Categories
PGA Tour

The 151st Open Championship in Royal Liverpool brings £187m in economic benefit

Between July 18 and 21, the 152nd Open Championship will take place at Royal Troon. The R&A has now published a study on last year’s tournament in Royal Liverpool, which shows the overall economic benefit for the Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region of the event.

Royal Liverpool: Second highest attended Open Championship in history

The 151st Open attracted 261,180 fans to Hoylake, surpassing the previous attendance of 202,917 at Royal Liverpool in 2014. This made it the second highest attended Open Championship in history, behind only The 150th Open in St Andrews in 2022. So it is not surprising that the event generated an impressive overall economic benefit for the Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region. A study conducted by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) speaks of a total economic impact of £43.19 million. In addition there are £144 million of destination marketing benefit as a result of the worldwide broadcast of The 151st Open as shown by independent research led by YouGov Sport. These numbers are the result of engagement on linear television and digital platforms during the week of The Championship. A little reminder: By the way, Brian Harman is the reigning champion at Royal Troon this year.

Compared to the last staging of The Open in Royal Liverpool in 2014, the economic impact has increased by as much as 35%. One in four spectators at the tournament even came from outside England, which further underlines the popularity of the event. This summer, the 152nd Open in Royal Troon is sure to attract a lot of spectators from all over the world once again.

Categories
Live

PGA Tour Tee Times: Valspar Championship with Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth

The PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship Tee Times are now known. This article focuses on the American golfers’ schedules for Round 1 and 2.

Quick look at PGA Tour Tee Times – The Valspar Championship

The Valspar Championship, at the illustrious Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor, Florida, sets the stage for top golfing talent. The tournament belongs to the esteemed PGA Tour, carried a cash prize of $8,400,000 and the defending champion is American Taylor Moore. With a set Par of 71, the championship offers an exciting opportunity for players to showcase their skills.

Defending champion Taylor Moore is paired with Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman and they will tee off with PGA Tour Tee Times of 13:23 on Thursday and 08:13 on Friday. US player, Matthew NeSmith start off the first round at 07:35 with South African Garrick Higgo and compatriot Ben Griffin in the first flight of the day. On day 2 the American trio Chesson Hadley, Josh Teater and Tyson Alexander will be the firts to tee off at 7.35.

Arguably in the heavyweight match-ups, Justin Thomas starts at 08:13 on Thursday with Korean Sungjae Im and fellow American Sam Burns. Round 2 start time is 13:23 for them.

The first day continues with other notable PGA Tour Tee Times such as Tony Finau and Cameron Young at 8:24, Cameron Champ at 08:46, Joel Dahmen at 13:01, and Jordan Spieth at 13:34.

This details a selection of American players’ start times at the Valspar Championship Round 1 and 2 with their group members. The battles on the green are all set to start at Florida’s Copperhead Course with all eyes on who lifts the title this year.

Categories
PGA Tour

Rahm about LIV Golf and the PGA Tour: “I hope I get to tee it up at THE PLAYERS again”

Jon Rahm’s mission to defend his title at the US Masters 2024 begins on April 11 at Augusta National. In the run-up to the event, the Major winner spoke at a press conference about his triumph at the US Masters, the LIV Tour and tournaments on the PGA Tour that he is missing.

Rahm about the PGA Tour: “Some tournaments I’m definitely going to miss”

THE MODERATOR: I’m Preston Smith from the Augusta National communications team. We appreciate you joining us for a call with the 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm. Thank you, as well, Jon, for your time. We look forward to welcoming you back in a few weeks.

To get started, Jon, could you take us back to Masters Sunday last year and reflect on what you felt that evening after you earned the green jacket?

JON RAHM: Going back to Sunday, it’s always very difficult to put into words. Very few times do I remember in any sporting event to have so many things line up to make something so memorable for a player, with it being Easter, with it being Seve’s birthday, with my caddie Adam and me registering as the 49th player and being 4/9, the actual date of April 9th, being the fourth Spaniard to win it, 10th Spanish major. I think it was sixth green jacket, which puts us one ahead of South Africa.

Just a lot of little things that made it so much more special than what already winning the green jacket and being the Masters champion is.

