Retief Goosen survives chaos of final holes to win soggy Galleri Classic

Retief Goosen survives chaos of final holes to win soggy Galleri Classic

Sometimes all you need to win a golf tournament is a par. That’s what worked for Retief Goosen on Sunday in winning the second annual Galleri Classic during a soggy final round at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

Fighting just for a good finish after a sluggish start to his final round, Goosen turned into the last man standing on a day when he had been a forgotten figure for much of the rainy final 18 holes.

With Steven Alker putting together a stunning bogey-bogey finish, Goosen survived hitting his approach into the lake on the par-5 18th hole of the Dinah Shore Tournament Course by rolling in an eight-foot par putt. Alker, still with a chance to win, also hit into the lake in front of the island green with his second shot but failed to get up and down.

“I wouldn’t call it thrilling.” Goosen laughed about the frenetic finish. “I mean, it was more of a disaster for me and Stevie to get to the last hole and the last couple of holes.”

The wild finish allowed Goosen to post a bogey-free 3-under 69 Sunday for a three-day total of 13-under 203. Alker’s 70 dropped him to 12-under for the week, tied with Alex Cejka and overnight leader Ricardo Gonzalez for second place. It also allowed Goosen to rally from three shots back with nine holes to play.

“I was just trying to hang in there and say to myself, you know what, let’s just play solid and at least get a top-5 or something,” said Goosen, who hit just 10 greens in regulation on the day but was eight for eight scrambling. “Then suddenly everybody started sort of coming back and that’s when, after I made the birdie on 15, I was like I have a chance to win this.”

Cejka, at one time tied at 14-under with Alker and Gonzalez, finished with a 70 that included bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes. Gonzalez struggled with all parts of his game on the back nine from errant drives to key missed putts but still posted a 71 with two birdies and three bogeys in his final six holes.

“I kind of hit the shots I wanted and went with them,” Alker said of the closing holes. “Yeah, just putting wasn’t — just didn’t make some putts I should have, the three-putt on 17 there. So felt fine, my long game felt good, just didn’t get it done.”

The crowd in the grandstands surrounding the 18th green gave a subdued reaction as Goosen sank the winning putt, not because they weren’t happy for him, but they were still trying to do the math of exactly what happened.

“I think he just won” one spectator said with the man standing next to him saying “Nope, it’s a playoff.”

But Goosen was the winner as he politely doffed his cap to the crowd before Rodriguez and Alker finished the hole.

Alker made seven straight pars to start his back nine and was tied for the lead at various points with Cejka, Gonzalez and defending champion David Toms. But as the other golfers fell back, Alker seemed in control of the tournament.

A birdie by Goosen on the 15th brought him to within one shot of the lead. Alker then three-putted the par-3 17th for a bogey, rolling a 30-foot putt downhill 10 feet past the cup and missing the putt coming back. Goosen managed to make a short, twisting putt on the hole for a par after finding a bunker off the tee.

“That little four-foot slider or whatever I had there too wasn’t an easy putt,” Goosen said of the par save. “Going down 18, I just thought birdie, birdie definitely to have a chance to win or in a playoff.”

Both golfers drove into the light rough to the right of the fairway, then hit approach shots into the water on the famed 18th with its island green. Goosen’s 4-iron shot from 231 yards to the flag never came close to hitting the green.

“I just completely thinned it,” Goosen said.

But Alker then chose to go for the green in two rather than lay up and reach the green in three. Alker’s 5-iron barely cleared the lake and bounced back into the water.

“It was just a really good solid 5-iron. I had a super lie, could almost hit driver off the lie in the semi-rough there, that’s how good the lie was,” Alker said. “If I hit rescue, then I flush it and it’s gone through the green. So just got a little high on the face, a little grassy. It got over. I kind of flew the front, but just got maybe a little unlucky.”

Goosen admitted he was surprised that Alker went for the green in two, not even watching Alker’s second shot and not knowing the ball had gone in the lake until he reached his own fourth shot.

Alker hit a poor chip from the front of the island green and two-putted from 30 feet for a bogey. Goosen managed a strong pitch shot to eight feet, then rolled in the putt for a par to close out Alker.

For Goosen, the former two-time U.S. Open champion on the regular tour, Sunday was his third PGA Champions Tour title and his first in two years. But the day had a frustrating feel to it as he grinded for pars in the middle of the round as the heaviest rain of the weekend hit the Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Goosen said the rain made the holes play longer, but he was still missing birdie chances.

“It rained hard but there wasn’t any wind which makes it a little easier,” Goosen said. “Yesterday a few showers, you’re walking like this (leaning forward). At least it was just coming straight down. I think it was a little bit easier playing in the rain today because there was no wind.”

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

Nelly Korda wins third straight LPGA start at 2024 Ford Championship

Nelly Korda wins third straight LPGA start at 2024 Ford Championship

GILBERT, Ariz. — Nelly Korda’s last win was seven days ago. Lexi Thompson’s winless streak spanned 1,696 days.

