Weather delay rocks second round of Augusta National Women's Amateur, altering Friday's schedule at Augusta National Golf Club

Weather delay rocks second round of Augusta National Women's Amateur, altering Friday's schedule at Augusta National Golf Club

EVANS, Ga. — As if the Augusta National Women’s Amateur wasn’t challenging enough as is, inclement weather has made the third playing of one of the biggest events in women’s golf even more difficult.

Before players could begin their second round at 7:30 a.m. ET Thursday morning at Champions Retreat Golf Club, inclement weather forced a seven-and-a-half hour delay, creating questions about Friday’s practice round down the road at Augusta National Golf Club. But the sun came out in the afternoon, and play resumed at 3 p.m. ET, setting up a race against the sunset.

Nine players were able to finish their second rounds when play was suspended at 7:52 p.m. ET. The last groups will need to finish nine holes when play resumes Friday morning at Champions Retreat at 7:30 a.m. ET.

ANWA: Leaderboard | Best photos
Meet the field:
 Americans | Internationals

Five players were under par following the first round, but none were in the red when the horn sounded Thursday night. ANWA three-timer Beatrice Wallin – who has her brother on the bag – USC freshman phenom Amari Avery and Michigan’s Hailey Borja are all tied atop the leaderboard at even par. Borja was the lone player under par before making bogey on No. 11, her final hole of the day.

The top-30 players will advance to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National, and a playoff will take place if necessary following the second round. The players will then make their way to Augusta National for an afternoon practice round, with the time yet to be determined.

As it stands, 11 players are battling for five spots in the top 30, with 20 players just four shots outside the current projected cut of 5 over.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/7XNepn5

The Dinah deserves an epic finish. Is there a more popular choice than Lexi Thompson to deliver it?

The Dinah deserves an epic finish. Is there a more popular choice than Lexi Thompson to deliver it?

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Lexi Thompson was a combined 43 under at the Chevron Championship the past five years heading into this week. Lydia Ko stood closest to her in that stretch at 37 under.

Mission Hills is Thompson’s favorite stop on tour. The 27-year-old won here in 2014 and then put herself in the conversation at the season’s first major nearly every year after that. Of course, what happened in 2017 on the back nine of the Dinah Shore Tournament Course became a legendary nightmare: a four-stroke penalty that rocked the golf world and a comeback that sent chills down the spines of all who gathered around Poppie’s Pond to watch the finish.

But, of course, Thompson came up short to So Yeon Ryu that week. The rules of golf have since changed and many feel Thompson is owed one here. Had she won that week, what kind of trajectory would that momentum have taken her?

We’ll never know, but a Thompson victory on the last lap around Dinah’s Place would be the popular choice of many if such a thing could be scripted.

Lexi Thompson cries in a towel as she walks to the 18th green after her second shot during the final round of the ANA Inspiration on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club on April 2, 2017, in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Thompson opened with a 3-under 69 on a day of tremendous ball-striking and seemed relaxed after what could’ve been a silly low round. When asked if she felt like there might be some kind of destiny in the cards for her this week, she shrugged it off.

“Destiny, I don’t know,” said Thompson. “I’m enjoying every last step I have at Mission Hills because it’s one of my favorite venues.”

Jennifer Kuphcho and Minjee Lee hold the early lead at 6 under. Thompson played alongside World No. 1 Jin Young Ko in the morning’s marquee pairing. Ko, who boldly said her best golf would have her winning by five this week, broke a streak of 34 consecutive rounds under par on Thursday after she struggled to a 74.

“I was hitting lots of great shots, said Ko, “but my putting wasn’t good on the green. I couldn’t see the break as much or speed, everything was wrong.

“I don’t know what happened.”

Jin Young Ko watches her tee shot off the first tee at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course during round one at the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Thursday, March 31, 2022.

Coming into this week, Ko was a combined 50 under par in the major championships since 2019, the best of any player in that span. She amassed eight top-20 finishes in 10 starts in the majors during that stretch.

How shocking is Ko’s 74? Her scoring average over the past 11 events is 67.54.

Expectations are enormously high for a reason.

Thompson’s love affair with Mission Hills can be seen in her performance numbers. Since winning here in 2014, she leads the tour at the Chevron in scoring average (69.75), rounds in the 60s (14), top-5 finishes (5), top-10 finishes (6), and cumulative score in relation to par (72 under). She also leads in proximity to the hole from 100-125 yards at 22 feet, 11 inches.

Thompson, who works with instructor Martin Hall, said she’s grinding harder than ever on her game, particularly putting.

“I don’t know how my back is still intact with how many putts I hit every day,” she said, “the hours that I’ve put in, but that’s what it takes.”

Thompson and her family rent a house every year in Rancho Mirage and she enjoys mom’s cooking each night. It’s been five years since that shocking Sunday in the desert knocked the wind out of her chest.

Despite it all, she can’t get enough of the place.

“There’s nothing like this event,” said Thompson.

Which is why the old Dinah deserves an epic conclusion, exactly the kind a people’s champion like Thompson could deliver.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/7XNepn5

San Antonio resident Abraham Ancer withdraws from 2022 Valero Texas Open

San Antonio resident Abraham Ancer withdraws from 2022 Valero Texas Open

Abraham Ancer was one of the betting favorites coming into the week at TPC San Antonio (+2000) but has withdrawn from the Valero Texas Open. The reason for withdrawal were not disclosed. He’s being replaced in the field by Scott Gutschewski.

This week was a home game for Ancer, as the 31-year-old lives in San Antonio. He bounced back from missed cut at the Valspar Championship nicely last week at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, making it past the group stage but eventually losing in the Elite Eight.

In four appearances at the Valero, Ancer has made the weekend in all four starts with his best finish coming last season when he tied for 23rd.

