Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist, Mizuno and Ping are all featured … but which driver was No. 1?
The PGA Tour’s final wrap-around season recently concluded and the fall schedule has just two more full-field events remaining before the Tour takes a break for the holidays.
Last season, the PGA Tour’s driving distance average was 299.8 yards per measured tee shot, a season-ending record and up 3.6 yards from 2021’s average of 296.2. Cameron Champ led the PGA Tour in driving distance average at 321.4 yards, edging out Rory McIlroy by 0.1 yards. In all, 99 golfers finished the season with a driving distance average of over 300 yards.
Distance is a major component of effectiveness off the tee, but accuracy and how far you leave yourself from the flag also play a role. For that reason, Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, which factors all those things and reveals how much of an advantage (measured in strokes) a player has over the field, is the best measure of effectiveness. The players listed below ended the PGA Tour’s 2021-22 season ranked as the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, along with the drivers they were using at the end of the season.
The World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico, featured a handful of big name players in the field. Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Billy Horschel — all in the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking — lived up to their well deserved reputations by at least advancing to the weekend. Only Tony Finau, No. 14 in the world, didn’t get the job done.
He’s not the only notable name that isn’t moving on or will have a chance to make a run at the title. Here’s a closer look at some of the notables who failed to make the top 65 and ties and are heading home from the Yucatan Peninsula empty-handed.
Several players are still angling to make the PGA Tour postseason. Some are just inside the cutline while others have work to do.
The PGA Tour regular season is coming to an end Sunday, meaning the FedEx Cup playoffs begin next week.
The Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, will offer some PGA Tour players one last chance to improve their position or perhaps even make it into the field of 125 for the playoffs.
Since the points structure changed in 2009, an average of fewer than three players per year entered the final week of FedEx Cup regular season outside the top 125 in the standings and went on to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Some players also will look to crack the top 200 in the FedEx Cup Eligibility Points List to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, which is set for September 1-4 at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana.
Scottie Scheffler, who has four wins this season, leads the FedEx Cup standings by more than 1,000 points over second-place Cameron Smith. Tony Finau, who has won the past two weeks, is up to No. 7.
The three-event playoff series starts at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, next week, but many in the field at the Wyndham Championship this week will be angling to keep their seasons alive.
Here’s a closer look at some interesting names in the FedEx Cup points standings, including some who are in the field and others who need a big week to make the playoffs.
The struggle with the putter was real, but Rahm maintained a 2-stroke lead at the Mexico Open.
Jon Rahm must not have gotten the memo.
The World No. 2 entered Saturday’s third round of the Mexico Open at Vidanta with a two-stroke lead, but instead of crushing his competitors’ hopes on “Moving Day,” Rahm was stuck in neutral for much of the day.
“It is what it is,” he said, “can’t play four perfect days.”
The struggle was real, primarily on the greens. In fact, he lost his lead temporarily and had to rally with birdies at two of the three par 5s on the back nine to maintain a two-stroke lead over Cameron Champ and rookie Kurt Kitayama heading into the final round.
Rahm posted 3-under 68 to improve to a 54-hole total of 15-under 198 at Vidanta Villarta Golf Club in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as he seeks his first win since the 2021 U.S. Open and seventh career PGA Tour title.
While players behind him were going low, Rahm stayed put early on, opening with five straight pars and before he knew it his lead was gone. Kitayama, who shot 66, was the first to tie him at 12 under. Champ made birdie at 6, his third of the day to make it a trio at the top. But Rahm put back-to-back circles on the scorecard at Nos. 6 and 7, where he drove the green at the short par-4, with a pair of 2-putt tap-in birdies.
Rahm made his lone bogey of the day at the 10th hole when his tee shot splashed in the water.
When Champ chipped close at the par-5 12th for a tap-in birdie, he took sole possession of the lead. Another birdie at 14, his sixth of the day, and Champ was the first player to reach 15 under, but his clean card got messy and the lead vanished when he made back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 15 and 16 en route to posting 67. Champ, a three-time Tour winner, has recorded just one top 10 this season, at the Masters in his most recent start, and eight top-10 finishes in his career. When he’s playing well, his batting average at hoisting the trophy on Sunday is Hall of Fame worthy.
