA team member showed up to compete, depriving the entire side of an opportunity to play the course in tournament conditions. The next was the first three weeks of September, when the PGA Tour was done for the year, but the DP World Tour was at full speed. Not one USA team member journeyed east to play former Ryder Cup course in Ireland and France. In a nutshell, it seems that the USA were underprepared, and they could ill-afford to arrive in that state.”

  • “Congratulations to Europe. Once again, they proved themselves to be the Ted Lasso of teams. They showed the world that they like each other, and that they can pass this affinity and affection down, from one generation to the next.”
Full piece.

3. From the winning-point winner

Tommy Fleetwood…”I really didn’t want it to come down to one of us at the back,” Fleetwood said. “I can’t wait to see the rest of the guys, I can’t wait to see the captain, our wives and the rest of our families.

  • “I’m just so happy to play a part in it and so proud to be part of this team. We’ve done what we came here to do. I couldn’t wish for a better bunch of people to do this with. It has been so amazing. It’s the coolest experience.”
Full piece.

4. LaCava extends olive branch to McIlroy

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”American caddie Joe LaCava reached out to Rory McIlroy late Saturday, according to NBC Sports reporter Steve Sands, following one of the most contentious days in modern Ryder Cup history.”

  • “LaCava texted McIlroy’s camp, “Love you guys, I have nothing but respect.”
Full piece.

5. McIlroy denies

Golfweek’s Adam Woodard…”McIlroy’s team reportedly said they felt the same way, which led to LaCava asking for a face-to-face meeting with McIlroy on Sunday morning. According to Sands, that brief meeting happened, and “everything’s been diffused.”

  • “Well, McIlroy begs to differ. After his 3-and-1 singles victory over Sam Burns, Golf Channel’s Cara Banks asked McIlroy about the meeting with LaCava, and the four-time major champion said it didn’t happen.”
  • “I haven’t met Joe,” said McIlroy, shaking his head.
  • “I was focused. I was very focused,” he said of his mindset entering the final match. “I let it fuel me, I didn’t let it take away from what’s been a fantastic week. I used that little incident last night to my advantage.”
Full piece.

6. Zach Johnson: I wouldn’t change anything

Tom Hamilton for ESPN…”Speaking after the end of the competition Sunday, Johnson said he was still processing the three days and would love to start the whole week again.

  • “Four years from now, hopefully we’ll implement a better process certainly than I did and we can show up in Ireland, obviously retain it, get it back in New York [at Bethpage Black in 2025], but keep it once we go back to Ireland,” Johnson said. “So, playing on foreign soil, I mean, I wouldn’t have it any other way as the leader. That’s the way I’m wired. I mean, I don’t know.
  • “I love playing in front of our fans. I know these guys would probably say the same thing. I know they would say the same thing. But there’s something special about coming over here and having to fight because it’s hard, and I like the fight. So, I wouldn’t change anything.”
Full piece.

7. Cantlay denies protest, pay claims

Jessica Marksbury for Golf.com…In the aftermath of Cantlay’s win, NBC Sports’ Steve Sands asked Cantlay once again to comment on the report’s claims.

  • “It’s totally false,” Cantlay said. “It couldn’t be further from the truth. There hasn’t been one word of that all week. The U.S. Team has been close all week. It’s just outright lies.
  • “Yeah, not a shred of truth in the article that just one journalist wrote,” he continued. “It’s crazy that one journalist can put a tweet out there totally unfounded with complete lies and (indiscernible). The crowd ran with it, and I tried to have fun with them all day, smile.”
Full piece.

8. Si-Woo and Sungjae earn military service exemption

Adam Schupak for Golfweek..”While the focus of the golf world this week was the Ryder Cup in Italy, something equally special was happening in Hangzhou, China, at the Asian Games.””

  • “South Koreans Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im helped their home country win the gold medal in golf. That’s a big deal for one reason: It makes the two PGA Tour pros — Im is ranked 27th in the world while Kim is No. 40 — exempt from serving the two-year mandatory military service that is required in Korea.”
  • “Teaming with amateurs Jang Yu-bin and Cho Woo-young, Im, 25, and Kim, 28, cruised to a 25-stroke win over Thailand for the team gold medal Sunday at the West Lake International Golf Course. It was the country’s first men’s golf title in 13 years.”
  • “All able-bodied males are obligated to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military once they turn 19. They can postpone the date of their service but without a significant cultural justification, like an Olympic medal, service is mandatory.”
Full piece.

9. Brooks recruiting?

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