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Morning 9: More on the LPGA Q-Series rules controversy | Tiger Woods’ Greg Norman snub?

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7 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt
Email me at [email protected] and find me at @benalberstadt on Instagram and golfwrxEIC on Twitter.

November 5, 2019

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans. 
 
**Just a reminder we’re looking for advertisers for 2020. Drop me a line if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership.** 

 
1. Checking in with Christina Kim
Golf Digest’s Brian Wacker spoke with the infraction-reporter…“Kim, who did secure her card, says she feels horrible about that but remains resolute in her decision to report the violation.”
  • “A lot of people think it’s [bad] that I waited,” Kim said, “but I didn’t want to make an accusation if there was a chance it was going to be a false accusation.
  • “I was very surprised [they didn’t know the rule]. I don’t want to say I am disappointed in them as individuals, but I am disappointed in the fact that [the violation] was even a possibility, that people claim to have seen it thousands of times. What shocked me was their lack of knowledge of the rules. Does that suck? Royally. Is it excusable? Absolutely not.”
  • And this…”It’s tough, too, because I know the people involved. They’re good people, but mistakes happen. Those mistakes have severe consequences, but that’s not to say they can be excused. I’m not going to [ignore the violation], because then I’m complicit and all three of us would deserve to be disqualified. It was a tough decision to make in that I care about these people, but I also care about the 95 other players in field. The only thing I regret is people had to be affected by an honest mistake, and it was all avoidable. I feel sad about that.”

Full piece.

2. “Thousands of times”
An interesting sidebar to this particular episode of rules intrigue: Kendall Dye’s suggestion, in the midst of a larger admission of guilt and apology, that her infraction is an exceedingly common occurrence.
  • Per Golfweek’s Adam Woodard…”Monday morning on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive, Robert Damron shot down Dye’s “thousands of times” assertion.”
  • “The fact that she’s said she’s seen this thousands of times is a crazy statement,” said Damron, adding he’s never seen it happen once on a professional level. Maybe at a club, sure. “I think that she’s confusing the fact that a caddie may flash a number to a spotter or a cameraman or one of the on-course reporters what they’re hitting, but it’s no way directed at the other players. No way did one of the other players ask them, ‘Tell me what you just hit there.'”
  • “Golfweek’s Geoff Shackelford was also on set Monday morning and agreed...”Ultimately it really does come down to a really simple thing: This is not something that has happened thousands of times,” explained Shackelford, who wrote a column addressing the topic. “We’ve all enjoyed the fun of watching a player go over and look in (another player’s) bag and see what was hit. To simply ask, what’s next … are you going to ask for help for a read on a putt? That’s why the rule’s in place.”

Full piece.

3. Snubbing the shark?
Our Gianni Magliocco…”Greg Norman has revealed how he heard nothing back from Tiger Woods after reaching out to the 15-time major champion following his 2019 Masters win which has left the Australian pondering whether Woods dislikes the Australian.”
  • “Speaking to Men’s Health Australia, Norman detailed what happened when he decided to hand-deliver a congratulatory letter to Woods after his Masters win this year.”
  • “Very few people know this: when Tiger won the Masters this year, I wrote him a handwritten note and drove down my road, maybe a quarter of a mile, and hand-delivered it to his guard at his gate. I said, “Hey, this is Greg Norman here. I’ve got a note for Tiger – can you please hand-deliver it to him?” Well, I never heard a word back from the guy.”
  • “Norman mused to the publication how perhaps Woods dislikes him, after comparing the perceived snub to how Norman and Jack Nicklaus interacted following the Australian’s first major victory.”

Full piece.

4. What’s ailing Phil? Commitment to the target, apparently
Golf Channel’s Will Gray...”Mickelson reached 17th in the rankings following his win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, but he’s been in the midst of a pronounced slide ever since. He hasn’t cracked the top 25 since the Masters and told reporters this week in China that at age 49 his issues were as much mental as physical.”
  • “I just haven’t played well. Just had a lot of stuff going on, and I just haven’t been really focused and into the mental side,” Mickelson said. “I haven’t seen good, clear pictures. I haven’t been as committed and as connected to the target. I just haven’t been mentally as sharp the last six, eight months.”