Andrew Landry has also withdrawn from the tournament. He’s being replaced by Jared Wolfe.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

Jim Richerson, president of PGA of America, named general manager of Riviera Country Club

Jim Richerson, president of PGA of America, named general manager of Riviera Country Club

From the PGA of America and Troon to Riviera Country Club, Jim Richerson is on the move.

Riviera Country Club President Megan Watanabe made an announcement on Wednesday that Richerson will be the new general manager of the historic venue in Los Angeles, site of the Genesis Invitational.

Richerson, who works at Troon’s corporate headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, will move with his family to southern California when he begins his new role. He has been president of the PGA of America since November 2020 and his term, which included a Ryder Cup victory for the U.S. last September, will end at the two-year mark this November.

“We are thrilled to have Jim join our team at The Riviera Country Club,” Watanabe said in a statement released by the club. “Jim is a respected leader in the world of golf and his expertise and relationships will be a great asset in leading us as we head toward our centennial as well as the U.S. Women’s Open in 2026 and the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions in 2028.”

The club was founded in 1926.

“The Riviera Country Club is one of the most prestigious clubs in the world,” said Richerson in the same statement. “I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of continuing the great legacy and history of this iconic club and working with our dedicated executive team and passionate membership.”

Richerson, who has 34 years of experience working in golf, has been with Troon for five years, where he was Senior Vice-President of Operations. Before that, he was the general manager for Kohler Co. in Wisconsin where he ran the facilities at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run as well as The Duke’s Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Richerson’s dad was the golf coach at Northeast Missouri State, now called Truman State.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

With new 46-inch driver in play, Brooke Henderson looks to continue strong play at Chevron

With new 46-inch driver in play, Brooke Henderson looks to continue strong play at Chevron

RANCHO MIRAGE, California —  Brooke Henderson tested a number of different driver shafts and heads trying to find the perfect match heading into the Chevron Championship.

This marks her first week of competition using a shorter driver after the LPGA put in place the new Model Local Rule last week, which gives tours the option to limit the maximum length of a driver to 46 inches. Henderson, who said she feels at peace now about the new club, has used a 48-inch driver since junior golf and is one of the best overall drivers of the golf ball on tour.

Why wait until a major to make the change?

“You know, I’ve played over 46 inches since I was 15,” said Henderson, “so I was going to use the 48 up until I couldn’t anymore. But it was nice to have such great finishes with it coming into this week.”

Henderson, 24, hasn’t finished outside the top 11 in five starts this season, with her best coming at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, where she finished second.

Currently ranked 10th in the world, Henderson lost in a playoff in this event in 2020 and usually enjoys a strong Canadian crowd here in the desert.

When asked if she’d tried about a dozen different shafts in the search, Henderson said, “Oh, more.”

In the end, she wound up using the same shaft and Ping G400 driver head as before, just 2 inches shorter with a little extra weight in the grip.

“Went through a lot of different shafts and weights, et cetera, et cetera,” said Henderson, “but was able to I guess early January late December to pick one that I have in the bag this week that I felt was going to be the right club.

“Definitely miss my 48-inch driver, but this one, it’s good. I think as I get used to the timing and the rhythm of it I’ll be able to gain back some of the distance that I lost.”

Brooke M. Henderson of Canada plays her shot on the second tee during the third round of the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open at Wilshire Country Club on April 23, 2021, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Henderson chokes down on all the clubs in her bag and said that going forward, she might consider gradually choking up on the rest of her clubs as well to help with timing and rhythm.

“That’s something time will tell,” she said.

In seven starts at Mission Hills Country Club, Henderson has never missed the cut and has five top-20 finishes. She tees off on Thursday alongside fellow major champion Lydia Ko.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

'I completed my career': Lorena Ochoa, LPGA founder Shirley Spork on what it means that long wait for Hall of Fame is finally over

'I completed my career': Lorena Ochoa, LPGA founder Shirley Spork on what it means that long wait for Hall of Fame is finally over

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Lorena Ochoa was out walking behind her house in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, with her dog when Nancy Lopez called. Ochoa thought the call, organized by her brother, was going to be about her foundation or playing in an exhibition. After a brief catch-up, an emotional Lopez told Ochoa that she was going into the LPGA Hall of Fame.

A dozen years after Ochoa retired, the LPGA Hall of Fame committee voted to remove the 10-year playing minimum that blocked one of the greatest players in tour history from receiving its highest honor.

A stunned Ochoa, 40, didn’t know what do to. Her husband was at work in Mexico City, and it was time to pick up the kids from school. She tried to explain to her three children, ages six, eight, and 10, what had happened.

“They didn’t care. They didn’t understand,” said Ochoa, tilting her head back with that infectious laugh.

“Mom, can you please put music on?” came the request from the backseat.

Perhaps another time.

It’s a sweet story, especially given that school pick-up lines are among the million little reasons Ochoa chose to leave the LPGA after amassing 27 titles, including two majors, in seven seasons.

Ochoa, who arrived at Mission Hills on Wednesday to meet with the media, said she thanks God to this day that she was strong enough to make the choice to walk away, regardless of the rule. She likened the news that she’s in to a present.

“Some of the media as well, or my sponsors or fans, golf fans in Mexico, they always ask me about this all the time,” said Ochoa, “so finally I can say, that’s it. I’m in. I think I completed my career with this great honor, so in a way I feel relief and relaxed and happy, and just this is going to be great.”

Of course, Ochoa’s wait for the Hall pales in comparison to the woman who came over on Wednesday afternoon and asked to look at a picture of her kids. LPGA founder Shirley Spork, still spry at 94, is one of eight LPGA founders who are finally being inducted as honorary members of the tour’s Hall of Fame.