Korda was looking for a third win in her last three starts. Thompson was seeking to snap a winless streak of 77 tournaments, dating back to June 2019.

That contrast in styles served as the backdrop on the back nine Sunday at Seville Country Club, as the two American stars battled Hyo Joo Kim and Maja Stark as well as the cold and rain during the final round at the inaugural Ford Championship.

The four golfers were tied for the lead at 17 under after they all made the turn until Korda made a second straight birdie on the 13th hole, allowing her to pull ahead by a shot and hold the solo lead for the first time all week.

A few minutes later, Kim dropped out of contention after a costly four-putt on No. 11 that led to a double-bogey 6. Stark could only string together pars before carding a bogey on 16.

It briefly became a two-way battle between Thompson and Korda, with Thompson reclaiming a tie for the lead at 18 under after a birdie on the par-3 14th hole.

On 16, Korda reclaimed the solo lead once again after almost jarring her second shot on the driveable par 4, the ball bouncing three times before rolling just over the edge of the cup. She would make birdie to get to 19 under.

Hira Naveed joined the party late, as she went 4 under over a six-hole stretch from No. 12 through 17. The first LPGA player of Pakistani descent, Naveed was ranked 648th in the world coming in and finished at 18 under. But it wasn’t enough to threaten the lead of Korda.

Thompson’s run came to an end on the short par-4 16th. With driver in hand, she pushed her tee shot right and into a lake. She took a drop in the desert and then hit her third on the green but two putted for bogey. She then missed a short par putt on 17 for another bogey, and she was suddenly three back of Korda with one hole to go.

2024 Ford Championship

Lexi Thompson plays her shot from the fourth tee during the final round of the 2024 Ford Championship at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert, Arizona. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Korda closed out her day going up-and-down from just off the green on 18 for one final birdie, this one getting her to 20 under and with few pursuers left chasing, safely in the clubhouse.

She later hoisted the trophy to make it official. In the process she becomes the fifth American to win three times before April 1 and the first since 1980.

Since her last win, Thompson has four solo seconds and four ties for second but the winless streak will extend at least another week. With this win, Korda now has 11 victories, tying Thompson. Jane Geddes and Jiyai Shin also have 11 career wins, which is good for 31st all-time.

Lydia Ko came into the week one point away from clinching a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame. A win at the Ford would have given the 26-year-old the 27th and final point needed for entry. Ko tied for 11th at 15 under and a pair of 70s over the weekend.

Money talk

The total purse was $2.25 million after Ford signed on as the title sponsor and the Thunderbirds, who run the PGA Tour’s WM Phoenix Open, joined as a founding partner.

Korda earned a first-place check worth $337,500, pushing her career total to $9.86 million, good for 26th all-time in 131 starts.

A cold and rainy Sunday

Rain is generally a rare sight in the Valley of the Sun but there was plenty of rain, and cold, on Sunday for the LPGA’s sixth event on its 2024 calendar.

It had been since 1999 that the greater Phoenix area had an Easter Sunday with rain.

Tournament organizers decided to move up the final-round tee times by two hours in anticipation of inclement weather and some of that is peeking ahead on the schedule.

The Ford Championship is the second leg of a three-tournament West Coast swing for the LPGA, which next heads to Shadow Creek in Las Vegas for the T-Mobile Match Play, a five-day event that starts Wednesday.

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

2024 Texas Children's Houston Open Start Time Sunday, Tee Times, Pairings & ESPN+ Live Streaming Coverage

2024 Texas Children's Houston Open Start Time Sunday, Tee Times, Pairings & ESPN+ Live Streaming Coverage

After three rounds, Stephan Jaeger sits atop the leaderboard at -9 in the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

With a four-under 66 on Saturday in the third round, Jaeger is tied with Thomas Detry for the lead going into the final round.

We have what you need to know going into the fourth round of the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, including player tee times, plus TV and streaming info.

Watch the PGA Tour all season long without cable! Start watching now with a free trial to Fubo. And catch PGA Tour Live streaming, plus tons of other live sports and programming, with ESPN+.

Tee times and pairings

Time Players
10:20 AM ET
Martin Laird, Chan Kim, S.H. Kim
10:30 AM ET
Justin Lower, K.H. Lee, Sahith Theegala
10:40 AM ET
Lanto Griffin, Davis Thompson, Gary Woodland
10:50 AM ET
Matti Schmid, Davis Riley, Joe Highsmith
11:00 AM ET
Ryan Moore, Ben Silverman, Kurt Kitayama
11:10 AM ET
Mackenzie Hughes, Garrick Higgo, Si Woo Kim
11:20 AM ET
Harry Hall, Adam Svensson, Cam Davis
11:30 AM ET
Cameron Champ, Erik Barnes, Kevin Dougherty
11:40 AM ET
Alex Noren, Nate Lashley, Billy Horschel
11:50 AM ET
Victor Perez, Tom Hoge, Jacob Bridgeman
12:00 PM ET
Aaron Rai, Chad Ramey, Tony Finau
12:10 PM ET
Akshay Bhatia, Taylor Moore, Max Greyserman
12:20 PM ET
Thomas Detry, Alejandro Tosti, Nick Dunlap
12:30 PM ET
Scottie Scheffler, Stephan Jaeger, David Skinns

