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Highlights Tours

US Open 2022: Forbidden souvenir! Fans steal Rahm’s golf ball

Not an easy start for the Spanish defending champion at the US Open in Brookline, Massachusetts. On his first round, Jon Rahm experienced a veritable roller coaster ride over the 18 holes. Wild tee shots into deep rough, outstanding saves for a par save and long putts for birdie. It really was all there, and on top of that there was the scene on the 18th hole where Rahm missed the fairway again, but when he went for his ball, it was no longer in the place where it was initially spotted.

US Open 2022: Detective Rahm quickly spots the culprits

After the round, Rahm was asked about the incident on 18. The Spaniard visibly took the scene in stride, especially since he was awarded a free drop under the rules. Rahm also stated for the record that he saw the two offenders who took the ball on the court. Apparently, two younger fans had unceremoniously decided to take the ball from the former world number one.

“I’m pretty sure I know who did it,” he said, visibly amused. “I’m 100 percent sure I saw the two kids who stole it. The two of them were running in the opposite direction and had huge smiles on their faces.”

To the kids who stole @JonRahmpga‘s golf ball on the 18th hole, he knows who you are. ? #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Nh5YeeoXV9 — Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 16, 2022

Lucky for Rahm and, of course, lucky for the two fans that the scene ended without disadvantage for the Spaniard. Quite the opposite, in fact. Rahm took advantage of the free drop, played the ensuing ball to the 18th green and holed the 20-foot putt for a birdie worth seeing. With this, Rahm moved up to a score of -1 for the day and is now tied for 14th place.

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LIV Tour

Bryson DeChambeau officially joins LIV Golf


LIV Golf officially confirms that Bryson DeChambeau will participate in upcoming tournaments of the new series. The American will join June in Portland for the second tournament of the Saudi Golf League.

Welcome @b_dechambeau ?#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/v0O1BVqwcC

Bryson DeChambeau becomes LIV Golf member

Rumors already surfaced a few days ago that DeChambeau was moving to the LIV Golf Invitational Series along with Patrick Reed. “Bryson has always been an innovator,” his agent let slip about the reports. “The opportunity to be involved in the foundation of something unique has always intrigued him. Professional golf as we know it is changing, and changing fast.” 

The announcement comes as a surprise after DeChambeau said as recently as last week that he was not in a position to risk moves like this. As long as the best players in the world were playing on the PGA Tour, he said, he would play there. While the PGA Tour has made its suspension of LIV golf participants official, it may be the USGA’s announcement not to exclude any already qualified golfers that may have influenced Bryson DeChambeau’s decision.

DeChambeau’s sponsor Rocket Mortgage already reacted and parted ways with the US Open winner. Citing ties to the PGA Tour, the company said, “Rocket Mortgage has been a longtime supporter of the PGA Tour, both in our role as an official partner and as a tournament organizer.”

More LIV Golf participants revealed?

In addition to rumors of Patrick Reed and also Rickie Fowler, the teaser video for the new tournament series also appears to announce Matthew Wolff and Bubba Watson as future members. Both can be seen in the video, although they have not yet been officially confirmed. Pat Perez is also said to have signed a $10 million contract with the Saudis, negotiated with the help of the Gretzkys and Dustin Johnson.

According to a source Pat Perez has signed with LIV for 10 million. They added that Perez is close with the Gretzky’s and they, along with DJ they helped secure the deal. — Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) June 10, 2022

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Live

LIV Golf LIVE: Stream the start of the new tournament series for free

On Thursday, June 9, 48 players will compete in the first event of the LIV Golf Series. The competitive tour will tee it up for the first time at London’s Centurion Golf Club. The entire event around the 48 starters of the LIV Golf Invitational Series is available in a free stream, directly at Golf Post.

Saudi Golf League in a free stream at Golf Post

The LIV Golf events are not broadcast on private (and sometimes paid) channels, but are freely available worldwide via livestream. Golfers can follow the entire event live via the LIV Golf website, YouTube or Facebook. The broadcasts will start at 2 p.m. British time.
But you can also follow Kaymer and Co. on Golf Post. The entire broadcast over three days will be available as a free livestream on Golf Post TV.

The spectacle will be commented by Arlo White, known from the Football Premier League, supported by golf experts. Jerry Foltz will support as an analyst directly from the commentary booth and Su-Ann Heng, former world number one, will be on the golf course as a reporter. The team will be followed by other former Asian Tour players and long-drive champions. The broadcast will feature footage from more than 50 cameras and more than 60 microphones on the course, which LIV Golf says will create “a new kind of golf broadcast.”

Broadcast times:
Thursday June 09, 2022: Starting at 2 p.m. on Golf Post, Youtube and livgolf.com
Friday June 10, 2022: 2 p.m. on Golf Post, Youtube and livgolf.com
Saturday 11 June 2022: 2 p.m. on Golf Post, Youtube and livgolf.com

LIV Golf Invitational Series Livestream

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Live

LIV Golf Invitational Day 1

Charl Schwartzel leads after the first round of the LIV Golf Invitational Series. Martin Kaymer and Bernd Wiesberger start only moderately into the controversial tournament.

