Pro Golf Weekly – Page 2 – Len Ziehm On Golf

Rahm still winless on LIV Tour but remains a Masters threat

Greg Norman, executive director of the LIV Tour, jokes with Jon Rahm. (Joy Sarver Photos)

MIAMI, FL. – Last year’s Masters was the first tournament where PGA Tour players competed against those who defected to the LIV Golf League. The LIV guys got the better of that one.

Four current LIV players finished one -two-three and a tie for fourth. That spoke well for the Saudi-financed circuit that is now in its third season. Spain’s Jon Rahm will defend his Masters title this week at Georgia’s Augusta National. He won last year when he was still a PGA Tour member.

Rahm hasn’t won an individual title as a LIV member, but team he captains – Legion XIII – won its second title in five starts on Sunday on the rugged Blue Monster course at Trump Doral and Rahm contributed several key putts to that victory. At least that’s some momentum to take into this week’s Masters.

Knowing a four-stroke lead was slipping away in a tight team battle with Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats, Rahm touched more on a clutch putt he rolled in down the stretch rather than dwell on his individual play.

“I was just trying to two-putt,’’ Rahm said, “and the putt just kept going. We won by one stroke, so obviously that putt meant more than I had thought it would.’’

It also doesn’t hurt that Rahm has been solid, despite not winning by himself. He’s the only LIV player to finish in the top 10 of all five tournaments of 2024. He tied for fourth Sunday, three strokes behind South African Dean Burmester and Spain’s Sergio Garcia.

Former president Donald Trump, LIV executive director Greg Norman and Trump’s son Eric enjoy the action around the first tee during the final round at Trump Doral.

Burmester took the individual title in a two-hole playoff, the third loss in extra holes for the winless Garcia in LIV play. Burmester and Garcia played the regulation 54 holes in 11-under-par 205. Both failed to par the final holes, necessitating their playoff.

Now the focus is solely on the Masters.

If LIV shows as well at this year’s Masters it’ll likely be because of the players who weren’t so impressive

Sergio Garcia (left) and Dean Burmester matched shots in a tense two-hole playoff.

These new golf books are well worth reading

In the last few years I’ve developed a side writing project. Being a fairly voracious reader, I’ve been contributing book reviews to my social media outlets. By no means have these been limited to golf. I’ve written about books that I’ve enjoyed on a variety of subjects but have stayed away from reviewing the political ones.

Anyway, this time – and for first time – I’m touching on several books on golf topics. There’s been quite a few quality golf books coming out recently, many written by colleagues who are friends of mine. With the Masters closing in there is also a timely aspect to getting the word out on these books, so I’m including several in this report.

ARNOLD PALMER, AMERICAN HERO – I love coffee table books, and nobody does them better than Martin Davis. Some of my writing buddies are contributors – Marino Parascenzo, Jaime Diaz, Adam Schupak, Alex Miceli and Jeff Babineau – but there are many others.

Martin, who founded The American Golfer in 1990, has edited or published 39 golf books, and I’ve particularly enjoyed the one he did on the Ryder Cup. He’s a great historian of the game and his latest book is filled with classic pictures of golf’s most charismatic and photogenic player. You don’t want to rush through this book.

Coffee table books are, by definition, big and this one may be the biggest in my collection. It’s 370 pages in the large 11×14-inch format (and it weighs seven pounds). Take it slowly, and you’ll savor the memories of this most special individual who just happens to have been a champion golfer.

LIFE ON THE GREEN – Ann Liguori has made a big impact in sports broadcasting and she’s been a dominant winner in the International Network of Golf’s annual Media Awards. Jim Nantz gave her a glowing forward in this book (Hatherleigh Press).

Ann has 12 chapters, each spotlighting a legend of the game from her own unique perspective. The subjects are far-reaching — an excellent mix of men and women, players and contributors to the game in other ways as well. The chapters spotlight – in alphabetical order — Amy Alcott, Ben Crenshaw, Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Nancy Lopez, Jack Nicklaus, Dottie Pepper, Gary Player, Renee Powell, Annika Sorenstam, Jan Stephenson and Tom Watson. That should tell you how expansive Ann’s book is.

