Tag: Harold Varner III

Harold Varner III lets clubs do the talking en route to share of Charles Schwab Challenge lead

For some two weeks now, Harold Varner III, one of just four of the PGA Tour’s 267 members of black heritage, has been a leading voice in the world of golf in addressing racial injustice and the unrest that has erupted from coast to coast following …

For some two weeks now, Harold Varner III, one of just four of the PGA Tour’s 267 members of black heritage, has been a leading voice in the world of golf in addressing racial injustice and the unrest that has erupted from coast to coast following the death of George Floyd.

On podcasts, interviews and during a one-on-one with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan that was streamed over many social platforms, Varner spoke openly, honestly and eloquently about the difficult subject.

On Thursday, he let his clubs do the talking.

In the PGA Tour’s first action in 91 days, Varner shot a bogey-free, 7-under-par 63 to grab a share of the lead with Justin Rose in the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Varner hit all 18 greens in regulation – just the third person to do that at Colonial in the past 25 years, one of the others being Tiger Woods – 10 of 14 fairways in regulation and needed just 29 putts.

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“Good to be back inside the ropes and just doing what I love to do, play golf and have fun. I’m pretty good at those two things, and they came together pretty well today,” Varner said. “I love playing golf. I work my tail off to play and to get back inside the ropes. No one is asking anything, you’re doing what you’re good at. Same thing, you’re asking me questions, you’re doing your job. I’m doing my job and I’m appreciative of that.”

Hot on the heels of Varner and Rose are world No. 4 Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Jhonattan Vegas and Abraham Ancer, all who signed for 64. A large group at 65 included past Colonial winner Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Woodland and Xander Schauffele. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and No. 3 Brooks Koepka each shot 68.

PGA: Charles Schwab Challenge - First Round
Harold Varner III putts on the 14th green during the first round of the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club. Photo by Raymond Carlin III/USA TODAY Sports

Varner, who is chasing his first PGA Tour title, missed the cut in his only other appearance at Colonial in 2017. But he took something from those two rounds: He learned he didn’t needed to hit driver to get a handle on the tight, tree-lined classical course. With an assortment of metal woods and long irons, Varner kept his ball in play this time around and attacked from there.

It also helped that he felt like a kid in a candy store inside the ropes.

“I woke up and I was like, am I really about to play golf?” he said. “I’ve been playing a lot of golf like at home just with a bunch of friends, but now this world excites me like no other because that’s what you want. That’s why you get on the PGA Tour, that’s why you work your tail off, and just to be here is good.

“It didn’t matter if I shot 80 today. I love playing golf, but you don’t realize it until it’s taken away from you.”

So Varner will be looking forward to getting up before the sun for his early tee time in the second round instead of looking forward to Sunday.

“If I’m thinking about winning a golf tournament right now, I’ve probably lost it,” he said. “I know what’s going on (in the world), but when I’m on the golf course, I’m trying to play well. The reason I have a platform is because I’m really good at golf. I just need to focus on that, and to be honest with you, being on the golf course, it helped me. It’s my getaway, I guess.

“But I didn’t think it would be like that until I got on the first hole and I hooked one super far left and I was pissed, like it was good. Those juices are awesome.”

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What PGA Tour players are saying about vacant 8:46 tee time

In the wake of the death of George Floyd, 8:46 has become a symbol for the racial injustice and the PGA Tour says it wants to do its part.

In the wake of the death of George Floyd, 8:46 has become a symbol for the racial injustice faced by the black community, and the PGA Tour says it wants to do its part to help move forward.

On the PGA Tour’s official website, it reads:

As part of ongoing efforts to amplify the voices and efforts underway to end racial and social injustice, the TOUR has set aside an 8:46 a.m. tee time that will feature no players. The time has been set aside at both Colonial Country Club (Charles Schwab Challenge) and TPC Sawgrass (Korn Ferry Tour Challenge), as 8:46 has become a universal symbol for the racial injustice faced by the black community.

