Tag: Zach Johnson

Caitlin Clark shined at the RSM Classic pro-am. Here’s what Zach Johnson and Jay Monahan had to say

“I hit some nice shots today.”

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Caitlin Clark has never been shy about taking the next shot, even if she’s already missed a few. The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year is known for getting hot and staying so on the basketball court, and something similar could be said for her appearance at Wednesday’s RSM Classic pro-am at Sea Island Golf Club.

Clark, who was paired with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and 2023 Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, pulled her opening drive left into the water. It took her all of 10 seconds to re-tee and drop another shot near the green on a short par 4. And while she struggled a little to get rolling, once the Iowan got loose she was consistently long off the tee, to the point where Johnson and Monahan marveled at her talent.

On one three-hole stretch, she bombed huge drives that, from her forward tees, put her in front of most of the group she was playing with.

Johnson, who has a dozen PGA Tour victories under his belt, played with Clark at the 2023 John Deere Classic and has noticed an improvement in the former University of Iowa star’s golf game.

“She’s a competitor before she is anything else. I witnessed it a year-and-a-half ago when we played but I’ve also witnessed that she’s gotten better. She’s working on her game,” Johnson said. “It’s a hard game, and it’s not her number one priority, obviously, nor should it be. But she’s amazing. She’s amazing on the court and off.”

While Johnson came away again impressed with her golf swing, he was even more inspired by the way the 22-year-old conducts herself. As she has at previous stops, like last week’s LPGA event where she played with Nelly Korda and host Annika Sorenstam, Clark took time to sign autographs and snap pics with nearly every fan who asked, including Johnson’s daughter Abby Jane.

“She has raised the bar. She’s pushed the ceiling. She’s done so much for sports, specifically women’s basketball, that I think we’re just starting to see the tip of it right now. I think there’s more to come,” Johnson said. “Your talent is given but she’ll continue to improve because she works hard.

“You’re seeing a woman, an athlete, who does everything right off the court. And so she’s a role model, an icon, and that is a rare breed.”

Photos: Tom Brady, Caitlin Clark among star-studded pro-am at the RSM Classic 2024

PGA Tour commissioner says Clark is ‘awesome to watch’

Monahan had never met Clark until Wednesday, but he was dazzled by her golf swing, especially when she made contact with the driver. On the par-5 14th hole, Clark hit a tee shot 270 yards down the left side of the fairway, leaving a hybrid in from 170 yards. She then hit what Monahan described as “the perfect buttercut” that rolled onto the back of the green. Although she three-putted, she still had the gallery in awe.

“It is incredible. It was awesome to watch,” Monahan said. “What really struck me was her love of the game. Clearly, her competitive spirit and fire come through. And her ability comes through loud and clear on some of those tee shots. You know, she’s been playing seriously for a year and a half. I’ve never seen someone in a year and a half strike the ball like that. And she’s gonna be playing this game for a long time.

“She’s transcendent. And it’s very clear. Her humility is her superpower and, yeah, it’s pretty cool to see her interact with all these young boys and girls and she’s done a lot for this game, in a short period of time.”

As for Clark, she said after playing pro-ams on both the men’s and women’s tours that she enjoyed both experiences.

“They’re both unique, but they’re all fun. I kind of know Zach a little bit better, but it’s always fun to meet new people and get to see them up close,” she said. “It makes it personal. I mean you support these people on TV and you come and watch them up close and see how good they are at their game. It’s special.”

And as for her own game?

“I just like having fun. Obviously, there were too many people here today. I hit some nice shots today, though,” Clark said. “It’s nice, I get to tee it up a little further so it helps me out.”

Schupak: Have Presidents Cup captains gone mad? ‘You don’t leave JT (or Nick Taylor) at home’

Certainly, Tiger would have told Furyk, in his own special way, “You’re taking JT, right?”

Zach Johnson’s captaincy of the 2023 U.S Ryder Cup may have ended in colossal disappointment – a lopsided defeat at the hands of Team Europe – but it gave birth to one unforgettable line: “You don’t leave JT at home.”

That was Johnson’s response to his decision to make Justin Thomas, who was mired in a slump and didn’t even qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs last year, a captain’s pick for his 12-man team that represented the U.S. at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.

Jim Furyk, who is back for a second tour of duty as U.S. Presidents Cup captain after losing in that role in 2018 in France at the Ryder Cup, must have missed the memo because he decided to go with Brian Harman, Max Homa, Russell Henley, Tony Finau, Sam Burns and Keegan Bradley.

