Patrick Newcomb Wins APGA Tour Event To Farmers Insurance Invitational

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l have some reading to do because as the press release says below, the “APGA Tour is a non-profit organization with the mission to prepare African Americans and other minority golfers to compete and win at the highest level of professional golf, both on tour and in the golf industry.”

And the winner of the televised APGA Tour stop finishing Sunday at Torrey Pines has Korn Ferry Tour status, so why he is eligible is also unclear.

GolfDigest.com’s Tod Leonard was on hand and writes:

The APGA is a tour that was founded to give minorities more opportunities to play professional golf, but it has not closed the door on anyone either. Tour officials estimate that about 15 percent of the competitors are white, and Newcomb is one of those golfers. He qualified for the Farmers Invitational by finishing fourth on last year’s APGA money list, having started to play the tour in 2021 because it offered more events than other circuits during the pandemic.

I’m just going to leave it there and let you read Cameron Morfit’s game story at PGATour.com or the press release below, or below that, the funeral winning putt.

Patrick Newcomb wins the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational®

Newcomb edges Tim O’Neal with birdie on the final hole

 LA JOLLA, CA – With a birdie on the 36th hole at Torrey Pines South Course at APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational®, Patrick Newcomb earned his first APGA Tour victory at a landmark event for the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour which included the Tour’s first ever nationally televised broadcast on GOLF Channel and the largest purse ($100,000) and winner’s check ($30,000) in APGA Tour history.  

Newcomb, who qualified for the Farmers Insurance Invitational via his ranking in the 2021 APGA Tour Lexus Cup standings, earned 2022 Korn Ferry Tour status through qualifying school.  The 31-year-old flew to San Diego on Thursday following a T40 at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club. Newcomb credits being able to play on the APGA Tour through the pandemic in 2020-2021 for the development and improvement of his game that earned him Korn Ferry Tour status this year. 

“That's one thing that I've talked about at other tournaments when they've asked me. The opportunity to play, they kept going and we were playing fantastic tracks every week, good talent. I know me and Timmy go way back, me and Tim O'Neal. Willie Mack, we're good friends, too. A lot of the guys out here, I've known them for a long time and it's good competition. It really kept me going,” Newcomb said. “The guys on the APGA Tour have been great, and have welcomed me with open arms. They had no issues with me coming and playing. It's been a fantastic atmosphere. What they're doing is great for guys to grow their game has been fantastic.”

Newcomb started the day with a two-stroke lead after an opening-round 4-under-par on the North Course. On Sunday, tied for the lead with APGA Tour veteran Tim O’Neal as he stepped off the 17th green, Newcomb’s tee shot on the par-5 18th hole sailed right and took a fortunate bounce. 

“I drove it fantastic all day long, maybe missed two fairways all day, and then I hit the worst tee ball ever,” said Newcomb, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. “I actually got a great break; it bounced on the cart path. And I couldn't get to this green in two, I'm not long enough, got a great break to go for it. It was one of the worst shots I've hit in a long time. Honestly, it's really weird. But I got a great break and it went down the cart path and gave me an extra like 40 yards off the tee.”

With the extra distance, Newcomb decided to go for the green with his second shot, finding the greenside bunker to the left of the traditional Torrey Pines South Course Sunday pin placement. O’Neal laid up and followed with a near perfect approach, leaving him with a birdie putt. Newcomb’s up-and-down combined with O’Neal missing his birdie made Newcomb the first winner of the 2022 APGA Tour season. 

After O’Neal, Marcus Byrd finished alone in 3rd at 4-over-par with 2021 APGA Tour Player of the Year and Lexus Cup winner Willie Mack III, Trey Valentine and Kevin Hall all finishing T4. 

Byrd, who played alongside Newcomb and O’Neal in the final group, was in contention until a double-bogey on the 16th hole. 

 “It was a privilege and an honor to be able to play here and playing in these conditions,” said Byrd, 24, who was the 2019 Conference USA Player of the Year. “I can't thank Farmers and everybody enough for putting on this event, it was an awesome experience. I think it's good preparation for the goals that we have set and for us to get to the level that we want to get to. I just think it's a huge benefit to be able to play a golf course like this, learn and do things that you need to do to get better.”

