Valero Texas Open: Harry Higgs in contention, Michael Thompson invoking 'Bama among 5 things to know after Friday

Valero Texas Open: Harry Higgs in contention, Michael Thompson invoking 'Bama among 5 things to know after Friday

SAN ANTONIO — After an unpredictable first day of weather at the Valero Texas Open, the sun emerged just after noon on Friday and the action at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course moved at a standard clip.

After Matt Kuchar and Padraig Harrington set the pace on Thursday, others upped their game on Friday, although the second round of play was not completed. The cut from 144 players will come sometime on Saturday morning.

With just a few days remaining until the eyes of the golf world turn to Magnolia Lane, the final two rounds at the Valero should provide plenty of drama, and, potentially, a dream of a lifetime to someone.

Here’s what you need to know about Friday’s action:

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Tiger Woods headlines top 20 money winners in Masters history

Tiger Woods headlines top 20 money winners in Masters history

The first Masters in 1934 was won by Horton Smith, who pocketed $1,500 for his historic win. In 2022, Scottie Scheffler earned a record $2.7 million for his first major championship.

The money has certainly changed over the years. Jack Nicklaus played in 45 Masters and his career earnings at the tournament are $912,359. Arnold Palmer played in 50 Masters and he earned $309,013.

It’s probably no surprise that Woods tops the all-time money list for the Masters, just as he does on the PGA Tour’s all-time money list.

Masters 2023 leaderboardGet the latest news from Augusta

There have been 86 Masters. Who are the top 20 money winners all-time at the event? (Source: masters.com).

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'I helped make this tournament what it is' but Gary Player says he's sad he doesn't feel welcome at Augusta National

'I helped make this tournament what it is' but Gary Player says he's sad he doesn't feel welcome at Augusta National

Gary Player says he wishes he had more access to Augusta National Golf Club. It’s one of his biggest complaints about the Masters.

He said the worst thing about the famed club is his inability to come play a round with friends, a rule he wishes would change. But it seems his frustration has boiled over.

The 87-year-old three-time Masters champion said in an interview with The Times how sad it is that he has to beg for a round at the place where he’s an honorary member.

Come Thursday, Player will join Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson as honorary starters ahead of the 2023 Masters, something he has done for more than a decade.

Masters 2023 leaderboard: Get the latest news from Augusta

That ceremony is something he treasures, but outside of that, he isn’t happy with how he is welcomed at Augusta.

“After all I’ve contributed to the tournament and been an ambassador for them, I can’t go and have a practice round there with my three grandchildren without having to beg a member to play with us, and there’s always some excuse. It’s terribly, terribly sad,” Player told The Times.

“I’ve played my role: I’ve won it three times; I was in the top ten 15 times; I made the most number of cuts in a row ever (23), yet here we are struggling to get a round. If it wasn’t for the players, (Augusta) would just be another golf course in Georgia.

“It’s just sad – and I put great emphasis on the word ‘sad’ – that Augusta (doesn’t) make you feel welcome in that regard because I helped make this tournament what it is.”

Last week, Player said in the Daily Mail the Open Championship was the best major and the Masters was fourth.

While Player said no golfer has received more love than he has over his career, he also said he has had a difficult road.

“There’s no golfer who’s ever had a tougher life than I have,” Player said. “I’ve won more tournaments than any man alive. I’ve won more national Opens than Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer put together. I’ve done remarkable things.”

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Georgia Southern's Ben Carr leans on Masters champ, veteran caddie ahead of tournament

Georgia Southern's Ben Carr leans on Masters champ, veteran caddie ahead of tournament

STATESBORO, Ga. — For Ben Carr, it took a few days to sink in.

As he walked off the course at The Ridgewood Country Club in August, the fifth-year Georgia Southern senior knew his U.S. Amateur runner-up finish punched his ticket to the 2023 Masters Tournament. The reality, however, took a few more days to resonate.

“As soon as I went a couple up, I think it just creeps into your mind. You can’t stop thinking about it and you’re trying so hard to focus on the golf and finishing the match,” he said. “It finally sunk in when I got home. I actually got Covid, so I had a week to sit in my room and not do a whole lot. That’s when it kind of became real.”

The 22-year-old Columbus native comes to Augusta National Golf Club with a limited knowledge of the course (he’s played three practice rounds at Augusta to this point). What he has, though, is the ability to lean on a couple of veterans to glean some knowledge prior to tournament week.

“I’m pretty close with Larry Mize and Russell Henley. They both live in Columbus, so I got to spend a bunch of time with them over the Christmas break and just kind of pick their brains a little bit,” he said. “Larry’s a Masters champion and Russell is playing in his seventh Masters, so between the two of them they have all the experience in the world. Just being able to lean on them and learn as much as I can was really important for me.”

2023 Masters: Meet the 7 amateurs in the field

Carr, Mize and Henley plan to play the Par 3 Contest together Wednesday, with Carr’s younger brother, Sackett, on the bag.

Looking back to his first practice round in February, it’s easy to see why the first trip down Magnolia Lane is a watershed moment for many players who’ve had the opportunity to play Augusta.

“It was pretty surreal. The first time I played it, my brother got to play with me. We pulled in Magnolia Lane and my truck was in front of his car and I was looking through the rearview mirror to see his facial expressions and he was just wide-eyed,” Carr said. “I was pretty nervous the first time because I didn’t know what to do. I was walking on egg shells, but I’m starting to get a little more comfortable out there.”

