Even With Aggressive Mask Enforcement Waste Management Open Is Success

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Why did I ever doubt the Thunderbirds?

The Arizona Republic’s Jose Romero on a successful return to sizeable galleries, a good test run that could have gone so wrong for other upcoming tournaments.

Despite the undoubtedly different feel to the 2021 Phoenix Open, it was still the most-attended PGA Tour event in almost a year, with several thousand fans allowed to on the course daily. 

"There's always silver linings in everything," Jenkins said. "This just made us better at running this tournament. We had to look at different ways of being creative and just look at our expenses. It's easy to deal with your partners when times are good.

"We really relied upon our partners, our vendors, as well as the (PGA) Tour and the city of Scottsdale."

For Jenkins, seeing fans pay attention to washing hands, wearing masks and watching their distance was what stood out. If there was any doubt, he said, it was whether fans and officials would abide by protocols, and if enforcing those would be problematic.

The prospect of 5000 at TPC Scottsdale—generally the type of people you fear will plop down next to you—seemed a disaster waiting to happen. But at least on television and based on the accounts of those on the ground, the Thunderbirds were aggressively enforcing mask wearing and a good time was still had by all. Hospitality areas looked well ventilated and other than the Mashed Potato types screaming out, the event felt good to watch. Helped that the golf was fascinating down the stretch, too.

Augusta National Lends Support To Local Vaccination Effort

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Tom Corwin of the Augusta Chronicle reports on Augusta National Golf Club jointly announcing a $1 million effort matched by a community foundation to help the COVID-19 vaccine effort. AU Health System is the partner and besides opening the doors to a recently acquired property on Washington, the club is also sending a bigger statement in becoming the first golf organization to endorse the vaccine effort.

“Helping expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations is another meaningful way to do more for our neighbors in the Augusta community that has supported the Masters Tournament for more than 80 years,” Ridley said. “The dedication of (AU Health), Georgia Department of Public Health and all health care providers working courageously during this pandemic is inspiring, and they deserve our enduring gratitude and support. We hope these resources will have an immediate impact on their efforts to protect those most vulnerable and our community at large through more vaccinations."

How Have Fan-Free Events Impacted Performance And Results?

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Fans or no fans? Impact on play or not? And what about the kids?

The obvious question after Collin Morikawa held off players like Matthew Wolff and Scottie Scheffler at the 2020 PGA: has it been easier adjustment in the pandemic era without loud, biased-to-veterans crowds or the inevitable adjustment to playing before large crowds?

And how to prove or disprove it?

Thankfully, that’s what someone like Justin Ray likes to answer. I finally got around to this and as always, enjoyed his approach and use of the data to answer an interesting question.

While plenty of younger players have found the winner’s circle since the season resumed after the pandemic hiatus, there hasn’t been a rush of new faces lifting trophies. The average age for PGA TOUR winners since last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge is 32.1 – right around average for recent seasons. It’s actually a slightly older median than the 2018-19 season (31.8), as well as every season from 2013-14 through 2016-17.

How about making the cut? From the beginning of the 2017-18 season through the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational, players age 24 or younger made the cut 53.6% of the time. In the mostly ‘fan-less’ tournaments since, that number has actually decreased, to 50.9%. That may be partly an effect of the Herculean fields that populated the TOUR shortly after the pandemic hiatus ended – an abbreviated season meant condensed schedules for the world’s best players.

WSJ: "For Golf, Covid Is Even Better Than Tiger"

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There were some odd lines in this Jinjoo Lee and Spencer Jakab WSJ piece and it’s always uncomfortable to read about golf’s spike in play given the pandemic’s toll. (Thanks reader John for sending.)

After noting the stock price gains for Dick’s, Acushnet and Callaway, they write:

Sports-apparel and equipment giant Nike shocked many by exiting the golf business in 2016 and competitor Adidas sold off some brands the following year. Retailer Golfsmith declared bankruptcy in 2016. Between 2003 and 2017 the number of U.S. on-course players fell to fewer than 24 million, from nearly 31 million. Part of that was a “negative hangover” following the financial crisis that led to less business golf, says Randy Konik, an analyst at Jefferies.

