Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra explains flip-flop decision to bail on Oklahoma State and PGA Tour for LIV Golf

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra explains flip-flop decision to bail on Oklahoma State and PGA Tour for LIV Golf

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Last April Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra shocked the amateur golf world when he announced his plans to forfeit his PGA Tour University status and return to Oklahoma State for another year of college.

Two months later he shocked the professional golf world when he announced he was turning professional to join the Greg Norman-led and Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series. The 22-year-old Spaniard made his debut this week at the Portland event and explained his reasoning for his change of heart.

“Pretty easy. I love what LIV Golf is doing for golf,” explained Chacarra. “I love the format; it’s kind of the same as college, and I felt I was ready to make my debut — turn pro, and I was talking to my team and Oklahoma State, obviously, and I thought it was the best decision for me and just to play with these guys and get experience and get my game better.”

In his post announcing his initial return to college, Chacarra said he was “convinced that an additional year of hard work in Stillwater will allow me to continue to grow academically and personally, which will only prepare me better for the PGA Tour and my professional career.”

So, what changed in the last two months?

“Well, the PGA Tour, what they’ve created with PGA Tour University is great, but they didn’t secure you anything,” said Chacarra, who explained how his friend and former Cowboy, Austin Eckroat, is playing Monday qualifiers until June. “So I was like, ‘okay, great, I’m No. 1 in college golf and all these things, but the PGA Tour doesn’t secure me anything,’ and I have a tour with also the best players in the world playing here with a great format and that secured me play two years and play consistent golf, and I feel like it was the best part for me to get ready for the pro states.”

“He wanted to play with me,” quipped the first-round leader, Carlos Ortiz, who sits atop the leaderboard at 5 under.

Chacarra was a Haskins Award finalist thanks to an impressive season in Stillwater where he earned three wins, one at the NCAA Columbus Regional, and a runner-up at the NCAA Championship after losing in a four-way playoff.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

'We are all complicit in it in some way:' LIV Golf fans in Portland don't seem to care about Saudi Arabia funding

'We are all complicit in it in some way:' LIV Golf fans in Portland don't seem to care about Saudi Arabia funding

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — For all the controversy surrounding LIV Golf — the Saudi-funded series is bankrolled by a country known to traffic in terrorism and human rights abuses, its creation has infuriated the PGA Tour and its players, all while putting the majors in a tough spot — fans don’t seem to care much.

In fact, they argue, the PGA Tour, and all major sporting events and leagues for that matter, could learn a thing or two from LIV.

“Beers are cheap here, only $5!” exclaimed Benjamin Beecher of Tacoma, Washington, who drove south about two hours for the organization’s first-ever U.S. event. “I’ll pay $70 to drink $5 beers and watch big-time pro golfers and I don’t give a (expletive) who’s selling the tickets.”

Beecher’s attitude was echoed by multiple fans who spoke to USA TODAY Sports Thursday during the first day of play at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, located 20 miles West of downtown Portland.

Is LIV’s primary source of money problematic? Absolutely, they said. But doesn’t everyone — organizations, corporations and politicians on both sides of the aisle — have ties to something that make you uncomfortable?

“The only difference with this is, it’s more transparent,” said Daniel Freauf, who lives in Salem, 45 minutes south of Portland. He drove up with his wife Charlotte and their three children, including a 1-month old newborn. “Lots of people try to grandstand, but the reality is, we all pay taxes and your taxes sometimes go to other countries that help them build bombs. We are all complicit in it in some way. And I want to watch Phil Mickelson play.”

Phil Mickelson watches his drive on the fourth hole during the first round of the LIV Golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not all bad either, they insisted, as his kids picked grass and giggled at a ball that went flying toward the crowd.

“There are changing stations and nursing stations here, everything is clean and there’s so much stuff for kids,” said Charlotte. “That can be hard to find at a sporting event.”

LIV’s first event in London was capped at 8,000 tickets, but tournament officials declined to give an attendance number for Pumpkin Ridge (it wasn’t crowded). What’s also unknown is how many attendees actually paid for tickets versus being gifted free passes.

The day was not controversy-free by any means: Early Thursday morning, a group of family members whose loved ones were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks held a press conference nearby decrying LIV golfers who have “taken the blood money.” Local and national politicians have expressed outrage that the tournament is being held in Portland.

But because the actual course, located three miles off a major highway, is relatively isolated, there were no casual onlookers passing by. The only people out here were devout fans, curious to see what all the fuss was about.

LIV bills itself as “golf, but louder” and at least Thursday, that was true. There were skydivers and jugglers riding unicycles. Live concerts are scheduled each night after play concludes.  Pretty much everyone agrees that LIV is a spectacle, and a far cry from traditional golf tournaments, where onlookers are often shushed. It’s different, for sure — and that’s part of why people like it.

As music thumped across the fan festival and 12 teams of four teed off for a shotgun start, 5-year-old Tanner Austen tried for a hole-in-one at one of the kids’ events. He crouched down, bit his lip while examining the distance and … missed. He accepted consolation high fives and pats on the back with a smile on his face.

Tanner’s dad, Christian, partnered with a buddy, Chris Galloni, and split a $90 family pass, which allowed them to get in with Tanner, Taylor (3) and Tyson (15). All love to play golf, even the toddler. (The moms got the day off and headed to the beach, kid-free.)

“The stars never come to Portland,” Galloni said, who said part of LIV’s appeal is its shotgun start and team format, which is more familiar to the casual golf fan who plays with friends and in work tournaments. Watching this version of professional golf is both relatable and “pure entertainment.”

