Category: Golf

Prince Andrew’s public exile includes patron roles at Royal Portrush, Royal Liverpool

At least two clubs have distanced themselves from Prince Andrew in the wake of his reputed involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Royal Portrush Golf Club, site of this year’s British Open in July, is considering seeking a new patron after Prince Andrew stepped back from public life and his royal duties in the wake of his reputed involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein sex-abuse scandal.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Royal Portrush plans to discuss the Duke of York’s involvement at the club in Northern Ireland at its next meeting. His patron role at Royal Portrush was largely as a publicity figurehead.

“The allegations surrounding Prince Andrew, and especially the trauma and distress suffered by the victims of Jeffrey Epstein is a matter of deep regret,” the club said in a statement obtained by the Daily Telegraph. “Royal Portrush will continue to monitor the ongoing investigative process. There are no scheduled plans for him to return to the club.

“The council of Royal Portrush is acutely aware of the widespread public concern about these allegations, and Prince Andrew’s decision to step away from public duties will be discussed at our next meeting.”

Prince Andrew, Duke of York (center) watches the third round of the British Open at Royal Portrush on July 20, 2019. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Prince Andrew also has ties to Royal Liverpool Golf Club, host site for the 2022 British Open. The Daily Telegraph also reported that club will “not call upon” Andrew’s services during his exile.

Andrew is also a member of the R&A, the ruling body for golf in much of the world and the organization that puts on the British Open. The R&A would confirm only that he was a member to the Daily Telegraph. Andrew was captain of that club in 2003 during its 250th anniversary.

USA TODAY reported that Virginia Roberts Giuffre has repeatedly said she was groomed by Epstein and his associates to sexually service Epstein’s powerful friends, including Prince Andrew, when she was a teen. Andrew has denied the accusation, but he announced Wednesday that he was halting his public duties because “my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work.”

“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission,” Queen Elizabeth II’s second son said in a statement released Wednesday by Buckingham Palace.

USA TODAY also reported that Andrew’s resignation comes on the heels of a recent controversial interview with the BBC in which he said he doesn’t remember meeting Giuffre, despite a picture of the two, he with his arm around her waist, that has been floating around the internet since at least 2011.

“Our clients welcome Prince Andrew’s decision to withdraw from public life as a member of England’s royal family,” read a statement to USA TODAY from Sigrid McCawley and the law firm Boies Schiller, which is representing Giuffre and other women. “It is a positive first step towards taking responsibility for his actions.”

USA TODAY also reported that as Andrew’s connection to Epstein made headlines in recent months, corporate sponsors started to pull their support and distance themselves from the prince’s Pitch@Palace networking initiative, which connects entrepreneurs with various business leaders. Companies that have ditched Andrew include Cisco Systems, KPMG and AstraZeneca.

Parity in prize money

Brooks Koepka, Carlota Ciganda-and the LPGA Tour-were the big winners in the Aon Risk Reward Challenge. Professional tennis had a groundbreaking event 46 years ago, when, for the first time, female competitors received prize money equal to their …

Brooks Koepka, Carlota Ciganda—and the LPGA Tour—were the big winners in the Aon Risk Reward Challenge.

Professional tennis had a groundbreaking event 46 years ago, when, for the first time, female competitors received prize money equal to their male counterparts in a Grand Slam event, the U.S. Open. In 2019, we might’ve witnessed a similar game-changing, equal-pay-for-equal-play moment in golf.

Aon, a global professional services firm that provides data-driven solutions for risk, retirement and health, partnered with the PGA TOUR and LPGA to establish the Aon Risk Reward Challenge. The season-long competition identifies the best strategic thinkers on Tour. Here’s how the initiative works: A player’s two best scores on the designated Challenge hole at each tournament count in the year-long total (minimum 40 rounds). The golfer with the best average score to par is the winner.

