Author: elias.scharner

Categories
Highlights Tours

TGL “Boston Common Golf”: Blend of Politics and Bullfrog Emblem

Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Hideki Matsuyama, and Adam Scott make up the Boston Common Golf team. (Photos: TGL Media Hub and Getty)

Boston is one of the most iconic sports cities in the United States, so it’s no surprise that the inaugural season of the high-tech TGL golf league includes a team from this New England hub. Named “Boston Common Golf,” the team is headlined by TGL co-founder Rory McIlroy. No Boston-based sports lineup would be complete without Keegan Bradley, a passionate fan of the Celtics, Red Sox, and New England Patriots. The team is rounded out by Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama. Backing the team financially are the Fenway Sports Group (FSG), pop sensation Niall Horan, and McIlroy himself.

A Touch of Politics

The inclusion of Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott on the roster seems far from coincidental. Both players are members of the PGA Tour’s Transaction Subcommittee, which is negotiating with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). Also on this committee is John W. Henry, principal owner of Fenway Sports Group. The FSG is a key player in the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), which struck a multi-billion-dollar deal with the PGA Tour in January 2024. The SSG features numerous billionaires who own major U.S. sports franchises.

Team Identity

The team’s name pays homage to Boston Common, the first public park in the United States. Appropriately, the logo features a bullfrog—a nod to the Frog Pond located in the heart of Boston Common. According to the team’s official website, the team colors also hold special significance:

“The primary color for Boston Common Golf, Common Green, symbolizes the richness of the sport and city: namely, the abundance of green spaces, the proud Irish heritage, and the walls of Fenway Sports Group’s namesake. Along with Earth White and Navy, the palette includes a pop of vibrant lime green (Boston Volt) to represent a new, modern vision for golf and the vivid digital and dimensional environment in the SoFi Center – TGL’s new tech-forward venue in Palm Beach, Florida.”

 
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Quick Facts About “Boston Common Golf”

Team NameBoston Common Golf
Team MembersAdam Scott (Australia), Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Keegan Bradley (USA), Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
InvestorsFenway Sports Group (FSG), Niall Horan (Singer), Rory McIlroy
LogoBullfrog with its inflated chest forming a golf ball
Team ColorsCommon Green, Earth White, Navy, and Lime Green

Upcoming Matches

  • January 27, 2025: vs. Jupiter Links GC
  • February 4, 2025: vs. Los Angeles Golf Club
  • February 17, 2025: vs. The Bay Golf Club
  • February 24, 2025: vs. Atlanta Drive GC
  • March 3, 2025: vs. New York Golf Club
Categories
PGA Tour

TGL “Jupiter Links GC”: Tiger’s Team in Signature “Tiger Red”

Jupiter Links GC featuring Tiger Woods, Tom Kim, Kevin Kisner, and Max Homa. (Images: Getty and TGL Media Hub)

The Jupiter Links Golf Club represents the TGL team of co-founder Tiger Woods. Joined by Kevin Kisner, Max Homa, and Tom Kim, Tiger has assembled a dynamic roster of distinctive personalities.

Kevin Kisner, a four-time PGA Tour winner, is known as much for his candid TV appearances with NBC as for his golfing prowess, even though his current form falls short of his peak. Meanwhile, Max Homa, a fan-favorite on social media, is celebrated as one of the most exciting players of the new generation.

Speaking of rising stars, the inclusion of Tom Kim is a testament to Tiger’s eye for talent. The 22-year-old South Korean has already claimed three PGA Tour titles, showcasing his passion and charisma on the course. A standout moment was his role as an emotional leader during the 2024 Presidents Cup, where he electrified crowds with his performances.

Naming and Branding: A Nod to Jupiter and the Sunshine State

Named after Tiger’s hometown of Jupiter, Florida, the team has backing from TGR Ventures (Tiger Woods) and David Blitzer, a prominent investor involved with teams like the Washington Commanders (NFL) and Philadelphia 76ers (NBA).

“The Palm Flag” and “Tiger Red”

The team logo, dubbed the “Palm Flag,” blends beach and golf themes. It features a palm tree and a golf flag, with a segmented flagpole representing the three players who compete in each match. The red circle at the base symbolizes the rising sun on the horizon.

When it comes to colors, the legendary “Tiger Red” is front and center, paying homage to Tiger’s iconic Sunday attire. Complementary tones include midnight blue, sand, and sunrise red, reflecting Jupiter’s coastal charm.