Because we’re awaiting another Masters I want to toss in an anecdote from a special section on that tournament. It comes from the 1985 tournament in which Langer and Seve Ballesteros played in the next-to-the last pairing on Sunday, just ahead of Raymond Floyd and Curtis Strange.

Langer and Ballesteros were great rivals in Europe and both, of course, were Masters champions but I wish I had been around to hear this exchange on the first tee. Ballesteros turned to Langer and said “Good luck, and let’s make sure one of us wins and not the Americans.’’

Langer found extra meaning in the comment, as did I.

“No doubt about it,’’ said Langer. “Even at the Masters, which is so individualistic, obviously (Seve) wanted to win it, but if he couldn’t then the next best thing was just to keep it away from the Americans.’’

THE LEGENDARY CADDIES OF AUGUSTA NATIONAL – The author, Ward Clayton, was the sports editor of the Augusta Chronicle from 1991 to 2000, and produced a 2019 documentary, “The Caddie’s Long Walk.’’

He’s more than qualified to write the most recent book on the black caddies at the home of the Masters. Those bag-toters used such nicknames as Stovepipe, Burnt Biscuits, Skillet, Skinny and Marble Eye. (Some of their real names were Carl Jackson, Willie Perteet and Matthew Palmer). They witnessed some great moments, both public and private, in their days at Augusta National, and Clayton provides extensive updates on their lives along with historical photos.

AND JUST OUT: The month of March also included the release of two other most promising books — “Rainmaker,’’ the autobiography of Hughes Norton, with George Peper (Atria Books) and “Drive, the Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods,’’ by Bob Harig (St. Martin’s Press).

It’s interesting that these two have come out within a few weeks of each other. Norton was Woods’ first agent. A tantalizing excerpt of the book has run in Golf Digest. Harig previously authored the book “Tiger and Phil’’ and has been a leader in the ongoing coverage of developments involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League.

Scheffler, DJ have final tuneup events leading into the Masters

Scottie Scheffler (left) and Dustin Johnson are in the pre-Masters spotlight. (Joy Sarver Photos)

Dustin Johnson and Scottie Scheffler don’t play on the same pro golf tour any more, but their play will be intertwined over the next three weeks.

Scheffler needed a week’s rest during the Florida Swing’s conclusion at the Valspar Championship last week, but – being a Texas native – he’s playing this week in the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

A champion in both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship in Florida, he’ll be going for three wins in a row in Houston. The last player to win three in a row? Johnson in 2017, but an asterisk is needed here.

One of DJ’s wins was in the World Golf Championship Match Play Championship. If Scheffler wins in Houston he’ll be the first to win three straight starts in stroke play since Rory McIlroy did it in 2014.

Johnson’s great run eight years ago led into the Masters. He was at the top of his game then but took a fall after arriving in Augusta and withdrew the day before the tournament. The freak episode still haunts him.

“I never felt unbeatable,’’ he said in an interview this week leading into the next LIV Golf League tournament April 5-7 at Doral in Miami, FL. “But I always feel that, when I’m playing my best, no one can beat me.’’

He doesn’t look back at the injury at Augusta much, but – when prodded — will say that without it “I’d have two green jackets instead of one. I had a fantastic prep that week.’’

Johnson won his Masters in 2020, when no spectators were allowed on the course because of pandemic concerns. Now, with golf’s first major championship three weeks away and Scheffler playing so well, Masters talk can’t be avoided.

After the PGA Tour stop in Houston that circuit has the Valero Texas Open opposite the LIV event at Doral. Johnson will be one of 13 LIV players in the field at Augusta National. Last year the fledgling circuit had a good showing, with Brooks Koepke and Phil Mickelson tying for second behind Jon Rahm. Rahm has since left the PGA Tour to join LIV.

“Miami’s going to be a great week,’’ said Johnson. “There’ll be a lot of guys grinding, especially those going to the Masters.’’