What other way to do it than finish it exactly like Seve would have wanted, hit it in the trees and getting up-and-down from 60 yards to make par. That’s about as Seve as it gets.

Q. We’re talking on the Monday at THE PLAYERS Championship, which is obviously the PGA TOUR’s flagship event. I know you’ve said in the past that you miss playing in these events. I’m wondering if you watched yesterday and sort of a couple months into your new journey how you’re feeling about the tournaments you’re playing and the tournaments that you’re not playing.

JON RAHM: There’s some tournaments I’m definitely going to miss. I hope I get to tee it up at THE PLAYERS again. It would be a bit of a sour taste if my last ever start at THE PLAYERS was WD because I was sick. I feel like it’s the time I’ve WD’d out of sickness out of my own will in my career, and it would definitely be a weird feeling if I never get to do it again.

But when it comes to the golf, the fact that I saw TPC Sawgrass come down to having people shoot 20-under par is quite unbelievable. I couldn’t tell the course conditions, right, I wasn’t there, but it looked like the greens were up to speed. The greens at times maybe a little bit softer, but still, to go to that golf course and shoot that low, I would have guessed if you shoot 20-under that you are at least winning by five, so the fact that Scottie only won by one is incredible. What an accomplishment, too, to be the first ever back-to-back champion with pretty much every great golfer in the history of this game having played that tournament at that golf course and be the first one to do it back-to-back is special.

It might not be people’s favorite venue as a golf course because it’s difficult but I think that’s what makes it so fitting for a PLAYERS Championship. There’s no way of really setting a dominance for a long time because you simply have to be the best. Every part of your game needs to be great and you need to play the best. There’s no way to hide and maybe sneak in a couple of pars here and there. If you’re missing fairways, that’s that.

It’s what makes it such a great championship is when you have such diverse champions. It was fun to watch, and what a finish. Jesus Christ, that was one that was fun to watch. I feel for Wyndham because to come back and play the last three holes the way he did and have that lip-out, it’s gut-wrenching to watch, but it made for great TV, and it was really fun.

As it comes to my new journey, it’s obviously a little bit different, but I’ve been enjoying it. We’ve had some fantastic venues to be at, and I must say for people that haven’t been to Hong Kong, I highly recommend it. I very rarely go to a city and leave it and say, man, I would come here on a vacation out of my own will; I would go on a long flight and be here because it was extremely fun. People were about as nice as can be. The golf course is fantastic, and the food situation in that city is incredible. Talk about some good restaurants, some good experiences.

So far, it’s been great. Been playing good golf. But I’m definitely looking forward to joining with the rest of the best golfers in the world and teeing it up at the Masters with them.

Rahm about the US Masters: “Even non-golfers love the Masters week”

Q. Obviously you had a major in tow before last year, but a green jacket is different. Has anything changed over the past year that either caught you by surprise or was unexpected?

JON RAHM: It’s hard to explain. I don’t know if this is because it’s a Masters and I believe so or because it’s my second major, but there was a jump obviously when I got that U.S. Open. There’s a change; your level of notoriety and fame go up a little bit. People know your name a little bit better. You get just a little bit busier.

But the jump that happened after winning the Masters was much, much larger. The level of attention, the level of recognition, the level of commitment, it just became a lot bigger than I expected it to be from two to one, as what it was from zero to one. That’s the biggest thing.

I think it’s because it’s maybe the one event besides the Ryder Cup that people watch the most. Even non-golfers love the Masters week.

It’s I think what makes it so special, and that was the biggest thing. I think this event is recognized worldwide as the only major that’s played on the same golf course every year. It’s a tradition unlike any other, and I think that’s why it was so big.

Q. I’m curious about another part of the Champions Dinner which is going to be your speech. Have you thought about what you’re going to say or what kind of message you want to give to the room?

JON RAHM: When I tell you that this has definitely been rent free in my head — I usually have no issues public speaking. No problem. I’ll get up there and talk about anything. Just the image of standing up and having everybody in that room look at me and having to speak to all these great champions, it’s quite daunting. I’ve never been one to prepare, so I’m going to go with whatever comes to mind at the moment. That’s all I can say.

I think I’m just going to speak from the heart, and that’s usually what delivers the better speech. It’s definitely not going to be prepared. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to say, but hopefully one or two glasses of wine help me get a little bit more fluid in that speech.

