Watch: Phil Mickelson displays some gamesmanship with Bryson DeChambeau as next Match approaches

Watch: Phil Mickelson displays some gamesmanship with Bryson DeChambeau as next Match approaches https://ift.tt/2RJs4fT

The grudge match pitting Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady against Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers is still a week away, but Mickelson is starting to get serious – or at least, mock serious.

In a classic Phil move, Mickelson displayed a bit of gamesmanship during a practice round for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. As he stood on the back of a tee box watching Bryson DeChambeau tee off, he casually reached into DeChambeau’s bag, pulled an 8-iron and, er, reshaped it a bit.

Mickelson later posted the act to Twitter, along with the wish that DeChambeau had plenty of cause to hit 8-iron this week.

DeChambeau is the defending champion at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Mickelson, of course, is just a month removed from winning the PGA Championship.

It’s not as if DeChambeau hasn’t already poked the bear regarding the upcoming match. Shortly after the teams were announced in May, DeChambeau commented to Golfweek, “Phil outdrive me at The Match? There is no way.”

The fourth edition of the event will air on TNT on July 6 and be played at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.

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NCAA adopts temporary policy on name, image and likeness in seismic shift for college sports

NCAA adopts temporary policy on name, image and likeness in seismic shift for college sports https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Breaking with a long-held stance on athlete compensation, the NCAA Division I schools’ top rules-making group Wednesday approved policy changes that will greatly enhance athletes’ ability to make money from their name, image and likeness, beginning Thursday.

The decision announced by the NCAA came hours before laws or executive orders in more than a dozen states that will have the same impact were set to take effect.

The setup will remain in place until federal legislation or new NCAA rules are adopted.

“With the variety of state laws adopted across the country, we will continue to work with Congress to develop a solution that will provide clarity on a national level,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. “The current environment — both legal and legislative — prevents us from providing a more permanent solution and the level of detail student-athletes deserve.”

Now, the NCAA stands on the edge of the most fundamental change to the college sports landscape since Title IX, the gender-equity law that was implemented nearly 50 years ago.

Under the new arrangement, college athletes will be allowed to engage in activities, including endorsement deals, leveraging social media for pay, and getting compensated for coaching, making personal appearances and signing autographs.

They will be able to do all of this in an environment that, at least for now, will have far fewer fixed boundaries than the schools had anticipated would be in place in the wake of a vote on a detailed set of rules changes that had been set for January.

Schools in states with laws about athletes’ name, image and likeness (NIL) activity “are responsible for determining whether those activities are consistent with state law,” the association said.

Schools in states without NIL laws will be able to develop their own policies, with the NCAA saying only that the association will be maintaining its “prohibitions on pay-for-play and improper recruiting inducements.”

A question-and-answer document addressed the specific issue of whether schools can arrange NIL opportunities for athletes by saying: “During the interim NIL policy, the expectation is that schools and student-athletes will not use NIL transactions to compensate for athletic participation or achievement or as an improper inducement.”

“It puts a lot of burden on schools on how to proceed,” said Tom McMillen, president and CEO of the LEAD1 Association, a group representing Football Bowl Subdivision athletics directors. “Schools could be very permissive, and it would help them in recruiting. That’s a possibility. I don’t know that there’s a downside to being permissive.”

Said Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher: “I think the values of institutions will shine through. This is a good day. We’ve been talking for eons about modernizing our rules. This will be a dynamic process and we need a national solution.”

Wednesday’s decision is the culmination of a series of events over the past 12 years that have pressured NCAA schools into abandoning a standard of amateurism that they defended through legal battles that have cost the association and major conferences hundreds of millions of dollars in legal settlements and attorneys’ fees.

There have been a series of antitrust suits, starting in 2009, that built toward a unanimous Supreme Court ruling against the NCAA last week. And there have been state legislative changes on athletes’ behalf that began in California in 2019, and spread to a Florida law that established July 1, 2021 as an effective date other states have been racing to match.

The NCAA had been set to vote on detailed rules changes regarding NIL in January, but tabled the matter when the Supreme Court decided in December to hear the case on which it ruled last week and then, days before the scheduled vote, the Justice Department raised concerns about the plan.

Meanwhile, federal lawmakers began taking interest in the issue, introducing several bills that expired as the 2020 Congressional session wound down and Democrats regained control of the Senate.

In 2021, while the NCAA remained on hold, the number of states passing laws with a July 1 start date began rising rapidly. That prompted the association to step up efforts to seek federal legislation. However, five bills this year also have stalled as the NCAA has sought not only a federal legal standard on athletes’ NIL activity, but also protection from continued antitrust challenges. Democratic lawmakers have responded by demanding improvements from the schools in other benefits for athletes, such as health care and safety standards.

“Today’s decision from the NCAA is a welcome acknowledgment that college athletics must do more for college athletes,” Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said in a statement. “However, today’s interim action is no substitute for a national standard that not only gives our student athletes the ability to control their own name, image, and likeness rights, but also includes health care, safety, scholarship, and transfer protections.”

Blake Lawrence — the CEO of Opendorse, a sports technology company that works to help athletes build their endorsement value — said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday: “We are preparing for 100,000 student-athletes to register on our platform in the next 48 hours. There’s already 30,000 (registered) and we’re expecting to see 100,000-plus more.”

Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential, a firm that connects social media influencers with brands and works with a number of Fortune 500 companies, also predicted a sweeping and lucrative total marketplace over the remainder of this year.

“I would be very surprised if it’s not (a total in the) low tens of millions of dollars being put into the hands of both major-college athletes and nano-, micro-influencers that may not just be in the major sports like basketball, baseball, football — but (in) every possible sport. Lacrosse, women’s soccer, everything” Detert told USA TODAY Sports “… I know we’re going to do several million ourselves, just based on the current pipeline and interest. And it makes a lot of sense because we’re doing these Gen-Z and millennial campaigns with some of the biggest brands in the world.”

Asked about the types of activities and money that may be involved, Lawrence detailed a wide range of possibilities.

“It is clear that there are a handful of student-athletes on each team that are doing things like their own merchandise line, so using maybe a Shopify landing page to sell merchandise online, starting tomorrow,” Lawrence said. “Others that have a car dealership that’s already going to provide them a free car starting tomorrow. I mean, there is a lot of different things happening, that’s for sure. …

“I would say that these initial offers, there are some that are in the five figures, there are some in the four figures and others are more around the hundred-dollar range. I have yet to be made aware of anything that’s in the six-figure range, in terms of opportunities in the marketplace, but I’m sure there will be some at some level.”

Follow colleges reporter Steve Berkowitz on Twitter @ByBerkowitz

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Christian Banke rises to top of North & South bracket as match play begins

Christian Banke rises to top of North & South bracket as match play begins https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

When you’re on, you’re on and lately, Christian Banke is on.

Earlier this month, the 24-year-old from Danville, California was medalist at the California Amateur. This week, across the country, he’s the stroke-play medalist at the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst. Banke, who just wrapped up his graduate senior season at Arizona, set himself apart in a field of the world’s best amateurs with rounds of 65 and 67 at Pinehurst Nos. 4 and 2 over the past two days, and now gets the top spot on the bracket. He’ll take on Cal senior Finigan Tilly in the first round of match play.

“I started off really well with a birdie on the first and was able to keep the momentum going,” Banke told Pinehurst writer Alex Podlogar. “No. 2 is really hard, and I knew it wasn’t a course where I could expect to make a lot of putts. I figured as long as I was two-putting, I was going to be pretty happy.”

Scores: North & South Amateur

After the first round, Banke was part of a three-way tie for the lead with Stanford’s Karl Vilips and Clemson’s Zack Gordon, but he broke out of that on Wednesday for a one-shot edge on Vilips.

While that trio was more than safe, nine men found themselves in a tie for 28th at 1 over and had to play off for the final five spots on the leaderboard. Tilly, Carson Lundell, Chad Wilfong, William Moll and Tyler Wilkes advanced.

A number of intriguing head-to-head matches are on the way in the Round of 32, which will commence on No. 2 on Thursday morning. Near the top of the bracket, Pinehurst native Jackson Van Paris will take on 2018 Eastern Amateur champion Nick Lyerly, who walked away with the No. 8 seed after rounds of 67-70.

Kentucky’s Alex Goff meets Jonathan Yaun, who notably won his Round of 16 match at the 2020 North & South Amateur when he opened with a front-nine 28 on Pinehurst No. 2. Yaun, who plays for Liberty, got past Oklahoma State’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen by a 9-and-8 margin that day.

Abel Gallegos, who won the 2020 Latin America Amateur, meets Kelly Chinn, last year’s AJGA Rolex Player of the Year who is headed to Duke this fall. Right below that, Charlotte’s Ben Woodruff will take on Louis Dobbelaar, who already has the Australian Amateur and Dogwood Invitational titles on his 2021 resume.

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Musical chairs: Patrick Reed promotes Kevin Kirk to lead instructor role, David Leadbetter back to 'consulting'

Musical chairs: Patrick Reed promotes Kevin Kirk to lead instructor role, David Leadbetter back to 'consulting' https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

DETROIT – Team Reed is a close-knit group. It includes wife Justine and brother-in-law Kessler Karain, Patrick’s sidekick on the bag since early 2014. The role of swing instructor continues to be a case of musical chairs. And it changed again before the U.S. Open earlier this month.

Kevin Kirk, the 2019 PGA Teacher of the Year, has been Reed’s longtime coach and guided his star pupil to victory at the 2018 Masters. In March 2019, Justine called noted instructor David Leadbetter ahead of the Valspar Championship looking for a second set of eyes to help her hubby break out of a mini-slump. Before long, Leadbetter was part of the team.

“I would see him here and there but it would often be a fix for what was happening in that day,” Leadbetter wrote on his personal web site. “There was never really a plan in place. I always thought he would be an interesting player to work with.”

Leadbetter took the lead role last summer, with Kirk taking a backseat.

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“Remarkably, considering the success that he has had, he has never been in the top 100 in fairways hit or greens in regulation. His great short game has enabled him to compete at the highest level,” Leadbetter wrote. “I always thought that if we could get his long game anywhere close to the quality of his short game, the sky was the limit as far as what he could achieve. So, it was definitely a challenge that excited me.”

Reed recorded a victory at the Farmers Insurance Open in February and finished in the top 20 in the last three majors, but Leadbetter suffered a foot injury that has limited Reed’s ability to work with him on the road.

