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Morning 9: Conners wins in Texas | Zhang victorious at ANWA | Brooks makes LIV history

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, and welcome to Masters week. Azaleas, green jackets, and egg salad sandwiches, oh my!

It’s hard to believe that at last year’s Masters Tournament, LIV Golf was looking like a ship sunk by Phil Mickelson’s “scary m—fers” missiles. The USGA, via a March announcement, had signaled a ball rollback was in its sights, but skepticism abounded regarding whether the governing body would indeed “do something” about the 30-year trend of distance creep at the professional level. And, perhaps most importantly, the Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich was still on the Masters concessions menu.

As a refresher on the tournament itself, Scottie Scheffler (of vest-wrestling fame) who led the tournament by a record-tying five strokes following the second round never relinquished the lead en route to a three-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy. Cameron Smith, now a member of Ripper GC, as you well know, had narrowed Scheffler’s lead to a stroke after the second hole. But when Scheffler birdied the third via a majestic pitch-in and Smith bogeyed, the march to victory was on for the native of Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Storylines

  • Can Scottie Scheffler become the fourth back-to-back winner in Masters history?
  • Rory McIlroy’s neverending pursuit of the career grand slam (and first major W since 2014)
  • Tiger Woods (necessary inclusion)
  • What will Phil do?
  • LIV – PGA Tour golfer tension in general, at the Champions Dinner, specifically, where six LIV Golfers will be in attendance….and so will Fred Couples.
  • Lengthened 13th: Par-5 13th, Azalea, will play 35 yards longer.
  • Chairman Ridley’s Wednesday press conference, for reasons LIV and rollback-ish

We asked ChatGPT why the Masters pimento cheese sandwiches are so popular. Here’s the reply from the generative language model.

The Masters pimento cheese sandwiches are popular for a few reasons. First, they are a staple of the Masters golf tournament, which is one of the most prestigious and widely watched golf tournaments in the world. This creates a sense of exclusivity and tradition around the sandwiches.

Second, the sandwiches themselves are delicious and have a unique flavor. They are made with a mixture of sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and pimentos, and served on white bread. The combination of flavors and textures is both satisfying and comforting.

Finally, the low price of the sandwiches adds to their popularity. At the Masters tournament, the sandwiches are famously inexpensive, which makes them accessible to everyone and adds to the sense of community and shared experience among golf fans.

1 “I definitely love Texas”

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Corey Conners rocked the traditional winner’s boots again, this time after stomping the field on Sunday at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, Texas.”

  • “Conners notched his second PGA Tour victory – both at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course – by shooting a bogey-free 4-under 68, one stroke better than Texas native Sam Stevens.”
  • “…The 31-year-old Conners, who trailed by one stroke entering the final day after rounds of 64-72-69, carded three birdies on the front nine, including an 18-footer from the fringe at nine to build a four-stroke advantage at the turn.”
Full piece.

2. ANWA: Zhang fights back to win

Via Golf Channel Digital…”Staked to a five-shot lead, she was 4 over par through seven holes when the final round at the home of the Masters was delayed 3 1/2 hours by storms. She made a bad decision on the par-5 15th to go for the green and went in the water. And she had to watch Jenny Bae stand over a 20-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole with a chance to win.”

  • “Zhang overcame it all. The only easy shot Saturday was her final stroke, tapping in for par from inches away on the second extra hole to beat Bae in a playoff no one saw coming.”
Full piece.

3. Ruoning Yin wins LA Open

Todd Kelly for Golfweek…”Ruoning Yin of China parlayed her first 36- and 54-hole leads into her first LPGA victory.”

  • “Yin, 20, shot 68-63-67-71 for a 1-shot victory at 15 under Sunday at the Dio Implant LA Open at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, California, fending off England’s Georgia Hall.”
  • “Yin turned pro at age 17 on the China LPGA and promptly won her first three events there. Now she’s a winner on the LPGA. She is the second golfer from China to win, joining Shanshan Fang.”
Full piece.

4. Brooks first LIV golfer to 2 wins

AP report…”Brooks Koepka became the first multiple winner in LIV Golf when he closed with a 3-under 68, making a 4-foot par putt on the final hole for a one-shot victory over Sebastian Munoz.”

