Tag: PGA Tour

Nelly Korda Wins Seri Pak Championship

I had my hope set on seeing Ruoning Yin defend her title through the final round at Fir Hills, but that fell by the wayside on Sunday as Nelly Korda nabbed the $300,000 prize for herself at the end of the day. Yin’s failure to retain the lead through 18 holes on Saturday became her own downfall for defending her title. This left the title open for anyone to take advantage and dominate.

It took a playoff against UCLA alumnus Ryann O’Toole to give Korda her second win for 2024. Also, this win marks the tenth LPGA Tour title victory in Korda’s career. Including the $300,000 purse from this win, Korda has earned $586,716 in 2024 with 2 victories and 2 top 10 finishes. Yin paid a dear price for not retaining her solo lead on Saturday’s round 3, ending the tournament with tied for 8th and taking home $48,011 on top of finishing the final round 1 over at 72.

It’s still early for the ladies in the LPGA. I can’t wait to see what happens as we go into the summer months. Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson have yet to break out from the pack in the chase for CME Globe points. This latest victory places Korda in first place just ahead of Ko who is in second with Henderson trailing behind at 5th place. There’s still plenty of golf to play in 2024,

Choices Come with Consequences

Golf can be one of those ventures that has big rewards and payoffs for taking certain risks. Yet, it also has some real simple consequences for taking other types of risks. That’s just some conventional wisdom for the course for you to nibble on to start out right now.

 What I really wanted to dig into was the multiple hole playoff between Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand and rookie sensation Jesper Svensson at the Porsche Singapore Classic. Those powerful drives amid strong gusts of wind along with those clutch putts made for stellar drama on the 18th hole. however, even that storyline had to take a back seat to what I witnessed among the LPGA players at Fir Hills for the Seri Pak Championship.

Ruoning Yin added a whole load of drama to the uneventful closure of the third round at Fir Hills. Everyone seemed to make more of a thing about former USC golfer Malia Nam returning to LPGA play and standing out among the top players at Fir Hills, but it appears that Yin was intent upon taking big risks to finish the day off. And that’s one thing that stole the spotlight from Malia Nam’s steady play for remaining in contention for a share of the lead and a potential shot at victory.

Leading the Pack Since Round 2

Yin was ahead of her fellow players at -11 coming into the 18th hole. Her tee shot landed her in the rough amid some trees with low-hanging branches. That left her with a decision to make. And this is where many of us recreational golfers could both readily and easily empathize with the Chinese golfer’s agonizing decision. She decided on a low punch shot between the trees rather than a high percentage shot like a pitch back into the fairway from the rough.

As I watched on, I recognized the predicament. No one was within any closer to her than 2 strokes. She had the outright lead and her game seemed to be working for her.

Yin Pays the Price

Yin drew back and made an attempt at punching it, and then all you heard was the thud of a golf ball striking bark. Anyone who has played on a course with any kind of woods on it knows that sound. It’s so distinct that it’s almost haunting.

In fact this sound was merely the awakening of a steady dwindle on a downward spiral with little to no chance of return or even redemption.

And that’s putting it lightly.

Consequences continued to come against her as she and her caddie sought some relief from her ball ending what looked like a drain and within a club length of a work shed. But even with that drop and hitting 4 from the rough, Yin ended up short of the green on the 18th. That left her pitching upward to try to finish up the hole.

Things didn’t work out well for her at all on 18. She finished the hole with a triple bogey. She finished the round even at 71 for the day. She ended up tied for third at -7 after holding onto the lead most of the day.

Look at the Lesson

Yin isn’t by herself.

I’ve been there before.

How about you?

Have you ever had that one hole that just tore up everything that you have put together throughout a decent round? I bet it burned you intensely. I would imagine how badly it would feel to have everything going right and then BOOM! It all just falls apart.

Yin is the defending champion for the tournament. She even had a better understanding of the course layout and structure from the prior year’s victory. Hopefully, she recovered and can make the most of this final round at Fir Hills today. But, like many of us, she took a high risk and it cost her enough strokes to shock her. Either way, it surely caught my attention away from Svensson and Aphibarnrat battling for a new Porsche and $450,000.

Who knows? If given the opportunity again, I might try to punch it through the trees, too.

Golf is anything but easy.

Tiger, Tee Shots and Tampons

Poor taste doesn’t even begin to explain it.

I wrestled with how to entitle this post, but I just went with an alliterated title based on the topic.

I was tempted to call it Tampongate. Maybe it’ll go down in golf history as just the Tampon Prank.

Hopefully, with the pro golf season fully underway, it’ll just drift off and die away amid other news.

If you haven’t seen video of the incident or read any reports on it, please start with the Wall Street Journal article or the report offered by an Australian news site. Tiger’s recent apology for the incident has been pretty well documented by the media as well.