“He still can’t travel, his foot is still beat up and in a boot. It’s hard doing a lot of things over a telephone,” Reed explained, noting that Leadbetter has shifted into a “consulting role.” “Really never left KK. But I got back with him full-time right before the U.S. Open. Lead, KK and I, we all attack it together.”

And for those scoring at home, there’s actually two more members of Team Reed: Dave Pelz serves as a short-game mentor and Reed’s college coach, Josh Gregory, is listed as Reed’s performance coach. That’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but it works for Reed, who enters the week ranked No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

“I feel like the game’s really strong,” Reed said. “I feel like I’m playing really solid, hitting the ball well, so on the golf side I feel like we’re in good form leading into the week.”

from Golfweek https://ift.tt/362mbOm

Some of America's best attend Solheim Cup practice session ahead of LPGA stop in Texas

Some of America's best attend Solheim Cup practice session ahead of LPGA stop in Texas https://ift.tt/2SIXnIs

At a Solheim Cup practice session earlier this week at Reynolds Lake Oconee, American players did everything but play golf. It was decided that Amy Olson is basically good at everything she tries. Jennifer Song and Brittany Altomare excel at archery. Jennifer Kupcho proved the best at distance darts. And Michelle Wie West convinced fellow assistant captain Angela Stanford to jump in the lake fully clothed.

“I think people think that you just show up that week and you gel as a team,” said Stanford. “That’s not how that works.”

Twelve players stayed on in Georgia for the team bonding session, organized by U.S. captain Pat Hurst, before heading on to this week’s Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic. Six of America’s top-ranked players chose not to attend.

With COVID-19 restrictions keeping players from having dinners with Hurst and potential teammates throughout the year, this was a rare chance for players to spend time together face-to-face outside the ropes.

“I think it’s really important,” said Salas, who looks to make her fifth Solheim Cup team.

“I think especially when the team dynamic starts shifting. As I used to be one of the newbies, now I’m sort of the veteran. And now we’re not seeing – it’s just the rotation is now starting – now it’s been almost 10 years.

“So I think it’s important not only to show your face, to show that you’re capable of being a team player, but to also get out of that uncomfortableness and be around your potential teammate. Because at the end of the day, that’s who you’re playing for. That’s who you’re grinding and fighting with for three days or for however many matches you’re playing.”

Stacy Lewis of Team USA putts during the second day morning foursomes matches of The Solheim Cup at Des Moines Golf and Country Club on August 19, 2017, in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Americans have won six of 15 events on the LPGA this season, and Nelly Korda moved to No. 1 in the world after claiming her first major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

Stanford, 43, heads into this week as defending champion of the VOA, just down the road from where she was raised in Saginaw, Texas.

When asked about the importance of having over-40 players in contention on the LPGA, Stacy Lewis went beyond the winning to say that the example players like Stanford set, and the perspective she carries is vital for the tour, particularly in transition times like this.

Lewis noted that players left some bottles on the ground at the Oconee event, and Stanford picked up after them.

“It’s little stuff like that,” said Lewis, “of setting a good example for the younger players. At some point we’re going to hand the tour over to them, and they need to know how to do it like the older players taught us.”

As for big things, Lewis points to pro-ams, saying that watching the way older players interacted with sponsors made a lasting impression on her as a rookie.

“Pro-ams are huge for our tour,” she said. “You know, I think that’s something that some of the younger players don’t get.

“They see it as a hassle and it interferes with practice, but it’s the most important day of our week. So it’s little things like that of what sells our tour and what really makes it work. Sometimes it takes a downturn in our tour or the economy for the younger players to see that. So hopefully we can spread the word about just we have to make our tour better as a whole.”

Cheyenne Knight, who joins Stanford and Lewis as Texans who have won the VOA, first met Stanford more than a decade ago in Fort Worth. Knight said she was so shy that she didn’t even know what to say, but that the next time she out at Shady Oaks, Stanford had left her a pair of shoes from the 2009 Solheim Cup.

“It was so cool,” Knight said. “I think I still have them, honestly.”

Angela Stanford and Gerina Piller of the United States Team react after Stanford made a putt on the 16th hole during the afternoon Four-Ball matches at the 2013 Solheim Cup on August 16, 2013, at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colorado. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Lewis said she flew into Texas on Tuesday morning and played nine holes and her body hurt in places she hadn’t felt in years after Monday’s all-sports session.

The badminton, pickleball, fishing and shooting range, as Stanford said, laid the foundation for what comes next at the Inverness Club in September.

“There is so much that week,” said Stanford. “The last thing you want to do is try to figure out a teammate.

“I just think it matters more than people think it matters.”

***

The top seven players from the USA Solheim Cup standings automatically qualify, along with the top two players in the Role Rankings not already eligible plus three captain’s picks.

Current Team USA Points Standings:

  1. Nelly Korda 570.50
  2. Danielle Kang 476
  3. Ally Ewing 290
  4. Lexi Thompson 260.50
  5. Jessica Korda 256.50
  6. Austin Ernst 238
  7. Megan Khang 228
  8. Brittany Altomare
  9. Amy Olson 169.50
  10. Angela Stanford 164.50
1 Nelly Korda 570.50
2 Danielle Kang 476.00
3 Ally Ewing 290.00
4 Lexi Thompson 260.50
5 Jessica Korda 256.50
6 Austin Ernst 238.00
7 Megan Khang 228.00
8 Brittany Altomare 184.00
9 Amy Olson 169.50
10 Angela Stanford 164.50

 

 

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Bryson DeChambeau says he's hitting it even farther than a year ago when he outmuscled Rocket Mortgage Classic field

Bryson DeChambeau says he's hitting it even farther than a year ago when he outmuscled Rocket Mortgage Classic field https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

DETROIT – Frank Sinatra sang that luck be a lady tonight. Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player said that luck is the residue of design and film producer Samuel Goldwyn often is credited with saying that the harder he worked, the luckier he got.

