Monthly Archives: February 2023
Fred Perpall Elected 67th USGA President
By: USGA
Fred Perpall of Dallas, Texas, was elected to serve as the 67th president of the USGA today at the Association’s Annual Meeting in Napa, Calif. Perpall will serve a three-year term leading the USGA Executive Committee, the all-volunteer policy-making board that provides strategic direction and oversight to the Association’s full-time staff.
“We talk too much about what separates us, and not enough about what unites us. In golf, we’re a community,” said Perpall, who addressed the USGA’s Member Clubs, Allied Golf Associations and invited guests Saturday afternoon upon his election. “When we lean in together, when we include more people in the game, not only will the game get better, but our lives will get better, too.”
Perpall was first elected to the Executive Committee in 2019 and has served on the Governance, Nominating, and Compensation/Leadership Development committees. In 2021 he became the chair of the USGA Championship Committee, which introduced the U.S. Adaptive Open during his tenure along with the announcement of several USGA championship anchor sites. He was appointed president-elect during last year’s Annual Meeting.
“The USGA is stronger with global business leaders like Fred on our board,” said Mike Whan, USGA CEO. “Beyond his work with golf in the last three years, Fred clearly loves the game and wants to leave it better than he found it. We couldn’t ask for better energy to propel our strategy and mission, and we’re rolling up our sleeves with that inspiration and drive to guide us.”
A native of the Bahamas, Perpall earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He played basketball and ran track in college and was a member of the 1994 Bahamian National Basketball Team.
A registered architect, Perpall is CEO of The Beck Group, where he leads the firm’s domestic and international architectural design, planning, real estate consultancy and construction businesses. He is an avid golfer and was a member of the board that helped build Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
He welcomes three new members elected to the USGA Executive Committee, who will also each serve three-year terms beginning today. They are Leslie Henry of Houston, Texas; Bryan Lewis of South Haven, Mich.; and Michael McCarthy of San Francisco, Calif.
In addition, Courtney Myhrum of Pittsburgh, Pa., was elected to serve a second three-year term at Saturday’s meeting.
They will all serve on the committee with current members Tony Anderson of Chicago, Ill.; Chuck Brymer of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Sinclair Eaddy Jr., of Baltimore, Md.; Cathy Engelbert of Berkeley Heights, N.J.; Kendra Graham of Winter Park, Fla.; Kevin Hammer of Boynton Beach, Fla.; Deborah Platt Majoras of Cincinnati, Ohio; Tony Petitti of Irvington, N.Y.; and Sharon Ritchey of Longboat Key, Fla.
Departing the Executive Committee after completing their service are Thomas Barkin, Paul Brown and Nick Price, as well as Stuart Francis, whose three-year term as USGA president ended this week.
BRING YOUR UMBRELLA TO THE HSBC WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
By: PGATour
The LPGA Tour’s second stop on the Asian spring swing takes us to Singapore and the island of Sentosa. What is commonly referred to in women’s professional golf informally as “Asia’s Major,” the best players in the world are ready to tee it up again at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.
- The same nine of the top-10 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings from the field last week are in Singapore alongside 17 of the world’s top 20.
- The women are competing for a $1.8 million purse and a first-place prize of $270,000.
- Defending Champion Jin Young Ko is back fresh off a 64 on Sunday in Thailand and T6 finish.
Sixty-six players are competing for 72-holes with no cut. Since 2017, the host site of this prestigious event is the Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course, located on a small island region off the south coast of Singapore. It is not uncommon for this field to be elite and therefore many of these women are familiar with the layout.
- Measuring 6,774 yards, the Tanjong Course plays to a Par 72.
- Fifty-four bunkers decorate the design, and 12 of the 18 holes have areas where water comes into play.
- The final four holes all have significant penalty areas to test the best’s resolve.
- Large greens with an average size of 10,600 square feet are covered in Bermudagrass.
- In recent years, the golf club has added over 150 trees to the course.