Seeing “some killer golfers” on a course he regularly plays with friends was a huge plus for Shawn Kuhns, a Portland resident.

Scotty Webb, also from Portland, agreed.

“These aren’t just some sloughs coming around, this is premier golf,” he said. “When you put in on that scale, I appreciate that, I enjoy that.”

Also of note: big-time golf hasn’t been in the Northwest since 2015, when the U.S. Open was played at Chambers Bay, about an hour southwest of Seattle. Most casual golf fans don’t have the money (or the vacation time) to travel to PGA Tour stops, let alone any of the majors. And who knows how long LIV will be around. If this is the only time some of the world’s best athletes swing through town, why not go?

“This is the first sporting event I’ve gone to since COVID and it’s amazing,” said Frank Anderson, a Portland resident. “This is probably one of the best golf tournaments I’ll ever get a chance to go to, you know, 20 miles away from my house. Sign me up.”

 Contributing: Adam Woodward, Golfweek

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

2022 John Deere Classic Friday tee times, TV and streaming info

2022 John Deere Classic Friday tee times, TV and streaming info

Before players head over the pond for a few weeks of links golf, including the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, a field of PGA Tour pros are teeing it up at TPC Deere Run for the John Deere Classic.

TPC Deere Run is a par-71 track that’s playing just under 7,300 yards this week.

After his runner-up finish at the Travelers Championship last week, J.T. Poston came out firing at the John Deere. Thanks to seven birdies and an eagle, Poston posted a first-round 62.

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s what you need to know for the second round of the 2022 John Deere Classic. All times listed are ET.

John Deere: PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Second round tee times

1st hole

Tee time Players
7:45 a.m.
Satoshi Kodaira, Tommy Gainey, John Huh
7:56 a.m.
John Merrick, Johnson Wagner, Matthias Schwab
8:07 a.m.
Charley Hoffman, Ben Martin, Shawn Stefani
8:18 a.m.
C.T. Pan, Kevin Tway, William McGirt
8:29 a.m.
Tyler Duncan, Brendon Todd, Martin Trainer
8:40 a.m.
Jason Dufner, Aaron Baddeley, Cameron Percy
8:51 a.m.
Grayson Murray, Ryan Moore, Parker McLachlin
9:02 a.m.
Henrik Norlander, Doug Ghim, Max McGreevy
9:13 a.m.
Ryan Armour, Richard S. Johnson, Trey Mullinax
9:24 a.m.
David Lingmerth, Scott Brown, D.J. Trahan
9:35 a.m.
Greyson Sigg, Justin Lower, Callum Tarren
9:46 a.m.
Bo Hoag, Jim Knous, Christopher Gotterup
9:57 a.m.
Boo Weekley, Dawie van der Walt, Preston Stanley
1:10 p.m.
Ricky Barnes, Alex Smalley, Taylor Moore
1:21 p.m.
Wesley Bryan, D.A. Points, Kramer Hickok
1:32 p.m.
Chesson Hadley, Scott Stallings, Adam Schenk
1:43 p.m.
Cameron Champ, Cam Davis, Morgan Hoffman
1:54 p.m.
Chad Ramey, Ryan Brehm, J.T. Poston
2:05 p.m.
Robert Streb, Martin Laird, Patton Kizzire
2:16 p.m.
Kevin Streelman, Nick Watney, Mark Hensby
2:27 p.m.
Kevin Chappell, Vaughn Taylor, Denny McCarthy
2:38 p.m.
Seung-Yul Noh, Mark Hubbard, Matt Wallace
2:49 p.m.
Chris Stroud, David Hearn, Omar Uresti
3:00 p.m.
Brett Drewitt, Jared Wolfe, Chris Naegel
3:11 p.m.
Ryuji Imada, Seth Reeves, Luke Gannon
3:22 p.m.
Brian Davis, Joshua Creel, Charles Jahn

10th hole

Tee time Players
7:45 a.m.
Adam Hadwin, Brian Stuard, K.J. Choi
7:56 a.m.
Harry Higgs, David Lipsky, Brandon Wu
8:07 a.m.
Peter Malnati, John Senden, Stephan Jaeger
8:18 a.m.
Webb Simpson, Lanto Griffin, Ted Potter
8:29 a.m.
Charles Howell III, Brandt Snedeker, Sahith Theegala
8:40 a.m.
Lucas Glover, Dylan Frittelli, Zach Johnson
8:51 a.m.
Jonas Blixt, Patrick Rodgers, Roger Sloan
9:02 a.m.
Camilo Villegas, Kevin Stadler, Jonathan Byrd
9:13 a.m.
Scott Piercy, Hank Lebioda, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
9:24 a.m.
Anirban Lahiri, Doc Redman, Lee Hodges
9:35 a.m.
Austin Smotherman, Andrew Novak, Quinn Riley
9:46 a.m.
Ben Kohles, Paul Barjon, Dylan Wu
9:57 a.m.
Michael Gligic, David Skinns, Patrick Flavin
1:10 p.m.
Emiliano Grillo, Maverick McNealy, Brandon Hagy
1:21 p.m.
Fabián Gómez, Matt Every, Bill Haas
1:32 p.m.
Ben Crane, Robert Garrigus, Bo Van Pelt
1:43 p.m.
Brian Gay, Michael Thompson, Nate Lashley
1:54 p.m.
Richy Werenski, Andrew Landry, Sung Kang
2:05 p.m.
Nick Taylor, Chez Reavie, Adam Long
2:16 p.m.
Austin Cook, Rory Sabbatini, Vince Whaley
2:27 p.m.
Greg Chalmers, James Hahn, Sam Ryder
2:38 p.m.
Andrew Putnam, Kelly Kraft, Scott Gutschewski
2:49 p.m.
Brice Garnett, Derek Ernst, Hayden Buckley
3:00 p.m.
Sean O’Hair, Arjun Atwal, Adam Svensson
3:11 p.m.
Joseph Bramlett, Curtis Thompson, Sean McCarty
3:22 p.m.
Chase Seiffert, Nick Hardy, Nathan Petronzio

How to watch

You can watch Golf Channel for free on fuboTVESPN+ is the exclusive home for PGA Tour Live streaming. All times Eastern.