The kicker? A $1 million winner-take-all payday. On both Tours. Given the chatter surrounding equal pay (or lack thereof) in pro sports, Aon’s commitment cannot be underestimated. For the record, the competitions were riveting. In August, Brooks Koepka won a tie-breaker on the PGA TOUR, and this month, Carlota Ciganda captured the LPGA’s prize by the slimmest of margins.

For Ciganda, a two-time winner on Tour, the $1 million is validation for playing consistently great golf throughout the year. “It’s a big honor for me to win the prize,” she said. “Playing for equal prize money is unbelievable, especially nowadays since the men earn so much more money than women. As women, it’s really important to see the same prize. I’m very thankful Aon started the [Risk Reward Challenge] initiative and, hopefully, more companies will do the same.” Consider this: Ciganda wrapped up the regular season in 15th place on the Money List and pocketed $963,602. By comparison, Tommy Fleetwood (15th on the PGA TOUR) earned $3,629,986.

Ciganda’s road to the Risk Reward Challenge title wasn’t an easy one. With five events remaining, journeyman Lee-Ann Pace held the top spot. An improbable feat considering she was winding down an injury-filled career. Pace failed to qualify for the last few regular-season tournaments and finished in third place at -0.731. Other players, like Brooke Henderson, In-Kyung Kim, Jin Young Ko, and Hyo Joo Kim also challenged but came up short.

The final four events were a battle between the eventual champ and Ariya Jutanugarn. Ciganda, who trailed in the standings headed to the Buick LPGA Shanghai tournament in mid-October, made birdie-eagle to overtake Jutanugarn, who carded birdie-birdie. The designated Challenge hole was no slouch—481-yard par-5 with water on the left side off the tee. The next week, at the BMW Ladies Championship, Ciganda stretched the lead with birdie-eagle on a 505-yard par-5. A remarkable 6-under-par in four Challenge holes! Jutanugarn’s consistent excellence continued with birdie-birdie. Two events remained: Ciganda stood at -0.841 (37-under on 44 holes) and Jutanugarn at -0.800 (40-under on 50 holes).

The competition took an interesting turn at this point. Having played the requisite 40 rounds, Ciganda chose to sit out the final two tournaments and prepare for the post-season CME Group Tour Championship. This meant Jutanugarn needed 6-under on the last four Challenge holes to capture the coveted prize. She nearly pulled it off. After recording par-eagle in the penultimate event, Jutanugarn made birdie-eagle during the final tournament. Ciganda captured the title by ONE stroke, with a final tally of -0.841 to -0.833.

The Aon Risk Reward Challenge paid huge dividends for savvy, calculated, fact-based decision making and pinpoint execution. In Brooks Koepka and Carlota Ciganda, you have two worthy, equal champions.

2 up, 2 down: Carlos Ortiz, Tommy Fleetwood on the rise

Golfweek’s experts dish on the two players who are up and down on the PGA and European Tours.

[jwplayer pSDnfWNt-9JtFt04J]

Golfweek takes a look at who’s up and who’s down each week on the three major golf tours. Here are the latest rankings for men and women.

The Golfweek/Sagarin ranking for each player is in parentheses.

PGA Tour

Up

Carlos Ortiz (97)

Ortiz’s tie for second on home soil at the Mayakoba Golf Classic was the best of his fledgling career. The 28-year-old shot a pair of 65s in the middle rounds and overcame a double bogey on his opening hole of the final round to shoot 66. Ortiz has been on a roll thanks to a solid all-around game, highlighted by a rank of fifth in SG: Around the Green. He had finished in the top 5 in two of last four starts (Sanderson Farms and Houston Open).

Harris English (68)

English has had an outstanding start to the 2019-20 season after suffering through his worst season last year (No. 149 in the FedEx Cup standings). Playing on a sponsor’s exemption, he finished fifth at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. It marked his Tour-best fourth top-6 finish of the season: T-3 at Greenbrier, T-4 at Houston Open, T-6 at Sanderson Farms. What’s the difference? English said he simply went back to what worked when he was playing his best golf. “Just sticking to that, not trying to reinvent the wheel and just do what I’m good at,” he said.