Three of the last 13 HSBC champions are competing. They will all agree the scorecard at Sentosa is long. Unlike last week’s birdie-fest, this test really rewards patience, precision, and pars. Each of the five champions on the Tanjong Course are also major champions. Even though the average winning score since 2017 is 17-under par, this course can challenge you.
Unfortunately, the course may not be the biggest obstacle this week. The weather looks warm and wet – very wet. Temperatures are predicted in the low 80’s each day with winds in the low teens. We know those breezes will get bolstered by the course’s proximity to water, but the real challenge will be the rain. Nearly four inches of precipitation are expected to fall from Thursday through Sunday.
To compound that issue, director of agronomy Andrew Johnston stated this in his GCSAA report, “This is the wettest season in more than 100 years with daily rain since October. This has made it challenging to navigate conditions combined with daily play to become tournament ready.”The Tanjong Course gets longer, and players will have to contend with storms throughout.
Whenever the weather becomes the lead character in a golf tournament, it is difficult to determine the path to victory. Under these predicted challenging conditions on a championship golf course, I’d pay close attention to those ladies who can do the following four things.
- Six of the ten par fours are over 390 yards. Five of those holes ranked in the 10 toughest holes in 2022’s edition. Approach shots on these difficult holes will test the players. There are some par fours where you can score as well, therefore par-4 scoring is important. These players get it done regardless of the length – Atthaya Thitikul, Maja Stark, Lillia Vu, Georgia Hall, and Madelene Sagstrom.
- Length and accuracy off the tee will be a huge advantage this week. Strokes Gained Off the Tee is a measure of each player’s ability to bomb it in the fairway. The most complete drivers in Sentosa are Nelly Korda, Madelene Sagstrom, Atthaya Thitikul, Minjee Lee, and Linn Grant.
- We don’t know how many holes these players will even play in the HSBC, as four inches of rain can be hard to recover from. Scoring quickly is a skill we don’t normally consider for 72 holes, but this week might be different. LPGA.com tracks a unique analytic called “sub-par holes.” The players in this field who have played both tournaments in 2023 leading this category are Nelly Korda, Leona Maguire, Maja Stark, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, and Brooke Henderson.
- Under those conditions, players are going to miss greens. When they do, this tournament is going to become a short-game contest. I saved this stat for last because it will be the biggest differentiator. Wet sand, heavy rough and slippery slopes are managed best by these players: Lilia Vu, Leona Maguire, Megan Khang, Danielle Kang, and In Gee Chun.
Many ladies have played this event multiple times. Defending Champion Jin Young Ko has a win, and two top-6 finishes in her last four starts. U.S. Women’s Open Champion Minjee Lee has two runner-up finishes and World No. 1 Lydia Ko has never finished worse than 23rd since the Tanjong course became the host five years ago.
For the second week in a row, we have an elite collection of players. It’s tough to determine who to truly keep your eye on when the world’s best come together. The LPGA doesn’t keep a statistic measuring grit or resilience. Although by the end of this week, I think we all will know who has the most in Singapore.
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Saddle up McIlroy on one of his favorite tracks this week at Bay Hill
By: PGATour
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge outside Orlando continues the run of familiar courses on the schedule for the PGA TOUR.
Hosting a TOUR event since 1979 the Dick Wilson and Joe Lee design from the early 1960s is classic Florida golf with Palmer’s modern enhancements. The addition of TifEagle Bermuda greens for the 2016 edition was the last major overhaul.
Experience should play a part this week, especially with the wind forecast to blow from late Thursday through Saturday.
Scottie Scheffler (+900) proved last season that multiple reps aren’t necessary to pick up the big check (and red cardigan) at the end of the week. The Texan handled the wind and conditions better than most and won in just his second trip after T15 in 2021.
Rory McIlroy (+1000) broke a run of five consecutive years inside the top 10 with T13 last year. The 2018 champion has never missed in eight visits over the last eight years and T27 is his only payday outside T13. The Ulsterman will vouch for the difficulty of Bay Hill as only three of his last 12 rounds here are in the 60s.