Bryson DeChambeau apparently believes in the old saying it’s better to be lucky than good. Asked what went wrong when he shot a final-round 77 and blew a lead on the back nine on Sunday of the U.S. Open two weeks ago, DeChambeau, who was attempting to defend his title, chalked it up to bad luck.

“People don’t realize how much luck plays a big factor,” he said. “You can control a lot, but at the end of the day, still luck is a huge component of it.”

It begged the follow-up question: Is DeChambeau feeling lucky this week?

“I hope so,” he said. “Hope I get a little lucky, it would be awesome.”

Rocket Mortgage Classic: Odds | Fantasy rankings | Tee times

DeChambeau is back at Detroit Golf Club this week to defend his title at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He bludgeoned the course last year, leading the field in driving distance with an eye-popping average of 329.8 yards en route to carding 23-under 265 to win by three strokes. Of all courses played on the PGA Tour, it was the longest average in four years (not counting events played at elevation), and more than 10 yards longer than the second-longest hitter, Cameron Champ.

DeChambeau’s final three drives? They traveled a combined 1,055 yards. It was a victory that validated DeChambeau’s decision to bulk up and train as if he were a long-drive contestant.

“It was very important. It was a milestone to show everybody that this is a different way that I can do it and still win, so I was pretty proud of that,” DeChambeau said. “It gave me the confidence to win the U.S. Open knowing that I can play a game that’s not normal or is a little unique and different.”

DeChambeau didn’t just outmuscle the field; he out-putted them too. He led the field at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Strokes Gained: Putting, becoming the first player in the ShotLink era (2004-present) to finish first in both SG: Off-the-Tee and SG: Putting. Here’s the scary thing: DeChambeau claimed he’s hitting it even farther and straighter than a year ago.

“If I can take advantage of the wedges, I’ll give myself a good chance,” he said.

DeChambeau’s length could be an even more decisive advantage this year at a waterlogged Detroit Golf Club. The course has been soaked by nearly six inches of rain since June 21, with 4.25 inches falling on Friday night alone. Patrick Reed recounted seeing photos of the course the next day and marveled at the job the course superintendent and his staff has done to ready the course.

“When they showed me a picture off of 10 tee, you saw the tee box and it just looked like a lake. You couldn’t see the bunkers that you’re trying to carry on the left or the ones on the right. And 18, you saw a little bit of grass, but everything was under water,” he said. “To come out and play and just find a couple wet spots there in the rough, it was very impressive.”

Reed has played here all three years and noted that the fairways played like concrete with soft greens the first year when Nate Lashley shot 25-under 263. Last year, the course still played short, but the greens were firmer as DeChambeau won with a total two strokes higher. This year, drives won’t be bounding down the fairway, leading to longer approach shots, but the field will be throwing darts at soft greens. Expect another birdie barrage and for the conditions to play right into DeChambeau’s wheelhouse.

“It’s huge,” he said of his distance advantage to carry bunkers off the tee and potentially have short-iron approaches where others may need long irons or woods. Reed is counting on the setup to be tough but fair to neutralize the advantage of bombers.

“They don’t want to see another 25-under winning score,” Reed said. “They’re going to tuck some pins, put them closer to slopes.”

What he won’t be counting on is luck being a critical factor.

“The guy who wins golf tournaments is usually the guy who’s playing best that week and is out there doing everything a little better than everyone else,” Reed said. “That’s what it takes to win golf tournaments. Four days, 72 holes, you’re going to get good bounces, you’re going to get bad bounces. It’s the guy who’s playing consistently the best golf that week that’s going to win that golf tournament.”

from Golfweek https://ift.tt/2UUbgUR

Rocket Mortgage Classic field, by the rankings

Rocket Mortgage Classic field, by the rankings https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The PGA Tour returns to Detroit Golf Club for the third time for the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic. Big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau was victorious here last year, winning by three over Matthew Wolff. This year both return to a field that also includes Phil Mickelson, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Max Homa and Bubba Watson.

The entire Rocket Mortgage field is broken down below according to the Golfweek/Sagarins and the OWGR.

So far in the 2020-21 Tour season, the average ranking of the winner heading into the week in which he won a PGA Tour event has been 86.51 in the Golfweek/Sagarins and 87.24 in the OWGR.