Of the 13 founders, only five were already included. Spork, a local desert resident, is one of two founders still living along with Marlene Hagge, who was already in the LPGA Hall.

Spork heard the news earlier this week from LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan and said she was surprised.

“It’s a great honor,” said Spork. “I feel I’m very deserving of it, having developed the (LPGA) teaching division from 0 to 1,700 people.”

Spork, who still gets out and plays nine holes, asked Ochoa if she planned to tee it up today at Mission Hills. Ochoa, who recently played in a mixed event in Portugal in which she tied for 10th alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet, said she needed to get home.

Ochoa said she was “responsible” going into the event and did adequate preparation. Even with little media onsite and few fans, Ochoa admitted to being quite nervous.

“I started thinking, I cannot imagine being in an LPGA tournament,” said Ochoa, “like a big one or a real LPGA tournament crowded with the media and me trying to play good. Too much.”

Fellow Mexican Gaby Lopez annually asks Ochoa to partner with her in the LPGA team event, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. This year, Ochoa said she will have to tell her once again that she isn’t going to play.

But that’s not a no forever.

“I don’t want to say no because maybe two, three years I will come and play with Gaby and have a good time,” said Ochoa. “I do see maybe playing in the senior, you know, in the Senior Tour, just coming back and playing couple tournaments just to enjoy.

“My kids are going to be older and maybe they understand a little bit more than today, so we’ll see.”

Stacy Lewis was one of several players who came over to greet Ochoa near the putting green as she met with the press. Lizette Salas declared that she was speechless.

“She did so much for this game when she played,” said Lewis. “When she retired we had three events in Mexico; we still have players from Mexico on this tour.”

Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and caddie Greg Johnston walk across a bridge on the second hole during the third round of the Tres Marias Championship at the Tres Marias Country Club on May 1, 2010, in Morelia, Mexico. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)

While Ochoa isn’t out at LPGA events much, she’s still having a great impact on the next generation in her country through the IGPM, Impulsando al Golf Professional Mexicano. Currently there are 14 Mexican women in the program. Ochoa is part of three to four fundraisers a year that help pay for caddies, coaching, equipment, medical costs – whatever is needed.

“We’re very close to them,” said Ochoa, “because all of them are so particular, so they have different necessities. Once a year we get together for four or five days. I invite them to my home and spend time with them to see how are they feeling, how are they with their families, if they are happy, what are their goals for the year, how are they going to start the year or the changes that they’re making, if it’s working or not.

“And they call me, and we keep in touch and they ask me. I try to help them a little bit to make, I guess, less mistakes and be a little bit easier, and in a way to feel that they belong to something. They were part of the family, and all the Mexicans get together and support each other.”

It is the ultimate founder-like mentality. Ochoa became the first Mexican player to reach No. 1 in the world and lit a fire in minds of boys and girls across her country to take up a new sport. She now works to help the next generation continue what she started.

Spork and Ochoa practically bookend this tour, and no Hall of Fame that bears its name would be complete without them.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

With their siblings on the bag, Augusta National Women's Amateur players share unique moments that will live on for a lifetime

With their siblings on the bag, Augusta National Women's Amateur players share unique moments that will live on for a lifetime

EVANS, Ga. — Augusta National Women’s Amateur competitors have to make some tough decisions for tournament week. Outside of who gets to make the trip down Magnolia Lane for Friday’s lauded practice round at Augusta National Golf Club, the next biggest choice is who will caddie.

For Michigan’s Ashley Lau, Oregon State’s Ellie Slama, Stanford’s Caroline Sturdza and Florida State’s Beatrice Wallin, the decision was simple: they kept it in the family. All four players have a sibling on the bag this week, creating moments that neither player nor caddie will soon forget.

“It was super fun having my brother out there. We worked really well together today,” said Slama, who currently sits just outside the cut at T-32 after Wednesday’s first round. “I think just going forward, it’s fun to have family members, people you know, familiar faces out there. It makes it a little bit more calm and easy, and there’s a little less pressure going into it.”

“It’s really special. This is her third time here this year, my first time caddying,” said her brother, Tim, who has been on the bag for her for USGA events and other tournaments in the past. “But this one’s extra special, especially with the likelihood that this is her last year, and it’s an honor to be here.”

After watching from outside the ropes the last two years, Tim said it’s easier to be on the bag than outside the ropes because he has a little control.

“It’s kind of like riding in the car versus driving. Like, I’m not driving the car, but I’m doing navigation,” he explained. “So it’s a little bit easier inside the ropes in terms of the stress levels.”

Not to mention the familiarity siblings share with one another. Whether it’s the chit-chat between shots or the ability to be more direct without hurting feelings, having someone on the bag who knows them better than anyone else is like a 15th club.

“I would say she just knows when to talk and when to not talk and when to leave me alone,” said Lau with a chuckle about her sister, Adeline, who also plays college golf at Eastern Michigan. “It’s better if I tell her directly. I wouldn’t hurt her feelings by staying that, but to a stranger I might. She just knows when to step away and then leave me alone for a little bit which is nice.”

“I know her very well, so I know how to deal with her,” echoed Max Sturdza, who has the bag for his sister, Caroline. “I think it makes a big difference from someone who’s just a random caddie or something like that.

“It’s a big experience for both of us,” continued Max, who also plays college golf at Florida Atlantic. “I think we can learn a lot from all this. It’s so much fun to be out here with her and just enjoy the tournament.”

Beatrice Wallin and caddie Rickard Wallin walk the fourth hole during the first round of the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club.

Things are different for Wallin and her brother, Rickard, who has been on the bag for each of her two previous ANWA appearances that resulted in a pair of made cuts and top-10 finishes (T-7 in 2019 and T-10 in 2021).