Known to run hot at times, Englishman Tyrrell Hatton (+3300) has been more than cool in the recent difficult conditions outside Orlando. The 2020 winner posted the highest winning total (4 under) in his fourth visit and matched that total last year while tying for second. Of the players entered this week, only McIlroy has pocketed more cash here and needed two more starts to do so. Hatton’s third top 10 from six starts was T4 in his 2017 debut.
Given a chance in the field as an amateur back in 2014, Matt Fitzpatrick (+3300) has returned the last seven seasons. During his run he’s stuck around for the weekend six times, including the last four years inside the top 10. The best of the bunch was falling one short to Francesco Molinari (+20000) in 2019.
Making his seventh consecutive visit Tommy Fleetwood (+6600) will look to add to his five T26 or better paydays. The Englishman has set a trend for hitting the top 10 in odd numbered years so 2023 fits! Of his 22 rounds, 13 are in the red.
Hard to ignore Keegan Bradley (+6000) as he will look to extend his run to 11 straight weekends. A pair of podium finishes in 2013 and 2014 kicked off his streak and T10 in 2021 and T11 in 2022 have provided the bookend, for the moment. He shares the post-2015 course record of 64 with McIlroy and Molinari, as he posted that in Round 3 in 2021.
(cuts made/event starts; odds)
Chris Kirk (7/11; +5500): Just like Honda last week, his last two at Bay Hill (T5, T8) are his best two. Also has six T25 or better with five of those T15 or better. Sizzle.
Sungjae Im (4/4; +3300): T3 in 2019 debut followed with solo third in 2020. The last two years he’s “cooled” with T20 and T21.
Keith Mitchell (4/4; +5000): Similar to Im, he started hot with T6 in 2019 backed with T5 in 2020 before not cracking the top 40 the last two years. He led or co-led the field in birdies in 2019 and 2020.
Jordan Spieth (1/1; +4500): Sat two back of the 54-hole lead before cashing T4 in his only visit in 2021.
Jason Day (7/11; +3300): Only top 10 is his victory in 2016 but also has five T25 or better.
Zach Johnson (18/19; +22500): Made cut run is now 12 in a row.
Top 20 OWGR (not listed above)
| Player | Starts/Cuts Made | Top 10 | Best Finish | Odds |
| 01 Jon Rahm | 1-Jan | 0 | T17 2022 | 650 |
| 04 Patrick Cantlay | first appearance | +2000 | ||
| 06 Xander Schauffele | 1-Jan | 0 | T24 2020 | 2000 |
| 07 Will Zalatoris | 2-Feb | 1 | T10 2022 | 2200 |
| 08 Max Homa | 3-Mar | 1 | T10 2021 | 1800 |
| 09 Justin Thomas | 1-Jan | 0 | T49 2015 | 2500 |
| 10 Collin Morikawa | 2-Feb | 1 | T9 2020 | 1800 |
| 11 Viktor Hovland | 4-Apr | 1 | T2 2022 | 3000 |
| 12 Tony Finau | 4-Feb | 0 | T28 2017 | 2200 |
| 14 Sam Burns | 5-Apr | 1 | T9 2022 | 4000 |
| 15 Tom Kim | first appearance | 5000 | ||
| 16 Cameron Young | 1-Jan | 0 | T13 2022 | 3300 |
| 19 Billy Horschel | 10-Sep | 1 | T2 2022 | 10000 |
| 20 Shane Lowry | 0/4 | 0 | mc | 5500 |
There’s also some course history to note at the Puerto Rico Open, where another full field will tee off this week with hopes of earning FedExCup points and improving (or obtaining) long-term TOUR status. Here’s a look at some horses that stand out at Grand Reserve Golf Club, which has served as a springboard for players such as Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau and most recently Viktor Hovland:
A winner here in 2013, Scott Brown (+8000) has never missed the cut in all 10 of his visits, with half resulting in top-10 paydays. … Sponsor’s exemption Josh Teater (+5000) came close in 2020 (second behind Hovland) and has followed with T22 results the last two season. … It just means more to Puerto Rico native Rafael Campos (+6600). His last five starts here have reached the weekend, and three went for top-10 finishes including his best (T3) in 2021. … Nobody loves a trend more than I do, and Brice Garnett (+3500) is on one here! His last three starts have been the best of his six career appearances (T7, T5 and T20). … Chris Stroud (+5500) hasn’t teed it up here since a career-best T8 in 2017. He’s cashed in six straight, including the last five at T27 or better.