Johnson was LIV’s most important early signing and the dominant player in 2022 — the circuit’s first season when only eight tournaments were held. He was the circuit’s leading individual and his 4Aces won the team title.

He wasn’t as successful in 2023 and at the conclusion of the 14-tournament second season he was second to Talor Gooch in LIV career money, Gooch having earned $46.4 million and Johnson $44.4 million. And that’s on top of the reported $150 million signing bonus Johnson received to leave the PGA Tour.

This season Johnson has one win in four LIV starts but couldn’t crack the top 20 in the last two in Saudi Arabia and China. He’s third in the tour standings behind Joaquin Niemann and Rahm.

Even with LIV not playing this week Johnson has had an eventful week. His 4Aces team got a new general manager with the hiring of Chris Rosaasen.

“I’ve known Chris for many years, witnessing how he has built multiple successful brands,’’ said Johnson, the 4Aces captain and part-owner. “Chris’ vision for the team aligns perfectly with what we aim to achieve.’’

Johnson, meanwhile, is taking aim at winning another Masters and says Doral will be “good preparation.’’

“Doral’s a fantastic golf course. It’s fair and tough, and it’s long. You have to use all the clubs in your bag,’’ said Johnson, who has won events at Doral on both the PGA and LIV tours.

Malnati’s win at Valspar was a lifestyle-changer

Now Peter Malnati will stand out for more than just playing with a yellow ball. (Joy Sarver Photos)

PALM HARBOR, Florida — “Cinderella Story’’ is a term used way too much in the sports world. Peter Malnati certainly fit that description when he won the Valspar Championship on Sunday, however.

Here was a 10-year member of the PGA Tour getting his second victory nine years after capturing his first. In seven previous Valspars he had made the cut only once. He had played in only three major championships but now he’s expecting his first invitation to the upcoming Masters.

There was no reason to think Malnati could win the Valspar. This season he missed four cuts in eight starts, shot 81 in the last round of The Players Championship the week before his win on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and had only one top-10 – a tie for ninth at the Cognizant Classic of the Palm Beaches, the first of the four events on the Florida Swing.

Until Sunday Malnati was notable mainly for being one of the few players to use a yellow instead of a white golf ball. At least it seemed appropriate for a player with a colorful ball winning the “most colorful event on the PGA Tour.’’

There’s a lot more to Peter Malnati than being a PGA journeyman who finally ended a winless dryspell, however. Malnati is a photogenic guy with an infectious smile. That’s a good thing, because he’ll likely be taking interviews for something more than being a PGA Tour champion in the coming weeks.

Malnati, 36, has recently been named one of six player directors on the PGA Tour Policy Board. He’ll be closely involved with the seemingly endless negotiations toward a merger of the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf League.

Malnati was all smiles en route to his first win in nine years, but he also showed his serious side.

He didn’t make any political statements on that issue during his speech at the Valspar trophy presentation on the course, but he opened up a bit in a more in-depth session afterwards.

“I’ll say something in here that I didn’t say out there because I think it’s important and relevant,’’ said Malnati. “When my son Hatcher was born in 2019 I removed all my social media from my phone. I don’t do social media anymore, and I’m a happier person because of it. Not that it’s bad, social media isn’t bad. But for me I didn’t use it particularly well because I always read comments and I wanted to use it to be interactive. It wasn’t healthy for me, so I removed it.’’

The result is that Malnati doesn’t “know specifically what is being said about me, about the PGA Tour, about our sport in general. But I know the direction that it has been going for the last couple years.’’

His feelings about the influx of bigger money, smaller field events seemed clear. That concept has a downside. On the Florida Swing the Cognizant Classic of the Palm Beaches and Valspar weren’t weren’t signature events like the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship.

The API had a $20 million purse and The Players $25 million. The Cognizant was at $9 million and the Valspar at $8.4 million. That’s a big discrepancy.

“We don’t have tournaments to play in if we have communities that think these tournaments don’t matter,’’ said Malnati. “I just want them to know that every event on the PGA Tour matters because it matters to the community where you play, and we’re going to make a difference. That was something I felt like I needed to say.’’