But equipment sales began to rebound soon after. In 2019 the number of first-time U.S. players hit 2.5 million, exceeding the previous high of 2.4 million in 2000 when Tiger Woods was racking up trophies and inspiring young players. One reason is that more baby boomers have started taking up golf.

“People aren’t giving enough thought to how much of America is getting older,” says Mr. Konik. “Golf is the perfect sport for that part of the population.”

This was odd given, well Tiger’s back surgery last month but we get it.

A more recent boost for the sport comes from younger professionals now working remotely. Fitting in 18 holes on a weekday was once an expensive and time-consuming way to cultivate business contacts. More flexible schedules make hitting the links closer to home easier.

What could make golf’s recent upswing even better? The sort of excitement that Tiger Woods created in the late 1990s could be rekindled by some of the young players now on the scene, such as Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Tiger himself is showing flashes of his old brilliance.

NFL Giving 7500 Tickets To Vaccinated Health Care Workers, Where Is Golf On This?

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One of the real mysteries for all of sports was finally settled: who would be the first league to pay tribute to the world’s amazing health care workers by welcoming those vaccinated for COVID-19 to their events.

Well, we have our answer and it’s a high bar set by the NFL. With only 22,000 Super Bowl seats available this year, they’re giving 7500 free tickets to vaccinated health care workers.

Besides rewarding sports fans who work in the medical profession taxed by intensive hours these days, the move also endorses the vaccine. Sports has a role to play and the NFL grabbed the win-win opportunity.

Will anyone in golf try this? The PGA Tour? LPGA Tour? Masters? USGA? Now that the NFL has stepped up this seems like a no-brainer. Then again, it was a no-brainer before the NFL stepped up.

Here is Roger Goodell surprising health care workers with the news. Since he might just have a special guest in his Tampa Bay Super Bowl box, maybe he’ll suggest the Chairman consider a similar move.

Waste Management Down To 5000 "Extremely Limited Number Of Socially Distanced Fans"

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Originally slated for 8000 and down to 5000 fans now, is anyone really going to feel comfortable given the Waste Management Open’s (A) method of counting attendance figures (B) inevitable desire to maintain the party atmosphere (C) potential to set a terrible example and set back efforts to welcome back fans safely.

Either way they march on eager to push the boundaries with apparent PGA Tour blessing and now, just 5000. Josh Frigerio reports.

"We remain hopeful we can host an extremely limited number of socially distanced fans at “The People’s Open”, and in light of the current COVID climate, we have decided to further reduce our attendance to fewer than 5,000 fans each day," Tournament Chairman Scott Jenkins said in a statement.

Another oddity?

The Tour stop in Arizona sits between four events in California. Which, as GolfChannel.com’s Rex Hoggard notes in this not particularly subtle questioning of the upcoming effort to play in California, is the state most facing incredible strain on medical resources.

This was once an issue for the PGA Tour in visiting a region as part of its restart, but so far has not led to pivot in scheduling in 2021.

Los Angeles Times, Jan. 11, 2021: “Darkest days for L.A. doctors, nurses, EMTs: ‘The way most people leave is by dying’”

Despite an ongoing stay-at-home order and aggressive lockdown rules, health officials in Los Angeles are bracing for what they believe will be a post-New Year’s transmission peak in “a few weeks.” The Genesis Invitational, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation and is seen as the anchor of the Tour’s West Coast swing, is scheduled for Feb. 18-21 at Riviera Country Club. How that timing fits in with the ongoing crisis and a potential peak in COVID-19 cases remains to be seen, but the Tour and Levinson remain resolute.

Following seven months of competition since last June’s restart across dozens of states and international boundaries, the Tour is confident with its plan and its place in every community where it plays.