Player GW/Sagarin OWGR
 Bryson DeChambeau 6 6
 Webb Simpson 10 13
 Patrick Reed 16 9
 Joaquin Niemann 17 31
 Will Zalatoris 18 29
 Hideki Matsuyama 23 16
 Cameron Tringale 30 73
 Jason Kokrak 31 25
 Matthew Wolff 38 32
 Si Woo Kim 45 49
 Sungjae Im 46 26
 Matt Jones 47 62
 Brendon Todd 50 65
 Emiliano Grillo 53 74
 Bubba Watson 54 61
 Alex Noren 55 95
 Chris Kirk 56 68
 Keegan Bradley 57 75
 Cam Davis 60 132
 Patton Kizzire 65 108
 Jason Day 66 71
 Lanto Griffin 67 69
 Kevin Kisner 72 52
 Harold Varner III 73 82
 Charles Howell III 77 150
 Sepp Straka 83 174
 Doug Ghim 84 227
 Max Homa 86 40
 Kyle Stanley 87 173
 Lucas Glover 91 113
 Mackenzie Hughes 94 63
 Gary Woodland 96 59
 Doc Redman 97 126
 Denny McCarthy 98 168
 Troy Merritt 99 127
 Pat Perez 100 222
 Rickie Fowler 101 91
 Adam Hadwin 103 101
 Michael Thompson 106 112
 Phil Mickelson 109 30
 Scott Piercy 111 207
 Mark Hubbard 112 187
 Danny Willett 113 103
 Adam Schenk 114 249
 K.H. Lee 117 66
 Hank Lebioda 118 318
 Joel Dahmen 119 77
 Kevin Chappell 120 560
 Sebastián Muñoz 122 67
 Brice Garnett 124 262
 Maverick McNealy 133 109
 Scott Stallings 134 208
 Richy Werenski 137 115
 Roger Sloan 138 382
 Martin Laird 140 105
 Brandt Snedeker 142 139
 Russell Knox 143 214
 Mito Pereira 147 146
 Nick Taylor 150 154
 Peter Uihlein 151 256
 Adam Long 152 84
 Chez Reavie 153 142
 Vincent Whaley 154 348
 Matthew NeSmith 158 157
 Seamus Power 162 328
 Henrik Norlander 163 136
 Andrew Putnam 167 164
 Kramer Hickok 168 331
 Tom Hoge 173 120
 Nate Lashley 175 171
 Dylan Frittelli 179 88
 Cameron Percy 182 354
 Patrick Rodgers 187 209
 Jason Dufner 188 418
 Camilo Villegas 190 225
 Garrick Higgo 192 38
 Rory Sabbatini 194 167
 Ben Martin 195 287
 Ryan Armour 200 234
 Tom Lewis 201 131
 James Hahn 202 166
 Bo Hoag 203 232
 Satoshi Kodaira 204 294
 Brian Stuard 209 235
 Danny Lee 210 191
 Justin Suh 212 445
 Tyler Duncan 217 212
 Will Gordon 228 238
 Bronson Burgoon 229 297
 Robert Streb 231 128
 Rafa Cabrera Bello 233 140
 Joseph Bramlett 239 247
 Harry Higgs 242 104
 Cameron Champ 243 116
 Vaughn Taylor 248 202
 Byeong Hun An 249 134
 Curtis Thompson 250 267
 Austin Cook 252 260
 Chase Seiffert 253 230
 Peter Malnati 256 190
 Beau Hossler 263 393
 Brandon Hagy 266 183
 Anirban Lahiri 270 340
 Andrew Landry 271 161
 Scott Harrington 272 427
 Chesson Hadley 275 229
 Robby Shelton 279 250
 Jimmy Walker 289 323
 Aaron Baddeley 292 544
 Rob Oppenheim 295 394
 J.B. Holmes 298 512
 Sam Ryder 305 217
 Tyler McCumber 316 288
 J.J. Spaun 317 505
 Kris Ventura 324 341
 Michael Gligic 344 396
 D.J. Trahan 347 649
 Scott Brown 357 305
 Mark Anderson 365 691
 Rafael Campos 383 281
 Sung Kang 389 199
 Sean O’Hair 395 625
 Chris Baker 399 486
 Kevin Tway 411 562
 William McGirt 412 1900
 David Hearn 413 548
 Luke Donald 415 492
 Bo Van Pelt 417 326
 Brian Gay 425 253
 Ted Potter Jr. 427 391
 K.J. Choi 433 656
 Ryan Brehm 441 607
 Fabián Gómez 455 404
 Michael Gellerman 465 788
 Ben Taylor 467 943
 Rhein Gibson 478 573
 Jonas Blixt 503 907
 Grayson Murray 514 413
 Sebastian Cappelen 521 653
 Nelson Ledesma 591 603
 Hunter Mahan 625 1340
 Michael Kim 631 1485
 Martin Trainer 676 1092
 Nick Watney 685 587
 Kevin Stadler 697 1900
 Matt Every 761 977
 Willie Mack III N/R 1900
 Connor Arendell N/R 1900
 Austin Eckroat N/R 534
 Harrison Frazar N/R 1900
 Tain Lee N/R 915
 Timothy O’Neal N/R 1900
 John Pak N/R 1218
 Jeff Roth N/R 1900
 Davis Thompson N/R 1150
 Daniel Wetterich N/R 1900
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Why Bryson DeChambeau wouldn't miss the Olympics for the world

Why Bryson DeChambeau wouldn't miss the Olympics for the world https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

DETROIT – Bryson DeChambeau always dreamed of playing in the Olympics.

He still remembers attending the 2003 SaveMart Shootout at Willow Bend Golf Course as a 10-year-old, where he watched the likes of Peter Jacobsen, Fred Couples and local boy Nick Watney compete in a 36-hole charity tournament. Couples wasn’t the only famous athlete in attendance. DeChambeau met Olympian Randy Williams, who at age 19 became the youngest gold medalist in the long jump at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and won a silver in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. DeChambeau later got to wear Williams’ gold medal around his neck at a junior golf tournament he competed in, the Len Ross Memorial Tournament in Fresno, and a dream was born (pictured above).