“I just want to be able to see the best in the world compete against the best in the world” – Rahm about PGA Tour and LIV Golf

Q. I’m sure you saw the reports about Yasir meeting with the PGA TOUR player directors yesterday. Do you hope there’s a reunification from your side, and also what kind of reception do you think you’ll get from the other players at Augusta?

JON RAHM: I mean, so far I haven’t had any bad experiences. I’ve seen other PGA TOUR pros, and I haven’t really seen anything bad. I’m assuming there will be quite a few that are not happy and maybe our dynamics has changed, but as it comes to — from my side, nothing changes. I still respect everybody on both sides and respect the game of golf above all.

Now, the future of the game at this point is up to the people higher up. I think I’ve said it before, I think there’s a way of coexisting, and if there’s some type of union, I don’t know what that looks like, but again, I just want to be able to see the best in the world compete against the best in the world, whatever that looks like.

I think there’s room for all of us, and there’s room for the game of golf to get to the next level and have more viewership options.

I think I’ve said before when it comes to football, for example, or soccer, you have the Premier League, you have the Spanish League, you have the Bundesliga, Serie A, you have the French league, and also on top of that you have the main two European events, right, the Champions League and the Europa Cup, and everybody watches all of those no matter what team they support.

So I think there is a way of having golf deliver and be able to put out a different product that’s better for everybody, not me or for players but for spectators in general.

Q. Having a few LIV events under your belt, I know you weren’t a big fan of the format before, but do you think if there’s a unification that team golf should be a part of it in the future?

JON RAHM: Like I said, I think there’s room for it. It’s really fun. I think a lot of times — it’s early on right now, but in pretty much every sport, people get behind a team rather than behind the players, and then if a superstar arises then people get behind the superstar, as well. Yeah, I believe there’s room for team golf and individual golf. I don’t see why not.

A look back at Seve and his own Masters performance

Q. I told us about how you love to watch old tournaments on YouTube. Even though last year’s final round just went up on YouTube yesterday, it’s been on the Masters site. I’m wondering, have you gone back and watched last year’s final round, and is there something that stood out from the broadcast? Then just in general, when you’re just kind of hanging out and thinking about last year, is there a moment that stands out that puts a smile on your face or that gives you a little boost of confidence?

JON RAHM: The four-putt. That’s always going to bring a smile to my face. That’s what a lot of people might remember. Out of all the great things that week, a lot of people remember the four-putt and the tee shot on 18, which wasn’t as bad as people think.

I have not seen the broadcast of the final round yet. I have seen, because I like watching it, they always do a one-hour documentary and I’ve seen the documentary of what goes on in the week, and what stood out to me is I had this image in my mind of how great I played all week, which I did, and then I watch the actual summary, and I couldn’t help to think, man, I missed a lot more shots than I thought I did, which I guess is a good lesson to have in mind, right, not only that I could play better in theory but the fact that there’s a mental lesson there. It’s just mainly that you’re going to miss shots out there and you just have to figure out how to minimize the damage.

The other thing is that my short game was especially good, especially putting. Besides the first hole of the tournament, my putting was really, really good.

I think there’s a lot of lessons to learn when you’re going back. Like many other sports, game film is important. I can learn from not only what I do but from what other people do, as well.

Q. Jon, a couple of Seve questions if you don’t mind. One, have you ever watched — how much of the videos of ’80 and ’83 Masters have you watched? Two, when it got quiet Sunday night, I think you were able to walk around the clubhouse, maybe the champions locker room with your father. I’m just wondering what caught your eye when you were up there?

JON RAHM: I have seen videos, but unfortunately back in the day, the broadcast was a little bit limited. Golf wasn’t at the spot that it is right now.

In ’80 you can see Seve got up to a really big lead, perfectly in time to watch the videos of him hitting it in the water on 12 and 13 and still winning the Masters.

In ’83, obviously the greatest memory of that win is how he hits it long on 18, doesn’t chip it on, and even though he has the lead, the guy still goes and tries to chip it in for par. On video, that putt was undoubtedly going to the bottom tier, so that could have easily been a big number, but I think with a two- or three-putt he still would have won. It’s just funny to see how those things happen.