The mood around the LIV Golf Invitational Series heated up again shortly before the start with numerous news. But then the time had finally come and the controversially discussed tournament of the Saudi Golf League opened its first round with a cannon start at the Centurion Club in London. After the first of three days of the tournament, Charl Schwartzel leads with five strokes under par. Behind him is his compatriot and teammate Hennie du Plessis at 4-under par. Phil Mickelson, who joined the field late, is T7 with -1, just like headliner Dustin Johnson.

For a long time, Phachara Khongwatmai claimed the top spot in the field until Charl Schwartzel made a final spurt towards the end of the round and secured the sole lead with a birdie on his last hole, while Khongwatmai made one of his few mistakes.

The PGA Tour waited until the first players had teed off in London to announce the suspension of participants. The Tour had previously denied the players permission to play in the tournament, which is funded by the Saudi government’s Private Investement Fund (PIF) and with which Greg Norman wants to build a rival tour to the PGA.

Martin Kaymer and Bernd Wiesberger on the Saudi Golf League
Neither Martin Kaymer nor Bernd Wiesberger got off to a particularly good start in the tournament. Martin Kaymer did deserve the honor of the first birdies of the tournament, but that ultimately came to little fruition with a round of +4. Thus he occupies T34 at the beginning of the tournament. Even further behind, Bernd Wiesgerber is alone in 45th place with +7 and thus only three places away from the end of the leaderboard.

Stroke of the day can be none other than this almost albatross by Wade Ormsby, who thus almost caused a sensation on the first event day of the Saudi Golf League.

Almost albatross glory ? ?#PUNCHGC captain @wadeormsby going pin hunting #LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/7cN6b6JvTO — LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 9, 2022

Top 5 of the LIV Golf Invitational Series

1 – Charl Schwartzel (-5)
2- Hennie du Plessis (-4)
3- Phachara Khongwatmai (-3)
3- Scott Vincent (-3)
5- Justin Harding (-2)
5 – Branden Grace (-2)

In addition to the individual standings, the team standings also played a role in the LIV Golf Invitational Series. Here, the South Africans dominated with Team Stingers led by Louis Oosthuizen, even though the captain showed the weakest performance of his team with +2. But since only the best two results of a team on Thursday and Friday are included in the ranking, the team with -9 by Schwartzel and du Plessis easily maintains the lead. Far behind in second place with -3 strokes are the Crushers led by Peter Uihlein. Unsurprisingly, it is Phachara Khongwatmai who brought in the points for this team, along with the team captain who is at Even Par himself. Also in 2nd place is Mickelson’s team of Hy Flyers, which Mickelson’s three birdies in four holes towards the end of the round put him ahead, as well as Justin Harding, who is T5 at -2.

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Highlights Tours

PGA Championship 2022: Rory McIlroy about his fantastic opening roud

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 2022 PGA Championship here at Southern Hills Country Club. Joined by Rory McIlroy, who fashioned a 5-under par 65 today. Rory, that’s the quick start you’ve been looking for, yes or no?

RORY MCILROY: Yes or no? No, no, I’d rather shoot 74 and try to make the cut tomorrow. (Laughter.)

Yeah, look, it was a great start to the tournament. I’ve been playing well coming in here. I’ve been carrying some good form. Obviously that took a lot from that last round at Augusta, played well up in D.C. at the Wells Fargo there, and played good in the practice rounds earlier this week.

I think when your game is feeling like that, it’s just a matter of going out there and really sticking to your game plan, executing as well as you possibly can, and just sort of staying in your own little world. I did that really well today. It was nice to get off to that good start and sorta keep it going.

I feel like this course, it lets you be pretty aggressive off the tee if you want to be, so I hit quite a lot of drivers out there and took advantage of my length and finished that off with some nice iron play and some nice putting.

Q. What were you happiest with, and if there was disappointment, what were you most disappointed with?

RORY MCILROY: I think just happy with when you get off to a good start like that, sometimes you can maybe start to be a little careful or start to give yourself a little more margin for error, but I stuck to my game plan.

I stayed aggressive, hit that driver up 4, took an aggressive line on 5. Yeah, I stuck to what I was trying to do out there, which I was pleased with.

Then if anything obviously the two bogeys on the par-3s on the front nine, but it’s very easy to make bogeys out here. You get yourself just a little bit out of position, you catch a little bit of grain around the green, it’s tricky.

I didn’t encounter too many of those tricky scenarios today, but it can certainly be tricky. You get yourself out of position here, you just try to make a 4 or a par and run to the next.