Here’s what various PGA Tour players have said about the idea, leading into Thursday’s opening round of the Charles Schwab Challenge:

Rory McIlroy

Yeah, so I think what the PGA Tour has done with the moment of silence at 8:46 and not using that tee time is a wonderful gesture. And I think if you look at golf — look, I grew up — my hero growing up was Tiger Woods. Tiger doesn’t look the same as me, has had a very different upbringing to the one that I have had, but he was my hero growing up, and it didn’t matter what color his skin was, what his beliefs were. Tiger was my hero, and he’s been a lot of kids’ heroes over the years that have grown up playing golf. We have had him — we’ve been very lucky to have him in our game. I think that there should be more people like him in golf, and I think what the conversation that Jay and Harold Varner had about these issues I think really hit home with me. Harold said, it maybe just isn’t about the players, it’s about everyone in the game of golf. There’s so many people that are involved with the game, and as long as we continue to give people from different backgrounds opportunities to be in golf, that can only be a good thing.

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Harold Varner III

I think there will be discussion. I think some will forget about it. I think so many people will move on, but the conversation I had with Jay when we weren’t being recorded, I think this week won’t be the last week, because it’s getting to the point where everyone has a voice that if the PGA Tour was to forget it, they would get hounded every day. So it’s just kind of like yes, they’re pressured, but I also think that it’s the right thing to do, and I think Jay knows that, so I’m super behind him on that, and we got to talking about some things where I come from, what I think about it. I’m just super fortunate to be able to say something and it matter but also be a part of the change. Everyone in this society right now is going to be a part of that.

Brooks Koepka

First off, I think it’s awesome that the PGA Tour has stepped up. Being especially one of the first sports back, it’s important to set the tone going forward for other sports, for just people in general. And I think it’s important to set the tone. 8:46, I think it’s going to be special. It’ll be something — I don’t know that the PGA Tour has ever really done something like this, a moment of silence even during the rounds. Not while I’ve been playing. I think it’s special with what’s going on right now. There needs to be change, and I want to be part of the solution, and I think this is one way that the PGA Tour is stepping up and doing that.

Jordan Spieth

I think it’ll be something that hopefully we can kind of stick with however long we need to. But I think it’s certainly a really nice thing to do with the way things have been.

Ryan Palmer

I think it’s great. 8:46, everybody on the golf course, the driving range, everywhere will stop and have a moment of silence and say a quick prayer for all those affected through all this. It’s been crazy obviously watching what you see on TV, but I think it’s great to show our support just for America in general. It’s been a tough few weeks for a lot of people I know. I know I speak — I watched the episode with Jay Monahan and Harold Varner, which was unbelievable what they talked about, so all I can do is support them and support America coming together, and like I said, everybody just love one another and stay safe.

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Golfweek Rewind: The PGA Tour returns, patrons are allowed back at events

The PGA Tour returns, the U.S. Solheim Cup team has a new assistant captain and we hear stories from those across the golf world about racial inequality and social injustice.

The PGA Tour returns this week, fans are coming back to professional golf tournaments and we hear stories from those across the golf world about racial inequality and social injustice.

Take a look at the week’s top stories on the latest episode of Golfweek Rewind featured below.

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PGA Tour returns

The PGA Tour is set to return Thursday at Colonial Country Club with the Charles Schwab Challenge. The event will be played without fans and will implement several safety practices while coronavirus still spreads throughout the United States. It’s the first Tour event since March.

The fans are coming back

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday the PGA Tour’s annual stop in Dublin, Ohio, will allow fans to attend. The first four events on the Tour’s revised calendar prohibit patrons. DeWine also announced the Marathon LPGA Classic will host spectators July 23-26 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.

Heroes of the Week

Our Heroes of the Week don’t need us to tell their stories for them. They just need us to listen. This week, Beth Ann Nichols, Julie Williams and JuliaKate E. Culpepper spent hours listening to golfers from across the country, in all age groups and roles, speak about their experiences being black in America, watching protests and why change needs to take place in our culture and in golf. Each of these powerful stories can be read on our website.