While in a somewhat controlled environment, those practice rounds provided valuable experience as to how the course will behave in April.

“I feel like the biggest thing for me in the three times I’ve been so far has been learning where not to hit it. I think there’s a spot or two on every hole you just have to avoid, especially with certain hole locations. Learning where to miss it is a common theme between guys who have had success there,” Carr said. “It’s not necessarily about being perfect, but not making the big mistakes. If you’re able to keep the ball in front of you and miss in the right spots, you roll in a few putts, you’re making the cut and onto the weekend.”

A common theme among first-timers is that watching the tournament on television doesn’t do the course justice, from the standpoint of elevation changes and speed of the greens. From his time at Augusta as a patron to teeing up on No. 1, Carr said that became an obstacle early on.

“I had been out there when I was 12 or 13, so I wasn’t paying attention to any of the undulation, but watching the tournament you just don’t realize how big the slopes are in the fairways, on the greens and really everywhere,” he said. “There’s so much elevation change everywhere you look and just having to learn the ins and outs of the greens and where to put it around the greens and how to use the slopes to your advantage has been key to me.”

For that knowledge and guidance, Donald Cooper will be on the bag for Carr during the tournament. Cooper is a veteran caddie with success at Augusta and in other majors (including a U.S. Open win in 2009), bringing with him a wealth of knowledge.

“He’s been on Lucas Glover’s bag for the better part of 20 years, he’s been on the bag for a major championship win, he’s caddied seven or eight Masters, maybe 10. My swing coach used to train Lucas and he got pretty close with Coop during their time. He kind of hooked us up and I’m really excited because I’m really going to be leaning on him hard.”

Cooper’s and Carr’s plan is simple: take what the course gives and pick spots to be aggressive.

“Something my caddie and I talked about is just trying to avoid big numbers,” Carr said. “There are scoring holes on the back nine, especially, so trying to run into birdies and not trying to force the issue will be really important.”

An often overlooked aspect of a college golfer playing at Augusta is the size of the crowd. The numbers of patrons on the course will likely dwarf any crowd Carr has seen to this point. He’s prepared to take the good with the bad, knowing there may be a few extra cheers in store for the Georgia Southern Eagle.

“The U.S. Am was the first time I’ve played in front of a crowd, so I think being able to draw back on that experience will help me a lot,” he said. “Just getting comfortable with hearing some cheers and hitting bad shots in front of people, that’s something you’ve got to get comfortable with. At first, it’s a little embarrassing, but everybody hits bad shots. You’ve just got to block out the crowd as best you can. Some people like to embrace it, but I’m somewhere in the middle. I think a lot of those experiences have helped me with the crowds, for sure.”

While the numbers on the scorecard matter, it’s important for amateurs to let the overall experience to carry the day. While he surely wants to compete for the coveted low amateur position, Carr made a point to take in every aspect of the week at Augusta and share it with his friends and family.

“Honestly, I’m just going to allow myself to be starstruck. I’ve never been able to play the same golf course at the same time as a lot of these guys I watch on TV,” he said. “I want to make the cut, have a chance to be low amateur and all that stuff; but I really just want to have a good experience. I don’t want to get so caught up in playing to where it takes away from how special it is to have the honor of being an amateur playing at the Masters.”

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

Sahalee Country Club in Washington completes bunker renovation

Sahalee Country Club in Washington completes bunker renovation

Sahalee Country Club in Washington recently updated its three nine-hole layouts, primarily reshaping and strategically moving bunkers on the host course for the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Sahalee’s South and North nines combine to tie for No. 2 on Golfweek’s Best list of private courses in Washington. Located 30 minutes east of Seattle, the course also ties for No. 168 on Golfweek’s Best list of top modern courses in the U.S.

The work was completed by Landscapes Unlimited, a golf course development, construction and renovation company. The renovations were the first phase of a master plan developed by Rees Jones, Inc. The tree-lined courses originally were designed by Ted Robinson and opened in 1969, and they were renovated by Rees Jones from 1996 to 1998.

Landscapes Unlimited changed the sizes, shapes, locations and depths of bunkers. New drainage and modern liners were added along with new sand to improve maintenance and provide a longer life span.

A view of the 18th fairway during the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

“Sahalee is a Pacific Northwest treasure,” Jake Riekstins, chief development officer of Landscapes Unlimited, said in a media release announcing the completion of the job.  “Any time there’s an opportunity to smartly add modern infrastructure to a storied golf course while achieving a golden age style, the results are ‘wow’ experiences for different generations.”

The course also was home to the 1998 PGA Championship won by Vijay Singh, as well as the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational (Craig Parry), the 2010 U.S. Senior Open (Bernhard Langer), the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (Brooke Henderson) and the Sahalee Players Championship.

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USGA parts ways with ProMedica, the first presenting sponsor in U.S. Women's Open history

USGA parts ways with ProMedica, the first presenting sponsor in U.S. Women's Open history

A little more than a year after the USGA launched a 10-year sponsorship agreement with ProMedica, the two companies have parted ways.

ProMedica, an Ohio-based not-for-profit integrated health and well-being organization that serves communities in 28 states, was the first presenting sponsor in U.S. Women’s Open history and helped boost the championship’s purse in 2022 to a record $10 million.

USGA CEO Mike Whan confirmed to Golfweek that the two companies reached a separation agreement about a month ago, after ProMedica’s business took a downward turn.

“It doesn’t change anything about our commitment to where we play, how we play, how much we play for,” said Whan, “all those things remain the same.”