Women’s Golf Heads to Las Vegas to Play in The Show at Spanish Trail
The course at Spanish Trail Country Club features a par of 72 and a total yardage of 6,507.
“UNLV and Spanish Trail will be hosting an NCAA Regional next spring, so they have attracted a strong field to a championship golf course,” said head coach Mallory Kane. “We are lucky to have the opportunity to compete and look forward to the challenge. Hopefully we will continue to build on the experiences from previous tournaments and gain momentum as we get further into our spring season.”
The 15-team field will feature a total of 87 golfers, to include 12 individuals. In addition to the Monarchs and host Rebels, the other teams include Charlotte, Denver, Furman, Kent State, No. 6 Mississippi State, Nevada, New Mexico, North Florida, Pepperdine, Purdue, South Florida, Texas State and Washington State.
Both days will begin with 11 a.m. EST shotgun start. The Monarchs are scheduled to tee off from holes 7-9 for Monday’s opening round and fans can along with live stats at GolfStat.com.
The Course
Spanish Trail Country Club
Par: 72
Yardage: 6,507
ODU Lineup
Leah Onosato
Federica Torre
Lucia Gonzalez
Klara Wildhaber
Minami Kudo
Pilar Muguruza*
*Competing as an individual
Tournament Field
Charlotte
Denver
Furman
Kent State
No. 6 Mississippi State
Nevada
New Mexico
North Florida
Old Dominion
Pepperdine
Purdue
South Florida
Texas State
UNLV
Washington State
PLAYERS MENTIONED
-
Pilar Muguruza
- 5′ 10″
- Sophomore
-
Leah Onosato
- 5′ 4″
- Junior
-
Federica Torre
- Graduate Student
-
Lucia Gonzalez
- 5′ 8″
- Freshman
-
Minami Kudo
- 5′ 2″
- Junior
-
Klara Wildhaber
- 5′ 5″
- Junior
WITH ANOTHER WORLDWIDE WIN, JIYAI SHIN’S HEART REMAINS RIGHT
By: LPGA
It’s been a decade, just long enough to forget how good she was. From August of 2008 until exactly 10 years ago, February 17, 2013, Jiyai Shin won 11 times on the LPGA Tour, including two major championships. She won three times in four months as a 20-year-old before becoming an LPGA Member, victories that included the AIG Women’s Open and the ADT Championship, which, at the time, offered the largest first-place prize in women’s golf with $1 million to the winner. No player in history had ever done that.
For 25 weeks in 2010 and 2011 she was the No.1 player in the Rolex Rankings Women’s World Golf Rankings, the first Korean ever to reach the top spot. In the process, she beat future No.1 Yani Tseng head-to-head three times; she beat LPGA Hall-of-Famer Karrie Webb by a shot for that $1 million check at the ADT; she beat Morgan Pressel and Lexi Thompson by a shot to win at Evian before that event became a major; she thumped Inbee Park by a whopping 9 shots in brutal conditions to win the AIG Women’s Open; and she outlasted Paula Creamer in a 9-hole sudden death playoff at Kingsmill that extended well into Monday, the longest overtime in LPGA Tour history.
Then, just like that, Jiyai Shin was gone. She resigned her LPGA Membership before the start of the 2014 season and headed back to Asia to be close to her father. There she played mostly in Japan where she won a total of 28 times, the most recent coming in 2021. Combine all of that with her 21 KLPGA wins – 20 of which occurred before her 21st birthday and before she accepted LPGA Tour Membership – and Shin might be the best player in history that most modern golf fans don’t know.