Q. I was going to ask you about that line on 5 you took. Why did you decide to aim at that tree and hit a cut instead of working a draw or something? What’s the thinking?

RORY MCILROY: I snap hooked one on to the driving range yesterday, so at least I knew I wasn’t going to do that. That was basically it. And the wind was off the left. If anything I’m a little more comfortable hitting the driver left to right at the minute. I feel like my body works a little better, I can be more aggressive with my body; body doesn’t stop and arms go.

Some of those right-to-left winds today off the tee it was nice because I could just aim the driver up the middle of the fairway, hit like a nice hold against the wind.

But yeah, that was the reason. It wasn’t all to do with the shot yesterday, but just fits my eye a little better.

Q. You’ve talked about how it can be challenging playing with Tiger Woods or in these super groups. Is there an opposite to that where once you’re playing well you get more in the zone, or what’s the effect out there?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think the nice thing around — like for example, it’s different playing with him here than it is say at East Lake, because East Lake feels so claustrophobic, the crowds are so much more on top of you.

Here it’s big wide corridors. I feel like there’s a lot of room, so it doesn’t feel as oppressive as some other venues. It’s sort of nice that — I was looking forward to the draw anyway. It’s always a cool group to be a part of.

But I think this golf course just with how it’s been opened up, it doesn’t feel quite as boisterous as it usually does.

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Highlights Tours

PGA Championship 2022: Tiger Woods about his frustrating start

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 2022 PGA Championship here at Southern Hills. We’re joined by Tiger Woods who opened with a 4-over par 74 today. Looked like a struggle out there. Did you hold it together? It’s not that bad a score.

TIGER WOODS: Well, I did not hit a lot of good iron shots. I drove it well, but my iron shots were not very good. I didn’t get the ball very close. I got off to a great start and didn’t keep it going. I really didn’t give myself any looks for birdie. I was struggling trying to get the ball on the green, and I missed quite a few iron shots both ways. It was a frustrating day.

Q. It looked like you tweaked something, looked like something was bothering you, and also, bunker shots, the ball came out hot —

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, yeah. All the bunker shots sort of came out hot. The sand is a lot faster than I thought it would be. Kind of been that way all week, especially if you get up in the areas where it’s not raked. I had a couple of those balls where it was in those areas. It’s like, is there a lot of sand here, is there not, how should I play it, and when you dig in with your feet you’re not in those areas where it’s raked. I feel like sometimes the sand — I’m guessing, and I guessed wrong.

Yeah, my leg is not feeling as good as I would like it to be. We’ll start the recovery process and get after it tomorrow.

Q. There were a few instances when you went iron off the tee when Rory and Jordan both hit driver. Was that always the strategy and when you see them do that, does it make you think, I’m pretty far back here?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it wouldn’t have been so far back if I would have hit the iron shot solid and put the ball in the fairway. I was playing to my spots, and those guys obviously have a different game plan. It’s just different.

The game is played very differently now, and it’s very aggressive. We were talking about it today, Joey and I, the days of the Lee Janzens and the Scott Simpsons and the Faldos of the world, playing that kind of golf is gone. You go out there and hit driver a lot, and if you have a hot week, you have a hot week and you’re up there.

The game is just different. It’s much more aggressive now, and I know that. But I was playing to my spots. If I would have hit the ball solidly on those two holes and put the ball in the fairway, I would have been fine. I would have had 9-iron, 8-iron in there. That’s not a big deal. But I didn’t do that. I put the ball in the rough over there on 4 and hit the tree on 9 and ended up hitting a 4-iron in there.

Q. When your leg is bothering you more than normal, how does it impact your swing? What does it do that you are not able to do the way you’d like?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I just can’t load it. Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, and walking hurts, and twisting hurts. It’s just golf. I don’t play that, if I don’t do that, then I’m all right.

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Uncategorized

PGA Championship 2022: Can Tiger Woods win? “I feel like I can, definitely”

JULIUS MASON: Four-time PGA Champion Tiger Woods is joining us for the 104th PGA Championship.

Tiger, this is your 22nd PGA Championship, the last time you were here, you won here at Tulsa. Can you take us back to 2007 and just maybe share some of the memories you had that week?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it was obviously a very different golf course. It was not cold that week. I remember playing behind JD the first day, which was awesome. It was, what, 109 I think that first day? And I asked JD how many waters he drank out there, he said, “No, I had 13 Diet Cokes.”

It was a great week. Very different golf course. A lot of irons and like strange irons. You don’t normally hit a 6-iron off the tee on a par 4, and we did that week.

And they have lengthened it, changed it, and it will be a good test. I’m curious to see how much firmer it gets as the week goes on and this golf course is going to play what Kerry wants it.

JULIUS MASON: How is your body, how is your mind as you come to the second major of the year?

TIGER WOODS: It’s better than the last time I played a tournament, which is good. We’ve been working hard and again, I have days where it’s tough and you know, other days where we can push through it.