Fast Facts About Jupiter Links GC

Team NameJupiter Links GC
PlayersTiger Woods, Kevin Kisner, Max Homa (USA), Tom Kim (KOR)
InvestorsTiger Woods (TGR Ventures), David Blitzer
LogoPalm Flag
Team ColorsTiger Red, Midnight Blue, Sand, Sunrise Red

Schedule

  • January 14, 2025: vs. Los Angeles Golf Club
  • January 27, 2025: vs. Boston Common Golf
  • February 18, 2025: vs. New York Golf Club
  • February 25, 2025: vs. The Bay Golf Club
  • March 4, 2025: vs. Atlanta Drive GC
Categories
PGA Tour

Scottie Scheffler Withdraws from Season Opener

Scottie Scheffler during the third round of “The Sentry” 2024 in Maui, Hawaii. (Image: Getty)
Scottie Scheffler during the third round of “The Sentry” 2024 in Maui, Hawaii. (Image: Getty)

Scottie Scheffler misses the PGA Tour season opener in Hawaii. The 28-year-old suffered an injury to his right palm while preparing dinner on Dec. 25. Scheffler’s manager, Blake Smith, said in a statement released Friday: “On Christmas Day while preparing dinner, Scottie sustained a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand from a broken glass. Small glass fragments remained in the palm which required surgery. He has been told that he should be back to 100 percent in three to four weeks. Unfortunately, he will have to withdraw from The Sentry.”

The US American will therefore not be able to compete at “The Sentry” in Hawaii, the season opener. The tournament takes place from January 2 to 5 on Maui, a Hawaiian island. The venue is the “Plantation Course at Kapalua” (par 73). Scheffler’s next planned tournament is “The American Express” from January 16 to 19, according to his manager Blake Smith.

Scottie Scheffler and his historic season

Scottie Scheffler has had a memorable 2024 season. He won seven official PGA Tour tournaments, including the US Masters and the Players Championship, where he became the first player ever to successfully defend the title. In August, he won Olympic gold and shed tears at the award ceremony afterwards. Scheffler was also successful in team competitions in 2024. With Team USA, he defeated Team International by 18 1/2 to 11 1/2 points at the Presidents Cup in Canada at the end of September.

As a logical consequence of all this success, Scheffler was voted Player of the Year on the PGA Tour (Jack Nicklaus Award) for the third time in a row. He is also the first player since Tiger Woods in 2009 to spend an entire year at the top of the world rankings.

Categories
Equipment

TaylorMade Acquires Logan Olson Putters

TaylorMade acquires the luxury brand from Logan Olson (top right in small picture). (Photos: TaylorMade)
TaylorMade acquires the luxury brand from Logan Olson (top right in small picture). (Photos: TaylorMade)

TaylorMade announced the acquisition of Logan Olson Putters on Tuesday. The Logan Olson brand from the company founder of the same name produces putters for the luxury segment and is particularly popular and well-known in specialist and collector circles. Like Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red, Logan Olson Putters will operate as a sub-brand in the TaylorMade portfolio.

The 27-year-old Logan Olson is the boss and main designer of the company of the same name. The entrepreneur has built up a reputation with high-quality blade-style putters. Olson’s putters have also been used at professional level, for example Scottie Scheffler won the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas with a 2023 model. The putters from Logan Olson are limited, high-priced and usually sell quickly. Olson’s company is located in Fortuna, California, several hundred kilometers north of Carlsbad, California, the headquarters of TaylorMade.

Logan: “I Am Incredibly Proud”

In a press release from TaylorMade, Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade Vice President of Product Creation, said of Olson, “It’s not every day you stumble upon someone like Logan. His ability to merge creativity with such a technical process is nothing short of remarkable. Whether you’re a professional on Tour, someone who plays the game for the sheer love of it, or even a collector with a keen eye for finely crafted putters, Logan’s creations embody a level of craftsmanship that resonates with golfers of all abilities.”

Olson himself shared via a post on social media, “I am incredibly proud to announce that I’ve partnered with TaylorMade to bring my unique perspective on putters to professional tours as well as share my vision with the world. I can’t wait to take this brand to the next level.”

Categories
Panorama

Bryson DeChambeau Makes Hole in One Over His Own House

Bryson DeChambeau is currently going viral with a hole-in-one challenge. (Photos: Screenshots/@brysondechambeau/Instagram)
Bryson DeChambeau is currently going viral with a hole-in-one challenge. (Photos: Screenshots/@brysondechambeau/Instagram)

Major champion and social media star, Bryson DeChambeau, is currently running an exciting challenge on his social channels: He wants to hit an ace from around 100 yards – over his house and onto a short flag on the green behind his house. DeChambeau himself stands in the driveway of his property on a hitting mat fixed with kettlebells. There are just so many shots per day, which means: on day 1 there is one shot, on day 2 there are two attempts and so on. To give his fans the best possible experience, the American has set up several cameras – including one on the roof – as well as a tracking device.

