Greg Norman, Caitlin Clark, Rickie Fowler, Jeeno Thitikul, Ruoning Yin (clockwise from prime left).
Getty Photographs
Welcome to the Monday End, the place we’re dressing up because the scariest particular person in golf: the 18-handicap at your membership who simply performed you in a match and shot 78. Powerful costume to tug off, although. To the information…
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GOLF STUFF I LIKE
In instances like these (you possibly can learn “instances like these” nevertheless you’d like: soccer season, the PGA Tour offseason, impending-cold-weather-so-not-really-golf season, professional golf’s present greed-and-lawyer-infused limbo season, and many others.) among the golf stuff I like is the only: somebody falling in love with golf as a result of it’s, at its coronary heart, a virtually excellent recreation.
Enter Caitlin Clark, who simply received Rookie of the Yr and supercharged a sports activities league in her day job and, now in her first WNBA offseason, is taking up a actual problem: fixing her slice.
I obtained a kick out of Beth Ann Nichols‘ Golfweek interview with Clark’s new coach (golf coach, that’s, I can’t declare a lot inside intel on the Fever’s teaching search) Martha Lobby-Faulconer, the professional at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind.
Like nearly all of novice gamers, Clark battles a slice. And like most amateurs, when Clark hits the vary she’s largely desirous about ripping driver.
“Oh, I simply need to kill it,” she mentioned.
However Clark herself mentioned one thing earlier this 12 months that caught with me: “I feel all people simply loves on the spot satisfaction in our world.” That’s true. Nowhere is on the spot satisfaction extra sought and evasive than in golf, so, welcome to the ache home.
Nonetheless, due to athleticism and confidence and willpower and work ethic and epic hand-eye coordination, Clark finds golf satisfaction faster than most. An Instagram video of Clark and Lobby-Faulconer’s lesson exhibits some full-swing sends in addition to a chipping tip — “fingers ahead, leaning left…” — that has Clark dialing in a bump-and-run very quickly.
Clark is so standard proper now that she may spend her time doing something. Going to chill events. Racking up endorsement {dollars}. Leaning into her movie star. As a substitute? She’s engaged on her golf recreation. The stuff that cash can’t purchase?
That’s golf stuff I like.
WINNERS
Who received the week?
Nico Echavarriareceived the Zozo Championship by a single shot, incomes the second — and largest — PGA Tour victory of his profession. The Colombian 30-year-old broke Tiger Woods‘ match scoring file within the course of.
“I simply want 80 extra victories to catch him. I’m on my method, although,” he mentioned.
Ruoning Yin received the Maybank Championship for her second victory in three begins and her third of the season; she outdueled good pal Jeeno Thitikul by a shot. The 22-year-old from China now has 5 LPGA wins, midway to the all-time Chinese language file of 10 held by Shanshan Feng.
Ben An received the Genesis Championship in a playoff over Tom Kim; each had elected to play the DP World Tour this week of their residence nation of South Korea. His celebration? It kicked off in inspiring vogue with a teary hug along with his grandmother.
Lee Chieh-po received the Worldwide Collection occasion in Thailand, securing his first Asian Tour win practically a decade after his first season on tour.
And Padraig Harrington received the Simmons Financial institution Championship with a closing 5-under 67 for his third PGA Tour Champions win of the 12 months.
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NOT-WINNERS
A couple of guys who didn’t win.
Max Greyserman is turning into a superb almost-winner; he completed T2, one shot again of Echavarria, and has now logged three runner-up finishes this 12 months.
“Really feel like there’s a purpose among the prime guys are so good,” he mentioned. “Clearly their ability stage’s very excessive, however they’re in a position to put themselves in competition rather a lot so they only get snug in these moments. I feel I might need lastly gotten there. I simply didn’t fairly get it accomplished in the present day, however pleased with how I battled and the way I fought with the sport that I had.”
Justin Thomas, rolling with a new putter, made only one bogey all week and completed T2 alongside Greyserman. Thomas mentioned he was “clearly bummed and upset” however, big-picture, felt inspired in his first begin since lacking out on the Presidents Cup.
“I performed so nicely. I performed loads nicely sufficient to win the match,” he mentioned.
Rickie Fowler performed his method into the combo and performed nicely sufficient to remain there, ending with a six-birdie, no-bogey last spherical. Fowler was sometimes even-keel in his description of the week — nice being again in competition, he mentioned, and he relishes journeys to Japan to pattern some sushi and sake — however his fourth-place end was his third consecutive prime 25 and his finest outcome since successful in Detroit final 12 months.