ProMedica gave Golfweek a statement that read in part:

“We are grateful for those partners like the USGA that understand the extreme financial challenges the healthcare industry has been navigating and have worked with us in a professional manner to reassess prior engagements.

“ProMedica, like many other health systems across the country, is experiencing financial strain coming off of 2022, which was declared the worst financial year for the healthcare industry since the start of the pandemic. While we were hopeful the industry’s financial performance was improving at the beginning of 2022, challenges like extreme staffing shortages and rapidly rising expenses proved to be significant hurdles.”

Whan said that while a number of companies have already expressed an interest in filling the role, he has told his team there’s no need to rush.

“I think anybody who had doubts about whether or not (a presenting sponsor) would be good for the women’s game,” said Whan, “and help lift the U.S. Women’s Open to another level, those doubts were eliminated.”

The 2023 U.S. Women’s Open will be played July 6-9 at Pebble Beach for the first time in tournament history.

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

'It has endless potential': KPMG enhances Steph Curry's Underrated Golf, a junior development program on the rise

'It has endless potential': KPMG enhances Steph Curry's Underrated Golf, a junior development program on the rise

Steph Curry felt underrated early and often as the smallest player on his elementary-aged AAU basketball teams and as a teenager overlooked by ACC programs.  As Curry says, he didn’t match the eye test, and his dreams seemingly drifted farther out of reach.

The adversity helped the eventual four-time NBA champion develop a strong work ethic.

“I don’t take anything for granted,” the Golden State Warriors star recently told Golfweek. “Every transition I made to that next level was really difficult and required all of my attention and perseverance and belief in yourself and all of that. Even with all the accomplishments that I’ve had personally, and we’ve had as a team, I still carry that mindset with me, and I feel like that’s a huge part of my DNA when it comes to trying to maintain this as well as I can.”

In January, Curry’s new documentary “Underrated”, which mostly centers around his college career at Davidson, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Curry created the Underrated brand in 2019 to celebrate the underdog, empower and inspire. Last spring, the golf-crazed Curry launched Underrated Golf, an all-expense-paid junior tour designed to help provide access to those who are underrepresented in the game.

Now, Underrated Golf has announced KPMG as its title sponsor, enhancing the initiative with a mentoring and leadership development program for juniors.

Longtime KPMG ambassador Mariah Stackhouse is responsible for connecting Underrated with the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm after she attended the inaugural Curry Cup in San Francisco and recognized a natural synergy between their missions.

“I think it has endless potential,” said Stackhouse, a former All-American at Stanford who, in 2017, became the seventh Black player to earn LPGA status. Stackhouse will be an Underrated Golf brand ambassador for the 2023 season.

Mariah Stackhouse looks on from the fifth tee during the second round of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G at Kenwood Country Club on September 09, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

There currently isn’t a single Black player on the LPGA with full status.

Underrated Golf will feature fields of 60 juniors at four tournaments across the country, culminating at the season-ending Curry Cup, reserved for the best 24 boys and girls from the tour. This year’s Underrated tour includes events at The Park West Palm (June 25-27, West Palm Beach, Florida), Firestone Country Club (July 6-8, Akron, Ohio), Paiute Golf Resort (July 18-20, Las Vegas) and Chambers Bay (Aug. 7-9, Seattle).

Juniors will have a chance to meet college golf coaches and golf executives at each stop, with Stackhouse hosting a KPMG Leadership Day at the season-ender.

“Just being in a room where you say ‘Hey, this is something I can see myself being inspired by,’ ” said Curry. “That little bit of interaction or that little bit of awareness can change a dynamic for a kid and how they see themselves and the confidence they have in themselves.

“It might not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way for kids to see themselves in places of power and excitement, and that there’s support and a pipeline for them to do it.”

KPMG has long held a strong commitment to advancing women around the game of golf, hosting an annual Leadership Summit at the KPMG Women’s PGA designed to not only introduce women to golf, but to invest in female leaders aspiring to reach the C-suite. Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is heavily involved in the program.

Paul Knopp launched Accelerate 2025 nearly three years ago on his first day as U.S. Chair and CEO of KPMG. Accelerate is a strategic initiative focused on ensuring that more individuals from underrepresented groups choose to work for KPMG and advance to leadership positions within the company.

In 2020, 39 percent of KPMG’s partners and managing directors were from underrepresented groups. In 2022, it was 43 percent. The goal is 50 percent by 2025.

Just as Knopp wants the firm to look more like the rest of society, Curry wants the same for golf.

“We think that the mentoring we’ll be able to provide to them, the work we’ll do with Mariah around affirmation,” said Knopp, “it really, I think, is going to be a powerful combination of the three forces – Stephen, Mariah, KPMG – to try to increase access to the game for women and young people of color and everyone that’s underrepresented.”

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

Masters: The preview for Trevor Immelman's sit down with Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Scottie Scheffler is outstanding

Masters: The preview for Trevor Immelman's sit down with Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Scottie Scheffler is outstanding

We’re officially seven days away from the opening round of the Masters.

Man, that feels good to say.

On Saturday, April 8 at 2 p.m. ET, CBS will air a sit-down conversation entitled “13 Green Jackets” hosted by Trevor Immelman, the 2008 champion at Augusta National and Nick Faldo’s replacement in the booth. He chatted with Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and last year’s winner Scottie Scheffler.

Judging by the fantastic preview, the trio will cover everything from Tiger standing on the 12th green in 2019 while his playing partners hit their thirds after rinsing their tee shots, money games between legends and Scheffler’s Ernie Els impression on the 72nd hole in 2022.

