The LIV Tour Freak Show & The End of Golf Majors

Most golf fans do not organize their personal lives around PGA events such as the Greensboro Open, the John Deere Classic, Sanderson Farms. the Shriners, or the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. All minor and largely inconsequential tour stops that most of the golf community could care less about.

However, when it comes to golf “majors” everybody tunes in. But the advent of the LIV tour has upset the apple cart. It’s splintered the professional golfer community, forcing everyone to pick sides and prohibiting LIV-aligned golfers from participating in PGA and Euro-tour events.

Not satisfied with driving up gas prices, you’ve also ruined golf. Thanks Saudi Arabia!

The Hero World Challenge

The Hero World Challenge, underway in the Bahamas, features a select and limited field that typically features the Top 20 golfers in the world. This year’s event is headlined by Collin Morikawa, Koepka, McIlroy, and Justin Thomas. Given such a small and limited field of elite golfers it’s hard to find a true underdog.

Everyone competing has won this year at least once. They’re on top of the world and awash in cash. Everyday more money rains down on them. There are no bills, car payments, or mortgages that ever come due. Most of their time is spent inside country clubs. They walk through life in a bubble. Their only concern, if they have any, is how to maintain control of their adulterous tendencies, or how to cover up any current dalliances they may be engaged in.

Given this, it’s hard to identify a true “underdog” in this field. However, upon closer inspection we do see one candidate: Henrik Stenson. Stenson is 45 years old and is not too far away from his first colonoscopy. His teeth are starting to bother him, and it’s likely he has trouble ordering off a menu without reading glasses. He’s even got his own line of eyewear: https://henrikstensoneyewear.com/ He has not been playing well of late and is ranked well outside of the Top 20 in the world so we’re not even clear how he managed to get into this event.

So even though we like to find a more worthy Underdog to root for, this week it has to be Stenson, who going into Saturday finds himself squarely in last place.

We're Rooting for Mackenzie Hughes, Russell Henley & Matthew Wolff to Win the U.S. Open

Why are we rooting for Mackenzie Hughes to win the U.S. Open? Because he’s Canadian and Canadians are nice people. Plus, they rarely ever win on the PGA tour. In addition, Hughes has overcome adversity - once losing his tour card before regaining it five years ago. Outside of his own friends and family, nobody is cheering for Mac. While the last two months have not been kind to Hughes (missed cuts in five straight events) he’s played well this week and is on the verge of winning The Open.

That makes him a solid underdog and a golfer we are pulling for today.

Russell Henley is another rootable player. While he had some early success in his first year on tour - winning the Sony Open by a record margin - he has not won as often as many had predicted when he graduated from the University of Georgia ten years ago. Now a 100-1 shot to win any tournament he enters, Henley is also a guy we can get behind.

While technically not an underdog, Matthew Wolff is easy to root for because of his entertaining and unconventional golf swing. He’s also talked about his struggles with depression and anxiety.

We are definitely not rooting for Bryson DeChambeau because he is a weasel. A VERY LARGE weasel, but a weasel nonetheless.

Remember: we are all underdogs when we step on the golf course. Our golf hats instill golfers with the calm resilience they need to play well.

Epilogue: Unfortunately, Hughes, Henley, and Wolff struggled during the final round and fell out of contention. It is hard to ignore the fact that they did so while wearing PING, Titleist, and Taylor Made hats. One cannot help but wonder how they would have faired wearing our Go-Lo, On in Regulation, or Birddha hats.

The Honda Classic is FULL Of Underdogs!

There are a few tour stops every year the top players just decide to pass on. Usually they include the events like the Greenbrier Classic, the tour stop in New Orleans, and the Puerto Rico Open. The Honda Classic (PGA National in Palm Gardens, FL) is one such event. As a result, we get a full field of underdogs - players clinging to tour status, returning from injuries, as well as those who are just running out of time. Players like William McGirt, Erik Compton, Bronson Burgoon, Brandon Hagy, as well as former household names Hunter Mahan, and Camillo Villegas.

Aaron Wise, on the other hand, is in a very different position. At 24, a past winner, and currently in the Top 50 on the money list, he likely has a bright future.

However, there was a moment for Wise when he no doubt felt like a journeyman and that moment came during a very bad encounter with the 10th green during the final round. Wise, who enjoyed a 6 shot lead going into the weekend, before flopping on Saturday, had managed to play his way back into contention on Sunday.

After landing in a bunker, Wise blasted out to within 27 feet of the pin. His par putt slid 3 feet past the hole, and his tap in for bogey didn’t “tap-in.” Instead it scooted past the hole and he finally four (4) putted for a brutal triple bogey that sealed his fate.

Some advice for Aaron: before you make the turn, replace whatever hat you’ve got with this one, designed specifically for the Back 9.