“He’s Reggie Jackson,” said Robert Damron on PGA Tour Radio. “He either goes 0-for-4 with three strikeouts or blasts three out of the park and he wins.”
Of the players in hot pursuit, Champ is likely the one Rahm will be most worried about.
“My game has felt good. I’m in great spirits in the head, in life. So tomorrow, I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Champ said. “This place, I love it here, it suits me well.”
Kitayama made his move on the front nine, shooting 5-under 30, which included an eagle at the seventh hole. But he, too, drove it in the water at 10 – for the second straight round – and hit an ugly tee shot way right at 17 – that gave a couple strokes back. Still, the two-time DP World Tour winner did enough to earn a spot in the final threesome on Sunday alongside Champ and Rahm.
“I think it’s a good learning experience to learn like what the best do so well and to be right there to learn,” Kitayama said. “Obviously I’m trying to win, but just kind of see what happens.”
Rahm’s inability to run away and hide on Saturday meant that he gave hope to others, including Nate Lashley, who signed for a bogey-free 64 and improved to 12 under and tied for fourth with Patrick Rodgers (66) and Davis Riley (67), who are both seeking their first Tour title. Lashley said he expected to have to go low again to have a chance to track down Rahm.
“He keeps playing the way he does and it’s going to be probably hard to catch him,” Lashley said.
Jon Rahm of Spain plays a shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the Mexico Open at Vidanta on April 30, 2022, in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Rahm’s putter, which had been much improved during the first two rounds, held him back on Saturday. He missed a 6-foot birdie putt at No. 12, but converted a short birdie at the par-5 14th to get within a stroke of Champ before he made consecutive bogeys. Rahm added a final birdie at the par-5 18th, sinking a 12-foot birdie putt, his longest made putt of the day.
“It was nice to see one roll in finally,” said Rahm, who said he never figured out the speed of the Paspalum-grass greens, which are slower than typical Tour events. (He still ranks 11th for the week in Strokes Gained: Putting.)
Rahm entered the week as the favorite in a weak field and remains the player to beat. Although he allowed several players to remain in touch with his lead, Rahm’s “bad day” was a 68, and he expressed confidence that he was comfortable being the hunted rather than the hunter.
“It’s been a little bit of a while,” he said. “The crowd loves me so far, I can tell. You know, they want me to win, so hopefully, I can do it for them.”
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Cameron Champ is going to make his third straight cut at the Masters Tournament despite the weather during Friday’s second-round play.
Champ followed up his first-round 72 by shooting 75 on a cool, windy day where wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour dogged virtually everyone on the course.
After shooting 38 on the first nine, he finished with a birdie on 16 and two pars to close the round.
“It was a thing where I wasn’t playing badly,” Champ said. “I was hitting the ball well, but with the wind swirling and the greens being tricky, you just never know what to expect.”
Near the projected cutline at the finish of the round, Champ’s pivotal play at 16 started with a stellar tee shot that took one bounce after hitting the green before rolling an extra two feet toward the cup, leaving a manageable 5-footer for birdie.
Champ said he wasn’t overly concerned about Friday’s result or the weekend’s prospects given the course conditions which include a Saturday forecast that calls for more gusty winds and temps in the low 60s.
“I feel like, from here on, anyone who can stay somewhere around par is going to have a shot to win,” Champ said.
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The 26-year old from Sacramento, California, said he would spend the rest of Friday relaxing with family and reflecting on the privilege of being a part of Masters history as, along with Tiger Woods and Harold Varner, the first-ever trio of Black golfers to play in the same Masters Tournament.
The impact of that milestone was not lost on him.
“It’s really nice to see things going in the right direction,” Champ said. “Is it close to where it should be? No. It’s not anywhere near being close.”
Champ mentioned how Woods has held the banner of success for non-white golfers for years, and that his presence is still needed to continue shifting perceptions of the game.
“When you see guys like a Tiger Woods out here, just the energy and vibe he brings to the game is like none other,” he said. “Whether he’s shooting an 80 or a 65, he just brings a different atmosphere. I’ve never seen so many people gathered for a Tuesday morning practice round in my life.”