Watch the preview below.

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TaylorMade survey suggest golfers strongly oppose USGA, R&A golf ball rollback

TaylorMade survey suggest golfers strongly oppose USGA, R&A golf ball rollback

A week after the USGA and R&A announced a proposed Model Local Rule (MLR) that could mandate elite players to use a reduced-distance golf ball, TaylorMade joined other equipment makers in voicing skepticism and worry about what it might do to the sport. The second sentence of the statement said, “This will introduce bifurcation into our sport, meaning that you – the golfer – will play with different equipment than the professionals.”

Thursday morning, the equipment company based in Carlsbad, California, released the results of a survey it conducted to gauge recreational golfers’ ideas on the proposed Model Local Rule. More than 45,000 people took part, according to TaylorMade, and the overwhelming response was recreational golfers are not in favor of the USGA and R&A’s plans.

When asked, “To the best of your knowledge, do you agree with the proposed golf ball rule,” 81 percent responded ‘No’ in the survey, while 77 percent said that the average hitting distances in professional golf do not need to be reduced.

(TaylorMade)

“The goal of our survey was to give golfers the opportunity to voice their opinion on this proposed ruling as we absorb the MLR and its potential effects on the everyday golfer,” said David Abeles, TaylorMade’s president and CEO. “We are grateful that nearly 45,000 golfers across the world felt the need for their voices to be heard. The overwhelming amount of responses show the passion, knowledge and care for the game our audience possesses. Each response and data point is being reviewed as we will utilize this feedback in our preparation to provide a response to the USGA and R&A.”

TaylorMade’s survey consisted of 14 questions, including the respondent’s handicap level. 85 percent of people who took the survey said the MLR would not have any impact on how much golf they played when TaylorMade asked for three words to describe the proposed MLR, the most common words used were “Unnecessary,” “Stupid” and “Dumb.”

After announcing the proposed MLR, the USGA and R&A stated that a comment period would take place until Aug. 14. During the comment period, stakeholders like equipment companies, players, golf course operators, professional tours and others can weigh in and provide feedback to the game’s governing bodies. After the comment period concludes, the USGA and R&A will likely go over reports and new input, and it is anticipated that they will announce a decision regarding the proposed MLR by the end of 2023. If it passes, that would give equipment makers like TaylorMade, Titleist, Callaway, Bridgestone and Srixon two years to create balls that could pass the modified testing procedures and conform with the Model Local Rule.

USGA golf tees

USGA golf tees (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The TaylorMade study does not claim to be a scientifically-created, cross-section of all golfers, it can safely be assumed that golfers who opted to take the survey after seeing it promoted on TaylorMade’s social media channels and website think positively of the brand and its viewpoints.

While some people will see the survey as biased, it represents a clear challenge to the USGA and R&A’s position that distance is a problem at the elite level and needs to be reduced. The game’s governing bodies were well aware of how polarizing an issue distance has become before they announced the proposed MLR, and a key for its acceptance in the golf community is winning over weekend golfers and recreational players who will not be affected by it. While the USGA and R&A staunchly oppose bifurcation, many golfers feel the adoption of the MLR would amount to precisely that, creating different sets of rules to govern players of different abilities.

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

Valero Texas Open merchandise tent offers classic looks with a little bit of country

Valero Texas Open merchandise tent offers classic looks with a little bit of country

SAN ANTONIO — The second leg of a short Central Texas PGA Tour mini-swing is the last chance for players still looking in from the outside on the field at Augusta National.

The 2023 edition of the Valero Texas Open offers a few of the world’s top players, including Tyrrell Hatton and Hideki Matsuyama, along with fan favorite Rickie Fowler.

The merchandise tent at TPC San Antonio is stocked with some pretty standard fare (and we’re sad to see the 210 area code merch from a year ago has bit the dust) but there are still a few interesting selections that highlight the honky-tonk nature of this tournament.

Here’s a look from inside the tent, located just off the 18th fairway:

Valero Texas Open: Photos

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Troy banks a big opportunity for itself with runaway win at Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate

Troy banks a big opportunity for itself with runaway win at Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate

For a new coach looking to put his stamp on a program, competition schedule is as good a place to start as any. When Forrest Schultz arrived as the head men’s golf coach at Troy last year, he worked the phones to make schedule a selling point. The goal is always to get into the strongest fields.

On Wednesday, Schultz’s players gave him one back.

Troy might be the first college golf team to secure its spot in a major college golf tournament by winning a different one. For winning the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate at True Blue Golf Club in Pawley’s Island, the Trojans locked in a spot in next year’s Augusta/Haskins Award Invitational. It’s perennially one of the best fields in men’s college golf, with Pepperdine, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Illinois among the teams already committed for 2024.

It’s also played right before Masters week, and each team in the field traditionally receives tickets for Monday’s practice round at Augusta National.

“Strength of schedule is huge, that’s a premier event every year,” said Schultz, who came to Troy after eight seasons coaching the men’s and women’s golf teams at Henderson State, an NCAA Division II school in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. “To have the Masters practice-round tickets afterwards, that obviously is going to be a very special week for our team and something that these guys are going to look on way beyond college and remember fondly.”

Fifth-year senior Will McFadden joked with Schultz that this week was for the recruits. He’ll be long gone by the time Troy rolls into Augusta next spring, but McFadden’s second-round 69 helped Troy set a school record for 18 holes and pull away from the field.