That’s what made her victory on Sunday, February 12 in Australia so gratifying. When Shin, now age 34, ground out a final-round 71 in gusty conditions at 13th Beach Golf Links in Victoria to win the women’s division of the Vic Open by five shots, it introduced one of the game’s great champions to a new generation while reminding those who saw her in her prime what a gritty star we once knew.
“Finally, I won in Victoria. I’m so happy for this,” Shin said after her 62nd worldwide win. “Finally, I did it. I have a good reason to come back.”
We also have a good reason to celebrate. Many golf fans missed Shin’s brilliance when she was a bespectacled girl in her early twenties, hoisting trophies around the world with a huge smile that hid a pain most cannot imagine. Now is a time to remember.
****
Kids who lose a parent young eventually hit a crossroads. Some turn left and rebel, loosening their anger on everyone around them until they settle into an average life full of arms-length relationships and regret. Others turn right and attempt to beat down the pain through overachievement, always striving for the next victory in the hopes that it will fill the void.
When she was just 16 years old, Jiyai lost her mother in a car accident. Her brother and sister were seriously injured and spent the better part of a year in the hospital.
In that instant, Jiyai turned right. With funding from her mother’s life insurance policy, she drove herself to excel on the golf course. The golf gods didn’t bless her with the physical gifts of a player like Se Ri Pak, who looked more like a track-and-field Olympian than a golfer, but at 5’2” and of average build, Shin made up for her physical shortcomings with a grit that comes from having nowhere else to go.
In 2005, with her brother and sister still recovering, Shin won her first KLPGA event while still in high school. She was the KLPGA Rookie of the Year and “Best Amateur” for that season. The next year, she won three times and captured the money title.
Those seasons looked average compared to what Shin did in 2007. At age 19, barely two years after acing high school algebra, Jiyai played in 19 KLPGA events. She won 10 of them, beating players like Cristie Kerr, Na Yeon Choi, Eun-Hee Ji and Tseng among a wealth of others. It was the most dominant performance on any tour in the world. Throw in the fact that she finished sixth at the U.S. Women’s Open and third at Evian and, just like that, Shin vaulted to No. 8 in the Rolex Rankings, the highest non-LPGA member and the only Korean in the top 10.
At age 20, when she won her first AIG Women’s Open, she became the first non-member to capture that major in 21 years since Laura Davies in 1987. That same season, Shin captured the KLPGA Player of the Year and money title for the second year in a row. She also won twice on the Japan LPGA before accepting LPGA Membership.
In 2009, Shin won three times on the LPGA Tour and once more in Japan, capturing the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award in a runaway.
Within a year, she would be the No.1 player in the world.
But something seemed off. The victories brought happiness, but not joy. The travel was educational and exciting, and the applause and accolades sent shots of dopamine and serotonin through her system, but no trophy could replace a mother’s touch; no praise from a fan could match the “I love yous” she would never hear again.
****
Shin had always been a Christian, but like most, her faith went through peaks and valleys. As her father remarried and her siblings regained their health, Shin realized that the mom-sized hole in her heart could only be filled by God. She attended fellowship services on tour, and even cut a Christian album called “Blessed be the Lord God Almighty.” It’s in Korean, but her singing voice would make her a finalist on most talent shows these days.
Many Westerners don’t realize that Christianity is the dominant religion in South Korea. One of Asia’s oldest Catholic churches, Myeongdong Cathedral, is just a few blocks from Gyeongbokgung Palace – Lydia Ko was married there in December 2022 – and the largest Protestant megachurch in the world, Full Gospel Church with 800,000 congregants, is on Yeouido Island in Seoul. In Christian circles on the LPGA Tour, Jiyai was a bridge between East and West. She prayed with players hailing from Busan and Baton Rouge, from Jeju Island and Jackson, Mississippi. Race, nationality and language were irrelevant. In her eyes all were sisters and brothers in Christ.
That faith led her to another decision, one that left many scratching their heads. After vaulting to the top of the world, blazing a trail for a cadre of Korean players to follow, Shin walked away from the LPGA. Since 2013, she has played primarily in the Japan where she has won 22 times since 2014.