“It’s so nice because I can be the boss and be like, ‘Do you really think so? I don’t know,’ and then I make the decision,” Beatrice said of their relationship. “He’s always so supportive with all my decisions, and he did a great job today.”

A few of Rickard’s thoughts even led to key birdies for Beatrice, who sits T-9 at 1 over after the first round. Does that mean he’ll get to make more decisions going forward and take more control? Not quite.

“No, no, no,” Beatrice responded with a smile. “I’m still the boss.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

LPGA: Talented Thai teen Atthaya Thitikul turns win last week into major opportunity at Chevron Championship

LPGA: Talented Thai teen Atthaya Thitikul turns win last week into major opportunity at Chevron Championship

For most of us, when our travel plans get changed at the last second, it’s a bummer. Not so for Atthaya Thitikul.

The 19-year-old rising LPGA star from Thailand won last week’s tour event in Carlsbad, and that victory qualified her to play in this week’s Chevron Championship in Rancho Mirage. Needless to say, she adjusted her plans.

Just three days after her first LPGA Tour win, she will be playing in her first major as an LPGA Tour member.

“It means the world to me to be out here and winning last week and I’m excited to play this week,” Thitikul said Wednesday after playing in the pro-am. “If I wasn’t here, I probably would’ve gone home or somewhere to stay focused on my game. This is better.”

When Thitikul tees it up Thursday, it will be her first time playing the Dinah Shore Tournament Course as a pro, but it won’t be the first time she played in this event. She played here in 2018 as an amateur, made the cut and finished in a tie for 30th. She was the top amateur that year.

She finished 5-under in 2018, tied with the likes of Michelle Wie, Cristie Kerr and In Gee Chun. Not bad for a 15-year-old.

Does that mean that this course suits her game?

Atthaya Thitikul reacts on the final hole on the last day of the Honda LPGA Thailand at the Siam Country Club in Pattaya on May 9, 2021. (Photo by Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images)

“No, I think not very much,” she said matter-of-factly. “For me, and just like for all the players, if you can keep your ball in the fairway, it will be much easier.”

Thitikul said she doesn’t feel like the confidence and glow she gained by winning last week will necessarily translate to this week.

“You can’t expect anything with golf,” she said, showing the wisdom of a veteran. “That was last week not today. I don’t want to just have winning always on my back, like ‘Oh yeah just won that tournament, you should do good in this tournament too.’ It doesn’t mean that. It depends on your week, depends on the course.”

Having just turned 19 on Feb. 20, if she were to make it two in a row and win this week, she would be the third-youngest player ever to win this event.

Morgan Pressel in 2007 and Lydia Ko in 2016 both won as 18-year-olds. Lexi Thompson was 19 years, one month and 27 days old when she won here in 2014. Thitikul would be a couple weeks younger than that on Sunday.

Thitikul has another unique distinction relating to her success at a young age. She is the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf tournament. At age 14 years, 4 months and 19 days, she won the Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur in 2017. It was that victory that enabled her to play here in Rancho Mirage in 2018.

A victory in the desert on Sunday would replace all of those accomplishments and become her new shining moment. She admitted that she has dreamt of jumping in Poppie’s Pond, and with the tournament moving to Houston after this year, she knows this will be the last opportunity for her to be able to do that.

There is one problem though.

“The other players have this dream, too,” she said with a laugh.

Shad Powers is a columnist for The Palm Springs Desert Sun, part of the USA Today Network. Reach him at [email protected].

Watch her play

Who: Atthaya Thitikul, 19-year-old from Thailand who won last week’s LPGA event.
Playing partner: Inbee Park, the 2013 champion here
Thursday tee time: 12:47 p.m. off the 10th tee
Friday tee time: 7:47 a.m. off the 1st tee

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

WHERE CAN I WATCH THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP 2022?

 The LPGA Tour returns to Rancho Mirage for the 51st edition of The Chevron Title, the first major championship of the 2022 season. The 115-player field will fight for a $5 million prize, with 19 of the top 20 players in the Rolex Women's World Rankings.

Chevron Championship: Past champions optimistic about direction of the game  despite tournament's departure from desert - KESQ


 TIMES FOR TV AND STREAMING OF THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP 2022:

Thursday, March 31: 12-4 p.m., 7-9 p.m. (all hours Eastern); Friday, March 32: 12-4 p.m., 7-9 p.m.

12-4 p.m., 7-9 p.m., Friday, April 1

Saturday, April 2nd, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Sunday, April 3rd, from 5 to 9 p.m. 

Related:

After last year's record finish and a recent bout with COVID-19, past champion Lydia Ko set for final Chevron at Mission Hills 

2022 JTBC Classic FInal Round Highlights & Leaderboard.

 

NBC Sports App, golfchannel.com STREAMING:

The Chevron Championship's news and tournament action may be accessed at any time on any mobile device or online with the aid of Golf Channel's Live Stream.

DISTRIBUTION ON A GLOBAL CONFIGURATION:

Find out where you can watch the LPGA in your country by visiting https://www.lpga.com/international-tv-distribution/.

LPGA TOURNAMENT
Countries who do not have a television broadcast partner can watch LPGA broadcasts live online: https://www.lpga.com/videos/live 

"The Chevron Championship is one of professional women's golf's five major events.
It's an LPGA Tour tournament that takes place every year at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

On the LPGA Tour, how far does the average driver length?

Sources: LPga.com & Gettyimages.

 

 


 

Augusta National Women's Amateur: Nine women comprise one of the most-exclusive clubs in Augusta

Augusta National Women's Amateur: Nine women comprise one of the most-exclusive clubs in Augusta

Statistical milestones are common across sports and entertainment. Major League Baseball has its 3,000-hit club. The National Football League has the 500 club for passing yards in a game. Saturday Night Live has the five-timers club for hosts.