“In every state where we go, we work very closely with the local authorities - whether that’s health officials, local leadership, governor’s offices - and make sure they understand what our program entails to the point that they are comfortable with us conducting our events,” Levinson said. “Our program is designed to take every step possible to mitigate risk, the environment in one state or another doesn’t change that.”

The Tour’s protocols, which have been widely applauded, won’t be changing but given the current crisis in California, the scrutiny on those protocols is sure to intensify.

The Genesis made official that no fans will be at Riviera this year.

Masters: Limited Number Of Patrons In 2021, ANWA And Drive, Chip and Putt To Happen

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Plenty of questions to ponder reading between the lines here and I’ve reached out to the Club for any illumination they can provide regarding what will be needed to attend and how they are selecting the lucky few.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, announced today that the Club intends tolimit attendance at the 85th Masters Tournament, scheduled for April 5-11, 2021. The Tournament will be conducted with similar health and safety standards to those previously instituted in November 2020. With these protocols in place, efforts are being made to include a limited number of patrons, provided it can be done safely.

“Following the successful conduct of the Masters Tournament last November with only essential personnel, we are confident in our ability to responsibly invite a limited number of patrons to Augusta National in April,” Ridley said. “As with the November Masters, we will implement practices and policies that will protect the health and safety of everyone in attendance. Nothing is, or will be, more important than the well-being of all involved. While we are disappointed that we will be unable to accommodate a full complement of patrons this year, we will continue our efforts to ensure that all who purchased tickets from Augusta National will have access in 2022, provided conditions improve.”

In addition, Ridley announced that the Club intends to conduct the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals as scheduled. Both of these competitions also intend to host a small number of patrons. Augusta National is in the process of communicating with all ticket holders of record, and refunds will be issued to those patrons not selected to attend.

Norman Speaks To Today Show About Surviving The Coronavirus He Would Not Wish On Anyone

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Good for Greg Norman in highlighting how, in spite of his remarkable fitness at age 65, he experienced the brutality of COVID-19.

Speaking to the Today Show’s Gabe Gutierrez, Norman reiterates the need to take this seriously and avoid getting the coronavirus at all costs. As silly as it sounds ten months into the pandemic, his message remains important for skeptics to hear (and maybe will quiet his criticism of leaders enacting rules to help stem the spread?.

Norman also says he started feeling symptoms Sunday of the PNC Championship just two days after attending this party and photo shoot with most of the field. The piece ends with Gutierrez saying the Today Show reached out to the “PGA” for comment and “have not heard back”.

The full feature and interview:

Greg Norman: "My Christmas Day. On behalf of millions, f•#k CoVid."

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Wishing all the best for a swift recovery to Greg Norman, who shared the news of his COVID symptoms on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas day, the latter post from a hospital bed (above). His son Greg Jr. and daughter-in-law also posted news of positive tests and symptoms.

The Norman’s played in last week’s PNC Championship and attended the event’s Friday night party, seven days prior to his hospitalization.

A group photo was posted to Twitter:

Norman’s Christmas Eve message:

Norman also hosted the previous week’s QBE Shootout where he was on hand for the trophy ceremony eleven days ago. In October he criticized politicians in Australia for lockdowns designed to squelch the spread of COVID-19.

**Norman returned to the hospital after a positive test and posted an emotionally-charged thank you to doctors, nurses and scientists while issuing a warning.

So please take care. And for those doubters out there, do not judge or cast unwarranted comments and opinions I would not anyone, even you, to experience this hideous virus. So I ask, do what is right, not just for you, but your family friends co-workers and other people around. I am luckier than most and for that I am thankful and blessed. Also the world is blessed science has acted and performed like never before in getting a vaccine/s for all to eventually receive. Thank you to those people.

The full post:

Golf Datatech: November 2020 Rounds Up 57%

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Perhaps some of golf’s dismal TV ratings of late could be attributed to one simple factor: folks are still playing a lot of golf.

