Categories
Panorama

Homa, Kisner and Kim join Tiger’s TGL Team

Jupiter Links Golf Club (GC) announced today that Max Homa, currently ranked No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Tom Kim, and Kevin Kisner have joined Tiger Woods to represent the four-man roster for Jupiter Links Golf Club in TGL presented by SoFi, the new tech-forward, prime time golf league set to launch  January 7, 2025 on ESPN.

“I have already shared my excitement and optimism for TGL as a league and product,” said Woods, who is part owner of Jupiter Links Golf Club and co-founder of TMRW Sports. “Now that we have finalized our roster with a team of world-class golfers, I am even more confident that this group will proudly represent the Jupiter area and connect with our fans for years to come.”

Tiger Woods’ TGL Golf Team

Max Homa is a six-time winner on the PGA TOUR including his 2021 win at the Genesis Invitational, a tournament he grew up attending that is now hosted by Woods. Homa has represented the U.S. in team golf on three occasions at the 2023 Ryder Cup, 2022 Presidents Cup, and 2013 Walker Cup. Homa joins Jupiter Links GC as the top-ranked player on the squad, having been paired with Woods at the Masters Tournament earlier this month where Homa finished T3 and Woods broke the consecutive cuts made record by advancing to the weekend for the 24th time. Homa is also one of the great personalities in the game today.

“Following Tiger’s career is one of the main reasons that I became an avid golfer. I remember watching him win the 1997 Masters, and now getting to play alongside him has been amazing,” Homa said. “It’s really exciting to call Tiger, Tom, and Kevin teammates. Thanks to TGL, I’ll be able to play with some of the best golfers in the world and bring this unique and exciting format to golf while also finding ways to connect with one of the best golf markets in the country in South Florida.” 

Tom Kim is a rising star in the world of golf, already amassing seven international victories and winning three times on the PGA TOUR and is currently the No. 23 in the world (OWGR). Kim’s first PGA TOUR victory came at the 2022 Wyndham Championship and made him the second-youngest winner on the PGA TOUR since World War II at 20 years, 1 month, 17 days, second only to Jordan Spieth at the 2013 John Deere Classic.  He starred at the 2022 Presidents Cup when he joined the International Team for the first time in his career and then won for the third time on the PGA TOUR at the Shriners Children’s Open to become the youngest three-time winner on the PGA TOUR since Tiger Woods in 1997. He goes by “Tom,” a nickname he had as a child after Thomas the Tank Engine in the TV series “Thomas & Friends.”

“I am so excited about playing in the TGL format with this group of guys. Obviously, I grew up inspired by Tiger Woods, but Max and Kevin are two of my favorite guys out on Tour. Both are genuinely good guys, but both also have a similar competitive fire.” Kim said. “It will be incredible to join these guys as teammates. To talk strategy with Tiger in a true competition is something I never dreamed could happen.” 

Kevin Kisner is a four-time PGA TOUR Champion and two-time U.S. Team participant in the Presidents Cup. Kisner has long been thought of as one of the top short-game players and top overall personalities in the game. The former Georgia Bulldog has recently dipped his toe in the world of broadcasting appearing as an analyst on several recent NBC Sports PGA TOUR broadcasts.

“I feel very privileged to have played in the Tiger Era. Having the opportunity to compete against and alongside the GOAT has been one of the things I’ll remember most at the end of my career,” Kisner said. “While I know we will have a lot of fun as a team with me, Tiger, Max and Tom, I also know when Tiger’s competitive fire kicks in, we are going to be ready to play and win. This is the perfect team to bring both fun and competition together at the same time. Can’t wait.” 

JUPITER LINKS GC UNVEILS LOGO AND BRAND

Logo: The Jupiter Links Golf Club brings to life the vibrant energy of Jupiter with the “Palm Flag” signature element combining beach and golf lifestyle with a golf pin flag and palm tree. The handwritten font is a nod to Tiger’s signature and the palm branches breaking the red circle representing the rising sun on the horizon. The three distinct sections of the pin represent the three competing Jupiter Links GC golfers at each TGL match. 

Colors: The primary color ‘Tiger Red’ represents Tiger’s bold signature Sunday uniform with midnight blue used to compliment the off-white beach sand and represent the Florida beach vibe.

Categories
Professionals

World Golf Ranking: Scottie Scheffler Ends the Year at the Top

Scottie Scheffler remains firmly at the top of the current world golf ranking, solidifying his position as the highest-ranked American golfer. Scheffler’s consistent and stellar performances on the golf course have allowed him to clinch the top spot, underscoring his status as a dominant force in the sport. Accompanying him in the rankings, Patrick Cantlay secures his elite standing by holding onto the fifth position, showcasing the enduring excellence of American golfers.

Consistent Performances: Leading American Golfers in World Ranking

Among the leading American players, Xander Schauffele holds sixth place, closely followed by Max Homa in seventh. The players have maintained their positions from the previous week, placing them firmly in the top ten. Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark bring up the rear in ninth and tenth place, respectively, concluding the group of leading American talents in the World Golf Rankings.

