Monthly Archives: September 2019
The First Look: Sanderson Farms Championship
It was just Cameron Champ’s second event as a full-fledged PGA TOUR member, but it was a memorable one. After birding five of his final six holes, Champ, then 23, won last year’s Sanderson Farms Championship by four shots over Corey Conners.
This year the Sanderson Farms Championship – held at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi — offers full FedExCup points (500 to the winner) for the first time.
FIELD NOTES: Past champions other than Champ playing this week include Ryan Armour, Peter Malnati, Nick Taylor, Scott Stallings, D.J. Trahan, and Chad Campbell. … Recently named Rookie of the Year Sungjae Im will be in the field. Im also is the highest-ranked golfer from last year’s FedExCup standings playing in Jackson. … A plethora of rookies will be making their second starts as PGA TOUR members, led by Scottie Scheffler who topped both the Korn Ferry Tour season-long points list and the Korn Ferry Tour Finals points List. … Four major champions in the field — Jimmy Walker, Jason Dufner, Stewart Cink, and U.S. Team Presidents Cup assistant Zach Johnson. … Three Canadians – the most of any nationality other than American – have won the Sanderson Farms Championship (and nearly a fourth, Corey Conners, did it a year ago), and there will be five in the field this week including Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, David Hearn, Michael Gligic, and 2014 winner Nick Taylor.
FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points
COURSE: Country Club of Jackson; 7,421 yards; par 72. The Country Club of Jackson will be hosting the Sanderson Farms Championship for the sixth time.
STORYLINES: The Sanderson Farms Championship has long been played opposite of an event on the PGA TOUR, but this year it got its own week on the schedule and will offer full FedExCup points … Six of the past seven Sanderson Farms Championship victors have been first-time winners on the PGA TOUR. … Chez Reavie, who was 14th on U.S. Presidents Cup points prior to the cut-off time, will be among those in the field as he looks for a captain’s pick. … Champ had three top-10 finishes a year ago, and all three came in the fall – including his win in Mississippi. He earned 81.5% of his FedExCup points in the five events he played last fall, proving the importance of a fast start.
72-HOLE RECORD: 263, Dan Halldorson (1986 at Hattiesburg GC). CC of Jackson record: 267, Cameron Champ (2018)
18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Keith Clearwater (2nd round, 1996 at Annandale GC). CC of Jackson record: 62, Roberto Castro (1st round, 2015).
LAST TIME: Talk about getting off to a quick start. In just his second start as a member of the PGA TOUR – after earning a spot via The 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour – Champ shot a 21-under 267 a year ago, setting the scoring record at the Sanderson Farms Championship en route to winning for the first time on the TOUR. Champ, who nearly returned to college (if he didn’t get through second stage of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School he would have gone back to Texas A&M for his senior season), instead of turning professional, got off to a heck of a start last fall. Champ took apart the Country Club of Jackson with his impressive length (he led the tournament in distance, with more than 308 yards per pop). Corey Conners remained tied with Champ until the 13th hole on Sunday before Champ reeled off five birdies in his final six holes, eventually winning by four shots. Carlos Ortiz and fellow 2018-19 rookie Sam Burns finished tied for third.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Television: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel).
PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. ET (featured groups)
Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio)
PGA REACH partners with Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and Workday to positively impact lives in the Bay Area and beyond
MCDONALD TO REPLACE LEWIS ON 2019 U.S. SOLHEIM CUP TEAM
GLENEAGLES, Perthshire, Scotland (Sept. 10, 2019) – U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Juli Inkster announced Tuesday that Stacy Lewis has withdrawn from the 2019 USA Team due to a back injury. Ally McDonald, who was named as the first alternate when the team was finalized on Aug. 25, will replace her on Team USA and is already on site at Gleneagles.
“Stacy is one of the fiercest competitors I have ever met. I know this was an incredibly tough decision for her, but she also has the team’s best interests at heart,” said Inkster. “Stacy will stay with Team USA over the next week and will still be an incredible asset to our crew. But when I had to choose an alternate, I knew Ally would be able to step up for the challenge. She’s got a cool head but a fiery spirit. I know she’ll bring her best to Team USA.”
Lewis was named to Team USA as one of Inkster’s two captain’s picks. The four-time Solheim Cup veteran has been struggling with a back injury for the last week.