  • “LIV Golf-Orlando came one week before Koepka and 17 other players in the Saudi-funded league go to Augusta National for the Masters.”
  • “Going into next week, that’s what you want to see,” Koepka said, who finished at 15-under 198 at Orange County National.
Full piece.

5. Tiger arrives in Augusta

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”If there were any lingering questions about Tiger Woods competing in the 87th Masters this week, he answered them by showing up to practice at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday…Woods, 47, has competed in just one official PGA Tour event in more than seven months, tying for 45th in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles in February…Woods, a five-time Masters champion, arrived at the practice range Sunday around 3 p.m. ET and hit balls for about 30 minutes. It will be his 25th start in the Masters.”

Full piece.

6. Norman: LIV golfers’ celebration plan

Jay Coffin for Golf Digest…”Norman told NewsCorp on Saturday that if one of the 18 LIV players invited to the Masters happens to win late Sunday, the other 17 will meet the victor for a celebration near Augusta National’s 18th green.”

  • “If one of the guys, no matter who it is, they are all going to be there on the 18th green, they are all going to be there, and that just gives me goosebumps to think about,” Norman said. “When you walk up 18, your caddie hugs you then you see your wife or your mum and dad. Now, to have those 17 other guys there, that’s the spirit we want.”
Full piece.

7. Woosnam hits out at ‘rubbish’ rollback plan

Michael McEwan for Bunkered…”Ian Woosnam has criticised the R&A and USGA over their golf ball rollback proposals, insisting that they don’t go far enough.”

  • The 1991 Masters champion believes that plans to introduce a Model Local Rule, designed to knock up to 15 yards off tee shots for the biggest hitters at the top-end of the game, will make little material difference.
  • Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 65-year-old said: “They’re trying to roll this ball out. Take five per cent off [the shot length]. Is that going to make any difference? It’s rubbish really.
  • “There should be clubs and golf balls for professionals and keep the game as it is for amateurs. There is a scope for doing that.
  • “If you wanted to turn professional, this is the equipment you use. Take 25 per cent off the golf ball or the club.”
Full piece.

8. Rodgers on winless frustration

Shane Ryan for Golf Digest…”As Rodgers began his surge to the top of the leaderboard on Friday, it was an occasion to remember the amateur career that seemed to augur big things on the professional level: the way he tied Tiger Woods’ wins record at Stanford, winning the Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s top college golfer and spending 16 weeks as the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world. Now, he has held four 54-hole leads in a PGA Tour career that is creeping up on 10 years, but hasn’t converted any of them.

  • “Yeah, disappointing day, but great experience, great to be in that environment,” he said after his round. “Honestly, hats off to Corey … he was clearly quite a bit better than I was today, but definitely something I’ll learn from and bounce back stronger.”
Full piece.

9. Conners’s Winning WITB

Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees)

Shaft: UST LIN-Q M40X 6F5

3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black Prototype 75 6.5

Hybrid: Ping G425 (19 degrees @20.5)

Shaft: UST VTS Red Hybrid 85 X

Irons: Ping iBlade (4-PW)

Shafts: Project X 120 6.0

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50-S12, 56-S12), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (60-08M)

Shafts: Project X 120 6.0

Putter: Putter: PLD Prime Tyne H

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Full piece.
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GolfWRX Editor-in-Chief

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Hoos

    Apr 3, 2023 at 10:54 am

    LFG Brooks!!!
    They’re worried about LIV guys stirring things up, when it’s all on the old timers to just keep it cordial but they’re losing their minds, idiots like Freedie.
    And there’s Eldrick, another homewrecker, it’s no wonder why he gets along with morons like Freedie and Faildo who are the same, lets grill Eldrick on his latest episode of kick-the-woman-out-of-the-house

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News

Morning 9: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Friday morning, golf fans, may a bountiful weekend of golf be in store for you!

1. 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour

KFT staff report…”Frankie Capan III went crazy low Thursday on the Korn Ferry Tour. Nearly in record fashion.”

  • “Capan carded 13-under 58 in the opening round of the Veritex Bank Championship, matching the second lowest score in Korn Ferry Tour history. He fell one shy of Cristobal Del Solar’s record 57, set at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard earlier this year, but it was a heck of a show nonetheless.”
  • “The Minnesota native played an eight-hole stretch in 9-under Thursday, following an eagle at the par-5 ninth with seven straight birdies to begin the back nine at par-71 Texas Rangers Golf Club. He “cooled off” with a two-putt par at the long par-4 17th hole. He arrived at the par-5 18th hole at 13 under for the round, but he found a fairway bunker off the tee, laid up to 134 yards and missed his third shot left of the green. He chipped to 7 feet and drained the par putt to match the Korn Ferry Tour’s second-lowest score of 58, carded by Stephan Jaeger in the opening round of the 2016 Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae.”
Full piece.