Established in 2010, the APGA Tour is a non-profit organization with the mission to prepare African Americans and other minority golfers to compete and win at the highest level of professional golf, both on tour and in the golf industry. This is accomplished through professional tournaments, career development and mentoring sessions. 

Earlier this week, in addition to announcing the purse for the event, Farmers Insurance® announced a five-year extension of its relationship with the Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour and the renewal of sponsorships for APGA Tour players Kamaiu Johnson and Willie Mack III. The extensions and the announcement of the increased purse support Farmers ongoing commitment to the APGA Tour and its focus on the growth of the game. In 2021 Farmers expanded their relationship with the Advocates Foundation, which focuses on career and wellness youth programs, announced sponsorship of the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA) and added a three-tournament APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Fall Series to the APGA Tour season with events in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

What We Learned From The 2022 Farmers

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The PGA Tour returned to the site of last June’s U.S. Open and always one of the top events of the year. Saturday’s finish did not disappoint, with Luke List finally capturing a win after 207 starts and reigning ROY Will Zalatoris continuing to impress.

Notes on them and other major contenders playing in Dubai and Boca are in this edition of The Quadrilateral.

Final round highlights from the PGA Tour:

Farmers Initially Balked At Saturday Finish, Now Seems Here To Stay

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Loads of good stuff can be found in this Bryce Miller column about the new and, apparently, permanent Saturday finish as long as the Farmers Insurance Open finishes on AFC/NFC Championship Sunday.

“Do you really want to know?” Farmers Insurance CEO Jeff Dailey told the Union-Tribune on Friday at Torrey Pines, when asked about his initial feelings. “It was presented as a choice at first. Do you go with Wednesday through Saturday? Or do you go to NBC and keep the Thursday-Sunday format?

“My initial, ‘upset’ reaction was, let’s go to NBC. Then cooler heads prevailed.”

Does this mean cooler heads prefer CBS to NBC?

Miller says the loss of the pro-am caused by a quick turnaround from the previous week cost the Century Club $1 million. But ultimately Farmers wants ratings and Saturday’s later finish is their best chance for the largest audience.

Without a Sunday round, the television was shifted later to create near-primetime finishes on the East Coast on Friday and Saturday — a first for a regular PGA Tour event. Golfers began to see benefits, from avoiding pro-am obligations that allowed them to focus on the first difficult course of the season, to an extra open day on the weekend to see family and more easily travel.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “It’s important to us that the ratings are strong, but we still get a tremendous amount of business benefit because we use this as motivation for our top agents around the country. That business benefit for us is probably stronger than a few incremental ratings points.

Quadrilateral: Major News & Notes, January 27, 2022

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Toughest Courses To Putt…Torrey Pines?!

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As the Farmers kicks off on its special Wednesday start, Data Golf posted the list of toughest greens to putt and Winged Foot continues to influence plenty of statistical categories. Hardly a shocker. But this week’s Farmers Insurance Open host and 2021 U.S. Open site Torrey Pines made the list twice. Much of this is the inevitable influence of “poa” and some of it highlights how a set of thoroughly unimaginative greens can wreak as much havoc as those with strong slopes (Augusta National).

Maybe without green reading books they’ll putt better?

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Announces Field, Celebs As Best They Can

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There are tough jobs and then there is the task of dressing up this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, deserted by a number of stars and former champions given waivers to pursue PIFSIPSIA riches.

Certainly it’s not all bad, with great adds to the Pro-Am field in Mia Hamm and Mookie Betts. Otherwise, I’m not sure Der Bingle would know what to do with this…

MONTEREY, Calif., Jan. 25, 2022 – The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is poised to welcome back its unique vibe at this year’s tournament as spectators return to line the courses to watch the world’s top players join with celebrities, several making their debuts, in the popular pro-am format. The four-day tournament tees off Thursday, Feb. 3 with play on Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore course.

United States Ryder Cup teammates Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Daniel Berger, set to defend his AT&T title from a year ago, headline the professional field. Cantlay and Spieth finished tied for third place behind Berger who dramatically eagled the 72nd hole on Sunday to punctuate his victory. Other top professionals appearing are Matt Fitzpatrick, Kevin Kisner, Justin Rose and Maverick McNealy, the Stanford graduate who was runner-up to Berger in 2021.

