News

Morning 9: Tiger to play Genesis | ANWA field highlights | Caddie recovery zone

Published

5 hours ago

Feb 8, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the WM Phoenix Open gets underway.

1. Woods to play Genesis

ESPN report…”Tiger Woods has committed to next week’s Genesis Invitational for his first competitive rounds in 2024.”

“Woods announced on social media Wednesday that he would play in the tournament that he hosts and benefits his TGR Foundation.”

“Excited to be a playing host next week,” Woods wrote.

Full piece.

2. “Advisers could face 20 years in Saudi Arabia prison if they comply with U.S. investigation”

That’s the headline in Tim Schmitt’s Golfweek item…”the Kingdom has threatened to imprison not only bankers but also consultants it has worked with if they choose to cooperate with the United States government as it continues to investigate the agreement. Back in November, the PIF sued its advisers in Saudi court to block any submission of information to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.”

“Both the Department of Justice and U.S. Senate have held a keen interest in the talks between the Tour and PIF, the financial backers of LIV Golf, over the last seven months. On Feb. 6, the committee held a hearing in Washington, D.C., that featured PIF consultants Paul Keary (Teneo Strategy), Michael Klein (M. Klein & Co.), Rich Lesser (Boston Consulting Group) and Bob Sternfels (McKinsey).”

Full piece.

3. Cam Smith on LIV decision

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking with The Daily Mail prior to his start at LIV Las Vegas, Cam Smith called joining LIV “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made”.

“I’m so happy… 14 events out here, four majors, a couple of events at home where I can give back to the fans there, and that’s me. I feel like there’s a lot of time there to become a better golfer.”

Full piece.

4. Rahm: “When they slap you with a large amount of money in your face, your feelings do change”

ESPN report…”But he now concedes that the money being offered was hard to turn down and the fact that he is guaranteed to be able to play in the Masters helped make up his mind.”

“Winning the Masters was a huge step towards maybe thinking about it,” Rahm told Golf.com’s Breakthrough. “Being exempt from majors, knowing that most likely you can play the Masters for life and the U.S. Open at least until 2031, you know, I’m set with two of those, right, so it was a big determining factor.”

Rahm reportedly received more than $300 million to join LIV Golf, and while he says he meant what he said in 2022 that he was already wealthy enough to enjoy a great lifestyle, the sums being offered eventually were too tempting.

“When I said that, I fully meant it and it was true. Now, when they slap you with a large amount of money in your face, your feelings do change,” Rahm said. “I try not to be a materialistic person, but I do owe it to my family as well to set them up for success the best I can, and having kids I think changed that quite a bit. So the money is a part of it, I’m not going to lie.”

Full piece.

5. Olazabal

James Corrigan for the Telegraph…”Jon Rahm has been told by fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal that “actions must have consequences”. Olazabal has also speculated that if the two-time major winner is ineligible for the Ryder Cup then Europe could still be competitive.”

…”Yet Olazabal, the former captain, who Rahm admits has had an influence on his career, is not as certain. “I respect everyone who has gone to LIV Golf,” Olazabal told the Golf sin Etiquetas podcast. “The other part that bothers me is that if you make a decision, it must have consequences. You can’t expect to have the same rights as PGA Tour and DP World Tour players.”

“As for changing the rules for Ryder Cup Europe… I don’t know what to tell you. If you miss players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, you could be left naked for one or two Ryder Cups. And? What if you suddenly get three Ludvig Abergs, the Hjogaard [twins]? Turns out we might be able to compete.”

Full piece.

6. ANWA field highlights

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”This year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur is the strongest ever.”

“Each of the top 43 eligible amateurs in the final World Amateur Golf Ranking of 2023 have accepted invitations to compete in the fifth edition of the premier women’s amateur event, which will be played April 3-6 at both Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, and Champions Retreat Golf Club in nearby Evans, Georgia.”

“Among this year’s participants are two past champions, Tsubasa Kajitani (2021) and Anna Davis (2022), as well as world No. 1 amateur Ingrid Lindblad, who will be making her fourth career start after top-3 finishes in 2021 and 2022.”

Full Piece.

7. Colt Knost trading in mic for caddie gig at WMPO

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Taylor Montgomery must like his gravy lumpy because he has chosen Colt Knost to be his caddie this week at the WM Phoenix Open.”

“Knost, known as The Big Gravy, was a tour pro of nearly 15 seasons before retiring and becoming one of the best TV foot soldiers for CBS and host of the popular podcast “Golf’s Subpar.” Asked whether he lost a bet, Knost texted, “Haha no. I’ve known Taylor since he was in college. Just trying to help the kid out.”