2. Team McIlowery starts strong

Paul Hodowanic for PGATour.com…”Late Thursday afternoon in New Orleans, Rory McIlroy rested his head on Shane Lowry’s shoulder.”

  • “It wasn’t the typical post-round moment, but this isn’t the typical event. McIlroy and Lowry teamed up for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA TOUR’s lone team event, and the all-Irish duo put on a show. Sporting matching pink-on-navy getups, McIlroy/Lowry opened in a best-ball 11-under 61 in Thursday’s Four-ball format at TPC Louisiana.”
  • “This partnership might have stemmed from a boozy brunch last fall, but their opening-round performance at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gave the field a sobering reminder: They’ll be tough to top.”
Full piece.

3. LPGA Tour: Grace Kim in front

AP report…”Grace Kim shot a 7-under 64 at Wilshire Country Club to take the first-round lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”

  • “Playing in the morning session, the 23-year-old Australian capped her bogey-free round with a chip-in birdie on the par-3 18th.”
  • “Well, I chunked my tee shot on the last hole 20 meters short and then I chipped it in it,” Kim said. “I think that’s pretty cool, in front of everyone
Full piece.

4. McIlroy on rejoining policy board

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that he is willing to rejoin the PGA Tour policy board if the other player directors want him.”

  • “As first reported by the Guardian, Webb Simpson has submitted a letter stating that he’d like to resign from the board, but only if his vacant seat is filled by McIlroy, who stepped down last fall because of the toll it had taken on him professionally and personally.”
  • “Five months later, what has changed?”
  • “I think I can be helpful,” McIlroy said Wednesday ahead of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he is partnering with Shane Lowry. “I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess.”
Full piece.

5. Charlie Woods shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier

Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan…”Charlie Woods is going to have to wait to play in the U.S. Open.”

“The 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods played Thursday in local qualifying for the United States Golf Association’s national championship, set for June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Charlie played at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and he shot 9-over 81.”

“Charlie’s round featured a bogey on his opening hole, the par-4 first. He then doubled the par-5 second. A pair of pars followed before his lone birdie on the front, but another double the next hole, the par-4 sixth, had him turn in 4-over 40.”

Full piece.

6. Photos from the Zurich Classic

GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.

Check out all our photos at the link below!

Full piece.
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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

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GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.

As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.

Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying about our photos from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in the forums.

 

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Morning 9: Tiger’s TGL teammates | Woosnam’s criticism of Cantlay | Rory’s return to tour policy board

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour heads to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic.

1. 15-year-old finishes top 20 on KFT

Jay Coffin for Golf Digest…”During a week when most eyes were on Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, the 15-year-old lefty finished off an incredible week with a five-under 66 in the final round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood Ranch in Florida.”

  • “After opening with 68-66-70, Russell finished at 14-under-par total to tie for 20th place. The finish in which he jumped 28 positions on the leaderboard on the final day, gives him an exemption into next week’s Veritex Bank Championship at Rangers Park in Arlington, Texas. He’s the youngest player to finish inside the top 20 on the PGA of Korn Ferry tours, according to records that go back to 1983.”
Full piece.

2. Understandably, Nelly WDs

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Nelly Korda’s bid for a record-setting sixth consecutive win will have to wait a few weeks.”

  • “A day after capturing the Chevron Championship during a marathon final round in Houston, Korda announced on social media that she was withdrawing from this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”
  • “It was not an easy decision,” she wrote. “After the unbelievable week at the Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted. With so much still to come throughout 2024, I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season.”
Full piece.

3. Scheffler’s impressive No. 1 feat

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”After Scheffler’s victory Monday morning at the RBC Heritage, Scheffler upped his points average to 15.016 and increased his advantage in the Official World Golf Ranking over No. 2 Rory McIlroy to more than double McIlroy’s 7.365 average, meaning Scheffler is ranked further ahead of No. 2 than No. 2 is ahead of the last-ranked player.”