Friday, July 1st

TV

Golf Channel: 3-6 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 12-6 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday, July 2nd

TV

Golf Channel: 1-3 p.m.
CBS:
3-6 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, July 3rd

TV

Golf Channel: 1-3 p.m.
CBS:
3-6 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

Members of 9/11 Justice group invite LIV golfers to meet about tour's ties to Saudi Arabia

Members of 9/11 Justice group invite LIV golfers to meet about tour's ties to Saudi Arabia

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Brett Eagleson never expected to be here, just 20 miles west of Portland, talking about Saudi Arabia. But the son of one of the nearly 3,000 Americans killed in the largest terrorist attack on U.S. soil is determined to share his story, and Saudi Arabia’s role in it.

Specifically, he’d like to share it with the 48 professional golfers who have recently signed up with LIV, the new, Saudi-funded, PGA Tour alternative that makes its stateside debut Thursday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Eagleson said those 48 have “taken the blood money,” while PGA golfers like Rory McElroy, Scottie Scheffler and Kevin Kisner — all of whom have criticized LIV — have shown they value “accountability, truth and justice.”

Controversy has surrounded LIV Golf since its inception, though the players taking checks from it continually sidestep questions about their decision to align themselves with Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, Bryson DeChambeau said he thought “moving on” from questions about Saudi Arabia’s human rights atrocities was the best decision, while Pat Perez argued he was just “here to play golf.”

“The callousness of some of these golfers is striking,” said Eagleson, who is scheduled to hold a press conference early Thursday morning in North Plains with 10 other members of 9/11 Justice, a group of people whose loved ones were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Golfers tee off Thursday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. local time.

“It’s interesting to see what money will do and it makes you wonder, where will folks draw the line? How much money will it take so you don’t care about murder or human rights?

“I guess we’ve seen what their price tag is.”

2022 U.S. Open

Bryson DeChambeau plays his shot from the 15th tee during the first round of the 2022 U.S. Open in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

Eagleson, now 36, was 15 and a sophomore in high school when the Twin Towers collapsed; his father Bruce was last seen dashing up the stairs to help with evacuations. His remains have never been found.

Late last year, President Joe Biden declassified a 16-page FBI report that detailed Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the 9/11 attacks. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks were Saudi citizens. The country was also the birth place of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida who planned the attacks.

Eagleson said the report is proof Saudi Arabia, which has long been known for its terrible track record on human rights, “killed our loved ones.” And he wants DeChambeau, Perez, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and others to read the documents. He even brought copies.

When he sees the way LIV golfers brush off questions about Saudi Arabia’s troubling history with terrorism and human rights, Eagleson doesn’t feel sadness or pain. He’s enraged.

“The arrogance and ignorance of someone like DeChambeau is unbelievable,” Eagleson said. “If only he know half the pain and suffering that I had to deal with growing up. ‘Moving on’? I wish I could do that. I wish 10,000 other families could do that — we don’t have that luxury.”

As for the golfers’ claim that they’re merely entertainers, and just here to play a sport, Eagleson snorts in disgust.

“That’s akin to me going to a KKK rally and then saying, ‘I’m just here for the free hot dogs.’ ” Eagleson said. “Like, what are they talking about? It’s crazy.”

Eagleson understands many sports leagues have ties to a variety of shady organizations. He doesn’t argue that. But those aren’t his concern, especially right now.

“That’s not our platform,” he said. “We’re making noise about the golfers because they’re choosing to get in bed with the country that killed our loved ones. Do terrible things happen in China? Yes, but I don’t have an FBI document that says China killed my dad.”

Eagleson said 9/11 Justice, which brought 11 people to Oregon from the tri-state area, doesn’t have plans to protest the actual LIV event. He just wants the golfers here to talk to them.

“I would invite Phil Mickelson and everyone else here to have a meeting with us,” Eagleson said. “Let us walk you through these newly declassified documents that show Saudi Arabia Kingdom officials paid to help facilitate the 9/11 attacks. If, at the end of the meeting, you see the pain and hurt in our eyes and still choose to take the money, we’ve said our piece and that’s between you and your maker.

Honestly, I don’t think Phil or any of these other guys have the courage to talk with us.”

Local leaders in Oregon angered by LIV Golf

Eagleson isn’t the only one speaking out against LIV. Before the tour made its way to Portland, 11 local mayors sent a letter to Escalante Golf, which owns Pumpkin Ridge.

“We believe that we have a moral obligation to take a stand and speak out against this event in order to protect the people we serve,” the mayors wrote. “While our local jurisdictions may not be able to prevent this event, we stand together to voice our concerns about the unwelcomed potential risks, visitors and harm this event could have on our communities.”

It’s not just Saudi Arabia’s ties to human rights abuses and 9/11 that have local leaders angry.