Jeeno Thitikul got here up one shot quick in Malaysia and had this to say about just a few birdie putts that slid by on Sunday:
“You realize, it’s simply golf. Some holes you miss; some holes you make it. I feel I’m actually pleased with what I did on the market, particularly like three holes in the direction of the top.”
She’s as much as No. 7 on the earth and, alongside Yin, has cemented herself as among the many world’s finest gamers, interval.
And whereas the Monday End doesn’t condone locker-breaking (that is featured in our official code-of-conduct insurance policies) I’ve to confess a part of me appreciates Tom Kim‘s ardour for damaging a locker after his playoff loss on Sunday. He hasn’t fairly dialed all of it in. He has maturing to do (his apology on Monday mirrored efforts to these ends). However golf is dealing with an apathy disaster, and Kim is a part of the answer. (f you need the total story, our Alan Bastabletalked to Kim’s agent, Ben Harrison, too — looks as if Kim broke a hinge on the door quite than, like, Hulk-ripping it out of the locker.)
SHORT HITTERS
5 issues that aren’t occurring in golf this week.
1. The PGA Tour is off for every week; they’ll resume play every week from now in Los Cabos for the World Large Expertise Championship. Within the meantime you possibly can examine up on these prone to shedding their playing cards, like Joel Dahmen (No. 124), Alejandro Tosti (No. 128)or Daniel Berger (No. 129).
2. The DP World Tour has now accomplished its “common season” and is off; they’ll return subsequent week, too, for the “playoffs,” the ultimate two weeks of the season, in Abu Dhabi after which Dubai, the place we’ll see among the circuit’s largest names teeing it up for its largest prizes. The highest 70 have certified for the playoffs, Rory McIlroy (but once more) leads the Race to Dubai and there’s a fierce chase for 10 PGA Tour playing cards for the 2025 season; Guido Migliozzi and Romain Langasque are at the moment the final two in whereas Tom McKibbin and Thorbjorn Oleson are the primary two out.
3. The PGA Tour Champions is off earlier than its season finale, subsequent week’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The sector consists of the highest 36 gamers on the factors listing following final week’s occasion; that listing will embody Jason Caron, the 52-year-old membership professional who performed simply 9 occasions this season, jumped from No. 53 to No. 35 after a T3 this week and nonetheless plans to maintain his day job.
4. The Shriners Childrens Open will not be occurring once more — a minimum of not below its present banner. The Las Vegas Assessment-Journal reported that Shriners is ending its sponsorship of an occasion it has headlined since 2007. This looks as if an inevitable rising ache for the Tour’s fall schedule, which has seen sponsors shift or drop as its place as golf’s “offseason” is additional codified.
5. Whereas we’re seeing some LIV Golf stars pop up elsewhere — Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton on the DP World Tour, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson on YouTube, and many others. — we’re getting used to others all however disappearing within the league’s five-month offseason. Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson are amongst these with no public plans to play something between the circuit’s group championship in September and its resumption subsequent February in Saudi Arabia. This isn’t breaking information, and for these two it could be the best schedule. It’s only a reminder that, till one thing modifications, there are specific professionals who we’ll see at these 14 LIV occasions plus the majors and little or no else.
ONE SWING THOUGHT
There’s extra to life than velocity.
His newest win means we’ve discovered one other excuse to incorporate Padraig Harrington on this part? Hell yeah.
Whereas Harrington has been amongst golf’s most keen proponents of gaining velocity, he admitted that in Sunday’s last spherical he took the other method.
“I’ve tried to maintain my velocity as much as compete with the younger guys, so it’s a bonus once I come out right here, for certain,” Harrington mentioned Sunday. “Uncommon for me, however I used to be making an attempt to swing simple on the finish, simply preserving it tidy. However that’s as a result of whenever you’re in competition, you’ve obtained a little bit bit extra adrenaline. Yeah, it’s good to have that benefit, it’s good, I do know I can get at just a few extra pins than different guys, however you’ve nonetheless obtained to gap the putts and hit the photographs.”
It’s okay to again off. It helps whenever you’re beginning along with his baseline velocity, in fact…
ONE INTRIGUING ADMISSION
Greg Norman on LIV’s future.
Greg Norman revealed in an interview with Sports activities Illustrated‘s Bob Harig that his contract as LIV CEO is up subsequent August, and whereas he expects a future with the league, he didn’t deny stories that they could be looking for a brand new chief. The article quotes Norman as largely bullish about LIV’s future and he praises their progress, three years in, however with one notable exception: the league’s TV deal.