Scottie Scheffler is followed in the world rankings in second and third place by Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Jon Rahm of Spain. Further into the top ten is the steadfast fourth-place standing of Norway’s Viktor Hovland, indicative of a sustained level of performance and unchanged from the previous week. This consistency among the upper reaches of the rankings indicates a consistency in performances throughout the sport over the last couple of weeks. Focusing on the rest of the top ten, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick remains in eighth place. The presence of several nationalities in this segment of the world rankings highlights the global nature of competitive golf. Notably absent since the last ranking update is any change in the top ten, suggesting a temporary pause in the typically dynamic shifts towards the end of the year.

This text was created with the help ofAI.

Categories
Professionals

World Golf Ranking: Scottie Scheffler holds Top Spot, Max Homa climbs

In the current World Golf Ranking, American Scottie Scheffler continues to firmly hold the first place, followed by Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy in second. The next three slots are filled by Spain’s Jon Rahm, Norway’s Viktor Hovland, and once again an American, Patrick Cantlay.

World Golf Ranking: Americans dominating the Top 10

The battle among Americans on the World Golf Ranking continues with Xander Schauffele in sixth place. With Max Homa climbing one spot to seventh there finally is movement in the Top 10 after a long time. As a result, Matt Fitzpatrick falls to eighth place. Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark round out the top ten, placing ninth and tenth, without a change from previous week.

Top Positions & Movements in The World Golf Ranking

Topping the World Golf Ranking is Scottie Scheffler, steadfast at number one. Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland maintains his second position while Spain’s Jon Rahm fixed at third. These players continue their impressive performance, dominating the top spots of the ranking.

Max Homa catches up with the two Americans in front of him with his victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the DP World Tour in South Africa. The American golfers are thus increasing the pressure on the European block, which is breathing down Scottie Scheffler’s neck.

The World Golf Ranking warrants close attention as it paints the current picture of world golf, signaling who’s up, who’s down, and the ones to watch in forthcoming tournaments.

Categories
Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Max Homa and Brian Harman Win First Match for Team USA

Max Homa and Brian Harman secured the first full point for Team USA in their 2023 Ryder Cup match against Sepp Straka and Shane Lowry. While both Teams were on equal footing on the front nine, Harman and Homa gained the upper hand on the back nine with two birdies and an eagle in a row.

Max Homa and Brian Harman at the Ryder Cup 2023

Q. Many congratulations, the first full point for Team USA. How big, how special does this moment feel?

MAX HOMA: It’s good. We needed something to go our way. I felt like we were ready this morning. We were ready to come out and play some great golf which we did. Somebody had to start a spark, so I’m just glad it was us.

Q. How fired up were you?

BRIAN HARMAN: Yeah, Ludvig has been playing so well, making so many putts, chipping in, so it was good to come out and at least put red up on the board.

Q. Describe the vibe in the U.S. camp? What was the intensity level heading out?

MAX HOMA: Great. We know how good we are. Everybody knows how good the man to my left is. We obviously are in a big hole but we have the right guys to dig ourselves out of it.

Q. Can this give the team the spark you need?

BRIAN HARMAN: Hope so. We are going to rest up and get ready for this afternoon.

Categories
Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Max Homa – The newcomer on Team USA

The 2023 Ryder Cup awaits, when the famous trophy will be on the line at the Marco Simone Golf in Country Club in Rome at the end of September. Max Homa will be taking part for the first time. With a consistent season and a top-10 finish at the BMW Championship, he took the final step towards qualification.

Max Homa at the Ryder Cup 2023

The No. 7 in the World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is coming off a victory in the 2023 season and is one of three debutants on Team USA. The 32-year-old’s shared fifth-place finish at the BMW Championship secured him the No. 5 spot in the Ryder Cup Standings, making it into the Americans’ 12-man squad. Thanks to his strong finish, Homa does not have to rely on the favor of captain Zach Johnson. Max Homa was able to secure his place around Scheffler and Co. with strong finishes at the highlights on the PGA Tour.

To start the season, Max Homa posted a third-place split finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He followed that up with a win at the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open in late January, then tied for second at the Genesis Invitational in February. A month later, the California native earned a sixth-place split at the Players Championship and followed that up with an eighth-place split at the Wells Fargo Championship in May. His strong showings in the former ‘Designated Events’, as well as T6 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and a shared fifth-place finish at the BMW Championship, allowed him to play his way up to seventh place in the OWGR. He then finished the season with his best career major finish at the 2023 British Open, tying for tenth.

Max Homa without Ryder Cup experience yet

Although this is Max Homa’s first time at the Ryder Cup, it is not his first team competition on the international stage. After winning the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship, the US American played in the Walkers Cup 2013. The duel between the best US amateurs and their colleagues from Great Britain and Ireland went 17:9 to the US boys. With strong successes on the PGA Tour, Homa recommended himself for the Presidents Cup in 2022. In the duel with the best players outside Europe, Homa showed his class and won each of his four matches in the victory of the USA.