Earlier this week, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) of Oregon told The Associated Press, “It’s wrong to be silent when Saudi Arabia tries to cleanse blood-stained hands,” referencing the August 2016 hit-and-run death of Fallon Smart, a 15-year-old rising sophomore who was killed in Southeast Portland, just blocks from her home.

Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah, a Saudi student enrolled at Portland Community College, was facing first-degree murder charges for Smart’s death but removed his tracking device and disappeared before his trial started. Federal authorities believe the Saudi government helped him escape, getting him a fake passport and arranging for a private plane to fly him home. An Oregonian investigation published in 2019 detailed a pattern across eight states, plus Canada, of Saudi students facing criminal charges who managed to escape before their trials.

Contacted earlier this week by USA TODAY Sports, Jeff Muller, the general manager of Pumpkin Ridge, declined to answer questions about the club’s decision to host LIV Golf. Escalante, meanwhile, did not return multiple requests for comment. The Fort Worth-based golf conglomerate bought Pumpkin Ridge in 2015. Before LIV descended here, Pumpkin Ridge’s claim to fame was as the place Tiger Woods won the 1996 U.S. Amateur.

The tournament is scheduled to end Saturday. After this weekend, LIV heads to Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey on July 29. Players who have made the jump to LIV from the PGA Tour have praised LIV’s condensed schedule, arguing it’s better for their bodies, and their golf games, if they have more rest.

Another positive that players say factored into their move: LIV’s generous signing bonuses and tournament winnings — players this week will compete for a $20 million purse, and some signing bonuses have reportedly exceeded $100 million — will allow golfers to give back to their communities.

Eagleson has an idea for where players can put their money.

“I would ask them to donate to 911justice.org,” he said.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

The International gets permit for LIV Golf event set for Labor Day weekend outside Boston

The International gets permit for LIV Golf event set for Labor Day weekend outside Boston

BOLTON, Mass. — With thousands of people expected to visit Bolton and The International Golf complex Labor Day Weekend for the Saudi-based LIV Golf tournament, the Bolton Select Board gave its approval at the board’s June 16 meeting.

Acting under a bylaw that would allow the event unless the board found it was detrimental to the town, LIV Golf won the board’s OK, contingent on any other approvals it needed.

Par 5 Group, which is running the event, and a representative of the International detailed efforts being made to keep operations from disrupting residents.

From security and meeting requirements for water, wastewater and other regulations, to ensuring traffic was controlled, project managers detailed the plans.

Kelly Durfee Cardoza, a regulatory consultant for The International, and Mike Goggin, of Par 5 Group and tournament director, went through all the pieces.

Parking would include limited sites around the golf club as well as parking and shuttles from the Lancaster Fairgrounds.

Security would include scanning, and tickets would be chipped to control access.

Residents in the neighborhood will have special passes to ensure they can pass through to their homes since the roads would be closed to regular traffic.

The special event district was created in 1997 when a new golf course was built, Cardoza said. That governed the hearing and approval process.

The event is part of an eight-event international series, Cardoza said. It kicked off in London recently.

Held over three days during the Labr Day weekend, the Bolton LIV tournament will be preceded by a pro-am event on September 1 before the LIV tournament starts on September 2.

There will be substantial preparation for the 48 golfers who will play with a shotgun start, with all starting play at the same time, limiting the length of tournament play.

Evening events will include a music stage and activities that Cardoza said should mean not all the people and traffic leave at once.

There will be a daily attendance cap of 6,500 people, including staff, volunteers, vendors, spectators, players, and public safety personnel.

There will also be an “area for those who wish to exercise their first amendment rights during the event,” Cardoza said. The location and details of those areas will be coordinated with state and local police.

The event has garnered criticism since it is sponsored by Saudi Arabia and human rights protestors could be expected. In addition, participants in LIV events are being banned from the PGA Tour.

Locally, Cardoza said an estimated $30 million in spending is expected.

In addition, $1 million in charitable donations are planned. Donations are planned for groups or organizations that help with onsite support, such as parking. Other groups can also reach out by emailing [email protected].

Cardoza added that “until the permits have been granted, none of this gets moved along. Once we get to that point, we will work on these pieces.”

Numerous police details are planned, using local and state police to supplement private security.

No parking will be allowed on roads and all entrances will be secure.

The event could continue through September 5, if needed, due to delays for weather events.

After hearing from residents during the hearing, the board proceeded with the contingent approval.

“We’re here to deal with the approval for the event and not the minutiae surrounding the event,” Chairman Stan Wysocki said. “It appears the International and Escalante (the parent company of The International) is following the laws and has met with all the boards and committees. I see no reason we cannot approve the application to have the event they’re asking for on Labor Day weekend.”

He said the board would reserve the right to revisit the event if there were problems at other planned LIV events, including one planned for Oregon (running through July 2).

“If anything goes sideways with that event, then we will be asking Escalante and The International to come back to our July 14 meeting to discuss any potential issues that have arisen,” Wysocki said. “Barring any issues with that, I see no reason not to approve.”

Before asking for public input, Wysocki said, “the elephant in the room here is who the sponsor of this tournament is.” He said the sponsor was not part of the discussion.

“I think there is a lot of concern amongst some residents in terms of what’s been done and the fact that The International and Escalante has decided to participate in this event. What you’ve done as far as the event itself, I see no reason why we can’t approve.”

He noted there were over 50 people in the remote meeting, which is “unprecedented for a Select Board meeting.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

Experience Red Sky Ranch - One of America's top mountain golf destinations

Experience Red Sky Ranch - One of America's top mountain golf destinations

Nestled in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, a mere 20-minute drive from the Eagle Vail Airport, the Red Sky Golf Club features two professionally designed courses that Golfweek and Golf Digest consistently rank as some of the best golf resorts you can play in Colorado.