But we keep working at it.

Q. In the time between the PGA Championship and the Masters, were you able to keep ramping up the training or was there a post-Masters lull?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, there was a huge lull, Monday (smiling) that was it. That was it. Monday, it was not fun. It hurt. A ice baths and just trying to get the swelling out of there.

Then we went back at it, leg day on Tuesday and we kept going from there. Said, let’s go. Figured the first mountain you climbed was Everest. That’s the steepest golf course you’re going to play and that was the first one you climbed it, and climbed. It’s going to get flatter and better. But still, I still have tough days, and things aren’t going to be as easy as people might think.

But I feel like I’m doing better. I’m having more days in which are better, more positive. Able to practice a little bit longer. So I’m able to do activities and things that I was hoping to do, and I’m finally able to do them.

Q. What did you learn about your new body and maybe its limitations during that week at Augusta?

TIGER WOODS: (Chuckles) it was hurting but I pushed through it. It was more mind than body. I said, I’ve won with a broken leg before. Keep on going out there, keep pushing. I know how to play the golf course. If I can just putt well, you never know. Unfortunately Saturday, I think I had like 15 three-putts.

But it was one of those things, the thing that I was frustrated with is it deteriorated as the week went on. I got more and more tired and more fatigued. I didn’t have the endurance that I wanted. I mean, I shouldn’t expect it because I didn’t earn it. I didn’t go out there and I hadn’t done the work but we were able to put in a little bit more work and it’s going to get better as time goes on. As the months pass and it’s going to get better.

Q. What do you make of Phil not being here? Defending champion, great win last year that he had and here, with all that’s gone on, he’s not here. What are your thoughts?

TIGER WOODS: Well, Bob, it’s always disappointing when the defending champion not here. Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the TOUR and committed to the legacy of the TOUR have pushed back against, and he’s taken some personal time, and we all understand that.

But I think that some of his views on how the TOUR could be run, should be run, been a lot of disagreement there. But as we all know, as a professional, we miss him being out here. I mean, he’s a big draw for the game of golf. He’s just taking his time and we all wish him the best when he comes back.

Obviously we’re going to have difference of opinions, how he sees the TOUR, and we’ll go from there.

Q. Are you surprised at all it has escalated to the point that is it has, where he also missed the Masters, obviously, and we really don’t know what’s next.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it has ramped up very quickly, and I think we were talking about this, if this would have happened 30 years ago, 20 years ago, it wouldn’t have happened as fast. But social media has changed the landscape and how fast things can ramp up, whether it’s real news or fake news or whatever it is, opinions get out there instantly. It can sway very quickly one way or the other. What we are seeing right now in society, it’s very bipolar. There’s really no middle ground, you stand one way or the other. It’s very polarizing.

And the viewpoints that Phil has made with the TOUR and what the TOUR has meant to all of us has been polarizing as well.

Q. You told me a long time ago that you didn’t think golf defined who you are as a person, but I think the resilience you’ve shown in the last year does say a lot about you. How do you think what you’ve accomplished over the last year since the accident might inspire others?

TIGER WOODS: Well, every day is a challenge for all of us. We all have our own challenges in our own different way, right. You wake up to the new challenge, the new day, and you’ve just got to fight through it.

Some challenges are more difficult than others. It doesn’t mean that they are harder or easier than others. They are just different. Mine were different than some others. Some other people have been through much worse than I have. We have seen some pretty amazing — I have seen some pretty amazing things working with the military and what they have done and what they have come back from. Guys have lost limbs and have come back and requalified for Special Forces, and things like that are inspiring.

Yeah, I’m going to be sore. That’s okay but I can still get better.

Q. You’re going to hit more driver here more often than you did in 2007. There’s more short grass around the greens. Do you think this is a better test than one in 2007? Which would you prefer to play?

TIGER WOODS: Now? Given my body? Anything around 6,200 is great. It’s just different. It’s more faster, wide open. We saw how the seniors played it; a lot of balls were hitting and runs off to the sides, where that wasn’t the case when we played in ’07. It was catching in the rough.

But I think that some of the — for me, I think there’s more slope in some of these greens. Obviously there’s more waves in the fairways and hitting very different clubs off of tees. But still, it’s a challenge, and I said earlier, I think Kerry is going to set it up — I think he’s going to do a wonderful job setting it up. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be fair.

The rough is at a great length. It’s interesting because you can get a ball that comes out hot or you can get a ball that doesn’t come out at all. That’s the great guessing game of playing bermuda, and then with the surrounds being cut down how they are, there’s a lot more grain than we every had to deal with. There are going to be different shots. I’ve seen guys using hybrids, and I’ve seen guys use 3-woods, putts, wedges, 4-irons. You’ll see a lot of different things.

And then the forecast is going to be different every day in this wind. It’s supposed to be all different directions. We’re going to see a different golf course almost every day.