Sophomore Jake Springer went 3 under through the first five holes of the final round and from there, Troy was all but untouchable.

“We wanted to figure out how many holes we could attack because the fairways are really wide there,” Schultz said of the gameplan for True Blue. “We wanted to make sure that we were going to take the most efficient line we could off the tee box to give us the best opportunity to get wedges in our hand.”

Troy was 24 under over three rounds at True Blue, and played the final round in 11 under, which was the lowest round of the day by eight shots. Ranked No. 99 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings and the only top-100 team in the field, the Trojans finished the week with a 22-shot edge on Delaware and Connecticut, tied for second.

Springer finished second individually at 8 under, with teammates Brantley Scott and Jason Quinlan tied for fifth at 5 under. Nicklas Borrmann was T9 with McFadden bringing in a T-22.

Connecticut’s Jared Nelson won the individual title at 9 under.

Schultz pegs this team’s strength as accuracy off the tee. He has put an emphasis on short game so that, as a group, his players can convert more scoring opportunities.

Leading up to True Blue, Troy finished second at Auburn’s Tiger Invitational and T-4 at Florida State’s Seminole Intercollegiate, the latter at the notoriously difficult Seminole Legacy Golf Course in Tallahassee, Florida. Those starts, in the company of Power 5 programs, felt like a shot in the arm for Troy. True Blue offered wider fairways and less yardage than the previous week’s test at Seminole, and Schultz thinks those factors freed up his players to post such low rounds.

Back home in Troy, Alabama, Schultz doesn’t see why the facilities and resources his team has access to shouldn’t produce a top-50 team year in, year out.

“We feel like we can be a team that can compete inside of the top 50 every year,” he said, “but it does require that you build a schedule that will allow you to get that ranking.”

The Trojans won three consecutive events last spring. Troy’s Athletic Director started showing up with cake to celebrate, and Schultz imagined there’d be more of it by the time his team returned home from Pawley’s Island – maybe even some ice cream, too. If this team keeps winning, he said, he might just have to throw some steaks on the grill.

Schultz looks for high-character, hard-nosed players for Troy’s roster, but he cuts that with lightheartedness and a clear appreciation for food. Troy faced an eight-hour drive home from Pawley’s Island post-victory, but there were plans to make a stop at Chick-fil-A for a big order ending in milkshakes.

A phone call from Brian Stubbs, Executive Director of the Haskins Foundation, also broke up the drive. Stubbs was calling to issue an official invitation to next year’s Haskins tournament.

“Coach said, ‘I got you on speaker phone,’ and about then the guys started cheering and clapping and they were fired up about it,” Stubbs said. “That made it for me. We want guys to be excited about going to the tournament.”

No problem there.

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

This North Carolina golf course was saved, and now local ownership is putting in improvements

This North Carolina golf course was saved, and now local ownership is putting in improvements

When Shari Hodson heard The Lakes Golf and Country Club in Boiling Spring Lakes was going on the market, she worried about its future.

Hodson lives on hole No. 7 and plays the course regularly. She knew the course’s previous owner, Steve White, was getting interest mainly from housing developers.

“We wanted to save the golf course,” she said.

That’s when she and three other people got together and purchased it. The deal closed in November 2021, and since that time, the group has been focused on making improvements.

One of the first things they plan to do is build a new clubhouse. Currently, they are operating out of the front of the former clubhouse building. From the road, it looks like business as usual, but a walk behind the building reveals how badly the facility was damaged by Hurricane Florence. The clubhouse used to have a restaurant and bar, and now all that remains is a pile of rubble.

Shari Hodson, one of the new owners of The Lakes Golf and Country Club, shows where the new clubhouse will be, overlooking the 18th green, on Thursday, March 9, 2023. (Renee Spencer/StarNews)

The new clubhouse will be located across the street, overlooking the 18th green. Hodson said the facility will be 6,600 sq. ft. and include a prep kitchen and grill area, a bar with tables, and an outdoor patio. It will also feature security cameras and restrooms with electronic locks, which will allow players to access those facilities even after the clubhouse is closed.

Hodson said cart barns will be located on each side of the new clubhouse.

“The nice thing is they won’t have to cross South Shore Drive,” she said. “Sometimes that can be hectic.”

With all permits in hand, Hodson hopes construction on the new clubhouse will begin soon, but she said getting workers is now the issue. The project is about six months behind schedule. However, she hopes the first phase, surveying and installing the silt fencing, will happen in the next few weeks.

While the group has been making plans, they have also been making repairs, replacing sections of the cart path that washed away during Hurricane Florence. Hodson also noted the fairways “got clobbered” with the course losing about 1,000 trees. Despite the damages, she said the course was only closed for a couple of months.

“All of the members came with chainsaws and helped clear the trees,” she said.

She said the community’s support is what helped the course open so soon after the storm, and she believes that community spirit and the amount of local investment make the course an economic driver for the community.

After the clubhouse is completed, Hodson said they want to build a driving range. Even with the improvements, she said they plan to remain true to previous owner Steve White’s mission of keeping golf accessible and affordable for those in the community.

“We just want to make sure the course is still here for people to enjoy,” she said.

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

Troon-managed La Vie Club in Oman reopens its golf course with plans for development

Troon-managed La Vie Club in Oman reopens its golf course with plans for development

The former Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club, the first fully-grassed golf course in Oman in western Asia, has been rebranded La Vie Club and re-opened under management by Arizona-based Troon.