From Golf Datatech’s press release on their latest rounds report (viewable here) showing November up 57% and the year up 13% despite lockdowns and closures earlier in the year.

November’s rounds data indicated that only three states, Hawaii, Florida and New Mexico showed negative results for the month.  This is due to a season long decline in golfer travel to Hawaii, while Florida, especially southern Florida, was hit hard by rain caused by tropical storm Eta that hit in the early part of the month and caused flooding in some areas.  Additionally, New Mexico was under a statewide order to close non-essential businesses including golf courses November 16 – 30.

“Based on our analysis, since the start of the pandemic and related lockdowns, international and long-distance travel remains a challenge for many (but not all) resort facilities, particularly in markets like Hawaii where rounds are down over 35% YTD,” said Krzynowek. “Public facilities have been consistently packed with players post lockdowns, and private club membership has skyrocketed. In fact, public course rounds played are up nearly 12% year-to-date, while rounds at private courses are up nearly 19% year-to-date. We expect this trend to continue at least into the first half of 2021, as the pandemic keeps people confined to their local communities looking for socially distant activities that they can enjoy outdoors.” 

"The worst year in memory was still a boom year for golf"

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Sam Weinman at GolfDigest.com files what will be the first of many year-end pieces grappling with the horror that is 2020 and the golf businesses unfathomable turnaround. It’ll take years to full wrap heads around what happened but as he writes…

A pandemic strategy, one that disrupted virtually every element of life but somehow preserved and even fortified golf’s most important elements, was surely never part of the plan.

And yet at the end of 2020, golf can boast the type of surge in participation no bar graph projection would have dared make. According to the National Golf Foundation and Golf Datatech, there will end up being some 50 million more rounds played in 2020 than in 2019, a figure even more staggering considering how the season began. In April, May and June, golf rounds were actually down sharply because of shutdowns and general apprehension in the early days of the pandemic. But once golfers started showing up at courses, a confluence of time, favorable weather and a dearth of other options led to full tee sheets around the country straight through the fall.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” said John Krzynowek, a partner at Golf Datatech.

He features some stunning numbers on junior golf participation and overall increases despite three months where play was reduced in many states to restrictions. The sport also lost more golfers in 2020 for reasons yet to be sorted out. Long term I’m more bullish on the uptick continuing as it’s hard to see this scene returning to the world in just six months, or possibly, anytime soon.

As businesses discover those workers staying at home are as productive as before and folks are finding peace of mind in a less frenetic pace, those late nines cited as one of the biggest growth areas for golf will continue. More than any $600 driver purchase—I know, blasphemy—the time avoiding a commute and instead playing golf is not something the luckier folks will be giving up any time soon.

PGA Tour Commissioner: COVID-19 Vaccine A "Choice" With "Pros And Cons Associated With It"

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Note to self: put a hold on those posts about how the PGA Tour could play a vital role in marketing the merits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, or how they could first welcome back fans and health care workers who have been vaccinated as a way to boldly, proudly and wisely reintroduce eventual normalcy to PGA Tour events.

Only select media get the conference call invites these days—let’s call it a bespoke approach—so I’m not privy to the transcript or tone of PGA Tour Jay Monahan’s COVID-19 vaccine remarks and how he says this scientific marvel’s possible impact on the business of pro golf.

Bob Harig’s ESPN.com account of Monahan’s remarks did not exactly give the vaccine an enthusiastic endorsement even as health care workers and medical professionals ecstatically take the Pfizer product in hopes of reducing spread and saving lives.

His comments came just hours before Moderna’s vaccine received a 20-0 approval vote, seemingly more positive news given another influx of vaccine supply into the marketplace.

"I think vaccination is a choice, and I would apply the same logic and the same amount of care to that subject as we have to every other subject, and that is to try and do our best to educate our members on vaccination and the pros and cons associated with it,'' Monahan said during a conference call with reporters. "But ultimately it's an individual decision.''