Beyond Tiger Being Tiger

Tiger Woods isn’t immune to messy media coverage.

Think car crash and cheating scandal. It seems like ages ago, but that sex scandal was in 2009.

This comes out amid a comeback to the pro golf circuit that has included pairings with his young son on the course. As noted by some, Tiger isn’t the squeaky clean and polished PR juggernaut that he once was back in the early days.

This goes beyond much of the prior controversy related to Tiger. In the past, Tiger has been the spotlight of a 2009 sex scandal and a few published books and articles centered on his rigid upbringing and rise to success. One could look over Tiger’s storied past and see where Tiger has been both victim and villain. Public sentiments driven by the media coverage have gone the full gamut of typical sports idol worship and fandom.

The Prank = PR Problems in the Public View

Someone will hit the cancel button on Tiger, calling for his removal from PGA golf events and endorsement deals with sponsors. Others will shake their heads and simply say that it is just “boys will be boys” ameteur and adolescent behavior at play as these pros joke around and let off steam.

There’s a certain level of uneasiness and division within society at such a deep level that people are considered “on edge” these days. It’s like a ticking time bomb waiting to be triggered by the slightest movement in one direction or another.

We’ve seen it in the January 6th Riots of patriots storming the Capitol. We see it in the case where censored and cancelled celebs get their Twitter and other social media accounts reinstated without any apologies or agreement to do things differently of the platforms. It is prevalent in the social arena as LGBTQ advocates argue for or against transgender rights in public forums. It is partly revealed as a Black man is tasered and beaten to death at the hands of the primarily Black police officers in Memphis. It is an era of people on the edge with very few people standing in the middle of the road or on the fence.

People are living on the edge.

It won’t take a lot to take some folks over the edge.

A Closer Look at a Higher Cost

Whether you see it as a prank or not, the situation puts a spotlight on how much can be read into anything that we do. Cell phone cameras make everything accessible immediately. Social media’s ability to allow live feeds to stream across the Internet. Today’s TikTok-style short attention spans do not have to offer the full story behind the snippet that became a snapshot with captions.

I wouldn’t want a slew of media cameras following my foursome on a weekend round of 18 holes. I sure wouldn’t want to be “mic’d up” as I flub a flop shot around the green or miss an easy putt. I can’t imagine what a news reporter’s perspective would be as one of he members of my foursome starts out with:”So, these two nuns are sitting at bar. . .”

Aside from picking sides, we need to pick apart what society is truly craving at this time. People who don’t even play golf, watch golf or give a hoot about golf are flying off the handle on social media in response to this issue. Looking beyond its misogyny and chauvinism, there seems to be something less cavalier about such a prank during a time when female pro golfers are just coming into their own for both recognition and compensation.

The OC Register labeled it as an “unfortunate distraction.” That’s a nice way of putting it. I’d see it more as another part of the blowback of infusing sports coverage for the public to get up close and personal with an inside view. The public craves it and even clamours for it, but when it hits the fan no one really wants to be too close to see what comes of it or even smell its lingering intrusive odor. But everyone wants a bird’s eye view from the tee box and data-driven graphic of the the arc and distance of the drive for that tee shot.

Truth be told, ‘fun and games’ don’t go along with fame and fortune.

Dream Golf Destination in San Diego

Take a poll of your golf buddies and you’ll hear a lot about different golf destinations both near and far.

Some of the most popular golf destinations that you’ll hear about include names like Augusta, Scottsdale, Myrtle Beach and Las Vegas.

Golfers want to play where the pros play. It inspires them to play pro-style courses designed to challenge even the best of the best.

Torrey Pines: The Farmers Insurance Open

Annually, as pro golf cranks up and the PGA Tour makes its way to San Diego, the Farmers Insurance Open becomes a national and even worldwide golf spotlight. Torrey Pines in my own backyard takes the stage of the golf world for a moment and gets a nod from many golfers to add the course to their golf destination wish list.

Golfers just want to play where the pros play. Golfers want to hit from tee boxes where Tiger Woods made historic rounds replayed on ESPN and the Golf Channel. Golfers want to play at the place where John Rahm goes for a follow-up tournament victory after his performance at the American Express. They just want to play where the pros get challenged and rewarded for solid and smart golf.

This week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines should not disappoint most golfers. It has traditionally offered some exciting rounds of golf from some of the biggest names in golf. I don’t anticipate seeing too many letdowns even if folks are still livid about LIV Golf and its tour.

The PGA Tour hitting tour draws golfers from all around the world. It even attracts some hangers-on who want to test their skills against the course in post-tournament rounds. Even the video game PGA Tour 2K23 has added Torrey Pines to its list of courses.