Down

Kevin Kisner (41)

Kisner has finished T-66 at Zozo, T-28 at the WGC-HSBC Champions and T-76 at Mayakoba. He’s only broken 70 three times in 12 rounds and shot 72, 77 and 74 on Sundays. This week’s RSM Classic is a course he’s won on before so don’t count Kiz out yet.

J.J. Spaun (177)

The San Diego State product is off to an unusually slow start in 2019-20. In six starts, he’s missed two cuts and his best result is a T-36 at Sanderson Farms. At Mayakoba’s El Camaleon, a course where he finished a season-best T-3 last year, he tied for last (T-80). He’s already shot 77 twice and 78 this year, and ranks No. 201 in SG: Tee-to-Green. No bueno.

Euro Tour

Up

Tommy Fleetwood (8)

It wasn’t that Fleetwood was having a bad season, more a case of a frustrating one. The Englishman finished runner-up in the Open Championship, one of seven top 10s this year, but that fifth European Tour win seemed like it would arrive in 2020. The Englishman showed his class to come from six shots off the lead to return a closing 7-under 65 and then defeated Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult in a playoff.  The 28-year-old led the field in strokes gained off the tee, averaging +1.49 per round. Fleetwood is fourth in greens in regulation on Tour this year, with a 75 percent average. He’s also fifth in scoring average at 69.69 per round. He could do with improving his putter since he’s taking 30.22 putts per round to rank 171st on Tour.

Marcus Kinhult (108)

The 23-year-old Swede ranked third in stokes gained around the green in the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Kinhult averaged +1.46 strokes gained around the greens, which explains why he got into a playoff with Tommy Fleetwood. He was chasing his second victory of the season following the Betfred British Masters, which Fleetwood hosted at Hillside Golf Club. Kinhult moved to 13th on the Race to Dubai, 36 places better than last year’s ranking of 49th.  He has one tournament left and no one would be surprised if he finished the year inside the top 10. The Swede got off to a slow start this season, missing six of his first eight cuts. However, he’s become more consistent as the season as wore on. He’s made the cut in his last 10 tournaments.

Down

Lucas Bjerregaard (348)

The Dane needed a good performance in the Nedbank Golf Challenge to move into the top 50 of the Race to Dubai to make the field in this week’s DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. Bjerregaard finished last and dropped from 49th to 53rd. It wasn’t what anyone would have predicted when he began the season by making the semi-finals of the WGC–Dell Technologies Match Play. However, the 28-year-old struggled the rest of the year, missing 12 cuts on both the European and PGA Tours. Bjerregaard struggled with his iron play this year. He hit an average of 66.16 percent greens this year to rank 119th on the European Tour. Last year he was third in that category, hitting 73.50 percent of greens.

Alex Noren (77)

Needed a good finish in the Nedbank to make it into the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. The Swede finished T-44 and sits 67th on the Race to Dubai. He was sixth last year, eighth in 2017 and third the year before. In 16 European Tour events this season, Noren failed to rack up one top 10. His poor season comes down to struggles with the shortest club in his bag. He was 18th in putts per green in regulation in 2018. This year he ranks 148th. The former Oklahoma State player is one of the hardest workers in the game. He doesn’t have to look too hard to discover what he needs to work on over the winter to try to get back to his best.

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Forecaddie: GolfNow’s purchase of EZLinks Golf brings big ramifications for golf industry

NBC Sports Group announced it has acquired EZLinks Golf, a PGA Tour-affiliated company, including Teeoff.com.

Jeff Foster is one step closer to his big, hairy, audacious goal coming to fruition.

“We want to facilitate the booking of every round, everywhere,” Foster, the senior vice president of GolfNow, told Golfweek in 2016.

NBC Sports Group today announced it has acquired EZLinks Golf, a PGA Tour-affiliated company, including Teeoff.com, its online tee-time marketplace for golfers, and its technology platforms, business solutions and customer service for golf course partners.