Hole 10

Time Players
10:20 AM ET
Callum Tarren, J.J. Spaun, Chandler Phillips
10:30 AM ET
Sam Stevens, Daniel Berger, Peter Malnati
10:40 AM ET
Pierceson Coody, William Furr, Ben Griffin
10:50 AM ET
Joseph Bramlett, Bud Cauley, Mark Hubbard
11:00 AM ET
Taylor Pendrith, Raul Pereda, Beau Hossler
11:10 AM ET
Wyndham Clark, Harrison Endycott, Roger Sloan
11:20 AM ET
Michael Kim, James Hahn, Chris Gotterup
11:30 AM ET
Will Zalatoris, Austin Cook, Nick Hardy
11:40 AM ET
Greyson Sigg, Andrew Novak, Scott Gutschewski
11:50 AM ET
Adam Long, Dylan Wu, Ryan Palmer
12:00 PM ET
Sam Ryder, Ryan Brehm, Jhonattan Vegas
12:10 PM ET
Emilio Gonzalez, Patrick Rodgers, Tyson Alexander
12:20 PM ET
Aaron Baddeley, Ryan Fox, Adrien Dumont De Chassart
12:30 PM ET
Vincent Norrman, Sam Bennett

Round 4 TV & streaming information

You can watch Golf Channel and more for free on Fubo. ESPN+ is the exclusive home for PGA Tour Live streaming.

  • Thursday Coverage: Golf Channel
  • Friday Coverage: Golf Channel
  • Saturday Coverage: Golf Channel, NBC
  • Sunday Coverage: Golf Channel
Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/1uvk0nQ

Ricardo Gonzalez shoots record 63 to seize Galleri Classic lead

Ricardo Gonzalez shoots record 63 to seize Galleri Classic lead

Six weeks ago, Ricardo Gonzalez was a solid senior golfer, but not even a full member of the PGA Tour Champions. On Sunday, Gonzalez will have a chance for his second win on the Champions tour.

A victory in February at the Trophy Hassan II earned Gonzalez full membership on the senior tour. In Saturday’s second round of the Galleri Classic, Gonzalez fired a remarkable 9-under 63 in the uncharacteristic rain, wind and cold of Rancho Mirage to take the lead of another PGA Tour Champions event.

“I played I think one of my best rounds on the tour, and so happy to make a (course) record,” Gonzalez said after breaking the Dinah Shore Tournament Course record of 65 set by several players in the inaugural Galleri Classic last year. “Played with two great men like Vijay (Singh) and Stephen Ames and enjoyed. Enjoy the key to make under par.”

Gonzalez enters Sunday’s final round of the senior event at 11-under 133, good for a one-shot lead over Steven Alker and Retief Goosen, who both again displayed strong play on the Shore Course.

The runner-up to David Toms in last year’s inaugural event, Alker shot a 68 on a day when the forecasted heavy rain never hit the Coachella Valley. Instead, temperatures hovered in the upper 50s and swirling winds made conditions colder and more difficult.

Goosen, third in last year’s event, also shot 68 with a 5-under 31 in some of the toughest conditions of the day on the back nine. With defending champion Toms tied for fourth at 8-under with Alex Cejka, the top three players from the 2023 tournament in Rancho Mirage are among the top five players entering Sunday’s final round of the $2.2 million event.

“What course was he playing?” Alker joked about Gonzalez’s round.

“I think he was first off, wasn’t he?” laughed Goosen. “Second group off, so he got lucky with the weather, yeah.”

Tee times for the final round will be moved up only slightly Sunday to 8:10 a.m. for the first groups off the first and 10th tee and the final group will start at 10:15 a.m.

A light rain started falling on the course about 20 minutes before the lead group of Goosen, Alker and Cejka teed off at 10:11 a.m. While there were bouts of harder rain and strong winds, Alker felt the day was playable.

“I was expecting the weather to be worse, to be honest,” Alker said. “I thought there was going to be no talking in the group, I thought it was just going to be head down and battle forward, but it wasn’t too bad. I think we got lucky.”

Big back nine for leaders

Goosen’s rally on the back nine started with an up-and-down birdie from a greenside bunker on the par-5 11th. He added a birdie at the 14th, then caught a break on the 15th hole.

“I got lucky on 15, I blocked it right and I hit a gap through the trees there and hit it to about five feet and made the putt, so that was a bit of a break,” Goosen said. “Yeah, 17 we both hit good shots, (Alker) just landed too far, went a little further past than me.”

Goosen rolled in a putt from the fringe for another birdie on the 17th, then added a 10-foot birdie on the par-5 18th to cap the round.