Tony Finau Has a Decision to Make

Tony Finau is a very good golfer (currently #8 on the 2021 money list). While he’s often in the hunt on the weekend, there’s no denying he has struggled to finish higher then 2nd.

The fact remains Tony Finau chooses to compete week-after-week wearing Nike golf hats. Sure, he gets paid a lot of money to do so but he hasn’t won since the Puerto Rico Open in 2016.

Tony: Our offer to you is this: we will ship you a collection of our hats at no cost to you.

• The Go-Lo hat

• The On In Regulation hat

• The Birddha hat

We cannot pay you millions as Nike does, but we can save your career.

REAL golf is BACK!

We’ve played four tournaments following the Covid shutdown: the Colonial, the Heritage, The TPC in Connecticut, and the Rocket Mortgage in Detroit.

A few observations:

1) Bryson DeChambeau cannot be considered an “Underdog.” He’s added 30 lbs (in the space of 4-8 weeks) and is now averaging 350+ yards off the tee. We’re sure he’s a nice guy but he’s making a mockery of the game. Golf is a game of fast followers so it would not surprise us to see half the tour turn to “protein” wink…wink…shakes in order to add 30lbs to 50 lbs (because why stop at 30?). Our prediction: a 240 lb Kevin Na will win at East Lake later this year.

2) Unlike DeChambeau, Brendan Todd is a legitimate “Underdog.” Todd - who is half DeChambeau’s weight - has somehow won twice this year (once after missing 13 consecutive cuts!) after considering quitting the game, having developed the yips with his driver (cue Ed McMahon’s “Hiy-yyyo!!”). If you can’t get off the tee (just ask Ian Baker-Finch), you cannot break 90, let alone win events on the PGA. But Todd has done the impossible and overcome his demons. Well done!

3) Webb Simpson won the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town. Not a surprise because Webb Simpson grew up on a Country Club - not unlike most PGA pros. He has been programmed from a very young age, and with all the resources available to him, is going to win golf tournaments. Not an Underdog. But a couple of the players he competed against at the Heritage are legit. Hat tip to Corey Conners and Sepp Straka. Conners because he was almost done with golf were it not for his PGA win last year (out of nowhere) and Sepp Straka for no other reason because how do you not root for a guy named Sepp Straka?

Also notable: the return of golf means the return of Matthew Wolff, which is a cause for celebration.

Matthew Wolff & Ho-sung Choi

There were all kinds of eccentric golf swings on the tour prior to the modern golf swing getting introduced, There was Trevino, Gary Player, Arnie, Jim Thorpe, Moe Norman, Ray Floyd., and a host of others. Since then, not so much.

Then, almost overnight, the golfing world is reminded that it doesn’t matter how you start the swing, or how you finish, as long as you execute. Matthew Wolff and his odd, unorthodox swing, wins the 3M tour stop in just his 3rd PGA tournament. We were aware of Wolff because he is an obvious talent, and he did manage to win the NCAA individual title within two years of committing to Oklahoma State.

Still, we couldn’t wrap our mind around how someone with a routine and swing more bizarre than Furyk’s could have success. Wolff’s win is something the larger golfing community should celebrate. One, because with his swing he is always going to be an underdog, and two, because his win means we all need to question whether there might not be a different path to success on the course. We spend so much time and effort (and $$) trying to conform to what swing gurus and instructors tell us we need to do in order to be successful. Maybe the answer is to move in the other direction? Away from the status quo? Maybe we would all benefit by introducing a bit of a dance move, instead of a forward press, to jump start our swing?

Or at least, whatever feels comfortable to each of us.

After Wolff’s win, it’s natural to see if there are other professional golfers who ignore conventional wisdom and carve their own path. Five minutes into our search we stumble upon another diamond in the rough: Ho-sung Choi. Check out a compilation of his unique swing style here.

We are now BIG fans of Wolff and Choi and hope they are able to keep it together for years to come.

And, thanks to Wolff’s win and a sponsor exemption, we have Wolff and Choi, side-by-side warming up before this week’s John Deere Classic.

Ho-sung

Nate Lashley

A tragic personal history, a period where he quit the game, and an uncertain future. Could easily be talking about me, but we’re actually referring to one of the great human interest stories of the year: Nate Lashley. At this point, everyone knows about Lashley’s ups and downs (more downs than ups going into this week’s tour stop).

This is the kind of pro we can get behind. Comes into the week ranked #446 in the world, makes the field as an alternate, after failing to qualify on Monday, and four days later he’s hoisting a jug and being handed a check for $1.4 million.

Though he had begun to show flashes this year in a few events, including Pebble Beach, he was still an unknown and a non-entity to 99.8% of golf fans. His ESPN page only indicates that he is a right handed golfer - there is no photo of him on his profile - just a gray silhouette of a golfer. In contrast, Chad Collins, ranked #226 on the PGA tour and with winnings of $30,000 this year, actually has a full profile on ESPN, including his picture, along with interesting factoids about his life. That’s how out of left field Lashley’s win was.