The course, about a 10-minute drive from the Muscat airport, opened in 2009 but shut down in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The property was since purchased by Oman investment company Omnivest. Troon was appointed to manage the property in 2022.

The first phase of the project is the re-opening of the 18-hole course. That will be followed by development of residential, commercial and tourism buildings, including an 80-room boutique hotel that will feature a 70-meter rooftop pool overlooking the golf course.

“We are very excited to reestablish the club as one of the premier golf facilities within the region serving golfers, the community and growing the game of golf in Oman,” La Vie Club operations manager Freddie Rexstrew said in a media release announcing the news. “We will be delivering the Troon Experience and are focused on being a fun and family-friendly club.”

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TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley's North course to be renovated this year by architect Ian Andrew

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley's North course to be renovated this year by architect Ian Andrew

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley announced this week that it will renovate its North course and practice facilities starting in August 2023. Architect Ian Andrew will lead the project that is scheduled to wrap up in 2024.

Work will include expansion of the green sites with expanded run-offs, plus relocated bunkers and tee boxes. The practice facility will be overhauled with new short game areas and practice greens, and a new clubhouse and accommodations will be constructed.

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley is home to two other courses as well, the Hoot and the Heathlands. The North – originally known as Toot – was designed by Doug Carrick and opened in 2001. TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley joined the PGA Tour’s TPC Network in 2018 and is the site of the Osprey Valley Open of the PGA Tour Canada series on the Heathlands course.

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley North

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s North course in Canada (Courtesy of TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley/Chris Fry)

“For more than 20 years the North course has been known to golfers as a welcoming and wide modern course that players of all skill levels can enjoy,” TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley president Chris Humeniuk said in a media release announcing the news. “With this renovation, the course will be elevated into a compelling test for high-level championship play while retaining its identity as fun, friendly and accessible for all players.”

The media release said the club began collaborating with Ian Andrew Golf Design in 2022 with a focus on enhancing competitive features, providing additional shotmaking options and strategic demands to the parkland course. The layout will be stretched from 7,151 yards to more than 7,500.

The Canadian Andrew worked as an associate for Carrick on the original design of the North. He has since started his own firm, and his work across North America includes renovations to St. George’s Golf and Country Club and Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Canada.

“This property, and the North course in particular, is a special place for me, having worked with Doug on the original design of this bold and truly fun golf course,” Andrew said in the media release. “With TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley at the forefront of so much excitement in Canadian golf, I’m thrilled to play a part in this project and look forward to continued collaboration with Chris and the Osprey Valley team.”

In 2022, TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley and Golf Canada announced a partnership to build what they call a new Home for Canadian Golf, including Golf Canada’s national headquarters, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, the national headquarters for the First Tee – Canada and more.

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

Gary Albrecht wins 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship

Gary Albrecht wins 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship

One of the most highly-touted fields in all of amateur senior golf lived up to its billing this week. The 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship needed an extra hole to crown a winner.

Following a one-hole playoff, 66-year-old Gary Albrecht came out on top at Desert Willow Golf Club in Palm Desert, California. The 36-hole leader was able to stave off Kory Frost for his first national championship win with a 2-under 214 total.

Typically a super senior, Albrecht dropped an age bracket to play, as it’s right down the road from where he winters in Indian Wells.

“I was comfortable coming in,” Albrecht said. “I was hitting the ball well and the first round I thought I didn’t putt real well but I was right there. I putted real well in round two and made a move up the leaderboard and then today was really just a matter of holding it together.”

Albrecht needed a bit of duct tape early after recording three bogeys through his first five holes. Never hitting the panic button, Albrecht quietly worked his way back toward 1 over on the day as he hit the final stretch.

“My game wasn’t all working, but it all worked at different times,” Albrecht recalled.

One group ahead of Albrecht were his top two challengers.

Jon Lindstrom and Kory Frost both had shots to track down Albrecht. Lindstrom bowed out after making par on the par-5 18th for a final-round 69. Frost however, birdied the hole to get himself to 2 under for the tournament and 6 under in his final 10 holes.

After an Albrecht par on No. 18, the pair were deadlocked at 2 under and headed to the first tee for a sudden-death playoff.

Both men found themselves in the left rough off the tee. Albrecht played first and nearly got to the green in two. Frost countered with a shot that was also a near miss, just left of the green.

With about 40 feet left, Albrecht elected to use the Texas wedge to try and knock it close.

Fortunately for Albrecht, the flagstick saved him from running by as his ball kissed the flagstick and nestled up well inside a foot. Frost left his birdie putt short and was unable to knock down a five-foot slider to extend the playoff.

For Albrecht, the win is one of the biggest of his career.

How’s the semi-retired attorney going to celebrate the victory? Well he’s going to tee it right back up on Thursday at the Golfweek Senior Amateur.

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

A look back: When Tiger Woods played his own golf course in Cabo San Lucas (now a PGA Tour stop)

A look back: When Tiger Woods played his own golf course in Cabo San Lucas (now a PGA Tour stop)

(Editor’s note: This story originally ran in USA Today sports on Dec. 16, 2014, but is being re-run after the news that a new PGA Tour stop will be added here.)

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico — Eight years after he created his golf course design business, six years after the seismic downward shift in the global economy and three months after Hurricane Odile blasted through these parts, Tiger Woods finally opened the first golf course with his signature on it.

