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. |
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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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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. |
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Disgusted Guy
Jun 9, 2022 at 7:17 am
Who knew Rory was such a sage? He said decisions solely based on money rarely end well. Well done that man!
I hope the PGA tour breaks it off in their butts. Money grabbing over pampered bums.
This won’t end well for the B players that jumped. Can’t compete on the “real” tour and as long as Bernhard is on the senior tour they can’t win there. If we never hear from Johnson, Garcia, Westwood or McDowell again we will be OK. Was always a massive Phil fan but a dumb move on his part.
Name a major sport ($$$$) that isn’t a monopoly? WNBA excluded.
Don’t like the rules move on and find another way to make a living. This one has a stink that won’t go away.
The $40 mil Phil pissed away gambling would have changed the life of generations of your family if used properly. It all came from being a member of the PGA tour. He’s doing OK.
If you look at the players that jumped there is a common thread- waning skills due to age, never had top skills, want the big payday at the end, etc.
They really don’t care about the game or giving back.
Remember what Sergio said- I can’t wait to get out of here.
Screw ‘em.
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dave d
Jun 2, 2022 at 2:21 pm
This whole thing is clearly all about Greg Norman wanting to get paid untold millions per year simply to be Greg Norman…visible, charismatic, feisty.
He found some suckers (the Saudis) to fulfill his dream. What do you figure he’s making per year on this as leader? $10M? $50M $100M? Sadly, the players choosing to participate will be collateral damage as Norman takes a huge check from the Saudis for a year or two — as long as this fantasy can be sustained, which won’t be long with this kind of a field — and Norman will walk away with a bunch of money, no harm done.
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Brian
Jun 1, 2022 at 11:09 am
Ironic that Poulter would job a social media boycott to protest racial discrimination by users on the platforms but he’ll happily take money from a royal family that openly discriminates against 50% of its own citizens.
Jafar
Jun 1, 2022 at 10:25 am
The number of high ranking amateur players should be the biggest concern for the PGA. Why grind it out on the KF Tour when you can bank 20 million out the gate.
Don
Jun 1, 2022 at 10:23 am
Some will sell their integrity for the almighty dollar, if they even had any.
derek gzaskow
Jun 1, 2022 at 9:06 am
um, where’s Phil I thought he was going? $75 per day not bad for Pumpkin ridge, Tulsa was 250 per day, let the ;lawsuits commence!
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Chad
Jun 1, 2022 at 8:51 am
I hope this tour runs the PGA into the ground.
Hopp
Jun 1, 2022 at 8:21 am
Here is the list of people chasing money to replace their integrity.
Gary
Jun 1, 2022 at 8:25 am
Yeah, like the LPGA, The NBA, NASCAR and all the other sport entities who play in Saudi sponsored events and territories.
Geno452
Jun 1, 2022 at 4:46 pm
NBA?… NASCAR?…. LPGA (actually it is the Ladies European Tour not the LPGA) Don’t know where you came up with NASCAR and NBA but… hey… I don’t know everything either.
Gary
Jun 1, 2022 at 8:29 am
Yeah, like the LPGA, The NBA, Nascar, The European Tour and all the rest of sports entities who play in events taking place and/or sponsored by/or with Saudi groups. So much hypocrisy and dishonesty.
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Bob
Jun 1, 2022 at 12:15 am
Well, bye. C-list losers and has-beens.
LOL.
reqq
Jun 1, 2022 at 5:41 am
you’re not wrong lol.. whos gonna watch that..like zero hype
Gary
Jun 1, 2022 at 8:23 am
Congrats to Johnson, Garcia, Na and all the rest for having the courage to stand up to the PGA and its dictatorial regime. Pro Golfers are independent agents and are allowed to practice their craft wherever and whenever they wish. The PGA needs to be sued.
Jed
Jun 1, 2022 at 9:58 am
Comedian
John Krug
Jun 1, 2022 at 10:09 am
Laughable comment.
Gary
Jun 1, 2022 at 3:11 pm
I guess we will see how funny it all is if and/or when it ends up in court. Time will tell.
Brian
Jun 1, 2022 at 11:10 am
You’re right. They should jump ship from one “dictatorial” regime and take their paychecks from an ACTUAL dictatorial regime.
Geno452
Jun 1, 2022 at 5:16 pm
First off.. it’s the PGA TOUR not the PGA. Big difference there. Also if the players are independent contractors, which they are, they can pretty much play when and where they want. The PGA Tour as an organization is well within it’s rights to say who can and cannot play in one of it’s events. They are not beholding to any of the players that play on their tour. If you want to play in a PGA TOUR event and can meet their qualifications then you can play. If one of their qualifications happens to be the fact that if you play on the LIV Tour you don’t meet the qualifications for the PGA TOUR then…. well then that’s it… you don’t qualify. So I wish anyone that tries to sue good luck… they’ll need it.
Tomas
Jun 1, 2022 at 5:58 pm
The PGA tour can give A Job to however they whishes
RJ
Jun 2, 2022 at 10:50 am
What? The tour is run by the players. There is no owner it’s a player run organization. Plus it’s a charitable organization that helps to donate millions to various charities at each event. It has made these greedy, morally bankrupt players millions and does so many things to help them it’s ridiculous. You have no clue what your taking about