The Tom Fazio course: Stunning to look at and play

This Red Sky course is currently ranked the #1 golf course in Colorado by Golfweek Raters, and for good reason. Tom Fazio’s sensational design measures 7,113 yards (Par 72) and tees up postcard-perfect views of Vail’s back bowls along with a variety of terrain capable of gratifying players of all skill levels. Players weave their way past open sage-covered hills, through dense aspen groves, and even around a pristine highland lake.

When creating this celebrated course, Fazio’s design team took particular care to maintain the site’s indigenous vegetation. All told, more than 23,000 native plants were temporarily moved into nearby nurseries before being carefully replanted throughout the grounds.

The end result is nothing short of spectacular.

“Red Sky Golf Club not only provides the opportunity to play great golf, but also to encounter dramatic Rocky Mountain landscapes in their pure environmental forms.” Tom Fazio

The Greg Norman course: Astonishing in its own right

Like his golfing career, Greg Norman’s reputation as a course designer is characterized by an unbridled zeal for achievement. At Red Sky Golf Club, Norman skillfully allows the treasures of the natural landscape to dictate the flow of play. Craggy rock outcroppings, twisted knots of scrub oak, rugged gulches, and wildflower meadows all contribute to an unparalleled wilderness golf experience.

At a full 7,580 yards from the tips, this Par 72 course is slightly longer than its brethren tract, which is why most players will appreciate the additional carry that comes with the high altitude here.

Should you happen to hit your round at just the right time of day, you will be treated to one of Vail Valley’s finest sunsets silhouetted against the majesty of Castle Peak.

“For years, my love of the Rockies, along with the natural beauty of the surrounds, has beckoned me to the Vail Valley. Red Sky Golf Club affords me the chance to create one of the most natural and aesthetically beautiful golf courses in this region.” Greg Norman

The time to craft your Stay & Play package is now

If you want to play at the world-renowned Red Sky Golf Club, all you have to do is stay at a participating world-class property in the iconic mountain villages of Vail or Beaver Creek. It’s time to experience incredible golf, unrivaled pampering and mountain air with the ultimate vacation. Plus, save 10% off lodging when you book accommodations and golf together.

So if you’re ready to pack up your golf clubs, call 1-866-873-3759 to reserve a golf vacation of a lifetime. Or, for even more eye-catching views of what you’re in for, visit redskygolfclub.com.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

Madelene Sagstrom set to compete with her childhood idol, Annika Sorenstam, at LPGA team event

Madelene Sagstrom set to compete with her childhood idol, Annika Sorenstam, at LPGA team event

Annika Sorenstam recently came home from a practice round at Lake Nona with her Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational partner and basically told the family she got smoked. Fellow Swede Madelene Sagstrom shot 30 on the front, besting Sorenstam by six or seven strokes in nine holes.

“I came home and I told Mike and the kids, and they were like, what?” recalled Sorenstam during a pre-tournament press conference.

“I was hitting it quite well, but…. Then a few weeks later we decided to do it again, and when I left the breakfast table, the rules were clear: She’s not beating me by six again, otherwise I wasn’t welcome back.”

At this point on the conference call, Sagstrom interjected to say, “Let me just add, she did beat me that last time.”

When the LPGA returns to action July 13-16 at Midland Country Club in Michigan, the Swedish duo will be among the most popular teams, along with LPGA Hall of Famer Karrie Webb and Marina Alex.

Sorenstam noted that she had to find an extra gear to keep up with Sagstrom, who first won the LPGA in 2020. It was Sorenstam who picked Sagstrom as a rookie on the 2017 European Solheim Cup team. Both Swedes live in Orlando, Florida.

“She pushes me as well,” said Sorenstam, “so hopefully I can teach her a few things. I look forward to playing as a team with her really close up. Her driving is spectacular. We played together at U.S. Open, and I know that it wasn’t the finish either of us wanted, but Madelene, you’re right there, and you know it in your heart, and it’s going to happen.”

Annika Sorenstam hits her tee shot on the second hole during a practice round at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

Sagstrom said she asked her childhood idol to be her partner in 2021 as well, but Sorenstam had a schedule conflict. This year, the Dow event will serve as a solid warm-up for Sorenstam before heading to the Senior LPGA Championship the following week in Kansas.

Sorenstam was asked which was more nerve-wracking, returning to competition in the past year or teeing it up in a PGA Tour event at Colonial. She said it’s a different kind of nervousness.

“I’m starting to see that my mind is probably a lot stronger than my body is,” she said. “In my mind, I feel like I’m right there, and then the body just doesn’t do always what I want it to do. It’s just the reality of it.

“But I enjoyed teeing it up at the U.S. Open. It wasn’t the finish I wanted, of course, but I really put in a lot of time to get ready. I’ve enjoyed that journey with my family, and Madelene and I, we have had some good practice sessions, and I do enjoy that … I have a lot of distractions that keep me focused on really what’s important.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

Lynch: LIV Golf’s unspoken secret — players are ripping off the Saudis

Lynch: LIV Golf’s unspoken secret — players are ripping off the Saudis

Oscar Wilde was defining a cynic when he famously wrote of “a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing,” but today his aphorism might be as readily applied to a Crown Prince (Act Three, Lady Windermere’s Fan, if your majesty deigns, though you might wish to avoid De Profundis on the same shelf). The gap between price and value is relevant when it comes to LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded series churning professional golf’s usually placid waters, not merely as an abstract philosophical question but as a matter of basic fiscal responsibility.