Rocket Mortgage: Tee times, TV | Odds | Fantasy rankings

“It was always cool to say, ‘Wow, he’s an Olympian. What if I could be an Olympian?’ ” DeChambeau said ahead of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Wednesday. “It’s cool to finally be able to say that.”

After the U.S. Open concluded, DeChambeau, 27, officially qualified as one of four golfers to represent Team U.S.A. in Japan next month based on his World Ranking. (He’s No. 6 overall.) Wearing the stars and stripes always has been a priority for DeChambeau, who has represented his country in the Walker Cup, the men’s World Amateur Team Championship, the Palmer Cup, Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup.

“I have not missed an opportunity,” he said, adding, “Hopefully I can get that gold.”

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What in-between? Not a college golfer but not a mid-am, Jackie Rogowicz wins Donna Andrews Invitational

What in-between? Not a college golfer but not a mid-am, Jackie Rogowicz wins Donna Andrews Invitational https://ift.tt/3AiKk1o

If not for golf, Jackie Rogowicz thinks she might get a little bored. The course is always waiting after work, and most days, particularly in the summer, she finds it.

“In the winter, it’s a little harder,” says Rogowicz, a 23-year-old who works full-time at Penn Mutual Asset Management and competes nationally as an amateur.

Rogowicz falls in the in-between category of post-college and pre-mid-amateur.

“There’s not a ton of tournaments to play in for someone like me,” she said.

But despite that, Rogowicz has won three times since graduating college in 2019, claiming the Women’s Porter Cup title and Pennsylvania Women’s Amateur that summer and the Donna Andrews Invitational on Tuesday. Rogowicz played last year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur after qualifying off her World Amateur Golf Ranking (then No. 152) and has already played her way into this year’s tournament. It will be her fifth start in the national championship for female amateur.

Scores: Donna Andrews Invitational

“I wanted to turn professional when I was younger,” said Rogowicz, who was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree (and a reliable scorer) at Penn State, “and then as it got closer to actually doing so, I kind of realized that lifestyle wasn’t for me.”

It isn’t always easy to make the work-golf lifestyle she’s chosen balance out. The trickiest part is lining up her vacation days with tournaments. But a long weekend spent at Boonsboro Country Club in Lynchboro, Virginia, was well worth it.

Rogowicz not only walks away as winner of the third annual Donna Invitational, but also holds a new course record at Boonsboro. Her opening 6-under 66 included five birdies plus an eagle at the par-5 third. She bogeyed the 17th hole or it would have been lower.

Interestingly, Rogowicz said it wasn’t pretty at Boonsboro the past two years. Her putter carried her around undulating greens this time.

“That’s kind of what’s tricky about Boonsboro is there’s a lot of slope,” she said. “Having that going for me was really good.”

Rogowicz, a self-described streaky putter, followed with 68 and by that time, had a five-shot lead over Virginia Tech’s Becca DiNunzio heading into the final round. Her 1-over 73 dropped her to 9 under, and though DiNunzio got as close as one shot over the course of the afternoon, Rogowicz closed out the title by two shots.

Jackie Rogowicz, Donna Andrews Invitational

Jackie Rogowicz during the Donna Andrews Invitational (Photo submitted)

Asked for the difference between her game now and when she was in college, Rogowicz offered short game and course management.

“For example today, I didn’t feel like I quite had my best stuff but I feel like I was able to manage it better,” she said after the final round. “I know myself better and my game better.”

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Photos: Tom Doak's St. Patrick's Links opens at Rosapenna in Ireland

Photos: Tom Doak's St. Patrick's Links opens at Rosapenna in Ireland https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Tom Doak-designed St. Patrick’s Links opened last weekend in Ireland, giving Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort one of the greatest rarities in European golf: a completely new 18-hole layout on true linksland.

Built tight to Sheephaven Bay in the far northern reaches of the Republic, some 20 miles west of the border with Northern Ireland in County Donegal, Doak laid out St. Patrick’s links on nearly 300 acres that previously held two other courses that were shuttered more than a decade ago.

All that acreage gave the highly acclaimed American designer plenty of room to look for the best holes in what would become his first Irish design. Jack Nicklaus had started work on a new course at the site more than a decade ago, but that project was scrapped when the financial crisis of 2008 hit.

Doak and his Renaissance Golf Design team began construction in 2018, and what have been described in multiple early reports as truly fantastic greens were completed in 2019 – because of closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the putting surfaces had two seasons to mature before the opening.

The sprawling layout encompasses everything from a 100-foot hill at the center of the course to waterside holes offering tremendous views across the bay. Doak described the undulations in the mostly wide fairways as among the best features on the course, and his videos from the site reveal a truly wild landscape, full of surprise reveals and stunning long views.

The St. Patrick’s Links joins two other courses at Rosapenna: the Old Tom Morris Links originally laid out by Old Tom in 1891 and the Sandy Hills Links designed by Pat Ruddy and opened in 2003, which ranks No. 19 on Golfweek’s Best list of modern courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

No telling yet where Doak’s St. Patrick’s Links might climb on that list, and with some pandemic restrictions still affecting travel to Ireland, it’s not as easy as it normally might be to see the new links firsthand. International travel to Ireland is scheduled to reopen to a greater degree in July, and in the meantime, we hope you enjoy the photos below.

