.@TigerWoods walking off the 18th green to celebrate his return to glory with his family is an image we’ll never forget.

One year later, he reflects on just how much it all means to him. #MastersRewind pic.twitter.com/9DfmU8k2pL

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 12, 2020

It’s getting dusty in here again! Awesome stuff all around. That being said, let’s hope we don’t have to do this next year.

WE’RE BUYING

Tiger Woods: As mentioned, the Easter Sunday broadcast was pretty special. Based on a quarter-century of rather guarded interviews, it was surprising—and great—to see Tiger get so emotional. Perhaps more surprising, though, is that he became social media’s biggest star last week. First, by posting this photo of him hosting a stay-at-home Masters Champions Dinner featuring food he would have had served at the real thing:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-suPm5jPgA/?utm_source=ig_embed

And then by sharing his homemade Magnolia Lane:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-4rvdvjzmF/?utm_source=ig_embed

Who is Tiger’s gardener? And who is his social media specialist? Both had strong Sundays.

Phil Mickelson’s robe: For his Masters Rewind, Phil donned a white robe instead of the green jacket:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-2a5CjDjNn/?utm_source=ig_embed

Wow, that thing looks comfy. By the way, how nice must it be to re-watch your own Masters win? I’m guessing it’s pretty nice—especially in one of those robes.

Dakota Cunningham: Usually I’m jealous when I hear other people’s hole-in-one stories, but this John Strege story about a young St. Jude’s patient overcoming leukemia is awesome. And the 14-year-old didn’t just get lucky with an ace. He’s a total stick who also calmly sank a putt worth $50,000 in front of Justin Rose last year. Impressive. Speaking of “kids” …

Collin Morikawa: A year ago, Collin was finishing up his senior year at Cal. Now? He’s a PGA Tour winner, he holds the tour’s longest active made-cut streak and he recently received his first Masters invite. Already one of the world’s best iron players, we caught up with Collin on this week’s Golf Digest Podcast to talk about all that and more. Turns out, he has some great taste in TV as well:

This guy is really going places. Well, after the lockdown, that is.

WE’RE SELLING

The “Mock Masters” final leader board: First off, congrats to Patrick Reed for winning our statistical experiment run by Rick Gehman and chronicled by Shane Ryan. No doubt Reed would have enjoyed having Tiger Woods return last year’s favour by slipping the green jacket back on the 2018 winner. But based on the reactions, let’s just say this wasn’t a popular victory. And that a final leader board of Reed winning by three over Corey Conners and Tyrrell Hatton after Tiger, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson all collapsed in the final round? Thanks, but we’ll stick to re-watching 2019.

Cabot St. Lucia’s timing: To be clear, Cabot St. Lucia, which we got a sneak preview of in Derek Duncan’s latest Golf Digest piece, looks like it’s going to be awesome. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s a Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design that’s set to open in 2021 in a spectacular part of the world.

Jacob Sjoman/Courtesy of Cabot Saint Lucia

That being said, these guys couldn’t have built this thing before I honeymooned in St. Lucia in 2015? Sigh.

This snake: Jimmy Walker, Texas Ranger:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-0ZtNOpG3z/?utm_source=ig_embed

Good lord.

ON TAP

This week would have been the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, AKA that place with the lighthouse on the 18th hole where C.T. Pan edged Matt Kuchar last year for his first PGA Tour title. OK, so it’s more known for the lighthouse.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Random tournament fact: Luke Donald has five runner-up finishes in this event without a win. Basically, what the U.S. Open is to Phil Mickelson, Hilton Head is to Donald.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Jim Nantz will record an interview with C.T. Pan for the broadcast this week: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Luke Donald would finish runner-up in a “Mock Heritage” simulation: Even odds
—I’m going to have nightmares about that snake: LOCK

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Let’s share a couple uplifting stories of life during these scary times. First, Michael Thompson and his wife, Rachel, adopted a second child:

Congrats to them. And congrats to the Garcias for welcoming a second child of their own into the world:

Happy Easter to everyone! We’re blessed to have welcomed Enzo Akins Garcia on Friday, April 10, at 6:25 pm. Enzo and Angela are both doing great, and Azalea is very happy to be a big sister! Hope you all have enjoyed Easter (and Masters) Sunday. God bless from our family to yours pic.twitter.com/ipjLtv9SnL

— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) April 13, 2020

So much for Sergio sticking with the Masters-themed baby names. “Firethorn” really would have turned some heads. Oh well.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

This guy did a Tiger King-Tiger Woods mashup. And it’s awesome.

Nothing will replace The Masters this week, but I hope this video will help with the pain.