For more on who’s been named as an assistant captain at the 2020 U.S. Solheim Cup and why Muirfield Village Golf Club might have back-to-back hosting duties, watch the latest edition of Golfweek Rewind featured above.

Jay Monahan: ‘What has happened here is not right, and we’re going to be part of the solution’

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Harold Varner III addressed the Black Lives Matter in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

For the first time since George Floyd was killed May 25 in Minneapolis, and protests began to flood cities across the nation, the PGA Tour and Commissioner Jay Monahan addressed racial disparity in the United States.

The Tour had not commented publicly until Friday, when it released video of a conversation between Monahan and Harold Varner III about race and golf. Monahan said instead of a public statement, he wrote and sent a letter to Tour staff, players and tournaments addressing the racial tension and inequality in the United States. The Tour also released Monahan’s letter to Tour personnel on Friday.

In his conversation with Varner, Monahan said he spent the past week listening and learning what it meant to be part of the solution to racial inequality in America instead of being part of the problem.

“For me, I spent the weekend last weekend calling around to my black colleagues and black friends, people that I thought that I could really learn from and I, at that time, I felt vulnerable,” Monahan said. “I didn’t understand in a world where people say, ‘If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.’ I didn’t understand what the solution was in the short term, but I was committed to make certain I was part of identifying it as supporting it. So for me stepping back and trying to listen to those people that have been affected was the best place to start.”

As the Tour plans to play its first event since March, when the season was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, Monahan said the Tour will restart its season committed to diversity, inclusion and doing what’s right.

“What has happened here is not right and we’re going to be part of the solution. Let’s open up our discussion,” Monahan said. “Let’s make certain that we are listening to our players, listening to our colleagues and let’s do this the right way.”

In his conversation with Varner, Monahan admitted that in many ways, the PGA Tour has been stable for a long time, but not growing. He said he wanted the Tour to use this moment in history to commit to growing and diversifying the sport.

In return, Varner, who became one of the first Tour players to speak following Floyd’s death when he released a statement Monday, asked Monahan if the commissioner thought the Tour had been working to promote diversity and access to the sport before Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

“I think we’ve been trying for a long time,” Monahan said.

“That’s where I struggle,” Varner said. “I think it’s just really damn hard. Because if it was so easy, why wouldn’t we do it?”

Varner said while few of the golfers on the course are black, he’s encouraged by the Tour’s commitment to diversity because there are plenty of black people behind the scenes who are essential to the success of every Tour event. He said in an attempt to promote black voices in golf, he wants them to be more visible and to be heard.

“There (are) black people that make (the Tour) run every day,” Varner said. “I just don’t know how else to explain it. It’s why I’ve never worried about the PGA Tour. I worry about the golf part, yeah. I think most of it has to do with access, but I think that’s in any color, race, but I’m going to do my part for black people because there’s other people who gave me access.”

Varner leads the HV3 Foundation which gives back to children who will benefit from increased access and opportunity in golf. The foundation provides financial assistance for equipment, after-school programs, instruction and camps for young athletes.

Monahan and Varner also agreed the timing of the rise in Black Lives Matter protests and demands for social justice could not be better even though the calls for social and political reform come while the globe is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

“You think about what we’ve been through since we left each other on Friday of the Players and you have COVID-19, which is a situation that we didn’t create. Then you have this racial and social unrest which is a situation we did create,” Monahan said. “I’ve had people tell me, ‘Gosh, what terrible timing.’ … And actually it’s really good timing because people have more time right now to reflect on what has happened, both looking back and looking at what’s currently happening, and to the point you’re making, we’re the greatest country in the world and we overcome and this is an opportunity for us to unite and for us as a sport as we come back to play. Sport is the ultimate uniter.

“It’s the ultimate source of inspiration… I think as we move forward, we move forward with more awareness and a commitment to be a great representative for what’s right.”

The PGA Tour returns Thursday at Colonial Golf Club with the Charles Schwab Challenge.