It’s nigh on impossible to muster sympathy for the Saudi regime since that emotion is best reserved for those living under its jackboot. Still, one can almost commiserate with MBS’s fate — increasingly obvious, though perhaps not to him — as being hoodwinked into financing what amounts to welfare for wealthy, washed-up golfers. Consider the amount of someone else’s money that Greg Norman has been willing to bestow upon players whose potential is largely exhausted, limited or unrealized.

A couple hundred million for 52-year-old Phil Mickelson, a feckless overspend even if exaggerated by a multiple. Something similar so Dustin Johnson can accomplish his stated goal of not actually playing golf. A stout backhander to soothe the blushes of Brooks Koepka, who had to perform an about-face that would be the envy of Linda Blair in The Exorcist. Another nine figures for Bryson DeChambeau, whose surgically-repaired hand will find it easier to carry the check than his playing future. And that’s all before you tally ‘B’ tier guys like Sergio Garcia (best add a premium to cover tissues for his unceasing tears) and Lee Westwood (whose thirst for lucrative tinpot tournaments long predates his cushy landing, at age 49, on the Saudi scrap heap).

Seen through a clear business lens, these players would be classified not as assets but as liabilities, their peaks long past and their popularity severely diminished. But their pragmatic value bears no relation to their price when Norman is writing checks on MBS’s account. That’s why those who have managed to clamber aboard Greg’s gravy train can’t believe their luck.

“This opportunity has been like winning the lottery for me,” said Pat Perez. The 46-year-old, five years removed from the last of his three PGA Tour wins, didn’t even buy a ticket. It was handed to him.

“It’s a money thing,” echoed Matthew Wolff, whose tenderness in years hides a weary veteran’s scar tissue and distant form.

“Getting paid bigger, better,” said Abraham Ancer, apparently dissatisfied with his ratio of one victory to $15 million in career prize money.

Their comments explain why so many are eager to feast before the Crown Prince realizes how deeply the well-fed have burrowed into his trough. Last month, Norman announced that he had secured another $2 billion from the Saudi Public Investment Fund, in addition to the princely sum he’s already set alight. It’s proving awfully expensive to bankroll the bruised egos of Norman and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the head of the PIF, who has bristled at the refusal of the PGA and DP World tours to indulge him.

A threadbare piece of armchair analysis says the Saudis have a bottomless purse and can finance Norman’s folly in perpetuity. That’s true, at a surface level. They can, but will they? Even the Saudis will reach a point of accountability, when some luckless bureaucrat must reconcile what has been spent with what has been returned. The LIV Golf ledger already shows an imbalance that is impossible to correct, and not just financial.

Even if one views it as an exercise in sportswashing where the only desired return is reputational, LIV Golf is proving a great white elephant, serving only to draw renewed attention to matters the Crown Prince might rather see forgotten. The dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, for example. Or his country’s links to the September 11th hijackers, as repeatedly pointed out by the families of their victims. Or the hit-and-run killing of 15-year-old Fallon Smart not far from Pumpkin Ridge, where LIV Golf is staging an event this week. A Saudi national faced manslaughter charges in her death but was whisked home before he could stand trial, and the regime has refused to return him to face justice. Until Norman found a willing stooge venue in Pumpkin Ridge, the death of Smart had been forgotten, except by those who loved her.

This entire grubby episode has been made possible by what people in golf are willing to forget about or set aside, things like character, honesty, morality, loyalty, integrity. Do that, and it’s easy money. Not much different than a grifter helping himself to the funds of an inattentive dupe. The intriguing question is how long it will take before MBS realizes he is the mark.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

LIV Golf players in the 2023 Ryder Cup? U.S. captain Zach Johnson says the dots don't connect for that to happen

LIV Golf players in the 2023 Ryder Cup? U.S. captain Zach Johnson says the dots don't connect for that to happen

U.S. captain Zach Johnson isn’t counting on using players who have joined LIV Golf when next year’s Ryder Cup begins in Italy.

They won’t be there.

Speaking earlier this week at the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., where Johnson has seven top-5s including a win in 2012, the two-time major winner said when you connect the dots, those who bolted the PGA Tour for the Saudi Arabia-backed rival league won’t be wearing the red, white and blue when the U.S. faces Europe Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club outside of Rome.

“In order to play on the Ryder Cup team whether you’re top 6 or a pick, you must garner Ryder Cup points through the PGA of America,” Johnson said. “In order to garner Ryder Cup points through the PGA of America, you have to be a member of the PGA of America. The way that we’re members of the PGA of America is through the PGA Tour.

“I’ll let you connect the dots from there.”

As of now, that would forbid players from last year’s victorious U.S. team – Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson would be out, too.

As for Europe, it could be without longtime stalwarts Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Ian Poulter.

“I hope that I still have the possibility, as I’m sure (Kaymer and Westwood) do, too, to be a part of a few more Ryder Cup teams,” Garcia said at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club outside of Portland, Oregon, home to the second event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series this week. “But that’s not going to depend on us now. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed.”

And Westwood wondered why there’s even a chance he won’t be allowed at another Ryder Cup.

“I’ve been playing Ryder Cup golf since 1997, and the criteria has been to be a member of the European (DP World) Tour. Now, the criteria for being a member of the European Tour is to play four events. Why should they change that now?” Westwood said. “I’ve been a member of the PGA Tour and still played four events on the European Tour, and why would the European Tour change their rules so dramatically because another tour doesn’t like it or feels financially threatened?