Malnati won’t take a week off to celebrate his win. He’ll tee it up in the $9.1 million Texas Children’s Hospital Houston Open this week. After that comes the $9.2 million Valero Texas Open.

Those are the lead-ins to the Masters, first of the year’s major championships with a hefty purse that won’t be announced until the week of the event, and the $20 million RBC Heritage Classic.

Malnati can play in all of them now.

“That’s really important,’’ he said. “We put an emphasis – and I think rightfully so – on getting the top players in the world to play together more often. I have work to do to consider myself in that group.’’

Malnati found a swing that works after some years of struggling on the PGA Tour.

Mitchell masters Snakepit to lead third round of Valspar

Kevin Streelman, PGA Tour veteran from Wheaton, got off to a fast start in the Valspar Championship before cooling off in the third round. (Joy Sarver Photo)

PALM HARBOR, Florida – The story lines in the first three tournaments of the Florida Swing were certainly different than the one developing in the last one.

The most notable things in the Cognizant Classic of the Palm Beaches, which opened four PGA Tour events in March, was a name change for the tournament (it has been the Honda Classic for decades) and a first-time winner in Austin Eckroat. Scottie Scheffler ruled the next two, dominating the Arnold Palmer Invitational and making history in becoming the first repeat champion in The Players’ 50-year history.

Concluding the Swing was the Valspar Championship, played on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort. The emergence of veteran players in contention seemed the theme for a while.

Stewart Cink, 50, and Kevin Streelman, 45, played in the final group in Saturday’s third round. Cink has making his 19^th appearance in the tournament, one off Brian Gay’s record 20, and made his 500^th cut on the PGA Tour. Another veteran, Lucas Glover, was in the tourney for the 19^th time and was one shot off the lead after 36 holes.

Streelman led solo after shooting a 7-under-par 64 in the first round and was in a five-way tie for the lead after the second.

He had won his first PGA Tour event on Copperhead in 2013, so that seemed a good place for him to get a much needed career boost.

And it was – for a while.

Hampered by a back injury suffered while hitting a shot out of the rough in California’s Farmer’s Insurance Open in February, Streelman made only one cut – a tie for 32^nd place in Puerto Rico — in his first six starts of 2024.

His luck changed when he got to Copperhead, though. Streelman led solo after shooting a 64 in Thursday’s first round and was tied with four others for the 36-hole lead.

Paired with 50-year old Stewart Cink in the final group on Saturday, Streelman got off to a great start, two-putting for birdie on the par-5 first hole. After that, it wasn’t much of a day. His third-round 73 dropped him into a tie for 18^th entering Sunday’s final round.

Streelman wasn’t much in the mood to talk about it afterwards, but he didn’t rule himself out of contention, either.

“I’ve just got to attack,’’ he said. “I was only 2-over (on Saturday) and I’m 6-back. I’ve just got to focus on golf on the range and tighten things up.’’

With that he headed for the range in hopes of challenging for the lead on Sunday. Keith Mitchell owns it at 10-under-par 203. Mitchell owns a two-stroke lead on Seamus Power, Mackenzie Hughes and Peter Malnati.

Mitchell finished birdie-birdie-eagle to cap off a 7-under 64. He holed a 7-iron from 190 yards for his eagle to conclude his spectacular finish on Copperhead’s famed finishing holes, dubbed the “Snake Pit.”

“I looked up and something flew in my eye, so I looked away and never saw it come down and land,’’ said Mitchell of his last shot of the day. “It’s an elevated green, so I wasn’t going to see it go in anyway, but I didn’t even see it come down next to the flag.’’

Defending champion Talor Moore is tied for 34^th and Arlington Heights’ Doug Ghim tied for 55^th. Sam Burns, who won the tournament in 2021 and 2022, and reigning British Open champion Brian Harman were among those missing the cut when the weather-delayed second round was completed early Saturday.

Can Scheffler play any better than he did at Bay Hill?

Which version of Scottie Scheffler do you like better — the winner at Bay Hill in 2022 (left) or the one who dominated the API this year?