Alker’s round was less dramatic than Goosen’s, with five birdies scattered throughout the round and one bogey when he had a severe lip-out on par-3 17th. But Alker rallied with a long birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie Goosen for second place.

“We didn’t have the rain, the greens weren’t soft, you couldn’t throw it at it,” Goosen said. “So you’re adjusting for the wind and the bounce. So yeah, there were some adjustments today, but felt like had an amazing finish. I was kind of struggling there in the middle and then come back and made nice putts at the end so just going to make dinner taste a little bit better.”

Goosen and Alker will be paired together Sunday with Gonzalez, a player Goosen knows well from their playing days together on the DP World Tour.

“He’s always been a good ball striker and putting was always a little suspect,” Goosen said. “But he seemed to find his game and find his comfort out here. He’s playing really good golf.”

Gonzalez’s round included 10 birdies, five on each nine, and just one bogey. The round included a string of three birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes, holes that were playing into the cold, prevailing wind. The Argentine star kept the round special with saves of par on the par-3 17th and par-5 18th, especially a 10-foot par putt on the 17th after hitting his tee shot into a bunker behind the green.

“Yeah, yes, and 15, 14, 13,” Gonzalez laughed about his strong putting. “And 17 is special because try to not make bogeys. I make one bogey on the first nine holes (the par-3 eighth hole) and I say, no, come on, concentrate on that and make. But I have a great feeling today.”

Gonzalez credited much of his putting success – he ranked first in the field Saturday with 1.46 per hole – to his son and caddie, Santiago.

“I think Santiago’s 80 percent of my putting because he gives me good line and then when you have feeling you have the right line, everything’s possible,” he said.

Sunday’s final round is forecast to be warmer but with still a chance of rain through the morning.

“I like the course, I like the design and that’s why I’m feeling comfortable from the tee to green,” Gonzalez said. “Today the strawberry on the cake is the putter. It’s always when you make (putts) you can do low scores.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/1uvk0nQ

Defending champ David Toms conquers the cold, in contention again at Galleri Classic

Defending champ David Toms conquers the cold, in contention again at Galleri Classic

RANCHO MIRAGE, Cali. — Defending champion David Toms finished another successful round at the Galleri Classic on Saturday with a birdie on the 18th hole. He signed his scorecard and then put on a vest and a heavy coat over the light coat he was already wearing.

It was one of the coldest March 30ths in recent memory in Rancho Mirage, but the blustery conditions didn’t slow down Toms who parlayed seven birdies and two bogeys into a 5-under 67 to put him at 8-under for the tournament. He is tied for fourth, three strokes behind leader Ricardo Gonzalez. Toms’ 67 was the second-best round of the day in tricky conditions.

“It wasn’t terrible out there except for the fact that it’s just cold and our bodies don’t feel great when it’s cold, because all your little ailments feel a little bit worse,” Toms said, adding that he’s not usually a good bad-weather player. “I tend to struggle in cold and wet. I’ve got some arthritis issues and other stuff that flares up, but I hung in there good today. Hopefully, it will warm up a little bit tomorrow.”

The temperature on Saturday was in the mid to high 50s during play. Sunday’s projected high temperature is around 64 degrees with more rain possible.

But it seems like you could throw any weather at Toms on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club and he’d succeed. He’s now played five rounds at this event and is a total of 24-under — 65-70-65-68-67.

He said he’s not sure why he’s had so much success on this course, but he does feel comfortable here.

“I’m fairly patient out here and I feel comfortable with the greens as far as the reads. You don’t always hit a good putt, but I feel like I know where I need to go with the ball,” Toms said. “I know what holes I can attack and what holes I need to play conservative. I’ve had a pretty good game plan. You’ve still got to execute the shots and today was a tough day, but I got off to a good start which was the key.”

Toms birdied three of the first five holes, had two bogeys in the middle and then birdied four of his last six holes to skyrocket up the leaderboard and put himself in position to repeat.

He won the inaugural event last year with a wire-to-wire effort. It was his fourth victory on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, but he hasn’t won again since winning here.

Toms is looking up at three talented players — Gonzalez at 11-under and Steven Alker and Retief Goosen both at 10-under — ahead of him on the leaderboard, but he put himself in position to contend and that’s all he was hoping for with Saturday’s round.

“Obviously, there’s some guys up there that are playing some good golf, not just this week but here lately so their games are in good shape so I’ll have to go out and shoot a low round,” Toms said. “You never know, though. You get yourself in there on Sunday and you never know.”

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/1uvk0nQ

Low scores galore at LPGA's Ford Championship, including Hannah Green's under-the-weather 61

Low scores galore at LPGA's Ford Championship, including Hannah Green's under-the-weather 61

GILBERT, Ariz. - Peiyun Chien’s nickname is “Money” and it’s stamped on her leather yardage book. And money she was on Friday, shooting a bogey-free 7-under 65 to zoom up the leaderboard into first place at the inaugural Ford Championship.