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Solheim Cup: Skechers named official footwear supplier for Team USA and Europe

Solheim Cup: Skechers named official footwear supplier for Team USA and Europe https://ift.tt/3y5rRTZ

Skechers has been named official footwear supplier for the 2021 Solheim Cup, outfitting players and caddies from both Team USA and Europe. This marks the first time Skechers has partnered with the American side, after partnering with the Europeans both in 2017 and 2019.

The exclusive Skechers GO GOLF Elite 3 styles have been designed in unique colors for the United States and European teams for the Sept. 4-6 event at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

“As the Solheim Cup moves back to the States,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, “it’s a perfect time to expand our partnership with this storied event in women’s golf.”

Courtesy Skechers

In addition, caddies will be outfitted in a special waterproof version of Skechers GO RUN Supersonic style footwear in team colors.

Courtesy Skechers

The U.S., captained by Pat Hurst, leads Europe with a 10-6 all-time record heading into Ohio. The Europeans will once again be led by Catriona Matthew, who masterminded a thrilling victory over the Americans at Gleneagles in 2019, with captain’s pick Suzann Pettersen converting a walk-off winning point for the ages.

 

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Rocket Mortgage Classic blog: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo plays with Phil Mickelson at pro-am

Rocket Mortgage Classic blog: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo plays with Phil Mickelson at pro-am https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

There are a few storms in the forecast, but the scene is set for another Rocket Mortgage Classic here at Detroit Golf Club.

Follow along as we blog all week from the event — which is marking its third year after Michigan had a lengthy absence from the PGA Tour.

We have a team of folks on the ground in Detroit, including our Adam Schupak, Detroit Free Press columnist Carlos Monarrez and many others who will provide insight throughout the week.

Update, 10:18 a.m.: An interesting group will speak to the media today, including returning champ Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed.

Don’t forget, DeChambeau won the event last year after an incident with a cameraman during Saturday’s round. Our Eamon Lynch waved poetic on the subject in one of his most biting pieces:

DeChambeau paid for the cameras in his home, but not those at Detroit Golf Club. But he seems to believe any lens has the same function: to celebrate his brand of data-crunching and protein-shaking, to showcase his prodigious distance but never his astonishingly shallow depth. In short, to help him sling product. And you, dear viewer? Well, you’re just the mark. That’s what his comments Saturday told you.

We’ll have more after the champ speaks.

Also, for those of you who missed it, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo teed it up with none other than reigning PGA Champ Phil Mickelson during the pro-am. Here’s a look at the fun.

This is nothing new for the coach. Izzo played with Tiger Woods at the 2005 Buick Pro-Am at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, near the height of Tiger Mania and a few months after the Spartans made their fourth of now eight Final Fours under Izzo. Two years ago at the inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic’s Area 313 Challenge, Izzo teamed with Bubba Watson and others against groups led by Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson.

 

 

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Junior golf: These three players have set themselves apart with AJGA invitational wins

Junior golf: These three players have set themselves apart with AJGA invitational wins https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Many carrots are on the table for junior golfers at the end of this summer, which is a notable change from a year ago when the junior golf schedule – like the rest of the competitive sports world – took a hit because of COVID-19.

On July 6-9, the AJGA will hold its annual Wyndham Cup, which pits the best junior golfers from the East against those from the West. Things will really heat up with the Junior Solheim Cup on Aug. 30-Sept. 2 and the Junior Ryder Cup on Sept. 20-21.

The Junior Ryder Cup will include a team of both boys and girls.

One way to set yourself apart for any of the three? Win an AJGA Invitational. Get to know the latest three winners – Maxwell Ford, Amanda Sambach and Benjamin James – and which team event they’re gunning for.

Blog Junior: Keep up to date with the latest junior golf news

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Karl Vilips opens another Pinehurst chapter with early co-lead at North & South Amateur

Karl Vilips opens another Pinehurst chapter with early co-lead at North & South Amateur https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Another Pinehurst chapter in the Karl Vilips story has begun. The 19-year-old native Australian is just the latest Aussie to show an affinity for the Sand Hills of North Carolina, and after a quarterfinal run at the 2019 U.S. Amateur here, Vilips is at the top of the North & South leaderboard.

Vilips, who just completed his freshman season at Stanford, also owns two U.S. Kids Golf World Championship titles won in the Pinehurst area. The place clearly suits him.

On Tuesday in the opening round of the North & South Amateur, Vilips shot up the leaderboard with his 5-under 65 on Pinehurst No. 4.

To get to match play at the North & South Amateur, a player has to run the gauntlet of both Pinehurst Nos. 2 and 4. On opening day, the two courses didn’t play all that differently. Both play to a par of 70 but averaged just over 72 for the field.

Scoring: North & South Amateur

Interestingly, Vilips’ start wasn’t all that pretty. He had three consecutive bogeys on the first three holes but managed to erase them with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 7-9. He added five birdies on the back nine, including four straight to close the day.

“For some reason, my game and Pinehurst just seem to get along,” Vilips told Pinehurst writer Alex Podlogar. “There’s not a lot of trouble off the tee, and my ball always seems to be very generous to me when it misses. I always seem to have a shot. I guess the course and I like each other very much.”