 
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There have been several close results, for example on days 1 and 13, as the 31-year-old almost holed his ball with the very first shot of the challenge. On day 13, things got really close again when his ball bounced in and out of the hole after shot 7.

 
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What is the probability of hitting an ace?

Lou Stagner, the ‘Golf Stat Pro’, has worked out how high the chance of an ace is in this starting position. At a distance of around 100 yards, the chance of a Tour pro making a hole-out from the fairway is 0.2 per cent, according to Lou Stagner. In Bryson’s situation, the probability is different because he always hits the same shot from 100 yards and from a flat mat. In this case, the probability – according to Stagner’s estimate – is 0.57 per cent for one shot. Stagner has now extrapolated these figures and the result is that the chance of him hitting an ace by day 50 is 99.9 per cent. However, these figures are only an approximate guess by the expert, so we will see how long Bryson DeChambeau still needs.

Update:

On day 16, the time had finally come. After a total of 134 shots, the ball goes into the hole and the joy is huge.

 
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Categories
LPGA Tour

Nelly Korda Suffers Practice Injury

Nelly Korda has suffered a minor injury in practice. (Image: Getty)
Nelly Korda has suffered a minor injury in practice. (Image: Getty)

World number one Nelly Korda has suffered a minor neck injury in training. The 26-year-old announced this in a tweet. In it, she also informed her fans that she would not be able to compete in the LPGA tournaments in Korea and Malaysia.

Korda was sad about the situation, but also grateful for the support: “I’m disappointed to miss these events and am especially sorry to my fans who were looking forward to seeing me play.[…]Thank you for all your support—it truly means the world to me!”

Nelly Korda’s return uncertain

Korda has not announced where and when she will return. After the BMW Ladies Championship in Korea and the Maybank Championship in Malaysia, there are two more LPGA events in Asia before returning to the USA for the last two tournaments.

Categories
Uncategorized

Opinion: These are the Things the PGA Tour Should Improve on its Schedule

The PGA Tour is missing a few opportunities, for example there is no tournament in New York. (Photo: Getty)

The schedule for the 2025 season has been finalised and a closer look reveals that the PGA Tour is currently missing out on a number of opportunities. For example, there will once again be no PGA Tour tournaments in New York, the largest media market in the USA. As in 2024, there will also be no match play tournament next year. It’s a shame, as this form of play is firmly rooted in the history of this wonderful sport. Finally, there is the issue of the signature events: the eight highly lucrative tournaments on the tour will be the same in 2025 – with the exception of one tournament. A missed opportunity to promote other great competitions in the calendar.

Bethpage Black, Liberty National, Westchester CC – New York would have a lot to offer

Of course, the tour is bound by contracts, but something needs to be changed as soon as possible. There is always a lot of talk about ‘growing the game’ and the fans. So why are there no events in New York, the sports-fanatic city in the north-east of the USA? There is certainly no shortage of fantastic venues. Liberty National on the outskirts of New York and with a view of the Statue of Liberty is probably the first thing that springs to mind when you think of New York and golf, along with Bethpage Black. So golf and New York are no strangers. Bethpage Black has already hosted majors and will be the venue for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Last but not least, there is the Westchester Country Club, which hosted an event on the tour from 1967 to 2007.

Tournaments in sports-crazy markets would be an opportunity to realise ‘growing the game’. Especially if the events are placed appropriately in the calendar. The two weeks before the Opens in Scotland and Great Britain and the two weeks after would be the perfect time for tournaments in New York. The weather is right and the NFL, NBA and NHL are all on break. The perfect opportunity to organise one or more golf tournaments in this insatiable sports city and attract new fans. Events in ‘NY’ not only attract fanatical local fans, but also international TV viewers – especially when played in front of backdrops such as the Statue of Liberty.