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Jay Monahan releases letter to PGA Tour personnel on George Floyd’s death, social injustice

Jay Monahan released a letter to PGA Tour staff, players and tournaments addressing social injustice and how to proceed as a “Tour family.”

On Friday, the PGA Tour publicly addressed the topics of social injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement which is growing across the globe.

As part of the Tour’s first public reaction to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 and resulting protests, Commissioner Jay Monahan and Harold Varner III conversed for nearly 12 minutes in a video posted by the PGA Tour.

Monahan said earlier in the week, he released a letter to Tour staff, players and tournaments addressing social injustice and how to proceed as a “Tour family.” The PGA Tour plans to resume its 2020 season Thursday at Colonial Country Club for the Charles Schwab Challenge. The PGA Tour season was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The following letter was written by Monahan and sent to PGA Tour staff, players and tournaments this week and posted by the PGA Tour on Friday morning.

A time to communicate and search for answers

This past weekend, I – like many of you, I’m sure – spent a lot of time trying to understand and process the civil unrest that has engulfed many cities across the United States, following the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The hardships and injustices that have and continue to impact the African-American community are painful to watch and difficult to comprehend. And as a citizen of this country and a leader of this organization, I must admit that I’m struggling with what my role should be. But I am not giving up.  

I’ve often heard that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. What can I say? What should I do?

I’m certain many of you are asking those same questions.

In the midst of that confusion, as usually happens, the PGA Tour family steps up to shine a light of perspective and compassion. First, I had several meaningful and emotional conversations this weekend with colleagues and friends in the African-American community, who – once again – showed me that sometimes listening and making a commitment to understand are the only things you can offer, and that’s OK. And I learned that two of our PGA TOUR YOU groups – CORE and HONOR – took it upon themselves to work over the weekend on a unified message … reminding all of us at the TOUR of our shared values, offering help for those who may need it and providing perspective on how to be there for each other as we navigate this incredibly complex and painful issue, together. 

What I was left with was this: make no mistake about it – someone you know and care about is hurting right now, even if they haven’t told you that directly (and, of course, our work-from-home, socially distant way of living right now is not helping the cause). And if anyone at the Tour is hurting, we should all hurt. That’s how a family works.  

To that end, please also spend a few minutes on THIS ARTICLE that expresses an important and powerful viewpoint from the African-American community, not only in relation to the recent tragic headlines, but also the fear and sadness created by the inequality and racism that still presides in the 21st century. Too often we just move on when we are not directly influenced by the news of the day. Yes, we have all been impacted by the global pandemic, but we should also be painfully aware and impacted by the dividing lines in our country.

We might not know exactly what to do right now, but we shouldn’t be deterred. We should communicate and learn. We should talk to our family, friends and colleagues in an open and compassionate way. We should grow as individuals and as an organization. And, most importantly, we should demand better.   

Jay Monahan

Harold Varner III: There are ‘going to be conversations’ when PGA Tour reconvenes

While he’s excited to return to the normalcy of a workweek, Varner understands that the first few weeks on the PGA Tour could be intense.

Harold Varner III is one of many players preparing for next week’s Charles Schwab Invitational, the first PGA Tour event since the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

But while he’s excited for the normalcy of a workweek, Varner understands that a number of contributing factors could make the first few weeks an intense and interesting experience.

Players have been cooped up at home due to the pandemic. Players will be staying at the same hotel and chartering the same plane between tournaments. And players will be looking to discuss the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, especially with Varner, who is one of the few African-American players on Tour.

Varner spoke with Damon Hack on Golf Channel on Wednesday, and said he expects frank and candid conversations.

“We’re going to be the first sport to really get back going and …  we’ll be spending a lot more time than we usually spend together,” Varner said. “There’s going to be conversations like this. You know, the most amazing thing about life is that there can be a lot of good, even though it’s not on social media, it’s not on this camera. There’s going to be conversations.”

In fact, Varner, who stands 88th in the FedExCup standings, said the exchanges have already begun.

“I talked to Billy Horschel about it this morning,” Varner said. “All this bad stuff that’s happening, and you know this evil stuff, there’s going to be some good that comes from it. I mean, I literally was playing golf this morning and I’m already talking to Billy about it after nine holes.”