Q. You mentioned that you kind of lost endurance as the round at of the Masters went on. What have you learned about your body or recovery process since it’s going to be able to recover after the rounds and last longer into the tournament?

TIGER WOODS: My team did just an amazing job just to get me to a point where I could play the Masters and I was able to have that opportunity to play. Right after each round, it was like getting back to the house and we have an ice bath ready for you, and off you go, get on the treatment table and let’s keep working at it, keep things going and it was tough. It was hard. It was hard on all of us.

But I’ve gotten stronger since then. But still, it’s still going to be sore and walking is a challenge. I can hit golf balls, but the challenge is walking. It’s going to be that way for the foreseeable future for sure.

Q. With the Foundation, have you considered an event much like the one Bill Dickey used to put on, you remember him?

TIGER WOODS: Oh, yeah.

Q. That would benefit kids all over the country and give people a see a chance to see exactly what the Foundation is doing?

TIGER WOODS: See, we have gotten away from golf-based event. We’ve had fund-raisers that are golf-based events, but our foundation is not based in golf. Our fund-raising is based in golf but our program is based in STEM. So we focus on STEM, getting kids into STEM programs, in a variety of different STEM programs.

But yes, we use golf as a fund-raiser but we are not here to produce professional golfers. We’re here to give under-served kids better chances in life, and I think that’s more important.

Q. How close are you physically now to being as good as it’s going to get based on your injuries?

TIGER WOODS: I don’t know. That’s a great question. I don’t know. There’s going to be limitations. There’s a lot of hardware in there and there’s going to be limitations to what I’m going to be able to do, but I’m going to get stronger. I don’t know how much that is or how much range of motion I’ll ever get back. But sure is a hell of a lot better than it was 12 months ago.

Q. You mentioned all the changes to the golf course. One, do you like those changes, and two, your winning score is 8-under in 2007. Do you envision is being similar? All of the guys mentioned it’s playing tougher then. Do you envision that score maybe being lower?

TIGER WOODS: I think it all depends on where Kerry puts the pins. When I watched the seniors play, there was a lot of balls running off the sides, a lot of chip shots.

But we are getting these young kids hitting the ball high and far. You know, a couple of the par 5s are, what, 630, and guys are knocking it on there in two, some of the guys. Depends on the wind, obviously.

But guys have a lot more power than what we did in ’07. Look at what we did on the range? We can’t use the top end of the range anymore because guys are hitting it down to the bottom. The game has changed a lot and because the game has changed a lot, Gil has done a fantastic job of altering the golf course.

It has a lot more shot options, that’s for sure, and we are going to be tested around the greens a lot. A lot of grain, a lot of creativity, but it still puts a premium in putting the ball in play and in the fairway and somehow below the holes in the right spots. As I said, there’s still a lot of slope on some of these greens, a lot of pitch. But it is kind of nice to see 9 and 18 not cut at a different speed.

Q. How confident are you that you can contend this week and do you feel like you can win this week?

TIGER WOODS: I feel like I can, definitely. I just have to go out there and do it. I have to do my work. Starts on Thursday and I’ll be ready.

Q. You mentioned your putting at Augusta, particularly that Saturday didn’t go the way you wanted it to. Did you feel like with your physical limitations you’re able to practice enough with the putter to get that club back to a championship level?

TIGER WOODS: No. As far as practicing a lot, no, I don’t do that anymore. Bending over, hitting a bunch of putts like I used to, that doesn’t happen, not with my back the way it is. I have to pick my spots and do my work and get in and get out. I can do different sessions.

I have a great complex in the backyard that I can do different times throughout the day and do like a 20-minute segment here, a 20-minute segment there, another 20-minute segment later on in the evening. I can break it up and do it that way instead of putting for two or three hours in a row like I used to. I just have to do it differently.

Q. You said to Bob, a disagreement with a lot of what Phil has said. From your view, how does he resolve that disagreement or does he have to resolve that disagreement? What do you think?

TIGER WOODS: I don’t know if he has to resolve it or not. You know, he has his opinion on where he sees the game of golf going. You know, I have my viewpoint how I see the game of golf, and I’ve supported the TOUR and my foundation has run events on the TOUR for a number of years.

I just think that what Jack and Arnold have done in starting the TOUR and breaking away from the PGA of America and creating our tour in ’68 or ’69, somewhere in there, I just think there’s a legacy to that. I’ve been playing out here for a couple of years over decades, and I think there’s a legacy do it. I still think that the TOUR has so much to offer, so much opportunity.

Yes, it is, and I understand different viewpoints, but I believe in legacies. I believe in major championships. I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There’s plenty of money out here. The TOUR is growing. But it’s just like any other sport. It’s like tennis. You have to go out there and earn it. You’ve got to go out there and play for it. We have opportunity to go ahead and do it. It’s just not guaranteed up front.