ORLANDO, Florida — The Arnold Palmer Invitational was a wonderfully competitive event through 54 holes, but not during Sunday’s final round at Bay Hill. In fact, this latest Signature Event on the PGA Tour was downright boring, and you can blame Scottie Scheffler for that.

Scheffler was just too good on a beautiful day, carding the low round of the tournament – a 6-under-par 66 that propelled him to a 72-hole total of 15-under 273. That was good for a five-shot advantage on runner-up Wyndham Clark, but Scheffler led by as many as seven before his last putt dropped.

With a $4 million payoff from a $20 million purse, Scheffler climbed from second to first in the FedEx Cup standings. He won for the seventh time on the PGA Tour and had the widest victory margin in the API since Tiger Woods in 2012. Scheffler didn’t dwell on his good fortune, though.

“I just stayed in my own little space and tried to keep pushing,’’ he said.

The final 18 started with Scheffler and Shane Lowry tied for the lead at 9-under but the tie didn’t last for long. Scheffler birdied No. 1, Lowry made bogey – a quick two-shot swing. Lowry, who finished third, also made bogey on the second hole and was never a contender again. In truth, no one was.

Scheffler won the API for the second time in three years, but his victories were much different. He won the first in 2022 with a one-shot margin over joint runner-ups Billy Horschel, Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland and posted a 72-hole score of 283 – 10 shots higher than his latest win.

A month after his first win at Bay Hill Scheffler won the Masters. He’s playing better now.

“It would be borderline unfair if he started putting really good,’’ said Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion. “I never want to wish ill on anybody, but if he starts putting positive each week he’s going to be really hard to beat. He’s the best player in the world right now.’’

Rory McIlroy was impressed, too.

“Scottie has been super consistent week in and week out every time he tees it up,’’ said McIlroy. “It’s incredible.’’

Luke Donald, a former world No. 1, echoed that to conclude his two-week stint on the NBC broadcast team.

“He was so, so consistent,’’ said Donald. “The road to success has so many ups and downs in construction but there were no ups and downs for him today. He was in cruise control all the way. He did everything well, and that’s not easy when you’re leading a golf tournament.’’

In his API title defense in 2023 Scheffler tied for fourth behind surprise winner Kurt Kitayama, who missed the cut in his own title defense this week.

Scheffler will be gunning for a much better showing next week at The Players Championship, the third event of the four-tournament Florida Swing. It tees off on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra. Scheffler’s 2023 victory in The Players was his most recent victory until his blowout romp at Bay Hill on Sunday. The Players turns 50 years old this week and no player has been a repeat champion.

Two crazy days at the Arnold Palmer Invitational; Now what?

Max Homa, Sam Burns and Viktor Hovland (left to right) had similar routines for putting at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Facing the hole, they’re straddling the line of their putts to determine the slope of the green. Call this dance-like movement the “Meter Mash?”

ORLANDO, Florida – The second and third rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational couldn’t have been more different.

Six players – Shane Lowry, Hideki Matsuyama, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark – were tied for the 36-hole lead, and that was the most co-leaders after 36 on the PGA Tour since the Valero Texas Open of 2010.

That was an impressive leaderboard for the PGA Tour’s latest Signature Event, too, with Harman the reigning British Open champion and Clark the owner of the U.S. Open crown.

Saturday’s third round was different, but had its own type of craziness with constant leaderboard changes.

Will Zalatoris was great early, making four birdies in his first eight holes and opening a five-shot lead after 11. Then he staggered in, making two bogeys before a brutal double bogey on the last hole.

“You play 42 holes of bogey-free and you take it,’’ said Zalatoris, now tied for fourth but just two strokes off the lead. “Obviously the finish wasn’t what I wanted. That’s just Bay Hill. I’m still in the ball game, as frustrating as it was to finish up that way.’’

Three spectators stood out among those following Nick Taylor (left) and Max Homa.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy — an early starter — was spectacular on the back nine. He became the first player ever to drive the green on the par-4 tenth, a 365-yard dogleg right, and that gave him the momentum to play the back side in a record 6-under-par 30.