Full Piece.

8. Caddie recovery zone

Golf Digest’s Luke Kerr-Dineen…”The wear-and-tear that caddies go through isn’t something we think about often. But this week at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, caddies will get something of a helping hand in the form of a caddie recovery zone. The designated recovery zone is a portion of the clubhouse decked out with a slate of Hyperice products, from Normatec Leg Compression boots to the Hypervolt Massage Gun. Those have become go-to products for the tour players they loop during their intensive post-round recovery routines.

Full Piece.

9. WMPO photos

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Greenest Show on Grass AKA the biggest party on the PGA Tour — the WM Phoenix Open.

General galleries, abundant WITBs, and, of course, limited-edition WMPO-inspired swag are all assembled for your viewing pleasure below.

Full Piece.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Putters Aplenty: Flatsticks in focus at the WM Phoenix Open

Published

2 hours ago

Feb 8, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

This week was a great week for putters. Heck, Michael Phelps and Zac Blair’s custom Camerons established that fact by themselves. But there were plenty of other interesting flatsticks on display.

You never know exactly what you are going to get with the equipment photos from a PGA Tour event. Depending on who is where when, field size, what’s happening in the product release calendar, where the event is in the season, and of course, the weather, there are numerous variables at play.

One thing that’s a relative constant, however, is WM Phoenix Open week is a good week for gear photos. And this year was no different. We’ve already rounded up all of our photos in a table of contents here and our Tour Reporter, Andrew Tursky has provided a curation of his favorite shots with context only he can deliver.

Hence, another edition of Putters Aplenty.

Ryo Hisatsune

According to our always-in-the-know tour photographer, Hisatsune purchased this putter off the Scotty Cameron Gallery website. One of us!

Ben Taylor

The LSU alum does his work on the greens with a Scotty Cameron T-11 Proto putter with a SuperStroke 3.0 XL grip.

Garrick Higgo

Left-hander Garrick Higgo utilizes the new L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter, a TPT putter shaft, a SuperStroke Pistol GT 1.0 grip.

Billy Horschel

Billy Ho is putting in Phoenix with a PLD Anser with tungsten plugs in the heel and toe of the putter for added stability.

Michael Phelps

A custom Cameron fit for the king of gold medals! Phelps told our Andrew Tursky that the flatstick was too beautiful to putt with and he wanted to hang it on a wall. Cameron told Phelps he better use it!

Lanto Griffin

Griffin continues to roll it with his Sik Flo C putter.

Zac Blair

Leader in the clubhouse for most interesting putter this week, Zac Blair, a certifiably Cameron crazy, arrived in Phoenix with this custom Circle L Cam with a Tiffany Blue paintfill. Our Brian Knudson wrote about the putter here.

Sungjae Im

Long-time Scotty Cameron user Sungjae Im has upgraded into a new T-5.5 putter with a single siteline.

Charley Hoffman

The WM sponsee remains loyal to his T-8 Prototype Cameron with unique alignment markings on an equally unique crown.

Adriene Dumont de Chassart

The Belgian represents the Odyssey contingent this week with his new Ai-One #7 putter.

Check out more in-hand photos of putters from the WM Phoenix Open in our galleries here.

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News

Morning 9: LIV ratings | Tiger teases announcement | Rory to defend Scottish Open

Published

1 day ago

Feb 7, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for the WM Phoenix Open.

1. LIV ratings

Tim Schmitt for Golfweek…”…despite the impressive leaderboard, the cancellation of the final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and no NFL playoffs on the schedule, LIV Golf’s event still drew a rating well below that of the PGA Tour, according to Sports TV Ratings.”

“Although the head-to-head numbers on Saturday were strongly in favor of the PGA Tour (168K to 1.91M), the Sunday number for LIV Golf did show a significant year-over-year improvement.”

“LIV’s first event in 2023 received 291K viewers on Sunday, according to Josh Carpenter of the Sports Business Journal. The 2023 Honda Classic, on the other hand, reeled in 2.38 million.”

“The numbers do not include streaming, which is available on LIV Golf Plus as well as via a pay-per-view YouTube option.”

Full piece.

2. JT: PGA Tour can’t take LIV pros back easily

Josh Weinfuss for ESPN…”Justin Thomas doesn’t believe PGA Tour golfers who defected to the LIV Golf League should be allowed to easily return to the PGA Tour.”