Q. With your event, you have rights fees that you play to the TOUR in some form or another. Do you think Phil, because he had not done events before some of these matches and whatnot, do you think he just didn’t understand the rights fees and how they work?

TIGER WOODS: I can’t speak for him not knowing and understanding that. I’m sure he probably does have an understanding of that because he was the host of the old Bob Hope. So since he was the host of the event, I’m sure he probably understands it, and plus, he hosts the event up there in Napa Valley.

He understands it, and there is — there is a rights fee to having events and understanding it. And we negotiate with the TOUR and whether it’s one-off day events like we have with matches under the lights like I used to do back in the old days, or it’s regular TOUR events, each tournament is different. Obviously there is right fees that have to be paid, and we understand that.

Obviously we go in there as events and try and negotiate that down as low as possible, and try and make as much money as we can for the local events.

Q. And the fees go back to the TOUR players; correct?

TIGER WOODS: Correct.

Q. That’s where they go?

TIGER WOODS: Correct.

Q. From the outside, it didn’t appear, especially based on what was known about your injuries that the Masters was possible and maybe not even this tournament several months ago. When did you make the determination or set the goal to come back, and at what point did you think, wow, there’s a realistic chance I can do it?

TIGER WOODS: Well, when I went up and did the scouting trip with J.T., Rob and Charlie and was able to play, we played all 18 and then went over and played the par 3 course.

Yeah, I did it, but man, it hurt for a couple days. But I was able to do it, and maybe I could work my way into it somehow and just kept pushing and kept hoping that I could somehow figure out a way. I mean, I have to endure some uncomfortableness. But it was — even that week as I played practice rounds, I was still trying to figure out, you know, can I do this over 72 holes, and I was able to do it. Unfortunately I just didn’t have the endurance or the stamina and wished I would have putted better so I would have given myself a chance.

I just think that I’ve put in a lot of hard work with my team, and I believe in them and what they have been able to get me to do. I just have to go out there and obviously do it and hit the golf shots.

Now, I’ve had to alter my golf swing here and there and practice sessions and work on things, and I’ve had to do a lot of shadow swinging in front of mirrors because I’m just not able to handle impact, but I’ve gotten better and stronger since then, and will continue to improve.

Q. Two unrelated questions. Obviously when we have spoken to you over the years, it’s about the result and winning and whatnot. But when you step back and look at getting through 72 holes at Augusta, how much of an accomplishment and did you feel some accomplishment out of that when you got home, even though the result wasn’t what you wanted?

TIGER WOODS: I hear ya. Everyone around me was very happy and ecstatic that I got around all 72 holes. I did not see it that way on Monday. I was a little ticked I didn’t putt well, and felt like I was hitting it good enough and I wish I had the stamina.

You know, it’s a normal, typical golfer, the what ifs, if I would have done this, I would have done that, would have done this.

But taking a step back and looking at the overall big picture of it, it was an accomplishment. But that other side of me that says if I would have done things differently, I could have challenged for that thing. And I know that golf course, and I just — maybe next year will be different.

Q. One on Phil. Sometimes you’ve endured some difficult times over the years. Phil has publicly and privately reached out to you. Curious if you had tried to reach out to him, spoken to him and if you felt compelled to reach out to him at all?

TIGER WOODS: I have not reached out to him. I have not spoken to him. A lot of it has not to do with I think personal issues. It was our viewpoints of how the TOUR should be run and could be run, and what players are playing for and how we are playing for it. I have a completely different stance on, and so no, I have not.

Q. More personally, obviously not going through a very good time —

TIGER WOODS: I don’t know what he’s going through. But I know the comments he made about the TOUR and the way that it should be run, it could be run; it could be run differently and all the different financials that could have happened, I just have a very different opinion on that. And so no, I have not reached out to him.

Q. I had something else, but I wanted to follow up on that. What do you think the TOUR needs to be doing better?

TIGER WOODS: Well, they are obviously trying to give what the top players have –obviously the top players have carried the Tour for a number of years, whether it’s back with Jack, Arnold and Gary or other eras, you know, the top players have carried the tours.

The PIP program or however we are ever going to do something like that going forward, what the incentives are, it’s trying to take care of the players that have obviously done a lot for the TOUR. I think that programs like that will probably alter it a bit going forward and how — how we are able to promote the TOUR.

I mean, the top players are use — that’s one of the things that we have got into arguments, I have, with Jay or Tim over the years is, you know, how we are marketed and used in events that we are not even playing in. So that in itself is an issue right there.

And that stems from conversations I’ve had privately with those guys and shared my viewpoint, and how the top players are rewarded for what they do, not just on the golf course but how they are able to bring so much attention and awareness to our sport, whether it’s through all the different streaming or TV, or the different ways you can view golf. We have our now future groups which we never had before. There’s a reason why they are future groups. I think those guys should get rewarded somehow.