“The U.S. LPGA flies all over the world,” Shin said shortly after making the move. “That’s a good thing, but it’s a tough thing. In Japan, there’s much less travel. It was so exciting (getting to No.1 in the world), and I was so happy. But I think that time came to me a little bit early. It felt like I lost my passion, because I already made all my goals, and I didn’t set another target or goal. I was enjoying it, but I lost the hunger.”
What she gained was perspective. Jiyai Shin gave up fame for family. She forwent fortune for friendships that have nothing to do with numbers on a leaderboard. The Christ she worships said, “Wherever you store your treasure, there your heart shall be also.” No matter your beliefs, that proverb rings true. And with another victory under her belt at the Vic Open, no one doubts that Jiyai Shin’s heart remains in the right place.
Special betting markets abound for Tiger Woods’ return at Genesis
By: PGA Tour
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Tiger Woods says he’s ready to compete against the best of the PGA TOUR in his return to competition at The Riviera Country Club. But just what the betting and fantasy audience can expect from the 82-time TOUR winner remains to be seen.
The last time Woods went four competitive rounds was the Masters in April of last year, while his last TOUR start was his emotional missed cut at St. Andrews last July at The 150th Open Championship.
Of course, we’ve seen him pop up at The Match with Rory McIlroy, where they were beaten by Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, and his efforts at the PNC Championship with his son Charlie last December. But those contests were a far cry from PGA TOUR-level competition.
Woods’ return at Riviera, his first start here since 2020, brings with it some special betting options at BetMGM sportsbook. Outside of his +12500 odds to win (down from +15000 on Tuesday), Woods is +2200 for a top five finish, +1100 for a top 10, +450 for a top 20 and +150 for a top 40.
Then there are some special markets available for his opening round, where he’ll tee off at 3:04 p.m. ET alongside Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas:
· In his 42 rounds at Riviera, Woods has been bogey-free just three times. Two of those came back in 1999. The other time Woods managed a clean sheet was way back in 2001.
· The first hole at Riviera is one of the easiest par-5s on the PGA TOUR. Woods has made birdie or better on 30 of his 42 trips around the iconic layout.
· Woods has racked up four or more par-breakers in a round at Riviera 20 times, or just under half the time. He failed to do this at all over his four rounds in 2020, when he finished last among those that made the cut, but he did so three times in 2019.
· Woods has just seven eagles from his 42 rounds at Riviera, but astonishingly five of them came in his last two appearances of 2019 and 2020. Prior to that, Woods had just one eagle in 2001 and made another in 2004.
· Woods has shot 70 or better at Riviera in 22 of his 42 prior rounds. His scoring average is 70.55 on the par-71 layout. His career-best round at Riviera is a 64 from the final round in 2004, with a high of 78 as an amateur in 1993. His highest round as a professional was his last on this course, a final-round 77 in 2020.
You can also bet Woods at lofty +400 odds against his first-round playing partners McIlroy (+105) and Thomas (+150) in a 3-ball to see who will have the best opening-round score.
On the 14 occasions Woods has played with Thomas, Thomas bested Woods 12 times. In 26 times playing together Woods has beaten McIlroy 13 times with three ties. Woods also beat McIlroy in a head-to-head match in the 2019 WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play.
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Awards Highlight Innovation, Volunteerism and Golf Literature
By: USGA
Recognizing individuals who demonstrate exceptional efforts in volunteerism, innovation and golf literature, the USGA has announced the 2023 recipients of its Annual Awards, including the Joe Dey Award, the Herbert Warren Wind Award and the Green Section Award.
Robin Farran is the recipient of this year’s Joe Dey Award in recognition of nearly 30 years of meritorious service to the game as a volunteer. “Bless•ed One,” by James Roth, has been selected as the winner of the USGA’s Herbert Warren Wind Award. Roch Gaussoin is the Green Section Award honoree for introducing new technologies and processes that advance putting green construction and management.
“The game of golf is better because of the knowledge and expertise of Robin, James and Roch,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “Their contributions are helping to strengthen and advance the game for all who play – and the USGA is thrilled to showcase those efforts with this year’s Annual Awards.”