“The difference between the front nine and back nine? Eight shots!’’ said McIlroy. “I just didn’t have any momentum. Then the three on 10 with the tee shot on the green, that got me going.’’

McIlroy salvaged a 68, a boost after finishing outside of the top 20 in his last three starts. He’s tied for eighth, four shots off the lead.

The rivals’ problems enabled Scheffler, tourney champion in 2022, and Lowry to claim a share of the 54-hole lead. Like McIlroy, Scheffler finished strong with birdies at 12, 13, 15 and 16. His 2-under-par 70 on Saturday wasn’t spectacular but it put him at 9-under 207 for three rounds. Lowry, the first-round leader, matched his 70 with birdies at 16 and 17. They’re one swing ahead of Clark, who made bogey on his last hole.

“Here you’ve got to think your way around and stay patient,’’ said Scheffler. “You can make some mistakes, and it’s all about how you bounce back from them. I’m just doing a good job of staying in my head space on the greens. Going to the back nine today I did a really good job of just staying in it as much as I could.’’

Winner of the Masters in 2022, Scheffler will defend his title in The Players Championship next week at another Florida course, TPC Sawgrass.

Justin Thomas wasn’t happy with a chip shot, and it showed in his immediate reactions. (Joy Sarver Photos)

Anthony Kim isn’t ready to compete on the LIV circuit — yet

For the record, I’d rather play golf than watch it. If I need to just watch, I’d rather do it live at the course. If I can’t do that I’d have to settle for TV or the Internet. The latter is what I had to do to see Anthony Kim ‘s return to professional golf at the LIV Golf League’s tournament in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last week.

There was no way I was going to miss this one, though. Curiosity got the better of me. In 56 years reporting on all kinds of golf I had never heard a story as intriguing as that of Kim, a promising young star until Achilles tendon surgery on his left leg sidelined him.

The initial surgery was performed in June of 2013 and he had subsequent problems with his rotator cuff, labrum, spine and hand, and they required six more surgeries in a four-year period.

Until LIV’s stop in Jeddah Kim had not played in a tournament since the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship on the PGA Tour. He could have played sooner, via a Major Medical Exemption, but he didn’t. There’s more to Kim’s story. Kim admitted that, and said he’d tell it “at the proper time.’’

Anyway, Kim decided to retire after all those surgeries, and that lasted for 12 years. Now 38, Kim admitted his comeback was “a long time coming…I’m very grateful for all the highs, lows and lessons learned from the first part of my career. I want to compete with the best players in the world, and I’m on a mission to prove to myself that I can win again.’’

Well, maybe he can and maybe he can’t. His first tournament back created a lot of interest, but his play wasn’t encouraging.

On the first day at tournament site Royal Greens he shot a 76, a round that included a topped second shot (LIV commissioner Greg Norman said a drone distracted him) and an ugly shank. He was dead last after Round 1 and another 76 in Round 2 left him 12 shots behind his nearest rival. The good part at that point? Well, he settled down after a bad start to finish with 11 straight pars. He improved to 74 in the third round but wound up at 16 over par for the tournament while champion Joaquin Niemann was at 17-under.

After the first round Kim said he “played better than the score.’’ There was no comment after the second, but he put a somewhat positive spin to his play over the 54 holes overall.

“Obviously it was a rough week,’’ said Kim, “but I’m excited to play professional golf again and blessed to have this opportunity. I was doing a lot of things well, though I know the scores don’t reflect that.’’

No argument there, but I’m still not giving up on Kim. Here’s why:

Kim was more than just a good young player after he turned pro. After playing for Team USA and the University of Okahoma, he helped the U.S. win the Ryder Cup in 2008 after winning three times on the PGA Tour that season.

In 2010 he tied for third at the Masters, finishing behind only present LIV players Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood. His most eye-opening performance came in the 2009 Masters when he set a tournament record with 11 birdies in Round 2.