Chien, however, was merely setting the table for low scores galore at Seville Golf and Country Club in this Phoenix suburb. Wide fairways are allowing players to be aggressive off the tee. Superb green conditions are leading to a lot of drained putts.

The cut came in at 5 under, which ties the lowest cut ever on the LPGA.

A few minutes after Chien left the media flash area, here came another 9-under 63, this one courtesy of local product Sarah Schmelzel, who was a member of three high school state championship teams at local powerhouse Xavier Prep. Her 63 was the first of Friday’s second round and third one of the week.

But as Lee Corso loves to say on ESPN’s GameDay: “Not so fast my friends.”

Another 63 was posted a short while later by Yuka Saso, who must like the Arizona desert, as she had an albatross in the Drive On Championship at nearby Superstition Mountain a year ago.

Here’s what else you need to know about Friday’s second round of the LPGA’s Ford Championship.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/s0aSrgM

Scottie Scheffler's under-par streak ends, Finau's course record highlight 2024 Houston Open second round takeaways

Scottie Scheffler's under-par streak ends, Finau's course record highlight 2024 Houston Open second round takeaways

HOUSTON - It was a gusty Friday at Memorial Park Golf Club.

Tall pines were swaying and the big oaks were rattling in the stiff breeze during the second round of the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open. On a day when scoring was hard to come by for most, it wasn’t for the defending champion.

Tony Finau had the round of the day by two shots, and he tied a tournament record for 18-hole scoring that he also tied in 2022 en route to his victory. Then there was Scottie Scheffler, who had a challenging day but looked to close strong until a blunder on the final green.

The two are in contention, but there are a host of others near the top of the leaderboard looking for their first PGA Tour victory, setting up a fun weekend in Houston.

Houston Open: Photos | Best merchandise

Here’s what you need to know from the second round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open:

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/s0aSrgM

Can a mom win on the LPGA for the first time since 2020? A local mom is in position at the Ford Championship

Can a mom win on the LPGA for the first time since 2020? A local mom is in position at the Ford Championship

GILBERT, Ariz. — The last mom to win on the LPGA was Stacy Lewis at the 2020 Scottish Open. This week, there are 10 mothers teeing it up in the Ford Championship, the seventh tournament on the LPGA’s 2024 schedule.

That includes Lindsey Weaver-Wright, who played high school golf in Cave Creek, Arizona, and completed her college career at the University of Arizona.

Weaver-Wright is playing in her first LPGA event since she became a mom to son Crew on Dec. 17. She opened her week with a bogey-free, 4-under 68 at Seville Golf and Country Club, which is hosting the inaugural Ford Championship

“I didn’t really know what to expect, so I just went into the whole week with very little expectation,” she said. “Got a lot going on in my mind right now. Yeah, Crew was just, it’s so funny just getting his texts from daycare, updates after the round. I just love it. My husband is updating me and he gets all the notifications, too.”

Her last shot in her last tournament before taking leave last October was a hole-out eagle.

PHOTOS: Ford Championship

Weaver-Wright trails co-leader Azahara Munoz of Spain, one of three to shoot an 8-under 64 on Thursday, along with Gabi Ruffels and Isi Gabsa.

Other moms playing this week include Sophia Popov and Caroline Masson, who played as a parent for the first time a week ago as well as Lewis, Brittany Lincicome, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Mel Reid and Hee Young Park.

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Y5FmCex

2024 Texas Children's Houston Open Friday tee times, TV and streaming info

2024 Texas Children's Houston Open Friday tee times, TV and streaming info

With the Florida Swing in the rearview mirror, the PGA Tour has left the Sunshine State and arrived deep in the heart of Texas for the first of two events in the Longhorn State.

Defending champion Tony Finau and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler highlight the field for this week’s 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. The event returns to the PGA Tour schedule after a hiatus in 2023 with a new title sponsor and $9.1 million up for grabs (with $1,638,000 going to the winner).

After 18 holes, Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr lead the way after 6-under 64s. Davis Riley, Joe Highsmith, and Scheffler are one behind at 5 under in a tie for third.

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s what you need to know for the second round of action at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open.

