Grayson Murray Is Back: Fires Veteran Caddie Mid-Round

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Thanks to reader JD for Aaron Schoonmaker's Wells Fargo Championship report on the latest dust-up for PGA Tour rookie Grayson Murray. A Grade 1, All-Conference Twitter point-misser, Murray apparently got into an "altercation" with veteran caddie Mike Hicks, formerly of Payne Stewart fame.

Worse, Hicks has been on the bag for Murray at Q-School and Web.com Tour play. Not anymore.

Murray, and his caddie Mike Hicks, got into an altercation on the ninth hole Sunday in the final round at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington. Hicks then dropped the bag and handed his smock to a replacement caddie selected by Murray from outside the ropes.

According to sources, the replacement caddie was a friend of Murray named Alex.

The altercation came following a bogey on No. 8 that sent Murray to 1-over for the tournament. Murray then bogeyed Nos. 11, 15 and 18 to finish the event at plus-4.

Murray is scheduled to be part of Wednesday's first-time participants press gathering at The Players.

Reed Goes Minimalist On The Greens, Leads Wells Fargo By One

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Like Luke Skywalker turning off his targeting computer to destroy the Death Star--okay maybe that's a bit strong--Patrick Reed has set aside his green reading guide and is using the Force to putt his way into the Wells Fargo Championship lead.

Leading by one as Teryn Schaefer notes here in the PGATour.com Takeaway, Reed credits the switch to shelving overanalysis, reports GolfChannel.com's Rex Hoggard.

“I've done that pretty well all week,” he said. “I have my green-reading book with me just to kind of confirm, not really to go off of it, just to make sure I'm seeing what the book is saying and just kind of going from there.”

Reed's comments come at an interesting time given this week's discussion of possible governing body action against the green reading books and in particular the Strackaline approach that Josh Berhow explains here for Golf.com.

Jim Stracka sees the issue as a slow play issue more than anything else.

"Some of the older guys think, 'We already understand these greens. We don't need greens guides,' and all they see is people using books and it's a perception that they are actually playing slower," Stracka said. He believes golf should have a shot clock and allow players to do whatever they want before they play their ball, as long as it's done inside the time allotted. "My opinion on slow play is slow players are slow and fast players are fast. It doesn't really matter what type of technology they have."

Wells Fargo's Weak Field, Possible Pre-PGA Future

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The PGA Tour moves this week for a one-off Wells Fargo Championship at Eagle Point, a 2000 Tom Fazio design renovated by Tom Fazio in 2015. The club's president, Bobby Long, is an Augusta National member and potential future club chairman.

With Quail Hollow resting up for its August PGA Championship turn, just seven of the world top 30 means the traditional Wells Fargo turnout is absent, Adam Schupak writes for MorningRead.com.

More interesting in Schupak's story is this comment from tournament director Kim Hougham, anticipating an eventual PGA Championship move to Mother's Day weekend in May.

Hougham didn't point fingers, but the biggest hit to his field has been the move beginning in 2007 of The Players Championship from March to May, a week after the Charlotte stop. There's a lot of talk of the Players’ returning to its March date as soon as 2019. Would that be a good thing for Wells Fargo?

"It depends," Hougham said. "It's a zero net gain if the PGA (Championship) moves to May. We'd be a week before a major."

Sounds like Kim knows something we don't!

New For 2017 Players: More VR, First-Ever Twitter Live 360 Video Of 17th Hole

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Since last year's Masters and Players, progress on the Virtual Reality front has been pretty quiet. So it's encouraging to see the PGA Tour continuing to push the envelope with what sounds like produced (?) coverage using three VR cameras. For those without a Samsung Gear phone and VR headset there is some consolation: Twitter's live broadcast of 360 degree video will be its first ever.