Tiger Woods at Liberty National in 2009 (Photo: Getty)
Tiger Woods at Liberty National in 2009 (Photo: Getty)

And why not kill two birds with one stone and organise a match play tournament? Liberty National has experience with the format, having hosted the Presidents Cup in 2017. There is definitely interest in the PGA Tour on the part of the club. In 2021, President Dan Fireman said: ‘We are exploring different events with the PGA Tour. Everything from more playoff events to new events that they have in development to events that we could host ourselves – obviously with the Tour. So we have a bright future and our relationship with the Tour is great.’ In 2023, it was announced that Liberty National would be allowed to host at least one tournament on the PGA Tour: the 2027 BMW Championship (currently a FedEx Cup playoff event)

Rotate the signature events on the PGA Tour

The Signature Events have existed in their current form since this year. Eight tournaments with high prize money, lots of FedExCup points and in some cases no cut. The eight tournaments include the three ‘player hosted events’, i.e. the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger Woods‘ Genesis Invitational and Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament. These tournaments should be seeded, but there are also tournaments such as the RBC Heritage. The event on Hilton Head Island traditionally takes place the week after the Masters. This means that Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and co. head straight to a signature event after the most important competition of the year, i.e. the highest tournament category apart from the majors, the Players Championship and the play-offs.

After the exhausting Masters, it can happen that players who have not had a good week, such as Viktor Hovland 2024 or Rory McIlroy 2023, withdraw from the RBC Heritage. A damper on one of the goals of the Signature Series, namely to gather the best PGA Tour players in one place and at one tournament. Incidentally, the same thing happened at the 2024 Travelers Championship when McIlroy withdrew from the tournament due to his US Open drama. The scheduling of signature events after major tournaments is therefore questionable, especially as the tournament organisers invest a lot of money in such a tournament. It would therefore make sense to rotate the signature events. Other tournaments would also benefit from this. Events such as the World Championship Phoenix Open or the RBC Canadian Open provide a spectacle and attract large crowds of golf fans every year. The following pictures should speak for themselves:

Waste Management Phoenix Open 2022 (Foto: Getty)
Waste Management Phoenix Open 2022 (Foto: Getty)

Robert MacIntyre celebrates his triumph at the RBC Canadian Open 2024 with the fans. (Photo: Getty)
Robert MacIntyre celebrates his triumph at the RBC Canadian Open 2024 with the fans. (Photo: Getty)

So there is still a lot of room for improvement for the PGA Tour in terms of the tournament schedule and therefore a fundamental part of the product. A positive change in this area will also help to win back fans who have been lost due to the ongoing conflict with the LIV Golf League. Spectacular backdrops such as the one in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York will certainly also attract non-golfers to the sport.

Categories
Highlights Tours

2024 Presidents Cup: All You Need to Know About the Team Competition

All you need to know about the 2024 Presidents Cup. (Image: Getty)
All you need to know about the 2024 Presidents Cup. (Image: Getty)

From September 26 to 29, the 15th edition of the Presidents Cup will take place at The Royal Montreal GC. The twelve best golfers from the USA will compete against the twelve best international players (excluding Europe). The tournament is played over four days. The first team to reach 15.5 points wins the golden cup.

All you need to know about the Presidents Cup

The schedule for the 2024 Presidents Cup

Unlike the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup does not take place over three days, but four. Five fourball matches are played on Day 1, followed by five foursomes on Day 2. On Saturday, the tournament is played in two sessions, first four fourballs and then four foursomes. Sunday traditionally sees the twelve singles duels.

The golf course

The Royal Montreal GC in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is the venue for the 15th edition. The course is a par 70 and has a parkland-style front nine. On the back nine, water hazards come into play on the last five holes. The Royal Montreal GC is the oldest golf club in North America and was founded in 1873.

How many points does a team need to win and what happens in the event of a tie?

A team needs 15.5 points to win the Cup – one point more than in the Ryder Cup. This is because 30 matches are played at the Presidents Cup, two more than at the Ryder Cup. The scoring system for the matches is the same: one point is awarded for a win, half a point is awarded to both teams if a match is tied after 18 holes. If the Presidents Cup ends in a draw, the two teams share the cup – another significant difference to the Ryder Cup.

2024 Presidents Cup: Team USA

The team is made up of six qualified golfers and six captain’s picks. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala have qualified.

Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, Brian Harman and Max Homa were selected for the team by US captain Jim Furyk.

The International Team

Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Sungjae Im (South Korea), Adam Scott (Australia), Tom Kim (South Korea), Jason Day (Australia) and Byeong Hun An (South Korea) made it into the team by qualifying. Min Woo Lee (Australia), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (South Africa), Si Woo Kim (South Korea) and the three Canadians Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners were selected for the team by captain Mike Weir.

Why are there no LIV golfers? And other interesting facts

LIV Golf players

Because the Presidents Cup is organized by the PGA Tour, no LIV golfers are allowed to take part in the competition. This affects the International Team in particular, as top players such as Cam Smith, Joaquin Niemann and Louis Oosthuizen are missing.