Tee times and pairings

1st hole

Time Players
8:20 a.m. Ben Taylor, Ryan Palmer, Michael Kim
8:31 a.m. Davis Thompson, Scott Gutschewski, Joseph Bramlett
8:42 a.m. Martin Trainer, Matti Schmid, Vince Whaley
8:53 a.m. Scott Stallings, Daniel Berger, J.B. Holmes
9:04 a.m. Davis Riley, Chad Ramey, Vincent Norrman
9:15 a.m. J.J. Spaun, Cameron Champ, Kurt Kitayama
9:26 a.m. Alex Smalley, Patrick Rodgers, Jimmy Walker
9:37 a.m. Jhonattan Vegas, Alex Noren, Adam Long
9:48 a.m. Chris Gotterup, Chandler Phillips, Hayden Springer
9:59 a.m. William Furr, Trace Crowe, Erik Barnes
10:10 a.m. Victor Perez, Harrison Endycott
10:21 a.m. Chan Kim, Blaine Hale
1:20 p.m. Richy Werenski, Bronson Burgoon, Garrick Higgo
1:31 p.m.. Harry Hall, Taylor Montgomery, Ryan Fox
1:42 p.m. Chesson Hadley, Cam Davis, Aaron Rai
1:53 p.m. Peter Malnati, Scottie Scheffler, Will Zalatoris
2:04 p.m. Jake Knapp, Adam Svensson, Akshay Bhatia
2:15 p.m. Nick Dunlap, K.H. Lee, Luke List
2:26 p.m. Mark Hubbard, Ben Griffin, Tyler Duncan
2:37 p.m. Sung Kang, Taylor Pendrith, S.H. Kim
2:48 p.m. Joel Dahmen, Kevin Chappell, Lanto Griffin
2:59 p.m. Ryan McCormick, Cole Hammer, McClure Meissner
3:10 p.m. Sam Bennett, Tom Whitney, David Skinns
3:21 p.m. Joe Highsmith, Thorbjørn Olesen, Dawie van der Walt

10th hole

Time Players
8:20 a.m. Bud Cauley, David Lipsky, Roger Sloan
8:31 a.m. Carl Yuan, Justin Suh, Henrik Norlander
8:42 a.m. Patton Kizzire, Ryan Moore, Callum Tarren
8:53 a.m. Si Woo Kim, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau
9:04 a.m. Sahith Theegala, Padraig Harrington, Jason Day
9:15 a.m. Mackenzie Hughes, Billy Horschel, Tom Hoge
9:26 a.m. Hayden Buckley, Robby Shelton, Tyson Alexander
9:37 a.m. Nate Lashley, Sam Ryder, Zac Blair
9:48 a.m. Ben Silverman, Paul Barjon, Kris Ventura
9:59 a.m. Nicholas Lindheim, Adrien Dumont De Chassart, Kevin Dougherty
10:10 a.m. Robert MacIntyre, Rafael Campos, Raul Pereda
10:21 a.m. Richard Hoey, Rhein Gibson, Jorge Campillo
1:20 p.m. Beau Hossler, Stephan Jaeger, Carson Young
1:31 p.m. Aaron Baddeley, Dylan Wu, Josh Teater
1:42 p.m. Justin Lower, Sam Stevens, James Hahn
1:53 p.m. Taylor Moore, Chez Reavie, Nick Hardy
2:04 p.m. Kevin Kisner, Ryan Brehm, Stewart Cink
2:15 p.m. Gary Woodland, Matt Wallace, Brandt Snedeker
2:26 PM ET Matthew NeSmith, Martin Laird, Austin Cook
2:37 p.m. Greyson Sigg, Doug Ghim, Keith Mitchell
2:48 p.m. Andrew Novak, Brandon Wu, Thomas Detry
2:59 p.m. Jacob Bridgeman, Parker Coody, Pierceson Coody
3:10 p.m. Max Greyserman, Patrick Fishburn, Norman Xiong
3:21 p.m. Jesse Droemer, Alexander Björk, Alejandro Tosti

 

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/Y5FmCex

Masters Survey 2024: The coolest thing about the Masters is _____?

Masters Survey 2024: The coolest thing about the Masters is _____?

Filling in the blank to “the coolest thing about the Masters is” qualifies as an all-time softball question but here’s the thing: it made pros past and present who have played in the first major of the year stop and think and consider the world of possibilities. That’s pretty cool.

It’s such an open-ended question that it allowed players to go in a variety of directions and so the answers run the gamut. Steve Stricker said that now that he’s not been in the field the last few years he fully appreciates how great a week it is just to be a contestant, but best answer of this bunch has got to be Matt Kuchar, who summed it up pretty well when he said, “There's nothing like making that turn on to Magnolia Lane. I get goose bumps every time. That turn down Magnolia Lane is like coming down the stairs as a kid at Christmas. You just know something awesome is around the corner.”

So are the rest of these answers below.

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

Q&A: Jim Mackay dishes on how he became host of 'Playing Lessons,' the one person who doesn't call him 'Bones' and the best swing in golf

Q&A: Jim Mackay dishes on how he became host of 'Playing Lessons,' the one person who doesn't call him 'Bones' and the best swing in golf

Jim “Bones” Mackay was in Florida last week carrying someone else’s bag in front of the TV cameras. Only this wasn’t a tournament, and Mackay wasn’t working as a caddie. For several seasons now, Mackay has been host of the “Playing Lessons” series now on NBC Sports Next’s GolfPass. Last week’s show, which will be released later in the year ahead of the Paris Olympics, featured major champion Celine Boutier as the featured pro.

Other pros who have walked the fairways with Bones for the series include Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Sophia Popov, Keegan Bradley, Patty Tavatanakit and Patrick Cantlay.

Golfweek caught up with Mackay at ChampionsGate to talk about his role in television. While he’s currently caddying for Justin Thomas, Mackay did recently work as lead analyst for a PGA Tour telecast. He’ll also be an on-course reporter for next week’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur on NBC.