“There’s just a bit too much protection going on for my liking and not enough transparency. I think as long as you fulfill the criteria to be a (DP World Tour) member, then you should still have the opportunity to try and qualify for the Ryder Cup team.”

 

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

Besty King's Golf Fore Africa charity on target to raise $2.6 million in 2022 for clean water

Besty King's Golf Fore Africa charity on target to raise $2.6 million in 2022 for clean water

Kendall Dye knows pressure. For most of her adult life, she played professional golf for a living. But the pressure to make a putt or a cut wasn’t anything quite like what she’s doing now as executive director of Betsy King’s Golf Fore Africa charity.

“This is indeed life and death,” said Dye of the funds raised to provide clean water to rural communities.

King’s charity will celebrate 15 years this December and has granted $15 million to World Vision in that time. This year’s goal: $2.6 million.

So far, $1.25 million has been raised in 2022.

Sarah Kemp, Angela Stanford, Sophia Popov and Ally Ewing hit balls during a Golf Fore Africa clinic. (courtesy photo)

During the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles, LPGA players Angela Stanford, Sophia Popov, Ally Ewing, and Sarah Kemp joined King on the range at The Country Club of North Carolina for a clinic that raised $75,000.

Their New York event in June raised over $250,000. A number of LPGA players have been to Africa over the years with King, including Juli Inkster, Stacy Lewis, Amy Olson, Katherine Kirk, and Cheyenne Woods. While major champion Mo Martin has never been to Africa, she has helped to raise funds to drill four wells.

King, 66, won 34 LPGA titles, including six majors, and considers this to be her purpose in life.

“In her lifetime,” King once said, “the average African woman will walk the distance equal from the earth to the moon walking for water.”

Betsy King talks chats with the media during a Golf Fore Africa fundraiser the week of the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles. (courtesy photo)

There are 785 million people who lack access to clean water, according to the United Nations. Women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours every day hauling water.

Dye, who will lead two trips to Africa in Augusta and December, remembers clearly the day the first well she fundraised was drilled right in front of her.

“One of the ladies in the village was down in the dirt and mud rolling back and forth at my feet,” said Dye, who instinctively wanted the woman to stand.

“That’s just a sign of gratitude and thankfulness.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

Residents up in arms as development starts on Florida golf course lost in hurricane

Residents up in arms as development starts on Florida golf course lost in hurricane

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — Leaked information about a possible development on the former Hombre Golf Course has sparked major concerns for some residents.

The course once was a pillar in Panama City Beach enjoyed by locals, tourists and even training PGA professionals.

Now, more than three years after it closed because of damage caused by Hurricane Michael, the once championship-level course is basically a blank canvas for construction.

This has left some residents living in the surrounding area nervous their property values might drop—annoyed they no longer live along a golf course—and scared future growth on the Hombre’s footprint could dramatically increase traffic in their neighborhoods.

“It was a prime golf course in its heyday,” said Tom Trossen, president of the Glades Homeowners Association. “We had pros coming here to go to school to earn their tour cards. Many of them played in our backyards, and many of them played with the original owners in the Glades.

“We had some expectations. Whether they were true expectations or false hopes, it was a beautiful course to live on.”

Those hopes turned to nightmares in recent months as Glades residents discovered plans for a potential project they believe could shake the fabric of their neighborhood if approved.

According to Trossen, a Glades homeowner, whose name he did not reveal, learned through ways he would not release that the construction of an apartment complex is being considered on a portion of course property now owned by Fussell Real Estate Holdings.

Registered out of North Carolina, the company purchased in 2020 about 70 acres of land on the former course — about three acres of which currently are being developed into a Duplin Winery.

Hombre Golf Course

The Hombre Golf Course in Panama City Beach, Florida, is poised for development as construction on the new Duplin Winery is taking shape. (Photo: Mike Fender/The News Herald)

Trossen said that once he learned about the possible apartment complex, he began digging into how and where it could go. He then sent his “back of the envelope” calculations to Jonathan Fussell, a managing partner of Fussell Real Estate Holdings and co-owner of the winery, who he said confirmed a developer had approached his real estate group about purchasing almost 20 acres of his 70 acres to build a complex.

While Fussell said this was true, he noted nothing was set in stone, and all plans for the rest of his Hombre property — other than where the winery is going — still are fluid.

He also said the apartment complex is just one of a few developments his group is considering for its land.

“We have talked about a lot of different concepts coming to the property, and there’s a lot of moving parts right now that we’re really just trying to figure out,” Fussell said. “I was asked if apartments are things that I’ve looked at, and I have talked to some apartment folks, but … nothing has been finalized.”

Fussell also said that he understands why surrounding residents would be wary of any new developments in the area, considering many purchased their homes with the belief they always would live on a golf course.

However, things change, and Fussell cannot help who approaches his group about buying a slice of its land.

Still, Fussell said he would not want any future developments to be built on the property that do not mesh well with the community. He plans to move to Panama City Beach to help run the winery when it opens next year.

“We, of course, want to be good neighbors to everybody,” Fussell said. “I don’t want anything right there that I would not be proud of.”

Hombre Golf Course

Work is underway for a Duplin Winery, which is being built on a portion of land previously known as the Hombre Golf Course in Panama Beach City, Florida. (Photo: Nathan Cobb/The News Herald)

While Trossen said he and many Glades residents support the winery, they strongly oppose the construction of a nearby apartment complex, which they fear might have entrances that connect to their residential roadways.