It led Golf Digest’s Shane Ryan to frame his question to Furyk during a press conference on Tuesday perfectly: “A year ago everybody was asking Zach Johnson how could you possibly have taken Justin Thomas. Now I’m asking you how can you possibly have left Justin Thomas off the team?” he said.

Thomas still hasn’t returned to the winner’s circle but he managed to record five top-10 finishes this season and shot the seventh-best gross score at the Tour Championship last weekend, a tournament that Homa didn’t even qualify for. The fact that Thomas was 19th in points is irrelevant other than he failed to qualify automatically for the top 6 and put himself in a position where he needed a pick. (The whole reason for allowing picks is so the captain doesn’t have to take Nos. 7-12 in points based on two years of performance in stroke play for a match-play competition and yet Furyk selected Nos. 7-12.)

In Furyk’s defense, Thomas is far from playing like the two-time major winner and former world No. 1 and maybe the analytics that are treated like state secrets screamed that Homa or Henley were the better puzzle pieces — in Furyk’s parlance — but Thomas’s game still matches up against the best and its trending in the right direction of late. Plus, he’s got the “It factor” in match-play events.

More: Meet the six Team USA 2024 Presidents Cup captain’s picks

Furyk’s reply to Ryan’s question was largely a non-answer so let’s move on but he did give a better explanation on Golf Channel for his decision, saying of JT, “He’s a great team room guy, He’s going to play on a ton of these teams in the future as well, and one day be a captain and a great one. Tough omission, but I had to take the 12 guys I saw fit.”

I tried really hard to make sense of why Furyk passed on JT, a player with a 17-7-4 lifetime record between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, not to mention a team leader who can be the spark in the locker room. Furyk put him out first in singles in 2018 when he was captain and JT delivered by downing Rory McIlroy. And yet he didn’t want that guy on his team.

2022 Presidents Cup
Team USA golfer Max Homa (left), golfer Collin Morikawa (center), and golfer Justin Thomas (right) talk on the eighth tee during the four-ball match play of the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

When it was my turn, I asked Furyk an array of questions hoping to bring some clarity but he downplayed any of the possible plausible explanations I could fathom. Furyk’s mistake in making captain’s picks in 2018 was picking players that weren’t a good fit for Le Golf National, with its thick rough that demanded precision over power off the tee. Did he learn from his mistake by passing on JT because he wasn’t a good fit for Royal Montreal? No.

“I see him as a little bit of a chameleon. I think he’s a smart player. I think he can change. If the golf course had asked for us to hit the ball straight and get it in the fairway and get it in play, he can do that. If it asks you to bomb away and power is more important, I think he does it,” Furyk said. “It has a bearing and a weight on it. I think present form has a bearing and a weight. I think your history has a weight. I think there’s a lot of things that go into it.”

Did he pass on JT because his BFF and partner for life, Jordan Spieth, had failed to make the team and had undergone surgery to repair a wrist injury last week? They have become a bit of a package deal, although their form at the 2023 Ryder Cup should have future captains reconsidering if they are going to be a modern-day Seve-Ollie for the U.S. side.

“No, zero. Zero. I think JT has the opportunity to pair with a lot of different guys and also be a leader, if that makes sense. Take the young guy under his arm,” Furyk said shooting down this latest attempt to make sense of it. “We don’t happen to have that many rookies on this team, when you look at it. I think Sahith and Russell are two guys that haven’t played either on a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup team. We have a lot of veteran status, but JT — I realize I didn’t pick him, but I’m not going to say anything but great things about the guy because I love him to death.”

In an interview with Furyk a week earlier, he eluded to the fact that Tiger Woods would have some sort of behind-the-scenes role without really specifying what that would be. Had he discussed the captain’s picks with Tiger, who loves to obsess over this stuff?

“No, I did not,” Furyk said. “Tiger and I have been friendly over the years, but I didn’t give him a call to talk about the picks at all. I think the last time that he was — correct me if I’m wrong. I think Australia is probably the last time he sat in as one of the captains, I believe. I’m sure Davis leaned on him a little bit for Charlotte, but from afar.”

Certainly, Tiger would have told Furyk, in his own special way, “You’re taking JT, right?”

Even Johnson knew it: “You don’t leave JT at home.”