Here are excepts from that conversation:

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

Check out these 16 items from up-and-coming golf apparel brands in 2024

Check out these 16 items from up-and-coming golf apparel brands in 2024

There are endless big-name brands in golf -- think Titleist, Callaway and TaylorMade -- but there are also plenty of up-and-coming companies that should be on your radar.

For example, Malbon Golf has been around the game for years, but they hit mainstream success in 2024 when they signed the PGA Tour’s Jason Day and the LPGA’s Charley Hull to apparel deals.

So to make sure you’re up to date with the small brands around the game, we’ve created a list of apparel items from brands like B. Draddy, State & Liberty, RSVLTS and more.

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

Texas Children's Houston Open TV coverage: How to stream or watch S.H. Kim | March 28-31

Texas Children's Houston Open TV coverage: How to stream or watch S.H. Kim | March 28-31

The 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, which is scheduled for March 28-31 at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas, is a par-70, 7,435-yard tournament that will feature a wide range of participants, including S.H. Kim.

Kim has competed in 27 tournaments in the past year. His best finish was second, and his average finish was 39th, with one top 10.

Keep reading for all the information you need to know about Kim before the the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, including how to catch the action live on TV or via live stream.

Texas Children’s Houston Open TV channel and live stream info

  • Date: March 28-31, 2024
  • Thursday Coverage: Golf Channel
  • Friday Coverage: Golf Channel
  • Saturday Coverage: Golf Channel, NBC
  • Sunday Coverage: Golf Channel
  • Location: Houston, Texas
  • Course: Memorial Park Golf Course
  • Live Stream on Fubo: Start your free trial today!

Texas Children’s Houston Open coverage on Fubo and ESPN+

Want to watch the PGA Tour all season long, including featured groups of the biggest names in golf, live feeds of the most famous holes on Tour, plus tons of awesome golf films from the history of the sport? Sign up for ESPN+ to access PGA Tour Live! You can also sign up for a free trial of Fubo and catch all the nationally televised Tour action, plus plenty of other live sports, shows and news from your favorite cable channels.

S.H. Kim stats and recent trends

  • In his last five events, Kim has an average finish of 64th.
  • In the last five times he’s played a tournament, he has made the cut twice.
  • Kim hasn’t finished inside the top 20 in his last five events, with an average finish of 64th.
  • He has an average score of +2 across his last five events.

S.H. Kim at the Texas Children’s Houston Open

  • Courses on the Tour have played at an average length of 6,975 yards over the past year. This week will take place on a par 70 that clocks in at 7,435 yards, 460 yards longer than average.
  • Memorial Park Golf Course has seen an average tournament score of -1 recently, which is higher than the Tour scoring average of -5 across all courses over the past year.
  • The average course Kim has played over the past year has been 144 yards shorter than the 7,435 yards Memorial Park Golf Course will measure for this event.
  • Over the past year, the events he’s played have a scoring average of -7 among finishers, which is lower than the -1 average at this course.
  • Kim finished 47th when he last played this event in 2022.
  • He finished one round within five shots of the leader his last time here.

Want to make sure you don’t miss Kim in action at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open? Sign up for Fubo and get live sports and shows, without cable!

Source: Golfweek https://ift.tt/rtOc7Yu

Masters survey 2024: We asked Rickie, JT, Willy Z and more for their best stories at Augusta National NOT during Masters week

Masters survey 2024: We asked Rickie, JT, Willy Z and more for their best stories at Augusta National NOT during Masters week

It’s a tradition unlike any other - going to Augusta National Golf Club in the months leading up to the Masters on a scouting trip or for a buddies’ get together or maybe a member invites you along and who could say no to that? It’s become an annual social media rite the last few years to track Tiger’s private plane to see if he’s dipping in to test the legs on Augusta’s slopey hills.

Playing in the Masters is to check a box in the lifetime achievements category as a touring pro but to have the ability to simply go play the course as an invited guest in the lead up to the Masters when there are no patrons or ropes or a Green Jacket on the line is a thrill in its own right.

We asked competitors past and present to share their favorite story from some of those trips that didn’t happen during Masters week and the pros didn’t let us down.

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

Best golf shirts and polos for 2024

Best golf shirts and polos for 2024

Warm days on the golf course are right around the corner and that means you need to make sure your wardrobe is full with new apparel. From shirts and shorts to pants and hats, we’ll be releasing dozens of lists in the coming months covering every corner of the game.

Today we have 20 of the best polos and golf shirts on the market, featuring some iconic athletic equipment brands like Nike and Adidas, luxury apparel brands like Peter Millar and Ralph Lauren, and some up-and-coming brands like Player 2, State & Liberty and Extracurricular.

If you’re interested in our 2024 Golfweek’s Best apparel and equipment lists, check out the following:
Best golf hats | Best golf pants | Best golf belts | Best golf bags | Best golf balls

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

Justin Thomas appears on The Late Show and tells an epic Michael Jordan money-game story

Justin Thomas appears on The Late Show and tells an epic Michael Jordan money-game story

If you had Justin Thomas following retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday night on your Bingo card, you win by default.