Not a lot of every single shot down the stretch. I think I’ve seen a few more of ’86, unfortunately. You see that shot on 13 and then you see the second shot on 15. It’s kind of hard to watch.

But yeah, I’ve seen everything I can on those times, which is pretty much a little bit of the back nine.

What was the second part of question?

Rahm on his preparation and Scottie Scheffler’s performance

Q. Being with your dad later on Sunday night when you had some quiet time up there.

JON RAHM: Yeah, I just took my time to take the opportunity to ask for certain things. I was there with my dad and Kelley in the clubhouse. It’s 1:00 in the morning, and I said, if there’s a time to maybe get away with something, it’s right now, so I asked, can we go to the champions locker room because I don’t know if they’re ever going to be able to go up there again. They said yes.

It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, to see people’s names on the lockers, to actually see the locker room, to see still the showcase they had for Scottie’s win, take a few pictures while I was up there. It was really fun.

My dad and I walked out to the balcony looking down Magnolia Lane, what you could see in the pitch darkness. They actually had one of the coolest pictures I have. I didn’t realize the camera was up there, and somebody from the corner took a picture of my dad and I talking, me with the jacket on, out on the balcony, and it’s one of the better pictures we have. I think it’s my dad’s or my mom’s WhatsApp picture, which is really cool to see, and then having Kelley up there for that, as well, is special.

Again, I don’t know if I’ll be able to recreate that again with any of them, but I’m really glad that they let us do that and they got to see the history of it.

I think my next thing is seeing where my name is going to be, who am I going to be sharing a locker with.

Q. Augusta National is one of those venues where champions have been able to win multiple jackets, and I wonder as a competitor, it’s hard to tell because you haven’t competed yet as a defender, but do you feel there will be some sort of mental freedom to competing there, having already won one of those nice green jackets?

JON RAHM: I don’t know. I think there’s an argument to be made for both. Having the comfort of having been there and having done it and knowing that you can do it again, but also having the hunger to get it done for the first time.

I think the second one is harder to overcome because sometimes wanting it too much can be detrimental, but if you get past that and you can keep the hunger, then having done it already I think is definitely a positive.

There’s a lot of people that have done it twice. Some people have done it quickly, some other players have had to wait years, but there’s a few great champions that haven’t been able to do it, so I’m hoping I can join Seve and Ollie and get to two.

Q. Obviously you’re a competitive guy. What has it been like for you the last few weeks or months watching Scottie get to the level he’s getting to, especially knowing that you can’t go up against him every week and prove where you’re at?

JON RAHM: Yeah, I’m fully aware of where Scottie is. I’ve seen it the last two years. I’m fully aware where he is.

He’s a great competitor, and he is somebody that when you’re under the gun and you’ve got to get it done, he’s been able to get it done, and he has a great partnership with Ted Scott, and they clearly work great together.

I feel like I don’t need to be playing next to him to know what’s going on. Like I said, anytime you’re doing the history he’s been able to do, it’s quite impressive.

I think that’s what’s making this Masters and many other majors going to be so much fun, not only for me and for players but for spectators, is for all of us to be able to play together again and showcase what we’re capable of.

I feel like my game is in really good position. I have not played my best yet. But I can see it every tournament getting a little bit better and getting to a point where I like where I’m at coming up to the Masters.

Now, with that said, I’m hoping I can cruise the last three holes with a nine- or eight-shot lead and just walk up 18 knowing that I can just make a 9 or a 10 and win it, but it would be really fun also to come down to the wire and make a birdie on 18 to win it, so that’s also something that would be great incredible.

His new LIV schedule and defending the title

Q. I’m curious if playing a LIV schedule versus your typical PGA TOUR schedule from a golf perspective if that’s going to change your lead-up or your prep at all?

JON RAHM: A little bit, yeah. I think I counted, last year I had eight starts before the Masters. This year is going to be five.

Last year I didn’t play the week before the Masters. This year I am. But I’ve done it in the past and done well. It’s hard to say what’s better or not. It’s a little different.

I’m glad that this year we’re going to a challenging golf course before playing a major because that I think gets you prepped very, very well for a major tournament.