I saw a Tiger. pic.twitter.com/JHUsDi2pSs

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) April 9, 2020

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (TRICK-SHOT DIVISION)

Keeping with the kids theme, how about this effort?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uy8-allPe/?utm_source=ig_embed

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PRO PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (AND BOOZING)

With no RBC Heritage to contend at, Luke Donald and his wife, Diane, shared a special lockdown cocktail recipe:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

It’s Fri-Yay, and we are READY for a cocktail! ? Here is my go-to recipe for a skinny spicy (optional) margarita. *Also easily ordered in a bar when the world re-opens and we can go out again??. Here’s what you will need… Fresh lime juice ? White tequila ?? Orange liquor ?(like Grand Mariner, Cointreau, or Triple Sec) can also use fresh orange juice if you want to be very low cal Thinly sliced jalapeño ? Sparkling water ?(can be lemon, lime or even grapefruit flavored) Ice ? Mix together lime juice, tequila, a splash of orange liquor, and a few slices of jalapeño with ice in a cocktail shaker. I’m sorry I don’t have measurements but watch the video ? and really it’s to taste. You may want more lime or more orange liquor than I like. But for this recipe i counted to 4 for the tequila, 2 for the grand mariner, and juiced 2 limes, one for each drink. If you like it sweeter add more orange liquor, spicier add more jalapeño, stronger… and more TEQUILA??! Shake shake shake, pour over ice, garnish with jalapeño slices and top with sparkling water.

A post shared by Diane Donald (@dianedonald) on Apr 10, 2020 at 3:15pm PDT

If I didn’t have a nearly two-decade-long ban on drinking tequila, I’d give that a try.

THIS WEEK IN OTHER TOUR PROS BEING QUARANTINED

This back-and-forth #Quarantunes battle between LPGA pro Tiffany Joh and former player Jeehae Lee might be the best thing on Twitter right now. Here’s a sampling:

#Quarantunes
This only took like 30 takes ?
Let’s go, @tiffjoh ??‍??‍??‍ https://t.co/8d4nCoafNM pic.twitter.com/U3bww4driV

— Jeehae Lee (@jeehaeda) April 11, 2020

K. You again @jeehaeda ? #Quarantunes https://t.co/M9LjXmOEsk pic.twitter.com/FFQaFIiHo7

— Tiffany Joh (@tiffjoh) April 9, 2020

Damn. These girls are good. Are they taking requests?

And Viktor Hovland doesn’t “suck at chipping” anymore:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7lI1VFmMv/?utm_source=ig_embed

Never mind. Keep working on it, Viktor. You’ve got time.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Doug Sanders, on his dual reputations as a straight hitter and a ladies’ man: “The only times I left the fairway was to get a phone number.”

— Mike O'Malley (@GD_MikeO) April 13, 2020

That might be the greatest quote of all time. RIP Doug Sanders.

THIS AND THAT

European Tour pros have been told to brace for a “radically different” tour when play resumes, including reduced tournament purses. Not good. … The PGA of America and USGA have earmarked millions of dollars to help club pros, course employees and other workers affected by COVID-19 shutdowns. That’s better. … This week’s podcast guest, Collin Morikawa, and a bunch of other tour pros including John Daly, Michelle Wie and Jimmy Walker will compete in a charity poker tournament presented by MGM Resorts. Let’s see if Jimmy is snake-bit at the tables also. Sorry, couldn’t resist. … And finally, even with all the Tiger replays in my house, my daughter still calls him “Lion” for some reason:

We’re making progress… #MastersRewind #Lion pic.twitter.com/TFPredXh8Y

— Alex Myers (@AlexMyers3) April 12, 2020

I’m failing as a parent.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who is the best poker player on tour?
Did Joe Exotic really do all his own vocals?
Is Phil allowed to take that robe off of club grounds?

The post Tiger Woods’ quarantine title defense, Phil Mickelson’s Masters robe and an LPGA Twitter battle you have to hear appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The hole-in-one, in fact, was a shot heard ‘round the ward, the renowned St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis celebrating it with a blog post headlined: “For St. Jude Patient Dakota, Life is Coming Up Aces.”

St. Jude Patient, as identifiers go, is as ominous as it sounds, and Dakota Cunningham, 14, endured it for the better part of three years while gamely withstanding the onslaught of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

But first the ace. It came on April 2, on the par-3 16th hole at Cherokee Valley Golf Club adjacent to their home in Olive Branch, Miss. “It was about 135 yards, with a bunker on the left and a bunker on the right,” Dakota, 14, said in the cadence of a tour professional describing a shot. “Pin tucked behind the right bunker. A 7-iron. It was tracking all the way.”

It was a shot of which St. Jude’s founder and avid golfer, the late entertainer Danny Thomas, would have been proud. The hospital was born from Thomas’ vow that should he achieve success he would honour St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, by building a shrine.

Thomas delivered on his vow and helped fund the hospital by hosting the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic from 1970 through 1984. It later became the FedEx St. Jude Classic and has been upgraded to the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

‘He’s a miracle, no ifs, ands or buts about it. He is here for a reason.’ —Stephen Cunningham, Dakota’s father

The hospital is there to counter what otherwise might be hopeless causes, as it did with Dakota, though at the outset of his ordeal the signs weren’t promising. One moment, Dakota was a typical 11-year-old with energy to burn, and the next moment, his life upended.

“He had just made the soccer team,” said Stephen Cunningham, Dakota’s father. “We were having a picnic that weekend. It was on a Sunday. It was hot. He was playing with some friends and he came running off the field and his neck was so swollen. He had no neck. You look at it as a parent and think, ‘Oh, my God.’”