The move cements GolfNow as the 800-pound gorilla in the online tee-time category, but it won’t be welcomed by course owners and operators, The Forecaddie hears. An independent TeeOff.com, backed by the Tour’s marketing clout, was perceived as critical to a healthy, competitive marketplace. The combination of the two largest players in the category means that, more than ever, partnering with GolfNow becomes almost a cost of doing business.

Rumors of this move had been circulating for a few months. As one insider tells The Forecaddie, the industry should have felt “the tremors.” This puts into the hands of one entity upwards of 85 percent of the online tee-time inventory in the United States, according to sources.

“How is that good for golf courses when GolfNow’s economic model is still about discounted, bartered golf?” one observer said. “That’s the kryptonite of the golf industry. This just adds fuel to the fire.”

GolfNow, which has changed the way golfers book tee times, and how much – or little – customers are willing to pay, already was one of the most polarizing subjects in golf. There’s little argument that they offer additional marketing power, enhanced awareness and direct revenue.

“Incorporating the technology and services of EZLinks into the comprehensive digital solutions we already offer will enhance our ability to help golf courses operate more efficiently and make the game more accessible for golfers,” said Will McIntosh, executive vice president, NBC Sports digital and consumer business.

Critics of GolfNow blame its predatory pricing for negatively impacting the value proposition of a round. The GolfNow-golf-course-operator agreement allows GolfNow to price the bartered rounds of golf.

“That’s the big killer,” another observer said. “Marriott would never let Expedia price their rooms. It wouldn’t happen. And if Booking.com bought Travelocity, you’d still have several other big players. That’s not the case. Golf’s an incredibly fragmented industry and to try to beat back, you know, in the tug of war in the market is going to be really, really hard.”

“This merger of two of the largest brands in golf may result in more light shining on our great game and more choice, on one screen, for the golfer.  It also may result in greater investments in their respective technology, used by thousands of golf courses. Yet I am not convinced it will aid the financial success of golf courses,” wrote Jay Karen, executive director of the National Golf Course Owners Association, in an email to his membership. “My concern is the merger consolidates inventory and power to sell more heavily discounted and bartered golf. With the supply and demand realities in our industry, golf courses need no help in selling golf for less.”

With its high margins, GolfNow has become a cash cow for NBC Sports Group. Industry observers with knowledge of Golf Channel’s operations say GolfNow has become the network’s profit center, and this deal could help stave off the potential loss of PGA Tour broadcasting rights, which are currently being negotiated.

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Highs and lows for Danish golf as 28 qualify for 2020 European Tour

Two Danish golfers earned cards for the 2020 European Tour including g.

There was good news and bad news for Danish golf at the conclusion of the European Tour Qualifying School. Danes earned two of the 28 cards awarded for the 2020 European Tour, but one Danish golfer missed out while his twin brother cashed in.

Copenhagen resident Benjamin Poke took the first card by six shots. Eighteen-year-old countryman Rasmus Højgaard joined him by finishing joint fifth. However, Rasmus’s twin brother, Nicolia, fell five shots short. The Rasmus boys were trying to become the first twin brothers to play on the European circuit.

Veteran Frenchman Gregory Havret, who finished second in the 2010 U.S. Open, finished second. Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, who won the 2003 NCAA Championship while at Arizona State, placed third.

Poke returned a 7-under 64 to finish the six-round marathon on 25 under par. The 27 year old should get enough tournaments next season to retain his playing rights for 2021.

“To play on the European Tour is something that you always dream about when you are young, so to finally stand here with my card is unbelievable,” Poke said.

Poke finished 29th on the European Challenge Tour money list this season in his rookie year on Europe’s junior circuit.

“I’m planning to celebrate this moment for a while,” Poke said. “You work so hard and then there are times when you are struggling and it’s not easy, but you’ve got to get up and carry on and celebrate the good times when they happen.”