Differences to the Ryder Cup

While 28 matches are played over three days at the Ryder Cup, there are 30 matches over four days at the Presidents Cup. Furthermore, in the event of a final tie, the cup does not go to the defending champion but is shared. The setup of the course is not subject to the home team, but to the PGA Tour – another significant difference.

Do the players earn money for competing?

Not for themselves, but each participant will receive an equal share of the event proceeds for a charity of their choice.

The trophy

The golden trophy designed by Tiffany & Co. weighs around 28 pounds. The original can be found in the World Golf Hall of Fame in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Categories
Highlights Tours

Jon Rahm and the Ryder Cup Question

Jon Rahm at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. (Image: Getty)
Jon Rahm at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. (Image: Getty)

Jon Rahm could miss the 2025 Ryder Cup. In order to be eligible for the team event, Rahm needs to be eligible to play on the DP World Tour. He will only retain this if he plays four events (excluding majors) on the DP World Tour before the end of the 2024 season. The Spaniard has currently only played one event with his appearance at the Olympics. The Spaniard would like to fulfill the other three appearances at the Open de Espana, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Andalucia Masters. However, in order to be allowed to play there at all, he must pay the fines imposed by the Tour or appeal against them. The two-time major champion commented on the issue ahead of the LIV event in Chicago.

Jon Rahm: “ I Don’t Intend to Pay the Fines”

“We keep trying to have a discussion with [the DPWT] about how we can make this happen” said Rahm, who was asked about the issue at the LIV Chicago PK. The 29-year-old doesn’t have much time left, as the first of the three tournaments on the agenda, the Open de Espana, takes place from September 26-29.

Rahm’s LIV teammate Tyrrell Hatton has appealed against the sanctions (fines and suspensions). This appeal allows for a provisional stay of execution and thus participation in the DP World Tour tournaments. Even if the DP World Tour ultimately wins the case (previous cases involving other players have gone in the Tour’s favor), the players can still take part in the tournaments thanks to the postponement and thus meet the required number of participations.

Update: According to ESPN Jon Rahm appealed against the sanctions on Thursday and is therefore allowed to play DP World Tour events until an independent panel decides whether he has to pay the fine.

Brooks Koepka also Wants to Play in the Links Championship – Just Like the LIV Boss in 2023

Brooks Koepka also announced in the run-up to the tournament in Chicago that he wants to tee it up at the Links Championship in October. “St. Andrews is my favorite course in the world,” Koepka said. The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship takes place on three courses, including the Old Course in St. Andrews. LIV players are regular guests on the former European Tour – but not only the players, but also PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan. He took part in the prestigious Links Championship as an amateur in 2023. Curious: the head of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia was initially known by the pseudonym Andrew Watermann.

Incidentally, Al-Rumayyan’s LIV golfers have already won seven tournaments in the current DP World Tour season, and five of the first six events of the season were won by LIV players.

Categories
Equipment

WITB: Matt Wallace Triumphs with Four Different Brands

WITB: Matt Wallace (Image: Getty)
WITB: Matt Wallace (Image: Getty)

Matt Wallace wins the European Masters in Switzerland with clubs from Ping, TaylorMade, Titleist and Callaway. It is the Englishman’s fifth victory on the DP World Tour.

WITB: Four brands for the win

The Englishman currently uses the Ping G430 LST driver (10.5˚). With the Ping model, he finished twelfth in the “Strokes Gained: Off the Tee” statistics at the European Masters and eighth in driving accuracy. With the Qi10 Tour (16.5˚), he also has a TaylorMade club in his bag as a fairway wood. For the hybrid, Wallace currently relies on the TSR2 (18˚) from Titleist. The fourth brand in the 34-year-old’s bag is Callaway. From the 4-iron to the 9-iron, he relies on the Callaway X Forged CB model. The rest of the golf bag is filled with Titleist clubs. Wallace plays the Titleist Vokey SM10’s wedges with 46, 50 and 54 degrees of loft and the SM10-WW Proto model with 60 degrees of loft. The Titleist Scotty Cameron Tour Only T-9 putter and Titleist Pro V1 X-balls (2023) complete the set.

Matt Wallace WITB

Image: Ping

Driver: Ping G430 LST

Image: TaylorMade

Fairway wood: TaylorMade Qi10

Image: Titleist

Hybrid: Titleist TSR2

Image: Callaway

Irons: Callaway X Forged

Image: Titleist

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Wallace moves up the Race to Dubai Rankings

Matt Wallace, currently in 73rd place in the world rankings, improved to 22nd place in the Race to Dubai with his victory at the traditional tournament in Crans Montana. He is therefore currently safely in the top 50 of the season rankings. The top 50 players are allowed to compete at the DP World Tour Championship in November.