Norman was unrelenting in coaxing Kim into a comeback on his circuit. Convinced that Kim could move the needle for a new tour, Norman made initial contact two years ago to see if Kim might be interested – and it took a while (as well as some talks with PGA Tour personnel) for him to decide he was.

“LIV Golf was launched to create new opportunities for players and fans that drive this sport forward in exciting ways and, when I think of Anthony Kim, I can’t think of a more perfect fit for what we’re trying to do,’’ said Norman. “His talent is undeniable.’’

Well, it wasn’t “undeniable’’ at Jeddah, and Hong Kong is the next stop. As a “wild card,’’ Kim can play in the rest of this year’s tournaments and is assured a check in each one without the added pressure of letting a team down. He’s got a few months to prove that his skills are still good enough to compete at a high level.

The less-than-ideal start shouldn’t be surprising, and didn’t leave him downtrodden. That’s a good thing.

“I look at being in contention at some time this year,’’ he said. “Everything with LIV has been first class, and I look forward to representing them well.’’

I hope he can. If his play is only slightly reminiscent of what it had been, his would be a feel-good story — and the world can always use another one of those.

LET brings a unique team event to Florida’s Feather Sound

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is presenting sponsor of the Aramco Team Series.

In these times of turmoil for professional golf tours it was almost shocking to learn about the upcoming Aramco Team Series. Its first event of 2024 is coming up fast — March 7-10 at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, FL.

Imagine an event that is part of the Ladies European Tour (LET) hosting an event on American soil. Then consider that the $1 million purse is being put up by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia – the same group that is funding the controversial LIV Tour in its ongoing battle with the PGA Tour. And The Golf Channel is to provide TV coverage, a rarity for that network to cover an event with LIV connections.

PIF is the presenting sponsor of the entire series and, while best known for its LIV involvement, it also bankrolled the $5 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International, an LET event won by Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit two weeks ago in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is the home base of the Saudi Golf Federation.

While it’s an LET event, the Aramco field at Feather Sound also includes American LPGA stars Brittany Lincicome, Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang. Aramco is a global integrated energy and chemicals company that says it is partnering with the Saudi Federation “as part of the company’s efforts in female empowerment.’’

Lincicome was featured at the tourney’s kickoff press conference. She’ll be playing in the Aramco Series for the first time on a course that is just three miles from her home. She knows the Feather Sound layout well.

“It’s just a beautiful place. I love going there,’’ she said. “Just to have other Tour players see this course is going to be a real treat, because they’re going to love it.’’

Feather Sound was able to get its course ready for tournament play in a hurry. (Joy Sarver Photos)

The tourney got a late start on the promotion end because of delays in lining up a site. Feather Sound was officially notified of its selection only five weeks ago but was still close to being ready to welcome spectators over a week before the start of play.

Feather Sound’s original course was a Joe Lee design that opened in 1976 and was renovated by Kipp Schulties in 2022.

The Aramco Series has an unusual format. It consists of five team events with an individual competition included in each one. There’ll be a player draft in which designated captains are determined off the Rolex World Golf Rankings. They’ll pick one teammate off the LET entry list, get another determined randomly by LET staffers and a third from amateurs chosen by Aramco personnel.

Teams and individuals will compete together over the first two rounds and only individuals will battle on the final day. The prize money will be split, with $500,000 awarded off the team competition and $500,000 off individual play. The professional field will be cut after 36 holes to the low 60 and ties.

LPGA star Brittany Lincicome, who lives near Feather Sound, was featured at Media Day.

The unusual format is no problem for Lincicome, who was recently named an assistant captain for the U.S. Solheim Cup team.

“A team component is something different,’’ she said. “We’re always evolving in the game of golf, and to have the team competition with amateurs and then going into singles – why not?’’

That Aramco Team Series is the only LET event in the United States this year, but it was held for two years in New York and Trump International, in West Palm Beach, hosted last year when Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was the champion. Ciganda will compete at Feather Sound as will England’s Bronte Law, winner of the Lalla Meryem Cup – last week’s third stop of the LET season in Morocco.