Rasmus Højgaard closed out the six-round examination with consecutive 66s to finish 16 under. Nicolai could only manage a 1-over 72 to finish at 7-under when the mark was 12 under.

“It feels amazing to have my European Tour card,” Rasmus said. “I kind of knew once Nicolai was on the back nine that he wasn’t going to get his card. It’s sad that he isn’t going to get his card and that we won’t be together on the European Tour next year, but that’s just how it is sometimes.”

Other notables earning cards were former Tennessee player and 2013 British Amateur champion Garrick Porteous. The Englishman finished on 14 under.

Veteran Welsh player Bradley Dredge, a two-time European Tour winner, finished on 13 under to qualify.

Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell, who partnered Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup, also finished on 13 under to join McIlroy on next year’s tour.

Sweden’s Niklas Lemke, another Arizona State grad, returned a closing 5-under 66 to qualify for the second straight year after nine failed attempts. He finished on 12 under to take one of the last four cards.

Americans Sihwan Kim and Johannes Veerman were among the 28, while first round leader John Catlin from Sacramento missed out.

The good news for those who failed is that any player who made the 72-hole cut automatically receives a 2020 Challenge Tour card.

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European Tour is forced to cancel Hong Kong Open one week before tournament

The $1.5 million Hong Kong Open was due to kick off the 2020 European season along with the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The European Tour has canceled next week’s Hong Kong Open due to ongoing unrest in the former British colony.

The $1.5 million event was due to kick off the 2020 European season along with the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa. The Tour will try to reschedule the tournament for early next year.

Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson and Francesco Molinari were the headline acts set to play in the tournament.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley had previously said the event would go ahead, but has had to bow to the reality on the ground.

“The decision has been taken due to the ongoing level of social unrest in Hong Kong,” Pelley said. “As the safety of our players, staff, stakeholders and everyone involved in each and every one of our tournaments around the world is our top priority, we feel this is the correct, but unfortunate, course of action.

“We look forward to hopefully returning early next year.”

The event is a co-sanctioned tournament in conjunction with the Asian Tour, and Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Tour, said: “It is regrettable that the Hong Kong Open has to be postponed due to the ongoing unrest in the city.

“The unpredictability of the current situation in Hong Kong makes it very challenging to sanction the tournament especially with the safety of everyone of utmost importance. However, we are optimistic that once the situation in Hong Kong stabilizes, we will be in a better position to sanction the 61st edition of the Hong Kong Open in the very near future.”

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Jon Rahm puts his fiancee first before European No. 1 title

Rahm, who took time off to hang out with his fiancee before their wedding, plays in the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Jon Rahm has spent the last six weeks practicing to be a family man. It might have hindered his chances of ending the season as European Tour No. 1, but it bodes well for his impending marriage to longtime girlfriend Kelley Cahill.

The Spaniard plays this week’s $8 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai as one of four players – Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Matthew Fitzpatrick are the others – who can deny Bernd Wiesberger the European No. 1 title. Considering Rahm is third in the Race to Dubai and chasing his first chance to end a season as Europe’s top player, you’d have thought he’d be going hell for leather as most 25-year-olds would.

Instead, Rahm decided to take his foot off the gas and kick back. This is his first tournament since winning the Spanish Open in October.

“Six weeks off since my last competitive round,” Rahm admitted.

“I didn’t touch a club for a month. Honestly, I needed it. After Spain, I stayed home for a week and after that I think it was three more weeks in Arizona where I truly didn’t even step on a golf course.

“Ever since I became a good amateur in Spain, it’s almost been like 10 straight years of nonstop. Never have had a break like that.”

What prompted the break? Two reasons: next year is going to be a busier season than normal with the Olympics Games in Tokyo, and he decided to get a little practice as a family man.

“It was more like a future thing. Knowing that with me getting married in Christmas, and the year we’re going to have, I needed a break at some point. I feel like that was the only time I could get a break to recharge a little bit and make sure, you know, I’m going to be fresh for next year.”