“When we first heard of the potential use of the property … it was concerning,” Trossen said. “Traffic has been a concern in our neighborhood for a number of years because of the cut-through nature of (our residential roads. It could be) highly detrimental to the Glades if an apartment complex is allowed to be built that has access to our single-family streets.”

He also said Fussell shared with him the working design for the complex that was proposed to his group, which shows it being built on a sliver of land north of Coyote Pass. From there, it was suggested to have three entrances — one that links to the winery’s parking lot, which will connect to North Glades Trail, and two others that attach to Coyote Pass.

Since PCB’s land development code states the primary entrance of a multi-family development with more than 150 units cannot be located on a street used as the main access to a residential community, Mel Leonard, building and planning director for Panama City Beach, said those proposed plans would have to be tweaked for the project to work.

North Glades Trail, which is located off Panama City Beach Parkway (Back Beach Road), is a primary access into the Glades community.

“Connecting (the apartments’ main entrance) to the parking lot would not comply with the land development code, and it certainly would not be able to connect to Coyote Pass or North Glades Trail either,” said Leonard, who noted the main entrance to the apartment complex would have to connect to Back Beach Road.

If it was built in that way, then it is possible the theoretical complex could have secondary entry points that attach to surrounding roads other than the city’s main highway. However, Leonard said those still are issues his department would have to study.

While this might not eliminate all the concerns of Glades residents, Beach City Councilman Phil Chester said it is against state law for officials to veto a proposed development that does not violate land ordinances just because it might increase traffic, even if residents are upset.

“That property is zoned commercial high-intensity, so there’s a lot of projects that could be done (there),” Chester said. “If it meets all the codes and all the specs, there’s nothing that the city can do as far as stopping the project.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/vgJ6aLY

PGA Tour's CJ Cup moves to a Golfweek's Best course in South Carolina

PGA Tour's CJ Cup moves to a Golfweek's Best course in South Carolina

PGA Tour pros can expect to face a challenging architectural test at this year’s CJ Cup.

The Tour and CJ Group officials announced Wednesday that the CJ Cup will be contested at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, the week of October 20-23, and change its name to the CJ Cup in South Carolina.

Congaree, which previously hosted a PGA Tour event in 2021, ranks No. 22 on Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses list.

The tournament was launched as Korea’s first official PGA Tour tournament in 2017 and was played for three consecutive years at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island before being relocated to the U.S. due to the challenges of COVID-19.

This will be the first time the tournament will be played in the Southeast region of the U.S. following the staging of the tournament in Las Vegas, first at Shadow Creek Golf Course in 2020 and The Summit Club in 2021.

The fall event will feature a 78-man field comprised of five players designated by the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), as well as the top-3 available players of Korean nationality from the Official World Golf Ranking as part of CJ Group’s vision to support the development of professional golf in Korea. The remainder of the field will be made up of the leading players from the 2021-22 FedEx Cup points list and sponsor exemptions. There will be no 36-hole cut.

Congaree, a Tom Fazio design, is located about an hour northwest of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Garrick Higgo won the Palmetto Championship at Congaree in June of 2021. According to the Tour’s news release, the course was built to challenge the world’s top golfers and has earned widespread praise among PGA Tour players.

Garrick Higgio

Garrick Higgo kisses the trophy after winning the Palmetto Championship at Congaree Golf Club. (David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports)

“It’s 100-percent playable to all golfers,” said South Carolina native Lucas Glover in 2021. “It’s designed that way. It’s a good test for a good player and a fair test for an average to high handicapper.”

Built on a former plantation, the course was designed to play fast and firm. Read more about the course and enjoy our photo gallery here.

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

A unique North Carolina design highlights our list of golf properties available now (June 2022 Vol. 2)

A unique North Carolina design highlights our list of golf properties available now (June 2022 Vol. 2)

If you trying to maximize your time on the course this year, purchasing a house near or on a golf course is the best way to do it.

Here at Golfweek, we bring you monthly rollouts of incredible golf properties available now from around the country, and sometimes the world. Just in this list, there are homes in Nevada, North Carolina, California, Arizona, and Colorado.

No matter where you want to live, no matter where you want to play golf, you can find it here.

If you want to check out previous versions of our real estate lists, click here.

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

Sergio Garcia explains why he sees the LIV Golf format as 'the future of golf'

Sergio Garcia explains why he sees the LIV Golf format as 'the future of golf'

NORTH PLAINS, Ore.  — Players who are competing in the LIV Golf Invitational Series have provided a myriad of answers for their reasons to join the upstart league.

One answer Wednesday during a news conference ahead of the series’ second event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club stood out from Sergio Garcia, an 11-time PGA Tour and 16-time DP World Tour winner who provided several reasons for his decision.

“I did it because I think this is the future of golf, because I think that this is a great opportunity, not only to do what I love, which is playing golf, but at the same time be able to spend more time with my family and watch them grow,” said Garcia. “I have a four-year-old and a two-year-old so it’s nice to watch them grow as much as possible. I’ve been doing this for 24 years, so traveling a lot and stuff, and make a great living out of it.”

But what is it about the 48-player, 12-team, 54-hole, no cut, shotgun start series that stands out to the 42-year-old so much so to call it the “future of golf?”

Simply put: It’s different.

“It brings something different to the game that we haven’t had for forever,” explained Garcia after his news conference alongside fellow captains Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood. “Pretty much every tournament you play on tour is the same, so it’s nice to have something that brings different concepts together because you have the individual but at the same time you have the team event and it brings different relationships that you build and things like that and different focuses. For me as a captain and as a LIV Golf player, it’s obviously very exciting.”

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