Celebrities making their tournament debut include:

  • Mia Hamm – two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion;

  • Mookie Betts – Dodgers’ outfielder and first player in MLB history to win MVP Awards and World Series titles with different teams before age 30;

  • Lukas Nelson – country rock musician and son of Willie Nelson;

  • Canelo Álvarez – professional boxer who has won multiple world championships in four weight classes from light middleweight to light heavyweight;

  • ScHool Boy Q – American rapper and songwriter from South Central Los Angeles; and

  • Scott Eastwood – actor and producer.

Returning favorites in the celebrity field include Macklemore, Don Cheadle, Josh Duhamel, Kira Dixon, Huey Lewis, Ray Romano, Alfonso Ribeiro, Darius Rucker, and Jake Owen as well as former NFL stars Steve Young, Larry Fitzgerald and Alex Smith.

A few professionals have practically earned celebrity status based on the number of times they have played the event. Defending champions Davis Love III (2001, 2003) and Peter Jacobsen (1995), whose playing partner for many years was the beloved Jack Lemmon, each return for the 31st time. Tom Lehman is back for his 22nd year.

“There is always considerable excitement around the tournament but with the spectators and celebrities on hiatus last year, the buzz is even greater with their return for 2022,”said Steve John, CEO of Monterey Peninsula Foundation, host of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. “It promises to be memorable for the players, fans, volunteers and the deserving charities that will benefit.”

Same Old Story: Pretty Much No One Watches AmEx Final Round

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The former PGA Tour Commissioner once predicted golf would compete with the NFL in the popularity department. Maybe he meant NFL Network Gameday Final? Eh, the PGA Tour was thumped by that cable post game show, too. And by Sunday’s LPGA coverage on both NBC and Golf Channel.

But as long as AmEx is willing to sponsor, more power to them through 2028.

For reasons we’ll never fully understand, the PGA Tour tries to go up against NFL action in the early season non-network weeks and in markets where they probably might draw just as many spectators on weekdays as weekends. (This coming Sunday the first notable exception when CBS and Farmers wisely move the final round to Saturday).

For those wondering what might happen if these early events moved to a Tuesday-Friday schedule, note that the Friday broadcast out-rated Sunday’s AmEx final round, won by Hudson Swafford. But even that rating was beaten by all sorts of random stuff like X-Games Aspen and late Friday Big Ten basketball games.

Last year’s AmEx and LPGA TOC ratings for reference, all courtesy of ShowBuzzDaily.com.

American Express To Keep The Desert Tradition Going Through 2028

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Larry Bohannan reports the stellar news for what was once a staple of the PGA Tour schedule which has seen a revolving door of sponsors and hosts. But armed with a blue chip sponsor, The American Express is enjoying its strongest field in years.

The story says Phil Mickelson’s foundation will continue to benefit from tournament proceeds through 2024, but there is no mention of Mickelson’s role as host (announced in 2019) and he did not give a pre-tournament press conference.

American Express Extends Sponsorship of The American Express through 2028

Title Sponsor, American Express, helps TOUR continue sixty-two-year tradition in the Coachella Valley  

LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA — The PGA TOUR today announced American Express will continue its role as title sponsor of The American Express in La Quinta, California, through 2028. The annual tournament, which features a unique pro-am format, takes place January 20-23 at PGA WEST Stadium, PGA WEST Nicklaus and La Quinta Country Club.

“Giving back to the community while celebrating the passions of our customers is at the center of what we do at American Express,” said Stephen J. Squeri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express. “We’ve seen the positive impact this tournament has on golf fans and the local community in the Coachella Valley. We’re honored to continue this legacy by extending our role as title sponsor and growing the total charitable funds raised to support so many outstanding local organizations focused on helping small businesses, the health and wellness of the community, youth sports, education and more.”

Since its introduction in 1960, the tournament has generated approximately $63 million for numerous non-profit organizations in the Coachella Valley that enrich the lives of Valley residents. In just two short years, The American Express has since donated $2.1 million to Coachella Valley-based charity organizations and looks forward to continuing to make a significant impact within the local community for years to come.

“Extending our partnership with American Express secures the future of PGA TOUR golf and its impact in the Coachella Valley for years to come,” said Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR Commissioner. “In the past two years alone, American Express has helped produce tremendous growth and awareness for this historic event, offering up a great field and a first-rate tournament experience. All this while generating significant charitable impact in the region.”