Rahm and girlfriend Kelley got engaged last year, and the Spaniard has given himself quite a few brownie points ahead of the wedding.

“I’m not going to lie. At first it was hard to step away from it a little bit. Honestly, I did nothing special. Just being a 25-year-old, enjoying time with my friends, enjoying time with Kelley. We spend so much of our life making decisions just for me and for my golf game, that it was nice just to, you know, tell her for a month straight, ‘What do you want to do?’ right, instead of what do I need to do. It was very nice to be able to do that. I wish I could do it every day of the year, but golf, it’s somewhat of a selfish sport in that sense.

“We didn’t go on any trips or do anything extravagant like that. Just actually tried to be at home for a month and enjoy time with our friends and family around there and live as normal a life as possible.”

Rahm might not begin next year as European No. 1, but he’ll start 2020 as a possible contender for husband of the year.

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RSM Classic: Fantasy Golf Power Rankings

Previewing the 2019 RSM Classic and looking at the best fantasy golf selections for Sea Island Golf Club.

The RSM Classic will be the final PGA Tour event of 2019 with FedExCup Points on the line. It’s the final full-field event of the early portion of the 2019-20 Tour season and takes place at Sea Island Golf Club in Glynn County, Ga.

A select group of golfers will be in The Bahamas in two weeks for Tiger Woods‘ Hero World Challenge. The Presidents Cup and QBE Shootout will then conclude the 2019 calendar year. The 2020 portion of the schedule will begin in Hawaii with the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Sony Open, played in the first two weekends of the new year.

Fantasy Golf Rankings: Top 30

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2019 RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club.

30. Ryan Armour

Made the cut at Sea Island in each of his last four tries with a top finish of T-15 last year.

29. Peter Uihlein

In the top 10 of the field in both Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and SG: Scrambling.

28. Bronson Burgoon

Tied for 13th at the Houston Open and followed it with a T-33 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic last week after more than a month off of competitive play.

27. Alex Noren

Has been playing often this fall after slipping to No. 64 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Has one of the top world-wide resumes in the field.

26. Cameron Tringale

Ranks ninth in the field in SG: Approach over everyone’s most recent 50 rounds. Tied for 66th at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in his last event.

25. Patrick Rodgers

Tied for 10th in 2016 and finished as the runner-up last year but missed the cut in 2017.

24. Luke List

Started the season with two straight missed cuts but made three in a row before missing last weekend at the Mayakoba Classic. Tied for fourth here last year.

23. Vaughn Taylor

Tied for second last week for his best result in four straight made cuts. Missed the cut last season but was T-8 in 2017.

22. Mackenzie Hughes

Mackenzie Hughes. Ray Carlin – USA TODAY Sports

Hasn’t been in good form this season but he missed the cut the week before his 2016 victory at Sea Island.

21. Rory Sabbatini

Collected finishes of T-33 and T-31 in much stronger fields during the Tour’s swing through Asia last month.

20. J.T. Poston

Three straight made cuts going back to the Zozo Championship. Has a poor history at this event but has just one missed cut since the John Deere Classic in July.

19. Russell Knox

Hasn’t missed a cut since A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier to open the 2019-20 season and ranks second in the field in SG: Approach over everyone’s last 50 rounds.

18. Austin Cook

The 2017 champ followed it up with a T-11 last year but missed the cut last week.

17. Dylan Frittelli

Ranks fourth in the field in SG: Around-the-Green and 15th in SG: Approach.

16. Russell Henley

Has gained 1.07 strokes per round at Sea Island GC over 15 rounds played since 2010, according to Data Golf.

15. Jim Furyk

Jim Furyk. Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports

Leads this year’s field with 2.10 strokes gained per round since 2010, despite missing the cut last year.

14. Kyle Stanley

The best approach game in the field over everyone’s last 50 rounds. Has been held back by his play around the greens.

13. Brian Stuard

Excels on the approach and around the greens. Needs to avoid trouble.