I could think of 15 things an $8 million-a-year executive, who is eager to get his business back to normal, might have said instead. But hey, he speaks for his players and we have to assume this is the pulse of the PGA Tour.

And for those wondering, Harig most certainly was not cherry picking as the “choice” remarks were led with in several other stories by other writers. (Here, here, and here.)

Besides Thursday’s exciting and expected Moderna approval news, the Monahan remarks came the same day that vaccinations will be taken by Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and next week, President-elect Joe Biden.

Monahan was also quoted sounding skeptical. While he was not mirroring the sad-but-inevitable beginning of Fox News conspiratorial takes on the vaccines and anti-vaccine information laundering campaigns, he clearly has no intention of mandating vaccines or using the PGA Tour to advocate for them:

"As exciting as it is, I think there's still an awful lot that we need to learn and we need to know. But I would say at this point we're not going to be in a position where we're mandating vaccination, and that's the way we're looking at it at this point in time.

Again, it’s suprirsing to read that a collection of pro golfers are essentially casting doubt on the work of scientists, doctors, major pharmaceuticals and the FDA.

Or was he?

One story by Rex Hoggard struck a different chord, with Monahan quoted in a tone I would have expected of someone hoping to see PGA Tour golf return to a form of normalcy:

“It really is hard to predict at this point what that will be. We're very encouraged by the news around the vaccine and vaccine distribution and paying very close attention to what that can mean as we go into calendar year 2021,” Monahan said. “I think you'll just see a slow and steady increase in the number of fans that we have on-site, but again, we won't be the sole arbiter in that. Any steps that we take we'll be doing in concert with our partners in the local communities where we play.”

Obviously a vast majority of the world could care less what the PGA Tour decides to do with the vaccine matter given far more important matters in front of us. But given that they view the vaccine as a “choice” with cons, I do wonder if the Tour realizes many may simply “choose” not to support or attend events if the stance is one of vaccine skepticism?

There are many more layers to this story and it is certainly a complicated decision for many to take any kind of vaccine, but we also require them in plenty of circumstances. I can’t entirely gauge Monahan’s tone here either. But given the opportunity to show a leadership role for something so vital to public safety and being taken by some of the nation’s leaders, the initial notes of skepticism came off as peculiar when juxtaposed against the day’s largely positive vaccine news.

European Tour Rolls "Expansive" Schedule With 42 Events But Major Reduction In Premier

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The obvious positives? The 2021 European Tour is going to play 42 times, with 18 events lost to the misery that is 2020 returning. Scheduling is designed to reduce travel and the European Tour sounds like it continues to take COVID very seriously.

The but?

Just four Rolex Series events featuring the PGA Tour-level purses attracting top players, down three from last year’s plan. Low purses dominate and sadly, several events are TBD on the payout front but the tour is touting “increased prize funds” given the slight bumps from 2020.

For Immediate Release:

The European Tour today announces its 2021 schedule which will feature a minimum of 42 tournaments in 24 countries, as golf’s global Tour resumes a full international programme.

Running from January to November, the schedule also features 18 returning tournaments which were either postponed or cancelled in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The 2021 season is headlined by a refined Rolex Series which now features the European Tour’s four premium events spread across key points in the global golfing calendar, each one enhanced by a prize fund increase, elevated Race to Dubai points and enriched media, content and broadcast coverage.

Launched in 2017, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Rolex’s enduring partnership with the European Tour, the Rolex Series highlights the Swiss watch manufacturer’s ongoing commitment to the sport at the highest level. 

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (January 21-24), the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open (July 8-11) and the BMW PGA Championship (September 9-12) will each now have a prize fund of US$8million – an increase of $1million. They will also all have 8,000 Race to Dubai points available, the same as on offer at the four World Golf Championship events.

There will also be new opportunities for all players to qualify for both the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and the BMW PGA Championship with three places now available from respective mini orders of merit based on a series of European Tour events leading up to them. Full details of these will be announced in due course.