World No. 1 ranked player Jon Rahm, FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay and Phil Mickelson, a 45-time PGA TOUR winner and World Golf Hall of Fame member headline The American Express field. Si Woo Kim of South Korea, winner of The American Express last year by one stroke over eventual FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay, returns in 2022 to defend his title. All four rounds throughout the weekend will be carried live on Golf Channel and streamed on ESPN+.

du Preez: 6-Foot-9, 144 M.P.H Clubhead Speed, 212 M.P.H. Ball Speed

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The Desert Sun’s Shad Powers files a look at James Hart du Preez, a 26-year-old South African making his PGA Tour debut at the American Express. Du Preez is 6-foot9, 260 pounds and led the Sunshine Tour last year in driving distance. His average? 373.1 yards.

His combination of clubhead speed and raw power — his fastest clubhead speed is 144 miles per hour and his fastest ball speed is 212 miles per hour — has become the stuff of legend. His exploits are popular on YouTube as videos of him hitting tee shots have hundreds of thousands of views.

But he doesn’t like to be pigeon-holed as just a long-drive specialist.

“When people see me, obviously they don’t see 6-9 golfers come around very often so the first thing they gravitate towards is the long-hitting,” du Preez said. “But funny enough putting is the best part of my game and has been since I was a little kid. I didn’t grow until late in my life until about 16 or 17 so before then I never hit the ball far so I had to learn how to score chipping and putting.”

Check out the column as it’s a fun read, but I’d be remiss in not copying these “stock yardages” of du Preez:

  • Driver: 345

  • 3-wood: 305

  • 3-iron: 275

  • 4-iron: 253

  • 5-iron: 240

  • 6-iron: 227

  • 7-iron: 206

  • 8-iron: 190

  • 9-iron: 180

  • Full wedge: 160

  • 50-degree wedge: 145

  • 54-degree wedge: 127

  • 58-degree wedge: 105

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes: January 20, 2022

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Southern Hills after a recent storm (Southern Hills)

CBS Returns With Saturday Farmers Finish And More Technology

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The CBS golf gang briefed media on plans for the upcoming 2022 season, the 65th consecutive for the network. A few highlights:

  • CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said the relationship with the PGA Tour “has never been better” as they start a new production arrangement

  • The Tour provides “below the line” personnel and pictures, CBS retains control of personnel and ability to deliver enhancements

  • McManus credited Farmers for “coming up with” this year’s Saturday finish to avoid AFC and NFC Championship games

  • Jim Nantz will work the opening Farmers event remotely from the AFC Championship game site and said “my longing for golf is the one that I feel the most” of sports he covers.

  • Colt Knost expands his role as on-course reporter and will team with Amanda Balionis to host a 16th hole set at the Waste Management Open

  • McManus said “the sales marketplace for golf in the first and second quarter is extremely strong,” noting “advertiser interest is very high”

  • The network is promising upgraded drone coverage and more tracers week-to-week

  • McManus said CBS is fully supportive of the Tour’s deal with Netflix: “We’re all in on it.”

  • Asked about the Saudi disruptor league, McManus said “we’re focused on the PGA Tour.”

The press release contains more details on what to expect in the way of technology improvements:

CBS SPORTS TEES OFF 65th CONSECUTIVE SEASON OF PGA TOUR COVERAGE FEATURING 20 PGA TOUR EVENTS ORIGINATING FROM FOUR COUNTRIES

 CBS Sports’ 2022 PGA TOUR Season Begins with Farmers Insurance Open on Friday, Jan. 28 and Features a Special Saturday Finish

 Increased Drone Usage, More Tracer Coverage than Ever Before, Graphic Enhancements and Virtual Interview Area Highlight 2022 Coverage Advancements

 CBS Sports begins its 65th consecutive year of PGA TOUR coverage, as once again the network features the most comprehensive lineup in network television, with 20 total PGA TOUR events originating from four countries.  

CBS Sports tees off its 2022 PGA TOUR season at the Farmers Insurance Open from Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Calif., with play concluding with a special Saturday finish. The third-round on Friday, Jan. 28 (5:00-8:00 PM, ET) and final-round on Saturday, Jan. 29, (4:30-8:00 PM, ET), will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network and streamed live on Paramount+.