Q. We have a club pro in the field, Wyatt Worthington, only the second Black club pro to play in the PGA, and you probably gave him a lesson at first tee 20 years ago. I don’t expect you to remember that.

TIGER WOODS: I don’t remember, but yeah, I’ve heard the story, yes.

Q. Curious, the progress that’s been made at a very slow rate, what is keeping it so slow? It’s not a new story but is it access, is it funding? What do you see as keeping golf back from getting more opportunities like Wyatt has this week?

TIGER WOODS: Well, if you look at — if you want to go the club pro route, that’s one story. If you want to go minority access or — not access, introduction to the game of golf, I think that has changed quite a bit, and the reason why, I have said this my entire career, it’s the advent of the golf cart, summers.

Used to be the caddies were predominantly non-White and they were introduced to the came through the caddie programs around the country. That doesn’t happen anymore. There are clubs that have caddies but there are not as many anymore with the advent of the golf cart.

Other sports are starting to get these athletes, and the introduction to golf is not happening at a youthful age, and the costs of not just the introduction, but just the maintenance and trying to participate in the game of golf, like I said this at the Hall of Fame is that my parents had to take out a second mortgage for me to be able just to compete at a junior golf level.

It’s tough. It’s tough on families that don’t have the funds to do it. Yes, access is a tough thing, and the USGA has done an amazing job. The TOUR is trying to do a great job there are other organizations that try and do amazing stuff to try to get more minority youth involved in the game and introduced. But how do you sustain that? That’s the hard part is how do you keep them in there for years at a time.

And then you look at the pyramid effect. The more you go up, the harder the competition and the more kids are going to be dropped.

JULIUS MASON: Good luck this week, Tiger. Tiger is playing with Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth at 8:11 a.m. on Thursday.

(Text curtesy of ASAP Sports)

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Uncategorized

The Amundi Evian Championship Increases its Purse to $6.5 Million

The Amundi Evian Championship Continues to Assert its Ambition to Promote Parity in Sport, Increases its Prize Purse to $6.5 Million

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (May 17, 2022) – The Amundi Evian Championship, one of the five major tournaments in women’s golf and the only one on the European continent on either the men’s or women’s tours, reveals the high points of the 2022 event, to be hosted once again on the major championship course at Evian Resort Golf Club from July 21-24. With an increase in prize money to $6.5 million USD, the major championship will offer a $1 million prize for the winner – a symbolic marker in women’s sport – with the remainder distributed to the entire field.

Amundi Evian Championship Increases purse

Since its creation in 1994, The Amundi Evian Championship has continually asserted its ambition to promote women’s performance in sport and take part in growing women’s golf.

This is behind the momentum to increase the prize money, to which the tournament has been committed for many years, thanks to the support of its Sponsors Club, led by Amundi, Rolex, Danone and Evian. This movement is also shared by the leading women’s tournaments around the world. Indeed, the LPGA Tour, led by Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, has assembled a record prize fund of more than $90 million for the 2022 season.

“We are incredibly appreciative of our friends and partners at The Amundi Evian Championship for their ongoing support of the LPGA Tour and the world’s best female golfers,” said Marcoux Samaan. “Elevating the purse of this major championship makes a powerful statement about the value and status of the women’s game and the strong commitment of Amundi, Danone, Evian and Rolex to advancing the LPGA and our world-class athletes. We look forward to a spectacular week in Evian-les-Bains and I know that our players will share my gratitude and excitement.”

Beyond rewarding its winner with a record check, The Amundi Evian Championship will also extend the distribution of the prize purse to all tournament competitors. Players who do not make the cut will receive unofficial earnings.

(Text: LPGA Tour)

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Uncategorized

Hometown hero Patty Tavatanakit top after Day 1 of the Aramco Team Series – Bangkok

Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit leads the $1million Aramco Team Series – Bangkok by one after an opening round six-under-par at Thai Country Club.

The world #13 made the most of home advantage to finish one above Spanish starlet Ana Pelaez going into Friday’s second round.

Team Hillier, captained by Australia’s Whitney Hillier and featuring Chonlada Chayanun – playing her home course – Krista Bakker of Finland, and amateur Pattanan Amatanon lead at the halfway point in the tournament’s fourball format, after carding a day’s low of -16.

“It was really fun,” said Tavatanakit, the 2021 LPGA Rookie of the Year. “I kept my round going well. The team format is a little different. Being able to play with everyone at the same time and make birdies, cheering them on, it’s a really good feeling.

“It’s a format that relaxes you. I was really calm today and I felt like mistakes were fine, because I had other people there [to support] as well.”

Instead of opting for the player hotel, Tavatanakit is staying with her family in Bangkok this week – and has a friend from home, Dan, on her bag.

Asked if being one of the hometown heroes brought with it an extra level of playing pressure, the 22-year-old added: “I want to do well everywhere I play. I treat every week just like a normal event regardless of where I am, so I’m just here to play another tournament. 