The prize fund for the fourth and final Rolex Series event of the season – the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai – also increases by US$1 million to US$9 million. The European Tour season-ending finale will also continue to feature the largest winner’s cheque in the world of golf - US$3million – with, additionally, 12,000 Race to Dubai points available, some 2,000 points above those on offer at the four Major Championships.  

While not in a position to announce the prize funds for all 2021 tournaments at this stage, some key points are:

  • Prize funds for all four UK Swing events in July / August will be increased

  • The second event of the UK Swing (July 29-Aug 1) – whose details will be announced early next year – will be co-sanctioned with the LET/LPGA

  • The UK Swing will have a Bonus Pool for the players in addition to a charity element

  • Prize funds for the new tournaments in Tenerife and Gran Canaria in April will each be €1.5million. The Portugal Masters, which follows these two events, will also increase to €1.5million

  • Prize fund for the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett will rise to €2million from €1.25million

  • Prize funds for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and the Italian Open will each rise to €3million, from €1.25million and €1million respectively

In addition to increased prize fund levels, the 2021 European Tour season also offers considerable playing opportunities across the 11 months with a schedule intended to reduce travelling wherever possible. 

Illustrating that point, in addition to the traditional group of tournaments in the Middle East at the start of the year, the schedule also includes the return of the Iberian Swing in April and the UK Swing in July and August, which follows on from the run of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and The Open Championship. Also next to each other on the schedule are the Open de España and the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters in Spain in the first two weeks of October followed by the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco the following week.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “I am incredibly proud to announce our 2021 global schedule today, one that once again sees us journey through continents and across the world.

“With the pursuit of Ryder Cup points beginning again in January for our European members; qualification spots now available for our Rolex Series events; a sustained pursuit of innovation and a continued celebration of our wonderful heritage, it is understandable that our overarching narrative for this season is that: ‘Every Week Counts.’

“There is no question that the challenge of reshaping our 2020 season in many ways informed our approach to 2021. One of the key learnings was to group events together in terms of their geographical location to create a more travel friendly season for our members. That is reflected in numerous concentrations of event locations. 

“Another was to continue to enhance our Rolex Series events at strategic points in the global golfing calendar when the European Tour will be the focal point of golf on the world stage. This is one of the many aspects we will continue to develop in our Strategic Alliance discussions with the PGA Tour, following our historic partnership announcement last month. 

“Our events in the initial part of the 2021 season will continue to operate under the guidelines of our world-class Health Strategy, which will evolve aligned to the latest medical advice.

“However, with the incredible progress that has been made in recent months in terms of a vaccine, we look forward to hopefully welcoming the gradual return of the fans we’ve so dearly missed, whilst at the same time continuing to entertain viewers at home through our unrivalled World Feed TV output and across our award-winning digital platforms.”                                                                

Roundup: A Lim Kim Birdies Last Three To Win U.S. Women's Open And Hits A Trifecta Of Incredible “Firsts”

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As always hit the links for some great reads on a captivating finish to an otherwise dreary last couple of days in soggy Houston where A Lim Kim improbably captured the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open.

From Beth Ann Nichols’ Golfweek lede:

A Lim Kim’s first professional title fittingly came at the 2018 Se Ri Pak Invitational. It might have been Pak’s 1998 U.S. Women’s Open victory that ignited a golf surge throughout South Korea and an eventual dominance of America’s national championship, but it’s another golf icon – Annika Sorenstam – who stole Kim’s heart .

After little-known Kim aced the U.S. Women’s Open in her first attempt, becoming only the fifth player in championship history to do so, the USGA set up a video call with Sorenstam.

“Thank you so much! I love you!” a giddy Kim exclaimed.

Reporting from Houston, there was this from Doug Ferguson’s game story on the improbability of Kim’s win:

A two-time winner on the Korean LPGA, Kim got into the U.S. Women's Open off the world ranking when the pandemic kept the USGA from conducting open qualifying. She had slipped to No. 94, the lowest-ranked player to win the Open since the women's world ranking began in 2006.