Jim Nantz serves as CBS golf anchor, beginning with the Farmers Insurance Open, broadcasting the event live from the site of the AFC Championship game. Lead analyst Sir Nick Faldo, along with Ian Baker-Finch, Frank Nobilo and Trevor Immelman, handle announcing and analysis from the Super Tower throughout the season. Lead on-course reporter Dottie Pepper, with Mark Immelman and Colt Knost in an expanded role, along with reporter Amanda Balionis, round out the CBS golf announce team. Andrew Catalon will host select CBS broadcasts as well. 

CBS Sports continues its legacy as the gold standard for broadcasting and innovation in golf television, building off last season’s successful elements and enhancements including the constant leaderboard and rules official in conjunction with the PGA TOUR, among others.  

This year, the network will add additional technology and equipment throughout the course of the season to enhance the broadcast and better serve viewers. Some of those developments include increased drone usage that present picturesque and never before seen views of the course to provide overviews of holes; additional cameras and more tracer coverage than ever before to showcase ball flight information and shot shaping on key holes; graphic enhancements – including utilizing more Shotlink data to provide additional data on a given player or hole through virtual overlays – and a new, virtual interview area for Balionis with augmented reality to better contextualize different holes and shots on the course.

Sellers Shy is lead producer, with Steve Milton as lead director, for CBS Sports’ golf coverage. Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports. David Berson is President, CBS Sports. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Executive Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

CBS SPORTS’ MULTI-PLATFORM COMPLEMENTARY GOLF PROGRAMMING 

CBS Sports will provide multi-platform, complementary golf programming throughout the season as well. Beginning Monday, Jan. 24 (11:00 PM, ET), CBS Sports Network will air COURSE RECORD WITH MICHAEL BREED, featuring renowned golf instructor Michael Breed and co-host Greg DuCharme discussing the latest in the golf world.

Additionally, CBS Sports Network will air both classic PGA TOUR telecasts each week leading up to the tournament on CBS, as well as encores of CBS’ final round coverage on Monday nights.

The CBS Television Network will broadcast, with Paramount+ streaming live, five PGA TOUR Specials and six Korn Ferry Tour Specials, multiple COURSE RECORD WITH MICHAEL BREED and FALDO FORMULA episodes, along with additional golf programming throughout the season leading into live golf coverage. 

The CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network will also each air an hour special highlighting the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour this summer, highlighting the stories of the golfers and the rich history of the Tour.

For all PGA TOUR events this year, CBS Sports’ full coverage will be available to stream live in markets across the U.S. on Paramount+ with additional coverage on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app, and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news network. 

Sony Open Finish Highlights What We Should See More Often In Big Time Golf

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Hideki Matsuyama's tactical decision and a go-for-the-green 3-wood shows what can make pro golf genuinely thrilling. Gosh it’s fun when to see a player go for a par-5 in two with a wood!

The latest Quad is free for all to read because this is not about a major and I know there are Cowboys fans across the globe grieving today.

Twitter Manspat: Murray v. Na, Sony Open Slow Play Edition

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I know what you’re thinking. Who is Grayson Murray? Didn’t he leave Twitter? Has Tour status of some kind? Took time away from pimping the shallowest of MAGA tropes on the range of Trump Jupiter and sharing predictable anti-vaccine grievances while Tweeting at Lebron? Oh and providing updates on his post-rehab monster back tat?

Well, he got some much-desired attention for his special brand of buffoonery in taking a jab at Kevin Na’s slow play. Na heads into the Sony Open weekend seven back of 36-hole leader Russell Henley and is, indeed slow.

Here is Twitter manspat in all of its early season glory below, at least until the deletes start flying (Murray already took one down). But please, guys, save some of this for Netflix!

Quadrilateral: Munis Near Majors Under Threat, News And Notes January 13, 2022

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Sentry TOC: Three Players Break 19-Year Old Scoring Record In One Week

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Even though the course was lengthened not long ago and it’s the first event of the calendar year, a pretty significant was broken at Kapalua. But three players. In one week. After 19 years.

Just filing it for the next time we have to hear how scoring isn’t changed so don’t you dare take away my right to buy a longer, straighter $600 driver made of carbonwood!

The final round highlights of Cameron Smith’s impressive 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions victory where the 28-year-old earned his fourth Tour win in 157 starts and moves to 10th in the world.