This year at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, there’s a unique group that’s just as exclusive as the event’s namesake. Meet the ANWA three-timers club.

Of the 72 players in the field for the biggest women’s amateur event on the golf schedule, nine have competed in the two previous events: Florida junior Annabell Fuller, last year’s runner-up Emilia Migliaccio, 17-year-old Alexa Pano, Duke junior Erica Shepherd, Oregon State senior Ellie Slama, UCLA junior Emma Spitz, Florida State senior Beatrice Wallin, as well as Stanford junior Angelina Ye and freshman Rose Zhang.

Shepherd, Spitz, Wallin and Zhang are the only players to make the cut in each of the previous two events.

Meet the field: Americans | Internationals
ANWA: Breaking down the new greens at Champions Retreat

“I guess I haven’t looked at it that way before, but it’s awesome, and any course knowledge you can bring into this place, it’s a really tough track, I think it will benefit me,” said Shepherd of her advantage as an ANWA three-timer. “This course, Champions Retreat, is a gem in itself. I think that with the new greens and everything, there’s a lot to account for. I’m just trying to still be a learner out here.”

At last year’s event, Shepherd was flirting with the cut line and thought to herself that she wasn’t going to advance to the weekend. But the Indiana native dug deep and fought back to qualify for the final round, where she improved on her T-23 finish in 2019 with a T-16 in 2021 after COVID-19 cancelled the tournament in 2020.

“It’s such a special event, don’t stress out too much about the golf and needing to make the cut because we all want to do that, I want to do that,” advised Migliaccio, who lost in a playoff to 2021 champion Tsubasa Kajitani. “But you’ll really play well if you just cherish everything about the tournament.”

Easier said than done.

“It is really hard. I think the key is to stay in the moment and not get too high or too low,” said Shepherd of the challenges to not look ahead to the potential trip down Magnolia Lane on Saturday, which could require a playoff to break any ties to determine the 30 who will play the final round at Augusta National. “Obviously, everyone is just grinding to get into the low 30. It’s a hard low 30, and 30 only. So it’s definitely a big goal for this week and for everyone here.”

“I really want to be in the same position I was last year, but if I want to be in that position, I can’t focus on that,” echoed the always-bubbly Migliaccio, who played with Shepherd and her fellow Blue Devil, Phoebe Brinker, during Tuesday’s practice round. “So just really trying to focus on each hole. I mean, Nelly Korda always says, ‘one shot at a time,’ and it’s so key because if you just get too ahead of yourself, even on one hole, like already thinking about where you want to be on the green, well, if you haven’t hit your tee shot, that’s going to determine how you’re going to play the next one.”

“But I think anyone who’s played the course before is going to have an advantage,” continued Migliaccio, “and I think that’s a pretty equal advantage. Like if you’ve played it before, played it two times, like it’s going to help.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

Best golf bags for 2022: 10 of our favorite bags

Best golf bags for 2022: 10 of our favorite bags

What type of golf bag do you need? Unsure if you should go for a cart bag or stand bag? We’ve got you covered. Both have their pros and cons. Cart bags are nearly impossible to carry anywhere besides from your trunk to the cart but also provide a ton of storage options. Stand bags are incredibly light and do exactly what you need them to do. While they have fewer storage options than a cart bag, you’d be surprised at how much can fit in a stand bag.

Our David Dusek already brought you the best stand bags of 2022. Some of them are on this list because simply put, they’re incredible bags and worthy of holding your most precious cargo every time you tee it up.

It all depends on what you’re wanting when you play. Do you always use a cart and have accessories like a portable speaker, a GPS, an umbrella, ball retriever, etc.? Then a cart bag is probably the best fit for you.

Are you a player that takes a cart most of the time but will occasionally take a good walk? A stand bag will help you accomplish both types of rounds with ease.

We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Gyfitld

After last year's record finish and a recent bout with COVID-19, past champion Lydia Ko set for final Chevron at Mission Hills

After last year's record finish and a recent bout with COVID-19, past champion Lydia Ko set for final Chevron at Mission Hills

Lydia Ko’s schedule coming into the Chevron Championship didn’t work out as planned after she tested positive for COVID-19 in Singapore. The former No. 1 quarantined there and missed out on the next week’s Honda LPGA Thailand event as well as the chance to defend her title on the Ladies European Tour in Saudi Arabia.

Ko, 24, said she didn’t have a lot of symptoms at first, but eventually had some breathing issues and felt like she’d never seen a gym before.

“I was walking 30 minutes and my mask was completely drenched,” said Ko. “It was really weird.

“I normally run and try and stay on top of my workouts, and I felt like I had not done any of that, which was weird. So just doing my laundry and totally out of breath, which is not what should happen normally.”

Ko said she felt back to normal in a week or so. Over the weekend, she tied for 12th at the JTBC Classic in Carlsbad, California. In January, she won the Gainbridge LPGA for her 17th LPGA victory.

Related:


Lydia Ko Facts: Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics.

Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio

Lydia Ko kisses the trophy after winning the 2022 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio Golf Club on January 30, 2022, in Boca Raton, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

At the 2021 Chevron, Ko put together a scintillating 10-under 62 on Sunday at Dinah’s place, coming up just shy of then-rookie champion Patty Tavatanakit. It was the lowest final round in LPGA major championship history.

“I think when I was out of position I was able to make my way around it,” said Ko, “and every time I had a birdie opportunity it was almost as if I couldn’t miss.”

Ko began that record round birdie-eagle and then notched four more birdies to post the first 29 in Chevron history. She was 9 under through 11 holes and within two shots of the lead after starting the day eight shots behind Tavatanakit.