But such was the case as the two-time winner of the PGA Championship appeared on the late-night talk show from New York City (he also hit up the Knicks game at Madison Square Garden with his wife and enjoyed floor seats) and told one heckuva story about that time he played a money match at age 15 with NBA great Michael Jordan.

“MJ used to,” Thomas began.

“Oh, MJ,” Colbert interjected.

“I feel like there’s a handful of people in the world that you can call them by their nickname and everyone knows who that is and I’m putting MJ in that category,” Thomas said.

“Sure, Michael Jackson,” Colbert deadpanned.

“Yeah, good point,” Thomas said.

On to the story in which Thomas began recalling how Jordan would always come to the Kentucky Derby and want to play golf. Jordan would ring up former NBA pro Junior Bridgeman to set up a game at the course where Thomas’s father, Mike, was the head professional, near Louisville.

The first couple of years Thomas served as a caddie in the group, but in the third year Jordan told Thomas, who he called Little Man, to go get his clubs so he could play the last seven holes as his partner.

“He knew I played golf but he didn’t know that I was decent and nobody else definitely had any idea,” Thomas said.

Colbert asked if he put any pressure on him. “No, I just felt pressure playing with Michael Jordan. He was like, ‘Alright, I’ve got him.’ ”

How did Thomas do, Colbert wondered?

“I made four birdies in seven holes and helped pay for my first car,” Thomas said.

That led to Colbert questioning about the stakes.

“I didn’t know the amount,” Thomas said. “He said to everybody don’t tell him what we’re playing for because he might…”

“Freak out,” Colbert interjected.

“Sure, something like that,” Thomas said. “I won 3-4 grand. The assistant at the time was helping get stuff together and everyone came in from 36 holes and my dad’s like giving me a hard time. ‘You need to tip him.’ I’m like, ‘Tip who?’ He said, ‘Matt, the assistant.’ ”

All Thomas had was $100 bills from winning his match so he gave him one.

“My dad was like, ‘I can believe you just tipped him $100.’ That’s all I had,” Thomas said.

JT, what a legend.

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

Photos: Group led by Ben Crenshaw raises another $1M for Texas muni course; will it be enough?

Photos: Group led by Ben Crenshaw raises another $1M for Texas muni course; will it be enough?

AUSTIN, Texas — Ben Crenshaw has worked on golf courses all over the globe, first as a two-time Masters champ and PGA Tour star and now as part of the illustrious Coore & Crenshaw golf course design team.

But one of the courses he’s worked hardest on, Lions Municipal Golf Course in this Texas capital city, still hasn’t seen the outcome he’s been hoping for.

On Sunday, Crenshaw and a cavalcade of stars were on hand at Austin City Limits’ Moody Theater, raising money as the Muny Conservancy attempts to purchase or lease the land and maintain it as a golf course and greenspace.

The land on which Muny sits is part of the 500 acres known as the Brackenridge Tract, all owned by the University of Texas. The course is considered the first fully desegregated municipal course south of the Mason-Dixon line and the city has leased 140 acres for Muny since 1936, paying UT about $500,000 a year. If the parties don’t come to an understanding, the university could be free to lease the property to another entity, develop it or sell it.

On Sunday, the group raised another $1 million for the cause, marking the third straight year the gala could be considered a major success. Musical talent included Asleep at the Wheel lead singer and Save Muny Board Member Ray Benson, Larry Gatlin, Jimmie Vaughan, and Gary P. Nunn.

But those on hand admitted some frustration as talks continue to lag, and university officials have done little to show which direction they might be leaning with the property.

“We’re hoping for a long-term resolution. We’d love to have a long-term lease,” Crenshaw said while flanked by his wife, Julie. “The city and the university need to get together somehow. And we need to extend it. It’s a hundred years, 100 years of success in our town. It’s not only a golf course, but it’s a great space. We’re growing so fast. In this town, we’re losing space rapidly. So it’s a multi-pronged asset. To me, it’s the health and vibrancy of the community. Because I think it raises good people.”

Among others on hand was actor Kyle Chandler of “Friday Night Lights” fame. Chandler has long been an advocate of the cause and he lives in Austin, where he has been known to play Lions with Crenshaw, his longtime manager and friend Scotty Sayers and others.

Chandler is hoping the fundraising and visibility will be enough to dissuade university officials from making a poor decision, but he’s also surprised this has carried on as long as it has.

“I’m always kind of shocked that it’s even an issue that this piece of property, this land, this piece of history would be an error on a piece of paper erased from the community,” Chandler said. “That is what it is. It’s community. It’s family. It is the history. It means a lot to people.

“And hopefully, the people involved in making these decisions can be a lot smarter than expecting people, 20 years from now saying, ‘Man these strip malls are absolutely gorgeous, I hope they last another 80 years.'”

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