“I’m extremely disappointed not to be able to play. I’m a competitor and I want to play, but I had a back injury flare up last week,” said Lewis. “I’ve done everything I could possibly do over the last week to be ready to play. For my health and what I feel is in the best interest of the team, I decided to take myself out. I will take a different role with the team and will do whatever I can to help Team USA bring the Cup home.”
McDonald, in her fourth year on the LPGA Tour, will make her Solheim Cup debut in Scotland. Over the two-year qualifying period (the 2017 CP Women’s Open to the 2019 CP Women’s Open), McDonald has 15 top-20 finishes, including at three majors in 2019. She has previous team experience at the 2014 Curtis Cup, where she partnered with Team USA’s Annie Park for a 4-and-3 fourball victory over Bronte Law, who is representing Europe at the Solheim Cup, and Charlotte Thomas.
“I didn’t want to make the team this way, but when Juli told me what was going on with Stacy, I was ready to step into either role, if that was being here and being part of the experience or being ready to tee it up,” said McDonald. “It was just mentally preparing for either scenario. I’m obviously very excited to play. This was a goal of mine to play on this team.”
Inkster and Lewis will be available in the media center’s interview room at 3 p.m., with McDonald available at 3:30 p.m. alongside teammates Morgan Pressel, Angel Yin and Marina Alex.
TICKETS FORE CHARITY™ RETURNS TO 2019 CHARLES SCHWAB CUP CHAMPIONSHIP
PHOENIX – The TICKETS Fore CHARITY™ (TFC) program returns to the 2019 Charles Schwab Cup Championship, which continues to have a central focus in generating revenue for local charities in the Scottsdale-Phoenix area. TFC provides non-profit organizations with the ability to raise funds through the sale of tournament tickets, with 100 percent of proceeds going to charity. The Charles Schwab Cup Championship, the third and final event in the annual Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, will return to Phoenix Country Club the week of November 6-10, 2019.
“The impact this program has made for organizations in this community speaks for itself,” said Executive Director Tiffany Nelson. “At the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, we pride ourselves on the ability to use the game of golf as a conduit to give back locally and we continue to encourage non-profits to sign up so that we can continue building on the already proven success this program has demonstrated.”
Since its 2010 debut, the TFC program has raised over $1.2 million and most recently, the 2018 program raised $401,270. There is no sign-up fee or cost to the organization to be involved in the TICKETS Fore CHARITY™ program and allows 100 percent of the net proceeds for each ticket sold through manual orders or online purchases to benefit the Scottsdale-Phoenix area non-profits that participate. Once registered, each organization will receive a complimentary flyer, poster, and postcard to use for ticket sale promotion.
Following the completion of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Charles Schwab Co., will donate an additional $20,000 among the three highest selling non-profit organizations as follows: (1st) $12,000, (2nd) $6,000, (3rd) $2,000.
While on-site, families are encouraged to venture out to the Fan Zone to witness great views of this prestigious venue. Visit the Sterling Winery where they will feature their signature Frosé (frozen rosé). Fans in the mood for craft beer should visit the tournaments beer garden, offering local beer originating in Phoenix. Also returning to the Fan Zone, giving fans a place to cool down is the Dutch Bros Coffee truck, serving their signature coffees and famous cold brew.
In addition to youth 18 years of age and younger receiving free admission to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship with a ticketed adult, all active duty, Reserve and National Guard military members, military retirees and their dependents receive free admission.
For more information on the program, visit www.schwabcuptfc.com or call Kristi Lee Fowlks at (480) 278-2100 x 14 or kristileefowlks@pgatourhq.com
For more tournament information, please visit the official website, www.schwabcup.com. Fans are also encouraged to follow the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
KORDAS LOOK TO MAKE SISTERLY HISTORY TOGETHER AT THE SOLHEIM CUP
In the 29-year history of the Solheim Cup, 114 players will have held the honor of competing for Team Europe and Team USA after next week’s event in Scotland. Only four have been siblings.
And, to date, no sisters have ever been paired together in the fourball or foursomes portion of the matches.
“No one has ever done that before? Not even Charlotta and Annika? They didn’t want to play together?” Jessica Korda asked LPGA.com when brought up that, should U.S. Captain Juli Inkster follow through with her promise, the Korda sisters will be the first siblings to ever play together in a Solheim Cup.
The answer is: no, they didn’t. In 1998, Charlotta Sorenstam was a captain’s pick of Pia Nilsson, joined by Annika who made the team on points. Both Sorenstams were in the primes of their careers, with Charlotta rattling off her 10th top-15 finish of the ’98 season at the SAFECO Classic, the tournament held right before the Solheim Cup. Annika won the tournament, her fourth win in eight starts.