So far it’s also been a bit of a learning curve. Again, it’s a change in the schedule in this early time in the year, a little bit more time at home, a little bit more time to train, and it’s something definitely to adjust and to get used to, but physically I feel better than last year. Mentally I feel great.

I’m hoping I can go to the Masters and give myself a chance on Sunday.

Q. Have you been to Augusta yet this year to check out the course?

JON RAHM: I have not. I will actually be going next week probably for a couple of days, if I’m allowed to say that. I think I am. I will be going next week with a really dear good friend of mine who’s a member there and spending a couple rounds.

I think it would have been really hard to go and defend not having gone once before as the defending champion, if that makes any sense. I think I can get a lot of the experiences of going back and feelings out of the way before Masters week.

Q. You mentioned defending, and this was brought up talking to another writer. You won three times before Augusta last year, but this will be your — the Masters will be your first title defense of the year. I wonder how —

JON RAHM: Oh, yeah. (Chuckling.)

Q. Weird?

JON RAHM: Yeah. I’m not going to lie; for everybody who said this would be easy, some things have been, but not being able to defend some titles that mean a lot to me hasn’t. I love Palm Springs. I’ve been able to win twice there. Riviera is about as charismatic of a golf course as we have. It’s definitely a week that it’s fantastic for a lot of us, and it’s a fan and player favorite. Not being there was difficult.

I still watched the broadcast. I still watch golf because I love watching it. But it’s hard. It was hard not to be at the Phoenix Open at the end of February, and it was hard not to be at Hawai’i because it’s another tournament that my family enjoys and I’ve done fantastic on.

I hadn’t thought about it until now, honestly. I try to go about my day-to-day business and what I’m trying to accomplish right now, but yeah, I haven’t thought about — hopefully this could be my first ever — I have defended the Spanish Open, so this could be my second ever title defense. That would be quite incredible.

I think just it being the Masters and being a major, it’s already a different week as it is, so I don’t think — I don’t know if I would have and I will be thinking about those tournaments I haven’t defended on. It’s done. It’s past. It’s a decision I made, and I’m comfortable with it. But I’m hoping I can come back, and hopefully I can actually defend this week, as well. That would be a dream come true. Not many back-to-back champions, and that would be very unique to be able to put my name to that list.

Categories
European Tour

Shane Lowry ahead of DP World Tour Appearance: “I’ve Got a Lot of Confidence”

Shane Lowry is aiming to continue his good run of form as he makes his final appearance before the first Major Championship of the year at this week’s Porsche Singapore Classic.

Laguna National Golf Resort Club plays host to the opening event on the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing and the Irishman will tee it up in Singapore for the first time in 12 years as he makes his season bow on the 2024 Race to Dubai.

The 2019 Open Champion and Ryder Cup star arrives in Singapore in a strong vein of form, with last week’s tie for 19th at THE PLAYERS Championship following back-to-back top five finishes and he is now targeting another strong result ahead of next month’s Masters Tournament, the first Major of the year.

Shane Lowry Ahead of DP World Tour Start in Singapore

“I played well the last few weeks, I’ve got a few nice results under my belt, so I’m pretty happy with how things have been going this season so far. I’ve come out pretty good and yeah looking forward to the next few weeks.”

“I think it’s such a long time difference that it doesn’t really matter these days — no problems sleeping last night and might head out today and get some work done and get to know the course a little bit. And hopefully I can get out tomorrow then hopefully I get a good night’s sleep tonight and get out there tomorrow and go after it.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence and feel great about my game coming off the last few weeks so it’ll be nice to continue that on. And then I’ve got a two week break leading into Augusta so you never want to go into a Major off the back of a bad result so there’s a little bit of pressure on me to try and play well this week. But I’ve always got high expectations of myself and I’m hoping to come here and give myself a good chance come Sunday afternoon and hopefully do the business.”

About the Porsche Singapore Classic

Porsche is continuing its long-standing relationship with the DP World Tour by extending its global golf involvement with a new multi-year deal to become Title Partner of the Porsche Singapore Classic, announced earlier this year.

The Porsche Singapore Classic is the first of five events on the Asian Swing, with visits to India, South Korea, Japan and China on the schedule in weeks to come.
(Text by European Tour)

Categories
Panorama

How much does Paige Spiranac earn from social media?