Torrey Pines is in PGA terms is of course Torrey Pines South, not the North course commonly known by many San Diego residents as the “other one.” As residents of San Diego, many local golfers have played at least one or both courses at any given time. At Torrey Pines, resident rates are pennies on the dollar compared to non-resident rates. Once you’ve played it with the beach in view and the coastal breeze blowing against your face, you will definitely say that it was worthwhile.

If you have a dream destination in mind, don’t give up hope. Stay inspired!

Stay Inspired to Play at Your Dream Golf Course

I recently shared a video on YouTube about how to stay inspired to continue going for your dreams. I also share the same sentiments via my podcast Coffee & Chat with Rev Bruce.

It takes persistence to keep going after your dreams. It takes a plan to go for your dreams. It takes patience to go after your dreams. But it also takes a perseverance. You’ve got to keep pursuing your dreams, even when it seems so out of range that it’s out of sight.

What Makes San Diego Special

All dream golf destinations are not designed alike. That’s what is so beautiful about such a list of golf vacation destinations.

Aside from Torrey Pines, San Diego offers plenty of golf courses regionally. Many of these courses are the reason that San Diego is a such a golfer’s paradise. For us, the golf season never truly ends around here. We just need to shake of some of this recent rain that left the greens a little slow and soggy, and then we’re back on again.

My personal favorite golf courses in the San Diego region keep me occupied often. Among my big ticket golf destinations I always include neighboring locations like Pala and Temecula as well as other areas like Palm Springs.

I like to plan my play and try my best to work my plan after some careful game analysis and reflection.

Most of all, wherever you end up playing, you’ve got to keep on swinging.

Golf Season Never Ends

Chip & pitch practice at Cottonwood Golf Club

Golf season never ends.

No, don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about the PGA Tour or LIV Golf. The PGA Tour ends and cycles back around with the West Coast Swing until the cycle ends again.

Even where some of you live makes it hard to hit balls amid snow and heavy rainy seasons. Your season has to end at some point.

I’m talking about my personal golf season. I’m talking about my ability to get up and go out to play golf throughout the year. That never ends for me.

Location Matters

I live in the San Diego area. The locale’s weather is consistently warm and sunny with a handful of rainy days. There are plenty of golf courses to choose from on a regular basis.

I love living in such an area. I love being able to play golf at so many different types of courses with different layouts and designs. I love having a neverending golf season in such a place as San Diego.

Schedule of Play

I can set up a tee time during my off days as well as during the hours when I’m not working for those twilight discounts. The level of flexibility that my schedule allows will provide me with opportunities to play golf and train frequently.

I do not find it difficult to get a tee time at different times, especially with tee times offered online. Plus, life happens for people and plenty of folks fall off and free up slots at local courses. I advise calling the pro shop ahead of arrival and seeing if there’s room for a single or pair to jump in. Otherwise, I say just show up at the course and hit a bucket of balls while you wait for an open tee time.

Swing It!!

For me, based upon my schedule and locale, golf season never ends. It just keeps rolling on endlessly.

And guess what?

I love it.

The Messy Business of Golf

Back in August, I talked about some thoughts on LIV Golf vs the PGA Tour. It’s still raging as a firestorm and causing a divide in the golf community as well as among the tour pros.

I cannot expect this thing to end any day soon.

Both parties just seemed entrenched in it.

Messy Media Coverage Doesn’t Help

The Wall Street Journal is known for its business and financial coverage. It also covers the business aspects of sports. Its latest article on PGA Tour executive jet usage as a sign of potential corporate corruption has a sensationalized title that will definitely draw in readers with some interest.

When the media coverage from even the top level journalism platforms seem to drift into the mess, it can get really messy.

The media spin on this rivalry is the makings of a reality TV fiasco before production has even launched. It most probably won’t be played out on the Golf Channel. It most assuredly will continue for a while and with no immediate end in sight.

Cantlay Hits a Hot Streak

Winning the FedEx Cup Plus More

ESPN entitled its coverage of his latest victory like this: Patrick Cantlay posts ‘a huge win,’ capturing FedEx Cup in dramatic fashion at the Tour Championship. Yes, in bold print!!

You cannot doubt that Patrick Cantlay has been on a run of late.

  • FedEx Cup ranked 1st
  • Ryder Cup slot with latest victory
  • Tour Championship win
  • BMW Championship win
  • Memorial Tournament (Nationwide) win

Aside from everything else that has been going on in the golf world to take away our attention from solid, consistent play, let’s say that 2021 has shaped up to be a banner year for Patrick Cantlay. He’s got more top PGA wins this year than any year of his career. He’s making a name for himself as he delivers time and time again, even in playoff situations.

What’s Next for Cantlay to Conquer?