But at least Furyk didn’t snub the only Canadian to win the Canadian Open in nearly 60 years like Mike Weir did. What in the name of hockey was Weirsy doing in leaving Nick Taylor off his team, eh? The fun part is we get to see it all play out in just over three weeks in Montreal and then we’ll know if there was any method to these captains’ madness.

Zach Johnson recalls the ‘joyous’ phone call offering Keegan Bradley the U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy

“It’s one of those phone calls, like, I’ve had a lot of phone calls, but I’m not going to forget this one.”

Zach Johnson’s heart was beating fast again.

“I was getting ready to deliver a bomb,” he said of news that would shock the golf world.

Less than one year ago, as U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, Johnson had to break the bad news to Keegan Bradley that Johnson was “going in a different direction” and Bradley wouldn’t be a member of the 12-man team to represent Team USA in Rome. Johnson didn’t use one of his captain’s picks on Bradley and chose Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas, who finished below Bradley in points.

As Netflix’s “Full Swing 2” showed, Johnson took a deep breath before making his difficult call to Bradley and said, “I do not envy this part of the job.” (Interesting side note: Johnson said he has yet to watch Full Swing 2.)

This time, Johnson got to deliver the good news – the Ryder Cup Committee had selected Bradley to be the captain of the 2025 U.S. team.

“The last time I called you on the phone was one of the more difficult phone calls I’ve ever had,” Johnson recalled as his first words to Bradley on June 23.

“Keegan wasn’t the only one I had to call, you know, and Keegan, to no one’s surprise, specifically mine, was nothing but pure respect and class. I’ve been on that side of the call. It’s awful. It’s hard. But Keegan’s true character came out right there,” Johnson said. “But then I said, ‘I appreciate how you handled that phone call more than you know, because we’re friends.’ And he said, ‘Zach, you don’t have to say that, you know I’ve got your back.’ He’s being serious; he’s being genuine. I said, ‘Just know that this is one of the most honor-packed, joyous phone calls I could ever make.’”

His fondest memory of informing Bradley that the committee, which included Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, had picked him for the role was the response of Bradley’s wife.

“I could hear Jillian in the background in a high-pitched voice go, ‘Whaaat?’” Johnson said.

Speaking at his press conference announcing his role, Bradley said he had just driven home with his family from the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, on June 23 when Johnson, and PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh and President John Lindert called.

Bradley shared that Waugh told him: “You know, your number was called, it’s time for you to step up.”

“When he told me that, I sort of, it sort of hit me, you know, that this is a heavy job and this is a group of people that trusted me in this, and it’s time to step up to the plate and be the captain of this team,” Bradley said.

At age 39 when the biennial matches are held at Bethpage Black in September 2025, Bradley will be the youngest captain since Arnold Palmer served as a playing captain at age 34 in 1963. Bradley, who is currently No. 21 in the world, had been a two-time winner on the Tour last season and finished 11th in the Ryder Cup points standings. Johnson said he brought up the possibility of Bradley doing double duty.

“One of the first things we talked about after we asked Keegan to be the captain was, and I was adamant, I said, ‘We believe that you can make his team like, fully, I believe that you can go out and make his team; You can be the first guy on the list,” Johnson said. “And we voiced that. But we also have the ability for personnel and people to surround him where that can be feasible.”

Johnson said his input was valued by the Ryder Cup Committee in the selection process but he tried to take a backseat until called upon.

“I’m on the committee, but I shut up. I really let Jordan and Justin because they’re, I’d say Ryder Cup contemporaries,” Johnson said. “And then some of the PGA executives. It’s their tournament. They have been nothing but gracious in allowing the players to have a voice. The discussion (about the captaincy) happened organically and that’s how it evolves.”

Johnson appreciated the PGA’s gesture to allow him to be the one to let Bradley know that the job of U.S. Ryder Cup Captain belonged to him for 2025.

“It’s one of those phone calls,” Johnson said, “like, I’ve had a lot of phone calls, but I’m not going to forget this one.”

Zach Johnson (wrongly) and Billy Horschel (rightfully) confronted hecklers at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open

The People’s Open isn’t for everybody

The People’s Open is certainly not for everyone. Sometimes that includes the players and sometimes it’s the fans.

During a rainy week for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, where officials temporarily cut off alcohol sales and closed the entrance gates, both the golfers and spectators had their share of lowlights.