“I was very excited of course. Not just to be part of the team, but to have a family member as well. It was like a bonus bonus,” Charlotta explained when she realized she’d play alongside Annika in Ohio.
It was a goal of the sisters to play on the team together, which they discussed over the course of that year.
It wasn’t for lack of opportunities that they didn’t play together. The Sorenstams competed in seven matches over the opening two days. Annika played with Catriona Matthew twice and Catrin Nilsmark once. Charlotta played with Laura Davies twice and Liselotte Neumann once.
Like two sides of the same coin, the sisters were happy to be together but had differing views of the notion of playing together. Charlotta was hopeful to compete alongside her sister, while Annika wasn’t enamored with the idea.
“She hits it low, in the middle of the fairway, and the green. All you have to do is putt,” Charlotta explained.
Based on how well the pair were playing coming into the event, Nilsson kept the pair separated. Selfishly, Charlotta would’ve loved the opportunity.
“I think I would’ve won more matches,” Charlotta said. “I wouldn’t have to worry about anything.”
Annika appreciated the space from her younger sister, laughing when explaining why.
“Well you’re still siblings, you respect each other, you love each other, but then I think it would be tough under such a precious moment to play with each other,” she said. “Sometimes you’re too close.”
The Sorenstams recognize the history they made together. It’s a high point in Annika’s career. Annika reflected on what it would’ve meant for the siblings to tee it up together.
“You think about the kids, and being a role model in the positions we’re in, for other siblings to see that, I think that would’ve been inspiring for others,” Annika opined.
It’s a torch that Jessica and Nelly Korda can’t wait to take up.
“Whenever you make history it’s a special feeling,” Nelly said. “It was kind of our goal after 2017 that we were both going to make it. We were just really excited.”
“I don’t know what it’d be like to not play with Nelly,” Jessica added. “It’d be really awkward. We’re really excited to be paired together. There’s no one who knows my game better. I feel like we don’t run out of things to talk about, she can calm me down and I can calm her down. It’ll be the yin to the yang.” .
Any concerns they might have had about pairing up in competition were alleviated when they teamed up in the DOW Great Lakes Bay Invitational.
“At the end of the day, you want to have as much fun as possible and be there for your teammate and read them as well as you can without it being said,” Jessica said. “I think that’s a huge advantage and something that Nelly and I have which we saw at the DOW. I think we played together once or three times together ever,.
The sisters, going by Team Jelly in Michigan, carded a final-round 62 in the four-ball format.
“We both have a really consistent and similar game. I think we figured out a really good way together,” Nelly explained.
It’s a pairing that the Sorenstams would enjoy seeing.
“Somebody’s got to (be the first sibling Solheim paring), right? Perfect to pair (Nelly) up with her sister (who has been) there before, and a sibling. That would be a smart move, to have rookies and experienced players (together),” Charlotta said.
“I think it’s very cool they want to do that, they think that they’d be a strong team together, want to share a fairway together,” Annika said. “That’s really cool, it really is.”
LOVE III, SORENSTAM, MARR II AND SPORK HEAD INDUCTEES INTO THE PGA OF AMERICA HALL OF FAME
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (Sept. 4, 2019)– PGA Champions Dave Marr II and Davis Love III; women’s golf legend Annika Sörenstam; and LPGA co-founder Shirley Spork – a foursome that impacted both American and global golf – lead a class of six inductees into the PGA of America Hall of Fame.
The 2019 class will be honored Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the PGA’s 103rdAnnual Meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida. Also entering the Hall of Fame that night will be former PGA President Derek Sprague of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; and the late golf club designer and philanthropist Karsten Solheim.
“We take great pride in welcoming this outstanding class into the PGA of America Hall of Fame,” said PGA President Suzy Whaley. “They are some of the most inspiring and exceptional performers in golf. These honorees followed individual accomplishments by becoming ambassadors to grow the game. Their contributions have forever impacted the next generation of players in our sport. We proudly inscribe their names on an honor roll of those who have made golf the greatest game.”
Woods celebrates Nadal’s win with fist pumps
Tiger Woods was fist-pumping and upper-cutting. And he wasn’t even on a golf course.
Woods and his family were in the stands at the U.S. Open on Monday night cheering on friend Rafael Nadal. Chasing his fourth U.S. Open crown, Nadal beat 2014 U.S. Open champ Marin Cilic, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the fourth round to advance to the quarterfinals.