“The place we’re falling quick is as a result of headwinds in not getting a community [TV] deal,” Norman instructed SI. “That creates uncertainty within the market. (A variety of corporations say) let’s see what occurs. That rolls into sponsorship. Now we have an unlimited variety of huge companies who’re speaking to us and can be very eager to return on.
“Once more, the query is what’s going to occur with the deal? Whether or not it occurs or it doesn’t goes to set {the marketplace} comfy. After we know what’ll do and {the marketplace} will know find out how to navigate the scenario. However the headwinds proceed from a scheduling and venue perspective as nicely.”
Whereas LIV’s supporters have cited the league’s app and its streaming capabilities, Norman’s admission right here backs the long-held concept that in sports activities, broadcast TV offers are nonetheless king, and with out one LIV’s worth is generally theoretical. LIV launched on YouTube and on the league’s web site in 2022, whereas in 2023 and 2024 its occasions performed on the CW, although solely on the weekends and infrequently on tape delay (and LIV didn’t earn a lot from the association). That’s a minimum of a part of the rationale that LIV’s scores have been minuscule in comparison with the PGA Tour’s.
LIV’s cope with the CW reportedly expires on the finish of 2024; it’ll be fascinating to see the place the league performs subsequent.
ONE BIG QUESTION
The place’s the Ryder Cup headed subsequent?
I’m glad you requested. We find out about Bethpage subsequent 12 months, which has everybody fired up regardless of the $750 gate value. We find out about Adare Manor in 2027, which has everybody fired up as a result of it’s a surreal Irish golf resort and appears to be a spectacular spectator expertise. And we find out about Hazeltine Nationwide in 2029, which admittedly doesn’t excite me as a lot because the others however the Midwest at all times brings it. We even know in regards to the 2033 Cup at Olympic, within the Bay Space, which guarantees an epic web site and hopefully a crowd to match.
As for 2031? Per Spanish web site Ten Golf, that’ll be hosted by Camiral Golf and Wellness, the resort previously often called PGA Catalunya, a dreamy spot about an hour from Barcelona. Our Sean Zak has additional particulars right here on the complexities which have led thus far, from funding to approval to extra.
A two-part query, then: No. 1, what number of scouting journeys to Catalonia do you suppose I can justify between every now and then? And No. 2, what’s the right web site for 2035, Crew Europe’s subsequent open web site, which is able to presumably return to someplace within the UK, probably Tommy Fleetwood’s theoretical choice.
The following Ryder Cup host? A ten-year journey inches nearer to actuality
By:
Sean Zak
ONE THING TO WATCH
Vandy’s golf facility seems…good.
No matter you had been doing in school, I’m guessing it wasn’t hanging out at a “golf home” like this one, an $11 million renovated facility at Vanderbilt Legends Membership, residence to the lads’s and girls’s groups.
School soccer’s outrageously-nice-facility recruiting wars have made their solution to school golf.
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞
Excited to debut our state-of-the-art golf home at @VandyLegends, the New 💎 of School Golf
⚓️⬇️#AnchorDownpic.twitter.com/MvVa5IxGPn
— Vanderbilt Males’s Golf (@VandyMGolf) October 25, 2024
NEWS FROM SEATTLE
Monday End HQ.
Type of a random apart, however Peter King — whose Monday morning soccer columns made this one seem like a brief, crude little bit of hen scratch — has been on an incredible American street journey and final week made it to the top of I-90, which occurs to be very actually the place the Seahawks play. Anyway, I’ve been having fun with his journey, which is correctly wandering and seems like the most effective of Outdated Twitter, sharing entertaining musings about his explorations and experiences on the earth.
Day 8, Kings Throughout America Missoula, Mont., to Seattle Highlights: -The identify of the morning paper in Missoula is the Missoulian. -Good morning Coeur d’Alene. If the Pecan Roll French Toast at Jimmy’s Down the Avenue is nice sufficient for Man Fieri, it’s adequate for me. -By no means… pic.twitter.com/hky6C8dcCf
— Peter King (@peter_king) October 18, 2024
Get on the market, gang. However first: I’ll see you again right here subsequent week!
Earlier than you go, a fast request: Should you just like the Monday End, subscribe without spending a dime HERE to get it in your e mail inbox!
Dylan Dethier welcomes your feedback at dylan_dethier@golf.com.
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Dylan Dethier
Golf.com Editor
Dylan Dethier is a senior author for GOLF Journal/GOLF.com. The Williamstown, Mass. native joined GOLF in 2017 after two years scuffling on the mini-tours. Dethier is a graduate of Williams School, the place he majored in English, and he’s the writer of 18 in America, which particulars the 12 months he spent as an 18-year-old dwelling from his automobile and enjoying a spherical of golf in each state.