At the bottom tip of the Baja Peninsula, at 8:40 a.m. local time Tuesday with a mariachi band 14 instruments strong nearby and the Pacific Ocean off in the distance, Woods sent the ceremonial first tee shot hit at El Cardonal at Diamante, an upscale resort/housing complex that is a playground for both young and old and everyone in between.

Woods, who has lost 15 pounds the past two weeks due to a lingering illness, found a fairway bunker with his drive as nearly 500 people walked along as he played the front nine. While under the weather, he still was upbeat.

“We knew this day would come,” Woods said.

Others had doubts.

Three previous projects by Woods – in Baja Mexico, Dubai and North Carolina – were upended by the economy or developer problems with finances.

Then Hurricane Odile provided another obstacle and pushed back the opening back six weeks. Finally, the day arrived.

“You always want to have a first some time,” Woods said.

He won’t have to wait long for his second opening, and his third and fourth and beyond. Woods suddenly has his hands full in the design business.

His design near Houston called Bluejack National is set to open in the fall of 2015. He announced a collaboration with Donald Trump where Woods will design an 18-hole course at Trump World Golf Club in Dubai, which will be a centerpiece of a community called Akoya Oxygen. And Tuesday he announced he would be designing a second 18-hole course at Diamante tentatively called The Oasis.

But Woods won’t fill his days with blueprints.

“I’m only going to do a few at a time,” Woods said. “I’m still in the peak of my playing years and I’m still concentrating on winning golf tournaments and winning major championships. I just don’t have the time, with family, to try and do all that and try and design 15 courses all around the world.

“I want to do a couple here and there and give them my entire input and time.”

El Cardonal plays to a par of 72 and can stretch out more than 7,300 yards as it weaves through natural arroyos, native dunes and mature vegetation.

There are few forced carries. The fairways are wide, the greens are big. Players will be able to run the ball up onto the greens. And if players miss a green, there are plenty of options for their next shot.

“His idea was to make it fun and make people enjoy it,” said Ken Jowdy, CEO and developer of Diamante. “It’s been great to work with him. I wondered if he was committed to being in the design business and committed to the project and the first time I met him it was clear.

” … I don’t think anyone else can move the needle like he has for us. For whatever reason Tiger brings it to another level.”

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

Masters survey 2023: Where does Augusta National feel the most hallowed or special?

Masters survey 2023: Where does Augusta National feel the most hallowed or special?

Augusta National is one of golf’s great cathedrals.

To be there is the equivalent of seeing the Sistine Chapel or visiting the Vatican. For some, it’s a religious experience.

But where on the revered course does it feel the most hallowed or special?

That was the question we posed to more than two dozen contestants of the Masters, both past and present. Some are lucky enough to change their shoes in the club’s Champions Locker Room, some won other majors or reached No. 1 in the world but they’ve all had the privilege to participate in the first men’s major of the year and identified where it is that a very special place feels a little extra special.

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

Website survey shows majority of golf fans sneak peeks of the Masters at work

Website survey shows majority of golf fans sneak peeks of the Masters at work

Work productivity in America — especially if there are TVs, computers or smartphones readily available for employees — might have taken a beating during the NCAA basketball tournament.

And according to a gambling website’s survey of 2,000 golf fans, next week’s Masters Tournament may result in even more slacking to watch the first major championship of the season.

Pickswise.com reported that 56 percent of the fans they surveyed have watched the Masters and will continue to do so while at work. And they’re taking some risk: 82 percent acknowledge that sneaking peaks at their smartphones or laptops to watch streaming coverage of the tournament is a violation of company policy.

But what’s a boss’ wrath when it comes to watching Tiger Woods make a run on the back nine?

There also might be added motivation to watch next week’s Masters: the sight of PGA Tour players and LIV Golf members playing in the same groups.

Must-see TV? If Patrick Reed is in the same group with Rory McIlroy, you bet your azaleas.

Other tidbits about unauthorized viewing of pine trees, azaleas and championship golf:

  • Of the respondents who said they would not try to watch the Masters at work, only 4 percent said it was because they were not interested in golf.
  • When asked if they had ever called in sick so they could stay home and watch the Masters, 79 percent said no, 9 percent yes and 12 percent said, not me, “but a friend has.”
  • More than 60 percent of the respondents said they watched tournament coverage on their smartphones, 17 percent from a work computer and 13 percent from a personal computer.
  • And how special is the Masters to many golf fans? Nearly three-quarters of those responding (73 percent) said they didn’t try to sneak peeks at the other major golf tournaments while at work.
Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/PQapijI

Check the yardage book: TPC San Antonio's Oak Course for the 2023 Valero Texas Open on the PGA Tour

Check the yardage book: TPC San Antonio's Oak Course for the 2023 Valero Texas Open on the PGA Tour

TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course, site of the 2023 Valero Texas Open on the PGA Tour, opened in 2010 with a design by Greg Norman, with Sergio Garcia having served as a consultant.

The Oaks Course ranks No. 5 in Texas on Golfweek’s Best list of public-access layouts in each state. It also ranks No. 124 on Golfweek’s Best list of top resort courses in the U.S.

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 at TPC San Antonio.

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

This 84-year-old Florida man buried two holes-in-one on the same hole with the same club a day apart

This 84-year-old Florida man buried two holes-in-one on the same hole with the same club a day apart

NAPLES, Fla. — One was pretty and one was ugly, but both of Herb Pike’s tee shots at the High Point Country Club in Naples ended up in the same place — in the hole.

Pike, 84, buried two aces on the same hole using the same 9-iron over three days earlier this month.