Officially named Aramco Team Series-Tampa, this year’s schedule also has events in Seoul, South Korea, May 9-11; London July 2-5, Asia Oct. 4-6 and Riyadh Oct. 31-Nov. 3. All have $1 million purses put up by PIF.

They’re all part of LET’s 46^th season, one which includes 31 events held in 20 countries.

Feather Sound got all spruced up for the arrival of the LET’s unique team event.

Florida Swing will give the PGA Tour a refreshing change

Tournament director Tracy West is excited about the next Valspar Championshp, which tees off on the Coppehead course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, FL., on March 21. (Joy Sarver Photos)

PALM HARBOR, FL. – The first two months of the PGA Tour season were marred by unusually bad weather in California and an overly exuberant crowd in Phoenix. Now – as soon as the last putt drops at the Mexico Open — it’s time to welcome the Florida Swing.

The Sunshine State takes over the month of March, with only one round in the four Florida tournaments played in February. The first one, on Feb. 29, marks the debut of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at PGA National, in Palm Beach Gardens.

That tourney’s name change might be a problem. Since 1982 the tourney was known as the Honda Classic, and it was the PGA Tour’s long-running uninterrupted title sponsorship until it ended last year.

Since 2007 the Honda was played on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Champions course at PGA National. It has a three-hole stretch of back nine holes dubbed the Bear Trap. They were tough, and still are. The Cognizant Classic will be played on the same course but without the field problems the Honda had in recent years.

Even though nearby Jupiter is home for many PGA Tour stars, those players were reluctant to relish a rare home game after all that travel on the West Coast. Weak fields became a problem, but this time Jupiter residents Daniel Berger and Shane Lowry were among the first entrants in the Cognizant Classic, and other early signups included 2022 U.S. Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson. Chris Kirk is the defending champion.

After the Cognizant Classic’s debut comes two biggies – the March 7-10 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando and the March 14-17 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra. The API is the fourth of the PGA Tour’s eight signature events of 2024 and carries a $20 million purse. The Players, at $25 million, is even bigger. There won’t be any problem getting strong fields at those places, and the Valspar Championship – the climax to the Florida Swing on March 21-24 – apparently won’t have a problem, either.

Taylor Moore told a Media Day gathering what it was like to win the Valspar Championship.

Valspar’s $8.4 million purse is the smallest on the Florida Swing but the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor is universally popular with the players. Valspar tournament director Tracy West included a field list at last week’s Media Day and it included Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and Will Zalatoris. They could hardly be considered Valspar regulars. Two-time winner Sam Burns, Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Sahith Theegala and Gary Woodland are also in the field.

The defending Valspar champion, Taylor Moore, was on hand for the Media Day and he wanted no part of questions about the controversial LIV Tour. There certainly was no need for discussions on that, given how West and her staff have positioned the paint company sponsored event as “the most colorful PGA tournament in the world.’’

“There’s been a lot of noise around golf these days, but none of that matters,’’ said former football star Ronde Barber, in his third year as Valspar’s general chairman. “We’re trying to put on a great golf tournament, and we’ve got 19 out of the world’s top 50 despite all that’s been going on.’’

“A terrific year is shaping up, and we’re excited about our field, but our product is more than that,’’ said West.

In December the Valspar was named the “Fan-First PGA Tournament of the Year’’ and this year’s event is building on that with a load of special features.

A 5-kilometer run, expected to draw about 700 participants, will kick off the festivities on March 17. In addition to the pro-ams at Copperhead a new celebrity pro-am will be played at the Pelican course in Belleair on Tuesday and a concert by country singer Cole Swindell will follow Saturday’s round.

A double-decker skybox has been added at Copperhead’s 18^th green, a new golf shop just opened and a special ticket will be offered for those wanting to visit the soon-to-be re-opened Packard’s Steakhouse following a major renovation.

And, again, the Valspar is the only tournament granted special privileges by the PGA Tour. Players can substitute their nicknames on the caddie bibs and bring a guest of their choice inside the ropes during tournament play.

In short, the PGA Tour will have a refreshing change when it returns to Florida.

Category: Pro Golf Weekly