Varner came out with a lengthy tweet on Monday, marking one of the first comments from anyone in the golf world.

“I think it’s also important to take your time and get it right,” Varner said of his comments. “Know that what you’re doing is right. I believe in the good of America but right now there’s just things that are happening that just … they suck, honestly. It’s just hard to fathom 2020 like this. I’ve never been through anything like this in my life.”

Varner — who was born in Akron, Ohio, and then grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina, before attending East Carolina University — was asked by Hack about those who say athletes shouldn’t speak their mind on social issues.

“I think as an athlete you play a huge role but the biggest role you play as a human is knowing what’s right and wrong, and how much wrong we saw,” Varner said. “I’m going to fight the good fight and I think it was time to say something because I’ve always had an opinion on something. I always have, and probably always will, but the people who think that we shouldn’t say anything, that’s their opinion. I want to do what I can for the betterment of this world — that’s my job as a human, as a person in society. I’m going to speak up.”

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Harold Varner III speaks out about George Floyd, looting and injustice

Harold Varner III spoke about George Floyd’s death at the hands of police, protests and injustice in a statement.

Harold Varner III is one of the first PGA Tour players to speak out after the killing of George Floyd.

One week after Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, Varner — one of the few black golfers on Tour — said he finally gathered his thoughts enough to pen a statement late Monday.

“Here’s the obvious: George Floyd should still be alive. Absolutely. No doubt. End of story. This was a senseless killing — a murder — and, to me, it was evil incarnate,” Varner wrote.

After Floyd was killed May 25 and protests have occurred across the nation for over a week, the PGA Tour has not released a statement. The LGPA released a statement Monday.

The PGA Tour and Major League Baseball are the only two major professional sports leagues yet to release a statement on the killing of George Floyd and resulting protests.

Derek Chauvin, the officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes before Floyd died was fired from the police department along with three other officers who were at the scene on May 26. On Friday, Chauvin, who had 18 complaints filed against him during his time with the Minneapolis Police Department, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.  The other three officers have not been charged.

In his statement posted Monday, Varner encouraged readers to fight against single-minded thinking when it comes to topics of social injustice and the protests resulting from Floyd’s death.

“You can be against a cop savagely killing a man and also have the perspective to say that burning businesses and police stations is wrong,” Varner wrote. “You may say one is more or less severe than the other, but there again we must allow ourselves to go beyond this one or the other mentality. Otherwise, we get stuck.”

A minority of protesters demanding justice for Floyd and changes to the justice system have resorted to violence including arson, vandalism and looting in several major cities. Varner made it clear in his statement he does not encourage the violence perpetrated by the few, but encourages justice for all.

“Seeing justice for George Floyd turn into destruction and death of business owned by African-Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, and other ethnicities is disgusting,” Varner wrote. “I will always be behind all African-Americans who are subjected to racism. I will also be behind other ethnicities in the same way. But I will never support and aggressive reactions, especially against those who poured everything into opening this restaurant or that shop.

“Sometimes life is not simple and things don’t make sense. How can we call ourselves the greatest country on earth and our standards fall to senseless killing? That’s a tough and important question. But I still probably say we aren’t as fractured as it seems.”

Many professional golfers like Billy Horschel and Zach Johnson retweeted Varner’s statement. On Tuesday, many Tour players followed Varner’s lead and posted #BlackLivesMatter messages and contributing to Blackout Tuesday, a social media campaign aimed at amplifying voices that discuss social justice.

Rickie Fowler posted on Instagram the message, “To the all lives matter comments… Yes all lives do matter but all lives can’t matter until black lives matter too… we are ONE!”

Tiger Woods released a statement regarding Floyd’s death and resulting protests after Varner’s statement Monday night. Some have criticized Woods’ statement as not being specific enough. In the statement, Woods expressed his condolences to Floyd’s family and said although police “train diligently to understand how, when and where to use force,” the instance with Floyd “crossed the line.” Woods also spoke against looting and violence.