Another birdie on the 15th made all kinds of history well within Ko’s grasp. Given that this is a player who rewrote the youngest-to-ever records in golf history, anything seemed possible.

Also:

Lydia Ko has an ambitious long-term goal and only a limited time to turn it into reality.

Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko walks to the 18th green on Sunday, April 4, 2021, at ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Even a 59.

“I think my game like last year was very different to when I won here,” said Ko. “I’m hitting it a lot longer off the tee last couple years than when I played and won in 2016, and the course has changed, too.

“I think in the last couple years they brought the fairways in, grown the rough a lot more, so I think the course and just how I play is a little bit different. So it’s kind of hard to compare it in that aspect.

“But it’s so important to be on the fairways here, because the greens are pretty firm as well and the rough are quite juicy.”

More:

With earnings of NZ$2.061 million on the LPGA Tour so far in 2021, Ko has now banked NZ$17.401m in her illustrious career

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF

Scott Stallings and K.H. Lee among sleeper picks for the 2022 Valero Texas Open

Scott Stallings and K.H. Lee among sleeper picks for the 2022 Valero Texas Open

It’s always a fun week in Austin, Texas, for a little change of pace from what we see on a weekly basis. But, it’s time for some stroke play.

The PGA Tour is in San Antonio, Texas, this week for the Valero Texas Open. For some, it’s an event to grab your first PGA Tour title or earn the biggest paycheck of your life. For others, it’s a tune-up for next week.

Because next week — it’s time for the Masters.

For now, defending champion Jordan Spieth will look to end yet another winless drought at TPC San Antonio. Rory McIlroy is making his first start here since 2013, a week that ended in a runner-up finish for the Northern Irishman.

Although there are a few big-time names at the top of the betting odds list, there are several names further down that may provide fantastic value. Let’s start with the Tennessee resident, Scott Stallings.

Valero: PGA Tour Live streaming on ESPN+

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Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF

Check the yardage book: TPC San Antonio Oaks Course for the PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open

Check the yardage book: TPC San Antonio Oaks Course for the PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open

TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course, site of the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open, was designed by Greg Norman with Sergio Garcia as a consultant and opened in 2010.

The Oaks ranks No. 5 in Texas on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list for public-access layouts. It also ties for No. 144 on Golfweek’s Best Resort Courses 2021 list for the entire United States.

The par-72 layout plays to 7,438 yards for the Valero Texas Open.

Thanks to yardage books provided by StrackaLine – the maker of detailed yardage books for thousands of courses around the world – we can see exactly the challenges the pros face this week. Check out the maps of each hole below.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF

Jerry Gunthorpe wins Golfweek Senior Division National Championship

Jerry Gunthorpe wins Golfweek Senior Division National Championship

The Firecliff Course at Desert Willow Golf Club in Palm Desert, California, played host to an eventful and dramatic Golfweek Senior Division National Championship.

The 54-hole event was graced by some of the best senior amateur golfers in the nation, with one man claiming his title and 1,200 points towards the year-long race for the Golfweek Player of the Year honor.

In the final round, Ovid, Michigan’s, Jerry Gunthorpe tracked down 36-hole leader Jerry Slagle on Tuesday to claim the championship. Behind by three strokes to start the final round, Gunthorpe made easy work of the front nine, carding a 2-under 34.

“Things were clicking,” Gunthorpe told Golfweek. “It started out easy right away.”

Slagle was not as fortunate with double bogeys on Nos. 5 and 8, erasing a birdie on No. 2, for an opening 39.

The five-shot swing put Gunthorpe in the driver’s seat at the turn. He relied on previous experiences on big stages both at the state level in Michigan and the national level as he came up just short to Gene Elliott in the 2021 U.S. Senior Amateur.

“When I have a little bit of adrenaline, that means it matters to me,” Gunthorpe said. “If it doesn’t matter to me, I don’t do as well. When I feel the butterflies, or whatever that feeling is, that means it matters to me.”

Finding his why helped Gunthorpe stave off a late run by Slagle. Sitting at 4 over through 13 holes, Slagle turned on the jets, birdieing three of his last five holes in an attempt to make Gunthorpe feel the pressure. Gunthorpe stayed the course, swapping a birdie and bogey to close out a round of 2-under 70 and the championship.

In an interview following Sunday’s first round, Gunthorpe foreshadowed a bit saying that he always felt like he belonged in competitive senior golf.

“I always knew that I would [belong in competitive golf],” he said. “Every time I’ve competed, I’ve done well. I haven’t competed a lot, but when I have, I’ve been successful I feel.”

Well, to come back against one of the hottest hands of the week, in Slagle while also holding off the rest of the field is a success in anyone’s book.

Gunthorpe is expected to make a big jump in the Golfweek senior amateur rankings from his current spot at No. 37.

Slagle makes the trip back to Southlake, Texas, with much to be happy about as he recorded a tournament-high 16 birdies. Billy Mitchell, the 2021 U.S. Senior Open low-am, took home a solo third-place finish after a 1 over to finish at even par.

Greg Sanders (1 over) of Anthem, Arizona, and Steve McPherson (2 over) of San Jacinto, California, round out the top five.

The next Golfweek Senior amateur event will be a full-field event at the Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship at PGA West in La Quinta, California starting March 31.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF

Tiger Woods is going to play in the Masters, isn't he? Scottie Scheffler is No. 1, plus Valero Texas Open preview

Tiger Woods is going to play in the Masters, isn't he? Scottie Scheffler is No. 1, plus Valero Texas Open preview

It’s hard to believe this is actually happening. Many people had fun with the idea, many people joked it would happen, but now it’s a real possibility.