The full press release:

Live virtual reality comes to THE PLAYERS Championship

Live virtual reality and 360 video coverage of the famed 17th hole at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass will be distributed globally during all four rounds of the tournament

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – The PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship announced today that fans will be able to experience the twists and turns of the island-green 17th hole at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass through live 360 video and virtual reality (VR) during all four days of THE PLAYERS Championship from May 11-14.

The live VR experience can be viewed on Samsung Gear VR headsets on a global basis through the “PGA TOUR VR Live” app available on the Oculus store. For fans who don’t have a Gear VR headset, the 360 video stream will be available exclusively on Twitter and Periscope during all four days of the event. Using any smartphone, fans will be able to watch live, 360 video from the 17th hole during THE PLAYERS.  Fans can find the coverage starting on May 11 at twitter.com/PGATOUR or by following @PGATOUR on Twitter and Periscope.

The live VR experience is done in collaboration with Intel and will be produced with Intel True VR technology, bringing fans closer to the action than ever before with three concurrent VR camera positions during competition. One camera will be placed on the 17th tee, one camera on the walkway from tee box to the green, and one camera mounted in the water next to the island green.

“We are excited that THE PLAYERS Championship will host the PGA TOUR’s first live virtual reality production,” said Rick Anderson, PGA TOUR Chief Media Officer. “The PGA TOUR has experimented with virtual reality content for nearly two years. We tested Intel’s True VR technology on a live basis at the Genesis Open in February, and were very pleased with the quality. We decided that executing a live VR experience on one of the most dramatic holes in golf was something that our fans would love, and the fact that we are partnering with Twitter to deliver 360 video will offer tremendous scale.”

“The Intel True VR platform will provide golf fans with a new, immersive experience using our end-to-end solution. From our stereoscopic cameras at the iconic 17th hole to creating a PGA TOUR VR application for THE PLAYERS Championship, we work with our partners to create the best fan experience,” said David Aufhauser, managing director, Intel Sports Group. “Working with the PGA TOUR, as well as global distribution via Twitter and Periscope, gives us the ability to expand the Intel True VR experience to more fans.”

"The PGA TOUR continues to innovate for their highly-engaged fan base on both Twitter and Periscope," said Laura Froelich, Twitter's global head of sports partnerships. "Thanks to this collaboration, golf fans around the world will have exclusive and unique live access to the renowned 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.”

THE PLAYERS Championship marks the first time Twitter has distributed live 360 video during a major sports event. The announcement of this collaboration between the PGA TOUR and Twitter follows the live streaming relationship announced earlier this year.

This is a fun inclusion:

Twitter’s early round distribution of PGA TOUR LIVE coverage, viewable weekly at pgatourlive.twitter.com, has averaged almost half a million unique viewers each day, more than 70% of which are under 35 years old.

Don't worry virtually dead people--over 35!--they care about you too. I think.

Analysis And Poll: "Optics, pace of play real issues behind new 'green-reading' review"

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I penned a Golfweek.com take on the USGA/R&A Statement today regarding green reading books.

This is a topic we've been hearing rumblings about for about a month now, though I wasn't sure the governing bodies were serious. Today's statement suggests they are very concerned about the impact these have on skill, something confirmed by the USGA's Mike Davis when I spoke to him at The Masters.

My take is a bit different in that I could care less what a player looks at while on the greens as long as he gets his putt struck in under 45 seconds. And as I lay out in the column, this is probably the ultimate reason the issue has arisen, but green speed is certainly another.

So what is motivating this possible crackdown? Your votes are appreciated!

What do you think is the primary motivation for possibly banning green reading books?
 
pollcode.com free polls

Blixt: "I haven't seen anything that good in an extremely long time."

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It was probably fitting that Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith teamed to win the first Zurich Classic given that the duo never made a bogey. Leading from day one, the Jacksonville tandem--by way of Sweden and Australia--earn all sorts of exemptions and perks along with a $1 million check (each).