Following the match, Nadal was asked what it’s like to compete knowing Woods is in the stands.
“To play in front of Tiger is a very special thing,” Nadal said. “I’ve always said that I don’t have idols, but if I did, I would have to say that one idol is him.”
Nadal acknowledged he wasn’t aware of Tiger during the match but appreciated his support.
“It means a lot to me to have him supporting,” Nadal said. “As I said, he’s an amazing inspiration, all the things that he accomplish on the sport, the way that he managed to keep fighting that hard …
“Have him supporting and be able to be in touch with him very often for me is something that I am super happy — and I hope one day we can play golf and tennis together.”
DJ has knee surgery; full recovery expected
Dustin Johnson, the 20-time PGA TOUR winner and current world No. 3, underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage on his left knee Thursday morning and is expected to make a full recovery before returning to the PGA TOUR this fall.
The surgery was performed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by orthopedic surgeon Dr. George Caldwell, who has worked with both the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins, as well as other sports teams.
The procedure, according to Johnson’s representatives, is considered routine and was similar in nature to the surgery performed by Caldwell on Johnson’s right knee in December, 2011. Johnson was able to return to action in mid-January the following year.
The 35-year-old Johnson comes off a 2018-19 season in which he posted one victory — at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship — and was runner-up in two majors. He also qualified for the season-ending TOUR Championship for the 11th consecutive year and the win in Mexico continued his streak of having won at least one time in every PGA TOUR season since 2008.
But in his last eight starts after his solo second to Brooks Koepka at the PGA Championship – in which Koepka took over world No. 1 from Johnson — DJ failed to produce a top-10 finish. That’s his longest non-top-10 stretch in a single season on TOUR since his rookie year of 2008.
In his most recent start, he tied for last in the 30-man field at the TOUR Championship, recording four rounds over par and finishing at 10 over despite entering the tournament at 3 under via the new Starting Strokes format. Not since the 2013 BMW Championship at Conway Farms has Johnson failed to produce at least one round of par-or-better when playing four rounds. And not since the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion has he finished double-digits over par for four rounds.
Given that he was the only player at the PGA to post all four rounds under par, Johnson certainly seemed in good form after leaving Bethpage Black. “I’m pleased with where the game’s at, especially we’ve still got a lot of big tournaments left this year,” he said after the final round.
But on the weekend at East Lake, he said he was mentally worn out. “I got two months (off),” Johnson told Golfweek. “I’m definitely excited about that.”
Johnson struggled on the weekends, especially in the latter half of the season.
The first sign of trouble came at the Valspar Championship in March. Johnson was one shot off the lead held by Paul Casey after 54 holes, but his final-round 3-over 74 left him tied for sixth. A 74 may not sound all that bad, but it was the highest Sunday score by the top 17 players on the final leaderboard – and it ended a streak of 14 consecutive sub-par rounds by DJ.
The 6-over 77 on the Sunday at RBC Heritage was even more alarming, as Johnson blew a one-shot lead after three rounds to finish T-28. No player among the top 44 on the final leaderboard had a worst score.
The weekend struggles were readily apparent during his non-top-10 stretch to finish the season. Of his last six made cuts – thus, 12 weekend rounds – Johnson had just three rounds under par, with two others at even par.
Johnson ranked 10th in first-round scoring average, ninth in the second round, then T-92 for the third round and T-126 for the fourth round. In the previous two seasons, Johnson had a top-10 scoring average for both the third and fourth round. His T-126 ranking in the final round was his worst since 2010, and his T-92 ranking in the third round was the second-worst in that same span.
Johnson also struggled to produce eagles, usually a big component of his power game.
A total of 1,634 eagles were recorded in the 2018-19 season … and DJ had just two of them. Only one of those came on a par-5 hole (the 16th at TPC Sawgrass). His other eagle was recorded in the third round of his win at the WGC-Mexico when his tee shot at the 369-yard par-4 second finished inside 5 feet.
The previous season, Johnson had 15 eagles. In 2017, nine. In 2016, it was 16 (tying him for most by any player). In 2015, it was 15.
He ranked 184th on TOUR in eagles per hole this season. He ranked first in that category in 2010 and 2013, ranked second in 2016 and 2018, and ranked top five on two other occasions. He failed to post an eagle in his last 48 rounds this season.