Next up has got to be a major championship. Cantlay has not won one yet. And that seems to remain a point of contention for many observers without Cantlay having to say much about it himself.

Patrick Cantlay has a record in the majors that no one but the golf press really would write home about. Missing the cut at 2 majors stands out. Not even ranking for a top 10 position in any 2021 major stands out as well. In fact, He ended up tied for 15th place at the U.S. Open. His best performance in a major event left him tied for third at the 2019 PGA Championship. With dismal numbers like that, it’s hard to imagine Patrick Cantlay bringing home some PGA major event hardware home any time soon.

Kyle Porter just dropped an article on CBS Sports regarding Cantlay and his failure to win a major. In Porter’s own words, he was sure to say: “This is not a criticism of Cantlay’s game.” However, no matter how you question it or pose it as a wondering, even an inquisitive inquiry, it boils down to the inability of Cantlay to claim a victory in any of the 4 major championships.

The Future Odds on Cantlay

Despite his latest victories, Cantlay is not a favored pick for a major with some oddsmakers. It’s a toss-up when you consider his past record in majors and his recent victories on the PGA Tour.

Golfodds.com has names like Dustin Johnson (16/1) and Jon Rahm (10/1) ahead of Cantlay at 20-to-1 odds of winning the 2022 Masters. Vegas Insider has Rory McIlroy as a top pick for the 2022 PGA Championship with Cantlay somewhere in the midst of the fray behind Brooks and Xander. The Sports Geek points out: “Patrick Cantlay is a +550 betting favorite at BetMGM to win a golf major in 2022.”

But did fantasy golf experts have Cantlay on their top picks for this one? Do oddsmakers have the final say through the final round? Or, are all of these predictions just throwing caution at the wind when we just have to have it played out in reality?

Fan favorite or not, Cantlay has a bright future ahead of him if he stays on this type of streak. His putting is spot on and he’s seemingly directing the ball at the right angles for the perfect setup shots. Most fans would hope for him to keep marking pars and birdies on the scorecard on the way to more victories. Yet, if 2022 comes without a major championship win for him, we’re left to wonder where does that leave Cantlay in the golf history books.

Will a major championship make that big of a difference?

I’ll get back to playing in a week or so. Nagging wrist injury from applying for jobs online. LOL

A 6 Way Playoff at Wyndham Championship

I am not going to lie at all. I liked what I saw on the course. It was a joy and an honor just to witness it.

Unlike some things in the world of sports, the Wyndham Championship delivered on thrills and moments worthy of ESPN golf highlights. And for there to be a 6-way playoff at the Wyndham Championship, that was all the more exciting to watch.

https://youtu.be/cTaH0apxDsg

Congratulations: Kevin Kisner for winning the 6-man playoff and earning a $1,152,000 windfall. It was his first win since 2019 and the fourth PGA Tour win of his career, but it was his first playoff win. Congrats!

My Condolences: My man of whom I am a fan Kevin Na almost brought it home by finishing 15 uner (-15) and shooting rounds of 68-64-67-66. His final round of 66 at 4 under par was good enough to tie for 2nd but remains impressive nonetheless.

What Happened?: Russell Henley was in the lead, then there was a bogey on the second hole. That’s no big deal. Plenty of pros recover from that. It was the four bogeys on the back 9 that gave him a +1 finish for the final round. Ultimately, he missed out on the playoff opportunity and had to settle for tied for 7th with -14. I get it. It happens to the best of them just like it happens to the rest of us. Golf can be merciless at times.

My Hats Off to You: Chesson Hadley striking paydirt with his first career hole-in-one on the 16th hole. Not only was it his first ace on the PGA Tour but it awarded 1 million Wyndham rewards points on behalf of charity. Truly my hats off to this dude, especially for his happy hop of a reaction to hitting it in one shot.

First 6-Man Playoff on the PGA Tour

It was nothing less than amazing to see it play out no matter how it turned out. The thrill of a 6-man playoff on the PGA Tour was truly a treat.

I mean we’ve seen playoff holes before. They’re nothing new. They usually are the stuff that breaks down to exposing the tenacity and toughness of players to go the distance. However, your typical playoff might include 2 or 3 players in a playoff as the norm. It might even require not playing again until the next morning due to the loss of daylight. We’ve seen that before, too.

But a 6-man playoff offers a thrill like none other before. It was the equivalent of a World Series going extra innings with a series knotted up 3-3 and coaches using every arm in the bullpen to nab that victory. Or, it is like OT in Game 7 of an NBA Finals series that has the best of best matched up and going at it for the title. It’s not an everyday occurence and we owe thanks to the PGA Tour and its stellar players for delighting us with such an impressive round of golf and a bonus with the playoff itself.