First up: Zach Johnson, who is still routinely receiving criticism for his decisions as 2023 United States Ryder Cup captain. On Saturday, videos captured Johnson getting fed up with fans after hitting a tee shot. According to social media accounts, Johnson shouted something to the fans as he approached the tee box, then shanked the ensuing shot, leading someone in the gallery to yell “guess being an [expletive] doesn’t help]”.

That sent Johnson straight over to the ropes for a confrontation.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3NsebVuAGQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Johnson has played this event 14 times and knows the deal. For him to lose his cool a bit shows you how different a scenario this was. That said, he should also know better. This is the one tournament every year where fans are allowed to let the pros hear it when they goof — as opposed to nearly every other sport where that’s the norm. After hitting a bad shot, Johnson should’ve just put his head down and left the area.

On the other hand, Billy Horschel confronting a fan who was yelling during Nicolo Galletti’s swing feels a bit more warranted.

Warning: NSFW Language 

There’s a really fine line at this event, which evidently becomes harder to find each year. Go to TPC Scottsdale expecting a party, of course, but doing something as basic as waiting five seconds before yelling when someone is taking a shot is hardly asking much at all.

It’s entirely understandable Horschel would look out for his playing partner. And it makes you wonder if this incredibly successful event is overdue for some tweaks to make sure it stays that way.

[lawrence-auto-related count=2 category=2306]

 

 

‘Shut up’: Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel yell at unruly 2024 WM Phoenix Open fans

Fans were heard early and often on Sunday at TPC Scottsdale.

The WM Phoenix Open bills itself as “The People’s Open,” but with its boisterous fans – who are often overserved, especially at the par-3 16th party hole – and different vibe, the PGA Tour’s annual stop in Phoenix may not be for everyone, especially the old-school pros.

Zach Johnson may be a new name on that list. The 12-time winner on Tour has made 14 appearances at the Phoenix Open dating back to 2005 when it was the FBR Open. He made the cut in 12 of those starts and has bagged six top-25 finishes and a top 10. In other words, Johnson is no stranger to the scene at TPC Scottsdale, which made the video below all the more curious.

The 47-year-old blew up at fans during the third round of the 2024 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Saturday, and the confrontation was caught on camera.

“Somebody said it, I’m just sick of it. Just shut up,” Johnson said to a group of fans before security stepped in on the par-5 15th-hole tee box.

The Tour wants the WM Phoenix Open to be fun, but all that fun can come at a disruptive cost. It’s unclear what led to the interaction, and maybe Johnson was justified in telling the fan to pipe down. But if you can’t handle a heckler, then the People’s Open just may not be for you anymore.

You can also add Billy Horschel to the list. The seven-time winner went off on a fan, justifiably so, after someone in the gallery was talking during a player’s swing. This video may not be safe for delicate ears.

With the third round and final round still to be completed, the players could be in for a long Sunday at TPC Scottsdale.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1375]

These are the six golfers who have won the Hawaii Double (Sentry, Sony) on PGA Tour

Chris Kirk now has a chance to join the short list.

The PGA Tour’s 2024 season is off and running.

The first event of the new year is in the books with Chris Kirk winning The Sentry on the Plantation course at Kapalua in Maui. He bested a field of 59 golfers who vied for a $20 million prize in the first signature event of the new year.

With that victory, Kirk now has a chance to join a short list of golfers who have put the career Hawaii double dip on their resumes.

Here’s a closer look at the six golfers who have won both The Sentry and the Sony Open in Hawaii.

With PGA Tour cards on the line, these pros missed the cut at 2023 RSM Classic

The cut at Sea Island Golf Club had more of a sense of finality for some.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — A prominent swing instructor summed up why he could cut tension on the range at the RSM Classic with a rusty nail.

“Some of these guys don’t know whether they will ever tee it up at a PGA Tour event,” he said.

This week is the 54th and final Tour event of the 2022-23 season and so the 36-hole cut Friday had more of a sense of finality for some, especially those battling to make the top 125 and full status for next season or Nos. 126-150 and secure conditional status.

Peter Malnati, who entered the week at No. 116, shot 69-71 (140) and missed the cut and said he’ll be playing the waiting game all weekend. He’s projected No.122. Two three-putts in the first round was uncharacteristic of Malnati and the putter remained cold in the second round. But at least he had the right perspective.

“With or without a Tour card, I’m going to be awesome but I’d rather have one,” he said.