12. Brendon Todd

Can’t be ignored following back-to-back wins. Made the cut at this venue in each of his last three appearances.

11. Brian Harman

Tied for fourth in 2017 and finished T-32 last year. Ranks fifth in the field in SG: Scrambling.

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10. Sebastian Munoz

This venue has rewarded hot putters in the past if he can recapture his form from his Sanderson Farms Championship win.

9. Zach Johnson

A local resident who picked up his lone top-10 finish of last season at this tournament.

8. Lanto Griffin

The third golfer in the field to have a win already this season. He has been riding a hot putter and is ninth in the field in SG: Scrambling.

7. Billy Horschel

Two top-10 finishes to open the season strong, including a T-8 result last week.

6. Scottie Scheffler

Hasn’t missed a cut in six events since graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour. Has a good all-around game and just needs to get some luck on the putting surfaces.

5. Charles Howell III

Last year’s champ picked up three other top 10s last season and has two already in the 2019-20 campaign.

4. Adam Hadwin

Consistently one of the top putters on Tour and will be making his final preparations for the Presidents Cup.

3. Kevin Kisner

Kevin Kisner. Photo Credit: Adam Hagy – USA TODAY Sports

The 2015 champion has three other top-10 finishes here since 2014. Ranks second in the field in strokes gained at Sea Island among those with 20 rounds played since 2010.

2. Matt Kuchar

Typically a strong early-season performer, he hasn’t finished higher than T-22 at this event since 2014. He’s coming off of a T-14 result in his defense of the Mayakoba last week.

1. Webb Simpson

Finished solo third here last year and enters the week as the betting favorite despite playing just one event this season — where he finished T-7 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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Golf Channel executive producer Molly Solomon takes on new role with NBC Olympics

Molly Solomon adds NBC Olympics production and executive producer to her job role in addition to overseeing production of Golf Channel.

Molly Solomon was playing the 16th hole with Golf Channel commentator Brandel Chamblee recently at her home course, Country Club of Orlando, when her phone buzzed. It was her boss, Pete Bevacqua, president of NBC Sports Group. As any golfer should do, she let it go to voicemail.

“I finished the round, got in my car and called him back,” she said. “Sometimes you get a call that changes the direction of your professional life.”

NBC Sports Group announced Tuesday that Solomon has been named executive producer and president of NBC Olympics production and executive producer of Golf Channel.

Solomon, who has worked 10 Olympics for NBC Sports, including as coordinating producer of the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony and prime-time show, will oversee all day-to-day editorial production of NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games, as well as the Olympic Channel. She will continue to oversee production of NBC Sports Group’s Golf Channel as well, a position she has held since 2012, and report to Bevacqua.

“As a broadcast partner at the PGA of America, and now as a colleague at NBC Sports, I’ve had a front-row seat watching Molly skillfully and creatively lead a tremendous Golf Channel production team,” Bevacqua said. “We are excited to put oversight of our Olympic presentation into her exceptionally-qualified hands, and are especially proud to see a long-time and well-liked member of our NBC team return to her roots.”

She’s also not the only Golf Channel executive to take on a bigger role within NBC Universal. Will McIntosh was recently promoted to executive vice president of NBC Sports digital and consumer business and moved to its Connecticut offices. The timing of these announcements with Golf Channel in the midst of a fierce battle to retain rights to the PGA Tour suggests Golf Channel may be bracing for a big shakeup if it loses out in a bidding war, but Bevacqua downplayed the significance.

“I don’t think it has any impact at all,” he said of NBC/Golf Channel’s TV negotiation effort.

Solomon replaces Jim Bell, who stepped down earlier this month after three decades with NBC.

“To lead NBC Sports’ Olympic production team is an immensely rewarding opportunity in a 30-year career,” Solomon said. “Growing up at NBC Sports, I’ve been so fortunate to work with the gifted Olympics storytellers, and then to combine it with my other sports love – golf – with the incredible, dedicated team at Golf Channel.”