“Today, I read the greens really well. I was surprised actually that I didn’t really get more right reads or right breaks on the practice rounds, but today I think I was a little bit more focused and Dan really helped me.”

Breakout Spanish star Ana Pelaez sits one back after a quite remarkable opening day bogey-free 67.

The 24-year-old only arrived in the Thai capital on Tuesday night after securing a late entry to the $1million event following her shock six-stroke victory at the Madrid Ladies Open.

With storms delaying her Wednesday’s afternoon practice, Pelaez – who drove for five hours, then took three flights over 24 hours to reach Bangkok – arrived at Thai Country Club this morning having only played its front nine holes and walking the fairways of holes 10 through 13.

That night, she used Google Earth to see what she was up against on the course’s closing five holes. Today, she finished birdie-birdie-birdie for an astonishing five-under-par.

“Honestly, I’m actually speechless,” said Pelaez. “I had a great round. I had a lot of fun. I had to be patient because I started par, par, par, birdie, par, birdie – then I didn’t get another birdie until hole 16. And then I finished with three in a row, so I’m extremely happy. A boost of confidence for tomorrow actually.

“I’m just happy we were able to get everything in place and that I’m here. I cannot believe I’m actually awake after traveling so much and all the emotions. I should be wasted, but I’m good!”

Team Whitney Hillier hold their own one-shot advantage going into what will be the closing day of the Aramco Team Series – Bangkok’s $500,000 team competition.

Their 16-under total was enough to give them a slender advantage heading into Friday’s deciding final round. 

“We just made birdies early,” said Australian Whitney, who is half-Thai. “We had a good vibe and everyone was gelling pretty well – everyone was laughing and happy. So, yeah, good team. We played well.”

Team Simmermacher – Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG), Charlotte Liautier (FRA), Isabella Deilert (SWE) and amateur Sirapob Yapala – sit on 15-under-par, one ahead of the teams captained by Scotland’s Kylie Henry and Patty Tavatanakit.

The Aramco Team Series – Bangkok continues tomorrow, with the final day of its team format and the second of three rounds in its $500,000 individual competition.

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PGA Tour

Players Championship 2022: How much prize money did players earn?

A record prize money of 20 million dollars was paid out in total at the Players Championship. The PGA Tour had increased the prize money for its flagship event by 5 million dollars for this year. Winner Cameron Smith alone gets 3.6 million dollars from the prize money pool. In his time on the PGA Tour, Smith has so far earned 22,726,511 dollars.
Even 4th place at the Players Championship still receives almost one million dollars.

What he wants to do with the money, Smith does not know yet, he said in the press conference after his victory. When talking about a possible FedExCup win with it’s 15 million dollar bonus, he didn’t seem so eager for the money. “I don’t know, I’m pretty set, to be honest. I’m good. I’m good with what I’ve got. I don’t know what I’d do, to be honest. Maybe some more fishing equipment.” For 3,6 million dollar you get a lot of fishing equipment. In addition, Smith takes over second place in the FedExCup rankings.

Players Championship: Who gets how much prize money?

1st Cameron Smith, $3,600,000

2nd Anirban Lahiri, $2,180,000

3rd Paul Casey, $1,380,000

4th Kevin Kisner, $980,000

5th Keegan Bradley, $820,000

T6. Russell Knox, Harold Varner III, Doug Ghim, $675,000

T9. Dustin Johnson, Adam Hadwin, Viktor Hovland, Sepp Straka, $525,000.

T13. Russell Henley, Taylor Pendrith, Brendan Steele, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Keith Mitchell, Max Homa, Erik van Rooyen, Daniel Berger, $327,000.

T22. Kevin Streelman, Tommy Fleetwood, Patton Kizzire, Joquin Niemann, $201,000.

T26 Sergio Garcia, Alex Noren, Patrick Reed, Corey Conners, Will Zalatoris, Sam Burns, Doc Redman, $143,000

T33. Abraham Ancer, Ian Poulter, Pat Perez, Rory McIlroy, Seamus Power, Justin Thomas, Joel Dahmen, Tom Hoge, Sebastián Muñoz, $100,111.

T42. Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen, Scott Stallings, Kramer Hickok, $73,000.

T46. Troy Merritt, Peter Malnati, Adam Long, Maverick McNealy, $57,000

T50. Brice Garnett, Dylan Frittelli, Aaron Wise, $50,200

T53. Branden Grace, Jason Kokrak, $47,800

T55. Jimmy Walker, K.H. Lee, Sungjae Im, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, $46,200.

T60. Michael Thompson, Sam Ryder, Denny McCarthy, $44,600

T63. Brian Harman, Chesson Hadley, Hank Lebioda, $43,400

T66. Nick Watney, Hayden Buckley, $42,400

T68. Bubba Watson, Lucas Herbert, $41,600

  1. Lee Hodges, $41,000