LPGA golfer Cheyenne Woods also spoke out regarding Floyd’s death to Golfweek. As a biracial woman in America, Cheyenne said she feels the responsibility of using her platform in golf.

“I think as an athlete or a public figure, a lot of times you almost get forced to feel like you have to live middle-of-the-road and not go one way or another or say anything too extreme,” she said. “But there comes a point where you have to have a voice and you have to speak on what matters to you because it does make a difference in people’s lives and can influence and spread a lot of positivity and change. … You see athletes like LeBron James and Steph Curry speak out about these issues and it’s very powerful to see somebody in that light have such a strong stance on something that matters to them. I think they are great role models in that sense of just truly having a voice.”

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Players say the time is at hand for PGA Tour to return safely

The players have spoken, with most agreeing its time for the PGA Tour to return safely.

Too soon?

That’s the question lingering over the PGA Tour’s intent to move, cautiously as it will, toward a restart of the season next month in Texas.

As much of the country slowly opens up and eases shelter-at-home measures – to varying degrees of success and failure – the Tour sent a health and safety plan to players Tuesday that outlines protocols for resumption of play June 11 at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

Titled “Return to Golf,” the blueprint that is ever evolving – a lengthy plan developed in coordination with health experts in the field of infectious diseases, the Federal Coronavirus Task Force and other specialists and laboratory directors – outlines safety and health protocols for the Tour’s return.

From layered and constant testing to social distancing measures to one host hotel to fans not being allowed for at least the first four events, the PGA Tour is attempting to create a “bubble” of protection for players, caddies, staff, media, volunteers and others that will attend events.

It’s sort of a shelter-at-home standard on steroids.

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Players intending to play at Colonial know some question the return date, that it might be premature considering much is still unknown about the highly contagious coronavirus. Risk remains, with criticism at the ready around any dogleg.

But the PGA Tour hasn’t rushed toward its hopeful return despite losing untold millions since the COVID-19 global pandemic halted play March 12. And many players take that with a measure of confidence.

“All of us have to assume some amount of risk to get back to work,” said Kevin Kisner, a player director on the PGA Tour’s policy board. “If we sit around and wait on a vaccine that we don’t even know when or how effective it’s going to be, we could be out of work for a year or more.

“So, we’re going to go about with the safest, healthiest way to get back to work and have a quality product for our fans, have a presentable product for TV and help the world with something to watch.”

The PGA Tour hasn’t left every stone unturned – no one can – but it’s turned a lot of pebbles. And the Tour is steadfast in pulling the plug if matters worsen at any time. Still, a sense of uneasiness will be a 15th club in the bag for players.

“Given the state of affairs right now, you have to have a plan,” said two-time major champion Zach Johnson, who is on the players advisory council. “Given that each locality has different regulations and mandates, the PGA Tour is taking everything into consideration. I’m comfortable with it. The bottom line is we can’t mitigate the entire risk. No one can. If that’s the case, don’t go to the grocery store.

“This thing is not going away. You can’t mitigate the entire risk. At some point you have to open up this country. You have to start thinking about some semblance of normalcy. We are just golf. But the beauty of golf is we are outside, we can take social distancing to the extremes, and within our bubble we can create as much safety as we can. I don’t think it’s too soon.”

Neither does Harold Varner III, who is heading from North Carolina to Florida to ramp up his practice and play to get ready for the restart.

“I have to live,” Varner said. “I have to get my life back to normal as much as possible. I’ll do whatever they say, I’ll follow all the rules. We can’t live in fear.

“We have to start to get back up from off the floor.”

Traveling, the players said, presents risk. The PGA Tour will have a charter plane for 170 players and caddies – first come, first serve – and private aircraft will be utilized by some players. Still, many players, caddies and staff will be flying commercially. As well, the possibility of contracting the virus is real.

But the show has to start sometime.

“It’s important that we make the effort to get started again,” Brian Harman said. “It’s important for the country that we all start easing back into work because at some point or another, we have to get over this thing, as awful as it’s been and is. In some way, shape or form, we have to get things moving again.