Champ also tossed accolades to Varner, who’s in the top 10 on the leaderboard in his Masters debut, making three birdies Friday en route to a 71 score, good for a two-day total of 142.
“I’m super happy to see him out here doing well,” Champ said. “And also, I have to mention Tony Finau. Though he’s not African American, he’s still out here as a minority and he’s someone I call my brother.”
Champ said he’s passionate about seeing the game of golf become more of a mainstay in communities of color.
“That’s sort of the work my foundation does,” he said. “Just trying to get kids access to the game. For some it’s just too expensive, and that’s what almost made it impossible for me to play as a kid. But thankfully I grew up in a place where there were a lot of public courses. Some places, the only courses are at country clubs.”
The three-time PGA Tour winner says it’s going to take a collective effort from everyone in the sport to truly see the game grow in its diversity.
“It’s going to take not just a village, but it’s going to take the entirety of the tour, those around the Tour and the entire golfing community to get things on a broader level,” he said. “It’s a matter of setting up programs to introduce kids to the game. And it has to be someone who looks like them. You’re not gonna get some guy in a suit coming into those communities saying, ‘Hey, you wanna play golf?’
“It’s going to be easier to get those kids when they see someone who looks like them having success.”
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a member of the PGA Tour, the folks at Netflix are about to show you.
On Wednesday it was announced that Netflix would air a PGA Tour docuseries that would take fans behind-the-scenes and show what life on Tour is really like.
“This partnership with Netflix presents the PGA Tour and the four major championships an opportunity to tap into a completely new and diverse audience,” said Rick Anderson, the Tour’s Chief Media Officer. “This documentary will give fans an authentic look into the real lives of our athletes, and what it’s like to win — and lose — during a season on the PGA Tour.”
Filming is underway and will continue throughout 2022.
Confirmed players (alphabetically): Abraham Ancer, Daniel Berger, Cameron Champ, Joel Dahmen, Tony Finau, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Harry Higgs, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Kevin Na, Mito Pereira, Ian Poulter, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, and Bubba Watson.
Keita Nakajima, the world’s No. 1 amateur, will also be featured.
“We are thrilled to bring golf’s leading organizations and players together for this first-of-its-kind partnership and unparalleled window into life on the Tour,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix Vice President of Unscripted and Documentary Series. “Our members will love getting to know the players and personalities as well as the iconic venues along the way. Even the most devoted golf fans have never seen the sport quite like this.”
Champ also WD’d from the Travelers Championship in 2020 due to COVID-19.
For the second time in as many years, Cameron Champ has been forced to withdraw from a PGA Tour event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tour announced on Tuesday that the three-time winner, most recently at the 2021 3M Open in July, was forced to withdraw from this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii after testing positive for COVID-19.
“Cameron is naturally quite disappointed not to be able to return to action in Maui,” according to a statement from Champ’s representation. “Thankfully, however, he feels good and we were able to confirm this breakthrough case whilst he was still at home in Houston.”
Cameron Champ knows he’s stood on many shoulders and accepted many helping hands to get to where he is and he wants to pay it forward through his foundation.
NAPA, Calif. – My goosebumps had goosebumps as I watched Cameron Champ win the 2019 Safeway Open (now known as the Fortinet Championship) at the Silverado Resort & Spa’s North Course. Champ, who grew up 60 miles away in Sacramento, played with a heavy heart as his Grandpa, Mack Champ, watched from the family home. “Pops,” as Cameron affectionately called him, had entered hospice for Stage IV stomach cancer, and died shortly thereafter.
It was Mack who bought Cam and his sister Madison their first sets of plastic clubs. (Madison is on the autism spectrum, which is why Cameron typically wears a baby-blue shirt on Sunday, the color of autism awareness.) Cameron was 2 ½ at the time he first wrapped his hands around a club, and it wasn’t long before Mack started taking his grandson to Foothill Golf Course in Sacramento. For $200 a year, Cameron could play as much golf as he wanted.
“After school we would go play as many holes as we could,” he recalled. “I still remember the push carts they had to the little snack shack they had.”