Stephen phoned Dakota’s doctor, a family friend. “We’re bringing Dakota over,” he said. “I want you to look at him.” When the doctor examined him, he said Dakota’s lymph nodes were “some of the biggest I’ve ever seen.” He also noted an infection in the back of his throat and took him to his office and administered an injection.

“The lymph nodes started to go down a little bit,” Stephen said. But two days later they began to return, and Dakota was taken back to see the doctor, who scheduled him for an emergency scan at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

Stephen was en route home from work that day when his phone rang. It was the doctor. “Why are you calling me?” Stephen asked.

“How long before you get home?” the doctor replied. “Steve, you need to get home quick. Dakota has masses all over him. He has a mass on his throat that we’re very concerned about.”

He was told it was the size of a fist, that it was pressing against Dakota’s trachea and “was all tangled up in his chest cavity,” Stephen said. At midnight, a decision was made to transfer him to St. Jude.

A doctor informed Stephen that Dakota had cancer. How sure are you, Stephen asked? “We’re 98 per cent sure,” he was told. By the morning, they were 100 per cent certain. Leukemia, and possibly lymphoma.

“Basically I had to go in and tell him,” Stephen said. “I told him we’ve been dealt the cancer card, that we’re going to beat it. I said, ‘I’ll always be honest with you through the whole process,’ and that he was going to experience ‘a lot of pain.’”

Dakota had two questions. Would he lose his hair? “Son, your hair is gone,” he replied. What about soccer? “Son, soccer is over for two years.”

“Let’s go,” Dakota said.

Then the nightmare began. “The first week in the hospital was like a whirlwind,” Stephen said. “You have nurses and doctors tell you that your life is about to change. There are certain things you can’t have. You can’t have black pepper. You can’t have tea. You can’t go into the ocean because the ocean has bacteria in it. The common cold, you’re on panic.”

There was pancreatitis, mucositis, foot drop and side effects from chemotherapy. A black belt in taekwondo and a fearless snowboarder, Dakota at times was too weak to walk. “To see him go from that child, to laying on the couch, not able to move for six or eight weeks, to lose muscle where you had to carry your son to the bathroom, is the most devastating thing.”

Soccer no longer was an option, so Dakota embraced golf, a sport he had been around peripherally for most of his life (Stephen once played mini-tours). He began playing in the PGA Jr. League, which provided him an exemption to use a golf cart. He would go for his treatments, then head to the golf course to play matches. Last summer, his team won its state championship.

Dakota also began playing for his middle school team. In October 2019, two days before the school’s final tournament of the season, he went in for his chemotherapy treatment. On the morning of the tournament, Dakota “was on his hands and knees puking,” Stephen said. “He gets up to shower and pukes again in the shower.”

Then he went out and shot a 69 to win by nine. He needed only a par at 18 to break 70 for the first time, then ran his 25-foot birdie putt six feet past the hole. He calmly holed the six-footer.

“Buddy, that’s unbelievable,” his dad said to him, “but why’d you run that first putt past the hole?”

“I wanted to shoot 68,” Dakota said.

Dakota Cunningham gets a high-five from Justin Rose at the 2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. (Photo courtesy of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Dakota’s growing highlight reel also includes a clutch putt he holed in a charity event at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational a few months earlier. When Justin Rose left a 50-foot putt five feet short, it was up to Dakota to make the putt to secure a $50,000 donation from FedEx to St. Jude. Rose stepped in to help him read it.

“Dakota turned around,” his mother Tricia said, “and said, ‘I’ve got it.’”

“I was a little bit nervous,” Dakota said. “But I got into my routine, and it was a little right-to-left breaker and I made it.”

The tour pros routinely interact with St. Jude patients and often venture over to the hospital to do so. Dakota met Justin Thomas, and Stephen explained his son’s story to him. Stephen also took his phone out and showed Thomas a video of Dakota’s swing. Thomas began going through it frame by frame, finally stopping it when Dakota was at the top of his swing.

“That’s good,” Thomas said. He similarly was impressed at Dakota’s impact position and even summoned Jordan Spieth over to have a look. Spieth concurred, which was welcome encouragement for a remarkable young man now determined to play NCAA Division I golf, followed by a professional career.

On Monday, the PGA Tour posted on Twitter video of Rose congratulating Dakota on his ace.

One golf buddy to another, @PGATOUR star @JustinRose99 congratulates @StJude patient Dakota on his hole-in-one! pic.twitter.com/LHtyWp3uva

— FedEx St. Jude Championship (@FedExChamp) April 13, 2020

“It’s these little things that get you through it,” Stephen said. “The putt that he made with Justin Rose, little things like that make a difference in these kids lives. I talked to a number of pros and they all say, ‘I’m getting so much out of this.’ Well, they don’t understand how much we’re getting out of it out.”

On Jan. 9, incidentally, Dakota Cunningham concluded his treatments and left St. Jude with a clean bill of health. A beacon in these dark days, indeed.

“He’s a miracle, no ifs, ands or buts about it,” Stephen said. “He is here for a reason.”

The post Meet the boy who overcame leukemia, holed a putt worth $50,000 and just made his first hole-in-one appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.