She is the second non-LPGA member to win a major this year, joining Sophia Popov at the Women's British Open. She also is the third South Korean to win a major.

More firsts from Brian Wacker’s GolfDigest.com story, also filed from Houston:

Kim held on to win by one stroke over World No. 1 Jin Young Ko (68) and Amy Olson (72), giving her the title in her first career start in a major and her first tournament played in the United States. She also tied the record for the largest comeback in tournament history.

And the mask. Kim would seem to be the first major winner wearing a mask due to the pandemic. (I am going to check and see if this happened in 1918 though…).

Tod Leonard with this item on Kim’s explanation for staying covered during play.

“Every time I practice, I usually wear a mask, so I’m kind of used to it,” Kim said through an interpreter during her champion’s press conference. “I’m OK to get positive tests for COVID-19, but I don’t want to affect other people, players, a caddie that’s playing within the group, so that’s the reason I wear the mask throughout the round.”

Which reminds, if she can birdie the last three holes to win the U.S. Open wearing a mask, in her first U.S. Open, her first start in America and oh yeah, her first major, you can wear one to driving range tough guys!

I don’t often note the winning sticks, but a woman playing Mizuno’s is always nice to see given September’s controversy when there were questions about the company interest in supporting elite female golfers.

Mike Johnson with her specs and mixed iron set over at GolfDigest.com.

Justin Ray penned 10 things to note from the final round worth checking out, including this:

3. Kim improved her precision iron play every day on the Cypress Creek Course. In Round 2, she had an average approach shot proximity of 44 feet, 8 inches. Saturday, that number improved to 40 feet, 11 inches. The final round was another level altogether, though, as her average proximity was at about 31 feet. On a day where the field averaged fewer than 10 greens in regulation, Kim hit 14.

A few more items from the USGA staff notes:

  • Kim’s strokes gained of 7.43 was the second-best in a final round by a U.S. Women’s Open champion. Meg Mallon, who shot a 65 to win the 2004 title, owns the best mark of 7.88.

  • A closing birdie gave University of Texas All-American Kaitlyn Papp low-amateur honors by two strokes over 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Gabriela Ruffels and Maja Stark, of Sweden. Papp started the day tied for fifth, four strokes off the lead. She closed with a 3-over 74 to finish tied for ninth and an exemption into the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club next June.

A few social highlights, starting with that finishing birdie stretch and followed by a call from Annika.

Response To Pelley's Claims Of European Tour Financial Health: "No strategic alliance joy for the 68"

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Back in April Keith Pelley was lamenting the difficult financial times. Job losses were predicted, etc.

In abruptly announcing a new PGA Tour alliance, Pelley scoffed at a Twitter assertion that the European Tour was in poor financial shape.

It’s a particularly strange stance given how there would be complete understanding amidst a pandemic that things were not perfect.

The result of Pelley’s obvious truth distortion now leaves him open to some pretty and deserved criticism. Not for joining forces with the PGA Tour. No as Alistait Tait writes in a superb post, the lying seems crude given the spector of the Tour letting go of off a huge portion of the staff. It’s 68, Tait writes.

Since the tour is in “robust financial health” any chance of those 68 getting their jobs back? Or maybe the Tour IS in “robust financial health” because it shed those jobs.

This pandemic has hurt every business. Many people in all industries have lost their jobs as a result. Golf is no different. However, many companies have stuck by their employees, retaining them for the good days that surely lie ahead. That’s certainly true for those companies that are in “robust financial health.”

And what about the tour’s current employees at its headquarters at the Wentworth Club (pictured)? What does this strategic alliance mean for those good men and women currently working their youknowhats off to keep the European Tour circus running right now? They must be worried about the future.

He goes on to write about “redundancies” and the pain felt by those let go. It’s well worth a few minutes. Oh and the closing line is a killer.