Solomon, who begins her new role immediately, returns to work with the NBC Olympics team, where she previously held a succession of positions beginning in 1990 as a researcher (the last time she was in Tokyo was in 1991, as a researcher for NBC Sports’ coverage of the world track and field championships).

An 11-time Emmy Award-winner, Solomon continues to serve in her role as Golf Channel’s lead production executive. Solomon also oversaw the network’s production of golf’s return to the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. She will now be based at NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.

“Molly is a fantastic leader who has helped showcase the most historic championships in golf and new events designed to help grow the game,” Mike McCarley, president of golf for NBC Sports, wrote to Golf Channel staff in an e-mail obtained by Golfweek.

“She’s worked closely with many partners to elevate championships like THE PLAYERS, The Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the new FedExCup Playoffs, as well as launch new events like the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals and Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and of course, golf’s return to the Olympics in 2016. It’s only fitting that she returns to her Olympic roots as the leader who will now shape the way in which America experiences the Olympic Games.”

When asked if she plans to give Olympic golf any special promotion, she noted that the golf likely will air during prime time.

“I do have a soft spot for golf,” she said.

 

TaylorMade wins Golfweek Industry Cup presented by Topgolf Swing Suite

TaylorMade returned to the winner’s circle at the annual Golfweek Industry Cup presented by Topgolf Swing Suite held at La Costa Resort.

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Bolstered by strong performances in the four-ball and scramble formats, TaylorMade returned to the winner’s circle at the annual Golfweek Industry Cup presented by Topgolf Swing Suite held at La Costa Resort.

TaylorMade finished the 27-hole, 4-person team competition at 23 under par. Titleist, which had its best success in the individual aggregate format and was the reigning champion, finished in second at 21 under. Adidas took third at 15 under, while Callaway shot 14 under for fourth.

The competition is an annual showdown among representatives of the game’s top manufacturers. The winning TaylorMade team was represented by Juan Yumar, Bucky Coe, Joe Ryon and captain Patrick Baxter.

The 2019 Golfweek Industry Cup presented by Topgolf Swing Suite at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California. Photo: Topgolf

On the eve of the event, which was sponsored by Topgolf Swing Suite, Baxter expressed to his entire contingent how important the event is with pride on the line. This year was especially of focus after Titleist ended TaylorMade’s streak of four straight wins in 2018.

“There will be lots of eyes on our performance tomorrow,” Baxter told his team. “This tournament serves as a shining reminder that TaylorMade produces the best-performing equipment made by the game’s brightest minds and strongest players. Let’s play smart and be the best representatives of the brand we can.”

After the morning session in which TaylorMade built a comfortable lead, things heated up down the stretch in afternoon aggregate play, in which three of four scores per team count.

“It was close all the way to the end,” Baxter said. “However, our team never let up. All four of us closed out the aggregate session with birdies on the par-5 17th of the Legends Course. The talent on the other teams was extremely strong, but we earned this one. Especially Juan Yumar, our MVP. He was our club champion this year and fired 2 under par in the last session, proving as the difference maker in this two-shot victory.”

The annual long-drive competition, held at Full Swing Golf’s headquarters and additionally presented by Topgolf Swing Suite, saw TaylorMade’s Chris Rollins defeat Fujikura’s Marshall Thompson in the finale. Rollins’ winning drive of 326.8 yards was propelled by his TaylorMade M5 and Fujikura Ventus 6X shaft.

Top-Four Leaderboard

1. TaylorMade Team 1 (-23)
Players: Juan Yumar, Bucky Coe, Joe Ryon, Patrick Baxter

2. Titleist Team 1 (-21)
Players: Price Ferchill, Grant Martens, Kevin Tassistro, Nick Geyer

3. adidas Team 1 (-15)
Players: Scott Parkin, Matt Blackey, Robbie Ziegler, Kristen Muirhead

4. Callaway Team 1 (-14)
Players: Kevin DeHuff, Marc Zien, Joe Toulon, Jonathan Sanders