I loved Blixt's selfless quote, noted here by GolfChannel.com's Will Gray, which may capture the essence of why they may have been such a strong team:

"Seeing how he played golf, the sky's the limit for him," Blixt said of Smith. "Just watching these last four days, I haven't seen anything that good in an extremely long time."

Teryn's Schaefer's PGA Tour recap includes Smith's interview with Dottie Pepper where...well he couldn't come up with the words. In a good way!

Fittingly Smith made the winning putt. The playoff highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment are here.


Kisner! Zurich Saved By Thrilling Eagle, Playoff Coming Monday

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The first team event since 1981--did you hear that enough?--was looking like a bit of a dud. A six hour delay, gray skies on soggy Bermuda and only Jordan Spieth left among the headliners were hardly the ingredients to success.

But in that classic bit of team play irony, Cameron Smith appeared to seal the victory and you could practically hear the screams of joys from the CBS truck. Furthermore, Smith and partner Jonas Blixt did not make a bogey all 72 holes, an amazing feat with 36 holes of foursomes.

Then Kevin Kisner brazenly holed out for eagle to send the event to a Monday playoff and the first Zurich Classic as team play will have a highlight we'll see for years to come.

Tune in to Morning Drive as we lead in to the 9 am ET playoff!

From Brian Wacker's GolfDigest.com report at the Zurich:

“We knew we had to have it,” Kisner said. “All I was trying to do was make sure I didn’t leave it short.

“It’s just one of those shots you dream about.”

Jeff Babineau's story from Golfweek on the playoff pairs, which pits longtime buds Kisner and Brown, against neighbors who bonded during the week in Smith and Blixt.

Not one of the four finalists (Blixt, like Kisner and Brown, is 33, and Smith is 10 years younger) was born the last time the PGA Tour conducted an official team event (1981 Walt Disney World National Team Championship). There is a good deal at stake on Monday morning: The winners will receive an official PGA Tour victory and two-year exemption, 400 FedEx Cup points and divide a winner’s check of more than $2 million. A victory also would get Smith, a Web.com Tour grad, into the Players Championship and PGA Championship.

Smith and Blixt were the only team in the field to get through the week without a bogey on the card, and they didn’t go away once they fell behind on Sunday. They ran off three birdies to start the back nine, cutting the deficit to one.

Ok, strap in, the shot and stellar reaction. Now, this was entertaining!

 

And just to show how little light remained...

The Brian Gay-Ian Poulter Decision

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Several of you emailed to ask why there is not more outrage at the retroactive tour card status given to Ian Poulter and Brian Gay. As much as I'd love to revel in a conspiracy theory, it's pretty simple: Gay questioned why his major medical exemption, based on one set of standards had he been able to play a full healthy season, was played under this year's new FedExCup points allotments.

More startling: in the rush to make the FedExCup a more accepted way of life (or "true equalizer" as the player notice puts it), this is a pretty significant miss.

Golfweek's Jeff Babineau explains why Gay's questions helped change the Policy Board perspective on his and Poulter's play under the major medical exemption.

Poulter, 41, who missed four-plus months with a foot injury last season, had 10 events to earn $347,634, or 218 FedEx Cup points; he fell short of both marks in his 10th start last week at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.

Gay, 45, has been in a similar position. Having missed 2014-15 with a back injury, he had 14 available starts this season to earn $461,851 or secure 309 FedEx Cup points. Gay, who tied for sixth in each of his last two starts (RBC Heritage, Valero Texas Open) has surpassed the earnings threshold. But he failed to get to 309 points, which meant he was not eligible for the lucrative Players Championship May 11-14.

Gay did some numbers crunching, though, and found a discrepancy in the way points are doled out this season compared with a year ago, which was the season against which he was being measured.

So the right thing was done and the FedEx points system probably is the best long term way to handle things in a purse-discrepancy world. However, in the move to the new system (please renew, FedEx, please!), having Gay discover this is a concern.