“I’m very proud of the Tour for trying everything they can to get us back safely and to be one of the first sports to get back going again. I think the image will be if we can get this off without a hitch, it could sort of set the stage for everything to move forward to getting back to normal.

“I want to participate and I want to compete again, but if I feel there is an undue risk that I’m going to catch this thing and get stuck somewhere, then I’ll just go home and wait until it’s a little bit better.”

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Pro golfers to compete in poker tournament to support MGM Resorts’ employees

Several pro golfers will compete on Thursday in the MGM Resorts’ Employee Emergency Grant Fund for those impacted by COVID-19.

Some of golf’s biggest names will be “Chipping All-In” on Thursday in a live virtual poker tournament for a good cause.

Michelle Wie West, John Daly, Jimmy Walker, Harold Varner III, Brittany Lincicome, Collin Morikawa, Cristie Kerr, Lydia Ko and Kevin Na are among the list of golfers scheduled to compete to aid the MGM Resorts’ Employee Emergency Grant Fund for the company’s employees and community partners impacted by COVID-19.

The action starts at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday with proceeds aimed at providing: “employees and their immediate families with short-term relief in making payments or to meet obligations during unexpected hardships and emergencies. The fund is designed to assist those impacted by the coronavirus, including full-time employees, on-call employees and those facing layoff, separation or furlough.”

The World Poker Tour and Loaded are also in on the action, and the interactive Chipping All-In event will be shown on Twitch and Youtube. Viewers will be able to make real-time donations, with participants giving personal shout-outs to those who donate.

The interactive experience will also feature live audio throughout and a live Q&A will allow fans a chance to engage with the players.

Players and Golf Channel personalities scheduled to participate:

Aaron Wise
Alex Kang
Alison Lee
Anna Nordqvist
Ben Taylor
Brittany Lincicome
Butch Harmon
Cheyenne Woods
Chris Como
Collin Morikawa
Cristie Kerr
Danielle Kang
David Lipsky
Doug Ghim
Gaby Lopez
George Savaricas
Graham DeLaet
Harold Varner III
Jamie Lovemark
Jason Kokrak
Jimmy Walker
Joel Dahmen
John Daly
Juli Inkster
Kelley James
Kevin Na
Kurt Kitayama
Lydia Ko
Matt Ginella
Maverick McNealy
Max Homa
Michelle Wie
Natalie Gulbis
Pat Perez
Sam Burns
Tommy Armour III
Wyndham Clark

For more information, go to mgmresortsfoundation.org.

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Harold Varner III on golf during pandemic, Tiger Woods, fishing, installing septic tanks, more

Harold Varner III has kept himself busy since the COVID-19 global pandemic silenced the world and professional sports, including the PGA Tour.

Harold Varner III has kept himself busy since the COVID-19 global pandemic silenced the world and professional sports, including the PGA Tour.

He’s still playing golf in the Charlotte area, adhering to social distancing while facing locals and fellow professionals, but don’t ask him about not getting an invite for a recent game from Webb Simpson.

He built a shed on property he shares with his parents. Mined a drain and even installed a septic tank, which, to hear him describe the process, was far from fun. Made frequent trips to Lowe’s. Mowed acres of grass. Caught some fish.

Anything, it seems, except for putting his feet up.

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“Being productive,” is how Varner put it in a discussion with Golfweek. “Being the best Harold can be. If there’s something around the house that needs to get done, get it done. If I don’t know how to do it, YouTube it.”

He certainly misses playing on the PGA Tour, where he’s still chasing his maiden PGA Tour title to put alongside his victory in the 2016 Australian PGA Championship. The socializing on the Tour, the competition, just getting on a plane to go somewhere.

Varner also dishes on the time as a kid he got the Heisman from Tiger Woods, which he still holds over his idol. Years later, however, Varner had an E.F. Hutton moment with Woods, advice that drives him to this day.

Watch the above video for Steve DiMeglio’s conversation with Harold Varner III.

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