Golf influencers continue to grow in popularity and Paige Spiranac tops the list. With four million followers on Instagram and around one million on X (formerly Twitter), she is well ahead of her peers, with Grace Charis in second place with around 2.8 million followers on Instagram. But how much is Spiranac’s social media network worth?

Paige Spiranac with five-figure sums per Instagram post

The answer should come as no surprise when you look at the earnings of other influencers outside of golf. At up to 12,000 dollars per social media post on Instagram and at least 8,500 dollars per post, even the “cheaper” ones are well above a normal monthly pay cheque.

The article from Vegas Insider doesn’t stop at just Paige Spiranac, but compares the earnings of professional golfers with those of golf influencers. Scottie Scheffler typically earns between 2,000 dollars and 3,000 dollars per post. The average post price for professional golfers is around 994 dollars, whereas golf influencers generally earn about 4,837 dollars per post.

Golf Earnings Comparison

Golf Earnings Comparison

Name Role Earnings Per Post
Paige Spiranac Golf Influencer $8,477 – $12,716
Scottie Scheffler Professional Golfer $2,000 – $3,000
Average Professional Golfer Professional Golfer $994
Average Golf Influencer Golf Influencer $4,837

Who is Paige Spiranac?

For those who aren’t frequently active on Instagram and X, Paige Spiranac may not be a name you recognise. She is a former college golfer who has gained notoriety in the golf world as a social media influencer. She played collegiate golf at the University of Arizona and San Diego State University, where she earned All-Mountain West Conference honours in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons. After retiring from professional golf, Spiranac became known for her social media presence, particularly on Instagram, where she shares golf tips, tricks and her personal experiences.

Categories
PGA Tour

The Masters Tournament 2024: Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner with Spanish flair

When golf’s elite gather at Augusta National Golf Club in April for the 2024 Masters Tournament, Jon Rahm will have the honor of judging the former Masters winners at the Champions Dinner. The champions in green can expect a menu full of Spanish specialties, as announced by the defending champion and Augusta National.

The Masters Tournament 2024: Jon Rahms Champions Dinner

Rahm explained about his menu: “With the help of José Andres, the chef who I feel like needs no introduction for a lot of people, we made what would be a northern Spanish Basque country Bilbao menu and basically put in all of my favorites and even included a dish from my grandma. He called my grandma for the recipe. If somebody doesn’t like it, please just don’t tell me. Don’t tell anyone actually. It means a little bit too much to me to hear it.”

A selection of tapas and pinchos will be served as appetizers during the cocktail reception: Iberico ham, Idiazabal cheese with black truffle, tortilla de patatas (omelette with potatoes), chistorra sausage with potatoes, chicken croquettes and Mama Rahm’s traditional lentil stew.

The first course will consist of a Basque crab salad with potatoes, followed by a main course of either Basque ribeye steak with salad and piquillo peppers or pil-pil style turbot with white asparagus.

Rahm had already decided on the dessert last summer: milhojas. “The translation from Spanish would be 1,000 leaves”, he explained. “It’s basically a puff pastry with custard and just very little layers. It was basically Kelley and I’s wedding cake. It varies a little bit where you’re doing it in Spain, but it’s absolutely one of my favorites.”

“Then with the wine selection, we have a Basque white wine from Vizcaya which is called Txakoli. It’s not regular white wine. It’s a little bit drier. Then the red wine, it’s called Imperial. It’s pretty much the same — actually I can do you a favor and show you right here. That’s the name right there. Definitely a different year, obviously.”

Categories
Equipment

TaylorMade introduces new SpeedSoft golf balls

The newly released SpeedSoft golf ball plays a critical role in TaylorMade’s dynamic lineup of 2024 golf balls. This low-compression design was developed with one goal in mind: To deliver the softest feel possible while maintaining explosive speeds for the average golfer. Powered by a new PWRCORE technology that makes it the softest ball in the TaylorMade range, combined with competitive pricing, SpeedSoft is the ideal blend of performance and affordability. It features a low compression core that compensates for distance and an ultra-soft feel on iron shots and approach shots around the green.