Congrats to both on earning their status for the rest of the year!

The player notice posted on Instagram by Poulter:

 

Zurich Classic: Gotta Root For Charlie Wi And K.J. Choi

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Normally when the stars leave early--Rose/Stenson and Fowler/Day in this case reports Jeff Babineau--we mourn for a tournament. Yet I've long hoped the revamped Zurich Classic would keep some big names around, but also weave in some surprises.

There is no grander or more fun than the Charlie Wi-K.J. Choi duo sitting two back heading into Saturday's foursomes. As Ryan Lavner notes for GolfChannel.com, LA resident and all-around great guy Wi is just "$338 shy of $10 million in career earnings" and now stands to cross that barrier.

The five-time PGA Tour runner up and winner of nine titles internationally is now teaching juniors in Monterey Park not because he lost his card, but because he called it quits.

Dave Shedloski of Golf World does a splendid job telling Wi's story of calling it a career and the effort he made to prep for Zurich after getting K.J.'s call.

When he began gearing up for the Zurich Classic, Wi hit balls for five to six hours a day. Having barely touched a club in 2017, he thought he’d be motivated.

“Instead, I realized, ‘Man, I don’t miss the grind.’

“Don’t get me wrong, being on the tour is fantastic, but there’s more to life than playing professional golf,” he added. “I always knew I never wanted to be one of those hangers on. I didn’t want to just keep doing it. If I say I’m done, I’m done.”

Except he’s not quite. Living in Los Angeles, Wi has begun teaching young players at Monterey Park, near downtown, at his eponymous Charlie Wi Academy. He finds it fulfilling. He sees kids with promise. He knows he can help them.

The First PGA Tour Slow Play Penalty Since 1995 Is...Something!

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Okay so it wasn't proud slow poke Ben Crane or one of the other known non-ready golf turtles. And no, it wasn't exactly the kind of self-indulgent pacing that you'd love to see rewarded with a penalty.

We have to start somewhere!

Golfweek's Jeff Babineau with the details of Brian Campbell and Miguel Angel Cabrallo--yes they are confirmed PGA Tour golfers--teaming up in Thursday's foursomes to take Glen Day off the hook.

Campbell and Carballo, originally alternates in this event who got in as a team when Kevin Chappell (already in the field) captured the Valero Texas Open on Sunday, were paired with two local club professionals from the Gulf States PGA Section, section champion Kyle Ramey and his partner, Phil Schmitt, who played at LSU. The group fell out of position on the 10th hole, and an official notified both teams they were on the clock.

Carballo (warning) and Campbell (penalty) each failed to play shots within the 40 seconds allowed under the pace-of-play policy, and were informed on 14 that they’d be penalized a stroke. Ramey and Schmitt had one bad time, and received a warning.

“Team event, we’re playing with section pros, who were struggling a bit, hate to say it, but it kind of put us behind the clock,” Campbell said. “When you keep hitting bad shots, it’s hard to catch up time.”

Blaming the section pros...Jay, I have Pete on line one!

So this wasn't quite the example-setting moment we'd all hoped for to make PGA Tour golf a better in-person. Or to actually send a message to those who have thumbed their nose at the pace policy. I'll still take it though!

Zurich: After 36 Years Two-Man Team Play Is Finally Here

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The Zurich Classic vaults two-man team play and much-needed variety back onto the PGA Tour schedule, and players have responded, Steve DiMeglio reports for USA Today.

Shoot, even Bubba is swooning.

“You're going to see a lot of smiles, a lot of laughing and a lot of enjoyment of the game of golf,” said Bubba Watson, who is playing with former Presidents Cup partner J.B. Holmes.

“Zurich and the PGA Tour, you take your hats off. How would you not want to be here for this event? For them to step out of the box and do something creative like this is pretty amazing.”

Jeff Babineau digs a little deeper to consider some of the pairings for Golfweek.com, but can't look past the powerhouse Gold-Silver Medal winning duo of Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.