His comments came a week after Rory McIlroy said the opposite, that PGA Tour golfers who joined LIV should be allowed to return to the PGA Tour because “it’s hard to punish people.”

“I would say that there’s a handful of players on LIV that would make the tour a better place, but I’m definitely not in the agreement that they should just be able to come back that easily,” Thomas said Tuesday, two days before the WM Phoenix Open kicks off at the TPC Scottsdale.

“I think there’s a lot of us that made sacrifices and were very — whether it’s true to our word or what we believe in or just didn’t make that decision, and I totally understand that things are changing and things are getting better, but it just would — I would have a hard time with it, and I think a lot of guys would have a hard time with it, and I’m sure we don’t need to convince you why we would have a hard time with it.”

Full piece.

3. McIlroy to defend Scottish Open

ESPN report…”Rory McIlroy confirmed he will defend his Scottish Open title at The Renaissance Club from July 11-14 ahead of The 152nd Open the following week.”

“McIlroy, 34, birdied the final two holes last year to edge Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre by a shot and claim his first Scottish Open title. That also made him the first player to win the Scottish Open, Irish Open and The Open.”

“It was special to win the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time last season,” McIlroy said. “Winning a national open is always notable, and to do it in the home of golf, with such great support from the Scottish fans, made it a memorable week.”

Full piece.

4. Rahm still eyeing PGA Tour comeback

ESPN Report…”Jon Rahm on Tuesday lamented missing out on recent PGA Tour events at Torrey Pines and Palm Springs, but he is hopeful that he can compete in those events down the road and doesn’t regret his decision to jump to the LIV Golf League.”

“I’m hoping that in the near future I can be back playing some of those events,” Rahm told reporters Tuesday at Las Vegas Country Club, the site of this week’s LIV Golf event. “I would certainly love to go back and play some of them.

Full piece.

5. Interpret Tiger’s tweet

6. Rahm ’emotional’ to miss West Coast events

Elvin Priest for GolfDigest…”The 29-year-old’s affinity for the West Coast Swing comes from the fact he played college golf at Arizona State, captured his first PGA Tour title (2017 Farmers) and first major (2021 U.S. Open) at Torrey Pines, proposed to wife Kelley in the La Jolla area of San Diego and won the American Express twice (2018, 2023).”

“I’ve explained so many times how important Torrey is for me,” Rahm said. “Driving by [TPC Scottsdale, near where Rahm lives] as often as I had to and knowing that I wasn’t going to play there, it’s definitely emotional. That’s one of the things that I’m going to miss.

“I’m hoping in the near future I can be back playing some of those events. I would certainly love to go back and play some of them.”

Full Piece.

7. WMPO photos

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Greenest Show on Grass AKA the biggest party on the PGA Tour — the WM Phoenix Open.

General galleries, abundant WITBs, and, of course, limited-edition WMPO-inspired swag are all assembled for your viewing pleasure below.

Full Piece.

8. Who our betting expert likes this week

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Justin Thomas +1400 (DraftKings)…Justin Thomas has been on fire to kick off his 2024 season. He finished 3rd at the American Express and put another great week together at Pebble Beach, finishing in a tie for 6th. Now he will be heading to a course that he absolutely loves in search of his first victory since the 2022 PGA Championship.

Thomas has played some great golf at TPC Scottsdale. He finished 4th at the course last year and 8th in 2022, gaining 7.1 strokes on approach, which was second in the field behind only Bubba Watson. Additionally, Thomas has third place finishes in both 2019 and 2020 as well as a 13th place finish in 2021.

The Waste Management Phoenix Open is an event I’ve always thought Justin Thomas was destined to win. As we’ve seen at both the Ryder Cup and the President’s Cup, “JT” is a player who thrives off of energy from the crowd, and he’ll certainly get his fair share of that this week in Scottsdale.

Full Piece.

9. Donald: No judgment of Rahm or Hatton

Ronan MacNamara for Irish Golfer…”Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald says nobody from Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team last year is judging Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton for joining LIV Golf this season.”

“Last week, Hatton became the latest. high-profile name to move to the Saudi backed tour alongside record signing Rahm and DP World Tour player of the year, Adrian Meronk.

“We still have a group WhatsApp chat, and we’re all participating in that chat that we created for Rome,” explained Donald ahead of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

“There’s nothing adverse or anything within that chat. Everyone understands each individual wants to do the best for themselves, and I don’t think anyone is judging Tyrrell or Jon’s decision.