Harry Higgs, who started the week at No. 132 and had missed three straight cuts, made birdie on two of the last three holes to shoot 70 on Seaside Course and make the cut on the number.

All told, 78 golfers shot 4-under 138 or better at Sea Island’s Seaside and Plantation Courses. Higgs didn’t need anyone to let him know what what at stake when he made an 11-foot birdie putt on 18 at Seaside to make the cut.

“No, I know. I know it all too well after this year. Oddly, I wasn’t really that worried about it or focused on it,” he said. “For the last two years I’ve been stressing, worrying about all this shit. And for some reason, I don’t know why, I don’t know that I even said it aloud, I might have just thought it briefly, like I’m just not really going to worry about it this week.”

Patton Kizzire, who entered the week at No. 130, channeled the same philosophy and made birdie on his final two holes at the Plantation Course to make the cut and give himself two more rounds to jump up a few more spots. He’s projected No. 129.

Four players ranked between No. 120 and No. 126 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings entering the week missed the cut: No. 120 Matti Schmid, No. 121 Doug Ghim, No. 123 Troy Merritt and No. 126 Henrik Norlander.

Here’s more about them and some other pros who weren’t so fortunate and had their season come to a premature end. And here are the Saturday tee times for those who did make the weekend.

Top 125 bubble watch: Which PGA Tour players are on the verge of losing their cards?

Some golfers are in danger of losing their status.

Some players have work to do to ensure themselves of a PGA Tour card come 2024.

With only three events left in the FedEx Cup Fall, numerous golfers will have to battle it out to remain inside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup Standings to ensure they keep their card for the 2024 season. The World Wide Technology Championship, Butterfield Bermuda Championship and RSM Classic could be the difference in someone playing on the PGA Tour next year or losing their card.

Plenty of FedEx Cup points remain up for grabs, and a win could even vault someone into the 51-60 spot, which earns spots in the first two signature events of 2024 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational.

Additionally, in a new change, players who finish 126-200 in the FedEx Cup Standings can accept full membership on the DP World Tour.

Here’s a look at which PGA Tour pros have work to do to retain their card for the 2024 season.

(Note: some golfers may be below the top 125 in the standings but are exempt because of career achievements.)

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly included Cameron Champ. 

2023 Ryder Cup Sunday singles results: Team Europe defeats Team USA despite late charge

Check out the Sunday singles match results from the 2023 Ryder Cup, where the session was split 5-5-2.

It’s been all Team Europe all week long in Italy at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

The Europeans, led by Luke Donald, entered Sunday singles on the final day of play at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome with a 10½-5½ advantage over Team USA and will need just four points to reclaim the Cup. On the flip side, Zach Johnson’s American side will need to complete the biggest comeback in the history of the biennial event and claim 8½ points to retain the Cup.

Here’s a breakdown of each of the 12 Sunday singles matches at the 2023 Ryder Cup, updated as they finish.

FINAL SCORE: Team Europe 16½, Team USA 11½

Sunday singles results

Here’s why Rickie Fowler was benched on Saturday at the 2023 Ryder Cup

“It was a situation where our matchups felt it was best to go this direction,” said captain Zach Johnson.

ROME – Why was Rickie Fowler benched on Saturday?

The 34-year-old American, who is playing in his fifth Ryder Cup, didn’t play in either session on Saturday at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy. That followed sitting the afternoon fourballs session on Friday, too.

Fowler has been rumored to be one of the players dealing with a bug that U.S. Captain Zach Johnson said has been going through his team’s locker room. Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis reported that Fowler had a sinus infection. But Johnson said it wasn’t an illness but rather a captain’s decision that was the reason that Fowler sat all day on Saturday.

MORE: Everything you need to know for the Ryder Cup

“It was a situation where our matchups felt it was best to go this direction,” Johnson said. “Rickie is the consummate professional and team player. We had an embrace that I’ll never forget and a smile afterward. And you know what, it’s hard. I want to play all 12 guys every match — every session, excuse me. That goes without saying. So it was nothing more than that. He is a dear, dear, dear friend. And knowing him, it’s probably motivational.”

Fowler, who teamed with Collin Morikawa in a foursomes match on Friday, is set to face Tommy Fleetwood in singles in Match 11.

The U.S. enters the final day trailing 10½ – 5½.

[pickup_prop id=”34810″]

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=451201133]