TaylorMade aims to revolutionize golf ball style and performance

“SpeedSoft represents a significant step forward in our ongoing commitment to deliver performance products for golfers of all abilities. With a deliberate focus on developing a low compression design, this is the first time we have created a TaylorMade golf ball with a compression differential below 50. SpeedSoft stands out as a game changer due to its unprecedented combination of soft feel and explosive speeds.” – Josh Dipert, Director of Product Development Engineering, Golf Ball.

The new SpeedSoft golf balls from TaylorMade. (Source: TaylorMade)

Building on SpeedSoft’s low compression ratio and soft feel, the new SpeedSoft Ink showcases vibrant visual technology expressed through a distinctive ink splatter design. Designed with high contrast and high visibility in mind, SpeedSoft Ink introduces Taylormade’s patented multi-axis printing technology at a more accessible price point, bringing the brand’s leading visual technology capabilities to a wider audience for the first time. Beyond the performance benefits of visual technology, SpeedSoft Ink represents a canvas of personality and style ideal for those who dare to break convention and change the look of golf balls for the core golfer.

The SpeedSoft Ink series is designed to bring color to the golf course. (Source: TaylorMade)

Golf balls with visual technology

“The market demand for golf balls with visual technology is increasing and reflects a growing segment of golfers who are looking for more than just the traditional white ball experience. We feel this segment has been ignored until now, and with SpeedSoft Ink we are meeting this demand while taking a bold step towards the modern golfer’s desire for visual technology without sacrificing performance,” said Michael Fox, Senior Director of Product Creation, Golf Ball. “Offered in four different color options (green, red, blue and pink), the SpeedSoft Ink offers a wide range of options that are bursting with personality.

SpeedSoft and SpeedSoft Yellow are available from retailers at an RRP of 36 euros per dozen. The new SpeedSoft Ink is available for 38 Euro per dozen.

(Text: TaylorMade)

Categories
Live

DP World Tour Tee Times: Sean Crocker to start it early

The European Tour is all set to hold the Singapore Classic at the prestigious Laguna National Golf Resort Club in Singapore. The $2,500,000 prize pool tournament will see golfers compete on a par-72 course for the coveted title, currently held by Ockie Strydom.

Dp World Tour Tee Times for American Golfers at the Singapore Classic

American golfer Sean Crocker will tee off in round 1 on Thursday at 07:40 from tee one. He teams up with Hurly Long from Germany and Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen from Denmark. In round two, the same golfing trio is scheduled to begin at 12:25.

In the same vein, Chase Hanna, another promising American golfer, starts the first round at 08:40, accompanied by Jonas Blixt from Sweden and Casey Jarvis from South Africa. For the second round, the tee time for Hanna’s group is 13:25.

Gunner Wiebe represents the third American golfer at the tournament. He begins his journey in round one at 12:15 together with Lukas Nemecz from Austria and Renato Paratore from Italy. Round two for this group is scheduled to tee off at 07:30.

Johannes Veerman is another American golfer to keep an eye on. His first round starts at 12:25 and he is paired with Ivan Cantero Gutierrez from Spain and Matthis Besard from Belgium. In the second round, Veerman’s group will start playing at 07:40.

Lastly, Jordan Gumberg will be teeing off the first round at 12:50, with Sebastian Soderberg from Sweden and Darius Van Driel from the Netherlands in his group. For the second round, their tee-off time is at 08:15.

The Tee Times:

American PlayerRound 1 Tee TimeRound 2 Tee Time
Sean Crocker07:4012:25
Chase Hanna08:4013:25
Gunner Wiebe12:1507:30
Johannes Veerman12:2507:40
Jordan Gumberg12:5008:15

The above tee times and grouping details of the American Golfers reflect the schedule at the time of writing. Any subsequent changes will be updated on the official website of the European Tour.

(This text was created with the help of AI)

(All times are local times for Singapore)

Categories
European Tour Live

DP World Tour Tee Times: Brits start in the night

The European Tour continues into the exciting realm of the Singapore Classic tournament. Taking place in the renowned Laguna National Golf Resort Club in Singapore, golfers from all over the world will vie for the grand prize of $2,500,000. The title is currently held by Ockie Strydom. As per the standards of the course, the Par stands at 72.