Two years ago, I was standing by the 18th green at the Safeway Open next to Champ’s father, Jeff, who held his cell phone in his left hand so Pops could hear the applause rain down from the crowd as Cameron wrapped up his second of now three PGA Tour titles. Jeff gritted his teeth, tightened every muscle in his body and attempted, by sheer will, to force the tears back into their ducts. But it was already too late. His long embrace on the green with his son reminded me of Tiger Woods hugging caddie Steve Williams and losing it on his shoulder at the British Open after Woods’s father had passed away in 2006. Just as on that day, there weren’t many dry eyes among those who witnessed this scene.
Champ is living to make Grandpa Mack proud and that means being a winner in his community. At 24, he launched his own foundation to give back and chose Foothill Golf Course, a par-3 course measuring 1,203 yards, as his initial project to give young people a safe haven to play and learn.
“We’ve been thinking about this since I was a kid,” Cameron told me at the time.
The foundation has a simple goal: to establish and promote youth mentorship and golf programs that foster an environment for academic achievement and healthy living for children from underserved and disadvantaged communities.
“We believe sport speaks to youth in a language they understand and when coupled with access to a safe and nurturing place to ‘play,’ sport can be a tool for positive change,” the Foundation’s boiler plate reads. “We believe in the power of education — that access to learning beyond-the-classroom (K-12) and access to college will unlock the potential in every child and significantly improve the odds of lifelong success. We believe in the power of mentoring – providing access to mentors not only helps the children today but creates learned behaviors that will enable children to make the world a better place. When this all comes together, we will fuel the dreams of the children we touch. Come walk with us!”
It’s a powerful message and one that got a huge lift on Monday when the Fortinet Championship, the inaugural event of the 2021-22 season and a new Tour partner, stepped up on Monday to support Champ with his family’s vision – it’s truly a family affair at the Cameron Champ Foundation – with The Walk with Us Cameron Champ Foundation Pro-Am, benefiting the Foundation in support of programs for underserved and underrepresented children in the Bay Area.
“It’s kind of like a dream,” Champ said. “It’s something that again we’re going to keep pushing as hard as we can in order for that dream to become a reality.”
Champ, who got his first taste of playing at Silverado in a junior all-stars competition and had Pops on the bag when he played The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course, also created the Mack Champ Invitational, a junior golf tournament, in Houston. He knows he’s stood on many shoulders and accepted many helping hands to get to where he is and he wants to pay it forward.
Since acquiring the management contract at Foothill in June 2019, he has set out to make it a place where children can learn not only to play golf but also get a healthy snack, help with their homework and just be kids. COVID-19 delayed some of the improvement measures they outlined, but he said, “everything is going in the proper directions that we want it to.”
“What Cameron and his dad are going to do is create opportunities,” Mack told Golf.com a year before he died. “There are kids in gangs, kids with no hope, and we want to try to get them into golf. Cameron knows if people didn’t give to him, he wouldn’t be where he is.”
That’s why he called yesterday’s fundraiser, “a huge steppingstone for us.”
“We’re trying to make a difference in as many ways as we can,” he added. “Obviously I’m only one person, my family’s only one family, my board is only one board, so we can only do as much as we can, but with the resources and with the people we have that are in support of us, we’re going to do everything we possibly can to help the kids, especially in my hometown.”
It is a victory that trumps all the trophies that have begun to pile up at home and likely all of the ones still to come.
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The win is the third of the 26-year-old Champ’s career.
Louis Oosthuizen lipped out with a shot from just inside 100 yards on his final hole that would have tied Cameron Champ and given the South African a share of the 3M Open lead in the clubhouse at 14 under.
Instead Oosthuizen had to settle for the clubhouse lead one back at 13 under, putting the pressure on Champ to finish strong. The 26-year-old made birdie on No. 15 to take a two-shot advantage but hit a wayward drive left that found the thick rough on the final hole. After two lay ups to get back in the fairway, Champ spun his approach shot to a couple feet and signed for a 5-under 66 on Sunday at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, to earn his third win on the PGA Tour. Champ previously won the 2019 Safeway Open and 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship.
The Houston resident had struggled in recent events. Before a T-11 at the John Deere Classic two weeks ago, Champ had missed the cut or withdrawn in his previous five starts. The former Texas A&M Aggie is now the fourth player 27 yeard old or younger to win a Tour event in each of the last three years, joining Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau.