Christian Banke, who just finished a fifth year at Arizona after three previous seasons at San Diego State, also fired a 65 on No. 4 for a share of the lead while Zack Gordon, a Clemson senior who holed the ACC Championship-clinching birdie putt for the Tigers this spring, rounded out the trio on top with his 5-under 65 on Pinehurst No. 2.

After Wednesday’s second round, the field will be whittled to 32 men and the format reset to match play.

Other notables near the top of the leaderboard on Tuesday afternoon included Vilips’ fellow Aussie Louis Dobbelaar, the recent Australian Amateur champion who started his summer season by winning the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta three weeks ago. Dobbelaar, a top-50 player in the world, had 2-under 68 on Pinehurst No. 2 to land in a big tie for 10th.

Pinehurst native Jackson Van Paris is also on that number as well as Ollie Osborne, runner-up at last summer’s U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes.

Neither Tyler Strafaci, last year’s winner, nor William Holcomb, the runner-up, are in the field this week.

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Cheers! European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington buys a round for caddies ahead of Irish Open.

Cheers! European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington buys a round for caddies ahead of Irish Open. https://ift.tt/2KSglrG

A free beer goes a long way, especially in golf. And especially for professional caddies.

With the Ryder Cup – September 24-26 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin – inching getting closer and closer, European captain Padraig Harrington wanted to give thanks to those who carry the bags ahead of his home nation’s Irish Open this week on the European Tour.

“I’d like to buy all the caddies in the field a drink to thank you all for the support that I know you will be giving Team Europe in September,” wrote Harrington in a post shared by the Team Europe account on Twitter. “We may be a European team, but we are a global tour so no matter what country you are from (including America!) please enjoy a drink on me at your hotel bar.”

What a classy move by the three-time major champion. It might not be on the sportsmanship level of Jack Nicklaus’ concession, but it’s definitely a tastier concession.

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Veteran golfer becomes first John Shippen winner, earns spot in Rocket Mortgage Classic

Veteran golfer becomes first John Shippen winner, earns spot in Rocket Mortgage Classic https://ift.tt/3js5jJ2

Sometimes, experience is all you need.

It was the deciding factor for Tim O’Neal, who won the inaugural John Shippen National Invitational at the Detroit Golf Club on Monday. The victory earned O’Neal an exemption into this week’s PGA Tour event in Detroit, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, beginning Thursday.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time. For me at 48, still to be able to compete and be able to play means a lot to me,” said O’Neal, a 20-year veteran, who was the oldest golfer in the field. “Hopefully it’s going to inspire guys not to quit and keep grinding.”

O’Neal overcame two early bogeys on the front nine to finish with 4-under par on Monday after making seven birdies. He shot a 68 on Monday to close out his two-day score at 5-under 139.

“It was a little stressful today. I didn’t play that well on the front nine,” said O’Neal, the Savannah, Georgia, native. “I had a hiccup on 14 and had the ball spin back in the water, but after that I rebounded and made a couple of birdies coming down the stretch and was able to get the win.”

Back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th hole were the turning point for O’Neal to pull away from Kevin Hall who came in second place with a two-day total of 141.

“I hit it in there about 8 feet and made birdie on top of him, and then I made birdie on the next hole. That was kind of the highlight,” O’Neal said. “I knew he was close, but I didn’t know what everyone else was doing in the field. For me, that was the highlight because I knew I needed to make that putt to keep distance.”

O’Neal’s exemption into the Rocket Mortgage Classic is his first PGA Tour appearance since 2019, when he received the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption to play in the Genesis Open.

The John Shippen National Invitation was created in honor of the first Black professional golfer, and to provide more playing opportunities for Black golfers.

“Shippen coming along and having this exemption for a lot of players getting exposure to play in the Rocket Mortgage I think it’s huge,” said O’Neal, who played college golf at Jackson State. “Hopefully more guys coming behind me will be doing the same thing next year.”

Tim O’Neal from Savannah, Georgia, won the inaugural John Shippen Invitational to earn an exemption to play in the Rocket Mortgage Classic being held at the Detroit Golf Club on Monday, June 28, 2021. (Photo: Kirthmnon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press)

The women’s side of the Shippen field was won by Flint native Shasta Averyardt and South Carolina alum Anita Uwadia. The duo earned the exemption into next month’s LPGA Tour team tournament, the Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland.

Averyhardt, 35, was an LPGA member in 2011 and 2013 and was the tour’s fourth ever Black member.

“Obviously we’re going to embrace it, and we’re very thankful for the opportunity. This is a great way to honor Mr. Shippen,” said Averyhardt, who will make her first appearance at an LPGA event in eight years.

“So we’re going to stay in the present and just stay in the moment and really just one shot at a time. That’s like a cliché, right, but we don’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves. We still want to enjoy it and have fun.”

Uwadia, a 23-year-old United Kingdom native, completed became a professional golfer last year and is looking forward to competing in her first LPGA tournament.

“I am really excited. I’ve never played there before. I never played in an LPGA event. Your dream obviously is to be on the LPGA, to win majors, but it’s definitely the first step,” Uwadia said. “To go out there and play with people that you watch on TV, that’s pretty cool. I’m super excited.

Mia Berry is a sports reporting intern with the Free Press. Reach out via email: [email protected].

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