Tiger Woods may tee it up in the Masters next week.

Woods, his son, Charlie, and best buddy Justin Thomas are playing Augusta National Wednesday. Woods wants to test his body to see if it will hold up over the course of a full 18 holes, walking, at one of the hardest strolls on Tour.

If it goes well, and his body feels okay tomorrow, what’s going to stop him from teeing it up in Georgia on April 7?

Nothing. He’s proved us wrong time and time again — it’s time we know better.

On the non-Tiger front, Scottie Scheffler is now the No. 1 player in the world thanks to his third win in his last five starts. The Texan was able to take down match play savant Kevin Kisner in the WGC-Dell Match Play final and now sits atop the world ranking.

On the show, we discuss his win, Kisner’s knack for match play, and a whole lot more.

And, finally, we preview the Valero Texas Open, including our favorite picks for the week.

Follow the Twilight 9 Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Highlights include

0:33: Tracking Tiger Woods and his trip to Augusta National
13:00: Scottie Scheffler is the No. 1 player in the world
31:10: Valero Texas Open preview
34:35: Picks for the week

Follow the guys on Twitter: Riley | Andy

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF

It's the end of an era for Dinah Shore event and Judy Rankin, as LPGA Hall of Famer works final telecast for the event

It's the end of an era for Dinah Shore event and Judy Rankin, as LPGA Hall of Famer works final telecast for the event

During the early days of “the Dinah,” as it’s known the world over, two-time winner Sandra Post contends that the par 3s played longer, particularly before mature trees and condos cut through the desert winds. On one particularly windy day, while playing in a twosome with good friend Judy Rankin, Post pulled out driver on the par-3 14th along with the TopFlite that she always kept in the bottom of her bag.

After Rankin’s tee shot sailed out of bounds, Post’s missile peaked at 3 feet off the ground and scooted onto the green, setting up a two-putt par.

“I can’t believe you keep a TopFlite in your bag,” said Rankin, winner of the 1976 Colgate Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle.

After 50 years in the same place, stories like this are endless among the generations. With the Dinah, now known as the Chevron Championship, starting 22 years after the tour was formed, every significant star the LPGA has ever produced – with the exception of Babe Zaharias, who died in 1956 – competed at Mission Hills Country Club.

Want to chronicle the women’s game? Simply turn the pages of history at golf’s first major.

“When the news broke about Colgate,” said 1972 champion Jane Blalock, “here you have an international conglomerate Fortune 100 company getting behind women’s golf. It symbolized the complete transition of the LPGA from kind of a barn-storming group to a celebrity status.”

UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1978: Women’s golfer Judy Rankin in action during tournament play circa 1978. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Perhaps it’s fitting then that as the LPGA prepares to leave Mission Hills at the conclusion of this year’s event, bound for Houston and the promise of more, the golf world celebrates not only the impact of a tournament – but one woman in particular, too. Adding to the bittersweet nature of these final laps around the Dinah Shore Tournament Course is the knowledge that the voice in the booth, the First Lady of Golf as television colleagues have dubbed her (she won a PGA of America award by that name in 1999), will be stepping aside, too.

Rankin isn’t exactly retiring at age 77. She’ll still work a handful of events in 2022. But this week’s Chevron will be her last as lead analyst for Golf Channel as she makes room for another desert darling – Morgan Pressel – to take her place.

“I wish it weren’t,” said Rankin. “I wish I felt 10 years younger.”

Tuey Rankin grew up on the LPGA, watching his mom win dozens of tournaments worldwide long before tour daycare ever materialized. Now, at age 54, Tuey likes to watch the action from Mission Hills on his big screen in the home office in Lubbock, Texas.

The Rankins used to go out to Mission Hills for Christmas every year, and Tuey has fond memories of family rounds around the Dinah Shore course.

“I didn’t know how good I had it when I was 11 or 12 years old,” said Tuey. “I just thought that’s what everybody did.”

Rankin, like many of today’s brightest stars, joined the LPGA as a teenager, winning her first event in 1968. Rankin and her husband Yippy were pioneers when it came to child-rearing on tour, with all 26 of Judy’s victories coming after she gave birth.

A bad back ultimately sent Rankin on another pioneering adventure in 1985 as the first female to put on a headset and regularly cover the PGA Tour from inside the ropes.

Post called Rankin one of the smartest players on tour, and that measured, balanced approach served her well in television, too. Jack Graham, former Vice President-Golf Events & Executive Producer at Golf Channel, worked with Rankin right from the start and said the effortless way she’s able to be critical without criticizing is one of her greatest traits. Rare is the word that pops out of Rankin’s mouth without great thought.

2000: Judy Rankin, who won 26 times on the LPGA Tour, has spent more than 30 years in the broadcasting business. (Getty Images)

Graham calls her a “warm listen,” noting that viewers think of her as someone they’d be friends with if given the chance. They’re probably right, too.

Terry Gannon, a colleague and close friend of Rankin’s since the mid-90s, said the trip from the compound to the set often goes down to the wire before going on air given the number of stops made in the golf cart to talk to fans. Gannon said Rankin is incapable of being anything but authentic and will answer a fan’s question the same way she would answer his on air.

“I’ve never met anybody who is so absolutely the same off camera as she is on camera,” said Gannon.

Rankin said she could tell a difference in the language Pressel used her first time in the booth and wondered if it might be time for a more modern take on the game. It’s also understandable that someone who has traveled 60-plus years might want to stay back in west Texas a little more. Maybe play some golf.

“I wasn’t as invested as I been or should be,” said Rankin of some recent broadcasts. “I would look at my watch on Thursday, and that’s not a good thing. It’s too nice of a job to look at your watch.”