The USGA will recognize the honorees at its Annual Awards Dinner in Napa, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 25 during the organization’s Annual Meeting, which will be held in person for the first time since 2020.
Joe Dey Award – Robin Farran
Highly respected among peers for his dedication to Rules education and junior golf, Robin Farran of Chandler, Ariz., has helped grow the game over the course of 28 years of selfless service. Since attending his first PGA/USGA Rules of Golf Workshop in 1995, he has committed himself to helping others interpret the Rules by developing educational materials and officiating at more than 1,000 championships locally, nationally and abroad. Farran also regularly conducts junior clinics and has raised more than $140,000 for the Junior Golf Association of Arizona through its 100-Hole Marathon in an effort to ensure that golf continues to thrive for future generations.
Farran is widely recognized as an ambassador for the Rules of Golf and a strong reflection of the award’s namesake, Joseph C. Dey Jr., who served as the USGA’s executive director from 1934-1968 and as the first commissioner of the PGA Tour.
Jordan Spieth talks Netflix doc before playing at Pebble Beach
By: PGA
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – To explain the smile on Jordan Spieth’s face and the ease in his manner was simple. He’s in his element, about to play competitive golf at one of his favorite courses alongside his great friend, Jake Owen, in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
His love of playing Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hills, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course has reflected in a brilliant resume – one win, one second (in 2022), one third, and three other top 10s in 13 starts.
He made his debut here in 2013 and hasn’t missed a year, so it is safe to say that Spieth – a former FedExCup champ and three-time major winner – clearly is here for the love of it.
But it turns out that the smile didn’t fade one bit even when he talked about something that you’d think was out of his element – his role as a supporting actor in the highly-anticipated Netflix documentary series “Full Swing.”
“I had a blast. I gave access in places I don’t normally and shared a lot of it with Justin (Thomas),” said Spieth. “We really, really enjoyed that process.”
Spieth confirmed that his decision to join in the production of “Full Swing” was motivated by his reaction to “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” which showed on Netflix to rave reviews when it debuted in 2019.
“I’m an F1 fan because of ‘Drive to Survive,’ ” said Spieth.
Spieth, Thomas and a handful of other PGA TOUR stars – Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick among them – agreed to take part in “Full Swing,” which begins airing on Netflix on Feb. 15.
Gabe Spitzer, documentary series director at Netflix, said it was a “no brainer” to jump into the “Full Swing” project after the PGA TOUR and those who run golf’s major championships pledged their support.
“(‘Drive to Survive’) gave us a sort of hint what our 230 million members across the globe love. They love authenticity. They love getting deeper into stories,” Spitzer added.
And with “Full Swing,” said Chad Mumm, chief creative officer with Vox Media Studios, “you’re going to see golf in a way that no one’s ever seen before. We were really lucky to have amazing access, not just from the governing bodies of the sport, but from players like Jordan and his peers who let us into their lives in a way that I don’t think anyone’s ever seen before.”
From Spieth’s perspective, “this should have a pretty profound effect (for golf fans) and help grow the game, too.”
At 29 and in his 11th year on TOUR, Spieth conceded he was “a smart husband” and included wife Annie in all conversations before opening the door to his life. Yes, ground rules were set, but Spieth couldn’t have been more emphatic when insisting, “I never felt uncomfortable. Everyone was high class.”
That trust in one another – player and Netflix personnel – made for what Spieth said was a rewarding experience.
“It was quite a bit of access and some good access, at that,” he said.
Spitzer agreed.
“We’re incredibly happy with the level of access and I think it’s about trust and building trust with athletes,” he said. “For us, it’s characters first. When the athletes grant access, storylines flow, and we want to tell stories that average fans don’t know. The goal is to bring (the PGA TOUR and its players) to a whole new audience.”
All of which begs the question, with Season 1 about to be released, are there plans for Season 2? Spitzer smiled and said, “When we get into these, we hope for not one, but 10 years.”