Full piece.
5. Poulter and Westwood won’t be voting Labour! 
David Wilcock for the Daily Mail…”Top golf stars have torn into Jeremy Corbyn’s tax plans after he blasted the super-rich.”
  • “English fairway stars Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood both criticised the Labour leader after he teed up an attack on Britain’s wealthy elite.”
  • “The millionaires lashed out online after Mr Corbyn said that ‘in a fair society there would be no billionaires and no one would live in poverty’. “
  • “Flamboyant Ryder Cup winner Mr Poulter, 43, who has spent time living abroad to minimise his UK taxes, branded the Labour leader a ‘complete buffoon’.”

Full piece.

6. Gary Player 
Interesting remarks from Mr. Player, via Sport24…”At a press conference on Saturday morning, Player pointed out that previous sports minister Tokozile Xasa had not shown any interest in golf.”
  • “If young people will only realise playing golf will help you in the business and it’s played everywhere in the world, and people in South Africa are reluctant to understand,” said the 84-year-old.
  • “Our previous minister of sport doesn’t ever include golf in their talks. They’re so naive because golf gets more publicity and coverage than any other sport because there’s a golf tournament almost every year and we have many South Africans playing, and gaining great publicity and good behaviour for our country.”

Full piece.

7. The nice guy roundtable
The gents at PGATour.com discussed Golf Digest’s “Nice Guy” list…
  • “MIKE McALLISTER: OK, Golf Digest’s list is out. What’s your reaction? Any surprises?”
  • “SEAN MARTIN: I want to know why ties weren’t resolved. Charles Howell III and Peter Malnati should have to duke it out for 19th and 20th place. A nice-off.”
  • “CAMERON MORFIT: Most glaring omission is Ben Crane, who is the only player I ever interviewed who insisted on making me lunch. He also wanted to play tennis after.”
  • “BEN EVERILL: It’s brilliant to see Gary Woodland get a place on this list [at No. 2]. He’s a quiet guy who has been through a lot but those close to him have always known he’s a class act. The world saw more of it with his relationship with Amy Bockerstette. Also, I’m proud to see four Aussies on the list — even though I could make a case for a few more!”

Full piece.

8. Joe Namath takes his shot
Broadway Joe! An excellent Golf Digest “My Shot” selection…
  • “I started playing golf when I was at the University of Alabama. Coach [Bear] Bryant might actually have introduced me to it. He loved the game and didn’t mind us playing. He was a blast to play with because the game kind of got the better of him. When he hit a bad shot, he’d get mad but couldn’t show it-pride, Southern manners and all that. But when he hit one crooked he’d growl under his breath just like a bear. You could hear the rumbles across the fairway. I thought it was hilarious, and I had to turn my head so he couldn’t see me laugh. On the football field he was the undisputed boss, but on the course, golf was the boss of him.”
  • “I got to playing so bad awhile back I was ready to quit. You’d never believe from the way I was hitting it that I once carried an 8-handicap. I went to see Matt Doyle, the head pro here at Turtle Creek. He’s a heck of a teacher, and he had me hitting it so good I was positive I was fixed. Within a few days, I was back hitting it sideways, with no recollection of what Matt had told me. The game is beating the heck out of me right now.”

Full piece.

9. Middle seat in coach! 
Daniel Rapaport for Golf Digest...”Brendon Todd has reason to celebrate. After a multi-year slump that saw Todd miss 37 of 40 cuts, drop outside the top 2,000 and consider quitting the game, the 34-year-old shot 62 on Sunday to win the Bermuda Championship.”
“…Time to pop bottles in first class, right? Wrong. Double wrong. According to a tweet from Golf Channel analyst Jim Galllagher Jr., Todd sat in a middle seat on his voyage back to the U.S.”

Related Topics:

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

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Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

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3 days ago

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Jun 1, 2026

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Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

  • Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
  • Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
  • Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
  • Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
  • Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
  • Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
  • Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
  • Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
  • Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

  • Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
  • Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
  • Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
  • Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
  • Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
  • Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
  • Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

  • Driver: Ping Max G440
  • Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
  • Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
  • Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
  • Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
  • Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

  • Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
  • Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
  • Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
  • Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
  • Wedges
  • Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase

  • Driver: Ping 440 LST
  • Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
  • Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
  • Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
  • Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
  • Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
  • Putter: Ping PLD Anser

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