On Sundays, however, Rankin remained as invested down the stretch as anyone, and will be from the time the first shot is struck as the tour closes a monumental chapter.

Rankin has told many people over the years that she didn’t grow up loving golf. Her father, Paul Torluemke, was a tough taskmaster and money was tight.

One of the last times Rankin was with her father watching the U.S. Open on television, he said something poignant that meant a great deal.

“I think you played golf for me,” Paul told her. “I think TV was for you.”

Rankin proved to be exceptional at both. Tough when she needed to be and always kind. Grant Boone, Rankin’s partner in the booth most weeks, said his Hall of Fame friend is much like the signature dish of west Texas – the chicken fried steak. When done right, it’s the perfect blend of tough and tender.

Rankin’s TV family loves to wind her up whenever possible. They’ve made a habit, Gannon said, of telling folks that it’s her birthday at functions and inevitably, there’s singing and cake.

And why not celebrate?

“I would tell you she’s the best golf analyst there has ever been,” said Graham, “male or female.”

Pressel knows she has big shoes to fill, as does the venue that takes Dinah’s place. Rankin, the reasoned and reassuring voice of the LPGA, believes the time is right for both moves.

When the tour first came to glamorous Palm Springs, the celebrities were A-listers and network TV was a given. Thanks to Colgate-Palmolive chairman David Foster, the exposure the event enjoyed was unparalleled.

Now, an enthusiastic blue-chip sponsor in Chevron, a new TV contract, and a new spring date will put the event back on network next year for the first time in over a decade.

This week should be a fitting thank you to a community that has poured into the LPGA for five decades. And to a woman who poured her soul into the game even longer.

NAPLES, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 18: Former LPGA player Judy Rankin poses for a photo during the LPGA Rolex Players Awards at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort on November 18, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

What does Rankin mean to golf?

Boone believes many would answer that question the way he does – by thinking first about how Rankin has impacted him.

“She had one biological son, and countless others who looked at her almost as a spiritual, emotional mother or big sister, or aunt or a significant figure in their lives,” said Boone. “I think that is a big part, if not the biggest part, of who Judy is.”

Those who don’t know Rankin feel like they do, just like those who haven’t been to the Dinah feel like they have.

Two old desert friends the game will sorely miss.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF

Bohannan: Designating early years of Chevron Championship as a major would be a proper tribute

Bohannan: Designating early years of Chevron Championship as a major would be a proper tribute

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — With the Chevron Championship quietly packing its bags and renting trucks to move everything it can to its new home in Houston for 2023, it’s a natural time to think about the history of the LPGA event in the desert.

That doesn’t mean just thinking about the tournament’s longevity, being played in the desert each year since the inaugural event of 1972. It also means thinking about the vital role the tournament played in the growth and stability of the women’s tour.

Women’s golf wasn’t dying in 1972, but it was hardly robust. It’s important to remember the jolt the desert tournament gave the tour in 1972 and what winning the tournament meant for individual players.

Since 1983, those victories have come with the distinction of being a major championship. It’s easy to think the tournament was always a major, but in fact the first 11 tournaments were played without the official designation of being a major.

But the tournament was so important in those early days that the winners often felt they had won a major. Certainly Amy Alcott was delighted to win a major with her Mission Hills victory in 1983, but was she any more delighted than Nancy Lopez when she won the title two years earlier?

So, the big question is, does it make sense for the LPGA, in honoring the history of the tournament and the great roster of players who have won the event in the desert, to retroactively designate the tournament from 1972 to 1982 as a major championship?

A nod to the great past

Such a move would certainly acknowledge the importance of the tournament in those early days, what David Foster of Colgate-Palmolive and Dinah Shore did for women’s golf. And it would acknowledge that some of the LPGA’s best players won the tournament when it was as important as any event on the tour.

In truth, it would be mostly a symbolic gesture, because 11 more major championships on the LPGA wouldn’t really change that much. Players like Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, Sandra Palmer, Donna Caponi and Lopez would just have one more major to count among their achievements. And Sally Little and Sandra Post would get credit for a major (or two, in Post’s case), but they aren’t heading to the Hall of Fame even with their extra achievements.

Foster, the man who founded the tournament as president and later chairman of Colgate-Palmolive, said the LPGA always wanted the desert tournament to be a major, even though it was Foster who turned the offer down originally.

“When Ray Volpe, LPGA Commissioner, approached me with the proposal that the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winners Circle be designated a “Major”, he made one stipulation, we would have to give up our qualifications for entry in the field and make it the same format as the USGA Women’s Open at that time,” Foster said in a letter he wrote to me in 1998. “I refused, because I wanted to keep our entry rules.

“The qualifications we set up in 1971, winners of an LPGA tournament in the last ten years, runner-up or third-place position in the last three years, and Hall of Famers made the Winners Circle special,” Foster added. “We did it at the inception because we wanted the best women professionals and got them in the forty that played in 1972.”

Of course, there are arguments against designating those first 11 events as major championships.

The first tournament, for instance, was 54 holes, not 72 holes like each of the other events. And the early years of the tournament featured limited fields, with just 40 players qualifying for the first event. Yes, other majors, including the Masters, have limited fields, but far more than 40 players.

And it is true that for many of the players in the 1970s, the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle was about the huge $110,000 purse as much as anything. Money can do a lot of things for a golf tournament, but it can’t buy major championships status.

Volpe, commissioner from 1975 to 1982, and the LPGA recognized the major status of the tournament in the 1970s and into the 1980s. Every commissioner since has known the desert’s major, now the Chevron Championship, has meant a little bit more than most majors.

So here’s a way to recognize what this tournament was from 1972 to 1982: Make those 11 events major championships. It would be a grand way to send the tournament off to Houston with some special recognition.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/iLb5VTF