“It’s a nine-hole par-3,” said Pike of High Point. “So you’ve got nine chances every time you go out.”

After nearly 4 decade wait between hole-in-ones, Naples’ JD Schlotterback buries two in a round last month.

Pike began playing golf regularly when he moved to Naples in his 50s. With more than 30 years of experience, he’s memorized the course in such a way that culminated in two aces across three rounds of golf.

The fun started on Thursday, March 16 at hole No. 7. With his 9-iron in tow, Pike hit what he considered to be an “all right shot, but nothing magical.” He hit it over the hole and Pike assumed it rolled off the green, but it broke the other way and went straight into the hole.

“The first one was almost accidental,” he said. “When you hit it like that and it spends half its journey on the ground, it’s not a good shot but it’s a lucky shot.”

After another round on Friday without any fireworks, Pike went out with their club’s morning group on Saturday as he typically would. That’s when he buried his second ace of the week on the same hole with the same club.

“That second one was more memorable because of the circumstances,” Pike said. “It was special because it was a nicer shot.”

The impressive week brings Pike’s total holes-in-one to six since he began golfing. He seems to have a knack for hitting aces by the bunch, having hit his first in 2013 and his second just two weeks later.

“You never know who is going to be out there when you play,” he said. “You have good days and not-so-good days. But not really any bad days because you’re out there on the right side of the grass enjoying the weather and the camaraderie.”

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

2023 Valero Texas Open odds, course history and picks to win: Can Rickie Fowler earn a spot in the Masters?

2023 Valero Texas Open odds, course history and picks to win: Can Rickie Fowler earn a spot in the Masters?

One last stop before the year’s first major: the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio in Texas.

Many of the world’s best players are taking the week off in preparation for the Masters, however, there’s one superstar in the Lone Star State looking to earn his invitation to Augusta.

Rickie Fowler.

The 34-year-old’s game has come alive in 2023, grabbing three top-20 finishes in his last four stroke-play events. Last week at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Fowler needed an appearance in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the Masters. He failed to advance from pool play.

Due to the March 27th Official World Golf Ranking point cutoff, Fowler needs a win at TPC San Antonio to qualify for next week’s field.

Golf course

TPC San Antonio | Par 72 | 7,438 yards

General view of the 18th hole as Gary Woodland finishes his round during the fourth round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio on April 03, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Course history

Betting preview

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

Meet the ANWA player nicknamed 'Pocket Dynamite' who plays with two gloves, looks at the hole when she putts and knows how to win

Meet the ANWA player nicknamed 'Pocket Dynamite' who plays with two gloves, looks at the hole when she putts and knows how to win

Jeneath Wong first started playing golf with two gloves around age 7 for one simple reason: Her right hand hurt. The extra glove took away the pain, and the petite player known as “Pocket Dynamite” has been doubling up on gloves ever since.

“I see my friends, and their left hand is pale,” said Wong with a laugh, when asked about the added benefits of playing with two gloves.

A two-time Australian Girls Amateur champion, 18-year-old Wong is one of 37 first-time participants in the field at this week’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur.  The tournament gets underway at Champions Retreat Golf Club on March 29, where the first two rounds will be played on the Island and Bluff nines. The top 30 players and ties will advance to Saturday’s final round, held over Augusta National. A practice round for all 72 participants is held on Friday at Augusta National after the cut is made.

Wong, currently No. 47 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, represents Malaysia but attended high school in Melbourne, Australia, where she’s been a prolific winner, twice claiming the Victorian Junior Masters and three-peating as the Victoria Junior Amateur champion from 2020-2022.

With graduation wrapping up in November, Wong decided to begin her freshman year at Pepperdine this spring. The transition from high school to college didn’t go as smoothly as she would’ve liked, however, as she tripped during rehearsal for an awards night at Glen Waverley Secondary College and tore two ligaments in her ankle. She was still on crutches a week before coming over to Pepperdine in January.

Wong said she chose the Malibu school for its close-knit community and her connection to longtime head coach Laurie Gibbs, whose former All-Americans include Danielle Kang, Katherine Kirk and Lindsey Wright.

A fast player who often skips practice swings when the pace allows during casual rounds, Wong learned the game from her father, Kenneth, who she estimates at about a 12 handicap when he played in Malaysia.

It was Kenneth who taught her to look at the hole rather than the ball for longer putts to better gauge the distance. She also noted, with a good-natured laugh, that her father tends to hit the ground or miss the ball when he tries the technique.

Gibbs said Wong adapted quickly to college life, calling her a natural player whose excellent hand-eye coordination allows her to be consistent in every part of her game. As for some of Wong’s unique approaches, Gibbs notes that the results speak loudly.

“She doesn’t make excuses,” said Gibbs, “and has a personality that is perfect to compete against the best golfers at every level and win.”

While the rest of her team is in Hawaii this week for the Avenue Spring Break Classic, Wong gears up for what will surely be the first of several showings at Augusta National. She plans to major in psychology and is on pace to graduate in three-and-a-half years. She’ll no doubt be a favorite at this year’s U.S. Girls’ Junior as she’ll still be 18.

The 5-foot-1-inch Wong was fitted for a new set of Callaway Paradym irons in Carlsbad, California, shortly after arriving at Pepperdine and reports a higher ball flight and added distance. Wong finished third and fourth in her last two collegiate starts.

“My Australian idol is Hannah Green,” said Wong of the KPMG Women’s PGA winner. “Apparently, she knows of me.”

After this week at Augusta, chances are many more can say the same.

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