Initially I wasn't too wild about the novelty element in European Challenge Tour player Chase Koepka receiving a sponsor's invite to play with brother Brooks. Given how many strong teams entered, it turns out that the Koepka's are one of the more enjoyable stories to follow this week.

Josh Berhow reports for Golf.com.

"We could either kill each other or it could be an awesome week," said Brooks.

Not long after the announcement that this year's Zurich Classic would be changed to a two-person team event, Brooks Koepka, 26, inquired about his younger brother, 23-year-old Chase, joining his team. He was granted an exemption and will make his first PGA Tour start this week in New Orleans. He previously played at the University of South Florida and has played on the European and Challenge tours since.

"It will be fun," Brooks Koepka said. "The whole family is here, so it will be neat for them."

You know how I feel.

One key to the week: how will television tell the stories of how the teams were formed (Ben Everill and Mike McAllister did a lot of the hard work here for PGATour.com, including confirmation of the Spieth-Palmer lost friendly wager story that's been circulating). They must also try to capture some of the inside-the-ropes dynamics of foursomes and best-ball play that we don't get with individual stroke play. On-course reporters and good research will be key to telling the many stories like those of the Koepka's.

PGA Tour Live begins coverage at 9 am ET. Golf Channel coverage begins at 3:30 pm ET.

The PGATour.com breakdown of how the format works and other FAQ's you might have.

Slow Play Files: Tom Gillis Uses Twitter To Heckle Slow Poke Ben Crane Into Settling Bet

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I've seen some interesting uses of Twitter and while this one borders on extortion and surely kept the Fines Department working overtime, few will have sympathy for Ben Crane given his consistent refusal to become a faster player. Or apparently, to pay off a bet.

Regarded as the slowest player by his peers for well over a decade now, Crane was called out by fellow PGA Tour player Tom Gillis for not paying off a bet with an unnamed friend of Gillis. He also threw in a reference to Crane's Minister for good measure.

Gillis went on to respond to many and clarified money was not owed him.

Golfweek's Kevin Casey has a roundup of the Gillis Tweets, including a suggestion that Crane is now planning to pay up, and a follow up Instagram post from Charley Hoffman, who is calling out Crane as well. Of course, few sympathize with Crane, who disrupts the rhythm of his playing partners with his pacing and makes watching the PGA Tour "product" insufferable when he's standing before you. But he has been enabled his entire career by Tim Finchem's desire to not see players publicly penalized or recognized for their rude ways. Sad it comes to this kind of petty social media bickering but...he earned it.

Team Format Almost Back: Zurich Classic Field Set

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Next week's much-anticipated PGA Tour return of a two-man team event is almost here and Sheldon Mickles has the commitments, pairings and preview.

As expected--and the fun of the Zurich Classic's team format--there are some strange bedfellows pairings. There is a strong concentration of star power with the Fowler-Day and Rose-Stenson pairings, but no shortage of fascinating combinations personality-wise.

Partnerships that got my attention...

Tyrrell Hatton/Jamie Donaldson

Jason Day/Rickie Fowler

Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson

Jordan Spieth/Ryan Palmer

Jimmy Walker/Sean O'Hair

Bubba Watson/J.B. Holmes

Russell Knox/Kevin Streelman

Hideki Matsuyama/Hideto Tanihara

Patrick Reed/Patrick Cantlay

Daniel Berger/Thomas Pieters

Wesley Bryan/Ryan Blaum

Alex Cejka/Soren Kjeldsen

Cody Gribble/Jim Herman

Smylie Kaufman/Harold Varner

Brooks Koepka/Chase Koepka

Steve Stricker/Jerry Kelly

Hudson Swafford/Harris English

Justin Thomas/Bud Cauley

Geoff Ogilvy/Ian Poulter

Kevin Chappell/Gary Woodland

Jamie Lovemark/Luke Donald