I’m still waiting for this kind of redemption and turnaround to happen for me. I can visualize it: I pull my 1999 Saab 9-3 into the parking lot of Laurel Hill golf course in Lorton, VA. I warm up with a few balls on the range. Tempo is good, my mind is clear…everything is free and easy. I birdie three of the first four holes and never look back, on the way to posting a -2 under 69.

While my game will never be good enough to break 70, over even 75, breaking 80 again is definitely still in the cards. If Lashley can overcome the odds, there’s no reason we can’t realize our own goals.

Also notable: the Rocket Mortgage tournament included Martin Piller. He’s hanging by a thread trying to keep his tournament card. He’s 32 years old and has never come close to winning on the PGA tour. It would be great if Martin can find a way to break through on the next tour stop, just as Lashley did this week.

Doc Redman finished 2nd. We’re not sure whether Redman can be considered a true underdog given that he did win the U.S. Amateur last year and starred on Clemson’s golf team. One person in the field who we can be sure is no underdog is Wyndham Clark. If your first name is “Wyndham” chances are you come from a privileged background. You were born rich and you’re going to die rich, so none of this really matters, but we could be wrong.

Finally, it’s worth pointing out that Gary Woodland failed to make the cut, which underscores, yet again, just how hard the game can be.

Brooke Henderson, Gary Woodland, and the wild Sunday finish

Woodland will get all the headlines, and we have to tip our hat. Gary has been a grinder for years. We celebrate guys like Gary finally breaking through. He took down Brooks Koepka. Not an easy task.

Brooke Henderson had her hands full, as well. Holding on for a 1 stroke victory over the likes of Lexi Thompson, she set a record for most tour wins by a Canadian, with 9. It’s worth pausing here to reflect on her record run. Canada, for much of the year, is VERY COLD. There is a lot of snow and mud between October - May. It’s hard to practice. Jupiter, Florida, it isn’t. Henderson had 9 birdies on Saturday to create the bit of breathing room she would need on Sunday. It is worth noting that it would take us months of regular play to record 9 birdies.

Last point about Woodland, he really kept it together and hit some quality shots over the closing holes. He’s basically a clone of Koepka. The same weight and size; the same swagger; the same length off the tee. These guys could be the face of American golf for the next century, with the occasional nip-at-the heal by Chez Reavie, Ricky Fowler, and Jordan Speith.

Mitchell and Harvey win U.S. Amateur 4 Ball

Todd Mitchell and Scott Harvey won the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship on Wednesday, beating Logan Shuping and Blake Taylor 2 and 1 on Bandon Dunes Golf Resort's Old Macdonald Course.

Mitchell, from Bloomington, Illinois, and Harvey, from Kernersville, North Carolina, are both 40. This means their backs are really, really, beginning to hurt. It also suggests that they will have a hard time making a full turn on tee shots, will struggle getting in and out of cars, and will shortly become forgetful and short-tempered.

Still, at least for this week, they were able to keep it together.

"There's not enough team golf events, in my opinion," Harvey said. "This is the best event going currently, and it's just more fun. Everything you're doing is with someone. You're sharing every part of it with someone, and it just feels that much better."

Scott - we couldn’t agree more. 4 ball is a fun game and it serves to keep everyone focused, and fully invested in each shot. Much in the same way you tend to lock in when you are involved in 1-down auto press bets for $5.

After 229 attempts Jorge Campillo holds on to win Hassan II Golf Trophy on Sunday.

After entering 229 professional golf tournaments on the European Tour, Jorge Campillo is finally a winner.

Campillo, who held a 1 shot lead going into Sunday, nearly shot himself out of contention when he bogied a couple holes early on. However, he fought back with birdies on #16 & #17, and made a difficult par save on #18, in order to win by one shot.

"It was tough, I had to have my A-game. I was missing shots off the tee, but I managed to recover. I'm proud of the way I finished, I finished like a champion I guess.

"It has taken me a while [to win a trophy], but it is all worth it now."

As Tony Montana famously said, “First you get the money, then you get the women, and then you get the power.”

Well, Jorge, you have accomplished step #1.

Monday Qualifier Corey Conners wins Valero Texas Open!

Only 2% of golfers will ever break 80, which means we are all underdogs when we step on the course. Each week we will highlight exceptional achievements by golfers who largely go unnoticed, or who are trying to maintain their playing status.

Talk about keeping it together. Conners did just that. From a Monday qualifier, to winning the Valero Open in Texas, to making the cut at the Masters a week later. As a result, Corey improved his world ranking from 196th to #85 in the span of a little over one week. Also notable: Conners was the first Monday qualifier to win an event on the PGA tour in nine (9) years.

https://www.pga.com/news/pga-tour/corey-conners-wins-valero-texas-open-qualifies-masters