European Tour Tee Times: The British, Welsh, and Scottish Contingent

The tournament schedule shows the tee times for both Thursday and Friday, which compose the first and the second rounds. Beginning at 07:30 on Thursday, English player Marco Penge will be paired with Lorenzo Scalise from Italy and Andrew Martin from Australia. In the second round on Friday, they will tee off at 12:15.

At 07:45 on Thursday, Matthew Baldwin from England and Scottish player Grant Forrest will open their bid against Sweden’s Simon Forsström. Their group will be next on tee at 12:20 on Friday.

Next up at 08:00 is Matthew Southgate from England, playing with Maximilian Kieffer from Germany and Todd Clements from Sweden, and they will return to the course at 12:45 on Friday.

Subsequently, tee time for England’s Paul Casey, playing with Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand and Matthieu Pavon from France, is at 08:05 on Thursday. Their second round will start at 12:40 on Friday.

Later in the morning at 08:15, Stephen Gallacher from Scotland and England’s Daniel Brown will be alongside Nicolas Colsaerts from Belgium. Their second round tee off will be at 13:20.

Going into Friday, the first group to start at 07:30 includes England’s Alex Fitzpatrick. His morning group comprises Frederic Lacroix from France and Gavin Green from Malaysia.

With the aim to continue the momentum, England’s Sam Bairstow and Callum Shinkwin, paired with Richard Mansell, will tee off at 09:05 for the second round.

(All times are local times for Singapore)
(This text was generated with the help of AI)

Categories
Apparel Equipment

Footjoy unveils brand new temposeries lineup for 2024

New for 2024 is the introduction of the Tempo Series – a collection of technical outerwear for men and women designed with functional pieces for year-round use. The lightweight, high-tech fabrics feature temperature-regulating properties, keeping golfers warm or cool depending on conditions. Breathable, moisture-wicking, water-repellent, and stretchy fabrics enable golfers to play freely and confidently. Pieces include the Sun Hoodie, Tech Midlayer, and Softshell Vest.

The new Temposeries men’s wear. (Source: Footjoy)

Footjoy presents new series for men and women

The men’s collection includes a tech midlayer with a mesh fabric mix, a sun hoddie with a stylish hood and a lightweight softshell vest. For women, footjoy presents the new lightweight hoddie, made from micro-poly jacquard fabric with moisture-wicking properties and a zippered mesh back pocket and the temposeries jacket that features bi-stretch fabric for superior performance and flexibility, a full DWR coating and open entry pockets.

The new Temposeries women’s wear. (Source: Footjoy)

Footjoy unveils new colorways

In addition to the Tempo Series, the Spring-Summer collection for men introduces four new color palettes inspired by golfing by the sea – Ocean Park, Huntington, Dunes, and Arcadia – featuring exciting new prints and patterns. Ocean Park blends sky blue, ocean blue, deep blue with white and berry; Huntington features coral red, sea glass, navy, and white; Dunes consists of violet and lilac tones of mist, storm gray, thistle, and moss, while the Arcadia Collection combines light pink, cliff gray, gravel, and white. New highlight designs include scallop, flag, primrose, and thistle, as well as hand-drawn 19th hole and golf course prints.

New colorways for men. (Source: Footjoy)

The Essentials collection for men has also been expanded with new colors: Riviera Blue and Pink now adorn the most popular polo and midlayer models. The two women’s collections offer a range of striking floral prints and patterns with matching headwear and belts. The Tuscan Poppy Collection combines pink, red, black, and white, while the Lavender Fields Collection includes navy, mint, lavender, and white. These are complemented by a more extensive Essentials range featuring a selection of polos, pullovers, jackets, pants, and shorts. Highlights include a new sleeveless romper, patterned pants, and fashionable floral prints.

“Innovative styles and practical clothing pieces”

Colin Mynott, Footjoy Product Manager, says: “We at FootJoy are thrilled to offer a new apparel series that stands out in the current golf landscape. The Tempo Series features materials that are both versatile and comfortable, providing golfers with protection from changing temperatures and natural elements all day long. With our new color and technology stories in our men’s and women’s collections, we offer golfers innovative, stylish, and practical clothing pieces that make every day a golf day.”

(Text: Footjoy)