  • “The last time a No. 1 player had a greater points average was Woods, who was at 15.4564 on Dec. 6, 2009. But Woods was less than seven average points ahead of No. 2 Phil Mickelson at the time. Earlier that year, Woods was 7.735 ahead of Mickelson, which is the last time the gap between Nos. 1 and 2 was greater than Scheffler’s current 7.651 advantage.”
Full piece.

4. Zurich field notes

PGATour.com’s Adam Stanley…”Rory McIlroy will make his tournament debut alongside good pal, Ryder Cup teammate, and Irishman Shane Lowry – a duo that was firmed up during a celebratory lunch after the Ryder Cup last fall… Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will try to reprise their 2022 win here. Cantlay and Schauffele have both the Foursomes and Four-ball scoring records at this event… Davis Riley and Nick Hardy will defend their 2023 title. No team has gone back-to-back… Three sets of brothers (and two sets of twins!) will play together with twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard and Parker and Pierceson Coody in the field along with Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick. Alex Fitzpatrick and Rasmus Højgaard are sponsor invites…”

  • “Billy Horschel, who won last week at the Corales Puntacana Championship, will be without his previous partner Sam Burns, as Burns and his wife are expecting their first child any day. Horschel will instead be paired with fellow University of Florida alum Tyson Alexander. Horschel has won the Zurich Classic when it was both an individual and team event… Other notable pairings include Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris, and Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. The Canadian duo finished runner-up a year ago and would like nothing more than to show Presidents Cup International Team captain Mike Weir how well they play together… Steve Stricker will play his second TOUR event this season (after earning his way into THE PLAYERS Championship), teaming up with Matt Kuchar.”
Full piece.

5. Tiger’s teammates

Field Level Media report…”Tiger Woods announced Monday that Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner have joined his Jupiter Links GC TGL team.”

  • “The virtual golf league headed by Woods and Rory McIlroy will begin its inaugural season next January. Woods also unveiled the team’s logo.”
  • “I have already shared my excitement and optimism for TGL as a league and product,” said Woods. “Now that we have finalized our roster with a team of world-class golfers, I am even more confident that this group will proudly represent the Jupiter (Fla.) area and connect with our fans for years to come.”
Full piece.

6. Woosnam questions Cantlay’s decision

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After the horn sounded to suspend play due to darkness, Cantlay, who’s ball was in the fairway on the 18th hole, had a decision to make. With over 200 yards into the green and extreme winds working against the shot, conventional wisdom would be to wait until Monday morning to hit the shot.”

  • “On the other hand, if he could finish the hole, he may just want to get the event over with so he could get out of Hilton Head.”
  • “Curiously, Cantlay chose neither of those options. After hitting 3-wood into the green, and still coming up short, the former FedEx Cup champion chose to mark his ball and chip and putt on Monday morning.”
  • “Ian Woosnam, who was watching from home, took to X to give his thoughts on Cantlay’s decision making.”
  • “Cantlay would end up getting up and down for par when play resumed at 8:00 am Monday morning.”
Full piece.

7. JT on Scheffler’s “weird” equipment choice

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After Justin Thomas’ third round of the RBC Heritage, the two-time major champion went in the broadcast booth alongside the CBS crew.”

  • “While Thomas was watching Scottie Scheffler play on the back nine of his third round, he wondered aloud why Scottie uses high-numbered golf balls.”
  • “Does anybody else think it’s weird that Scottie uses high numbers? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an elite player use high-numbered golf balls.”
  • “Amanda Balionis who was on the grounds chimed in, reporting that analyst Dottie Pepper had wondered the same thing earlier that day.”
  • “I’ve been going about this wrong my whole life,” Thomas jokingly said.
Full piece.

8. Rory to rejoin PGA Tour policy board

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Four-time major championship winner Rory McIlroy is poised to return to the PGA Tour’s policy board, pending a vote by the board, which could come as early as this week, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.”

  • “One of the PGA Tour’s most vocal supporters during its three-year battle with LIV Golf, McIlroy abruptly resigned as a player director on the tour’s influential policy board in November.”
  • “He is expected to replace policy board player director Webb Simpson, who intends to step away before his two-year term expires in 2025.”
Full piece.

9. Weir names Presidents Cup assistants

PGA Tour report…”International Team Captain Mike Weir announced Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas as captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which will be played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, Sept. 24-29.

Full piece.
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