Max Homa takes off after a bumpy start

For the Californian, the professional career was to begin in 2013 with his entry onto the PGA Tour. He then had to fight for the tour card for many years and made a detour to the Korn Ferry Tour to qualify for the PGA Tour again. Then in 2019, Homa managed his first win on the PGA Tour. And what a success it was! Homa secured the Wells Fargo Championship and prize money of around US$1.4 million. Then came victory in 2021 at the Genesis Invitational in a playoff with Presidents Cup playing partner Tony Finau. In 2022, he would again take the crown at the Wells Fargo Championship. His CV now includes six victories on the PGA Tour and prize money of more than 10.5 million US dollars.

Max Homa WITB for the 2023 Ryder Cup

The Team USA rookie relies entirely on the Titleist brand for his equipment. From driver to wedge, he will also be using the latest models from the manufacturer at the 2023 Ryder Cup, where he usually prefers the sporty variants with length gain and particularly high flexibility. In addition to the TSR3 driver, Homa also plays the TSR fairway woods. However, here he relies on the 2 model with a focus on tee shots and more forgiveness. For the irons, he relies on the Titleist 620 irons. A demanding player’s iron with little room for error. In the short game, Homa, like many of his colleagues, relies on the Titleist Vokey SM9 with different sole grinds to flexibly master any situation on the course. The Scottie Cameron Mallet putter and the Pro V1 golf ball complete Homa’s golf bag.

[gpalbum id=8871]
Categories
PGA Tour

Replica of the 17 and “wonder bread”: How to pass the time during the Players Championship

The Players Championship 2022 is drowning in weather chaos. On the first day, some players couldn’t even make a shot and on the second day, even less golf was played – 47 players still haven’t finished their first 18 holes. Some golfers therefore had a complete break from play on Friday, while others only had a few holes to play before play was paused at 11:15 a.m. local time and it was clear at 3:13 p.m. that there would be no play before 11 a.m. on Saturday either. So the stars of the PGA Tour had a lot of free time, which was used in different ways.

PGA Tour: Free afternoon for the players

Rory McIlroy is one of those who has not yet been able to hand in his first round scorecard. So far, the Northern Irishman has only played 15 holes, recording three birdies and four bogeys. The four-time major winner was then able to spend the free afternoon with his wife Erica and daughter Poppy.

Meanwhile, Max Homa philosophised during the rain delay why his mother never allowed him to eat the ” wonder bread” with peanut butter and jelly – he probably wouldn’t have been able to stop. Luckily, his caddies’ fiancée doesn’t see it so restrictively.

The fact that play was finally suspended completely for Friday probably didn’t bother the “Twitter King” of the PGA Tour, who is at two-under-par after 14 holes – after all, he can watch the new Batman then.

Justin Thomas hasn’t finished his first round either, but can spend his afternoon chilling on the couch.

The From the sofa, the defending champion also immediately found the guilty person: Max Homa.

But it could also have been Ian Poulter who caused the break-up. The Englishman had already finished his first round in a hurry on Thursday and therefore had Friday completely free. The 46-year-old was literally feverishly anticipating the break-off, letting his fans share it in his Instagram story and, given the weather, logically wanted to avoid the trip to the golf course. While the pro himself passed the time with Netflix at his house on the beach, his son Joshua rebuilt the signature hole of the TPC Sawgrass on the beach and also imitated his hurried father.

Poulter hopes for rain, watches Netflix and checks out the "island green". (Photo: Screenshot Instagram/@ianjamespoulter)
Poulter hopes for rain, watches Netflix and checks out the “island green”. (Photo: Screenshot Instagram/@ianjamespoulter)

Players Championship at TopGolf?

With so many breaks, the stars naturally have time to connect with fans on social media. Some initiate discussions about the interruption of the tournament, Kevin Kisner would like to hear the expert opinions of the internet. One of them: Simply move the tournament to the nearby TopGolf facility – problem solved.

Justin Rose is organising a small contest on Instagram to pass the time. The Englishman, who currently has 14 holes played, wants to announce the winner after his second round. Cynically, you could say: There’s still plenty of time to take part.

Categories
Live

Watch: Professionals make Tiger Tributes

A handful of players have been praised for their touching show of support to Tiger Woods, following his car crash last week near Los Angeles.

Those paying respects include LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam.

Official statements given via Twitter report that Tiger is recovering and is in “good spirits” in the Cedars-Cinai Medical Centre, where he has received follow-up treatment on Friday.

READ: Reactions to Tiger Woods’ Accident

However, not all players could participate in Sunday’s tribute, with Max Homa, winner of last week’s Genesis Invitational receiving backlash for having not joined in.

His long time hero, Tiger Woods, host of this year’s Genesis Invitational, handed Homa the trophy last weekend in California.

He defended himself, citing his contractual obligations to wear his pre-packed clothes.

It is expected that the injuries sustained in the crash will have a severe impact on Woods’ future in professional golf.